The Most Interesting Features in Samsung's New Galaxy Note 10+ Flagship Smartphone

Samsung recently released its latest flagship smartphones, the Galaxy Note 10 and the Galaxy Note 10+, which will be two of Apple's main competitors for the upcoming 2019 iPhones.

The new Galaxy Note smartphones have impressive edge-to-edge displays with pinhole camera cutouts, S Pen support, and a long list of additional features that are designed to make them stand out. In our latest YouTube video, we go hands-on with the Note 10+ to check out what Samsung has added to try to compete with the iPhone lineup.

S Pen

iPhones don't support a stylus, and we're not expecting the Apple Pencil to work with the 2019 lineup, but Samsung's Galaxy Note 10 devices do work with a stylus called the S Pen, which has long been one of the main Note features.

samsungspen1
The S Pen has a new look in 2019, but it's mostly the same. You can use it for taking notes, writing on the screen, sending live messages, and more. It's basically like the ‌Apple Pencil‌ for the iPad.

samsungspen2
With the Galaxy Note 10 and the S Pen, handwritten notes can be turned into text, and you're also able to search through your handwritten notes. It's a feature that worked well in our testing.

AR Doodle

One major new S Pen feature that's a little bit fun and a little bit gimmicky is AR Doodle, designed to let users write text or create drawings on top of what's being viewed through the camera.

It's essentially drawing in augmented reality, which is neat, but probably not something most people are going to use on a regular basis.

3D Scanner

The larger version of the Galaxy Note 10 (the Note 10+) is equipped with an extra DepthVision camera that enables some interesting 3D scanning functionality.

Samsung on stage used this feature to scan a plush toy to make a correct, 3D digital version of it, which is what it's supposed to do. Unfortunately, in our testing, the 3D scanner is mediocre.

samsung3dscan
We couldn't get anything to scan accurately, with limbs getting cut off, designs being warped, and other problems, even when testing all kinds of lighting conditions. Maybe it'll get better in the future, but as is, this feature isn't useful.

Live Focus Video

A camera feature that is useful is the new Live Focus Video option that brings the Live Focus available in Samsung photos to the video camera, so you can adjust the depth of field while you're filming.

Zoom In Audio

Another camera feature we liked as the zoom-in audio option. When you zoom in on a subject that you're filming, the microphone is able to isolate that subject and amplify the sound, which is neat. When you zoom back out, the audio returns to normal.

DeX for macOS

Samsung devices have a feature called DeX, which is basically designed to let you dock your Samsung smartphone to a PC to turn it into a mobile workstation.

You used to need an external monitor, but with the Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+, DeX works with both Mac and Windows machines. Mac users can download the DeX app for the Mac, plug the Note 10 in, and then control smartphone functions on the big screen.

samsunggalaxynote10 1
On some Macs, though, the resolution is poor, which can make it a bit hard to see what you're doing.

Aura Glow Design

One of the coolest Galaxy Note 10 features is the color. Samsung is offering the Note 10 and Note 10+ in this rainbow-like shade called Aura Glow. It stands out and really catches the eye, especially when compared to the standard Silver, Space Gray, and Gold that most iPhones come in.

samsungrainbownote

Fingerprint Sensor

Samsung's new smartphones use an under-display fingerprint sensor which is about as accurate as the fingerprint sensor in the S10+. It works decently, but its positioning on the screen might take some adjustment.

Battery Life

‌iPhone‌ users who always feel like their devices die quickly might be jealous of the battery in the Note 10+ - it's 4,300mAh, which is massive. It can also take advantage of a 45W charger that can fast charge it from zero to full in just about an hour.

Samsung's not including a 45W charger in the box, but since it charges over USB-C, you might already have one laying around.

What do you think of Samsung's new Galaxy Note 10 smartphones? Let us know in the comments.

Tag: Samsung

Popular Stories

AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Triad

Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone May Finally Go All Screen

Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself. Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
maxresdefault

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:52 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and ...
CarPlay Hero

Apple Releases Wireless CarPlay Fix

Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:28 am PDT by
If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed. Apple released iOS 18.4.1 today, and the update's release notes say it "addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles." If wireless CarPlay was acting up for you, updating your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 should...
top stories 2025 04 19

Top Stories: iPhone 17 Pro Rumors, CarPlay Bug Fix, and More

Saturday April 19, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
This week saw rumor updates on the iPhone 17 Pro and next-generation Vision Pro, while a minor iOS 18.4.1 update delivered not just security fixes but also a fix for some CarPlay issues. We also looked ahead at what else is in Apple's pipeline for the rest of 2025 and even the 20th-anniversary iPhone coming in 2027, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more! iPhone 17 ...
iOS 18

iOS 18.5 Includes Only a Few Changes So Far

Monday April 21, 2025 11:00 am PDT by
Apple seeded the third beta of iOS 18.5 to developers today, and so far the software update includes only a few minor changes. The changes are in the Mail and Settings apps. In the Mail app, you can now easily turn off contact photos directly within the app, by tapping on the circle with three dots in the top-right corner. In the Settings app, AppleCare+ coverage information is more...

Top Rated Comments

dshelby Avatar
74 months ago
I really appreciate seeing the Samsung devices reviewed on here. Even though my kit is all Apple at this point I never want to be complacent in thinking that nobody else can create excellent hardware or software. I want to know what else there is. I want to see the advances and decide if my family and I should move with them. Thank you MacRumors!
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dannys1 Avatar
74 months ago
first time i'm considering a stylus, i can see that camera function on the stylus be very useful. no need to ask for anyone to take a picture for you.
Apple Watch.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jjohnstonjr Avatar
74 months ago
Every feature on this phone other than the display is either half baked, gimicky, or mediocre:


* S-pen - gimicky
* Infinity O - gimicky
* 3D depth sensor - mediocre
* Face unlock - mediocre, since it's only optical
* Fingerprint sensor under screen - mediocre since its slow, unreliable, and data is stored in the file system
* 5G - gimicky, it's not widely available, makes the phone hot, and drains the battery

And it runs Android. Forget the iPhone, why wouldn't I just get a OnePlus over this thing for half the cost if I wanted a big android phone?
When I see fellow iPhone users bash Android/Samsung over things that iPhone has and then belittle it makes me cringe. I witness an iPhone vs Android debate in Barnes and Noble over two years ago. The guy arguing for iPhone was taking a proverbial crap on Android for the very thing iPhone had and has. How is 5G gimmicky when it is a freaking network that will be rolled out? It's not a specific feature that the phone or Samsung has. Smarten up! The fingerprint sensor is quite responsive if you watch the videos of it being used.

If I am being honest after reading MANY of the comments on this forum, I can see why some if not many Android users all but loathe iPhone users over their logic(or lack there of).
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
badatusernames Avatar
74 months ago
Idk. But that rainbow finish is really ugly IMO.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
69Mustang Avatar
74 months ago
Thread gonna catch fire.:p:D
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sirozha Avatar
74 months ago
It's still android at the end of the day and you can put a lamborgini frame on the ground but a pinto motor inside of it and you ultimately still have a pinto on the road.

Why are you guys even reviewing this on an Apple site?

Don't you know we are diehard apple fanbois who know Apple will never do anything wrong?! LOL
When did you use Android last? Ever?
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)