Description
Introduction
Borrowing a trick from the Galaxy S lineup, Samsung launched the Galaxy Note 10 in two size variants: Note 10 and Note 10+. The former is a regular or smaller version, while the latter is a bigger and beefier model that is a true successor to the much-loved Galaxy Note 9.
The plus variant is an uncompromising flagship and the best Samsung has to offer in 2019 if we exclude the niche Galaxy Fold. The positioning of the regular Note 10, however, doesn’t fit into the traditional definition of a Note model. It skimps on a few key specs when compared to the larger model.
Design
Like every other Galaxy flagship in recent years, the Galaxy Note 10 has a glass back and a metal frame. Samsung has used Corning Gorilla Glass 6 for increased durability and scratch resistance. The device weighs 168 grams and measures 151 x 71.8 x 7.9 mm, making it both smaller and lighter than the plus model. The size and the weight are the only two things where the regular model differs from the larger variant in the design department.
The Galaxy Note 10 has tiny bezels since Samsung has opted for a small centered punch-hole camera. This gives the device a rather impressive screen-to-body ratio of 90.9%. The left side of the device has a volume rocker and a power-cum-Bixby key, while the S Pen, speaker grille and USB Type-C port can be found at the bottom. The SIM tray can be found at the top, but unlike the Note 10+, there is no microSD slot. Both the Note 10 and Note 10+ lack a 3.5mm headphone jack.
The back of the device is dominated by the vertically-arranged triple-camera system at the top left corner with an LED flash next to it. There is Samsung branding in the middle and some regulatory information towards the bottom.
S Pen
It wouldn’t be a Galaxy Note without the S Pen, so even the smaller model has it, and it is the exact same stylus that comes with the Note 10+. Last year, Samsung added Bluetooth support to the S Pen, turning it into a mini remote for the Note 9. With the Galaxy Note 10, the company went further and added an accelerometer and a gyroscope to the S Pen, turning it into a kind of magic wand to control various functions on the phone.
The new stylus allows users to perform Air Actions like switching between the front and the rear camera, moving between camera modes, zoom in and out, browse through images in the gallery, control YouTube videos, etc. The company also made the Air Actions available to third-party developers through an SDK.
Software
The Galaxy Note 10 runs Android Pie with Samsung’s latest One UI 1.5 on top. The experience here is largely similar to what you find on other devices running One UI, but Samsung has added a few new features like Link to Windows, Discord integration with Game launcher, PlayGalaxy Link, native screen recording, AR Doodle, Zoom-In Mic, Samsung DeX on Windows/macOS, Air Actions, etc.
Price and Availability
Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Note 10/10+ at its Unpacked event on August 8 in New York City. Pre-orders were opened the following day with the devices going on sale across the globe on August 23. The regular Note 10 comes in a single 8GB/256GB storage configuration and is priced at $950 in the US. It comes in Aura Glow, Aura White, Aura Black, Aura Pink, and Aura Red color options. There is also a Note 10 5G version, but its availability seems to be limited to South Korea.
