With the Samsung Galaxy Note10 5G, 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 2019, August. Released 2019, August, it arrives at a time when the competition is as tight as ever.
Design & Display
On the front you get a 6.3 inches, 98.6 cm 2 (~90.9% screen-to-body ratio) panel, pushing a resolution of 1080 x 2280 pixels, 19:9 ratio (~401 ppi density), which is more than sharp enough for everyday use, streaming and a bit of gaming. 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 Aura Glow.
Performance & Software
At the heart of it sits the Exynos 9825 (7 nm) - EMEA/LATAM Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) - USA/China, paired with 12GB of RAM. For the kind of tasks most of us throw at a phone, there is plenty of muscle here. It runs Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 12, One UI 4 out of the box, so the software experience feels current.
Camera
The camera setup is one of the talking points here, with a 12 MP sensor doing the heavy lifting. It is not a pro camera rig, but for everyday memories it gets the job done nicely.
Battery
Keeping the lights on is a Li-Ion 3500 mAh, non-removable cell. With moderate use you can expect to end the day with charge to spare.
Our Opinion
After spending time with the spec sheet and what Samsung is promising, here is where we land. 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. You could nitpick a few things, as you can with any phone in this bracket. Even so, the Samsung Galaxy Note10 5G 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.
