I just bought a brand new Alpha online for $299. I called Samsung and they confirmed that it's a legitimate phone with a full warranty. I haven't turned it on yet because I'm debating keeping it or returning it and waiting for the new S6 that's coming out soon. I have AT&T and I'm not eligible for an upgrade so I would have to pay full price for any phone I get. I previously went from a Note 3 to a S5, then to some Lumia phones.
I loved the screen size and clarity on both the Note 3 and S5, but I did think they were a little too big for they way I like to use my phone. The Note 3 was just gigantic to me and felt ridiculous to make a call with. But, the screen was great for playing on the web. The S5 had great specs, but I didn't like the plastic feel of it, and I did notice some lag when scrolling through pages, which was unacceptable to me given the high price of the phone.
I think the Alpha might be a great size phone for my needs, and most of the specs on the phone are really good. My only hesitation is the screen. I've read on forums online that people are pretty divided with the quality of the screen. Most people are OK with it, but some say it's downright subpar.
Right now, I'm on the fence...do I keep the alpha (with a better size overall, but possible poorer quality screen), or wait for the S6?
That is an question only you can answer, i like my Alpha and I don't switch for the next two years
The screen is absolutely fine.
Sendt fra min SM-G850F med Tapatalk
cebulank said:
That is an question only you can answer, i like my Alpha and I don't switch for the next two years
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Click to collapse
I usually change my phone every 6 months...I get bored I guess. My goal is to finally find a phone I like enough to keep longer than 6 months. So far, I haven't found it.
skirush said:
I usually change my phone every 6 months...I get bored I guess. My goal is to finally find a phone I like enough to keep longer than 6 months. So far, I haven't found it.
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Click to collapse
I'll say this. My wife calls me a phone whore. I have owned over 30 phones in last 3 years, I get bored I sell I buy. I recently picked up alpha for 319 outright by having bestbuy match amazon. This phone for that price is amazing. It's only .04 mm smaller than s5 and 12mp not 16mp but every other spec is identical. It's feels great,looks great, runs great. It would be hard not to justify this phone which is essentially a flagship for its price. Why I can't seem to justify getting anything else right now especially now that it's become pretty stagnant in improvements in phones
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G850A using XDA Free mobile app
skirush said:
I just bought a brand new Alpha online for $299. I called Samsung and they confirmed that it's a legitimate phone with a full warranty. I haven't turned it on yet because I'm debating keeping it or returning it and waiting for the new S6 that's coming out soon. I have AT&T and I'm not eligible for an upgrade so I would have to pay full price for any phone I get. I previously went from a Note 3 to a S5, then to some Lumia phones.
I loved the screen size and clarity on both the Note 3 and S5, but I did think they were a little too big for they way I like to use my phone. The Note 3 was just gigantic to me and felt ridiculous to make a call with. But, the screen was great for playing on the web. The S5 had great specs, but I didn't like the plastic feel of it, and I did notice some lag when scrolling through pages, which was unacceptable to me given the high price of the phone.
I think the Alpha might be a great size phone for my needs, and most of the specs on the phone are really good. My only hesitation is the screen. I've read on forums online that people are pretty divided with the quality of the screen. Most people are OK with it, but some say it's downright subpar.
Right now, I'm on the fence...do I keep the alpha (with a better size overall, but possible poorer quality screen), or wait for the S6?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In comparison to S5 the screen is smaller and with only HD ress, but since its my second 4.7 inch phone with same resolution i would say its more than enough for daily usage as browsing, playing games , watching movies or pictures. Also the metal frame that it has gives to it pretty damn good look and feel and a nice grip in your hand. Performance wise its almost the best there is if you ask me and hasn't let me down so far. The only thing that would make a real impact on your decision maybe would be the battery since it comes with a 1860 mah capacity and for a heavy usage it would be too low.
