Samsung's Galaxy S10 smartphone lineup is up for preorder now for $750 to $1,000

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Samsung's Galaxy S10 smartphone lineup is up for preorder now for $750 to $1,000

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galaxy s10 s10 plus s10 e

Antonio Villas-Boas/Business Insider

  • Samsung announced three new S10 phones at an event held in New York, and you can preorder them on Samsung's website right now. They ship on March 8.
  • The Samsung Galaxy S10e is the most affordable of the bunch, coming in at $749.99, but it has most of the same high-end specs as the two flagship models.
  • Samsung's standard Galaxy S10 is the flagship phone that heads the lineup, and it starts at $899.99.
  • For those of you who prefer big-screen phones, the Samsung Galaxy S10+ is a jumbo-sized version of the flagship, starting at $999.99.
  • Samsung is also offering up to $550 for eligible phone trade-ins when you buy one of its S10 phones.

Samsung has announced a trio of new flagship phones: the Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10+, and Galaxy 10e. The phones won't start shipping until March 8, but you can preorder all of them at Samsung's website right now. If you order a Galaxy S10 or Galaxy S10+ before March 7, you'll also receive a pair of Samsung's totally wireless Galaxy Bud headphones.

You can also trade in your current device on Samsung's website to get up to $550 toward your new phone. Assuming your phone is in good condition, you'll get $550 for a recent flagship phone like the iPhone XS or the Galaxy S9. Trading in a Galaxy S8 or iPhone 7 will get you $300, while older phones like the iPhone 6S, Galaxy S7, and Galaxy S6 will get you $150.

All three phones will be available on all the major US phone networks, including AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, and US Cellular. You can choose your carrier at checkout when you go to preorder the phones on Samsung's website. The phones come in several colors, including an iridescent black and white, pink, blue, as well as solid white and black.

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Each model has a set of unique features, so we broke down all the key differences below to help you decide which one to buy. For more information on all of Samsung's hardware announcements, be sure to check out Business Insider's full recap of the event.

Learn more about Samsung's Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10+, and Galaxy S10e below.

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Samsung Galaxy S10: A flagship phone for $899.99

Samsung Galaxy S10: A flagship phone for $899.99
Preorder the Samsung Galaxy S10 for $899.99 and up at Samsung.com

The Galaxy S10 is Samsung's mainstream flagship phone for 2019, and it's packed with hardware and software features that will encourage Android users to upgrade and Apple fans to reconsider their choice.

The Galaxy S10 has a 6.1-inch curved AMOLED Quad HD+ screen with HDR (high dynamic range), which makes colors look more accurate. The screen is curved, which allows such a big display to fit on a phone that's only 2.77 inches wide.

This phone is all screen: There is no notch at the top like the one you'll find on almost every other phone on the market — including the iPhone XS — and the bezels are nearly non-existent.

Instead, the S10's front-facing camera is nestled in a "hole punch" on the front of the Galaxy S10's screen to eliminate the need for a notch. The selfie cam uses a 10-megapixel Super Speed Dual Pixel sensor to capture high-resolution selfies.

The Galaxy S10's camera system is equally impressive. It has three back-facing cameras: A 12-megapixel telephoto lens, a 12-megapixel wide-angle lens, and a 16-megapixel ultra-wide angle lens. The telephoto and wide-angle lenses are optically stabilized, which means it will compensate for slight movements so you don't end up taking a blurry shot.

Beneath the hood is a 64-bit 8-core Snapdragon 855 processor, 8GB of RAM, and either 128GB or 512GB of storage. You can add an additional 512GB of storage by installing a MicroSD card for a total of up to 1TB. These specs make the Galaxy S10 more powerful than some computers, so it's an excellent upgrade for existing Android users or iPhone owners thinking about switching over.

