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Travel-Photography Monsters: Samsung Unveils New Galaxy S10, Fold Phones

Feb. 20, 2019
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4 min read
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Travel-Photography Monsters: Samsung Unveils New Galaxy S10, Fold Phones
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As expected, on Wednesday, Samsung introduced a suite of new traveler-friendly smartphones. One, the Galaxy Fold, costs $1,980. Yes — just 20 bucks short of a cool two grand. That is one bold move.

But before I dig into the Fold, I'm going to focus on what's sure to be Samsung's more popular option: the Galaxy S10. Just as with Apple’s current iPhone X lineup, Samsung’s offering three models: the 6.1-inch S10 ($899), the 6.4-inch S10 Plus ($999) and the 5.8-inch S10E ($749), plus a special 6.7-inch "5G" version, to be released later in the year.

The S10E is designed to be Samsung's "budget" flagship, but it still offers a sharp AMOLED display, two rear-facing cameras, a 3,100mAh battery, a speedy Snapdragon 855 processor, and at least 6GB of RAM and 128GB of expandable storage.

I'm most excited about the cameras — well, one in particular. These are the first Samsung phones to sport a 123-degree "ultra-wide" camera, giving you a field of view that's comparable to what you'd see with the naked eye and even wider than what you'll get with many clip-on add-ons. That's bound to add a huge punch to your travel photography.

The S10E offers that 16-megapixel ultra-wide shooter, in addition to a more traditional 12-megapixel wide-angle cam. The S10 and S10 Plus include both of those cameras as well, in addition to a 2x telephoto camera, also with a 12-megapixel resolution.

Additionally, Samsung's added new software enhancements, including one in partnership with Instagram, make it easy to share to the platform directly from the native camera app. All three phones also offer special features to help users improve their shooting skills, ranging from a built-in level to composition tips. There's also a Samsung-exclusive version of Adobe Premiere Rush CC, enabling easy in-phone video editing.

The S10 and Plus sport the same Snapdragon 855, plus at least 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, expandable to as much as 1.5TB in total (via MicroSD) with the S10 Plus. There's a 3,400mAh battery on the S10 and a 4,100mAh batt on the Plus. New charging technology lets the devices get a power boost as quickly as 36% faster than their predecessors.

All three phones support wireless charging as well, and come along with USB-C connectivity and, yes, a built-in headphone jack. Software improvements enable to phone to determine when its owner is on the move — avoiding jumping between Wi-Fi hotspots when you're driving through an urban area, for example — while Wi-Fi 6 support will vastly improve performance in crowded spaces, such as airports and sports arenas, as long as they support that tech.

But the star of the show for many was the Galaxy Fold — definitely the most intriguing new Samsung device, at least from an innovation perspective. It's a combination smartphone-tablet, but with a starting price of $1,980, it's also one of most expensive mobile devices ever made.

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The Fold combines a 4.6-inch smartphone with a 7.3-inch tablet — simple unfold the device to jump from phone to slate mode. In addition to a seamless display design, the device sports special software to enable smooth transitions. With Google Maps, for example, if you begin your search with the device held vertically, you'll get a far wider view the moment you open it up.

The Galaxy Fold sports the same rear-facing cameras that you'll find on the other smartphone models, along with an octa-core processor, 12GB of RAM and 512GB of (non-expandable) integrated storage. Samsung added two separate batteries, due to the unique design, with a total capacity of 4,380mAh.

The Fold is expected to ship on April 26, while all three Galaxy S10 devices will be available for pre-order tomorrow, on February 21, and will ship beginning March 8.

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Apply for American Express® Gold Card
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Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants

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TPG Editor‘s Rating
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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.