Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Huawei P30 Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus: 2019’s biggest flagships clash

Huawei P30 Pro
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Huawei has finally taken the wraps off its first flagship phone of 2019, and it’s a beauty. The Huawei P30 Pro is a stunning device with four camera lenses, a beautiful design, and some new software tricks. But it has competition, and the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus is one of the best phones in the world right now. The P20 Pro and Galaxy S9 Plus came to serious blows last year, with Samsung’s phone coming out on top.

Can the S10 Plus repeat that feat, or will Huawei’s new flagship take down the Korean titan? We pit them in a head-to-head specs comparison.

Specs

Huawei P30 Pro Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Size 158 mm x 73.4 mm x 8.41 mm (6.22 x 2.89 x 0.33 inches) 157.6 x 74.1 x 7.8 mm (6.20 x 2.91 x 0.30 inches)
Weight 192 grams (6.77 ounces) 175 grams (6.17 ounces)
Screen size 6.47-inch OLED 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED
Screen resolution 2,340 x 1,080 pixels (398 pixels per inch) 3,040 × 1,440 pixels (526 pixels per inch)
Operating system Android 9.0 Pie (under EMUI 9.1) Android 9.0 Pie (under One UI)
Storage space 128GB, 256GB, 512GB 128GB, 512GB, 1TB
MicroSD card slot Huawei’s proprietary NM card only Yes, up to 512GB
Tap-to-pay services Google Pay Google Pay, Samsung Pay
Processor Kirin 980 Qualcomm Snapdragon 855
RAM 8GB 8GB, 12GB
Camera Quad lens 40-megapixel lens (OIS), 20-megapixel ultra wide-angle lens, 8-megapixel 5x optical periscope zoom (OIS), and Time-of-Flight camera rear, 32-megapixel lens front Triple lens 16-megapixel ultra wide-angle, 12MP variable aperture, and 12MP telephoto rear, 10MP, and 8MP front dual lens
Video Up to 4K at 30 frames per second 4K at 60 fps, 1080p at 240 fps, 720p at 960 fps
Bluetooth version Bluetooth 5.0 Bluetooth 5.0
Ports 3.5mm headphone jack, USB-C 3.5mm headphone jack, USB-C
Fingerprint sensor Yes, optical in-display Yes, ultrasonic in-display
Water resistance IP68 IP68
Battery 4,200mAh

40W Huawei SuperCharge

15W Qi wireless fast charging

4,100mAh

Fast charging (QuickCharge 2.0)

Qi wireless charging

App marketplace Google Play Store Google Play Store
Network support T-Mobile, AT&T T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, Sprint
Colors Amber Sunrise, Breathing Crystal, Pearl White, Aurora, Black Prism Black, Prism White, Prism Blue, Flamingo Pink, Ceramic Black, Ceramic White
Price 999 euros ($1,128) $1,000
Buy from Huawei Samsung, Amazon
Review score Hands-on review 4.5 out of 5 stars

Performance, battery life, and charging

Galaxy S10 Plus
Galaxy S10 Plus Julian Chokkattu/DIgital Trends

The P30 Pro has been upgraded with the Kirin 980 from the Mate 20 Pro. It’s a powerful piece of hardware and it will handle all the latest 3D games with ease. But it’s still a processor from last year and our benchmarks show the Galaxy S10 Plus’ scores beating it thanks to the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor. While both will provide strong and smooth performance, the S10 Plus is objectively the more powerful of the two.

Huawei’s flagships have traditionally sported a stronger battery than Samsung’s usually lackluster lifespans, but that ended with the Galaxy S10 range. We got two days of light usage out of Samsung’s biggest new flagship, and it held up extremely well even on heavy days. We expect similar performance from the P30 Pro. However, Huawei still has the lead on battery charging, thanks to the incredibly fast 40W fast charging. The S10 Plus still uses the extremely outdated QuickCharge 2.0, making Huawei’s phone significantly faster.

While the S10 Plus is the more powerful of the two, we wager you won’t notice a difference in everyday use. You’ll absolutely notice the much faster charging speed on the P30 Pro.

