Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+: two new sizes, gestural S Pen and no 3.5mm jack

2023 Author: Donald Evans | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-27 23:51

The Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+, the flagship smartphones of Samsung are now official for the second half of 2019. For the first time, a Galaxy Note is offered in 2 different sizes, plus a stylus S Pen with gesture control

The new Galaxy Note 10 seeks to give us a lot of raw power, with screens of 6.8 inches (Note 10+) and6.3 inches (Note 10), Exynos 9825 processor and up to 12 GB of RAM, with 5G available as an option on the top model.

The smaller model mounts 3 rear cameras, while its "big brother" adds a fourth sensor, a ToF camera that measures depth.

Regarding the battery, they are 3,500 mAh and 4,300 mAh respectively, with wireless charging, and reverse charging option, which allows you to place a shareable headset or mobile on the back to receive energy

Despite everything these new smartphones have, one of the striking aspects is that Samsung has decided to eliminate the 3.5mm headphone jackon both, and the microSD slot on the Galaxy Note 10, though it keeps it on the top model.

Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+, specifications

We are talking about phones that fall within the so-called "super high-end" range, so the technical sheet of the Galaxy Note 10 borders on a very high level. Let's see all the details:

1. Display: 6.3" with 2280 x 1080p (Note 10) or 6.8" with 3040 x 1440p, Dynamic AMOLED panel and HDR10+ support.
2. Processor: Exynos 9825 8-core.
3. RAM: 8 GB (Note 10) or 12 GB (Note 10+).
4. Storage: 256 GB (Note 10) or 256 GB / 512 GB (Note 10+)
5. Rear camera: 12 MP f/1, 5 or f/2, 4 OIS + 16 MP f/2, 2 + 12 MP f/2, 1 OIS + ToF VGA (Note 10+ only).
6. Front camera: 10 MP f/2, 2, 80º angle.
7. Connectivity: 4G/LTE Cat 20, WiFi 6 (ax), Bluetooth 5.0, positioning (GPS, Galileo, Glonass and Beidou) and NFC.
8. Stylus: S Pen with Bluetooth LE and gesture control, up to 10 hours of battery life.
9. Ports and sensors: USB-C and on-screen fingerprint reader (without 3.5mm jack).
10. Battery: 3,500 mAh with 25W charging (Note 10) or 4,300 mAh with 45W charging (Note 10+).
11. Operating system: Android 9 Pie.

Triple camera and better video recording

The quality of the cameras is the differential factor of premium smartphones, and Samsung has opted for a combination of sensors with different functions. Let's see what each one does:

1. 12 MP (main): the main sensor switches between an f/2, 4 aperture when the light is good and f/1, 5 in night shots, includes optical stabilization (OIS) and has a wide angle of 77º.
2. 16 MP (Ultra Wide): lets you capture more elements in photos, such as groups of people or landscapes, thanks to the wide angle of 123º. The aperture on this sensor is f/2.2.
3. 12 MP (telephoto): allows us to zoom in to zoom in on the image, therefore it mounts OIS to improve sharpness, and an f/2, 1 sensor with a 45º angle.
4. ToF VGA (depth): the fourth sensor, intended for estimating distances, is only included in the Galaxy Note 10+, with a aperture f/1.4 and an angle of 72º. It is useful for both photography and augmented reality, from games like Pokémon Go to measuring the size of objects only with the mobile camera.

One of the aspects that this generation improves is video. The main novelty has been named Live Focus Video, which allows applying the bokeh effect or portrait mode to videos in real time as we record.

Another innovation is the Zoom In Mic, which uses a directional microphone to record only sound of a specific area if we zoom in on the video. For example, zooming in on a person speaking in a crowd removes background noise and makes you heard clearer.

In addition, video stabilization has been improved using artificial intelligence, and now works even when recording a timelapse.

Larger screens, and with centered selfie camera

The Galaxy Note 10+ takes its screen to a new high, at 6.8 inches diagonally. A surprising figure if we think that the first tablets on the market were 7-inch, but in this case we have some minimal bezels and slightly downward-curved sides.

This size has forced the launch of a 6.3-inch Galaxy Note 10, easier to handle with one hand, and which feels surprisingly compact if we think about its diagonal.

We again find a fingerprint sensor located under the Dynamic AMOLED panel, which Samsung claims is faster than the previous generation. The screen has reduced by 40% the emission of blue light, which some studies suggest is harmful to eyesight.

Embedded in the screen we have a selfie camera of 10 MP f/2, 2 with 80º angle, identical in both models. The hole that houses it is smaller than in the Galaxy S10, and being centered does not break the symmetry of the mobile, but it is more visible on a day-to-day basis.

Not forgetting the fingerprint reader, located under the panel itself, and which now unlocks faster.

S Pen with gestures and DeX that doesn't need a dock

Samsung Galaxy Notes have always gone further than other models, either because of their features for professionals or the most demanding users.

The 2019 releases bring various improvements to the S Pen, starting with a battery that goes up to 10 hours of autonomy (compared to 30 minutes for its predecessor). In addition, the S Pen includes accelerometer and gyroscope, which allow you to perform gestures in the air to control cameras:

1. Vertical movement: We switch from the front camera to the rear camera with a vertical gesture, both up and down.
2. Lateral movement: We switch between the available photo and video modes.
3. Circular movement: is used to zoom out or zoom in if we press the S Pen button, draw a circle in the air (towards left or right) and release the button when the zoom is what we are looking for.

In addition, notes taken with the S Pen will be more useful, with accurate handwriting recognition and expanded export options, including to Word documents.

The desktop mode (or DeX), which allows us to connect the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 to a monitor and control its adapted interface with keyboard and mouse, now you only need a cable, not a docking station.

Added support to easily move files from desktop mode to the PC or Mac operating system, and Samsung has reached an agreement to improve synchronization with Windows, including notification alerts, messages or calls.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+, price and availability

The new smartphones can be reserved from today, August 7, and will go on sale on August 23. The available colors will be the following:

1. Galaxy Note 10 available in Aura Glow, Aura Black and Aura Pink colors.
2. Galaxy Note 10+ available in Ara Glow, Now Black and Aura White colors.

Regarding the prices for Spain, we still need to know what the 5G version will cost, but all the others have already been confirmed:

1. Galaxy Note 10 (8GB + 256GB) for 959 €.
2. Galaxy Note 10+ (12GB + 256GB) for 1,109 €.
3. Galaxy Note 10+ (12GB + 512GB) for 1,209 €.

The new Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and 10+ are a commitment to the premium range of continuity in some respects, but for the first time They are offered in two sizes, add a gestural S Pen and also eliminate the audio jack, enough elements to differentiate themselves from their predecessors.

What do you think of the new Galaxy Note 10? Do you think models with different screen sizes are necessary?