Samsung just sent us the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra – their largest and most powerful tablet, with a massive 14.6-inch Super AMOLED display!
As you will see in this video – this is a really large tablet, and it is pretty hefty too at 726 grams. But it is very solidly built, and weighs half as much as a typical laptop.
It also comes with a new full-size S Pen with an ultra-low latency of just 2.8 milliseconds.
The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra runs on the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 mobile platform boasts a powerful Adreno 730 GPU as well as eight processor cores in a triple-tier architecture :
a Cortex-X2 prime core running at up to 3 GHz,
three sustained-performance Cortex-A710 cores running at up to 2.4 GHz, and
four energy-efficient Cortex-A510 cores running at 1.7 GHz.
Powering all that is a massive 11,200 mAh lithium-ion polymer battery, with 45 watt fast charging capability!
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra Book Cover Keyboard : Hands-On!
This year, Samsung included the really awesome Book Cover Keyboard with every Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra tablet.
This cover not only provides really solid protection for the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, it also converts it into a 2-in-1 tablet with a kickstand!
In addition, the Book Cover Keyboard has a special S Pen cover that prevents your precious S Pen from falling and getting lost.
As I shared in my Galaxy Tab S7 Book Cover Keyboard review last year, this is a must-have accessory, and I’m really glad Samsung included it as part of the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra package.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra : Specifications
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra
Display
14.6-inch Super AMOLED Display
– 60 Hz or 120 Hz refresh rate
Protection
Gorilla Glass 5 (Front + Back)
OS
One UI 4.1 (Android 12)
Platform
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
CPU
1 x Arm Cortex-X2 core (3.0 GHz)
3 x Arm Cortex-A710 cores (2.4 GHz) 4 x Arm Cortex-A510 cores (1.7 GHz)
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Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Let’s unbox the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, and see what we find inside!
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra : Flagship Class Performance!
Samsung just launched the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra – their largest and most powerful tablet, with a massive 14.6-inch Super AMOLED display!
It runs on the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 mobile platform, which boasts a powerful Adreno 730 GPU as well as eight processor cores in a triple-tier architecture :
a Cortex-X2 prime core running at up to 3 GHz,
three sustained-performance Cortex-A710 cores running at up to 2.4 GHz, and
four energy-efficient Cortex-A510 cores running at 1.7 GHz.
Powering all that is a massive 11,200 mAh lithium-ion polymer battery, with 45 watt fast charging capability!
If you want the biggest and most powerful Android tablet, this is the ultimate choice!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 and Z Flip3 official promo video just leaked ahead of Galaxy Unpacked 2021!
Check out the leaked video, and find out what we know so far about the two new Samsung foldable phones!
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 + Z Flip3 Promo Video Leaked!
The official promotional video of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 and Galaxy Z Flip3 smartphones was just leaked, ahead of Galaxy Unpacked 2021!
Get an early sneak peek at these two new magnificent Samsung foldable smartphones!
Here is what the 30-second official Galaxy Z Fold3 and Galaxy Z Flip3 revealed :
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3
It has a bigger and more versatile cover display.
Flex mode supports angles of between 75° and 115°.
IPX8 water-resistant – up to 1.5 metres of freshwater for up to 30 minutes.
Not dust-resistant
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3
Flex mode supports angles of between 75° and 115°.
IPX8 water-resistant – up to 1.5 metres of freshwater for up to 30 minutes.
Not dust-resistant
New Samsung S Pen Models
There are two models – S Pen Pro and S Pen Fold Edition
Both are sold separately
Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2021 : Where + When?
Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2021 event will be held virtually, and streamed on Samsung official websites, YouTube and Facebook.
The livestream starts on 11 August at these times globally :
Malaysia + Singapore : 10 PM (GMT+8)
US : 10 AM EDT / 7 AM PDT
UK : 3 PM
India : 7:30 PM IST
Australia : 12 AM AEST (12 August)
If you register your interest from now until 11 August, Samsung will give you an e-voucher worth RM300 / US$100 / SGD$100 or a complimentary Samsung Care+ (Australia), which you can use with the purchase of your next Galaxy device.
Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2021 : What To Expect?
Here is what you can expect Samsung to announce during Galaxy Unpacked 2021 :
Two Foldable Smartphones
Samsung will likely introduce two foldable smartphones, with a more robust folding design and upgraded hardware :
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 – available in Phantom Green, Phantom Silver and Phantom Black.
– 256 GB variant will be priced around €1,678.51 (before VAT).
– 512 GB variant will be priced around €1,783.10 (before VAT).
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3
– available in Phantom Black, Dark Blue, Grey, White, Cream, Green, Light Pink and Lavender.
– 128 GB variant will be priced around €978.13 (before VAT).
– 256 GB variant will be priced around €1,029.20 (before VAT).
No Galaxy Note On The Horizon
We would normally expect Samsung to introduce a new Galaxy Note design, but this appears to be off the table in 2021.
However, you can expect Samsung to introduce t he Galaxy S21 FE as an affordable option for the new normal.
More Wearables, Of Course!
Look out for more wearables like Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch Active 4 smartwatches, and Galaxy Buds 2 TWS earbuds.
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the new ultimate flagship smartphone with an iconic new design!
Find out if the new Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the smartphone you have been waiting for!
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra : Our Hands-On Preview!
With a 6.8-inch display and support for the S Pen, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is designed to maximise your productivity and creativity.
Its edge-to-edge Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with curved edges, has a Quad HD+ resolution, with an adaptive 120 Hz refresh rate.
New Flagship Performance
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 in the US, South Korea and China, and the new Samsung Exynos 2100 in other countries.
They are both flagship mobile SoCs, and here is a quick comparison of their key specifications :
Specifications
Samsung
Exynos 2100
Qualcomm
Snapdragon 888
Fab Process
5 nm EUV
Processor
1 x Cortex-X1 (2.9 GHz)
3 x Cortex-A78 (2.8 GHz)
4 x Cortex-A55 (2.2 GHz)
1 x Cortex-X1 (2.84 GHz)
3 x Cortex-A78 (2.4 GHz)
4 x Cortex-A55 (1.8 GHz)
The Galaxy S21 Ultra comes with a 40 MP front camera, with an f/2.2 aperture.
In the back, it has a new quad camera system, that consists of :
a 108 MP main camera, with an f/1.8 aperture
a 12 MP ultra-wide camera, with an f/2.2 aperture
a 10 MP telephoto camera, with an f/2.4 aperture, and 3X optical zoom, and
a 10 MP periscope telephoto camera, with an f/4.9 aperture, and 10X optical zoom
For the first time on a Galaxy smartphone, you can now shoot in 4K at 60 fps on all front and rear cameras. In addition, you can choose to take photos in a 12-bit RAW format!
And its dual telephoto cameras powers its phenomenal 100X Space Zoom capability, with Zoom Lock capability.
It also comes with other improvements like :
Improved 8K Snap, that lets you capture clear images from your 8K video footage
Super Steady video now supports 60 fps video recording
Single Take lets you capture a variety of still and video formats with a single tap.
It is now enhanced with new pro-style settings like Highlight Video and Dynamic Slow-Mo
New Director’s View that lets you see, switch and select the best shot… LIVE!
S Pen Support
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the first S Series smartphone to support the S Pen, with Wacom’s technology.
You can use an existing S Pen from the Galaxy Note, or Galaxy Tab, or purchase a separate S Pen, or with a compatible case.
Samsung is offering two cases that are bundled with the S Pen – Smart Clear View Cover with S Pen, and Silicone Cover with S Pen.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is also one of the first smartphones to support the Wi-Fi 6E standard.
This opens up the 6 GHz spectrum, introducing 14 additional 80 MHz channels and 7 additional 160 MHz channels.
When used with a compatible Wi-Fi 6E router, it will allow for higher bandwidths and reduced congestion.
Samsung SmartThings Find
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra supports the new SmartThings Find capability, which lets you quickly and easily locate compatible Galaxy devices, even when they are offline.
You can also locate non-connected devices using Samsung’s new Galaxy SmartTag Bluetooth locater. Simply attach it to your keys, bag or pet, and use SmartThings Find to locate them!
Protection
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is IP68-rated against dust and water, allowing you to immerse it in up to 1.5 metres of fresh water, for up to 30 minutes.
Its display is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus against scratches in the front.
Battery + Charging
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra comes with a large 5,000 mAh lithium-ion polymer battery, and it supports 18 watt wireless charging, as well as 25 watt wired charging.
But here’s the bad news – the Galaxy S21 Ultra does NOT come with a charger in the box. It only ships with a USB-C to USB-C cable.
If you like our work, you can help support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
If you like our work, you can help support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the new ultimate flagship smartphone with an iconic new design!
Find out if the new Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the smartphone you have been waiting for!
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra : Ultimate Flagship!
With a 6.8-inch display and support for the S Pen, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is designed to maximise your productivity and creativity.
Its edge-to-edge Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with curved edges, has a Quad HD+ resolution, with an adaptive 120 Hz refresh rate.
New Flagship Performance
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 in the US, South Korea and China, and the new Samsung Exynos 2100 in other countries.
They are both flagship mobile SoCs, and here is a quick comparison of their key specifications :
Specifications
Samsung
Exynos 2100
Qualcomm
Snapdragon 888
Fab Process
5 nm EUV
Processor
1 x Cortex-X1 (2.9 GHz)
3 x Cortex-A78 (2.8 GHz)
4 x Cortex-A55 (2.2 GHz)
1 x Cortex-X1 (2.84 GHz)
3 x Cortex-A78 (2.4 GHz)
4 x Cortex-A55 (1.8 GHz)
The Galaxy S21 Ultra comes with a 40 MP front camera, with an f/2.2 aperture. In the back, it has a new quad camera system, that consists of :
a 108 MP main camera, with an f/1.8 aperture
a 12 MP ultra-wide camera, with an f/2.2 aperture
a 10 MP telephoto camera, with an f/2.4 aperture, and 3X optical zoom, and
a 10 MP periscope telephoto camera, with an f/4.9 aperture, and 10X optical zoom
For the first time on a Galaxy smartphone, you can now shoot in 4K at 60 fps on all front and rear cameras. In addition, you can choose to take photos in a 12-bit RAW format!