Sent from my SM-G850F
@skirush, the real only problem with Alpha is the battery capacity and it's real for users who play games or web browsing a lot. For all the other users i would recommend Galaxy Alpha 1000%. The screen is great. Don't focus only in reviews. Go in a local store and check it by yourself both in image and text reproduction.
Yes.
Now that the S6 has been released we can see that the main advantages are a
1) Super high res screen- the Alpha looks very good to me- super high res screen is for
Aficionados of those screens like Note 4 and LG G3 they eat a lot of battery and difficult to see much difference for many.
Ideally a 2K or 4K screen should be switchable in the Menu.
2) The Camera in S6 will be noticeably better than Alpha although Alpha is very good it is a half notch below S5 in sharpness and detail and The Note 4 is up from there.
S6 is similar to Note 4 but better in low light
and a hair less sharp than Note 4 due to wider lens ( same Sensor).
S6 has great versatile Software for Camera.
3) S6 has louder speaker than most Alphas.
4) S6 is much larger like S5 .
5) Alpha is more rugged than S6 due to fragile Camera sticking out further from back and glass back on S6.
6) Alpha is very fast faster and less lag than S5 but S6 is just as lag free as Alpha plus more powerful multi tasking IF you use your phone like a Laptop.
7) I think you are so frustrated by Alpha Battery Life that:
A) Get the 2500 Mah battery kit and keep Alpha.
B) IF you can send it back and get S6 and can be happy with OK Battery Life of S6 I think it's about 70% of S5 but charges quickly -read GSM Arena Review-
You may be better off with S6 because the Alpha is annoying you .
Also SIZE of S6 is about like S5 check the size of S5 to see if size of S6 will work for you.
If you like a lot of excellent photo options S6 will be really fun IMO.
I think as far as hardware is concerned, the Tab S3 is fairly decent but when it comes to Android, I'm not so sure.
Speaking honestly and realistically, is the Tab S3 an equally good professional (well-rounded) tablet as an iPad Pro or is the Apple product a more polished solution? (Because lets face it, Apple has dominated the tablet market and continues to make improvements in that space to point where I personally feel that their products offer a very polished user experience, to the point of possibly being good enough to replace a notebook)
I had the 9.7 iPad pro for a while. The main thing I didn't like was that there was no resistance between the pencil and the screen. It was just too slippery to feel "right" as a note taker, which is one of my primary uses of a tablet. The S-Pen feels better with the rubber tip giving a little drag. I also didn't like the lack of a file manager,but that looks to be coming in iOS 11. I don't have the keyboard case for my S3 yet, so I can't comment on that. As always, there are a couple apps I can't get on Android, but others I can now that I'm on Android. I like the physical feel of the S3 better, but that's very subjective. I haven't done much with using Flow with my phone yet, that seems interesting also.
Thank for that feedback.
I'm still in two minds about whether I should spring for a Tab S3 or go for the iPad Pro 9.7 which is the same price.
Yes, I'm also interested in Samsung Flow. Specifically how well it works and whether it works with non-Samsung phones.
Byte_76 said:
Thank for that feedback.
I'm still in two minds about whether I should spring for a Tab S3 or go for the iPad Pro 9.7 which is the same price.
Yes, I'm also interested in Samsung Flow. Specifically how well it works and whether it works with non-Samsung phones.
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I have an Ipad Pro 9.7 and 10.5 and love them. Decided to get the Galaxy Tab S3 just to play with it at work and see how it compares to the iPad. Let's just say it feels like coming from a Ferrari and getting into a Yugo (no offense to Yugo lovers, i'm sure it gets great gas mileage). The galaxy Tab feels sooo slowww compared to the Apple Tablets. If you're looking for speed and ease of use i'd say get the Ipad. I doubt you'll be disappointed. The Galaxy feels so slow switching profiles and starting apps that i don't even use it beside for some gaming since I can play my many clash camps on one tablet ... Now ipad Pro 10.5, there's the winner here for screen responsiveness... but price still too high... but it's the best notebook replacement... no lag whatsoever... a speed daemon...
