According to the most recent reports, Samsung is still dominating the smartphones market with a noticeable annual growth. And the company keeps releasing amazing handsets: after announcing a foldable phone, the Korean giant officially unveiled the Galaxy Note 10 line-up with huge improvements compared to the predecessor Galaxy Note 9. For the first time since 2011, the Note line-up contains two different variants. This means that we can compare it not only with the most expensive devices out there but also with more affordable Chinese flagships. For this post, we chose to compare the vanilla Galaxy Note 10 with the Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro and the Oppo Reno 10x zoom which we believe are among the top 5 most wanted flagship line-ups of the second half of 2019.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 vs Oppo Reno 10x zoom vs Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro
| Samsung Galaxy Note 10 | Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro | Oppo Reno 10x zoom | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT | 151 x 71.8 x 7.9 mm, 168 g | 156.7 x 74.3 x 8.8 mm, 191 g | 162 x 77.2 x 9.3 mm , 210 g |
| DISPLAY | 6.3 inches, 1080 x 2280p (Full HD+), Dynamic AMOLED | 6.39 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), Super AMOLED | 6.6 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), AMOLED |
| PROCESSOR | Samsung Exynos 9825, octa-core 2.73 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, octa-core 2.84 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, octa-core 2.8 GHz |
| MEMORY | 8 GB RAM, 256 GB | 6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB | 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 6 GB RAM, 256 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – micro SD slot |
| SOFTWARE | Android 9 Pie, One UI | Android 9 Pie, MIUI | Android 9 Pie, Color OS |
| CONNECTIVITY | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS |
| CAMERA | Triple 12 + 12 + 16 MP, f/1.5-2.4, f/2.1 and f/2.2 10 MP f/2.2 front camera |
Triple 48 + 8 + 13 MP, f/1.8, f/2.4 and f/2.4 20 MP f/2.2 front camera |
Triple 48 + 13 + 8 MP, f/1.7 + f/2.2 16 MP f/2.0 front camera |
| BATTERY | 3500 mAh, fast charging 25W, fast wireless charging 20W | 4000 mAh, fast charging 27W with Quick Charge 4+ | 4065 mAh, fast charging, 20W |
| ADDITIONAL FEATURES | Hybrid Dual SIM slot, IP68 waterproof, reverse wireless charging | Dual SIM slot | Hybrid Dual SIM slot |
Design
Tastes play an important role here, but I would personally choose the Galaxy Note 10 because of its more compact size, a lower thickness (despite the presence of the S Pen) and the waterproof certification. However, if we only consider the look, Oppo Reno 10x zoom is definitely more attractive with its full borderless display, it shark fin front camera and its very original glass back, at least according to my tastes. But for me, dimensions and builds quality are more important. Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro remains a very interesting device due to its borderless display with pop-up camera and its solid glass back available in interesting color variants. Which one would you go for?
Display
Despite it has an inferior display to the Galaxy Note 10+ with a lower resolution and a smaller size, the new Galaxy Note 10 has the most amazing screen you can find in this trio. It is the only to be HDR10+ compliant, so it shows more brilliant and realistic colors. Some might not like the hole placed at the center of the display in order to include the front camera while reducing the bezels, but in terms of quality, it has no rivals in this comparison. It even supports the S Pen for handwriting and drawing, which can also be used as a motion controller allowing the control of the display without touching it. Just note that Oppo Reno 10x zoom has a wider panel, but for the rest, Galaxy Note 10 wins.
Hardware/Software
The European version of the Galaxy Note 10 comes with a brand new chipset: the Exynos 9825 built with a better 7 nm process (compared to the 9820) and with improved performances. On the other hand, the U.S. version still comes with the Snapdragon 855 chipset found on the Galaxy S10 series, just like the Oppo Reno 10x zoom and Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro. So if you are from Europe and other regions in which you can get the Exynos 9825, the Galaxy Note 10 is the best choice for you. Otherwise, we suggest you go for the Oppo Reno 10x zoom which offers the same hardware department plus a micro SD slot to expand the internal storage. In each case, you get a highly customized Android-based user interface.
Camera
If you love to zoom without losing details, then Oppo Reno 10x zoom is the right choice for you thanks to its 10x hybrid zoom and 5x optical zoom. But for all the rest, Samsung Galaxy Note 10 is a better camera phone due to its Dual OIS technology, a variable aperture and amazing video recording capabilities.
Battery
If battery life is your priority, do not choose the Samsung Galaxy Note 10. Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro reaches the most satisfying results and it even offers a faster charging technology than the Oppo Reno 10x zoom. But note that Galaxy Note 10 is the only to support wireless charging and reverse wireless charging.
Price
€950 for the Galaxy Note 10, €800/$895 for the Oppo Reno 10x zoom and just €430/$480 for the Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro. At the end of the day, if we exclude the battery, Samsung Galaxy Note 10 is the winner of this competition. But Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro definitely has a higher value for money. If your budget is not limited (and you do not care about having a longer battery life or a bigger display), it is currently not worth going for the Oppo Reno 10x zoom with the actual prices.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 vs Oppo Reno 10x zoom vs Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro: PRO and CONS
Samsung Galaxy Note 10
PROS
- Reverse wireless charging
- S Pen
- Stunning display
- Great hardware
- Nice cameras
- More compact
- Waterproof
CONS
- Smaller battery
- Costlier
Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro
PROS
- Affordable price
- Big battery
- Good design
- Nice display
CONS
- Less versatile cameras
Oppo Reno 10x zoom
PROS
- 10x hybrid zoom
- Bigger display
- Big battery
- Original design
CONS
- Bigger dimensions
