The "1-Minute" Review
Verdict
If you’re looking for the essentials of the Note experience in a portable package, the Galaxy Note 10 appears to check all the boxes with a sleek look, all-day battery, and performance near the best Android has to offer.What's good
- Great display
- Fast performance
- S-Pen
- Good cameras
- Fast storage
What's bad
- No expandable storage
- No 3.5mm headphone jack or adapter included
The Samsung Galaxy Note has always been a productivity powerhouse with it’s included S-Pen and a larger display than most top-tier phones. However, it hasn’t been the most portable phone around. The latest release from Samsung sees a phone closer to the size of Samsung’s popular Galaxy S-Series with the functions and features of the Note. Does this new approach result in a great phone? Reviewers are weighing in, let's look at what they have to say.
Design
Featuring a taller aspect ratio, the Galaxy Note 10 crams a lot more screen space into a phone nearly the same size as the earlier Galaxy Note 9.
The phone’s thin design and Gorilla Glass treatment impressed reviewers with an excellent combination of stylish looks and durability -- at least as much as a mostly glass phone can be. The dual-curved glass design also provides rounded edges that reviewers found very comfortable to hold.
Chassis also includes a holster for the Samsung S-Pen to prevent losing it and IP68 water-resistance to protect from splashes and brief submersions.
The Verge says, “... the fit and finish are at the top of what you can get from a smartphone in 2019. It’s just a really nice thing to hold in your hands.”
Display
The phone features a nearly bezel-free edge-to-edge 6.3-inch display. Running at 1080-by-2280 pixels, the full-HD AMOLED+ display with HDR10+ support and a hole-punch for the front-facing camera impressed with its punchy colors, excellent contrast, and ample detail. Whether you’re reading emails or playing games, reviews indicate the screen should look great.
Gizmodo calls it “one of the most vibrant and best-looking smartphone screens on the market.”
Performance
In terms of power, the phone includes a 2.73Ghz octa-core Exynos 9825 processor or 2.8Ghz octa-core Snapdragon 855 processor depending on the region. All regions include 8GB of RAM for snappy performance and all the multitasking you can handle.
Reviews show that both processors are excellent for gaming or multitasking and your daily tasks -- such as checking email, catching up on your social streams, or recording a quick clip while out with friends.
As expected by a phone using the top processor available, reviewers had no issues with performance. While the phone doesn’t quite beat the latest iPhone, it’s as close to Apple's performance as you can get in the Android market.
Software [H4]
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 ships with Android 9.0 running Samsung’s One UI. Reviewers found minimal bloat and liked the way the software works -- especially the optimizations made for S-Pen features and gestures.
While there is an updated slated for Android 10, official release dates are currently unavailable. However, most experts expect to see updates late in 2019 or early in 2020.
Storage
If you like to keep a ton of apps installed on your phone or keep a nice collection of music or video for offline viewing, the 256GB of storage is enough to keep things running. However, with no microSD slot, you’ll want to keep an eye on storage.
The good news is that Samsung opted for UFS 3.0 storage. This means that apps launch faster and downloads are potentially quicker.
Cameras
The Note 10 features a very similar camera to the Galaxy S10 -- a triple rear camera with a combination of 12MP wide-angle, 12MP telephoto, and 16MP ultrawide lenses with optical image stabilization. Around front, you’ll find a 10MP wide-angle selfie shooter.
Gizmodo praised the phone for its flexibility in capturing shots, calling results “top tier.” They also loved the smooth video shooting feature for keeping high-motion videos nice and smooth.
Battery Life
With a smaller chassis, Samsung had to reduce the battery size. The 3,500mAh battery worried some reviewers. However, these worries were unfounded with most hitting a full day on a single charge with ease. If you need a quick battery top-up, the included charger offers 25-watt USB Type-C fast charging capable of a 65% charge in around 30 minutes.
Audio
Like previous Samsung releases, the Note 10 does not include a 3.5mm headphone jack. As this is a trend, reviewers didn’t find that unreasonable. However, the phone does not include a USB Type-C to 3.5mm either. So you’ll need an adapter if you plan to use your favorite headphones.
On the speaker front, reviewers found the phone plenty loud and well-balanced -- at least as far as phones are concerned.
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The Takeaway
Overall, reviewers loved the Samsung Galaxy Note 10. A few questioned the price, but most felt that it was one of the strongest Note models to date.
Hitech Century says, “For mainstream users seeking the Galaxy Note experience... the Galaxy Note10 is an excellent proposition that offers superb imaging quality, performance and battery life.”
CNet echoes this, saying, “Despite missing a few minor features, the Note 10's size, price and specs add up to the best all-around Samsung phone you can get right now.”
What the Critics Are Saying...
- James Peckham, TechRadarThe Galaxy Note 10 is Samsung’s easiest to use S Pen-toting phone yet, and while there may not be any game-changing features to make this a must-buy handset, it’s a solid addition to the Note range. If you’re looking for Samsung’s ultimate top-end device you’ll want to opt for the Note 10 Plus, but...
- Chris Martin, Tech AdvisorWith so many phones being almost identical to the last model, we're impressed with what Samsung has done with the Galaxy Note 10. The 10+ model still provides the classic Note experience, with more impressive specs, but this regular one will finally appeal to those that want the S Pen on a much more...
- Kris Carlon, Android AuthorityThe Galaxy Note 10 provides almost the same Note experience as the larger version, but in a smaller, more pocketable package. It misses out on some of the higher-end spec options, but it will rightfully appeal to a new kind of Note audience.
- Ted Kritsonis, Mobile SyrupMuch like the Galaxy S10 lineup, Samsung took a cautious approach to the camera with the Note 10 duo, preferring to keep the two close together. The differences between them are about potential rather than actual output, as is the case with the DepthVision camera. Indeed, the new features were less...
- Hitech CenturySvelte, light and powerful, the Galaxy Note10 comes with the same top-shelf user experience as its larger sibling the Galaxy Note10+with a great set of cameras, a good display and the same unique S Pen stylus. If you can live with the lack of expandable storage, the Galaxy Note10 represents excellen...
Prices (Where to Buy)
Common Questions
The Galaxy Note10 price will vary depending on retailer, age, special offers and whether or not it's purchased with a service plan. If purchased with a 2 year service contract for example, you would likely pay much less for the phone itself up front. You can compare Samsung Galaxy Note10 prices from around the web here on The Informr.
We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the Samsung Galaxy Note10 user manual here.
Samsung backs up the Galaxy Note10 with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.
If your Galaxy Note10 has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact Samsung support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find Samsung's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.
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