Winner: Huawei P30 Pro

Design and durability

Huawei has pushed its designs to even more stunning levels with the P30 Pro. The front of the device is almost entirely screen, with only a small notch cut into the top of the screen. The back panel has an opalescent quality on colors like the pearl white, and there’s a stunning new color called amber sunrise; even the standard colors are beautiful. But the S10 Plus is no ugly duckling. It has a similarly impressive screen-to-body ratio and uses the new hole-punch camera to eliminate the notch. Whether you prefer the notch or the hole punch is ultimately down to personal preference, but we prefer the S10 Plus’ hole-punch style.

Both phones come with IP68-rated water resistance, and both have similarly fragile glass bodies. A protective case is, as always with glass phones, highly recommended.

These phones are at loggerheads on design and durability, so we just can’t judge them fairly. While there’s no winner here, no one who picks either of these is going to feel like a loser. It’s a tie.

Winner: Tie

Display

Galaxy S10 Plus
Julian Chokkattu/DIgital Trends

We haven’t had much time with the P30 Pro’s display, but based on previous performance, we anticipate the 6.47-inch OLED display with a 2,340 x 1,080 resolution will be bright and clear. But the S10 Plus’ 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED display is perhaps the best in the world, and the 3,040 x 1,440 resolution is considerably sharper than the P30 Pro’s screen. Honestly, this isn’t much of a competition.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus

Camera

Huawei P30 Pro
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

You’ll find three lenses on the back of the S10 Plus — a 12-megapixel lens with variable aperture, a 12-megapixel telephoto lens, and a 16-megapixel ultra wide-angle lens. The range of lenses makes it extremely versatile and though it’s not our favorite camera phone, it’s very capable and takes great shots. There are also two lenses around the front, a 10-megapixel and an 8-megapixel lens. It takes strong selfies.

The P30 Pro is looking set to be a camera powerhouse, too, and it comes with four lenses. There is a 40-megapixel Huawei SuperSpectrum main lens, a 20-megapixel ultra wide-angle lens, an 8-megapixel optical telescope zoom, and a time-of-flight camera for more accurate background blur. According to Huawei, the main lens is capable of taking in up to 40 percent more light than previous lenses, so it’s set to be a low-light snapping machine. There’s only one camera around the front, but it’s a huge 32-megapixel lens.

We need more time with the P30 Pro’s extensive range of lenses, so we don’t feel we can judge this yet. Judging how much we loved last year’s P20 Pro, we’re leaning toward the P30 Pro here for the win, but until we can do further testing, this is a tie for now.

Winner: Tie

Software and updates

Samsung Galaxy s10 plus hands-on
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

If you’re a fan of stock Android, these aren’t the phones for you. Both use customized manufacturer skins, and while neither are our favorite, both Huawei’s EMUI and Samsung’s One UI are a lot better than they used to be — and both run the latest Android 9.0 Pie.

But don’t expect speedy updates from either manufacturer. Both companies historically struggle with new versions of Android due to their extensively modified UIs. Major OS updates can take upwards of six months for even their latest phones, so while you’ll get Android Q and Android R on both, don’t expect to get them quickly. Definitely ones to avoid if you love being on the cutting edge of software features.

We do think Samsung’s One UI is a lot easier to use, and a lot less cluttered than EMUI. Samsung has simplified the software greatly and settings are easy to find. Huawei’s phone still requires a little digging to properly set up the way you want.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus

Special features

Huawei P30 Pro
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

There is no shortage of special features on either of these phones. The Galaxy S10 Plus’s biggest new addition is undoubtedly the ultrasonic fingerprint scanner beneath the display. It’s not the fastest fingerprint scanner ever made, but it’s the best in-display one we have tested so far. Aside from this, you’ll also find the reverse wireless charging PowerShare that allows you to charge other Qi-compatible phones, the virtual assistant Bixby, Dex desktop mode, Gear VR support, and various A.I.-enhanced areas like the camera’s Shot Suggestions.

The P30 Pro has an in-display fingerprint scanner, too, but it merely takes a picture of your fingerprint, so it’s not as secure. But the P30 Pro holds up in other area, and includes a similar desktop mode when plugged into a monitor, a similar reverse wireless charging feature, a large amount of A.I.-powered features, including A.I.-stabilized long exposure shots, the ability to open certain Audi cars (for some reason), and data-syncing with certain brands of treadmills. If you own a Huawei laptop, there are a lot more things you can do through a feature called OneHop, such as copying text on the laptop and pasting them on the phone.

