With the Samsung Galaxy Note N7000, Samsung is clearly aiming at buyers who want a well-rounded phone without too many compromises. Here is our take on what it brings to the table. Announced in 2011, September. Released 2011, October, it arrives at a time when the competition is as tight as ever.
Design & Display
Up front there is a 5.3 inches, 81.4 cm 2 (~66.8% screen-to-body ratio) screen, pushing a resolution of 800 x 1280 pixels, 16:10 ratio (~285 ppi density), and in real-world use it looks bright, crisp and easy on the eyes. It is not trying to reinvent the wheel with its design, but it does look the part. You can pick it up in a few finishes, including Black.
Performance & Software
At the heart of it sits the Exynos 4210 Dual (45 nm), paired with 1GB of RAM. For the kind of tasks most of us throw at a phone, there is plenty of muscle here. It runs Android 2.3.5 (Gingerbread), upgradable to 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean), TouchWiz UI 4 out of the box, so the software experience feels current.
Camera
Photography is handled by a main 8 MP shooter that should cover most situations, from daylight shots to the occasional low-light frame. Expect solid detail in good light, with the usual softness creeping in once the sun goes down.
Battery
Battery duties are handled by a Removable Li-Ion 2500 mAh battery unit, and that is a healthy number that keeps range anxiety at bay.
Our Opinion
Coming to the important bit, our opinion on the Samsung Galaxy Note N7000. This is a phone that does not try to be the flashiest option on the shelf, and honestly that works in its favour. It gets the basics right, offering a dependable main camera, a crisp display, which is exactly what most buyers are really after. For someone who simply wants a dependable daily driver that will not let them down halfway through the day, this ticks a lot of boxes. Is it perfect? No phone is, and you will always find a sharper camera or a faster chip somewhere else for a little more money. Even so, the Samsung Galaxy Note N7000 holds its own and represents a solid, no-nonsense buy. If you have used this device or are planning to pick one up, do let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