And its dual telephoto cameras powers its phenomenal 100X Space Zoom capability, with Zoom Lock capability.
It also comes with other improvements like :
Improved 8K Snap, that lets you capture clear images from your 8K video footage
Super Steady video now supports 60 fps video recording
Single Take lets you capture a variety of still and video formats with a single tap.
It is now enhanced with new pro-style settings like Highlight Video and Dynamic Slow-Mo
New Director’s View that lets you see, switch and select the best shot… LIVE!
S Pen Support
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the first S Series smartphone to support the S Pen, with Wacom’s technology.
You can use an existing S Pen from the Galaxy Note, or Galaxy Tab, or purchase a separate S Pen, or with a compatible case.
Faster WiFi
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is also one of the first smartphones to support the Wi-Fi 6E standard.
This opens up the 6 GHz spectrum, introducing 14 additional 80 MHz channels and 7 additional 160 MHz channels.
When used with a compatible Wi-Fi 6E router, it will allow for higher bandwidths and reduced congestion.
Samsung SmartThings Find
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra supports the new SmartThings Find capability, which lets you quickly and easily locate compatible Galaxy devices, even when they are offline.
You can also locate non-connected devices using Samsung’s new Galaxy SmartTag Bluetooth locater. Simply attach it to your keys, bag or pet, and use SmartThings Find to locate them!
Protection
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is IP68-rated against dust and water, allowing you to immerse it in up to 1.5 metres of fresh water, for up to 30 minutes.
Its display is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus against scratches in the front.
Battery + Charging
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra comes with a large 5,000 mAh lithium-ion polymer battery, and it supports 18 watt wireless charging, as well as 25 watt wired charging.
But here’s the bad news – the Galaxy S21 Ultra does NOT come with a charger in the box. It only ships with a USB-C to USB-C cable.
If you like our work, you can help support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
The 2021 Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event is almost here! Are you ready for the unveiling of the Samsung Galaxy S21 smartphones?
While we wait for the official launch on 14 January 2021, here is everything we know about the S21 series so far!
2021 Samsung Galaxy Unpacked : Are You Ready?
Samsung is kicking off 2021 with a big bang on January 14 – the first Galaxy Unpacked of the year!
Unlike previous years, they are going to announce their latest Galaxy S21 smartphones on the last day of CES 2021, instead of during Mobile World Congress in February or March.
The 2021 Samsung Galaxy Unpacked will be broadcast globally on www.samsung.com (www.samsung.com/my here in Malaysia) at 11 PM (GMT+8) on 14 January 2021.
If you register your interest at https://www.samsung.com/my/unpacked/ by 14 January 2021, you will be entitled to redeem a FREE Samsung Galaxy Fit2 worth RM179 when you pre-order any Galaxy S21 smartphone!
2021 Samsung Galaxy Unpacked : What We Know So Far!
The 2021 Samsung Galaxy Unpacked will be the official launch of the Samsung Galaxy S21 series of smartphones. Here is what we know so far… based on what’s been leaked.
Three Galaxy Galaxy S21 Models
Samsung will offer three models :
6.2-inch Galaxy S21
6.7-inch Galaxy S21+ (Galaxy S21 Plus)
6.8-inch Galaxy S21 Ultra
Displays
All three models will come with a Dynamic AMOLED display, with dynamic refresh rates of up to 120 Hz.
If you like our work, you can help support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
If you like our work, you can help support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 comes with a triple camera system that consists of :
a 12 MP main camera, with f/1.8 aperture
a 12 MP ultra-wide camera, with f/2.2 aperture
a 64 MP telephoto camera, with f/2.0 aperture
The 64MP telephoto camera supports 3X Hybrid Optic Zoom, and up to 30X Super Resolution Zoom.
It also supports up to 8K video recording at 24 fps, as well as 720p video recording at up to 120 Hz, and a new Pro Video Mode, which introduces :
adjustable zoom speed, for smoother and more dramatic zoom action
adjustable audio source, letting you focus audio recording in a specific direction
– default, front, rear, USB and Bluetooth (with Galaxy Buds Live)
Ultra-Wideband Technology (UWB)
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 supports Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology, which enables the newly-announced Google Nearby Share feature – letting you share files by pointing at compatible devices.
UWB technology also allows it to function as digital keys. And in the future, Samsung will introduce SmartThings, which lets you locate objects using AR (Augmented Reality).
Samsung DeX
Naturally, the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 supports Samsung DeX, which has been enhanced to support wireless projection. So yes, you no longer need a cable to use Dex!
Improved S Pen
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 comes with an improved S Pen with much lower latency (9 ms), and a lithium titanate battery that gives it 24 hour standby time.
The new S Pen will also support Anywhere actions – general Air actions that will work with any app :
Move Backwards
Home
Recent App
Smart Select
Screen Capture
Bigger Battery, Faster Charging
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 comes with a 4,300 mAh battery, which is the same as the Galaxy Note 10+, and much bigger than the Galaxy Note 10‘s 3,500 mAh battery.
It also supports super fast charging, allowing it to recharge 50% of its battery capacity in just 30 minutes.
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 : Specifications
Specifications
Galaxy Note20 (US)
Galaxy Note20 (Global)
Display
6.7-inch Infinity-O Display
Super AMOLED+ Panel
Display Features
HDR10+, 60 Hz refresh rate
Display Resolution
1080 x 2400 pixels, 393 ppi
Protection
Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, IP68
Operating System
One UI 2.0 (Android Q)
Platform
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+
Samsung Exynos 990
Processor
1 x Kryo 585 Prime core (3.0 GHz)
3 x Kryo 585 Gold cores (2.4 GHz)
4 x Kryo 585 Silver cores (1.8 GHz)
2 x Mongoose 5 cores (2.7 GHz)
2 x Cortex-A76 cores (2.5 GHz)
4 x Cortex-A55 cores (2.0 GHz)
GPU
Qualcomm Adreno 650 (660 MHz)
ARM Mali-G77 MP11
Memory
8 GB LPDDR5
Internal Storage
256 GB
External Storage
Hybrid MicroSD Slot (up to 512 GB)
Front Camera
10 MP camera (f/2.2)
Main Cameras
12 MP main camera (f/1.8)
12 MP ultra-wide camera (f/2.2)
64 MP 3X Hybrid Optic Zoom camera (f/2.0)
Connectivity
Bluetooth 5.1
WiFi-AX
USB 2.0 Type C
S Pen
Yes, 9 ms response time, 4096 levels
Lithium Titanate battery (24 hours standby)
Fingerprint Sensor
3D Sonic Max
Battery
4,300 mAh
Dimensions
75.2 mm wide
161.6 mm tall
8.3 mm thick
Weight
192 g
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 : Price List + Pre-Order Deals
The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 will be available in three colour options – Mystic Bronze, Mystic Gray and Mystic Green.
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Just before the official launch of the Samsung Galaxy Note20 smartphones, an AT&T video leaked…
Take a look at the leaked video… and check out the key features and specifications of the Note20 and Note20 Ultra smartphones!
Samsung Galaxy Note20 | Galaxy Note20 Ultra Video Leaked!
This AT&T video of the Samsung Galaxy Note20 and Galaxy Note20 Ultra smartphones leaked ahead of the official launch, confirming earlier leaked information.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+
The US market will receive the super-fast Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ in their Galaxy Note20 / Note20 Ultra devices.
The Plus version offers a faster Prime core (3.1 GHz, instead of 2.84 GHz), and a 10% faster Adreno 650 GPU.
The Snapdragon 865+ also adds Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 capability, although it’s likely that Samsung may lock it at regular Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 for “consistency”.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus (SM-N975) is the latest evolution of the Samsung Galaxy Note line of premium smartphones designed for those who want or need a stylus.
We finally got our hands on the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus, and here is our in-depth review!
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus (SM-N975) Smartphone
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ (SM-N975) is the latest evolution of the Samsung Galaxy Note line of premium smartphones designed for those who want or need a stylus.
Powered by the latest Samsung and Qualcomm mobile platforms, it comes with a very large 6.8-inch Infinity-O display, 12 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage.
The iconic S Pen now supports Air Gestures, and Samsung introduced both Video Bokeh and Audio Zoom capabilities. However, it drops the 3.5 mm audio port and iris scanner. Samsung giveth, and Samsung taketh away.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus Colour Options
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) is available only in these FOUR colours, with Aura Blue as an exclusive option.
Aura Glow
Aura Blue
Aura Black
Aura White
Again, only two or three will be offered in most countries. Here in Malaysia, Samsung is only offering the Galaxy Note 10+ in Aura Glow, Aura Black and Aura White, at least initially…
We got our hands on all three colours, so we can compare them in real-life :
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus Specifications Compared
We compare the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) against last year’s Galaxy Note9, but do note that it is a larger version of the standard Note 10 model.
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy Note 10+
Samsung Galaxy Note 9
Display
6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED display – 1440 x 3440 pixels (498 ppi)
– HDR10+ support
4,300 mAh 45 W wired charging 15 W wireless charging
4,000 mAh
18 W wired charging
10 W wireless charging
Dimensions
77.2 mm wide
162.3 mm tall
7.9 mm thick
76.4 mm wide
161.9 mm tall
8.8 mm thick
Weight
196 g
201 g
Unboxing The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) comes in a premium black cardboard box. Let’s take a quick look at the box, before we take a look inside!
