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My Beautiful New S10+

Glory1
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First off let me start by saying this will not be a technical review. I leave that to the expert @viridis. This is a personal, user review, with me as the user.

 

To give you some idea of my new phone, the following photo may help:

 

Screenshot 20**Personal info** at 08.31.45.png

 

Unpacking

As you can see this is a beautiful phone, with an edge to edge screen, top to bottom and side to side. The screen size of 6.4" is obtained in this way. The phone itself is actually ever so slightly smaller than my S8+ in height, though again fractionally wider in width.

 

It comes complete with charger, charging lead, screen protector, already fitted and ejector pin to open the slot for your sim card(s) and/or sd card. You can either have 2 sim cards or 1 sim card and 1 sd card.

 

Storage & data transfer

Storage capacity is a massive 128gb which can be increased to 512gb by adding an sd card. However, I think 128gb is enough, even for me joy

 

Having charged my new phone, the next step was transferring all my apps, games, music and files over from my S8+, which with Smart Switch ran smooth as silk. 

 

I backed up my phone prior to transferring it all to my new phone . However, my music couldn't be backed up, insufficient cloud space and O2 have blocked our ability to increase cloud storage, through mobiles at least! My music hadn't been back up since 2017, so I envisaged having to download quite a few tracks from Amazon. What fun!

You will, therefore, imagine my surprise to find every track, including several tracks downloaded only a few days previously, had transferred over. And not only transferred over but in their correct playlists too.

When I transferred my music to my S8+, the tracks transferred fine but the playlists they were in did not I had to set all the playlists up again: an absolute pain when you're dealing with just under 1,000 tracks!

I would greatly appreciate one of our tech experts explaining how tracks that were not backed up transferred over with tracks that had been backed up; back in 2017. Just for my own curiousity because I didn't expect that to happen. Though thrilled to bits that it did.

Another curious thing. On my S8+ my apps were shown as 17.2gb. But the exact same apps now registered as 9.2gb on my S10+. No apps were lost and, in fact, 2 apps have been added which had been deleted by me in error. A difference of 8gb for the same number of apps I find odd. But again, I'm sure one of our tech geniuses can come up with an explanation.

 

Streaming

To give you an idea what streaming a show using the full width of the S10+ in landscape is like, please take a look at the photo below:

 

Screenshot 20**Personal info** at 11.24.22.png

Only Mobdro actually stream programmes using the full width of the S10+, and my photo was from a CBS news broadcast through this app. Prime does give you the option of filling the width of the screen. But streaming through the various catch up services, only uses the present widescreen ratio which means black bars either side of the screen. I understand they are working on this, apparently. So hopefully it'll be sorted soon.

 

The phone is fast and powerful. Certainly faster than my S8+ when new and I thought that phone was fast. 

 

Security

Samsung no longer allow you to opt out of setting a password and using the fingerprint scanner as well. For me, at least, the password works better than the fingerprint scanner. Unless I want to stand on my head while getting my thumb in the correct position.

 

Not having ever used a password on my phone I find it more of a nuisance to be honest. Particularly when my phone's been on awhile but not used. I have to input my password to get into the phone again. A nuisance to me, as I've said. But I bet you will all shout at me that it's about time I password protected my phone joy

 

Other features

As I don't take many photos, I cannot comment on the 3 cameras. I leave that again to an expert like @viridis whose photographs continue to wow us all.

 

I am grateful that Samsung have not gone the way of Apple and continue to provide a headphone jack. I don't know where I'd be without it. And my neighbours are certainly grateful that they don't have to listen to my particular taste in music, in the early hours of the morning, not to mention loud gunfire if I'm watching an action movie or Bosch on Prime.

 

Finally, in case you haven't guessed, I love my beautiful new Galaxy S10 Plus. Is it the greatest thing since sliced bread? No, of course, not. However, have Samsung excelled themselves with the S10+? You better believe it! I love this phone and am so pleased I got it. For me the future is Samsung. But, then, of course, I'm biased  joy

40 Comments
MI5
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Nice wallpaper slight_smile

Bambino
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Nice un-techy review @Glory1. Congratulations. Enjoy your new phone.
Cleoriff
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An excellent review @Glory1 

I thoroughly enjoyed reading it from your user perspective.

Well done you, I just know you will enjoy that lovely phone wink

Glory1
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Thank you @Bambino. You have no idea what a pleasure it is to have a phone that works so fast, after my poor S8+ was slowly dying. Still I had it for nearly 2 years and it served me well.