It can be very difficult to compare two tabs of different OS. At the end of the day, it is a question whether what you are more comfortable with? If you don't mind a closed ecosystem, then iOS would be suitable, but if you like more customization and want an open ecosystem, then Android would be the one.
Also, you have quite a few sites online elaborating the Tab S3 vs iPad Pro thing.
https://www.stuff.tv/features/samsung-galaxy-tab-s3-vs-apple-ipad-pro-97-which-best
The battery life might not be as good, and the speed isn't as fast as the iPad pro, but I also couldn't justify spending $649 for the tablet, $100 for the pen and another $150 for the keyboard. I got my Tab s3 for $449 and got the keyboard case for $65. The battery life gets me through the day. The most screen on time I've gotten is 9 hours, which is good enough for me. It might be slower than the iPad pro, but it's not a snail.
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
Workflow dependent. Both are good, neither is a laptop replacement.
I haven't noticed a major difference in speed, Samsung screen is nicer. I also prefer the Samsung keyboard. IOS is improving at a great clip.
I had the og iPad Pro 9.7 and sold it within a week. Probably better hardware but I didn't like iOS or the rechargeable pen at all.
The BIGGEST issue for me: the wat the iPad Pro handles split screen. The S3 splits left/right in horizontal and top/bottom in portrait. The iPad also splits left/right when held horizontal but if holding it portrait, it also splits the screen left/right - which is pretty much useless. I could go for either of these tablets if I only needed to multitask when holding the tablet horizontally, but if I ever wated to multitask holding the tablet upright, the S3 is the only way to go.
Not sure why Apple hasn't fixed this. When I prepare for a class, I can hold the tablet horizontally (read on one side, write on the other) or upright (read on top, write on bottom). The Apple left/right split when holding it upright requires scrolling to continue to write (I use typical 8.5x11 dimensions in the event I want to print my hand written notes.
Also prefer a pen that doesn't cost $100 extra that has to be charged from the bottom of the iPad (risking snapping it off if I mishandle it).
If Apple would fix at least the way they split screen, I would consider buying one and overlook the pen issue.
I eventually bought both the iPad 10.5 and the S3 but ended up using the S3 more frequently. The 120Hz True tone display on the iPad is great but the AMOLED display on the S3 is still an absolute pleasure to use with vibrant and crisp image quality. They each have their strengths but you can't really go wrong with the S3.
The 4 speaker setup on the S3 sounds very good and I like that the surround audio is adjusted depending on the orientation of the tablet but the audio quality isn't quite as good as the iPad Pro 10.5 which has a slightly deeper sound with better bass.
I like that I can make calls and send SMS's as well as use WhatsApp on the S3. You can't do that with an iPad!
And the pen is great! I'm not an artist but just navigating the interface with the pen is a good experience as is the fact that the pen doesn't need to be charged like the Apple pencil.
Performance is decent as well. I haven't experienced any major lag and everything that I do with the tablet is fast and fluid, though I do run maintenance cleanups and reboot once in a while and I don't install a lot of unnecessary apps.
I get about a 1-2 days of battery life with around 9h SOT depending on how much I use the tablet and what I'm using it for. Obviously media and gaming consumes more battery while web surfing, email and document editing is fairly light on battery.
Alright, so I found the tab S3 for $330 at Best Buy(new). The Silver color apparently did not sell as much as the black, so Best Buy has it on clearance in store only. I bought it and is coming in a couple of days. However, I'm concerned as to whether I should keep this tablet(for the price I got) or I should go ahead and get the tab S4(for discounted price of $549)?
I find that the tab S3 has a lot of mixed reviews regarding battery life, speed and speakers. I haven't researched the tab S4 as much. But most complaints I've found are about DEX and that it's expensive.
Looking for some biased and non biased responses.
Do you need DeX or pen functionality?
If not, go for the new Tab S5e.
