Samsung’s Galaxy Note 5 may not be any bigger than its predecessor, but it has been severely pumped up in the inside. Powered with 4GB RAM, Exynos 7420 octa-core processor and 3,000mAh battery, this is one of the most powerful phablet the company has ever made.
Samsung’s Note line of phones has always been revolving around three key features: a huge screen, outsized performance, and a stylus. In the new Note 5, the company has bumped up the design and build quality by several notches. Gone were the days of a phone in cheap, textured plastic, the new Samsung Note 5 features a lovely combination of glass and metal, similar to that of the Samsung Galaxy S6.
Galaxy Note 5 : The Specifications
Credits to : SpecOut
Solid Design and Build Quality
Samsung has applied the design features used in the Galaxy S6 to the new Note 5. Like the Galaxy S6, the Note 5 has straight sides and a flat face, however, it also took the curved edges on the S6 Edge and placed them along the back. Getting the best of both worlds the Note 5 has made a real leap forward here in terms of design quality and turned out to be more ergonomic and comfortable to hold.
Unlike its predecessor, the Note 5 spotted both glass on the front and back and a silver anodised aluminium metal trim. The bezels surrounding the 5.7-inch, Quad HD, Super AMOLED screen display are extremely narrow, particularly next to those curved edges, and they make the Note 5 looks stunning. The glass-and-metal shell also fully seals the internals, therefore users are not able to replace the battery of the Note 5 or expand the built-in memory with a microSD card.
The Signature Handy S Pen Stylus
The S Pen is one the key feature of the Note that fans love. It has been continually improved year after year in terms of functionality and design since the release of the first Samsung Galaxy Note. The new Note 5 brings along a completely redesigned S Pen stylus, which is made of polycarbonate plastic. This new stylus audibly clicks into place inside the Note 5’s chute like the crown of a retractable pen and allows easy access by simply pressing down on the Pen.
The new S Pen feels more solid and balanced in the user’s hand and offers better-writing capabilities through a variety of tools available on the Note 5. With the introduction of Note 5, Samsung also implements a new functionality that allows users to write on the display even when it is still in a black screen, without the need to unlock the phone. This function comes in handy when there is a need to jot down notes or random thoughts, and unlocking the phone seems like a hassle.
The S-Pen is a great tool for Note users who love writing physically instead of typing. It makes life easier as writing the Note feels more natural and intuitive, compared to typing on the qwerty keyboard on the screen. One S Pen feature that I use quite often is the ability to grab screenshots of the entire screen, after which I can draw on them. This function is very handy for users (like me), who often need to show clients on the UI/UX of websites or explain on certain graphic design works. Most of the time, I just simply take a screenshot and draw on them, and send to my client without the need to use my desktop or laptop.
Super Performance as Always
Samsung Galaxy Note 5 is powered by Samsung Exynos octa-core processor and 4GB RAM, which is 1GB more than the S6 – meaning it can handle even more tasks at once. Operating the new Note 5 was one of the smoothest experiences yet, with creamy performance on every operation. There are no issues of lag whatsoever; everything is silky smooth, even when switching between resource-intensive apps.
The Note 5 is also a solid performer when it comes to games, and graphically rich titles like Dead Trigger 2 ran smoothly for hours.
Live Broadcast
The Note 5 features Live Broadcast, which streams live videos in Full HD directly from the users’ cameras, allowing them to share moments with their loved ones in real time. Here is a short video on this new feature:
Samsung Galaxy Note 5 Key Features
Metal and Glass Bodywork – Note 5 adopts the S6’s lovely combination of glass and metal in its design, giving the new Note 5 a premium look and feel.
Octa-core processor with 4GB RAM – From swiping through home-screens, switching between apps and handling more intensive tasks like gaming, the Note 5 is up there with the best.
S Pen Stylus – The Note 5’s signature S Pen Stylus is more responsive than ever. And a must have for fans who like to draw or scribble notes.
3,000 mAh Battery – Enough juice to get the phone through a full day with support to QuickCharge 2.0 that can go from 0-60 in a short period.
‘Live’ Video Broadcast – Share special moments with your loved ones in real time.
Samsung Galaxy Note 5 Verdict
Samsung has yet another world-class performer, the Note 5 – providing both a premium-looking phone and a solid powerhouse. The phone delivers on almost every aspect, in terms of looks, feel, quality, features, and performance. The only trade-off is that there is no microSD card slot or removable battery, which is quite a big turn-off for me. I would love if it could allow me to add a few GBs to the external storage for my huge archives of photos and videos.
Nevertheless, as long as you are fine without those two features, the Note 5 is still worthy for your upgrade. My love for its premium design, 5.7-inch screen size and quad HD resolution of 2,560 x 1,440 pixels display, S Pen Stylus, and its power-packed performance clearly outweigh the missing features, making it one of the best phone in 2015.