Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 5G: Features | Specifications | Pricing

Where to buy

Samsung's second 5G handset, following on from the Galaxy S10 5G takes a slightly different approach to its predecessor. Where the Galaxy S10 5G was a Galaxy S10+ with a bigger screen, bigger battery and more impressive camera capabilities, the Galaxy Note10+ 5G is essentially the Galaxy Note10+ with an added 5G modem inside.

As such, its value proposition very strongly rests on whether or not you think 5G access is going to be important to you over the next couple of years.

Design

• 6.8 inch 3040×1440 Dynamic AMOLED display
• Single front hole punch camera
• No Bixby button
• No Headphone jack

• Read more about the Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 5G's design

  As the 5G equivalent of the Galaxy Note10+, it should be no surprise that the Galaxy Note10+ 5G looks essentially identical to the cheaper Note10+.

  That means you're getting a very large phone with a 6.8 inch dynamic AMOLED display. It's got the same 3040×1440 pixel resolution, and the same single circular holepunch camera at the front. That's an interesting change from the Galaxy S10 5G, which features a right of screen mounted holepunch dual camera array.

  Still, Samsung's Dynamic AMOLED displays are generally the very best money can buy, and you'd hope that would be the case for a phone in this price bracket.

  There are two things you won't find on the Galaxy Note10+ 5G. The first is a dedicated Bixby button to invoke Samsung's own inhouse digital assistant. That's a function that has double duty with the power button, meaning there's very few controls on this phone at all. There's no fingerprint scanner on the back, because it's using an ultrasonic sensor under the front glass.

  Sadly, there's also no headphone jack at all. This is a "feature" of all of the Note10 family, so if you do still want to use cabled headphones, you'll need to use a USB C adaptor in order to do so.

Camera

• Four rear cameras
• Live focus video

• Read more about the Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 5G's camera

  The Galaxy S10 5G differentiated itself from the other S10 phones with more camera features, but there's absolutely no difference between the 5G and "regular" Samsung Galaxy Note10+.

  What that means is that around the back you get an ultra-wide 123 degree 16MP f/2.2 lens, a wide angle 77 degree 12MP variable f/1.5-2.4 lens and a 12MP f/2.1 Telephoto lens. There's also a time of flight sensor, which Samsung dubs the "DepthVision" camera. You don't shoot photos with that lens. Instead, it fires up to determine depth of field in your shots, which should lead to faster focus lock, as well as making the new live focus video feature even sharper.

  To further enhance video shoots, the Galaxy Note10+ 5G has dynamic zoom microphones that can zoom in on the in-focus subject to capture more of the noise around them and less ambient intruding sounds.

Performance

• Snapdragon 855 or Exynos
• 5G and 4G variants
• S-Pen gets Air Actions

• Read more about the Samsung Galaxy Note10 5G's performance

  The Note10+ 5G will ship with either a 7nm 64-bit Octa-core processor (Max. 2.7 GHz + 2.4 GHz + 1.9 GHz) or 7nm 64-bit Octa-core processor (Max. 2.8 GHz + 2.4 GHz + 1.7 GHz), according to Samsung's specification sheet.

  What that covers is the international version, shipping with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, as well as its Exynos equivalent, which is almost certainly the model we'll see here in Australia. Most likely the it'll be the Exynos 9825 it announced just prior to the Note10+ 5G launch itself.

  In Australia we've never had the Snapdragon model of any Samsung phone launch since it shifted to its Exynos variants, and there's little reason to think that won't be the case now.

  Where the model of the Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 5G that ships in Australia will differ from the regular Note10+ is in respect of internal storage. The Note10+ comes with 256GB of onboard memory, but the Note10+ 5G has 512GB. If your needs are greater than that, it'll also support microSD expansion in one of its two SIM card slots.

  The Galaxy Note10+ 5G is an Android 9 phone, and if history is any indication we may be waiting a while for an update to Android 10 once that's available.

  Samsung's pitching the Note10 series as serious productivity devices, with an updated DeX desktop experience that features closer integration with Microsoft apps and services. That's a feature that could make some use of that faster 5G speed, but only if you shift around really massive spreadsheets or presentations.

  The S-Pen is the other part of the Note story that Samsung sells its phablet family on. This year, it's adding "Air Actions" that allow you to control various phone functions from a distance. These include photo clipping and music control, and Samsung says it's opening up the SDK for Air Actions so that third party app developers will be able to incorporate them into their apps too.

Battery life

• 4,300mAh battery
• Superfast Charging, but not with the in-box charger

• Read more about the Samsung Galaxy Note10 5G's battery life

  The Galaxy Note10+ 5G has a relatively hefty 4,300mAh battery on board. It's a decent figure on paper, although there are two notes of concern here. Firstly, 5G can be a bit battery thirsty in our experience, and there's no boost here over the regular Note10+ in battery terms.

  Then there's the fact that this year's crop of Samsung phones have tended downwards in overall battery life. That's relative to competing handsets and even some of last year's Note and S-series handsets. Hopefully this is a trend that Samsung can reverse with the Note 10+ 5G, but we'll have to wait and see on that score.

  The Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 5G does support Samsung's new "Superfast Charge" system, which promises hours of use from just minutes of charge.

  The secret here is a 45W charger to provide all that juice, but you'll have to pay extra if you want Superfast Charge on your Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 5G. It's not the standard charger supplied in the box.

  Aside from Superfast charging, the Galaxy Note10+ 5G does support standard USB wired charging, Wireless charging and reverse wireless charging for other Qi-compatible gadgets.

Early outlook

• The most expensive Note Samsung has in 2019

• Read our early Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 5G verdict

  The Note10+ 5G is the most pricey Note Samsung's selling this year, but it's a little hard to see an outright justification for its price point. You do get more storage than the regular Note10+, but you could more than make up for that with a microSD card jammed into the secondary SIM slot on the Note10+ if that matters to you.

  That means that the real value here has to rest on its 5G modem. Right now, the 5G coverage you can get on Telstra and Optus is very meagre. It will improve, but by the time it does, we're expecting to have plenty of other 5G phone options. That makes the Samsung Note10+ 5G something of a hard proposition to recommend. As always, stay tuned for our full review.

Pricing and availability

Price

RRP $1,999

Where to buy

Check price at eBay

Check price at Amazon

AmazoneBay

Specifications

Latest news

Where to buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 in Australia

Find out where you can buy the Samsung Galaxy S23 phone range in Australia right now.

Read more…

Samsung phone sale: $520 off Galaxy S21 Ultra on eBay

Get a premium device at an affordable price tag with this eBay Samsung phone sale.

Read more…

Where to buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4 outright

Find out where you can pre-order the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 in Australia right now.

Read more…