What’s the best phone to replace the 2019 S10e?

Phones
1

I lost my third Samsung Galaxy S10e on a wild night out in San Diego. The next day, I ended up at T-Mobile and got an A15 because I wanted something cheap. But it feels much slower, probably due to T-Mobile’s extra apps or the weaker processor. It’s also huge and hard to handle.

I’ve looked for a modern upgrade that keeps the best features of the S10e, but nothing really stands out. The closest was the Motorola Moto G73, which is 6.5 inches. In the end, I bought another S10e and replaced the battery with a case to extend its life.

The S10e is such a great phone with its handy size, low cost, headphone jack, microSD slot, fantastic screen, and solid hardware. The downsides are the bad battery life and the hassle of updating past Android 11.

Are there any sub-$300 phones out there that could actually replace the S10e? If it’s missing basics like a microSD slot or headphone jack, or if it’s bigger than 6.5 inches, it’s a no for me.

Thanks for your advice!

2

There’s nothing out there that’s small, has an SD card slot, and a headphone jack. Pretty rare combo these days.

3

The best-built Galaxy recently is the Note 20 Ultra, specifically the one with a stainless steel chassis and Snapdragon chip. No headphone jack, but adapters for USB-C are cheap. It does have an SD card slot, though.

4

@Arie
This is really helpful, thanks!

5

@Arie
I had one too—fantastic phone!

6

You went from a flagship to a budget phone. Of course, it’s going to feel slower. Maybe look at the Pixel 9 Pro? But yeah, the S10e was tiny, and you’ll lose the SD card slot and headphone jack with most newer models.

7

How about the Xperia 10 VI?

8

Hadden said:
How about the Xperia 10 VI?

Good suggestion.

9

If I can’t find anything new, where did you get your S10e? I’m thinking about getting one myself.

10

Tristan said:
If I can’t find anything new, where did you get your S10e? I’m thinking about getting one myself.

Refurbished ones are everywhere. Check Back Market; I saw some for around $110.

11

You’re asking for a lot. The S10e was a great deal for its time.

12

Go with the S23.

13

Honestly, no phone fits your exact criteria. The S10e was $750 at launch, so expecting a midrange or flagship for the price of an A15 is tricky.

14

Dar said:
Honestly, no phone fits your exact criteria. The S10e was $750 at launch, so expecting a midrange or flagship for the price of an A15 is tricky.

Maybe a Sony Xperia? You’d have to import one, though.

15

@Chao
Nothing from Xperia right now is under 6 inches or anywhere close to the A15’s price range.

16

2024 now, and flagship phones have fewer features than ever.

17

Taryn said:
2024 now, and flagship phones have fewer features than ever.

And they’re bulkier, more expensive, and drop more features every year. What’s next? A $2000 phone with no buttons, no ports, and no box? Maybe it won’t even come with a battery.

18

If you’re okay leaving Samsung, check out the Sony Xperia 10 VI. It has:

:white_check_mark: MicroSD slot
:white_check_mark: Headphone jack

Performance is similar to the S10e unless you’re gaming, where the S10e is better. It’s a little bigger but not by much. Costs about $359 on Amazon.

19

The S10e wasn’t anywhere near $300 at launch. If you want something small with an SD card and headphone jack, you might need to adjust your expectations. Maybe look at the S23?

20

Noah said:
The S10e wasn’t anywhere near $300 at launch. If you want something small with an SD card and headphone jack, you might need to adjust your expectations. Maybe look at the S23?

Or I could just keep finding refurbished S10e phones for under $120. Your suggestion feels dismissive.