136 TECH ADVISOR • JANUARY 2020BUYING GUIDE
The S10+ has an ultrasonic
fingerprint sensor built into
the display, which has a cool
animation when it’s workinghelp it feel any more modern, despite its under-the-
glass hiding spot.
A mid-review biometric update improved the
accuracy tenfold, but it’s still not an ideal solution
for security or privacy in 2019. I wouldn’t necessarily
call it a step backward from the S9’s physical scanner
(which had its own placement issues), but it’s not much
an improvement either (though I do like the ripple
animation even if it is a millisecond slower).
What is a downgrade is the loss of the iris scanner,
leaving the fingerprint sensor as the only secure
biometric option on the S10. That needs to change with
the S11, and I hope the S10 5G’s time-of-flight sensor is
a sign that 3D facial unlock is on the way.Battery life
With the Snapdragon 855 processor and 8GB of
RAM, the S10+ is every bit the beast it should be.
Every benchmark I ran represented a significant
jump over any 845 phone, and daily performance136 TECH ADVISOR • JANUARY 2020BUYING GUIDE
The S10+ has an ultrasonic
fingerprint sensor built into
the display, which has a cool
animation when it’s workinghelp it feel any more modern, despite its under-the-
glass hiding spot.
A mid-review biometric update improved the
accuracy tenfold, but it’s still not an ideal solution
forsecurityorprivacyin 2019.I wouldn’tnecessarily
callita stepbackwardfromtheS9’sphysicalscanner
(whichhaditsownplacementissues),butit’snotmuch
animprovementeither(thoughI doliketheripple
animationevenif it is a millisecondslower).
What is a downgrade is the loss of the iris scanner,
leaving the fingerprint sensor as the only secure
biometric option on the S10. That needs to change with
the S11, and I hope the S10 5G’s time-of-flight sensor is
a sign that 3D facial unlock is on the way.Battery life
With the Snapdragon 855 processor and 8GB of
RAM, the S10+ is every bit the beast it should be.
Every benchmarkI ranrepresenteda significant
jump overany845 phone, and daily performance