I will never complain about my job because I have access to the latest and greatest flagship products released, such as the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL. It’s a technology lover’s dream and I still get excited every time I turn on a new device. But that means I can’t stick with one phone for too long and miss out on some particularly great devices.
For example, I loved my Samsung Galaxy Note 10+. It was thin and strong, with premium construction and great design. This was also the best Samsung had to offer at the end of 2019, over five years ago.
We wanted to look back at our old hardware to see what it was like to have an older flagship and whether it’s worth upgrading your phone as often as you do. New features are exciting and today’s phones offer more than their predecessors, but how much more is there? Let’s find out.
What’s great about Galaxy Note 10+?
Looks good even with a decent camera
It’s hard to believe that the Galaxy Note 10+’s display is five years old. It’s still a gorgeous and vibrant 6.8-inch dynamic AMOLED QHD panel. It’s great for watching YouTube videos and playing games, and the colors match some of the best displays in 2024.
I understand that you’re limited to a 60Hz refresh rate, but unless you have a high refresh rate display next to it, I don’t think you’ll notice it too much. While some may have been offended when the curved display disappeared, it was a blessing in disguise, as the Galaxy Note 10+ still had a reasonably tapered panel.
The Galaxy Note 10+’s Snapdragon 855 chipset is also better than expected. Compared to the Galaxy S24 Ultra, app opening speeds are a beat or two slower, but overall performance is faster. We’ve always known that we overestimated the raw horsepower needed in smartphones, and the Galaxy Note 10+ highlights that nicely. It comes with 12 GB of RAM, and while businesses have long been moving away from UFS 3.0 storage, your experience won’t be hampered.
Galaxy Note 10+ camera performance
I thought the Galaxy Note 10+’s camera system would struggle without the AI computational model and today’s larger sensors, but the photos hold up well. Even a year after its release, we still remember how the Galaxy Note 10+ won multiple blind camera tests. That’s because Samsung gained a lot from the phone’s triple camera setup: a 12MP primary sensor, a 12MP 2x optical telephoto lens, and a 16MP ultra-wide-angle camera. .
Unfortunately, photos can suffer in low light, and night photos can be noisy and soft compared to today’s mobile phones, which have the benefit of larger sensors and AI technology to clean up images. Masu. While the photos won’t match what you get with the Google Pixel 9, you’ll still be happy with the Note 10+’s camera.
Legacy features
Continuing to use your old phone also means retaining its traditional features. For the Galaxy Note 10+, this means expandable storage and a MicroSD card slot for Samsung Pay. But instead of simply relying on NFC to make payments, older Samsung devices can now clone the magnetic strip on the back of a credit card and use it with older credit card machines. It was a great feature and I was sad to see it go away.
The Galaxy Note 10+ is relatively light compared to today’s flagships, weighing just 196g. However, we didn’t compromise on build quality, as the Note 10+ still features Gorilla Glass 6 and a gorgeous premium design. A cell phone doesn’t have to be as heavy as a Buick to be powerful. I hope the manufacturers learn that lesson again.
Things to notice when upgrading to a new phone
Impact on battery life and gaming performance
Over the past few years, battery life on flagship phones has increased significantly. The Galaxy Note 10+ has a 4,300mAh battery, which isn’t small by any means, but the efficiency of the chipset and software has increased the range you get from the cell.
My Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra can get over 8 hours of screen time without breaking a sweat, while my Galaxy Note 10+ gets about 5 hours. However, the Note 10+ supports wired charging speeds of 45W, which is the same as the S24 Ultra, and 45W is still better than some Samsung mid-range devices.
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Gaming performance for today’s AAA titles is also improving on newer phones. The Galaxy Note 10+’s Snapdragon 855 is still sufficient for everyday tasks, but frame rates will drop in more intense games. If you’re a gamer and interested in games other than Pokémon Go, it’s worth checking out the latest and greatest games.
Android 12 is still fine
I don’t mind using Android 12 with One UI 4. Not everyone needs built-in Galaxy AI functionality. You can still download the app. However, I am worried that I will lose support for the software. I know the Play Store is still supported on older hardware, but I like receiving security patches and updates for my devices. I can trust banking and financial software, so I hope new vulnerabilities are contained soon.
It’s not a deal breaker, and newer phones can be susceptible to attacks as well, but I like that my device is optimized and secure over time. I wish the Note 10+ had the 7 years of support it currently enjoys.
It’s actually not that bad
When you look at the new smartphones from Samsung and Google, you might think that five-year-old devices are just a step above potatoes, but that’s not the case. There’s a lot of life to older phones, and we love how light and thin the Galaxy Note 10+ is compared to today’s phones. If the fear of missing out comes over you every time a new flagship phone is released, take a moment and look at what you already have in your pocket. You’ll find that it’s still more than enough.
