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Battery life
The M10 packs a 3400mAh battery; its closest competitor, the Redmi 6A, has a 3000mAh battery that lasts about 20 hours of average usage. The M10 battery lasts an entire day of comparatively heavy usage- the processor balances battery life and performance fairly well.
The phone comes with an in-box charger; during our charging test, the battery went from 37% to 65% in 60 minutes. Unfortunately, it doesn't support Samsung's fast-charging technology. Though the phone can last a full day, fast-charging support would give it an extra edge over the competition (and wouldn't make us choose between tunes and texting on the way home after work).
Camera
The Galaxy M10 has a vertically-aligned dual rear camera, with one 13MP main sensor (f/1.9) and a secondary 5MP Ultra-Wide sensor (f/2.2). The selfie snapper, housed in the display notch has a 5MP sensor (f/2.0).
Rear camera shots are impressive in daylight. Ultra-wide shots come out better, with more vivid colour and less of a whitish effect, but the camera performs well enough nonetheless even outside of it.
Selfies, too, show up well in daylight. The live-focus works well to blur the background (though not overmuch) and to highlight the face. The Smart Beauty effects subtly retouch the face to present a smoothed but natural appearance. In makeup terms, it works like a primer to blur out blemishes and present a more 'finished' face, rather than obvious perfection of the whole foundation/concealer/contour shebang.
Where the camera lets you down, though, are low-light shots. There's just too much noise, and the effect is heightened with the flash. With a bit of retouching, you'll be able to salvage your photos, but who has time for that in the age of Instagram?
All in all, the lowlight camera letdown is a pretty big one. For the average 15-25 year old who has a thriving social media life, having a decent camera on a budget is a make-or-break, and the M10 just doesn't deliver the goods in this aspect.
Verdict
Samsung Galaxy M10 makes a mark in the sub-10k smartphone segment but there's definitely a room for improvement. Face Unlock can be a bit sluggish at times, as well, but that's not a huge deterrent since users will have a passcode/pattern as well.
The M10 has plenty to offer those looking for a great-looking, well-performing phone on a budget. It's can be a great first phone for your troubling teen or for someone who watches a lot of videos on their phone. It's a good phone to watch videos on, after all- the Infinity-V display is one of its biggest selling points. Despite the congestion of Samsung apps, the Experience UX is pretty seamless and customisable, making it easy to turn a blind eye to the apps you're never going to use by hiding them.
Whether it's really something millennials will accept is a hard question, but it's certainly a competitive, well-performing phone. Welcome to the budget bazaar, M10.
- Also Read: Samsung Galaxy M20 review
