Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Review: Features & Specs in Depth

Galaxy Note 10

1. Basic Overview

The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 is a flagship phablet smartphone developed and marketed by Samsung Electronics, unveiled on August 7, 2019, at a dedicated launch event in Brooklyn, New York. It is part of the Galaxy Note series’ 10th-anniversary lineup, which also includes the larger Galaxy Note 10+ variant. Positioned as a productivity-focused flagship, the Note 10 targeted creative professionals, business users, and power users who relied on the iconic S Pen stylus for note-taking, drawing, and multitasking.

The device marked several key design and hardware shifts for the Note series: it adopted a hole-punch Infinity-O display (replacing the traditional physical home button and bezels), introduced a more compact form factor compared to previous Note models, and removed the 3.5 mm headphone jack for the first time in the series’ history. Launched with Android 9 Pie and Samsung’s One UI 1.5, the Galaxy Note 10 received software updates up to Android 12 (One UI 4.1), with Samsung providing security patches for up to four years post-launch. Discontinued in 2021 following the release of the Galaxy Note 20 series, it remains a popular choice in the refurbished market for its balanced blend of portability and S Pen functionality.

2. Key Hardware Specifications (Global Variant: SM-N970F)

Component	Technical Specifications
Display	6.3-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity-O display; 2280×1080 (FHD+) resolution; 401 ppi; 19:9 aspect ratio; HDR10+ support; 60 Hz refresh rate; 1000 nits peak brightness; Gorilla Glass 6 (front/back)
Processor	Samsung Exynos 9825 (Octa-core: 2×2.73 GHz Mongoose M4 + 2×2.4 GHz Cortex-A75 + 4×1.9 GHz Cortex-A55) / Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (regional variants)
Memory (RAM)	8 GB LPDDR4X RAM (non-upgradable)
Storage Options	256 GB UFS 3.0 (non-expandable; no microSD card slot)
Rear Camera System	Triple-camera setup:- 12MP Wide: f/1.5-f/2.4 variable aperture, OIS, Dual Pixel AF, 1.4 μm pixels- 16MP Ultra-wide: f/2.2 aperture, 123° field of view (FOV), 1.0 μm pixels- 12MP Telephoto: f/2.1 aperture, OIS, 2x optical zoom, 1.0 μm pixelsFeatures: 4K video recording (60 fps), 1080p slow-motion video (240 fps), Live Focus (Portrait Mode), Scene Optimizer
Front Camera	10MP Selfie: f/2.2 aperture, Dual Pixel AF, 1.22 μm pixels; 4K video recording (30 fps)
S Pen Stylus	Integrated S Pen with 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity; supports Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) connectivity for air gestures (e.g., control media playback, take photos remotely); latency reduced to 9ms; features include Air Command, Screen Write, Smart Select, and AR Doodle
Battery	3,500 mAh non-removable lithium-ion battery; 25W wired fast charging; 15W wireless fast charging; 4.5W reverse wireless charging (charge accessories like Galaxy Buds)
Connectivity	4G LTE Advanced (Cat 20); Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax); Bluetooth 5.0; NFC; USB-C 3.1 port; GPS/GLONASS/Galileo/QZSS; no 3.5 mm headphone jack
Dimensions & Weight	151.0 × 71.8 × 7.9 mm; 168 grams
Build & Durability	Aluminum frame; Gorilla Glass 6 front/back; IP68 water and dust resistance (up to 1.5 meters depth for 30 minutes)
Security & Sensors	Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor; facial recognition (2D); accelerometer; gyroscope; proximity sensor; barometer; RGB light sensor
Audio	Stereo speakers (AKG-tuned); Dolby Atmos support; USB-C audio output

3. Core Software & Feature Highlights

3.1 S Pen Innovations

The S Pen remained the Galaxy Note 10’s core differentiator, with key upgrades over previous generations:

Bluetooth LE Connectivity: The S Pen added BLE support, transforming it into a remote control for the phone. Users could trigger camera shutter, pause/play media, navigate slideshows, and switch between camera modes with a click of the S Pen button—no need to touch the screen.
9ms Latency: Reduced input lag made the S Pen feel more responsive for drawing and writing, matching the experience of using a real pen on paper. This was a critical upgrade for digital artists and note-takers.
AR Doodle: An augmented reality feature that let users draw 3D doodles on real-world objects captured by the camera. Doodles would stick to the object and move with it, adding a creative layer to photos and videos.
Enhanced Air Command: The floating S Pen menu was redesigned for One UI, with quick access to Screen Write (annotate screenshots), Smart Select (crop content into shareable files), and Extract Text (convert handwritten notes or printed text into editable digital text).