Both phones have too many special features to do them all justice in this article, and we encourage you to do more research and pick based on which features most attract you.

Winner: Tie

Price

The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus is currently available and starts at $1,000. It can be bought from all the major carriers, but you can also buy it unlocked from a variety of retailers.

The Huawei P30 Pro is available now. Prices start from 999 euros ($1,128) for the 128GB model and go up to 1,249 euros ($1,410) for the 512GB model. In the U.S., it will only work with T-Mobile and AT&T, and you need to import it, as it won’t be officially available.

Overall winner: Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus

While some elements of this tough battle are still unknown, the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus just has the edge over the Huawei’s P30 Pro in our initial estimates. However, key elements like the camera and the usefulness of the P30 Pro’s special features still up for debate, so keep in mind this verdict could easily change in the future.

We wouldn’t use that as a reason to hold off on buying either phone if you’re really into them. Both are beautiful, powerful phones with extremely capable cameras, a multitude of special features, and enough longevity to act as your pocket pal for at least the next two years. Buy either one and you won’t be disappointed.

Editors' Recommendations

Mark Jansen
Mark Jansen is an avid follower of everything that beeps, bloops, or makes pretty lights. He has a degree in Ancient &…
Common Samsung Galaxy S10, S10 Plus, and S10e problems and how to fix them
Galaxy S10 Plus.

It's little wonder the Samsung Galaxy S10 range has proved so popular since its release in spring 2019. Comprising three models, the Galaxy S10 range boasts a hole-punch display, powerful hardware, and some outstandingly versatile camera tech.

But like all things in life, it's not perfect. Whether you're rocking the Samsung Galaxy S10, the super-sized Galaxy S10 Plus, or the cheaper (but still great) Galaxy S10e, you're likely to come across some problems and issues that make life with your chosen partner a little harder to handle. But don't worry, there are solutions to most issues, and we're here to dig them out so you can stop pulling your hair out. Here are some of the most common Samsung Galaxy S10, S10 Plus, and S10e problems, and how to fix them.
Issue: Apps crash or Force Close
A big issue that has plagued Galaxy S10 owners since launch has been a certain instability where apps are concerned. It seems that apps are prone to crashing or throwing up a Force Close error. This has happened with a big range of apps, and has even been reported after the Android 11 update. This isn't just an issue with the Galaxy S10, and other Galaxy smartphones have also showcased this error.
Solutions:

Read more
iPhone 13 Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus

A new iPhone is a beautiful thing, and this year it's hard to get more beautiful than the recently released iPhone 13 Pro. The top-tier iPhone of 2021 includes a similar design to the iPhone 12 Pro, but with a slightly thinner notch. Inside though, there have been more significant changes. There's a larger battery, newly upgraded specs, and some heavily tweaked cameras. Really, when it comes down to the iPhone 13 Pro vs. iPhone 12 Pro, the newer device seems to have it sewn up.

But we're not here to compare old with new -- we're here to compare two contemporary rivals. The Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus is the midsized option in Samsung's 2021 lineup. With flagship specs, a state-of-the-art camera suite, and a gorgeously modern design, Samsung's Plus-sized smartphone is a worthy competitor for Apple's latest. But which one of the two is the better smartphone? We put them head-to-head to find out.
Specs

Read more
iPhone 13 Pro Max vs. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra: Who wins?
The Galaxy S21 Ultra's camera module.

There's no mistaking that the iPhone 13 Pro Max is the most deluxe, souped-up Apple smartphone you can buy right now. Boasting newly improved camera lenses, a stunning 120Hz refresh rate, an enlarged (and more efficient) battery, the new A15 Bionic chip, and the option to have a whopping 1TB in storage, it pretty much covers every single base a smartphone can cover.

However, while it may be the best iOS phone, it's not necessarily the best smartphone using any operating system. One other prime candidate for such a title is the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, which also improves on its predecessor in several major areas. As with the iPhone 13 Pro Max, it really does put most other smartphones to shame, even if it's not for anyone looking to save a little money.

Read more