Once you fully unbox it, you will find the following items :
[adrotate group=”2″]
One Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus smartphone with S Pen
One Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus Quick Start Guide
One Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus bumper case (not shown here)
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Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus Hands On!
We were amongst the few to get our hands on the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) here in Malaysia.
And we managed to get three of them in the Aura Glow, Aura Black and Aura White colours!
Let’s start with our hands-on videos of the three Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ models :
Samsung removed the Bixby button, and replaced it with the Power button. So you will find the Volume buttons and Power button now located on the left side.
You may recall that in the Galaxy Note9, the Power button was on the right side. Now, the right side is completely devoid of any buttons, which can be confusing initially for those upgrading from the Note9.
At the top, you will find the SIM tray, a microphone port and a speaker port.
The slightly larger hole is not an IR emitter, or the third microphone, as some sites have claimed. It is actually an extra speaker port for the top speaker.
At the bottom, you will find the S Pen port, a speaker port, a second microphone port and the USB Type C port.
The 3.5 mm audio port is gone. Unfortunately, the USB-C to 3.5mm dongle is not provided as part of the package.
[adrotate group=”1″]
Faster Exynos / Snapdragon Platforms!
Globally, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) will run on the new Samsung Exynos 9825 mobile SoC..
It is a refreshed version of the Exynos 9820 that powers the Galaxy S10+, Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10e smartphones, fabricated on the smaller 7 nm process.
Here is a comparison of the Exynos 9825’s performance against other devices.
Geekbench
Samsung Galaxy
Note10
Samsung Galaxy
Note9
Apple iPhone
XS
HUAWEI
P30 Pro
Single Core
4495
3443
4821
3317
Multi-Core
10223
8778
11610
9819
In the United States, it will use the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 instead.
Whichever mobile platform your Note 10+ comes with, Samsung promises that it will have a 33% faster CPU and a 42% faster GPU than last year’s Galaxy Note 9.
More Memory + Faster Storage In Galaxy Note 10 Plus!
Along with a faster mobile platform, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) comes with 12 GB of LPDDR4x memory, of which a full 8 GB (67%) is available for use!
This is a crazy amount of memory, most of which will not be used. After all, even high-end mobile games like PUBG Mobile and Asphalt 9 use less than 1.2 GB of RAM!
You can literally run 6 different copies of PUBG Mobile simultaneously and have 800 MB of free memory left! In other words, you will never have to worry about running out of memory.
Like last year’s Galaxy Note 9, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) comes with a choice of 256 GB or 512 GB of internal storage. The main difference is that it uses UFS 3.0 storage, which is twice as fast as UFS 2.1 storage used in the Note 9.
Right out of the box, you will have 224.4 GB of available storage space. This should be more than enough to store 50,000 photos, or 27 hours of 1080p videos, or 10.5 hours of 4K videos.
256 GB of internal storage is definitely more than enough for the vast majority of users. If you need more space, you can add a microSD card for up to 1 TB of additional storage.
Unlike the smaller Galaxy Note 10, the Note 10+ comes with a hybrid SIM tray, where the second SIM slot can support a microSD card of up to 1 TB in capacity. If you don’t need the extra storage, you can use two nano SIM cards at the same time.
While some phones come with a dedicated microSD card tray, a hybrid SIM tray is generally good enough for most people. But if you need to use two SIM cards, you better opt for higher internal storage, because there is no way to add a microSD card.
Now, the internal storage should be more than enough for most users. But we personally prefer to use a microSD card to store our media for data safety reasons. In case anything happens to the phone, we can still retrieve the media stored on the microSD card.
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Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus Infinity-O Display
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) comes with a 6.8-inch Infinity-O display, with a WQHD+ resolution and a punch hole for the front camera.
This would make it quite a bit larger than the 6.4-inch display of the Galaxy S10+ and Galaxy Note9, with a slightly higher display resolution but a slightly lower pixel density.
Its smaller brother, the Galaxy Note 10 has a smaller 6.3-inch display with Full HD+ display resolution.
The Infinity-O design, which was first introduced in the Galaxy S10+, Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10e smartphones, allows Samsung to deliver a screen-to-body ratio in excess of 95%.
Instead of Galaxy Note9‘s thicker bezel, the Galaxy Note 10+ uses a round, central hole to accommodate its front camera. Functionally, it works like a waterdrop display, with the area adjacent to the punch hole reserved for notifications.
Including the notification area, the display has a WQHD+ resolution of 1440 x 3440. However, the Galaxy Note 10+ defaults to a Full HD+ resolution to reduce power consumption and extend battery life.
Dynamic AMOLED Panel
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) uses the latest HDR10+ certifiedDynamic AMOLED panel that was first introduced in the Galaxy S10+, Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10e smartphones.
This is literally the best smartphone display in the industry right now, capable of producing 100% of the DCI-P3 colour range, with a maximum brightness of 1200 nits.
This Dynamic AMOLED panel was also engineered to reduce blue light by 42% without changing how colours appear. This would make for more comfortable viewing with less eyestrain, especially at night.
Gorilla Glass 6 Protection, Front + Back
Samsung started introducing Gorilla Glass 6 in the Galaxy S10 Plus (US | UK | MY), but even then, it was only in the front.
That changes with the Galaxy Note 10 Plus – both its front and back are protected by Gorilla Glass 6.
In case you are wondering, Gorilla Glass 6 is about twice as tough as Gorilla Glass 5. It will withstand over 15 drops from a height of 1 meter on a rough surface.
Ultrasonic In-Display Fingerprint Sensor
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) borrows yet another Galaxy S10 Plus feature – the ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor.
In-display fingerprint sensors have already been introduced in smartphones like the OPPO R17 Pro, but these use optical sensors that basically take pictures for a 2D profile.
This in-display fingerprint sensor uses ultrasonic pulses to take 3D profiles of the user’s fingerprints. This allows it to be more accurate and secure.
In our tests, it proved to be surprisingly good. You just need to learn to press a little harder for the sensor to detect your fingerprint.
The bad news is – Samsung dropped the pressure sensor and haptic feedback for the virtual Home button. So you will need to tap twice on the Home button to activate it.
Iris Scanner + Intelligent Scan Removed
With the introduction of the ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner, Samsung removed the iris scanner. It was also removed to minimise the size of the punch hole in the display.
And with the iris scanner gone, there was no need for Intelligent Scan, which was first introduced in the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus.
Intelligent Scan, as you may recall, combines the iris scanner with facial recognition for faster identification in both bright and dark conditions.
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Improved S Pen With Air Gestures
The groundbreaking S Pen has been upgraded again, with the new version supporting Air Gestures.
It retains the single button, but comes with a built-in battery for about 10 hours of battery life, instead of a capacitor that powered the Note9 S Pen.
Now, Air Gestures is an interesting concept. However, after using it for 2 weeks, we have to be honest – it’s more gimmicky than useful.
For one thing – app support for Air Gestures is limited to a few built-in Samsung apps, like Camera, Gallery and Samsung Internet.
Secondly, control is pretty limited in certain instances – for example, it zooms in and out the camera in 0.1X increments. It’s much faster and more accurate to just pinch to zoom on the display!
Finally, it requires a fair bit of practice to get right. Otherwise, you will end up taking a photo, or flip the camera into selfie mode, when you want to just zoom in or out.
Overall, Air Gestures seem to be a solution looking for a problem. In our opinion, ignore it and use the S Pen for what it’s really meant to be – a stylus for writing and drawing!
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However, they reduced the aperture from f/1.9 to f/2.2, which would slightly reduce the amount of light and its low-light performance.
And as many critics have noted, a 10 MP front camera is puny in the Megapixel Wars, especially compared to the 48 MP front shooters in Samsung’s own Galaxy A70, or HUAWEI nova 4e and the HONOR 20 Lite.
However, this 10 MP front camera is arguably a superior shooter for two reasons :
it uses a Samsung S5K3J1 Dual Pixel sensor, which allows for faster and more accurate autofocus
that image sensor also has much larger 1.22 µm pixels, for lower noise levels and better low-light performance
Still, we wished Samsung stuck with the f/1.9 aperture from the S10 series, or even reused the f/1.7 aperture from the Galaxy Note9.
Triple Rear Cameras
In the back, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) has a quad camera system, that is made up of :
12 MP Dual Aperture Camera (f/1.5 and f/2.4) :77°, Dual Pixel, OIS
16 MP Ultra-Wide Angle Camera (f/2.2) :123°, 0.5X optical zoom
12 MP Telephoto Camera (f/2.4) :45°, 2X optical zoom, OIS
3D DepthVision Camera : ToF emitter and sensor with VGA (320 x 240 pixels) resolution
The 3D DepthVision camera is actually a pair of ToF (Time of Flight) emitter and sensor that provide 3D data to the main camera for features like Video Bokeh and 3D scanning. It doesn’t take any photos.
Look at how useful the three cameras are in aiding your creative composition :
Note that only the main dual-aperture camera, and the telephoto camera (both with 12 MP sensors) support optical image stabilisation (OIS). The 16 MP ultra-wide angle camera does NOT support optical image stabilisation.
This is important when you take videos, because you will lose optical image stabilisation if you switch to the ultra-wide camera. Your video will still be stabilised by electronic image stabilisation though.
The Galaxy Note 10 Plus Camera vs The Competition
The 12 MP Samsung SAK2L4 image sensor used in the main and telephoto cameras is the fourth iteration of the S5K2L1 sensor from the Galaxy S7. It is still a great image sensor, but it is getting a little long in the tooth.
HUAWEI specifically pointed out how their recently-launched Mate 30 Pro uses far better image sensors. Not only do they have much higher resolutions, they are also much larger in size.
We should also point out that the 2X telephoto camera is also getting rather dated. The HUAWEI P30 Pro boasts a 5X optical zoom, and the HUAWEI Mate 30 Pro comes with 3X optical zoom.