3.2 Display & Design

Infinity-O Hole-Punch Display: The small, centered hole-punch camera replaced the Note 9’s notch and physical home button, maximizing screen-to-body ratio (91.6%). This design became a signature of Samsung’s flagship devices in the late 2010s.
Dynamic AMOLED 2X: The display delivered vibrant colors, deep blacks, and HDR10+ support for immersive media consumption. The variable aperture on the main camera also worked in tandem with the display to optimize image and video viewing in different lighting conditions.
Compact Form Factor: At 6.3 inches, the Note 10 was significantly smaller than the 6.4-inch Note 9, making it more comfortable for one-handed use while retaining the S Pen and productivity features that defined the series.

3.3 One UI 1.5 & Productivity Tools

One UI 1.5: Samsung’s custom skin was optimized for large screens, with shifted UI elements and simplified menus to reduce one-handed reach. Key features included Digital Wellbeing (monitor screen time), Secure Folder (encrypted storage for sensitive data), and Multi Window (run two apps side-by-side).
Samsung DeX: The Note 10 supported wired and wireless DeX, allowing users to connect to a monitor or TV to access a desktop-like interface. This enabled productivity tasks like document editing, video conferencing, and multitasking with multiple apps.
Scene Optimizer: The camera’s AI-powered Scene Optimizer recognized 30+ different scenes (e.g., food, landscape, portrait) and adjusted settings automatically to capture the best possible photo.

4. Market Reception & Controversies

4.1 Critical Acclaim

The Galaxy Note 10 was praised for its compact design, responsive S Pen, and vibrant Dynamic AMOLED display. Reviewers noted that the BLE-enabled S Pen added genuine utility, especially for content creators and presenters.
The ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor was a significant improvement over the optical sensors in previous Samsung flagships, offering faster and more accurate recognition.
The One UI 1.5 software was lauded for its user-friendly design, addressing the cluttered interface criticism that plagued Samsung’s older TouchWiz skins.

4.2 Controversies

No Headphone Jack & Non-Expandable Storage: Removing the 3.5 mm headphone jack and ditching the microSD card slot was controversial among long-time Note users, who valued the series’ focus on versatility and expandability.
Battery Capacity Reduction: The 3,500 mAh battery was smaller than the Note 9’s 4,000 mAh battery. While the efficient Exynos 9825/Snapdragon 855 chips mitigated this to some extent, heavy users reported shorter battery life, especially with S Pen and camera features enabled.
Price Point: The Note 10 launched at a starting price of $949, making it one of the most expensive Note models to date. Many users argued that the lack of expandable storage and headphone jack did not justify the premium price.

5. Legacy & Positioning

Transition to 5G: While the standard Note 10 lacked 5G support (the Note 10+ offered it in select regions), it laid the groundwork for Samsung’s 5G-focused Note 20 series, which launched in 2020 as the world’s first 5G-enabled Note devices.

S Pen as a Remote Control: The BLE-enabled S Pen in the Note 10 set a new standard for stylus functionality, with subsequent Note models (Note 20, S Ultra series) expanding on air gestures and remote control features.

Infinity-O Display Popularization: The hole-punch design became a staple of Samsung’s flagship smartphones, including the Galaxy S20 and S21 series, and influenced other manufacturers to adopt similar minimal-bezel designs.

One UI’s Market Impact: One UI 1.5 established Samsung’s custom skin as a user-friendly alternative to stock Android, with later versions (One UI 2.0+) becoming a key selling point for Samsung’s flagship devices.