Nobody wants to think about their phone's battery dying, and the Galaxy S10 has a trio of power features to help prevent that. First, it has a 3,400mAh battery, which is way larger than the 2,658mAh battery in the iPhone XS. It also supports fast charging and Samsung's new Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 standard, so you'll be able to charge the phone quickly with or without a cable.

In terms of security features, the Galaxy S10 is both old and new school. It has a facial recognition system and a fingerprint reader. The fingerprint reader is embedded into the screen itself and takes a 3D scan of your fingerprint, which is harder to fake. These features help the Galaxy S10 stay a step ahead of most of its competition.

On the software side, the Galaxy S10 runs Android 9.0 Pie, which was released in August of 2018. This is the latest version of Android, so Galaxy S10 owners will have access to the most up-to-date Android features and security patches.

Surprisingly, the Galaxy S10 also has a 3.5mm headphone jack, so you can plug in a pair of wired headphones, or easily connect the phone to a speaker. It also supports Bluetooth 5.0, so it will work well with wireless accessories, too.

Speaking of wireless, the Galaxy S10 supports Wi-Fi ax, with upload and download speeds of up to 1.2Gbps. It also supports LTE Category 20, with up to 2Gbps download and 150Mbps upload speeds. Under ideal conditions, you may get faster internet speeds on your phone than your home internet connection.

The Galaxy S10 will be available on March 8 on Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and US Cellular. You can also get it unlocked. It will be available in Prism White, Prism Black, Prism Blue, and Flamingo Pink. If you order one before March 7, you'll also receive a free pair of Galaxy Buds, Samsung's totally wireless earbuds.

If you're a die-hard Android user, it's hard to be disappointed by the Galaxy S10's sleek design and powerful hardware. If you're not holding out for a smartphone with a truly gigantic screen, it's your best bet.

Preorder the Samsung Galaxy S10

Samsung Galaxy S10+: A plus-sized flagship phone for $999.99

Samsung Galaxy S10+: A plus-sized flagship phone for $999.99
Preorder the Samsung Galaxy S10+ for $999.99 and up at Samsung.com

The Galaxy S10 is the biggest smartphone in the new S10 lineup. It's designed for people who want a tablet-like experience in a smartphone, but don't want to spend $2,000 on Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Fold smartphone, which literally unfolds from phone size to tablet size.

That starts with the Galaxy S10+'s 6.4-inch AMOLED Quad HD curved screen, which has HDR (high dynamic range), to make the colors in your pictures and videos look as realistic as possible. Because the screen is curved, the massive display fits onto a body that's 2.92 inches wide. It has the same bezel-less and notch-free design as the standard S10, so you get even more screen in a phone that's not too physically huge.

The Galaxy S10+ has the same three camera photography setup as the regular Galaxy S10, which is made up of a 12-megapixel telephoto lens, a 12-megapixel wide-angle lens, and a 16-megapixel ultra-wide angle lens. The telephoto and wide-angle lenses are optically stabilized, which means they will compensate for slight movements to avoid taking blurry pictures.

It has two front-facing cameras: a 10-megapixel Super Speed Dual Pixel camera and an 8-megapixel full frame camera. Having both will improve the detail and color accuracy of your selfies. To avoid having a notch on the front of the phone, Samsung stuck the cameras in a "hole punch," in the screen, which is a lot smaller and less intrusive.

The Galaxy S10+'s other hardware is equally impressive. It has a 64-bit 8-core Snapdragon 855 processor, either 8GB or 12GB of memory, and either 128GB, 512GB, or 1TB of storage. You can expand the storage by up to an additional 512GB of storage with a MicroSD card, bringing the total up to a maximum of 1.5TB.

These are computer-like tech specs, and anyone who plans on getting a phone that will stay fast for several years should seriously consider this one.

Battery life is a concern for all smartphone owners, but the Galaxy S10+ has features that will reduce your anxiety. First, its 4,100mAh battery makes the iPhone XS Max's 3,174 mAh battery look small. The phone also supports both fast charging and Fast Wireless Charging 2.0. These features mean the phone will last a long time, and recharge quickly whether you've got a cable or not.

