I didn’t buy a Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ at launch. I wanted the Aura Glow colorway badly, but I was enjoying my Galaxy S10+ too much to switch off and test another device. I’m always picking up devices on release, which means I miss out on special editions or new colorways. The Galaxy Note 10+ was an excellent opportunity to hold off and see what came later.
My patience was rewarded when Samsung released the Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Special Edition Note 10+. It was a gorgeous device, and I loved the red S pen taking cues from Kylo Ren’s lightsaber. It was a beautiful phone, and I’d buy a refreshed version in a heartbeat. The Galaxy Note 10+ was bittersweet. It marked the penultimate entry in the Note series and started Samsung’s design transition away from previous Notes, but I enjoyed it either way. Here are 5 reasons I still love the Galaxy Note 10+.
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5 Galaxy Note 10+ was the perfect combination
Samsung’s design moving forward
I don’t like what Samsung’s design changes would eventually mean for the brand, but the Note 10+ was a wonderful transition. I still consider the Galaxy Note 9 the last true Note, but the Galaxy Note 10+ was an excellent combination of the sleek Galaxy S10+ and the Note 9. I mourned the loss of the 3.5mm headphone jack like everyone else, but I was thankful Samsung left the microSD card slot for another generation.
It’s also hard to argue the Note 10+ doesn’t stand up well today. It features Gorilla Glass 6 on the front and back, with an aluminum frame, making it feel just as premium as today’s flagship phones. I was disappointed when Samsung moved the power button to a different position on future devices. The volume rocker and power button on the left frame of the device, with the S pen located in the bottom right corner, are ergonomic perfection for right-handed users. I know my lefty friends took a loss on that one, but I enjoyed using the phone too much to notice. Samsung claimed it had to move the S pen silo in future phones to make room for the camera array, but I’ll forever wish it were back on the proper side of the phone.
4 The Snapdragon 855 aged well
I never complained about performance
I often go back to older phones, as nostalgia is a weakness, and I prefer phones from the past. Of all the legacy phones I tested, those powered by a Snapdragon 855 hold up the longest. It’s a chipset that has aged well, and I enjoyed how energy-efficient and powerful it was at the time. It was fantastic to see Samsung could produce a phone that didn’t overheat despite being thinner, and the Snapdragon 855 was a significant contributing factor.
Samsung paired the Snapdragon 855 with 12GB of RAM. Those who claim larger RAM amounts don’t matter clearly aren’t planning on keeping their device for 5 or 6 years. As devices age, RAM becomes more critical. Sure, that Snapdragon 8 Elite doesn’t show any weaknesses now, but give it time. Once it’s as old as the Snapdragon 855, you’ll wish your phone had more RAM to keep more apps cached.
3 Better than expected photos
It flew under the radar
When I saw the spec sheet for the Galaxy Note 10+ cameras, I wasn’t blown away. It was a typical Samsung lineup, featuring a 12MP primary sensor, a 12MP 2x optical zoom lens, and a 16MP ultrawide lens. But then I kept seeing the phone winning blind photo contests on YouTube and in the media, so I was curious to test the results for myself. Sure enough, I was stunned by the outputs from my Galaxy Note 10+.
By late 2019, I had become accustomed to preferring photos from the latest Google Pixel phone, but when I gave the Note 10+ a chance, I was impressed. Photos are sharp and vibrant in good lighting, and even the low-light performance was better than expected. My Galaxy S10+ produced some excellent nighttime shots, so I was glad that my Note 10+ continued the trend. Even today, you can capture some gorgeous images in good lighting, and you don’t have to worry about overprocessing after the picture is taken.
2 Displays hold up the best
QHD is QHD in 2019 and today
If there’s a feature of the Galaxy Note 10+ that hasn’t aged a day, it’s the phone’s gorgeous 6.8-inch display. Its QHD panel looks just as good as it did 6 years ago, and while modern-day flagships may include brighter displays, it’s still difficult to beat the saturation and clarity of the Note 10+’s screen. Games and movies look fantastic, and even though I miss some of the creature comforts of modern flagships when using older phones, I never feel like I’m shortchanged with the Note 10+’s panel.
At 6.8 inches, it’s comparable to current devices. While I wouldn’t advise you to run out and buy a Note 10+ in 2025, I would feel comfortable telling you to use the one you have or a cheap one from eBay as a temporary backup phone.
1 There were worse versions to be left on
I’ll take One UI 4
The Galaxy Note 10+ received updates to One UI 4 with Android 12. Even though I hated other manufacturers’ Android 12 releases, Samsung did an excellent job. One UI 4 is smooth and reliable to use, even in 2025. I can think of plenty worse versions of Android to be stuck on, and while I’d prefer software support forever, that’s not practical. Most programs will still support Android 12 a bit longer, so you shouldn’t have any compatibility issues just yet.
I know critics knock Samsung for bloatware on the company’s phones, but I don’t see it that way. Samsung has every right to install its apps on its devices, and if we prefer the Google versions, we can switch to them as defaults. Samsung even marks most Google apps by default now, even though I wish they wouldn’t. Samsung Internet is the best it’s ever been, and more people would switch from Chrome if they tried it. All told, the Galaxy 10+’s software was good 6 years ago, and it’s still good today.
I’d love to see Samsung get back to basics
The Galaxy S25 Edge rumors give me hope that Samsung will return to sleek and powerful smartphones in the future. I am confident that the company will make more impactful changes to the next Galaxy S26 flagship phones. Whenever I go back to the Note 10+ or Galaxy S10+, I’m reminded of how things used to be. And as much as Samsung wants me to believe Galaxy AI is the future, I’m not buying it. Give me a solid smartphone instead, and I’ll be happy.
