We get it – Samsung used to release so-called ‘Lite’ or ‘Mini’ versions of its flagship devices. But it hasn’t done so in quite some time. What it has done, for 2019, is expand its lineup beyond just the prime S10 and S10+ handsets. Meet the Galaxy S10e.

And lest you think that Samsung’s slightly smaller, more affordable option isn’t worthy of your attention, it’s time to point out just what the Galaxy S10e is capable of. This handset occupies a category all of its own, and it’s only ‘budget’ if you’re looking at the price. Promise.

As fast as its siblings, just smaller

Samsung’s Galaxy S10e might seem like a ‘Lite’ version of the flagship range but that… couldn’t be further from the truth. Samsung’s loaded out the S10e with its headliner processor, the Exynos 9820 – the same chipset found in the S10 and S10+. There’s no slowing down at all. In fact, the Galaxy S10e might just be a shade speedier than its siblings. That’s what having a slightly smaller form factor at your disposal will do for you – pick up the pace a little, yeah?

A glint in your eyes

Samsung’s also kept the camera tech standard. The advantage the S10 and S10+ have is based purely on the addition of a third, telephoto sensor on the rear camera. The Galaxy S10e features the same 22mm 10MP f/1.9 front-facing camera as the rest of its generation. On the rear, the dual camera (made up of 12MP f/1.5 – 2.4 variable wide-angle and 16MP f/2.2 ultra-wide sensors) is exactly what you’ll find in the costlier flagships. Don’t need the optical zoom? You don’t have to pay for it. That’s why the Galaxy S10e is exceptional.

Speaking of speed – fastest finger first

Another difference between the prime Galaxy S10 handsets and the Galaxy S10e is the fingerprint sensor. Rather than having an in-display sensor, Samsung’s opted for a side-mounted sensor inside in the power button. But you’re not losing out on anything at all. That’s because the fastest fingerprint sensor Samsung’s ever produced lives on the side of the Galaxy S10e. Just press your finger in place and away you go.

Never travel alone

Samsung’s got a host of smart features for its Galaxy S10 range. Image suggestions settings? Behind-the-scenes prediction and pre-loading, along with processor and RAM tweaks? Bixby Assistant? Bixby Vision? Augmented reality (AR) functions? Yeah, those are all in place. And the best part? Those are all in place in the Galaxy S10e as well. Samsung’s neural processing unit (NPU) lives inside its more affordable contender as well and it’s bringing all the smarts with it.

The bigger brothers can’t teach this character many tricks

Just about everything that the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+ can do, the Galaxy S10e can also execute. The exceptional smartphone packs in the same internal specs as its beefier siblings, particularly where it counts. The processor’s a given but users are also looking at 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage for Samsung’s ‘smallest’ flagship. To say nothing of the expandable storage support. If you’re looking for a handset that’ll power you through to the next big thing, Samsung’s S10e is the one to watch.