Leading smartphone brands have been competing for years, attempting to outdo the other with each new production release.

Every year updated phones are released, making it even harder for consumers to decide on which phone to purchase. Though largely dependent on personal preference, the average consumer takes into consideration many of the same factors when deciding which phone best suits their needs. The price, the design, the camera quality and the overall functionality of the phone are some of the most common factors. So, to make things a little easier for you, here are a few pointers one might want to consider when comparing the Samsung Galaxy Note10+ to the iPhone XS Max, two flagship phones from two of the biggest rivals in the smartphone industry.

DESIGN

Both phones have a similar high-end build, having glass on the front and back of the phone separated by a solid metal band.

The Samsung Note10+ uses aluminium as their band while iPhone XS Max uses a stronger material – stainless steel. Both phones have massive, clear and accurate frontal displays.

However, one might argue that the Note10+ is a step ahead of the competition, having a larger display of 6.8 inches and leaving tiny bezels on all four sides, with a centre cut out at the top that houses the front camera. This may be deemed less intrusive when watching full-screen videos or movies.

The iPhone XS Max has a screen display of 6.5 inches and a somewhat large notch at the top of the screen which houses the front camera. Both smartphones are water-resistant, durable against an accidental dro, and both leave no room for headphone jacks.

CAMERA QUALITY

The Note10+ has a total of five cameras while the iPhone XS Max has three. Both smartphones deliver when using the front-facing camera to take selfies or make conference calls. The rear cameras are where the true difference lies.

The Note10+ offers two extra cameras, those being the ultra-wide camera and the 3D-depth camera. The ultra-wide gives you the option to capture more of what you see with your natural eye, while the 3D-depth camera gives you the option of enhanced background blur. The wide-angle camera and the telephoto camera are the two standard cameras in almost all smartphones. Quality wise, both cameras produce professional-looking photos.

FUNCTIONALITY

This factor in itself covers a wide range of topics. Both phones are similar in speed, battery life and ease of use; however, they differ in storage capacity, the ability to customise and app use.

The Samsung Note10+ offers a storage capacity of 256GB – four times its counterpart the iPhone XS Max. Also, the Note10 Plus gives the option of additional storage using a micro storage device, while the iPhone XS Max does not.

The Note10+ allows the user to customise the phone to his/her liking by adding widgets and themes. The S Pen of the Note10, which acts like a drawing/writing tool or remote control, adds a whole new dimension of functionality, allowing the user to operate the smartphone, even from a distance, with Bluetooth assistance and hand gestures.

The iPhone XS Max creeps up beside their competitor with a wide range of gaming and non-gaming, app-driven experiences.

Both phones start at US$1,100.

Galaxy Note10+ specs

• Weight: 175g

•Dimensions: 157.6 x 74.1 x 7.8mm

•OS: Android 9

•Screen size: 6.4 inches

•Resolution: QHD+

•CPU: Octa-core chipset

•RAM: 8GB/12GB

•Storage: 128/512GB/1TB

iPhone XS Max specs

•Weight: 208g

•Dimensions: 157.5 x 77.4 x 7.7mm

•OS: iOS 12

•Screen size: 6.5 inches

•Resolution: 1242 x 2688

•CPU: Apple A12 Bionic

•RAM: 4GB

•Storage: 64/256/512GB