Samsung's Galaxy Note 10 phones are still worth talking about.
In the second half of each year, Samsung launches a new entry in its Galaxy Note series to showcase the very best it has to offer in smartphones. For 2019, Samsung used the Galaxy Note 10, Note 10+, and Note 10+ 5G to do just that.
2019 was the first year Samsung's ever launched three Notes simultaneously, and along with that, the company also made some controversial decisions when it comes to legacy Note features. Even so, these handsets stand out as some of the best smartphones Samsung has to offer right now (even with the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and Galaxy Note 20.
Eager to learn more? Keep on reading.
The perfect ten
Galaxy Note 10
$942 at Amazon From $710 at Walmart $850 at B&H
Samsung's 2019 Note is still a powerhouse
With the Galaxy Note 10 series, Samsung decided to market three different models instead of one, removed the headphone jack, and phased out the microSD card. However, with gorgeous AMOLED displays, faster performance, and an S Pen that does more than ever before, these Notes are certainly still worth a look.
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Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Price and availability
The Galaxy Note 10, Note 10+, and Note 10+ 5G were announced in early August 2019 and became available for purchase on August 23, 2019. The Note 10 had a starting price of $950, whereas the Note 10+ started at $1,100. There was also a Note 10+ 5G version available on AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon, which retailed for $1,300.
Now that the devices are all over a year old, you can find them at significant discounts. We've even seen the standard Note 10 as low as $710.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Reviews
The Galaxy Note 10+ is one of the best phones that Samsung has to offer in 2020, only being outdone by the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy Note 20 series. Some of its highlights include an incredible AMOLED display, outstanding hardware, consistently good camera performance, and excellent battery life.
A lot is going for the regular Note 10, but the headphone jack's removal was a big change for the Note series, and low-light images taken with the camera haven't proven quite as strong as we would have liked. There's also the annoying fact that the baseline Note 10 doesn't have expandable storage.
Following our initial review of the Note 10 back in August 2019, we've continued to use and follow the phone's growth over the months. We recently checked back in with the Note 10 after about 10 months from its release. And, surprisingly, it holds up better than we could have expected. The design is still excellent, the display is gorgeous, and it's still a performance beast. Minus the lack of a 120Hz or 90Hz display, everything else about the Note 20 feels like a modern 2020 smartphone.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Specs
Note devices are always chock-full with the latest specs, and that's no different with the Note 10 and Note 10+.
Powering the phones are Qualcomm's blazing-fast Snapdragon 855 processor, you can get up to 12GB of RAM, the displays support HDR10+, and Samsung boosted its wired charging speeds up to 45W.
| Note 10+ | Note 10 | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Android 10 One UI 2.5 |
Android 10 One UI 2.5 |
| Display | 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 3040x1440, HDR10+ |
6.3-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2280x1080, HDR10+ |
| Processor | Snapdragon 855 | Snapdragon 855 |
| Memory | 12GB | 8GB |
| Storage | 256/512GB | 256GB |
| Rear Camera 1 | 12MP, f/1.5-2.4, OIS, 77° FoV | 12MP, f/1.5-2.4, OIS, 77° FoV |
| Rear Camera 2 | 16MP, f/2.2, 123° FoV | 16MP, f/2.2, 123° FoV |
| Rear Camera 3 | 12MP, f/2.1, OIS, 45° FoV | 12MP, f/2.1, OIS, 45° FoV |
| Rear Camera 4 | VGA DepthVision f/1.4, 72° FoV |
n/a |
| Front Camera | 10MP, f/2.2, 80° FoV auto focus |
10MP, f/2.2, 80° FoV auto focus |
| Battery | 4300mAh 45W wired 15W wireless |
3500mAh 25W wired 12W wireless |
No matter how you slice it, these are flagship phones through and through.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Software
In September 2020, Samsung started rolling out its One UI 2.5 update to the Galaxy Note 10 in the U.S. This isn't the largest update Samsung's ever released, but it does come with some notable upgrades and changes you'll want to be aware of.