Should have good battery life, has fingerprint reader, nice screen and it's already on Pie.
szasz.attila said:
Do you need DeX or pen functionality?
If not, go for the new Tab S5e.
Should have good battery life, has fingerprint reader, nice screen and it's already on Pie.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mainly, looking for a tab where I can do medical charting with the S-Pen(good handwriting to text translation) and watch a movie from time to time.
Thanks for the response.
since i've own both device this is my opinion for your usage.
for your medical charting with s-pen. both will do but the s3 4:3 screen ratio give better reading and writing area then s4 16:9.
entertainment. i take s4 for its wide 16:9 ratio. the black bar on s3 with 4:3 ration is to big. its like watching old tv with current new wide screen format movie.
I too have both.
My S3 battery does seem to discharge quite fast.
Cases for the S3 are better, specifically the ones with hand straps.
Both look great, although the S4 screen looks much better.
In my opinion it isn't just better for media but also for work. With or without DeX the S4 screen makes Citrix workspace and MS remote desktop easier on the eyes.
If the Tab S4 still comes with the gear fit 2 pro, it's a better deal in my opinion, even if you don't want the watch, you can gift it or sell it.
Yes, yes, it's possible to love a phone. Heck, you sleep next to it, don't you? Rate this thread to indicate your love for the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+, all things considered. A higher rating indicates that the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ is an incredible phone that you enjoy tremendously. You love it.
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!
So perhaps this review might be slightly contradictory to my other thread (Samsung Giving up or....). Only way to find out is to dive right in......
So I'm not here to praise or affiliate myself with a particular brand, what I mean is that some very much love Samsung and don't like any criticism, or others may disagree and that's fine (my words are just from my perspective). Everyone has there own likes, things they find useful, basically we are all different and that is just fine. Opinions from others that may follow are to be respected as we all won't share the same experience or views.
The Galaxy Note 10 got released in two variants oh wait no make that three, and yes I think this is a good idea (although price points i am not agreeable on).
However as the title suggests this little review is based on the model I have SM-N976b that's the Exynos 9825 5G variant.
Display: What we have is a 6.8" Dynamic Amoled Display and there is very little disputing it's best in class. From the vibrant colours to the deep blacks it really is a stunning screen. The punch-hole is symmetrical and really doesn't get in the way or my enjoyment (however some might not like, and find it distracting). I tend to appreciate larger displays (having recently purchased the Mate 20 X 5G 7.2") I was particularly pleased that Samsung decided to make the Display larger on the + variant. With it being a note , that is aimed at productivity and media 6.8" was/is a delight for me personally.
Performance: The performance of the 9825 is marginal if anything above the 9820 (used on the S10, S10+). However I get tired of the complaints, yes perhaps the 855 is marginally better in certain areas, it's not a huge gulf between the two that is going to dramatically affect the user experience. I have found it to be very fast and fluid and hasn't hindered my experience. Basically it performs as a flagship processor should. Very little complaints from me.
Functionality: We have the good old S-Pen and without a doubt it's still industry leading (Perhaps because not many oem's have decided to compete) however as a productivity tool it's fantastic (wether you use it not). I am not sold on the Harry potter waving the pen around, it's just a feature that I think Samsung could have left out & focused that time and resources in another area. However I get that they wanted to add something else to the pen, but I don't think many will be using it.
You have here with the Note 10+ a device that offers up great features as in improving DeX to be used as a virtual environment on a laptop (Some may benefit from this) link to Windows to provide that ecosystem and connection with your PC/Laptop. We also have Gamelink (Conning Soon) along with all the other things like app edge, dual window. So it really does offer up that fantastic functionality.
Battery: Well I have the Mate 20 X and with the 7.2" Display (all be it 1080p) it without a doubt lasts longer than the Note 10+, wouldn't say by a huge margin, I usually and can easily get 7hrs on the note, but with the X it can be 8+, but EMUI is more restrictive in app management. I think the Note could be better optimised and I'm sure with updates it will.