The Galaxy S10+ runs the latest version of Android, 9.0 Pie. It was released last year, and running it means that Galaxy S10+ owners have access to the latest Android features and security updates.

On the security front, the Galaxy S10+ is well very well equipped. It has both a facial recognition system and an advanced fingerprint reader, which takes a 3D scan of your finger to avoid security risks.

Most companies abandoned the 3.5mm headphone jack, but Samsung included it in the S10+. The phone also supports Bluetooth 5.0, so it'll play nice with all of your wireless accessories.

Samsung also designed the Galaxy S10+ with support for Wi-Fi ax, which means it can upload and download files at a blazing 1.2Gbps. Its wireless LTE speeds fare just as well thanks to its category 20 LTE chip: 2Gbps download and 150Mbps upload speeds. Basically, you'll be able to get broadband internet speeds with you anywhere you go — as long as you've got a good signal.

The Galaxy S10+ will officially launch on March 7, and work with the following carriers: AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, and US Carrier. You can also buy the phone unlocked. It will be available in the following colors: Prism White, Prism Black, Prism Blue, Flamingo Pink, Ceramic Black, and Ceramic White. If you order yours before March 7, you'll also receive a free pair of Galaxy Buds, Samsung's new totally wireless earbuds.

If you want its big screen size and don't mind higher price tag, the Galaxy S10+ is the best Samsung phone you can possibly get.

Preorder the Samsung Galaxy S10+
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Samsung Galaxy S10e: A more affordable version of the flagship for $749.99

Samsung Galaxy S10e: A more affordable version of the flagship for $749.99
Preorder the Samsung Galaxy S10e for $749.99 and up at Samsung.com

The Galaxy S10e is the most affordable smartphone in the S10 lineup, but don't mistake that to mean that it's underpowered or cheap. Much like the iPhone XR, this phone has nearly all the key specs of the flagship with a few small compromises.

It has a 5.8-inch AMOLED HD screen with HDR, so colors will look very nice. Its screen isn't curved like it is on the S10 and S10+ and it's only HD, so it's lower in resolution, but the screen is still highly competitive with other high-end smartphones. It doesn't have the notch, either, and although it has bigger bezels than the two flagship models, they're still very slim.

The Galaxy S10e has a pair of back-facing cameras: a 12-megapixel wide-angle lens, and a 16-megapixel ultra-wide lens. These are the same two cameras on the back of Samsung's other new phones. The difference is that those phones have a third camera.

Its front-facing camera is the same 10-megapixel Super Speed Dual Pixel sensor that's on the regular Galaxy S10. Instead of building the S10e's screen with a notch, Samsung stuck the Galaxy S10e's front-facing cameras into a small "hole punch."

Like all of Samsung's new phones, the Galaxy S10e has a 64-bit 8-core Snapdragon 855 processor. It's available with either 128GB or 256GB of storage, and either 6GB or 8GB of RAM. You can expand its storage by up to 512GB with a MicroSD card, bringing the total up to a maximum of 768GB. Although that's less storage than the other two phones, it's more than enough for most people.

Nobody wants their phone's battery to die, and the Galaxy S10e has a 3,100mAh battery, which is on par with the one in the iPhone Xs Max: 3,174mAh. It also supports both fast charging through a cable and Samsung's Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 standard.

The Galaxy S10e also has both a fingerprint reader and face scanner. The fingerprint reader is located on the Galaxy S10e's power button, and it's not as sophisticated as the one in the Galaxy S10 or S10+, but it's nice to have both options available on a single device.

Like its bigger siblings, the Galaxy S10e runs Android 9.0 Pie, which is the latest version of the operating system. That means it'll have all the latest Android features and security patches. Another thing the Galaxy S10e has is a 3.5mm headphone jack, which pairs well with Bluetooth 5.0 to give you a couple of different ways to connect to headphones and speakers.

