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Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus: Tom’s Guide Review Excerpt

The Galaxy Note 10 Plus boasts a huge 6.8-inch display, long battery life and new S Pen tricks in a sleek design, but its cameras aren't the best.

Our sister site, Tom’s Guide recently released an in-depth review of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus revealing their testing results and insights. The Note 10 is just one of the hot mobile devices consumers will be seeking in Q3 and Q4, and retailers are sure to be inundated with questions about the features and quality of the Note 10. Tom’s Guide editor-in-chief, Mark Spoonauer takes you through the ins-and-outs of this hot release.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is an excerpt from the original review. I encourage you to check out the details in Mark’s full review – complete with interactive photo samples and comparisons. Full review here.

OUR VERDICT

The Galaxy Note 10 Plus boasts a huge 6.8-inch display, long battery life and new S Pen tricks in a sleek design, but its cameras aren’t the best.

FOR

  • Gorgeous 6.8-inch screen
  • Long battery life
  • Strong performance
  • Live Focus effects for video
  • S Pen supports Air Actions gestures
  • DeX mode now easier to use

AGAINST

  • Aura Glow model smudges quickly
  • Air gestures can be finicky
  • Cameras not as good as Pixel 3 or Huawei P30 Pro

The Galaxy Note 10 Plus is one of the first phones I’ve used in a long while that elicits “oohs” and “ahs” from across the room. Part of that is because of its mammoth 6.8-inch screen, but what draws people in at first is the Aura Glow finish on my review unit, which glows the whole rainbow, depending on how light hits the glass back.

Once you look past the eye candy, the Note 10 Plus (starting at $1,099) is a formidable big-screen Android phone with strong performance, a host of new S Pen tricks— including Air gestures— and excellent battery life. I also like the fast charging and pro-level video effects, and I really don’t mind the headphone jack getting the axe. However, the cameras could be better compared to Google’s and Huawei’s best efforts, and some of the features come across as gimmicky.

Overall, the Galaxy Note 10 Plus is one of the best smartphones you can buy if you can afford the premium. But is it right for you? Our in-depth Galaxy Note 10 Plus review will help you decide.

Galaxy Note 10 Plus Cheat Sheet

  • The Galaxy Note 10’s mammoth 6.8-inch AMOLED display is one of the best we’ve ever seen and tested.
  • I love the Aura Glow color and the way it changes color in the light, but not the fingerprint smudges.
  • The huge 4,300 mAh battery allowed the Note 10 Plus to last 11 hours and 46 minutes on our web surfing battery test.
  • The included 25W charger juices the phone pretty fast, as the battery reached 65% in 30 minutes and 33% in 15 minutes.
  • Based on our benchmark tests, the Galaxy Note 10 Plus is one of the fastest Android phones yet, but it trails the iPhone XS Max.
  • The new S Pen Air gestures are fun but can be finicky.
  • While the Note 10 Plus’ cameras perform well in low light, the Pixel 3 and Huawei Mate P30 Pro are better camera phones overall.
  • The lack of a headphone jack is a bummer, though Samsung kept the microSD card slot.

Galaxy Note 10 Plus pricing and release date

The Galaxy Note 10 Plus is now available for pre-order for $1,099. The phone goes on sale Aug. 23. The phone starts with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, but you can opt for a model with 512GB of storage for $1,199

All of the major wireless carriers are selling the Galaxy Note 10 Plus, including AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile.

Samsung is offering trade-in deals for those who pre-order through Samsung.com, but you should check out all the Galaxy Note 10 deals before you decide where to buy.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The article continues on Tom’s Guide with incredible in-depth testing results, details and insights only Tom’s Guide can bring you. Check out the rest of the article to learn more about what consumers will be looking for in the Note 10.

See also: Announcing The Winners Of The 2019 TWICE VIP Awards!

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