Camera: The cameras on the Note all be it just little improvements over the S-Line, they perform well in most areas, fall short in others. Yes you can say the P30 Pro or pixel are better, some areas yes they most certainly are, but even they fall short in let's say the video department, so as a balanced camera then yeah it's great and that is what I look for, if you want the best if everything Also buy the P30 Pro & Pixel and carry around 3 devices
Design: I think this is where Samsung spent a chunk of time, with the Display & rearrangement, all be it most certainly Q's from Huawei but that's not a negative thing and I absolutely love what Samsung have done here. It's a stunning device.
My Honest opinion: I was complaining slightly that Samsung perhaps could of should of done more and I still stand with that in certain areas. These are in the camera software, perhaps that 90hz (yes I don't think this was possible, due to the S-Pen), but would have been a nice option, but when you look at it, its an iterative improvement, but the areas of focus have been done well, and here we have a stunning productivity device that will make many users happy, but leave some disappointed as expectation, left us without some of the little things we are seeing from others not here on the note.
After using it now for 5 days I fully appreciate a nice and solid device that covers most areas well, but like any device falls short in others. I'm very happy with my purchase and I hope you all are to
Please feel free to add to this, or add in constructive criticism, it's all appreciated, just be respectful, and don't disregard others opinions (unless they are just rediculous).
Duncan1982 said:
So perhaps this review might be slightly contradictory to my other thread (Samsung Giving up or....). Only way to find out is to dive right in......
So I'm not here to praise or affiliate myself with a particular brand, what I mean is that some very much love Samsung and don't like any criticism, or others may disagree and that's fine (my words are just from my perspective). Everyone has there own likes, things they find useful, basically we are all different and that is just fine. Opinions from others that may follow are to be respected as we all won't share the same experience or views.
The Galaxy Note 10 got released in two variants oh wait no make that three, and yes I think this is a good idea (although price points i am not agreeable on).
However as the title suggests this little review is based on the model I have SM-N976b that's the Exynos 9825 5G variant.
Display: What we have is a 6.8" Dynamic Amoled Display and there is very little disputing it's best in class. From the vibrant colours to the deep blacks it really is a stunning screen. The punch-hole is symmetrical and really doesn't get in the way or my enjoyment (however some might not like, and find it distracting). I tend to appreciate larger displays (having recently purchased the Mate 20 X 5G 7.2") I was particularly pleased that Samsung decided to make the Display larger on the + variant. With it being a note , that is aimed at productivity and media 6.8" was/is a delight for me personally.
Performance: The performance of the 9825 is marginal if anything above the 9820 (used on the S10, S10+). However I get tired of the complaints, yes perhaps the 855 is marginally better in certain areas, it's not a huge gulf between the two that is going to dramatically affect the user experience. I have found it to be very fast and fluid and hasn't hindered my experience. Basically it performs as a flagship processor should. Very little complaints from me.
Functionality: We have the good old S-Pen and without a doubt it's still industry leading (Perhaps because not many oem's have decided to compete) however as a productivity tool it's fantastic (wether you use it not). I am not sold on the Harry potter waving the pen around, it's just a feature that I think Samsung could have left out & focused that time and resources in another area. However I get that they wanted to add something else to the pen, but I don't think many will be using it.
You have here with the Note 10+ a device that offers up great features as in improving DeX to be used as a virtual environment on a laptop (Some may benefit from this) link to Windows to provide that ecosystem and connection with your PC/Laptop. We also have Gamelink (Conning Soon) along with all the other things like app edge, dual window. So it really does offer up that fantastic functionality.
Battery: Well I have the Mate 20 X and with the 7.2" Display (all be it 1080p) it without a doubt lasts longer than the Note 10+, wouldn't say by a huge margin, I usually and can easily get 7hrs on the note, but with the X it can be 8+, but EMUI is more restrictive in app management. I think the Note could be better optimised and I'm sure with updates it will.
