When it comes to phablets, Samsung (SSNLF) knows what it’s doing, and the Galaxy Note 5 is the best big phone the company has ever released.
The company kicked off the craze for really big smartphones with the original Samsung Galaxy Note, and it has been refining the design ever since. While a device this large isn’t for everyone, it became so popular that Apple (AAPL) was forced to abandon its long-held belief that smaller is better and respond with the iPhone 6 Plus.
The Galaxy Note 5 has the same big screen as last year’s version, but thanks to the new glass-and-metal design aesthetic Samsung introduced with the Galaxy S6, this year’s version is the slimmest and best-looking yet.
You can even order an optional qwerty keyboard case that makes it an Android alternative to a BlackBerry (BBRY).
However, good as it is overall, a major design flaw has turned up with the integrated S Pen stylus, and it has the potential to cause serious damage to the smartphone.
Read our Galaxy Note 5 review for all the details, good and bad.
Galaxy Note 5 Review: The Leading Phablet Gets Better
Like all of the company’s flagship smartphones, one of the primary knocks against the Samsung Galaxy Note has always been its bulk and its relatively low-rent plastic exterior.
Samsung is responding to the criticisms and, like the Galaxy S6 released earlier this year, the Galaxy Note 5 gets a premium design overhaul featuring aluminum and Gorilla Glass. The new look isn’t just more upscale, it’s sleeker.
Despite having the same super-sized 5.7-inch display as its predecessor, the new Galaxy Note 5 shrinks slightly in all directions and is 11% thinner.
The improvements don’t stop at looks. As with the Galaxy S6, Samsung skipped the Qualcomm (QCOM) Snapdragon and put its own octa-core Exynos 7420 CPU inside, along with an incredible 4GB of RAM — in comparison, the iPhone 6 Plus has just 1GB of RAM.
The Galaxy Note 5 also gets the excellent cameras from the Galaxy S6, a touch fingerprint sensor and a metallic-finish S Pen that “clicks” when inserted. It will also support Samsung Pay when that service launches.
The new Samsung Galaxy Note 5 also has fast recharging and adds optional wireless recharging. And speaking of options, fans of BlackBerry’s physical qwerty keyboards will appreciate the optional keyboard cover, featuring a detachable qwerty keyboard.
In short, the Galaxy Note 5 is the best yet in a series that has dominated the phablet category.
Galaxy Note 5 Review: A Few Features Disappear, S Pen Flaw
Unfortunately, it’s not all good news for Galaxy fans.
As with the Galaxy S6, the new super-slim design means two features had to be jettisoned. The Galaxy Note 5 has no microSD card slot for cheap storage upgrades, and it also loses the ability to pop off the back panel and swap out the battery.
Anyone who’s used an iPhone is already accustomed to these limitations, but not all Samsung Galaxy Note fans are happy about the trade-off.
The bigger issue has the potential to turn into a “Bendgate”-level public relations nightmare for Samsung.
AndroidPolice first reported on an issue where the new S Pen could be easily inserted into its slot on the Galaxy Note 5 backward. Once there, it gets jammed and trying to remove it often ends in S Pen detection functionality being broken — not to mention ruining the ejection mechanism for the stylus.
In previous Galaxy Notes, the S Pen simply wouldn’t fit in the slot backward, so accidentally trying had no repercussion.
It looks as though Samsung was aware of the design flaw and released the Galaxy Note 5 anyway, with multiple official responses from Samsung to AndroidPolice essentially telling owners to read the instructions to avoid problems.
Galaxy Note 5 Review: Specs
- 5.7-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED display at 518 ppi
- Samsung Exynos 7420 octa-core, 64-bit processor with 4GB of RAM
- 32GB or 64GB built-in storage
- 16MP primary camera with optical image stabilization
- Fingerprint sensor and heart rate sensor
- 802.11a/b/g/n/ac dual-band MIMO support
- Bluetooth 4.2, USB 2.0, NFC, MST, ANT+
- Supports Samsung Pay
- S Pen stylus
- 3,000mAh battery rated at up to 21 hours talk time
- Fast charge with wireless charging capability
- 0.3 inches thick, weighs 6.0 ounces
- Runs Android 5.1 (Lollipop)
- Starts at $699.99 off contract
Galaxy Note 5 Review: Conclusion
The Galaxy Note 5 is a beautiful smartphone, and thanks to a switch to from ”faux leather” plastic to a glass and metal design, it’s the sleekest looking Samsung Galaxy Note to date.
The display is excellent, the new slim design fits in a hand better, the CPU is a powerhouse, the camera snaps great pics and the S Pen functionality is significantly improved and offers a real reason to use the stylus — so long as you’re careful in putting it away.
Times have changed, though, and Samsung no longer has the phablet space to itself.
Whether the Galaxy Note 5 has what it takes to hold off the forthcoming iPhone 6s Plus or cheaper big smartphones like new Motorola Moto X, we’ll have to wait and see. It’s certainly going to be a tougher slog than ever, and the S Pen controversy isn’t going to help any.
However, for the many loyal fans of the Samsung Galaxy Note series, this is the new must-have device.
As of this writing, Robert Martin did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.
More From InvestorPlace:
