The first Samsung Galaxy Note debuted in 2011 and opened to mixed reviews. Back then, a 5.3-inch display was considered too big for your hand or your pocket. Some of these devices earned the ‘phablet’ moniker, a term that’s gone out of fashion like selfie sticks. It’s Samsung that’s had the last laugh. Big screens are the norm now. It’s also pushed Samsung to go beyond size as it builds an aggressive sales pitch for its latest Note device. It’s actually a duo this time – the 6.3-inch Note 10 and the taller, fully loaded Note 10+ that’s likely to hog the spotlight.
While the Galaxy S10+ ranks among the best Android devices we tested this year, the Note 10+ builds on the same slinky form. It’s marginally lighter and slimmer than its predecessor. This is a big deal given that it sports a larger 6.8-inch display (the Note 9 featured a 6.4-inch display). Samsung pushes the screen: body ratio beyond 90%.
We like the single cut-out for the selfie camera. It’s tinier than the S10+ and better placed at the top centre. It makes the 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED display (1440x3040 pixels / 19:9 Aspect Ratio /498 PPI) even more immersive. The build quality is top class; we tried the Aura Glow colour variant that is likely to be the popular choice. The reflective back creates a whole range of psychedelic patterns as external light sources interact with it. We’re disappointed to see the 3.5mm headphone slot get the boot.
Hardware prowess is a given for Samsung’s Note devices. An Exynos 9825 processor is at the heart of this device and teams up with 12GB of RAM. It’s gaming-ready and aced our AnTuTu benchmark test (with a score of 353440). We tested the 256GB internal storage version; there’s also a 512GB variant. Both devices have room for Micro SD cards up to 1TB. Battery life (the device features a 4300 mAh battery) is a plus too. We tested the device over two days and it comfortably lasts a whole day with extensive camera usage and video playback.
Camera
Samsung has kitted the device with a triple rear cam plus a depth vision camera, the one significant change from the S10+. There’s a 10MP selfie camera that snaps sharp selfies and offers an aggressive beautification mode. I didn’t notice a major difference in low-light performance over the S10+ but video quality is a big jump. Samsung’s new, video improved stabilisation feature makes a perceptible difference, especially with moving subjects.
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The S-Pen is probably the only major differentiator between the Note Series and Samsung’s S flagships. The 2019 version gets better battery life and a whole new bunch of camera gestures. However, most users may not use these gestures to control the camera in everyday usage scenarios. The feature that’s most likely to be appreciated by the Note tribe is how your scribbles can now transform into text on a Microsoft Word document.
Last year’s Note 9 wasn’t a radical overhaul vis-à-vis the Note 8 but the Note 10+ is a more significant upgrade. It’s a hardware powerhouse, features one of the most immersive displays out there and a dependable all-round camera. The S-Pen is a nice add-on even if you’re not a Note die-hard. The Note 10+ is one of the best Android smartphones you can buy now.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ costs Rs 79,999 onwards while the Note 10 starts at Rs 69,999.
Ashwin Rajagopalan writes extensively on Gadgets & Trends, Travel & Lifestyle and Food & Drink. He owns and manages Brand Stories, a creative Content outfit and www.bytesize.in, a premier lifestyle blog with a focus on short-format content. Instagram: ‘ashwinpowers’)