Now, megapixels are not important. Even 48 MP shooters used in the Xiaomi Mi 9 and the Samsung Galaxy A80 default to 12 MP, combining four pixels into one to reduce noise and improve low-light performance.
However, Samsung definitely needs to increase the sensor size and the zoom range in their next flagship smartphone, or they will get left behind in the photographic department…
Video Bokeh
This is a really exciting feature for those who record videos. The Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) with its DepthVision camera can blur out the background of your videos using the Video Bokeh feature.
This will give your videos a real cinematic flair with adjustable depth-of-field effects. You can also add special effects in real-time!
Later in this review, we will share with you a video sample to show you just how easy or difficult it is to get the Video Bokeh effect, and how the effect looks like in real life.
Audio Zoom Capability!
This is an incredibly important new feature, at least for those who do a lot of video recording without using external microphones.
In addition to the usual two microphones, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) comes with a third microphone, which is hidden in the edge of the rear camera bump.
When you turn on Audio Zoom, the Galaxy Note 10+ will use the other two microphones to cancel out noise recorded by this third microphone.
The effect is adjusted on the fly, so it will change the range of sound captured as you “zoom” into the action, letting you “focus” on the subject that you are recording, and reducing ambient noise.
This is probably its most important video recording improvement over the Galaxy S10+, Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10e smartphones. But we will share with you later in this review, how well Audio Zoom works in real life.
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Time To Hit The Road, Jack…
Even as Xiaomi resurrected the 3.5 mm audio port in the new Mi A3 smartphone, Samsung removed the 3.5 mm headphone jack in the Galaxy Note 10 series.
Unfortunately, they did not include the dongle for free. Instead, you are going to have to cough up $14.99 / £10 / ~A$ 21.99 / ~RM 62.99 for the dongle.
And if you are thinking of buying a third-party USB-C dongle, make sure you get one with a DAC. Otherwise, they won’t work. Here are some options to consider :
There is some good news though – the box includes a pair of AKG-tuned USB Type C active earphones. At the very least, you can listen to music right out of the box!
But again, if you intend to use another pair of USB-C earphones, you MUST make sure it has a built-in DAC, like these options :
While not mentioned at all by Samsung, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) has built-in DeX capability, that was first introduced in the Galaxy Note9.
This mean it does not require a separate DeX Station or DeX Pad accessory. All it requires is a simple USB-C to HDMI adaptor or cable!
It does not even require a Samsung-branded adaptor (looking at you and your MFi bullshit, Apple!) – ANY USB-C to HDMI adaptor or cable will do.
After you use the USB-C to HDMI adaptor or cable to connect the Galaxy Note 10+ to a TV or monitor, you just need to link a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse to use it like a PC.
Best of all – you can continue to use your Galaxy Note 10+ while Samsung DeX is running!
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus Battery + Charging
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) comes with a 4,300 mAh battery – 300 mAh or 7.5% larger than its predecessor, the Galaxy Note9.
What’s new though is its improved 45 watt Fast Charging capability, which brings it close to OPPO’s 50 watt SuperVOOC charging technology after years of sticking with a 15 watt fast adaptive charger.
The downside – you will need to purchase a separate 45W Samsung EP-TA845 fast charger (US | UK). Samsung only bundles a 25 W fast charger with the Note 10+.
Samsung also improved its wireless charging capability, boosting it by 50% from 10 watts to 15 watts.
Wireless PowerShare is also supported, which allows the Galaxy Note 10+ (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) to can function as a wireless charger for any Qi-certified device!
However, its recharging speed is still rather slow, so it’s really only useful to recharge the Galaxy Buds or the Galaxy Watch on a regular basis; and other smartphones in an emergency.
IP68 Dust & Water Resistance
It was rumoured that the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) would boast improved IP69 water-resistance.
That would have been able to withstand high-pressure water (80-100 bar) for at least 3 minutes at a distance of 10 to 15 cm.
In the end, Samsung stuck with IP68, which is good enough to withstand complete immersion in water up to 1.5 m in depth, for up to 30 minutes.
This means you can take it for jogs in the rain, or reading in the bathtub. However, because it’s not designed to withstand water pressure, we do not recommend you take it into the shower or while you swim.
In fact, it is specifically in their IP68 guidelines that it should NOT be exposed to “water moving with force“.
Swimming or placing them under running water from a tap or a waterfall could result in water leaking into the chassis, and leaving you with a very expensive brick.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus Ergonomics
Even though the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) has a larger display and battery than the Galaxy Note9, it is actually about the same size and amazingly – thinner and lighter.
However, it is still a large phablet that requires two hands to use effectively. However, it comes with a One-handed assistance mode, if you prefer to use only one hand.
The Dynamic AMOLED display is just fabulous. Not only is it incredibly bright at up to 1200 nits, the display is HDR10+ certified with Dynamic Tone Mapping and 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut.
To see how much better it is, you need to compare it side-by-side with the already impressive Super AMOLED display used in the Galaxy S9 Plus and the Galaxy Note9. In particular, compare them in bright sunlight.
The display has been stretched taller though, giving you a 21.5:9 aspect ratio. While the extra-wide view is great for games, it will result in significant pillar boxing – a black bar on each side of a video.
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Setting Up The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) runs on Android 9.0 Pie out of the box, and is very easy to set-up. If you are setting it up as a new device, it should take you only 5-7 minutes to finish the setup process.
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Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus Camera Performance
Samsung continued to use the excellent 12 MP dual-aperture camera from the Galaxy S9 Plus, and the Galaxy Note9, which automatically or manually switches between the f/1.5 and f/2.4 apertures.
Its sensor, however, has been slightly upgraded to the 12 MP Samsung ISOCELL Fast SAK2L4, which should offer some improvements in image quality.
The maximum 12 MP resolution is attained with the 4:3 aspect ratio, with 4032 x 3024 pixels, and a file size of between 3 MB and 5 MB.
Here are 10 high-resolution unedited samples for you to check out. Click on them to load the full-sized photos, which you can also download to examine.
There is no doubt that this is still one of the better smartphone cameras in the market, even though it was introduced 1.5 years ago.
You can see the intricate detail of the cloves, the flower pollen, and even the individual buds of the broccoli florets.
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It also did a great job of bringing out the colour of the subject matter. Every colour is accurately rendered and automatically “amped up” by AI algorithms.
The f/1.5 aperture naturally creates a very narrow depth of field, with a nicer bokeh effect. But if that’s not enough, you can use its Live Focus feature which allows you to create really awesome bokeh for the background.
No doubt, the Live Focus bokeh is artificially created, but the dual camera design allow for precise separation of the subject from the background. Live Focus also allows you to adjust the amount of bokeh for the background.
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Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus Video Recording Performance
Like its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) is capable of recording 4K videos from both front and back cameras.
Samsung no longer limits the 4K recording time to just 10 minutes. So you can take 4K videos for as long as you wish.
However, there is still the 4 GB limit – if your video grows beyond 4 GB, the Note 10+ will cut it to 4 GB chunks with a slight delay between the chunks.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus Video Sample #1 : Piano (1080p)
You can see the amount of detail the sensor captures, even at just 1080p. There was good control of the exposure, although the foreground was darker than we like.
You can also see how well its OIS capability worked, even when we switched between the main camera and the telephoto camera. Its ultra-wide camera does not support OIS, but still has good EIS capability.
Samsung appeared to have mostly eliminated the lag in switching between cameras that we saw in the Galaxy S10 Plus. But you can still see it sometimes, like at 0:15 when we switched from the wide-angle camera to the main camera.
The Galaxy Note 10+ (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) still does not support Hi-Res Audio recording, but its new Audio Zoom capability helps to reduce background noise… a little. The effect could have been stronger IMHO, but it’s better than the Galaxy Note9 which lacks this feature.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus Video Sample #2 : Piano (4K)
The resolution at 4K is incredible. You can clearly read the notice outside the store, way behind Mr. Yang.
There is a slight lag and artifact issue at the 4K resolution when we switched cameras. You can see that at these points in the video :
0:14, 0:40 and 1:33, when we switched from the main camera to the telephoto camera
0:27, 1:16 and 2:16 when we switched from the main camera to the wide-angle camera
When we zoom right in, you can hear a drop in ambient noise. But again, it was milder than we would have liked. Perhaps Samsung can add the ability to adjust the Audio Zoom effect.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus Video Sample #3 : Video Bokeh
The new Video Bokeh feature uses its DepthVision ToF camera to judge the distance to the subject, and artificially apply a bokeh effect to the background.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) will automatically apply the effect when it is able to isolate the subject from the background.
However, the DepthVision ToF camera has a range of 150 cm – you must move in until the subject is closer than 1.5 m for Video Bokeh to work. And it is also limited to the 1080p resolution.
Notice how the effect is automatically turned off when the subject moves beyond range.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus Video Sample #4 : Street Market (1080p)
The main camera of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) has great image stabilisation capability, minimising handshake to deliver a silky-smooth video.
We also did not notice any wind noise, which is still a problem for some smartphones.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus Video Sample #5 : Street Market (4K)
Its image stabilisation capabilities were not diminished with the higher resolution. Overall – very good OIS and EIS performance.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus Video Sample #6 : Super Steady
Samsung introduced the Super Steady mode in the Galaxy S10+, Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10e smartphones, which promises to deliver even better image stabilisation.
It does deliver better image stabilisation, but at the expense of resolution – you are limited to 1080p video recording with Super Steady turned on.
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Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus Work Performance
We tested the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus’ performance using PCMark, which simulates work applications like web browsing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.
The Samsung Exynos 9825 is much faster than the Exynos 9820 used in the Galaxy S10+. However, it is still not as fast as the Snapdragon 855 used in the US version of the Galaxy Note 10+ and of course, the Xiaomi Mi 9.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus Gaming Performance
We tested the Galaxy Note 10 Plus’ gaming performance using 3DMark, using the Ice Storm Unlimited test.