The Galaxy S10e supports Wi-Fi ax as well, which has download and upload speeds of up to 1.2Gbps. It also has a category 20 LTE chip, which has a maximum download speed of 2Gbps and maximum upload speed of 150Mbps. The speeds you actually get will depend on your carrier and location, but they're wicked fast either way.

The Samsung Galaxy S10e will be available on Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, US Cellular, and unlocked in Prism White, Prism Black, Prism Blue, and Flamingo Pink on March 8.

If you're looking for a more budget-friendly entry point into the high-end smartphone market and don't mind missing a couple of new features, the Galaxy S10e is an excellent smartphone.

Preorder the Samsung Galaxy S10e

Trade in your old phone and get up to $550 in trade-in credit

Trade in your old phone and get up to $550 in trade-in credit

The Galaxy S10 phone lineup starts at $749.99 and goes up to $999.99, but you can avoid paying full price by trading your current phone in with Samsung's trade-in program. You can earn a credit of $50 to $550 toward your purchase of the S10, S10+, or S10e — depending on the phone you trade in.

To be eligible for the full trade-in value, your current phone must power on, hold a charge, and cannot have the following defects: a damaged screen, damaged outer case, liquid damage, or a battery that randomly shuts down. You must own your phone outright (meaning it can't be tied to a payment plan), it must have a valid FCC ID, and it cannot be on a blacklist.

You must wipe your phone clean and disable any locks on your phone before trading it in.

You'll receive the full trade-in credit for your phone at checkout, but if you don't send your phone in within 15 days, you'll be charged the full price of your new phone. Samsung will also test your trade-in, and if it doesn't fit its criteria, you may receive a lower trade-in value and get charged the remaining balanced.

If you're interested in taking advantage of this offer, you'll find a list of eligible phones, along with their trade-in value, below.

Trade in these phones for $550 toward a Samsung Galaxy S10, S10+, or S10e
  • Samsung Galaxy Note 9
  • Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
  • Samsung Galaxy S9
  • Samsung Galaxy Note 8
  • Apple iPhone XS Max
  • Apple iPhone XS
  • Apple iPhone XR
  • Apple iPhone X
  • Apple iPhone 8
  • Apple iPhone 8 Plus
  • LG V40
  • Google Pixel 3
  • Google Pixel 3 XL
Trade in these phones for $300 toward a Samsung Galaxy S10, S10+, or S10e
  • Samsung Galaxy S8+
  • Samsung Galaxy S8 Active
  • Samsung Galaxy S8
  • Apple iPhone 7 Plus
  • Apple iPhone 7
  • LG G6
  • Google Pixel 2
  • Google Pixel 2 XL
Trade in these phones for $150 toward a Samsung Galaxy S10, S10+, or S10e
  • Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
  • Samsung Galaxy S7 Active
  • Samsung Galaxy S7
  • Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus
  • Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge
  • Samsung Galaxy S6 Active
  • Samsung Galaxy S6
  • Samsung Galaxy Note 5
  • Apple iPhone 6S Plus
  • Apple iPhone 6S
  • LG V30
  • LG V20
  • LG G5
  • Google Pixel
  • Google Pixel XL
  • Motorola Z
  • Motorola Z2 Play
  • Motorola Z2 Force
  • Motorola Z3 Play
  • Motorola Z3
Trade in these phones for $100 toward a Samsung Galaxy S10, S10+, or S10e
  • Apple iPhone 6 Plus
Trade in these phones for $75 toward a Samsung Galaxy S10, S10+, or S10e
  • iPhone 6
Trade in these phones for $50 toward a Samsung Galaxy S10, S10+, or S10e
  • Samsung Galaxy S5 Active
  • Samsung Galaxy S5
  • Apple iPhone SE
  • Apple iPhone 5S
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