 

With 125gb storage, I'll have no complaints. And I've upped my data to 100gb; an offer for 50gb for the price of 25 or 100gb for the price of 50 was too tempting to pass up. 

 

The wallpaper is live @MI5; the fish actually swim around. I like my wallpapers,to move. I find a still picture boring.

Glory1
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Thank you @Cleoriff you know me and my new toys joy

 

Still it's a beautiful phone and will be hard worked like my S8+. Now to sell my S8+, which you won't be surprised to learn won't be to O2 Recycle!!

Bambino
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@Glory1 I know you're partial to your wallpaper, but you should also read this: https://www.itworld.com/article/2715685/do-live-wallpapers-cause-noticeable-battery-drain-on-android...
Marjo
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What a lovely review @Glory1! Another phone I find tempting, as I'm considering upgrading my current one. I agree with @MI5 the wallpaper looks cool. Awesome to hear the fish move. Wish I could see it in action! 🐠 🐟

 

I know you play a lot of games - do you find the screen better with gaming than your old one? slight_smile

Anonymous
Not applicable

Nice review @Glory1 love the size of the screen. With regards to your music. The tracks maybe saved to your google account so when you sign in on your new phone with your account then they will appear as previous downloads or purchases. It’s a similar process with iPhones & Apple ID

Glory1
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Thank you @Marjo. Yes the gaming is better. Faster for a start and the edge to edge screen mskes everything appear larger, so clearer to view.

 

I did do a serious housekeeping exercise prior to backing up and then transferring my games. My apps went from just over 36gb down to 17.2gb. Then as said in my Review, on the S10+ my apps are now showing as 9.7gb (with the addition of the 2 games deleted in error). I had so many games, most of which I rarely played. I've kept only those games I play daily, which is more than enough!

Glory1
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Thanks for the article @Bambino. I've read another article more or less saying exactly the same. I try and keep an eye on what apps are using up power on my phone, those that use too much are soon deleted. I also don't have apps running in the background unnecessarily. I do have Facebook but post rarely. It's mainly to keep my games data, particularly when changing devices like I've done recently. In all my games linked to FB I kept my progress up-to-date and even retained the coins I'd earned, with one exception. But for that I'd never have FB. Not really into social networks  

 

But, unfortunately I do like my live wallpapers!

Glory1
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Thank you @Anonymous  And thank you for the explanation about my music. I never thought of that. Good point 

jonsie
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Excellent review @Glory1 I find it a shame though that there is such a big cut out for the front camera. However, as always, Samsung have made another brilliant product in every other aspect.
Glory1
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Thank you @jonsie.

 

And don't talk to me about that front cut out for the front camera. It covers the coin amounts in the majority of my games. I have a fairly good memory but even so. And it's so unsightly on a high end phone. The one thing I think Samsung got so wrong.

 

Not being a camera buff, I honestly don't get why 3 cameras. I sort of get the 2 rear cameras, one being for panoramic shots  but why the 3rd camera. Lovies who like taking selfies of themselves?!

blissgirl
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Great review @Glory1  looks a nice phone slight_smile

Glory1
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Thamk you @blissgirl . It's a beaut of a phone smiling

Martin-O2
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Brilliant review @Glory1 ! I really enjoyed getting your take on the Galaxy S10 Plus smiling

Glory1
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Thank you @Martin-O2 . This is a brilliant phone that I am thoroughly enjoying using.

 

It's speed continues to impress. And I'm continuing to find things I love about it. I've no doubt it will serve me well over the next 2 years. I've had it only 1 week today, and am learning more about it, and what it can do, as I use it. 

 

One thing I didn't mention yesterday and should have was the assistance of @EmilieT in putting the review together and without whose help I couldn't have done it so quickly. Thank you @EmilieT for your help, and your patience, it was greatly appreciated.

EmilieT
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It was a pleasure to work with you on this one @Glory1  hugging

 

It's a really interesting review, and seems like a great device; thanks for sharing your thoughts on the Galaxy S10 Plus with us!

Glory1
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Same here @EmilieT, you were an amazing editor. There is no way I could have put it all together so quickly without your help, so many thanks, again.

Martin-O2
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Really pleased you're enjoying your new phone @Glory1 ! I hope to get my hands on one soon. cool

gmarkj
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Nice review @Glory1 .

Was going to ask if it was the live wallpaper but got beaten to it!

If I had to guess re the apps, it would probably be files that have been downloaded and/or cached data (the apps store some info so that they respond quicker).

If you were that bothered then you could compare the two (S8 v S10) to see which ones and by how much.

Something along the lines of settings->general->storage->app info then sort by size descending (this is on my v30 but the principle is the same).