Camera: The cameras on the Note all be it just little improvements over the S-Line, they perform well in most areas, fall short in others. Yes you can say the P30 Pro or pixel are better, some areas yes they most certainly are, but even they fall short in let's say the video department, so as a balanced camera then yeah it's great and that is what I look for, if you want the best if everything Also buy the P30 Pro & Pixel and carry around 3 devices
Design: I think this is where Samsung spent a chunk of time, with the Display & rearrangement, all be it most certainly Q's from Huawei but that's not a negative thing and I absolutely love what Samsung have done here. It's a stunning device.
My Honest opinion: I was complaining slightly that Samsung perhaps could of should of done more and I still stand with that in certain areas. These are in the camera software, perhaps that 90hz (yes I don't think this was possible, due to the S-Pen), but would have been a nice option, but when you look at it, its an iterative improvement, but the areas of focus have been done well, and here we have a stunning productivity device that will make many users happy, but leave some disappointed as expectation, left us without some of the little things we are seeing from others not here on the note.
After using it now for 5 days I fully appreciate a nice and solid device that covers most areas well, but like any device falls short in others. I'm very happy with my purchase and I hope you all are to
Please feel free to add to this, or add in constructive criticism, it's all appreciated, just be respectful, and don't disregard others opinions (unless they are just rediculous).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not too much to add here.
Really great package!
Terrible speakers
Worst cellular connection to date
Bloatware
tethering feature is broken/lags
Pretty much fantastic in every aspect, minus four:
- terrible battery life (the worst I've ever had to my opinion, compared to Mate 9, Note 4 and Xperia Z1...)
- no high refresh rate display (and still annoying OLED motion blur)
- slow/unsecure unlocking (UDFS/front camera)
- Samsung's "OneUI" software is good overall, but has still strong geographic differences (in term of app availability, see goodlock software for exemple), and doesn't allow you to tweak your terminal to the extent to it should be possible (Galaxy Theme store (yerk!) should basically be Substratum (lite) + Synergy))
darkphoenix2012 said:
Terrible speakers
Worst cellular connection to date
Bloatware
tethering feature is broken/lags
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is really amusing to see how some complain about mainly, battery, speakers, camera and signal, to the grade of "terrible", "worst" etc, I have no complain at all, I come from a note 8, which indeed was an excellent device, and this note10+ is way better, in all aaspects, I did not have the 9, but I have heard always that it was just a little increment over the 8, any way, I am really, really pleased with my note10+, the best device I have had
winol said:
It is really amusing to see how some complain about mainly, battery, speakers, camera and signal, to the grade of "terrible", "worst" etc, I have no complain at all, I come from a note 8, which indeed was an excellent device, and this note10+ is way better, in all aaspects, I did not have the 9, but I have heard always that it was just a little increment over the 8, any way, I am really, really pleased with my note10+, the best device I have had
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Click to collapse
Ditto x10!
Sent from my Note 10+ using Tapatalk
And would you guys say note 10+ over note 10?
tileeq said:
And would you guys say note 10+ over note 10?
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Click to collapse
As far as i'm concerned yes...
- battery life
- microSD
- TOF, even though still beta-like software for 3D scan, but works very well for blurring background photos (you can see it when comparing front cam and rear cam)
- larger screen, cause i love this (better for watching videos or multitasking)
I would always feel like i have a sub phone if i went note10 route but that's juste me
Downside is the weight of note10+, i find it kinda heavy in the hand.
Yeah, I absolutely love my note10+
I absolutely love my Note 10+. I wish I had pre-ordered, but I wasn't ready for an upgrade from my Note 8 yet.
