Samsung Galaxy Note 10+: A Comprehensive Review

Samsung Galaxy Note 10+

The Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ is a premium phablet smartphone and flagship of the Galaxy Note series, unveiled alongside the standard Galaxy Note 10 on August 7, 2019, and released globally on August 23, 2019. Positioned as a productivity-focused device for power users, content creators, and business professionals, it introduced a sleeker, more modern design, upgraded S Pen functionality with Bluetooth integration, a quad-camera system, and Samsung’s first 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display. The Note 10+ refined the Note series’ core identity of blending smartphone portability with tablet-like productivity, and it remains a landmark model for its balance of performance, camera versatility, and stylus innovation.

1. Key Specifications

Category	Details
Display	6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X; 3040×1440 QHD+ resolution (498 ppi); 19:9 aspect ratio; 1200 nits peak brightness; HDR10+ support; ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor; Corning Gorilla Glass 6 (front/back)
Processor	Global Variant: Samsung Exynos 9825 octa-core chip (2×2.73 GHz Mongoose M4 + 2×2.4 GHz Cortex-A75 + 4×1.9 GHz Cortex-A55); Mali-G76 MP12 GPUUS/China Variant: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 octa-core chip; Adreno 640 GPU12 GB LPDDR4X RAM
Storage	256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB UFS 3.0 internal storage; microSD card slot (expandable up to 1 TB, hybrid dual SIM design)
Camera System	Rear Quad-Camera:- 12 MP wide-angle (f/1.5-f/2.4 variable aperture, OIS, Dual Pixel autofocus)- 16 MP ultra-wide (f/2.2, 123° field of view)- 12 MP telephoto (f/2.1, 2x optical zoom, OIS)- TOF 3D depth sensor (for Portrait Mode and AR effects)4K video recording at 30/60 fps; 1080p slow-motion at 240 fpsFront Camera: 10 MP (f/2.2, autofocus); 4K video recording at 30 fps
Battery	4,300 mAh non-removable lithium-ion battery; 45 W Super Fast Charging; 15 W Qi wireless charging; Wireless PowerShare (reverse wireless charging for accessories like AirPods)
Operating System	Initially shipped with Android 9 Pie + One UI 1.5; officially upgradable to Android 12 + One UI 4.1; no further official updates
Connectivity	5G (sub-6 GHz; mmWave in US variants); Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 ax); Bluetooth 5.1; NFC; GPS/GLONASS/Beidou/Galileo; USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 port; IP68 water/dust resistance
S Pen Stylus	Integrated, pressure-sensitive S Pen (4096 levels of pressure sensitivity); Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity; Air Actions (gesture control for apps/camera); 0.7 mm tip for precise writing/drawing
Design & Dimensions	Aluminum frame; Gorilla Glass 6 front/back; centered punch-hole front camera (replacing the Note 9’s notch); dimensions: 162.3 × 77.2 × 7.9 mm; weight: 196 g; color options: Aura Glow, Aura Black, Aura White, Aura Blue
Sensors	Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, compass, barometer, TOF 3D depth sensor

2. Core Features & Innovations

2.1 S Pen with Bluetooth Air Actions

The most significant upgrade to the Note 10+ was the Bluetooth-enabled S Pen, which transformed the stylus from a writing/drawing tool into a remote control. Key features included:

Air Actions: Customizable gestures (e.g., double-tap, swipe) to control the camera (take photos, zoom), media playback (play/pause, skip tracks), and presentation slides—no need to touch the phone.
4096 Pressure Levels: Retained the Note 9’s precise pressure sensitivity for natural handwriting, sketching, and annotation in apps like Samsung Notes and PenUp.
Screen Off Memo: Extract the S Pen to write notes directly on the locked screen, with up to 100 notes stored locally for quick access.

2.2 Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display & Punch-Hole Design

The 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display offered vibrant colors, deep blacks, and HDR10+ support for immersive multimedia consumption. Samsung replaced the Note 9’s Infinity Display notch with a centered punch-hole for the front camera, maximizing screen-to-body ratio (~91.3%). The display also featured an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor (faster and more accurate than optical sensors) and reduced blue light emission to minimize eye strain.

2.3 Quad-Camera System with Variable Aperture

The rear quad-camera setup expanded the Note series’ photography capabilities:

Variable Aperture (f/1.5-f/2.4): The wide-angle camera automatically switches apertures—f/1.5 for low-light scenarios (more light intake) and f/2.4 for bright conditions (sharper details and reduced overexposure).
2x Optical Zoom & Ultra-Wide Angle: The 12 MP telephoto lens delivered lossless 2x zoom, while the 16 MP ultra-wide lens captured expansive landscapes and group photos.
TOF 3D Depth Sensor: Enabled more accurate Portrait Mode bokeh effects and AR features like 3D scanning (via Samsung’s 3D Scanner app).

2.4 Super Fast Charging & 5G Connectivity

The Note 10+ was Samsung’s first Note device to support 45 W Super Fast Charging, which could charge the 4,300 mAh battery from 0–100% in approximately 70 minutes (with a compatible charger). It also supported 5G connectivity (sub-6 GHz globally, mmWave in the US), enabling faster download speeds and low-latency streaming for 4K video and cloud-based apps.

2.5 Productivity Features

Samsung DeX: Connect the Note 10+ to a monitor, keyboard, and mouse to enable a desktop-like experience for multitasking, document editing, and video conferencing—no need for a separate dock (works via USB-C cable or wirelessly).
Split-Screen & App Pairing: Run two apps side by side (e.g., Chrome + Samsung Notes) or pair frequently used apps for one-tap launch, ideal for multitasking on the large display.
Secure Folder: A encrypted space for storing sensitive files, apps, and data, protected by biometric authentication (fingerprint or facial recognition).

3. Market Position & Reception

Target Audience: Power users, business professionals, content creators, and stylus enthusiasts who prioritized productivity, camera performance, and large-screen multimedia. It competed directly with the iPhone 11 Pro Max and Google Pixel 4 XL.
Critical Reception: Praised for its sleek design, Bluetooth S Pen functionality, versatile quad-camera system, and fast charging; criticized for the lack of a 3.5 mm headphone jack (a first for the Note series), high starting price ($1,199 for 256 GB), and the Exynos variant’s slightly lower performance compared to the Snapdragon 855 model.
Sales Performance: Sold over 10 million units globally within the first two months of release, though demand was slightly lower than the Note 9 due to the high price and growing competition from Samsung’s own Galaxy S series.

4. Legacy & Discontinuation

The Note 10+ was discontinued in 2020 with the launch of the Galaxy Note 20 series, which shifted focus to 5G and S Pen latency improvements.

The Note 10+ marked the Note series’ transition to a more modern, punch-hole design and solidified the S Pen as a core productivity tool with Bluetooth functionality—features that would be refined in subsequent models like the Note 20 Ultra.

Official software support ended with Android 12 in 2022, but the device remains popular among custom ROM enthusiasts, who have ported newer Android versions (e.g., Android 13) to the Note 10+.