Samsung Galaxy Note 10+: First Look (Updated With Pricing)

1. Three models: Galaxy Note 10 (6.3″ FHD+), Galaxy Note 10+ and Galaxy Note 10+ 5G (6.8″ QHD+)

2. No notch, Samsung using punch-hole design for front camera

3. Improved Live Focus for video

4. Air Actions for S-Pen

5. Biggest battery capacity (Note 10+ version) since Note 7 incident

6. Pricing starts from S$1,398 (Note 10), S$1,598 and S$1,898 (Note 10+)

7. Pre-order collection on 23 August 2019, available on sale from 24 August 2019 in Singapore

So the Note 10 and Note 10+ have finally launched, after weeks of rumours and leaks. Here are our first impressions of the Note 10+ model after having had some hands-on time with it at the Samsung Unpacked event in New York.

Credit: Samsung

The new Note 10 comes in three different models, the standard Galaxy Note 10, the Galaxy Note 10+ and the Galaxy Note 10+ 5G. The big difference between the standard model and the 10+ and 10+ 5G is the screen size and display. The Note 10 uses a 6.3″ FHD+ display while the Note 10+ and 10+ 5G has a screen size of 6.8″ with a QHD+ display.

The larger display is relatively big in the hand, and might not be a good choice for users with smaller hands if they prefer to use their phone one-handed. There’s also no forehead bezel now, with Samsung opting instead to use a pinhole design with the camera cutout centered in the middle of the screen. This might be a controversial decision, with pop-up cameras and such allowing for almost truly bezel-less screens lately.

Camera specs are uniform across the board with a 12MP wide angle lens, 12MP zoom lens and a 16MP ultra-wide lens along with a DepthVision lens for the 10+ and 10+ 5G. The front camera is a 10MP lens for all three models as well.

There’s now Night Mode for the front camera as well, which makes selfies much easier to take in dimly lit areas.

Credit: Samsung

Video is now updated with improved Live Focus, allowing users to bokeh, spin or change the colour of the background of a shot in real-time or after the video has been shot. Video editing has also improved for the Note 10 series, with the S-Pen being updated to be able to trim files more precisely and even to write on videos.

If you use your phone for videography, you might be pleased to know that Samsung has a new functionality called the Zoom-in Mic which amplifies the audio coming from whatever is in frame and removes background noise.

Samsung is still retaining the MicroSD slot, thankfully, but users will have to spring for the 10+ option to have it. The standard Note 10 has axed the slot and all three models have done away with the 3.5mm headphone jack, which is a pity.

The S-Pen has been upgraded with quite a few new functionalities, but the most productivity-focused one would be the ability to convert handwritten notes into digital text. Samsung claims to have hundreds of thousands of handwriting samples to ensure accuracy. We tested it out and the conversion was in real-time, which is quite impressive.

Credit: Samsung

There’s also Air Actions now available, allowing users to control certain aspects of the phone just by gesturing with the pen. One of the actions we tried was controlling the camera, you can do more than just press the button to take a photo now. Air Actions allows you to even zoom in and out, flip between the front and rear camera and more.

The new AR Doodle functionality is also super cool, you can use the S-Pen to draw on videos and photos and the drawings you make will actually track on the object or face you doodle on. Check out the video above for an example!

Credit: Samsung

Battery life for the Note 10+ is the biggest it’s been since the Note 7 fiasco, coming in at 4,300mAh. There’s also 45W wired charging capability for the Note 10+ allowing for super fast charging, but the phone only comes with the standard charger, meaning you’ll have to purchase the 45W charger separately.

The Note 10 will be available in Aura Glow and Aura Black, while the Note 10+ is available in Aura Glow, Aura Black and Aura White at launch in Singapore. Other colour availabilities are yet to be announced.

Galaxy Note 10 (256GB) is retailing at S$1,398, and the Galaxy Note 10+ (256GB/512GB) at S$1,598/S$1,898. They are available in Singapore from 24 August 2019 across the major retailers.

You can pre-order from today (8 August 2019), 3pm onwards on Samsung’s official website, the telcos M1, Singtel and StarHub and selected consumer electronics and IT stores (Best Denki, Courts, Gain City, Hachi, Harvey Norman, as well as Lazada Singapore.

There’s so much more to test out for the Note 10, so stay tuned for our full review!