I got the Aurora Glow (Snapdragon, Verizon US), mainly because it was the one that was readily available and I wouldn't have to wait. I thought I'd just slap a case on it and never have to look at it, but it turns out I love that crazy rainbow bastard and got a nice clear case. I'm averaging 7hrs of SOT (at highest resolution, no power savings, wifi/data, etc), I haven't had to "top up" during the day once since I got it. Sleep drain is almost non-existent...maybe 4-5% overnight (6-7hrs) with WiFi and bluetooth on. I do a lot of artwork on the fly, and this is even more of a workhorse than my Note 8 was. I do multi-layered (usually 12-20 layers) drawings in Medibang Paint at at least 600dpi and this glorious phone doesn't even stutter. AND (and I know a lot of you don't like it) I was psyched to see a screen protector pre-installed. I know it's a crappy one, but it was great to have while waiting for my "real" one to show up. Really small, but well-appreciated, inclusion. I don't even mind the loss of a headphone jack as much as I thought I would. My portable battery has the wireless charging built in (not that I've needed to use it yet), and I think the sound in the USB C headphones included is better than the ones I got with my Note 8.
My ONLY complaint is the camera. Photos look overly soft, and faces seem flattened out. My Note 8 took much better photos out of the box. At least, in my case, it definitely seems to be a software issue...because using GCam improves the photos dramatically. And it seems that Sammy has already released an update to address photo quality...I just have to wait for Verizon to push out the damn thing. I don't take pro photos or anything, 90% of my picture taking is my kids...but my Note 8 gave me much clearer photos of them running around than I've gotten from my 10+. That being said, I know there's a fix on the way so I'm not going to piss and moan too much about it. I look forward to really using the hell out of the camera once it's updated, especially night mode...I didn't have that on my Note 8.
All in all, nothing but love for this phone.
I perceive the photos to be better than those of my note8, yesterday an update mainly for the fingerprint and camera, became available for my note10+, I am yet to see what improvements it may yield
I was looking at a new Chinese flagship (Realme X2 Pro) but then got to play with Dex on a 10 - bought the Note 10+ dualSIM right there, coming from an S8+. Dex is just fantastic, on my Windows or Mac computers, with an additional 95W wall charger and a 100w USB C hub. Now the phone is fully integrated in my desktop workflow and part of the hub with other devices I own, and I love the ability to cut&paste from/to the phone from my main Windows machine. All other elements one comes to expect from a Samsung flagship are there of course, and video quality is excellent. Writing with the S-Pen on the Nebo App is enough for note taking - I can leave the iPad Pro at home for meetings. And Amazon Germany gave a unexpected $120 rebate, plus tax return from Amazon upon leaving the EU, got a great deal altogether. My S8+ lasted three years and thanks to this community is updated well, will now go to my wife.
3 Stars. The magic is lost. Nothing is special about the series anymore.
Call me jaded as someone who's owned every iteration since the Note 2, but this is not the best from the best that previous Note series enjoyed. Same cameras from S10. Would have liked a better tech that includes a seamless uninterruption of the screen. I can do without a social media whore cam or have a motorized selfie cam for those selfie whores. Also, could have used a speedier screen refresh rate found on the the cheaper One+. Otherwise, speed, battery life, features, all the best android has to offer. Nothing earth shattering and futuristic like the first time we saw the Note Edge or Note 5 or BT pen from note 9. Still has a hole in the screen. Still has a "just a refreshed design until next iteration" look. Screen size increased by a hair. Even diluted the brand by making a smaller Note. I usually go for the best but since I had the blue Note 9, I wanted something different and the Aura Blue is gorgeous but disappointed it only comes in 256gb, another ding against Samsung. Overall, 3 stars because the Note series is known for cutting edge and when you have a camera stolen from an older phone and when you decide to toss in a gimmicky AR camera that everyone used for the first minute and forget about but failed to work on the thing that everyone uses 90% of the time, the screen, like incorporate a 120 refresh rate or do away with the hole or notch, then you aren't living to the high standard that the Note series are known for and that its fanbase expects. You used to be able to say, look what my phone has that you don't. Reverse charging? woopty do. My S10 had that before you. 3 cameras? "Stereo" speakers? Well, my phone has a built in BT stylus. So, my cheaper Note 10 does too! *facepalm* We no longer have something special. Used to be we had it first and then it trickled to other devices. Now, it's the other way around.