Most importantly, One UI 2.5 brings some of the features down from the Galaxy Note 20 series, such as Wireless DeX mode, improved Pro Video mode in the Camera app, and support for Bitmoji stickers within the Always On Display. Note 10 and 10+ users can also search for YouTube videos directly from the Samsung keyboard app and share their Wi-Fi logins and passwords with friends and family more easily. One UI 2.5 also brought the September 2020 Android security patch.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Compared to other Android phones
Last year's Notes are forces to be reckoned with — no doubt about that. However, they're also far from existing in a bubble. The Android flagship smartphone space is crowded with tons of other competing handsets, with some of them offering similar features for hundreds of dollars less.
Before you pull the trigger on the Note 10, be sure to give our comparisons a look to make sure you're buying the phone that's right for you. The Pixel 4 XL, for example, may be a better choice if you place a lot of value in your phone's camera system. There are also the Galaxy S20+ and S20 Ultra, which are better than the Note 10+ in more ways than one.
However, none of those phones have the S Pen, which continues to make the Note series stand out from everything else on the market. Whether or not that S Pen is more valuable than spec upgrades from newer phones is up for you to decide.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Models
As mentioned above, Samsung's shook up its Note release formula with the Note 10 by launching not just one new Note, but three — the Note 10, Note 10+, and Note 10+ 5G.
The regular Note 10 is the cheapest of the bunch, and for the first time since we can remember, it offers a true Note experience in a surprisingly manageable form factor. Samsung usually tries to make Notes as big as possible, but the Note 10 has a similar footprint to the Galaxy S10. While we still wouldn't consider it a small phone, it's definitely a breath of fresh air for the Note series.
Unfortunately, the Note 10 does come with some drawbacks to achieve its "low" price. Its display is only 2280 x 1080 Full HD+, there isn't support for expandable storage, and the battery capacity isn't the largest at just 3,500 mAh.
If you want the best Note in the 10 series, you'll want to get the Note 10+. It has a larger display with a higher Quad HD+ resolution, a bigger battery, an additional Time-of-Flight rear camera, and supports microSD cards for extra storage space.
Last but not least, there's the Note 10+ 5G. As the name suggests, this is essentially the same phone as the Note 10+, save for the fact that it can connect to 5G networks.
In January 2020, Samsung unveiled something we weren't expecting — the Galaxy Note 10 Lite. Taking a look at the phone, it's an interesting hodgepodge of specs. It offers a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display with a 2400 x 1080 resolution, Samsung's Exynos 8895 processor, up to 8GB of RAM, and triple 12MP cameras — including wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto sensors. You also get a hefty battery at 4,500 mAh.
The idea behind the Note 10 Lite is to offer the Galaxy Note experience at a more affordable price, with the phone selling for just under $500 if you decide to import an international model into the U.S.
That's the biggest kicker for the phone. It packs a hefty punch for the price, but with international phones not coming with any sort of manufacturer warranty, you'll need to decide if that's something you're comfortable with.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Colors
With 2018's Note 9, Samsung had some fun with its creative side with colors like Ocean Blue and Lavender Purple. For the Note 10, Samsung kicked its color wheel up to 11.
The Note 10 comes in a variety of awesome colors, including a striking Aura Glow one that's essentially a rainbow colorway and changes its appearance all the time, depending on how light is hitting it. If that's not your thing, Aura Red, Pink, and Blue are also pretty great.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Accessories
After you buy the Note 10, we recommend picking up some accessories for the phone.
The Note 10 is big, beautiful, and definitely not something you want to risk shattering with just the right drop. As such, we urge you to get a screen protector and case, along with a 25W charger at the bare minimum.
If you opt for the larger Note 10+, not only will you want to pick up a screen protector and a case, but you'll also want to consider getting a microSD card and a 45W charger.
