Samsung unveils new Galaxy S10 range – how to find the cheapest deals

Three Samsung models – the Galaxy S10e, Galaxy 10 and Galaxy 10 Plus – are all available to pre-order ahead of the official on-sale date of Friday 8 March, while the Samsung Fold is expected to follow at the end of April.

The Galaxy S10 Plus – the premium model of the S10 range – features the largest screen of the trio, which is reflected by a £899 starting price, which rises to £1,399 for the 1TB storage version.

The S10e is the relative 'budget' version, with a starting price of £669. It features many of the same specifications as the two more expensive S10 models, with some drawbacks, such as a smaller screen size and a dual rear camera, whereas the S10 and S10 Plus both come with a triple lens rear camera.

Alongside the S10 range, Samsung also unveiled the Galaxy Fold, another premium model which features a 7.3-inch foldable screen, revealing a mini tablet-sized display when opened up.

Buying a new flagship handset is never MoneySaving – but if you're determined to get one anyway, at least do it cheapest. See below for a round-up of the different ways to buy a Samsung Galaxy S10.

For full help on cutting the cost of a Samsung, and deals on older models, see our Cheap Samsung guide.

Right now, a traditional contract can work out the cheapest way to get it – but don't go direct

Buying a new handset on a traditional mobile contract from the major mobile networks can be £100s more expensive than buying the handset outright and pairing with a cheap Sim.

Yet reseller sites such as Mobiles.co.uk* (owned by Carphone Warehouse) or MobilePhonesDirect are almost always cheaper than going direct to the network. They can sometimes even undercut buying upfront – and right now we've found 4GB pre-order deals on EE, O2 and Vodafone that can save you up to £400 over the two-year contract for the same, or a very similar, deal if bought direct, and up to £20 cheaper than a comparable handset and Sim combo.

Our top-pick Galaxy S10 deal works out £404 less over the 24-month contract than the exact same deal bought direct from the network. Via Mobiles.co.uk*, if you're an EE newbie, you'll get 4GB of data with unlimited minutes and texts for £22/month, though you'll have to stump up a hefty £440 upfront – so £968 over the two years. That's also about £20 cheaper over the two years than the cheapest alternative we found buying the phone upfront and pairing with an equivalent Sim.

Want to buy it outright? It's cheaper than a contract bought direct, but can be beaten by resellers

Usually when a new handset is launched we say the cheapest way is to buy it upfront – if you can stomach the substantial price tag – and then find a separate cheap Sim to use it with. Yet this launch, we've found that contract deals can marginally beat this – and require a lower upfront fee.

But if you'd prefer to own it outright, here are the standard prices when bought direct from Samsung:

• Galaxy S10e – £669 with 128GB storage.

• Galaxy S10 – from £799 for the 128GB model, to £999 for the 512GB model.

• Galaxy S10 Plus – from £899 for the 128GB model, to £1,399 for the 1TB model.

If these prices are too steep and you're happy with an older model, we've seen Samsung's prices for its older models fall, with the Galaxy S9 starting at £549 and a Galaxy S8 now from £449. See our Cheap Samsung deals guide for the best deals.

How different ways of buying the Galaxy S10 compare

To show the savings you can make buying in the right way, we've compared the prices for a 128GB Galaxy S10 by taking it out on a traditional contract, buying from a mobile reseller or buying outright and pairing with a cheap Sim.

To compare the cost of handset plus allowance, we've used iD Mobile's £8/mth Sim with 500 minutes, unlimited texts and 4GB of data as a benchmark, and used networks' closest deals where there's no direct equivalent.

Bear in mind that prices can often fluctuate, so if you're going to buy, make sure you do your own price comparison first.

As always, it's worth checking if cashback is available on these types of deals. See our Top Cashback Sites guide for more information. Remember you can also trade in your old handset for cash – check our Sell Old Mobiles guide for tips.