The Galaxy Note 10’s delivers epic battery life and a super-bright screen in a phenomenally compact design.
Good
Compact design with huge display
256GB storage standard
Live Focus now for video
Fastest charging yet in a Samsung phone
Bad
No headphone jack or microSD
Handwriting conversion is cumbersome
Aura Glow is a fingerprint magnet
DeX for PC needs work
Battery life is below average
The big shift for this latest generation of Note is that there are now two discreet models, whereas previously there’s only ever been one. The Galaxy Note 10 is the smaller entry here, while the Galaxy Note 10 Plus is the true follow-up to last year’s Note 9. The two new Notes share plenty of specs and features with each other, which makes sense.
The biggest design change compared to other Samsung phones is the introduction of a full-screen display with a punch-hole cutout for the front-facing camera at the top-center of the screen – the Galaxy S10 and S10 Plus both have the selfie camera at the top-right.
The Note 10 has a 6.3-inch AMOLED display with a Full HD resolution, coming in at 2280 x 1080 pixels, with 401 pixels per inch. It includes HDR 10+ technology, and considering that Samsung hasn’t opted for a QHD display here we’re impressed with how the display looks.
The S Pen is supremely responsive when writing or drawing or it retains all the handy features from before, including screen-off notes. There’s Bluetooth Low Energy inside too, so you can use the pen like a remote.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Specifications
Review Price: £869
256GB storage, no microSD
Up to 45W fast charging
Exynos 9825, 8GB RAM
6.3-inch FHD+ display
No headphone jack
3500mAh battery
IP68 certified
One UI
The display here is gorgeous; the design remains the best of any Android phone and the functionality of the S Pen offers something you can’t get elsewhere. I also really like the slightly smaller form-factor used here.
Samsung’s first attempt at a smaller Note device means the loss of a few of the top-end features that some of those who opt for the company’s premium range are looking for, but this is a fantastically designed device that’s one of Samsung’s best phones yet.
