Samsung traditionally rolled out its latest features to the Note series, but that has changed in the last two generations as the manufacturer consolidated the design aesthetic and feature-set between its two flagships. The Galaxy S series introduced the exciting new features — such as the Infinity Display and new camera tech — while the Note device that followed included a few tweaks, a larger screen, and a stylus.
With the Note 9 in particular, it was clear that Samsung was positioning its stylus as the main differentiator between the Note series and the Galaxy S line, given the fact that the underlying hardware and the camera modules were unchanged between devices.
The Note 10+ builds on the same ideals as the S10+, but there are more substantial changes this time around. The cutout for the front camera is at the center of the screen, and the back has a gradient finish. Samsung has finally updated its charging standard, with the phone now offering 45W wired charging over USB PD. The screen is obviously larger — the Note 10+ is big in every sense of the word — and the stylus is back, picking up a few new features.
And for the first time on a Samsung flagship, there’s no 3.5mm jack. The omission of the analog jack is a divisive move, but the industry has been going in that direction for several years now. Let’s see if the Note 10+ is deserving of its hefty price tag.
The Good
- Stunning AMOLED display
- 45W charging with all-day battery life
- S Pen is a standout feature
- Top-notch performance
- Gorgeous design
- Cutout isn’t annoying anymore
The Bad
- No headphone jack
- Expensive
- Unwieldy
- Power button is on the left
About this review
I am writing this review after using the Exynos 9825 variant of the Galaxy Note 10+ for over a week in Hyderabad, India. The phone was connected to Airtel’s 4G network for the duration of the review and received a single update (N975FXXU1ASH5) containing the August 2019 security update.
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