Just like every year, we're fully expecting a Galaxy Note around August. But unlike typical Galaxy Note launches, this year has seen the rise of 5G phones, multiple models from Samsung, and even folding screens. There's still a ton of information that we're looking out from Samsung's second flagship of the year.
We're compiling everything we know about the Galaxy Note 10 here, so you can easily keep up with everything there is to know about the phone before Samsung officially announces it. If you'd rather read everything individually, here's all of our Galaxy Note 10 coverage.
Release date and availability
We're pretty close to Samsung announcing this phone, but that doesn't mean we can't figure things out ahead of time. Dating back to the Galaxy Note 5, the S-Pen equipped phones typically launch in August or September each year. August is a little more typical, but the Galaxy Note 8 did see a mid-September launch, so anything's possible. Throw in the possibility of multiple models and that gets even more confusing.
Generally, the Galaxy Note will come out on the third full week of the month, and always on a Friday. If we throw out the Galaxy Note 8's outlier date, that would mean you can buy a Galaxy Note 10 on August 23rd, 2019. With the official announcement happening on August 7th, this would give customers two full weeks to pre-order the device.
That date will probably be pretty close, at least for the Galaxy Note 10, and most likely for the Galaxy Note 10+. The Galaxy S10 5G model came a few months late, so we might have to wait until October or November before the Galaxy Note 10+ 5G is available.
Specs and hardware
This is another area where not much has leaked yet, and the idea of multiple models throws a wrench into our guesses. As a general idea, though, I'd completely expect a Snapdragon 855 CPU in all of the US models with a flagship Exynos in the international variants. The Galaxy Note 9 packed in an absolute ton of RAM, and I bet you can see Samsung push that once again, so we'll assume anywhere from 6 to 12GB depending on the model you go with. Rumors suggest that the phone will start at 256GB of internal storage, offering another upgrade from last year's models. Some newer rumors even point at Samsung using their own upgraded Exynos processors in some models, as well as Qualcomm's slightly faster Snapdragon 855+.
Screen sizes are also going to vary if Samsung makes several different models, with the smallest Galaxy Note 10 coming in around 6.3 inches and the biggest Pro model packing a 6.7-inch display. We're basically getting into small tablet territory.
More cameras are also a selling point for better models, and we've already heard that Samsung will be using fewer cameras on the smaller models to differentiate its high-end phones. It's still going to be a serious contender, but you can expect just three lenses on the Galaxy Note 10 while the Pro models will get an extra camera for the ToF depth sensor.
Samsung has also recently unveiled a 64-megapixel camera sensor, plus a 5x optical zoom camera module, and there's definitely a chance that we see those camera improvements come to the S-Pen wielding superphone. One of the biggest changes looks to be a triple aperture sensor, allowing the Note 10 to dynamically change its aperture between stages to perfect low light photography. Those cameras might be coming in a slightly different visual configuration though, with rumors suggesting they'll sit in a vertical orientation down the side of the phone instead of horizontal across the center like the current Galaxy S10 lineup. Think something more like the iPhone X.
We're very confident that the Galaxy Note 10 will still be rocking a USB-C charging port, but whether or not the headphone jack remains is still up in the air. Some rumors suggest Samsung is removing the 3.5mm port along with the Bixby key (good riddance) while some case renders make it seem like the phone will still have it. However, don't hold your breath on the microSD card slot sticking around in every model.
Design
The design of the Galaxy Note 10 is probably going to be the least leaked aspect of the phone, but it'll also probably be the least important for us to figure out what the phone will look like. Samsung hasn't shifted drastically in the design department for the past few years, and the Note tends to take a lot of design cues from the previous Galaxy S models. However, we have heard rumors that Samsung will be moving away from physical buttons entirely, which would mean capacitive or pressure-sensitive buttons for things like volume and power.
The Galaxy Note 10 won't be drastically shaking things up, but we're definitely seeing a little more Huawei-inspiration this time around. From the colors to the arrangement of cameras and hole punches, it'll be a little different than what we're used to seeing from Samsung, but with a few signature designs, like that curved display.
The hole punch screen is here to stay, at least for another few years, but the cutout looks like it'll be moved around a little differently on the Note 10. Instead of sitting off to the side, Samsung has moved it to the center of the top of the screen, which is honestly pretty similar to a regular old notch that we've been railing against for the last couple of years.
As mentioned earlier, the back of the phone will likely see cameras arranged differently than we've seen in the Galaxy S10 family.
Perhaps the only thing we can say for sure is that Samsung won't be rushing to add a folding screen to their Galaxy Note 10.
Cost
The most painful part of buying a new phone is how much damage it'll do to your wallet, and I don't think the Galaxy Note 10 will be any different. You want the best hardware, you're going to pay for it.
Last year Samsung launched the Galaxy Note 9 at $999 for its base model, and I don't think they'll come off of that with the base model this year considering the Galaxy S10+ also starts at $999. Some rumors have tried to peg the Galaxy Note 10 prices anywhere from $1000 to $1500, and while I don't necessarily disagree with that, I think the higher price tags will be reserved for the Pro and 5G models. The Galaxy S10 5G is around $1300, after all, and Samsung always charges more for the Notes.
What else?
The Note 10 will easily be the most exciting phone of the latter half of 2019, and if you don't mind waiting and paying for that, I don't think you'll be disappointed.
But if you need a phone now and want to save some money or look at your options, the Galaxy Note 9 is still a killer phone that will have most of the features of the Galaxy Note 10 at a fraction of the cost. It's already been updated to Samsung's One UI, still has a killer S-Pen, and there are a ton of deals and savings to be had on it now that it's a few months old.
Even the Galaxy S10 is a compelling alternative, especially if you only care about the Note line for the size. The Galaxy S10+ is just as large as a Galaxy Note, and we're starting to see more promotions on it now that the launch hype has died down.
Galaxy Note 9 Factory Unlocked
Even with the Note 10 on the horizon and the Galaxy S10 out in the wild, the Note 9 is still a killer phone with excellent performance and battery life. Samsung has also done a great job of keeping it updated, and that physical fingerprint scanner is a little more accurate, too.
Samsung 128GB EVO MicroSD Card
If you're worried about a newer phone simply having more storage than your current phone, you can also pick up an upgraded microSD card to breathe a little more life into what you already have. These cards are cheaper than ever, and Samsung's offer excellent value.