The Samsung Exynos 8925 was not only slower than the Snapdragon 855 in gaming performance, it was actually slightly slower than the Exynos 8920!
Samsung really needs to work harder on improving the gaming performance of their Exynos platforms.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus Battery Life
We then tested the Galaxy Note 10 Plus’ battery performance using PCMark. It basically ran the PCMark work tests until its battery capacity dropped to 20%.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) uses slightly more power than the Galaxy S10+ and Galaxy Note9 smartphones, but its larger battery lets it last a bit longer.
10.5 hours of battery life is nothing to scoff at, but we should note that the Xiaomi Mi 9 lasts over 12 hours on a much smaller 3,300 mAh battery.
Battery Recharging Performance
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus comes with a new adaptive fast charger with a power output of 25 W. Take a look at how fast it recharged its 4,300 mAh battery.
Thanks to its new 25 watt fast charger, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) has significantly better battery charging performance.
It fully recharged its battery from 20% to 100% in just 63 minutes. That is 52.5% faster than the Galaxy S10+, and 82.6% faster than the Galaxy Note9.
That also gives it a much improved battery life : recharging ratio of 10:1. A rule of thumb – for one hour of battery life, just charge it for 6 minutes.
The fastest recharging happened up to the 80% level. This took just 34 minutes. Then the recharging speed slowed down, and it took a further 29 minutes to top up the last 20%.
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Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus – Our Verdict + Award
Samsung continues to refine and improve the Galaxy Note phablet, and the Galaxy Note 10+ (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) is really quite impressive.
Adopting the punch hole design of the Galaxy S10 series, Samsung packed a larger 6.8-inch display and a larger 4,300 mAh battery into a thinner and lighter device!
Its Dynamic AMOLED display deserves special mention. It is incredibly bright at 1200 nits, with a wide colour gamut – 100% of DCI-P3 – and is HDR10+ certified! This is hands-down, the industry’s best display.
Credit also goes to Samsung for taking their time to perfect and introduce an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor. This is definitely more secure and accurate than optical in-display fingerprint sensors. In our tests, it even works with damp fingers!
Samsung chose to reuse and enhance the triple camera system of the Galaxy S10+ with a ToF (Time of Flight) camera.
That gives you the Video Bokeh ability, as well as 3D scanning ability and a Quick Measure AR capability. However, that’s not as useful as the 5X or 3X telephoto camera in the HUAWEI P30 Pro and Mate 30 Pro.
The addition of an ultra-wide angle camera, however, is a nice upgrade from the Galaxy Note9. It’s not something you would appreciate until you actually start using it.
Its new Audio Zoom capability is a nice touch, although it’s much milder than what we would prefer. We hope Samsung will add the option to adjust the Audio Zoom strength.
One of the biggest upgrade is actually the greatly-improved fast charging capability. It now comes with a 25 watt wired charging capability, and a 15 watt wireless charging capability.
Unfortunately, the new S Pen Air Gestures feature is not practical… yet. We can see its potential, but its implementation still leaves much to be desired. Samsung needs to greatly improve its usability, and expand its support.
We should also point out the lack of a 3.5 mm audio jack. This will greatly reduce its appeal to those who rely on 3.5 mm earphones or external microphones. Even more so since the required USB-C dongle is not included in the package.
More critically – the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ (US | UK | AU | SG | MY) lacks a DAC. This means passive USB-C dongle or earphones that do not have a built-in DAC will fail to work. For more information on what you should buy, readour special article on this subject.
Now, if you are already using the excellent Samsung Galaxy Note9, it will be hard to justify upgrading to the Galaxy Note 10 Plus. But that’s only because the Note9 continues to be an excellent phablet with a great S Pen.
We recommend upgrading to the Galaxy Note 10 Plus, if you are using the Galaxy Note 7 or older. Or if you want to switch to a smartphone with a stylus.
Again, Samsung has a winning combination in the Galaxy Note 10 Plus, and we have no qualms awarding it our Editor’s Choice Award. Great job, Samsung!
Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ : Where To Buy?
Here are the online purchase options in various countries :
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Samsung just unveiled the Galaxy Tab S6 – a new premium 10.5-inch tablet with a redesigned Bluetooth S Pen!
Here is everything you need to know about the new Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 – its key features, specifications, colour options, and more!
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 (SM-T860) Tablet
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 is a new premium tablet with a brilliant 10.5-inch Super AMOLED display, and a redesigned Bluetooth S Pen that now attaches magnetically to its back.
Despite packing in flagship-class performance and capabilities, Samsung actually made it thinner at just 5.7 mm, and lighter at just 420 grams!
Samsung is also introducing a Book Cover case, a Book Cover Keyboard, and a POGO Charging Dock as optional accessories for the Galaxy Tab S6.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Performance
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8150 mobile SoC, which is almost the performance equal of the Snapdragon 855 used in their Galaxy S10 flagship smartphones!
It also comes with either 6 GB or 8 GB of LPDDR4x memory, which makes it a breeze to use multiple apps at the same time.
Storage is also plentiful. The 6 GB model comes with 128 GB of storage, while the 8 GB model comes with 256 GB of storage.
If that’s not enough, there is a microSD card slot that supports up to 1 TB of additional storage!
Complete Redesigned S Pen!
Its S Pen has been completely redesigned. Like the Galaxy Note9‘s groundbreaking S Pen, it offers remote control functionality, and wireless charging capability.
It now magnetically locks to the back of the Tab S6, and has a built-in battery that delivers 10 hours of battery life with just ten minutes of charging.
Improved Samsung DeX Capability
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 comes with a new, improved version of Samsung DeX, which creates a desktop-like work experience.
The optional Book Cover Keyboard even comes with a DeX function key, so you can launch and close DeX with a tap of the key.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 (SM-T860) Specifications
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6
Operating System
Android Pie 9
Display
10.5-inch Super AMOLED display
- WQXGA resolution (1600 x 2560 pixels, 287 ppi)
System Platform
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8150
Processor
1 x Qualcomm Kryo 485 Gold core (2.8 GHz)
3 x Qualcomm Kryo 485 Gold cores (2.4 GHz)
4 x Qualcomm Kryo 485 Silver cores (1.7 GHz)
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Samsung just launched, not one, but three new 2019 Samsung Galaxy Tab A tablets! Here are the key features, specifications and prices of the new 2019 Samsung Galaxy Tab A series tablets!
The Three New 2019 Samsung Galaxy Tab A Series
This year, Samsung is launching three 2019 Samsung Galaxy Tab A series tablets
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e
Samsung Galaxy Tab A10.1
Samsung Galaxy Tab A with S-Pen
Let’s take a quick look at each of these tablets, and find out what their key specifications and prices are!
The 2019 Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e
The Galaxy Tab S5e is Samsung’s premium range tablet for both professional and personal use. It is also the thinnest and lightest tablet in the world within the 10-inch segment.
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One of the Samsung Galaxy Note9‘s most revolutionary features is its new Bluetooth S Pen. Everyone knows what it can do as a stylus, but here are FOURTEEN Galaxy Note9 S Pen features and tips that most people are completely oblivious to!
2018-10-04 :Upgraded to The Ultimate Galaxy Note9 S Pen Features + Tips Guide with additional tips and how-to instructions.
2018-09-03:Originally posted as The 7 Secret Galaxy Note9 S Pen Features You Never Knew!
Here are some direct links to purchase the Samsung Galaxy Note9 in the US.
Samsung Galaxy Note9 (128 GB, International Unlocked) : $849
Samsung Galaxy Note9 (128 GB, US Unlocked) : $999.99
Samsung Galaxy Note9 (512 GB, International Unlocked) : $1,214
Samsung Galaxy Note9 (512 GB, US Unlocked) : $999.99
What You Probably Know About The Note9 S Pen
Let’s run through what you probably know about the Note9 S Pen, since Samsung has been promoting them.
The Note9 S Pen Is A Bluetooth Device!
For the first time, S Pen communicates with the Samsung Galaxy Note9 via Bluetooth Low Energy. Opening it up reveals that the new S Pen uses the Dialog DA13580 Bluetooth Smart SoC.
The Note9 S Pen Is A Remote Control!
The Bluetooth Low Energy connectivity lets you use the shutter button to remotely perform a variety of tasks.
Hold the shutter button to open any app you wish. By default, it launches the Camera app.
When the camera is activated, press the shutter button once to take a picture, or twice to switch between the front and main cameras.
Press the shutter button once to go forward in an app or browser, or twice to go backwards.
You can customise this remote control feature in Settings > Advanced features > S Pen > S Pen remote.
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The Note9 S Pen Battery Life
This S Pen will last a good 30 minutes once it is ejected from its dock, or up to 200 clicks – whichever occurs first.
Your Samsung Galaxy Note9 will alert you when the S Pen’s battery is down to 15%, with more reminders as the battery level drops.
It Writes In A Signature Colour!
Like previous versions, you can pop out the S Pen to immediately jot your thoughts using the Screen Off Memo feature.
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 though introduces the ability to write in its signature colour!
The Ocean Blue S Pen will write in bright yellow, while the Midnight Black S Pen will write in silver, the Lavender Purple S Pen will write in purple, and the Metallic Copper S Pen will write in brown.
The only downside? The Samsung Notes app has not been updated with the ability to change its background to black.
If you prefer to write in the standard silver colour, go to Settings > Advanced features > S Pen > Screen Off Memoand disable Use S Pen signature colour.
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What You Don’t Know About The Note9 S Pen
The Note9 S Pen is more than just a stylus with a remote control button though. Here are some fun facts about it that most users are completely oblivious to!
It Will Work Even With Bluetooth Disabled!
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 (Price Check) communicates with its S Pen using Bluetooth Low Energy (formerly known as Bluetooth Smart) to keep power consumption low.
But we’ll bet you didn’t know that the S Pen will work even if you turn off the Galaxy Note9’s Bluetooth feature!
You can safely turn off your Galaxy Note9’s Bluetooth connectivity for security reasons, or to further reduce power consumption, and still have access to the S Pen’s full range of capabilities.
You Can Use It To UNLOCK Your Galaxy Note9!
To save power and protect your privacy, the Samsung Galaxy Note9 (Price Check) will turn off and lock its screen after a period of inactivity.
This can be annoying if you are using it to dictate notes or give a presentation… until you realise you can simply unlock the screen with your S Pen!
This does not mean anyone can use your S Pen to unlock your Samsung Galaxy Note9. This feature only works if you :
manually activate it at Settings > Advanced features > S Pen > Unlock with S Pen remote
It will not work if you pull out the S Pen while the Samsung Galaxy Note9 is locked. If you reinsert the S Pen into its dock, you will not be able to use it to unlock your Galaxy Note9.
This prevents strangers from using the S Pen to unlock your Galaxy Note9, while giving you the option to instantly unlock the screen if it locks up while you are using it.
Never Lose Your Note9 S Pen!
Its Bluetooth capability allows the Samsung Galaxy Note9 (Price Check) to sense when you forget your S Pen and set off an alarm to warn you.
It is more of a notification with an audio alert, but this incredibly useful feature will greatly reduce, if not eliminate, the chance of losing your S Pen.
This feature is enabled by default, but if you want to make sure it’s turned on, it’s the Alarm option under the Removal section of Settings > Advanced features > S Pen.
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It Is Powered By A Supercapacitor!
This S Pen is not powered by an internal lithium-ion battery, but a Seiko K8373 supercapacitor.
This supercapacitor is not only incredibly tiny and light, it is highly durable and withstands extreme temperatures. It can be recharged hundreds of thousands of times without any loss in capacity.
It also recharges in a flash, and delivers long battery life – just 40 seconds of charging will give you 30 minutes of use! It is also simple to recharge – the S Pen recharges automatically whenever it is docked.
Note : The S Pen’s supercapacitor will start discharging once it is out of the dock. Don’t be surprised if the battery level drops even if you did not use its remote control. This is perfectly normal.
How To Check The Note9 S Pen’s Power Level
You can check the supercapacitor’s power level in your Samsung Galaxy Note9 at Settings > Advanced features > S Pen > S Pen remote.
However, this is really not necessary, because the supercapacitor recharges so quickly! All you need is pop it in its dock for 40 seconds to get it up to 100%!
The Note9 S Pen Has TWO Power Sources!
Believe it or not, this S Pen has TWO power sources.
The supercapacitor is only used to power the Bluetooth Low Energy radio for its remote control functionality.
The stylus itself is still powered electromagnetically by close proximity to the Samsung Galaxy Note9‘s display. This means its stylus functions will never run out of power.
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How To Disable The S Pen Remote Control
If you do not like using the S Pen remote control features, you can simply turn it off.
Go to Settings > Advanced features > S Pen > S Pen remote.
Tap on the On/Off toggle to disable the S Pen remote control.
To re-enable it, just tap on the On/Off toggle again.
Note : If you can’t reactivate the S Pen remote control, the S Pen is probably out of its dock. To reestablish the Bluetooth connection, it needs to be inserted into the Galaxy Note9.
How To Connect Another S Pen
If you need to connect another S Pen to your Samsung Galaxy Note9, here are the steps :
Go to Settings > Advanced features > S Pen > S Pen remote.
At the upper right corner, tap the More Options icon.
Tap t he Reset S Pen option.
Note : It may take a few minutes for the Samsung Galaxy Note9 to establish a new Bluetooth connection to your S Pen.
The Power Of S Pen Hovering
The S Pen is not just about writing or tapping. Many users are no aware of the power of hovering with the S Pen. These are not new features, but did you know that you can activate these features by merely hovering the S Pen over the screen?
Air View : Preview information, text and images by hovering the S Pen over the screen
Scrolling : Scroll up or down by hovering your S Pen over the edge of the screen
Translate : Translate words and phrases by hovering your S Pen over them
Bixby Vision : Search for products online by hovering your S Pen over their pictures
Magnify : Magnify areas of the screen by hovering your S Pen over them.
Glance : Minimise apps to a thumbnail that you can hover your S Pen over to expand.
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Picture Credit
Pictures of the internal parts of the S Pen are courtesy of the awesome folks at iFixIt!
Where To Buy The Galaxy Note9
Here are some direct links to purchase the Samsung Galaxy Note9 in Malaysia.
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The new Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 is here! This is not just an upgrade of last year’s Galaxy Tab S3, but a larger model Here are our first impressions of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 that arrived in our lab last week!
How Does The Galaxy Tab S4 Compare To The Galaxy Tab S3?
Here’s a comparison of their key specifications :
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 (2018)
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 (2017)
Display
10.5-inch Super AMOLED display
- 1600 x 2560 pixels (287 ppi)
- Corning Gorilla Glass protection
9.7-inch Super AMOLED display
- 1536 x 2048 pixels (264 ppi)
- Corning Gorilla Glass protection
Operating System
Android 8.1 Oreo
Android 7.0 Nougat
Platform
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
Qualcomm Snapdragon 820
Processor
4 x Qualcomm Kryo 280 cores (2.35 GHz)
4 x Qualcomm Kyro 280 cores (1.9 GHz)
2 x Qualcomm Kyro cores (2.15 GHz)
2 x Qualcomm Kyro cores (1.6 GHz)
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 is available in two colour options – Black and Grey. They are both available starting 21 September 2018. with these recommended retail prices :
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 (SM-T835) Tablet Up Close!
Last year’s Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 was a 9.7-inch phablet, but with the Galaxy Tab S4, Samsung decided to go bigger with a 10.5-inch display. Yet, it’s barely larger than the Tab S3. In fact, it is slightly narrower.
How is that possible? They reduced the bezel size, and removed the physical and capacitive buttons. This allowed Samsung to expand the display size by 8% while only increasing the form factor by 2%.
Of course, without the physical home button, the Galaxy Tab S3 lost its fingerprint sensor. A rear-mounted fingerprint sensor would be awkward in such a large tablet. So they replaced it with an iris scanner
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 (US | UK | MY Web | MY App) also got a boost in performance with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC. It is not only faster, it is 35% smaller, and uses 25% less power.
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Better Performance + More Storage
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 (US | UK | MY Web | MY App) runs on the more powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC.
It has four Qualcomm Kryo 280 cores running at 2.35 GHz, and another four Kyro 280 cores running at 1.9 GHz. It also has a faster Qualcomm Adreno 540 GPU.
Like last year’s Galaxy Tab S3, it has 4 GB of RAM. This time, they are using the faster LPDDR4x memory. They also doubled its storage capacity – 64 GB of internal flash storage. This addresses one of the weaknesses of the Tab S3 – lack of storage.
New S Pen Stylus
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 (US | UK | MY Web | MY App) comes with a redesigned S Pen with a glossy, rounded design. Samsung also removed the pocket clip, and replaced it with an odd metal fin to help you identify where the button is located.
Despite its new look, the new S Pen still has the same 0.7 mm nib and support for 4,096 pressure levels. It is also electromagnetically-powered by close proximity to the Galaxy Tab S4’s display. So it will never run out of power.
In case you are wondering, no, it does not come with the new remote control function that is the hallmark of the Samsung Galaxy Note9‘s Bluetooth S Pen.
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The Cameras
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 (US | UK | MY Web | MY App) boasts a higher-resolution 8 MP Sony IMX320 sensor, up from the 5 MP shooter in the Galaxy Tab S3. It can take pictures with a resolution of 3264 x 2448 pixels, and record Full HD videos.
Samsung kept the rear camera resolution at 13 MP, which is really good enough. But they switched out the Sony IMX260 sensor for the Samsung S5K2L2 ISOCELL sensor, which is an improved version of the sensor used in the main camera of the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Samsung Galaxy S7 edge smartphones.
Just like last year’s Galaxy Tab S3, this camera can record 4K videos at up to 30 frames per second, and supports electronic image stabilisation.
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Improved Audio Capabilities
One of the key features of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 is its quad speaker system tuned by AKG. That carries over in the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 (US | UK | MY Web | MY App). But that’s not all.
This time, Samsung added support for Dolby Atmos. This allows the Galaxy Tab S4 to deliver a more realistic 3D audio soundscape using those four speakers. Incidentally, the Tab S3 is smart enough to detect when you rotate it and change the output accordingly.
SIM + microSD Tray
The SM-T835 is an LTE model, while a less common WiFi-only SM-T830 model is also available in some countries. The LTE model comes with a unique double-sided card tray – one side for a microSD card, and the other side for a nano SIM card.
It officially supports microSD cards of up to 400 GB in size, like the 400 GB SanDisk Ultra (Price Check), but could theoretically support higher capacity cards when they are launched.
Samsung DeX Built-In
This is a great new feature that was first introduced in the Samsung Galaxy Note9. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 (US | UK | MY Web | MY App) has Samsung DeX built-in. You won’t need to purchase a DeX station or a DeX pad. You just need a simple USB-C to HDMI adaptor. You don’t even have to use a Samsung-branded adaptor (looking at you and your MFi bullshit, Apple!)
Just hook up a monitor to the Galaxy Tab S4 using the HDMI adaptor, and you can use a mouse and keyboard to enjoy a desktop working experience. While using Samsung DeX, you can also use the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 (US | UK | MY Web | MY App) as a very touch pad, a digitiser or a touch keyboard.
All in all – this is a very useful feature if you are always on the go, and yet would like to enjoy a desktop working experience.
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We loved last year’s Samsung Galaxy Note7 and were sad to return it to Samsung before we could complete our review. We are glad to see it return as the Galaxy Note FE, but if you are one of those who were impressed by the Note7, you will be even more impressed with the new Samsung Galaxy Note8. It is literally in a class of its own.
In fact, we are so impressed with the Samsung Galaxy Note8 (Price Check), we gave it our Editor’s Choice Award. Find out why we think it deserves no less!
The Samsung Galaxy Note8 Specifications
The Samsung Galaxy Note8 (Price Check) is more than just a Samsung Galaxy S8 / S8+ with an S Pen. While it shares many similarities, it introduces numerous improvements. Here is a table that compares the specifications of the Galaxy Note8 against the Galaxy S8+ and the Galaxy Note7 (now known as the Galaxy Note FE)
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy Note8
Samsung Galaxy S8+
Samsung Galaxy Note7
Display
6.3" Super AMOLED dual-edge display
- 1440 x 2960 pixels (521 ppi)
6.2" Super AMOLED dual-edge display
- 1440 x 2960 pixels (529 ppi)
5.7" Super AMOLED dual-edge display
- 1440 x 2560 pixels (577 ppi)
Protection
Corning Gorilla Glass 5 (front & back panels)
Corning Gorilla Glass 5 (front & back panels)
Corning Gorilla Glass 5 (front & back panels)
Operating System (At Launch)
Android 7.1.1 Nougat
Android 7.0 Nougat
Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
System Platform
Samsung Exynos 8895 Octa
or
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
Samsung Exynos 8895 Octa
or
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
Samsung Exynos 8890 Octa
Memory
6 GB LPDDR4 SDRAM
4 GB LPDDR4 SDRAM
4 GB LPDDR4 SDRAM
Storage Options
64 GB / 128 GB / 256 GB internal flash storage
One microSD slot (shared with SIM 2) - supports up to 256 GB
64 GB internal flash storage
One microSD slot (shared with SIM 2) - supports up to 256 GB
64 GB / 128 GB internal flash storage
One microSD slot (shared with SIM 2) - supports up to 200 GB
Front Camera
8 MP sensor with f/1.7 lens
8 MP sensor with f/1.7 lens
5 MP sensor with f/1.7 lens
Rear Camera
Dual Lens Camera with Dual OIS
Wide-Angle Camera
12 MP (1.4 µm) sensor with f/1.7 lens, optical image stabilisation (OIS) and LED flash
Telephoto Camera (2X optical zoom)
12 MP (1.0 µm) sensor with f/2.4 lens, optical image stabilisation (OIS) and LED flash
12 MP Sony / Samsung (1.4 µm) sensor with f/1.7 lens, optical image stabilisation (OIS) and LED flash
12 MP Sony / Samsung (1.4 µm) sensor with f/1.7 lens, optical image stabilisation (OIS) and LED flash
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The Samsung Galaxy Note8 Up Close
The Samsung Galaxy Note8 (Price Check) has a large 6.3″ Super AMOLED display with a WQHD+ resolution of 1440 x 2960 pixels. But thanks to its Infinity Display design, the Galaxy Note8 is just 2.2 mm wider than the Galaxy S7 edge, which only has a 5.5″ display! This means it will better fit smaller hands, while offering a much larger display.
Just as we saw with the Galaxy S8 (Price Check), the new Infinity Display covers almost the entire frontal aspect of the Galaxy Note8. Samsung achieved this by removing the physical Home button and making it part of the display. It is pressure-sensitive, and works like a physical button.
The same metal-glass design philosophy from the Galaxy Note7 was retained, with the glass protection upgraded to Gorilla Glass 5. The Samsung Galaxy Note8 continues to boast the same IP68 dust- and water-resistance rating of its predecessor, as well as its iris scanner.
The Infinity Display required the fingerprint sensor to be moved to the back, as it was in the Galaxy S8 (Price Check). There is also a dedicated Bixby button, as well as a new dual-lens camera.
The Samsung Galaxy Note8 Cameras
Like the Galaxy S8, the Samsung Galaxy Note8 (Price Check) has a new 8 MP front camera with f/1.7 lens. It is capable of recording 4K videos at 30 fps, and has great low-light capability. its low-light capability will come in handy, as the front camera does not have flash support, not even screen flash.
But what’s unprecedented is the new dual-lens main camera that beats everything else in the market today. It boasts a regular wide-angle 12 MP camera with a very fast f/1.7 lens, as well as a telephoto 12 MP camera with f/2.4 lens. However, unlike other dual-lens cameras, it works like two separate cameras that captures images simultaneously!
This is also the world’s first dual-lens camera to boast optical image stabilisation (OIS) for both lenses! This is especially important for the telephoto camera, as it is paired with a “slower” f/2.4 lens. What this ultimately means is better photos and videos with either camera, even in low-light conditions.
If that’s not enough, the Galaxy Note8’s dual-lens camera is also the first in the world to allow you to switch between the two lenses on-the-fly while recording videos! This is an incredibly useful feature. Once you tried it on the Galaxy Note8, you will wonder why on Earth can’t other dual-lens cameras can’t do the same thing!
We will share with you photo and video samples later in the review. You will be able to see for yourself, the quality of the images captured by the Samsung Galaxy Note8 (Price Check). Be sure to also check out how useful it is to switch between the two lenses on-the-fly in our video samples. This is, no doubt, the best dual-lens camera system in the world today.
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Hybrid SIM & Fingerprint Sensor
This is the South East Asian model (SM-N950FD), which supports Dual SIM, dual standby capability, and comes with a hybrid SIM tray. This gives you some flexibility – you can choose to use either a second SIM card, or a microSD card, but not both at the same time. The microSD slot supports microSD cards of up to 256 GB in size.
With the removal of the physical Home button, Samsung moved the fingerprint sensor to the back of the Galaxy Note8. This is not unique as many smartphones have a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor (e.g. Huawei Mate 9, Honor 5C). However, the Galaxy Note8 fingerprint sensor is awkwardly placed next to the camera sensor, instead of the more natural position below the camera sensor.
The higher position makes it harder for the user to reach, because the Galaxy Note8 (Price Check) is a tall device. Being offset makes it harder for left-handed users to use, and makes it easy for all users to smear the main camera lenses with their oily fingerprints.
Obviously, we do not like this fingerprint sensor at all. It is harder to use, as our Galaxy Note8 set-up video will show, although its usability improves with practice. But the good news is – the Samsung Galaxy Note8 also supports alternative login methods like iris scanning and face recognition, that work better.
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Iris Scanner & Facial Recognition
These are not new abilities for a Samsung Galaxy Note device. They were first introduced in the Galaxy Note7, The iris scanner was easy to set up and use, and so, it quickly became our favourite way to log into the Galaxy Note8.
The iris scanner works best if you are not using glasses or contact lenses though, and it may not work in bright sunlight. Its accuracy may also be affected by dirt and fingerprint smudges on the iris camera and LED sensor. Finally, the iris scanner takes longer to log in than the fingerprint sensor, but the coolness factor is undeniable.
The facial recognition feature is easier and faster to use because it does not require you to align your eyes with the sensor focus circles. However, it is less secure than the iris scanner or fingerprint scanner.
IP68 Dust & Water Resistance
Like the Galaxy S8, the Samsung Galaxy Note8 (Price Check) is IP68-rated for dust- and water-resistance. Best of all, you don’t even have to prepare it in any way before you dunk it into water! For more information how how Samsung achieved this feat, take a look at The Samsung Galaxy S7 IP68 Engineering Explained.
Officially, the Galaxy Note8 can withstand complete immersion in water up to 1.5 m in depth, for up to 30 minutes. That means you can take it for jogs in the rain, reading in the shower or soaking in bath. Heck, you can even take it for a swim!
There are some caveats though. The IP68 rating applies to a specific set of test conditions : 15-35 °C, 86-106 kPa, 1.5 metre, 30 minutes. Even so, water may enter and damage the Galaxy Note8 if it is exposed to “water moving with force“, like running water from a tap or waterfall, or ocean waves.
This is the defining feature of the Samsung Galaxy Note8 – the S Pen stylus. This is the same S Pen used by the Galaxy Note7, with a 0.7 mm tip and 4,096 pressure levels. The S Pen is electromagnetically-powered by close proximity to the Galaxy Note8, so there is no need to worry about batteries – which is just awesome.
A set of spare nibs and a tweezer are included, so you can also swap the default black nib for a white nib, depending on your preference for more friction (black) or a smoother writing experience (white).
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The Samsung Galaxy Note8 Setup Process
The Samsung Galaxy Note8 (Price Check) runs on Android 7.1.1 Nougat, and is very easy to set-up. If you are setting it up as a new device, it should take you only 5-7 minutes to finish the setup process.
The Ergonomics
Looking at the specifications, you would expect the Samsung Galaxy Note8 (Price Check) to be a large phablet. After all, it has a large 6.3″ display. Yet, it is about the same size than its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy Note7 with a 5.7″ display!
Despite its larger display, it is only 0.9 mm wider, so it fits most hands comfortably. But this is still a two-handed device, because of its height. If you prefer to use only one hand, you can turn on the One-handed mode option.
The Super AMOLED display is beautiful as always. However, the WQHD+ resolution of 1440 x 2960 results in a non-standard 18.5:9 display ratio. Watching movies will result in some pillarboxing– a black bar on each side of the movie.
The Gorilla Glass 5 back looks fabulous… at first. It is easily smudged by oily fingerprints, because it lacks the oleophobic coating of the front Gorilla Glass 5 cover protecting the display. The smudges are particularly obvious on the Midnight Black version. Perhaps that’s why Samsung threw in a clear TPU bumper case – it protects the Galaxy Note8 while keeping the shiny back smear-free.
