Samsung Galaxy Note 5 Review

The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 is hands down the best Galaxy Note ever released. In fact, it’s the best Android smartphone, period.

While the Galaxy Note 5 does have a few compromises to go along with the new design, it’s Samsung’s most premium smartphone so far. It delivers several features the iPhone and other Android competition can’t, with the S-Pen stylus or fingerprint scanner, and is just an all-around fabulous device. The Galaxy Note 5’s premium new design, unbeatable 5.7-inch screen and exceptional 16 megapixel camera earned it a GottaBeMobile Editors’ Choice Award.

It has a beautiful and big 5.7-inch display wrapped in an all-new aluminum design, enhancements to the S-Pen stylus, the latest version of Android and more, all while being smaller than last year’s Galaxy Note. This is a smartphone I can recommend without hesitation.

Samsung sent over a Galaxy Note 5 to review, an AT&T model priced at $739 off contract, or $30 a month for 24 months. It’s an expensive purchase considering it loses features compared to the Note 4, but more on that below. I’ve used it nearly three weeks alongside a trusty Galaxy S6 and Nexus 6, and have come to love its perfect size. It isn’t too big, like older Note phones, and isn’t too small either. I’ll be focusing mainly on the 5.7-inch display, the new S-Pen stylus features and the great camera.

There’s no getting around the fact that this is a big smartphone and may be too oversized for some users. That said, this year Samsung packed better specs, improved hardware and more features into a device smaller than last year’s even though it has the same size screen. That makes the Note 5 finally a device easy enough for most to hold and use with one hand, which has always been a problem for the Note line.

What We Like:

• Unbeatable 5.7-inch 2560 x 1440 Quad-HD Display
• 16 Megapixel Camera that’s great for beginners & advanced enough for photography enthusiasts
• Completely revamped all-aluminum and glass design
• Smaller than the Galaxy Note 4, easier to hold and use
• Fast & Wireless Charging

What We Don’t Like:

• No micro-SD slot to expand storage
• No removable or replaceable battery
• Smaller battery than last years Note 4

Bottom Line: Those in the market for a big phone will likely end up getting the Note 5 and will love it. It has everything buyers love about the Galaxy S6 but it’s bigger, better and faster. Samsung has finally put together a well-rounded premium smartphone. The design, camera and screen can’t be beat. The S-Pen has tons of new features that makes it worth using: the fingerprint scanner is better than last year and they added wireless mobile payments (Samsung Pay) that will work everywhere. Not to mention fast charging and fast wireless charging. Then they wrapped it in an aluminum frame that’s better than the iPhone 6.

This phone has it all, does it all and looks good doing it. Samsung thought of everything. The only downside is there’s no micro-SD slot, which is a huge compromise due to the new design. But with 32 or 64GB of storage and the cloud, users will barely miss the micro-SD slot.

Galaxy Note 5 Display

The Galaxy Note 5 has the best screen I’ve ever used. It’s simply gorgeous. It has better colors and a higher resolution than any iPhone with a Retina Display, as well as higher than most HDTV’s. Whether users watch movies, play games, send texts or browse the web everything is bright, crisp and clear.

The biggest factor for me, and buyers, is that it’s the same 5.7-inch size as last year with a 2560 x 1440 Quad HD (2k) resolution, yet the device is physically smaller than the Galaxy Note 4. This is the first Galaxy Note I’ve felt comfortable holding.

Put it side-by-side with most of the competition and it’s somewhat hard to tell a difference, but it’s brighter and has better colors. I enjoy the fact that it has a bigger screen than the competition, but is physically smaller and easier to hold.

Galaxy Note 5 Design

There is no fake leather design on back, plastic that looks aluminum like the Galaxy Note 3 or other awful design flaws. This is a premium smartphone made out of aluminum with clean, chamfered edges and covered in durable, strengthened Gorilla Glass 4 on the front and back. When we say this is Samsung’s best phone we mean it. It’s a shining example of what a “premium” smartphone should be.