Snapdragon 855 Or Exynos 9820 In Galaxy S10 Does It Even Matter For Most Users

When Samsung launched the Galaxy S10 in 2019, it did so with two flagship processors: the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 in certain regions and the Samsung Exynos 9820 in others. Immediately, a debate flared up among tech enthusiasts—was one better than the other? Did it actually affect daily performance? For casual users, the answer might surprise you.

The truth is, while there are measurable differences between the two chips, the real-world impact on most people’s experience is minimal. The divide between Snapdragon and Exynos versions has long been a point of contention, but understanding what those differences mean—and whether they matter—can help users make informed decisions without falling into marketing-driven hype.

Performance Benchmarks: What the Numbers Say

On paper, the Snapdragon 855 holds a slight edge over the Exynos 9820 in both CPU and GPU benchmarks. In synthetic tests like AnTuTu and Geekbench, the Snapdragon version typically scores 10–15% higher. This advantage comes from Qualcomm’s custom Kryo 485 cores based on ARM’s Cortex-A76 design, which offer better single-threaded performance and efficiency.

The Exynos 9820, while also using Cortex-A76 cores, implements them differently—Samsung paired two high-performance Mongoose M4 cores with two A75 and four A55 efficiency cores. While this hybrid approach aimed at balancing power and battery life, the M4 cores didn’t deliver the expected gains and sometimes throttled more aggressively under sustained load.

“While Exynos historically targets power efficiency, architectural inefficiencies have often led to thermal throttling before Snapdragon counterparts reach their limits.” — Dr. Linus Sebastian, Tech Analyst & Founder of Linus Tech Tips

In gaming scenarios, particularly with heavy titles like *PUBG Mobile* or *Asphalt 9*, the Snapdragon 855 maintained higher frame rates over extended sessions. However, these differences were rarely noticeable during short bursts of gameplay or casual use.

Real-World Usage: Does It Feel Different?

Benchmarks don’t tell the full story. Most users aren’t running stress tests all day—they’re browsing social media, checking email, streaming videos, and using messaging apps. In these everyday tasks, both processors perform nearly identically.

Scrolling through Instagram, loading web pages, switching between apps—these operations are so well-optimized on modern Android systems that neither chip creates a perceptible lag. The UI on both variants remains smooth, responsive, and indistinguishable in normal conditions.

Tip: If you're not a mobile gamer or developer testing apps, the processor difference likely won’t affect your experience.

Even multitasking across five or six apps showed no meaningful delay between the two models. Both support the same RAM configurations (up to 12GB), storage speeds (UFS 3.0), and software optimizations through Samsung’s One UI. The operating system layer smooths out most hardware inconsistencies.

Thermals and Battery Life: Where Differences Emerge

One area where the Exynos 9820 shows a clearer disadvantage is thermal management. Due to its 8nm LPP process versus the Snapdragon’s slightly more mature 7nm process, the Exynos chip runs hotter under load. This leads to earlier throttling during prolonged usage, such as recording 4K video for 20+ minutes or playing graphically intense games.

Battery life is another nuanced aspect. Independent tests by GSMArena and PhoneArena found that the Exynos model drained about 5–8% faster during continuous video playback over Wi-Fi. In mixed-use scenarios, the gap narrowed to around 3–5%, which translates to roughly 20–30 minutes less screen-on time per charge.

Metric	Snapdragon 855	Exynos 9820
AnTuTu Score (avg)	~460,000	~415,000
Gaming Frame Rate (PUBG High Settings)	58–60 fps	52–55 fps
Video Playback Endurance	18h 24m	17h 12m
Thermal Throttling Onset	After 15 min	After 9 min
Process Node	7nm	8nm

These differences exist, but only become relevant when pushing the device to its limits—a scenario most users never encounter.

Mini Case Study: Two Users, Same Experience

Consider Sarah and David, both Galaxy S10 owners. Sarah bought her phone in the U.S., receiving the Snapdragon 855 model. David purchased his in Germany, getting the Exynos 9820 version. Both use their phones similarly: commuting with Spotify, checking work emails, watching YouTube at lunch, and taking photos on weekends.

After six months, they compared notes. Neither noticed any lag, crashes, or app compatibility issues. Both experienced similar battery degradation. When tested side-by-side opening the same apps, both phones responded within milliseconds of each other. Only when benchmarking tools were used did the performance gap appear—but even then, it didn’t translate into functional drawbacks.

Their takeaway? Unless you're reviewing phones for a living or play mobile games competitively, the chipset inside your Galaxy S10 makes little practical difference.

Software Updates and Long-Term Support

A common concern was whether Exynos models received slower updates. Historically, some regional firmware rollouts favored Snapdragon devices due to carrier partnerships. However, Samsung ensured both variants received identical Android version upgrades (Pie → 10 → 11) and monthly security patches simultaneously in major markets.

Long-term, both chips were supported equally through Samsung’s maintenance cycle. By 2022, both models stopped receiving major OS updates, having reached their three-year update window. No evidence suggests Exynos users were left behind.

Checklist: Should You Worry About the Chipset?

• ✅ Are you a casual user? → Don’t worry.
• ✅ Do you mostly browse, stream, and message? → Performance is identical.
• ✅ Are you a competitive mobile gamer? → Prefer Snapdragon if choosing today.
• ✅ Buying secondhand? → Focus on battery health, not chipset.
• ✅ Concerned about future-proofing? → Both chips age similarly post-2021.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I tell which processor my Galaxy S10 has?

Yes. Go to Settings > About Phone > Hardware Information. Alternatively, use apps like CPU-Z or AIDA64 to view detailed chipset info.

Is the Exynos 9820 worse in every way?

No. While it trails in raw performance and thermals, it includes Samsung’s own image signal processor (ISP), which some argue improves camera processing consistency in specific lighting. However, this benefit is marginal and not consistently proven.

Do apps run slower on Exynos?

Not noticeably. Most apps are compiled for ARM architecture and optimized by Google Play Services. Even games like Genshin Impact ran adequately on both, though Snapdragon handled max settings slightly better.

Conclusion: Focus on What Actually Matters

The debate between Snapdragon 855 and Exynos 9820 in the Galaxy S10 is largely academic for the average user. Yes, there are technical disparities. Yes, benchmarks favor Qualcomm. But none of this changes how the phone feels in daily use.

For most people, factors like battery condition, screen quality, software customization, and personal preference matter far more than the SoC under the hood. Obsessing over chipset specs can distract from what truly defines a good smartphone experience: reliability, usability, and longevity.

🚀 Instead of chasing processor specs, focus on how you use your device. Optimize settings, manage background apps, and protect your battery cycles—those actions will improve performance more than any chipset ever could.