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Available Memory & Storage
The Samsung Galaxy Note8 (Price Check) comes with 6 GB of LPDDR4 memory, of which 2.8 GB (37.5%) is available for use. There is obviously quite a fair bit of bloat. That said, 2.8 GB of memory is more than what many smartphones ship with, and is more than enough to run many applications simultaneously.
The Samsung Galaxy Note8 (Price Check comes with 64 GB of internal flash storage, with 51.1 GB of free space for you to use. That is enough space to store about 11,500 photos, or 6.25 hours of 1080p videos, or 2.5 hours of 4K videos. If that’s not enough, you can top it up with a microSD card (up to 256 GB).
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Camera Performance – Photos
The Samsung Galaxy Note8 (Price Check) uses the same excellent 12 MP sensors as the Galaxy S8 (Price Check) for both the wide-angle and telephoto cameras – either the Sony IMX260 sensor, or Samsung’s own ISOCELL S5KL1 sensor. They are both identical in specifications and performance – with Dual Pixel autofocus technology and 1.4 μm pixels.
The maximum 12 MP resolution is attained with the 4:3 aspect ratio. Each picture has a resolution of 4032 x 3024, and a file size of between 3.8 MB and 4.8 MB. Here are 6 high-resolution samples for you to check out. Click on them to load the full-sized photos, which you can also download to examine.
It’s no surprise that the Samsung Galaxy Note8 (Price Check) performed exactly as the Samsung Galaxy S8 (Price Check), in this respect. It still remains one of the best, if not the best, smartphone camera out there today.
What’s unique though is the Galaxy Note8 Live Focus feature, which allows you to create really awesome bokeh for the background. No doubt, the bokeh is artificially created, but the simultaneous use of both cameras allow for precise delineation of the subject and the background. Live Focus also allows you to adjust the amount of bokeh for the background.
Like the Samsung Galaxy S8, the Samsung Galaxy Note8 (Price Check) is capable of recording 4K videos from both front and back cameras. However, this time, Samsung has limited the 4K recording time to just 10 minutes. This was likely done to ensure that the sensor does not overheat the battery that lies next to it.
The Samsung Galaxy S7 edge has no such limitations, and is thus, a better smartphone for 4K video recording. However, the Galaxy S7 edge is somewhat limited by the 4 GB file size limit. When you record a long 4K video, it will be broken up into separate files that are about 11.5 minutes in length, with a short recording gap in between. So its advantage is limited.
Samsung appears to be using a more efficient codec for the videos, allowing 1080p videos to be recorded to about 40 minutes before hitting the 4 GB file size limit. This is about 25% longer than the Galaxy S7 edge, which only managed about 31-32 minutes.
Below are four video samples, all taken without the use of gimbals.
Test #1 : Piano (1080p)
As expected, the Samsung Galaxy Note8 (Price Check) did an excellent job capturing this live performance. The audio quality was very good, albeit lacking the wider dynamic range of the HTC 10 (when HiRes Audio is enabled). The noise reduction is decent, although the background noise is still audible.
We LOVE the ability to instantly switch between the wide-angle camera and the telephoto camera while recording. You can also see how well the OIS worked for both cameras. In other smartphones, videos recorded with the unstabilised telephoto lens will often induce nausea…
Test #2: Piano (4K)
Note the incredible amount of detail capture by the Samsung Galaxy Note8 (Price Check). We are very impressed with its ability to capture such detail even in the bright background, which is often overblown in other smartphones. Note that you can still switch instantly between the wide-angle camera and the telephoto camera while recording in 4K.
Test #3 : Street Market (1080p)
In this test of the Samsung Galaxy Note8’s image stabilisation capability, you will note that it does a rather decent job of smoothing out the jerkiness during our walk. It is not the best we have seen, but it’s still pretty good.
Test #4 : Street Market (4K)
The image stabilisation for the 4K video was also good. In addition to OIS (optical image stabilisation), it appears to perform some EIS (electronic image stabilisation) as well.
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Work Performance – PCMark
We tested the Samsung Galaxy Note8’s performance using PCMark, which simulates work applications like web browing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.
Work 2.0
Samsung Galaxy Note8
Samsung Galaxy S8+
Samsung Galaxy S8
Huawei Mate 9
Performance Score
5617
5285
5303
6316
Web Browsing
5433
5041
5155
5624
Video Editing
4872
5219
4998
5370
Writing
5696
5122
5158
6326
Photo Editing
8563
7003
7082
9864
Data Manipulation
4329
4369
4458
5333
The Samsung Galaxy Note8 (Price Check) is powered by the Samsung Exynos 8895 SoC, which is really fast, albeit not as fast as the Kirin 960 SoC used in the Huawei Mate 9 (Price Check).
Battery Life – PCMark
We then tested the Galaxy S8’s battery performance using PCMark. It basically ran the PCMark work tests until its battery capacity dropped to 20%.
Work 2.0
Samsung Galaxy Note8
Samsung Galaxy S8+
Samsung Galaxy S8
Huawei Mate 9
Battery Life
8 hours 50 mins
9 hours 34 mins
10 hours 32 mins
11 hours 27 mins
Of the four smartphones, the Samsung Galaxy Note8 (Price Check) has the smallest battery at 3,300 mAh. The Huawei Mate 9 (Price Check), in comparison, has a 4,000 mAh battery. Even so, it managed to deliver almost 9 hours of non-stop operation.
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Battery Recharging Performance
The Samsung Galaxy Note8 comes with an adaptive fast charger with a power output of 15 W. Take a look at how fast it recharged the 3,300 mAh battery.
It took the Samsung Galaxy Note8 (Price Check) just under 83 minutes (1 hour 23 minutes) to recharge its battery from 20% to 100%. That is a battery life : recharging ratio of 6.4 : 1 – a very good performance.
The fastest recharging happened up to the 85% level. This took just 53 minutes. Then the recharging speed slowed down, and it took a further 30 minutes to top up the remaining 15%.
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Overall Performance
AnTuTu is a nice benchmark for testing various performance aspects of Android devices.
AnTuTu
Samsung Galaxy Note8
Samsung Galaxy S8+
Samsung Galaxy S8
Huawei Mate 9
TOTAL SCORE
178168
170991
175422
123167
3D SCORE
74302
72039
74336
40114
– 3D (Marooned)
43996
42844
43953
23313
– 3D (Garden)
30306
29195
30383
16801
UX SCORE
54965
50518
52159
39975
– UX Data Secure
8100
7822
7996
7943
– UX Data Process
6079
5830
5866
6985
– UX Strategy Games
11072
10359
11165
11860
– UX Image Process
24646
21998
22716
5580
– UX I/O Performance
5068
4509
4416
7607
CPU SCORE
38240
38274
38513
31992
– CPU Mathematics
10970
10958
10996
9680
– CPU Common Use
11135
11001
10939
11139
– CPU Multi-Core
16135
16315
16578
11173
RAM
10661
10160
10414
11086
The Samsung Galaxy Note8 (Price Check) sure is fast in AnTuTu. Its Exynos 8895 proved to be much faster in 3D rendering than the Kirin 960 used by the Huawei Mate 9 (Price Check).
Our Verdict & Award
The Samsung Galaxy Note8 (Price Check) is truly in a class of its own. It is the only phablet in the world with an electromagnetic stylus, an Infinity Display and a dual-lens camera. Nothing else, not even the new Apple iPhone 8 Plus (Price Check), is in the same league. It builds upon the excellent, albeit unlucky, Galaxy Note7, with a plethora of major improvements.
First and foremost is the Infinity Display, which is almost bezel-less and covers almost all of the front aspect. To achieve this, Samsung integrated a pressure-sensitive Home button into the display itself, and moved the fingerprint sensor to the back.
The Infinity Display also allowed Samsung to increase the display size while reducing the width of the device. The Samsung Galaxy Note8 (Price Check) has a large 6.3″ display in a form factor that equivalent to a regular 5.5″ device. It makes for a better fit for smaller hands, and most pockets.
The new 18.5 : 9 aspect ratio is useful for viewing two different screens at the same time, but introduces pillarboxing when you watch movies. Samsung allows you to stretch the videos to fit the entire screen, but you will lose the upper and lower parts of the videos. So it’s a trade-off.
As their flagship phablet, it comes as no surprise that the Samsung Galaxy Note8 (Price Check) is very fast, thanks to its top-of-the-line Exynos 8895 octa-core processor. It also has an incredible amount of memory and it comes with a reasonably large storage capacity of 64 GB. This should be more than enough for even power users, even if they enjoy recording 4K videos.
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The Samsung Galaxy Note8 extended the amazing camera used in the Samsung Galaxy S8 by doubling it to create a dual-lens camera system that is unparalleled. Both cameras are optically-stabilised and work simultaneously. This allows the Galaxy Note8 to support the new Live Focus and Dual Capture features. It also gave us the ability to instantly switch between the two lenses while recording video.
It bears pointing out that Samsung took extra care with the Galaxy Note8’s battery, employing greater scrutiny and safety protocols to ensure its safety. Even though it has a relatively small 3,300 mAh capacity, it lasted just under 9 hours of non-stop operation in our stress test. Best of all – you can completely recharge it in less than 1.5 hours!
The offset fingerprint sensor, though, was awkward to use. We highly recommend that Samsung move the fingerprint sensor to the more conventional position below the main camera in their next device. We far prefer the iris scanner, which is really easy (and cool!) to use.
Samsung really went the extra mile with the Galaxy Note8, making sure it is in a league of its own. There is no doubt that the Samsung Galaxy Note8 (Price Check) deserves our Editor’s Choice Award. Job well done, Samsung!
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Samsung has finally introduced a new tablet – the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3! Their last tablet, the Galaxy Tab S2 debuted in September 2015 and ran on Android 5.0.2 Lollipop. Now, find out what’s new in the Galaxy Tab S3, and what it offers over its predecessor!