If you want a bit more flexibility with your Note 10 charging, consider a wireless charging pad or portable battery pack.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 FAQs
Below are answers to some of the more frequently asked questions that we've received regarding the Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+ devices. The Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+ are chock-full of different features and settings. This is great news for anyone looking for a phone with endless functionality, but in that same breath, it can also make the handsets a bit challenging to use if you don't know exactly where everything is. To ensure your Note experience is as seamless as can be, we've compiled a bunch of how-to guides to help walk you through various aspects of the phones.
What are some tips and tricks with the Samsung Galaxy Note 10?
One UI, Samsung's custom Android interface, can come with quite the learning curve if you've never used a Samsung before. As such, knowing how to perform basic functions — such as enabling dark mode and managing your notification settings — looks different on a Galaxy than it does a phone from Google, OnePlus, or LG. There's also the navigation bar, which is one of the more heavily-customized aspects of One UI.
If you've had your Note 10 since the very beginning, it's possible you may be encountering some performance issues. Every Android phone experiences some hiccups here and there as it gets older, and the Note 10 is no exception. Thankfully, resolving these performance woes should be quite easy.
And, finally, if you haven't remapped the Bixby button yet, it's time you finally do that.
Does the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 have a headphone jack?
Yep, the rumors were true. The 3.5mm headphone jack, one of the Note series' staple features, is no more with the Note 10. No matter which Note 10 you get, you won't find the legacy port anywhere on the phone.
As with other phones that lack the 3.5mm jack, you can still use wired headphones with the Note 10's USB-C port — either with the USB-C headphones, Samsung includes in the box or with a 3.5mm to USB-C adapter.
Alternatively, if you prefer wireless headphones, the Note 10 supports the latest Bluetooth 5.0 standard so you can listen to your tunes with great wireless range and minimal interference.
Is fast charging available on the Samsung Galaxy Note 10?
While Samsung's been a proponent of wireless charging for some time now, its wired charging speeds have consistently been slower than what a lot of the competition has offered. With the Note 10, the company finally changed things.
Both phones come equipped with USB Power Delivery, meaning that you get out-of-the-box charging speeds of 25W.
That's a sizable upgrade on its own, but if you splurge for the Note 10+, you can take advantage of even faster 45W charging. However, in order to get these increased speeds safely and reliably, you'll need to spend another $50 for Samsung's official 45W USB-C Fast Charging Wall Charger.
What can I do with the Samsung Galaxy Note 10's S Pen?
For many people, the S Pen is the reason to get a new Note phone each year. With the Note 10, Samsung continued to improve the S Pen and added even more features to it.
For avid selfie-takers, Samsung introduced something called Air Actions. Building upon the Bluetooth functionality first introduced with the Note 9's S Pen, Air Actions allow you to point the S Pen at the Note 10 to act as a camera shutter button, switch between different shooting modes, and zoom in/out.
Air Doodle is another new feature, allowing you to draw wigs, mustaches, and more on people in the camera's frame. The Note 10 can map these drawings on top of people through the viewfinder in real-time through the use of algorithms.
If video editing is more your thing, the S Pen is also a key component to the Note 10's new native video editor, making it super easy to splice, scrub, rearrange timeline items, and more.
Should I get the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 instead?
The Galaxy Note 10 continues to be an excellent phone, but even so, you should be aware that its successor is already here. Samsung announced the Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra in August 2020, and we've already been using both for months.
While the Note 10 and 10+ are functionally very similar, there are some significant differences between the Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra. The Note 20 is made of premium plastic, while the Note 20 Ultra is all metal and class. The Note 20 is smaller and has a lower refresh rate, while the larger Note 20 Ultra has a 120 Hz refresh rate. The larger model also has more RAM, an SD card slot, and a larger battery. The Note 20 comes in a beautiful Mystic Green, while both are offered in a fabulous Mystic Bronze color.
The perfect ten
Galaxy Note 10
$942 at Amazon From $710 at Walmart $850 at B&H
Samsung's 2019 Note is still a powerhouse
With the Galaxy Note 10 series, Samsung decided to market three different models instead of one, removed the headphone jack, and phased out the microSD card. However, with gorgeous AMOLED displays, faster performance, and an S Pen that does more than ever before, these Notes are certainly still worth a look.
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