Samsung Galaxy M10, alongside the Galaxy M20, is the first device from the brand new Galaxy M series that includes entry-level and midrange smartphones from the Koran giant. Its specs and its price tag are a clear sign that the company is trying to gain some ground on Chinese manufacturers which are becoming a bigger menace every day. Does the Galaxy M10 look as interesting as the latest entry-level devices from Chinese manufacturers? We will let you figure it out in this specs comparison with Honor Play 8A and Realme C1 2019.
Samsung Galaxy M10 vs Huawei Honor Play 8A vs Oppo Realme C1 (2019)
| Samsung Galaxy M10 | Huawei Honor Play 8A | Oppo Realme C1 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT | 155.6 x 75.6 x 7.7 mm, 163 grams | 156.28 x 73.5 x 8 mm, 150 grams | 156.2 x 75.6 x 8.2 mm, 168 grams |
| DISPLAY | 6.22 inches, 720 x 1520p (HD+), 270 ppi, PLS TFT | 6.09 inches, 720 x 1560p (HD+), 290 ppi, IPS LCD | 6.2 inches, 720 x 1520p (HD+), 271 ppi, IPS LCD |
| PROCESSOR | Samsung Exynos 7870, octa-core 1.6 GHz | MediaTek Helio P35, octa-core 2.3 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, octa-core 1.8 GHz |
| MEMORY | 2 GB RAM, 16 GB – 3 GB RAM, 32 GB – micro SD dedicated slot | 3 GB RAM, 32 GB – 3 GB RAM, 64 GB – micro SD slot | 2 GB RAM, 16 GB – micro SD dedicated slot |
| SOFTWARE | Android 8.1 Oreo, Samsung Experience | Android 9 Pie, EMUI | Android 8.1 Oreo, Color OS |
| CONNECTIVITY | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS |
| CAMERA | Dual 13 + 5 MP f/1.9 and f/2.2 5 MP f/2.0 front camera |
13 MP f/1.8 8 MP f/2.0 front camera |
Dual 13 + 2 MP f/2.2 and f/2.4 5 MP f/2.2 front camera |
| BATTERY | 3400 mAh | 3000 mAh | 4230 mAh |
| ADDITIONAL FEATURES | Dual SIM slot | Hybrid Dual SIM slot | Dual SIM slot |
Design
Smartphones manufacturers learned to release even entry-level phones with attractive aesthetics. In this trio, the one I would pick is the Samsung Galaxy S10 because of its higher screen-to-body ratio thanks to its Infinity-V Display featuring narrow bezels and a small V-shaped notch. It has even a thinner body than its rivals. Realme C1 2019 has a bigger notch and thicker bezels, but it has the best build quality thanks to Gorilla Glass 3 by Corning protecting the display from drop and scratches. Honor Play 8A has a dewdrop notch, but its chin is thicker and it does not help it to achieve a high screen-to-body ratio.
Display
The display is one of the components for which Samsung decided to cut costs in order to offer a very affordable phone to the public. It is not even an IPS display, but it is a lower-end TFT panel. It remains sufficient thanks to its HD+ resolution, but Realme C1 2019 and Honor Play 8A are more satisfying when it comes to display quality. Realme C1 2019 has a bigger and more resistant display, but it does not differ so much in terms of viewing quality. So you can choose either the Realme C1 2019 or the Honor Play 8A if you want the best display, just let your tastes decide.
Specs & Software
These three handsets are entry-level phones but they are not the most low-end ones. Their hardware sides allow using every app with sufficient performances, as long as you do not opt for high-level gaming and multi-tasking. The best is the Honor Play 8A that comes with a midrange-class Helio P35 chipset by MediaTek. It can be compared to the Snapdragon 632 by Qualcomm and it reaches high clock frequencies up to 2.3 GHz. It even comes with up to 64 GB of internal storage that are not present on the other two devices. The second place goes to the Realme C1 as I define the Snapdragon 450 a better chipset than the Exynos 7870 by Samsung.
Camera
Samsung devices are usually superior to most of their concurrence when it comes to cameras. And it is exactly the same as the Samsung Galaxy M10. It comes with a dual setup on the back boasting a good focal aperture and great performances in most of scenarios (for an entry-level phone, obviously). Honor Play 8A comes right after with its bright aperture and a better selfie camera, even though it has just a single sensor on its rear side.
Battery
Finally, a thing in which Realme C1 2019 is undoubtedly superior: the battery life. Thanks to the huge 4230 mAh unit, it can achieve a way longer battery life than Samsung Galaxy M10 and Honor Play 8A, reaching two days of intensive usage. The second place goes to Samsung Galaxy M10 and its 3400 mAh battery, but Honor Play 8A is still more than sufficient with its 3000 mAh battery, given the efficient components.
Price
Samsung Galaxy M10 and Honor Play 8A debuted in the Asian market with a price tag of about €100/$114, while Realme C1 2019 is available to purchase in India for 7500 INR that is equivalent to about €92/$105 at the actual change. In my opinion, finally Samsung is starting to become competitive even in the low-end sector, and the new M series may help it gain some ground on Chinese manufacturers in this niche. But the Galaxy M10 does not win this comparison unless the final user is a camera addicted. I think it is basically a draw, with Samsung Galaxy M10 offering better camera performances, Honor Play 8A with a better hardware and Realme C1 2019 with a longer battery life. Which one do you prefer?
Samsung Galaxy M10 vs Huawei Honor Play 8A vs Oppo Realme C1 (2019): PROs and CONS
Oppo Realme C1 2019
PROs
- Bigger battery
- Micro SD dedicated slot
- Good build quality
- Affordable
CONS
- Limited availability
Honor Play 8A
PROs
- Very affordable price
- Compact design
- Micro SD Dedicated slot
- Good performance
CONS
- Smaller battery
Samsung Galaxy M10
PROs
- Micro SD dedicated slot
- Affordable price
- Good camera
- Great design
CONS
- Non-IPS display