Glory1
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Thank you @gmarkj, and thank you for the information re my apps. I'm not that bothered just piqued my curiousity.

 

Anyway I've reset my S8+ to factory settings prepatory to selling it. Probably through either CEX or Mazuma, whichever has the better offer.

viridis
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Excellent write up @Glory1 a superb read.
I think you'll love the S10 every day you have it until the inevitable upgrade to S12 or 13 possibly.
By then retina scanning will be back and the while panel will probably act as a fingerprint reader.
And most importantly, the cameras might be under the oled. Something that I personally HATE is the idea of a camera cutting out the display, I couldn't begin to imagine the mess with buttons, menus and as you say, something as small as scores in games, I think Samsung dropped the ball on that, and chose style over substance.
Glory1
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Thank you @viridis. I love Samsung, I really do but that bloody camera cutting out the display is a definite no-no. It looks awful, apart from anything else, and spoils the look of a beautiful phone. That it covers, most, not all, the coins I've earned in my games is driving me nuts.

 

I really don't know what Samsung were thinking. However, apart from that, I'm truly loving the phone and, yes, I'll love it until the inevitable upgrade to S12 or 13. 

 

I doubt I will use anywhere near the 128gb storage but it's great to know it's there if I need it  

 

You, as the camera expert, can comment on the cameras. Me, the rare occasion I take a picture, it's very much point and shoot and hope for the best joy

viridis
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Well from my understanding it's the same setup as S9/note9 plus an additional super wide lens.
The photos are definitely pleasing enough from the camera and the bokeh off portrait mode is absolutely lovely...
gmarkj
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Out of interest @Glory1 , what happens if you turn the phone up the other way (so that the camera section is bottom right instead of top left? Does that help?

Glory1
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Good question @gmarkj. I've not tried that. Let me try it and see what happens 

Glory1
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Well, unfortunately @gmarkj it doesn't work. The games don't move, though everything else on the phone does.

 

Thanks for the info on the cameraa @viridis. Just out of curiousity what does the inelegant front camera do that the rear cameras don't, if anything? Quite apart from how it looks, I just don't understand why it's there. Probably just me and my lack of camera knowledge but I would like to know.

viridis
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Selfies....
Two lenses for portrait selfies


What happens on Chrome browser?
The tabs button is exactly where the cut out is so is it covered?
gmarkj
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How strange @Glory1 . 

Just tried Candy Crush on my phone and it works in portrait and both directions in landscape!

Glory1
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Yes, just tried Candy Crush and it also works in portrait and both ways in Landscape @gmarkj. Candy  Crush Friends, however, doesn't move. I haven't tried all my games but of the ones I've just tried, Candy Crush, Fishdom and Solitaire Grand Harvest are the only ones that move. And as Fishdom and Solitaire Grand Harvest are in portrait anyway, the cutout doesn't cover the coins/jewels. I just have to live with it Don't know

 

And to answer your question @viridis, yes the tab is covered by the cutout. So it doesn't actually work as it should. Or I'm just being thick; probably the latter knowing me joy

liggerz87
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Brilliant review
Glory1
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Thank you @liggerz87, pleased you liked it.

TallTrees
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Hi @Glory1  

I read your happiness article re the S10+

Just getting round to popping on my comment ~

Great you are happy enjoy many happy times

searching, listening and viewing on your

lovely phone ~ from TallTreesheart_eyes

Glory1
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Thank you @TallTrees. Apologies for the late reply, only got home a little while ago. My phone's been off since just before 4pm Saturday.

liggerz87
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Any updates lol how you like it more now
Glory1
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Still loving it @liggerz87. Though Samsung are now sending me info on S10+ 5G. Now that looks a sweet phone. But unless O2 do what that Australian telecoms company did, not likely to have a 5G phone until I upgrade in 2021.
liggerz87
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Ye that's the only thing I hate about being early adopter but I think s10+ is better than the 5g version besides 5g should have covered at least half the area by then
Glory1
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Agreed @liggerz87 but in that half, London, where I live, will probably be the first. That said, I'll stick with the phone I have. It works just fine, is fast enough for all my needs, and there is no way I can afford to pay off my present phone to be able to upgrade. I certainly won't get anywhere near the money I'd need to pay off the phone whether I went to CEX or Mazuma, and as for O2 Recycle........**** no!
liggerz87
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Ah Ye London does have it it's like for me 480 to upgrade from d9+ so I just sold it and keep paying it I'm done paying over odd for them so just pay for 17 or 18 phoned and 19 next year or year after when there like peanuts