Apple iPhone 11 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S10: which would you choose?

Apple unveiled a new batch of iPhones on September 10, all of which come with improved cameras, better durability and longer battery life. The phones are available for pre-order before they launch in stores on September 20.

If the iPhone 11 Pro’s headlining feature sounds familiar – a triple-lens camera that includes an ultra-wide-angle lens – that’s because other smartphone makers have done it first. Samsung, the biggest smartphone maker in the world by market share, introduced a similar feature on its Galaxy S10 phone in February.

Here’s a closer look at how Apple’s new iPhone 11 Pro compares to the Galaxy S10.

Camera

The iPhone 11 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S10 both have three rear-facing camera lenses, one of which allows the phones to capture ultra-wide images with a noticeably larger field of view than was previously possible.

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Samsung’s ultra-wide-angle camera offers a 123-degree field of view, while Apple’s is slightly narrower at 120 degrees. The Galaxy S10’s ultra-wide-angle camera has a 16-megapixel sensor, the iPhone’s is 12 megapixels. Samsung’s ultra-wide-angle camera has a lower aperture than Apple’s too, which means the lens should be able to open wider to absorb more light and provide more exposure.

Samsung’s telephoto and wide-angle cameras are 12 megapixels just like Apple’s, but as is the case with the ultra-wide-angle lens, there are some differences to take into account when it comes to aperture. The iPhone’s wide-angle lens has a f/1.8 aperture, while Samsung's is capable of switching between an aperture of f/1.5, which would be lower than the iPhone’s, and f/2.4. Apple’s telephoto lens, however, has a lower aperture of f/2.0 compared to the Galaxy S10’s, which has an aperture of f/2.4.

When it comes to recording video, the iPhone 11 Pro and Galaxy S10 share many similarities. Both can shoot 4K video up to 60 frames per second and slow-motion video in 1080p at up to 240 frames per second.  

Based on their specifications, it sounds like the iPhone 11 Pro could give the Galaxy S10 serious competition, but there’s no way to know without comparing their performance side-by-side.  

Display

The Galaxy S10 has a 6.1-inch screen that’s slightly larger than the iPhone 11 Pro’s 5.8-inch display. It’s also sharper than Apple’s iPhone, or at least it should be. The Galaxy S10’s display has a resolution of 3040 x 1440, packing 550 pixels per inch, while the iPhone 11 Pro has a resolution of 2436 x 1125 with 458 pixels per inch.

But having a higher resolution doesn't always mean one screen is better than the other. While the displays on Samsung’s phones are usually vibrant and full of bold colour, I find that colours generally look more realistic on the iPhone. It’s impossible to tell which phone offers a better viewing experience without spending a significant amount of time with each of them.

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 Design

The iPhone 11 Pro and Galaxy S10 may share some similarities when it comes to their cameras, but Apple and Samsung have taken different approaches when it comes to design.

The most evident involves the devices’ screens. The iPhone 11 Pro still has a notch cutout near the top of the display for the selfie camera and facial-recognition sensors, much like the one that debuted on the iPhone X two years ago. It hasn’t changed much, if at all, since 2017.

Samsung has done more to push the design of its flagship smartphones forward with the “Infinity O” displays on the Galaxy S10 and Note 10 line-up. This new display makes it look like Samsung simply punched a hole in the device’s screen where its front-facing camera sensors are situated, creating the illusion that the display stretches from edge to edge. It’s a much sleeker and minimalist look than Apple’s, making the iPhone’s notch feel all the more intrusive.

The back of these devices also looks and feels distinctively different. The iPhone 11 has a new matt textured back that I imagine could give it two important advantages: it’s easier to grip, and is less prone to fingerprint smudges. The Galaxy S10 has a glossier, shiny back that feels more fragile.

The iPhone 11 Pro is also a bit heavier than the Galaxy S10. It weighs 188 grams, while the S10 weighs 157 grams.

Storage options

The iPhone 11 Pro comes in three storage options (64GB, 256GB, and 512GB), while the Galaxy S10 only comes in two (128 GB, 512GB). The catch is that if you’re opting for the cheapest model, you get twice as much storage with the Galaxy S10 (128GB with the S10 against 64GB with the iPhone). Samsung’s phone also has a microSD card slot that allows you to add an extra 512GB of removable storage to the phone.

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The Samsung Galaxy S10 is a bit cheaper than the iPhone 11 Pro, since the 128GB entry-level configuration starts at US$900 while the 64GB iPhone 11 Pro costs US$1,000.

Durability

The iPhone 11 Pro is better equipped to withstand water damage than the Samsung Galaxy S10. Apple’s new iPhone can weather being submerged in up to four metres of water for 30 minutes, while the Galaxy S10 can survive after being dunked in up to 1.5 metres of water for 30 minutes.

Extra features

Samsung’s Galaxy S10 offers a few features that the iPhone doesn’t, such as an in-screen fingerprint reader, an always-on display that can show information like the time and battery life while the display is off, and reverse-wireless charging. That last feature allows you to charge accessories like wireless earbuds or a smartwatch simply by resting them on the back of the phone, which could come in handy when you’re not near an outlet.

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One of the big benefits that come with Apple’s products is how seamlessly they all work together. One of the best examples of this is the way your AirPods automatically pair with your iPhone as soon as you flip open the lid, and the way they automatically pause music when you take one AirPod out of your ear. Some competitors have copied this approach in recent years, but Apple pioneered it.

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This article originally appeared on Business Insider.