Samsung Galaxy Note 10
Samsung’s latest flagship phablet has arrived but it’s not alone. This time around, Samsung are offering three versions of the Galaxy Note 10.
Here’s a quick run-down on the biggest differences that you’ll want to know about before you choose which one to buy.
Display
Unlike previous Note smartphones, there are two sizes to choose from when it comes to the Galaxy Note 10.
Credit: Samsung The regular Galaxy Note 10 has a 6.3-inch Dynamic AMOLED display of the same quality found in the Galaxy S10. Even if it is larger than the 6.1-inch AMOLED display you'd get from a Galaxy S10, it is actually smaller than the 6.4-inch AMOLED found on the Galaxy Note 9.
Meanwhile, the Galaxy Note 10+ and Note 10+ 5G come in at a hefty 6.8-inches. This makes it Samsung’s largest Note smartphone ever and well larger than both the 6.1-inch Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+.
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The other difference to note here (no pun intended) is that the regular Note 10’s Dynamic AMOLED display is only FHD+ in resolution whereas the screens on the Note 10+ and Note 10+ 5G are WQHD+, which means they have the advantage. If you put the two side by side, the screen on the Note 10+ and Note 10+ 5G are going to deliver the better results.
Charging
Credit: Samsung Charging is another area where the capabilities of the different Galaxy Note 10 models differ.
While all three devices features the same PowerShare reverse wireless charging found in the S10, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 only supports 25W super-fast wired charging and 12W wireless charging.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ and Galaxy Note 10+ 5G are more accomplished, arriving with the ability to deliver 20W wireless charging and 45W super-fast wired charging. Of course, you will need to first buy a charger that’s capable of supporting such speeds as both the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ and Galaxy Note 10+ 5G only come bundled with a 25W wired charger in the box.
Camera
Credit: Samsung The Galaxy Note 9 was the Note series' first dual-lens rear camera smartphone and the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 is Samsung’s first flagship phablet to embrace the triple-lens camera configuration made popular by Huawei’s P20 Pro. It features a 16-megapixel ultra-wide (f/2.2) lens, 12-megapixel (f/1.5-f/2.4 with OIS) wide angle lens and a 12-megapixel (f/2.1 with OIS) telephoto lens.
Then, on the front, the Galaxy Note 10 features a 10-megapixel (f/2.2) front-facing camera.
The Galaxy Note 10+ and Galaxy Note 10+ 5G build on this by adding a f/1.4 VGA DepthVision camera into the mix. In line with similar ToF cameras found elsewhere, this is used to enhance portrait shots by allowing more complex and accurate depth maps.
Storage
Credit: Samsung In Australia, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 features 8GB of RAM and 256GB of on-board storage. It does not feature a MicroSD card slot. For more on this, check out our feature here.
In Australia, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ features 12GB of RAM and 256GB of on-board storage. It includes a MicroSD card slot.
In Australia, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ 5G features 12GB of RAM and 512GB of on-board storage. Like the Galaxy Note 10+, it also supports expandable storage via a MicroSD card slot.
Price
Credit: Samsung In Australia, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 launched at a recommended retail price of $1499, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ started at $1699 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ 5G topped out the range at an RRP of $1999.
Nowadays, all three phones are a fair bit cheaper. You can grab the Galaxy Note 10+ for closer to AU$850 via Kogan or Amazon.
Which should I buy: Galaxy Note 10 vs Galaxy Note 20
Credit: Michael Simon/IDG As we said in our review of Samsung's latest powerhouse phablet, "The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G provides plenty of familiar flagship thrills but if you’re looking for something a little bolder, you might be better off looking at the Galaxy Z Flip or Z Fold2. Likewise, if the price-tag looks a little steep, you'll probably be almost just as satisfied by last year's Galaxy Note10+."
The Galaxy Note 10 doesn't have the glitzy copper color scheme or super Space Zoom camera features found in the Note 20 series but, if those are things you're happy to lose, you can save a lot by opting for the Note 10 over the Note 20.
This article was originally published in August 2019. It was updated by Fergus Halliday in October 2020.
