The Samsung Galaxy Note series typically its most popular series of Galaxy smartphones because not only you’ll get the S Pen and a large display but they’ve also fixed most flaws and problems that were experienced on the S series. And today, we’re gonna review one of the flagship phablet of Samsung, the Samsung Galaxy Note 5.
Design and Hardware
Its smaller brother, the Galaxy S6 is harder to hold due to its less curvy back and I was actually expecting that this smartphone would be even harder to grip because of its large display and metal frame that looks similar to the Samsung Galaxy S6 but I was wrong. The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 features a curve back which lets you easily hold the phone despite having a phablet size. Actually, it felt more comfortable to hold the Galaxy Note 5 compared to the Galaxy S6.
Samsung has changed their design language this year. Instead of going into removable batteries and expandable storages, they’ve opted for non-removable back and you can just rely on the internal storage or USB OTG. But of course, that compromise came with an added benefit to the smartphone. It’s now using premium materials all over the smartphone and it’s a combination of glass and metal which is really very premium to hold and use.
The Micro USB port is still placed below the smartphone along with the speaker grill and the 3.5mm audio port and you can also see where you can put the S Pen. Unlike the previous note devices, the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 have a different mechanics for S Pen. You have to press the S Pen to remove it and if you’ve reversibly put the S Pen into the hole, you might break the S Pen port.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 might support Dual Nano Sim but unfortunately, it doesn’t support MicroSD cards which might be a deal-breaker for some people. Nonetheless, expect more flagship devices without expandable storage support soon because it has become a norm,
Display
One thing that I love about Samsung smartphones is its displays because they’re really good. On the Samsung Galaxy Note 5, we got a 5.7-inch QHD Super AMOLED Display and it’s one of the best in the market. The colors were really vivid and it’s really bright even when outside. The display of the Galaxy Note 5 is really beautiful and I enjoy by just looking at its colors LOL.
One of the advantages of having the Galaxy Note 5 is its S Pen and one small feature that I love in it is you can already write on the display once you remove the S Pen. It’s a small feature on the Galaxy Note 5 but it really affects me on how I use the smartphone. It’s a really an awesome feature on the smartphone.
Software and Performance
The performance of the Exynos processor is impressive on the Galaxy Note 5 but one thing that I hate in the it is it gets too hot especially on the Galaxy S6 but on the Galaxy Note 5, I notice that it doesn’t heat up that much compared to its smaller brother. And yes, when it comes to performance, the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 doesn’t disappoint because it can run most games and applications without a problem.
Again, one of the biggest features of the Note series is its S Pen. The pen is very useful especially for those productive who are always on the go. S Pen is really an awesome feature for a smartphone. Gone are the days when you have to pull out a pen and a paper just to take notes because the Galaxy Note 5 is already enough for you.
When taking down notes, the Galaxy Note 5 feels more natural compared to the previous generations. There’s no lag and the pressure sensitivity of the display was accurate. Pulling out a pen from the Galaxy Note 5 already lets you write in the display immediately and yes, it’s fast and it’s perfect for immediate note-taking.
The smartphone is still powered by the TouchWiz UI. It’s flat, colorful and fast. The colors are perfect for the Super AMOLED display of the smartphone. In my usage, I didn’t experience lags and slowdowns which are really good to hear. Lags and slowdowns are some of the reasons why sometimes I prefer a Nexus or iOS device.
One of the compromises that was made on this phablet to make it more premium is its battery. The Galaxy Note 5 features a 3000mAh battery compared to the 3220mAh battery that was used last year. When we base it on the numbers, the Galaxy Note 4 wins even if it’s the older brother but in real life usage, I found the Galaxy Note 5’s battery life performance just similar to the Galaxy Note 4. It’s not surprising and I was able to get a day of normal use. Sometimes, I don’t use my power bank for a day with the Galaxy Note 5.
Camera
The Galaxy Note 5 got one of the best cameras in the smartphone market. Sometimes, I don’t even stopped using my Sony A5000 just for the Galaxy Note 5 because the smartphone’s camera is really good. As expected, the 16 Megapixel rear camera of the smartphone performs great. Whether you’re in low-light conditions or not, the Galaxy Note 5 was really great.
Verdict
The Galaxy Note 5 is definitely one of the best smartphones in the market that you can get right now. For some consumers, they might not always use the S Pen but it’s a really good addition to the smartphone that can change how you use it. Besides, drawing or writing something using the S Pen and the S Note is a great way to get out of boredom while waiting in line or something like that. Again, the Galaxy Note 5 is a great smartphone despite its compromises.