The one and only phone, not a tablet, that has this unique feature, the spen, there is the "magic"
winol said:
The one and only phone, not a tablet, that has this unique feature, the spen, there is the "magic"
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Pay attention. You're wrong. We're reviewing the Note 10+. So this isn't the only phone with the s pen. If you pay attention, the diluted note 10 also has one as well as the upcoming note 10 lite. So it still stands, the magic is lost.
As this thread is about the 10+, I am referring to the note10+, so, you pay attention
winol said:
The one and only phone, not a tablet, that has this unique feature, the spen, there is the "magic"
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winol said:
As this thread is about the 10+, I am referring to the note10+, so, you pay attention
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mod edit: removed unnecessarily rude comment
skoobz said:
mod edit: removed unnecessarily rude comment
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Please check your private messages. Remeber folks this is a fun hobby for us all. There's never a need to get fired up and taking jabs and low blows. If you're starting to get heated just log off and go do something else or keep scrolling.
Let me preface this by saying I am picky about my phones and this is one of the worst I have seen in years! If you have an old phone I can understand some of the upgrade but here are my thoughts coming well staying with a Note 10+. Never bought and returned a phone this quick. Returning before it is even released on Friday!!
Let's start with the good, well somewhat......
Screen: Once again Samsung delivers a world class screen. Best in brightness, color accuracy, etc etc everything like normal that they always produce in their flagships. Now for the downsize, the infamous 120hz screen refresh rate. Not worth it here. Smoother scrolling, sure but barely. I honestly don't even mind the 1080p and 120 hz just the need for the 120hz on a phone is overkill. Was gaming smoother sure, do I game much on my phone, no not really. The 240 touch response I can tell more of a difference and a worthy difference then the 120 hz refresh
Processing power: Phone is fast, minus animations. Photo processing, night mode shots are a big difference. Much faster in that aspect. Wish we saw little more ram and more storage though at this price
Battery: 5000 mah in this device makes it a little thicker but in my short one day of use it stood up pretty well to transferring apps and everything over and hard use for a few hours last night. Couldn't kill it
and now the bad
Camera: throw all the numbers at it and it will be great.... well not so fast. Main shooter in 12 or 108 mp mode cannot focus on anything. Piece of paper on desk in front of you, good luck. Zoom a few feet away from you, also good luck. 5x/10x/30x zoom is better then Note 10+ of course but how often are you going to use this? Everyday? Once a week? Once a month? Still not great quality (usable) at 10x or 30x really so no point in my book. 5x is crisp but falls off too much after that for me to use. Wide angle is same as note so no real improvement here. Camera also seems to make everything more saturated then I like as well almost to the point of unrealistic. The one and only thing the iPhone can do well and the note seems to be closer to that realistic representation then the Ultra.
Design: not that the design is bad but feels a tad on the chunkier side. Rounder edges do help but does not feel as sleek as nice to hold as note or even s10. Thicker as well to house that battery and camera module. Also worried about how scratched the module bump will become after months of abuse.
UI: Let me first say I hate Android 10/Samsung UI 2.0, I am still using 9 and the Ultra reminded me why. App animations are slow (yes can fix in dev options but still), quick replying to text or message in status bar is not instant like prior android generations. Don't know if this is an android 10 or Samsung UI 2.0 problem but seems like it should be an upgrade not a downgrade
Price: $1400 is a lot even for 2020. That is also only for 128 gb and 12 gb ram model. So no upgrade to ram compared to Note and a loss of half the storage compared to entry level note. Plan was to trade in note 10+ and pay $800 and it isn't worth that tp be honest. Not even close. Only foreseeable upgrades are little brighter screen and zoom lens. The rest is a downgrade to me or the same.
I will continue to use note 10+ until Note 20 maybe? Needs to have something better for the money it is going to cost though