Finally, the much awaited Samsung Galaxy Note5 is available in India. Yes, Samsung launched Galaxy Note5 in India on 7th September, 2015. And it is gorgeous. Ok, you may very well say that beauty lies in beholder's eyes. And yes, I, as the beholder, was already under its spell considering its specifications and features. But it did look gorgeous to me! It is slimmer, shinier, swifter and is full of the 'wow' factor.
Samsung India Vice President, Marketing, IT & Mobile, Mr. Asim Warsi said, "The Galaxy Note has been an iconic device in the world of mobility. The Galaxy Note ushered in the large screen revolution and created an industry benchmark. The Note series has been a testimony to our commitment to keep innovating and giving our consumers what they need. In the beautifully crafted Galaxy Note5, we have pushed the S-Pen based productivity to the next level."
Note devices have been winning fans since Samsung launched the first Note device. And although every new Galaxy Note comes at a higher price, the popularity of Samsung's Note series is only increasing. And now that the Note5 is here, I can foresee it winning the heart of its users.
So here are the highlights of Samsung Galaxy Note5:
Appearance: Samsung Galaxy Note5 measures 153.2 x 76.1 x 7.6mm and weighs 171g. It's a phablet device, and yet it does not feel bulky to hold. It is available in Black Sapphire, Gold Platinum and Silver Titanium colours. Note 5 has a metal and glass body with a curved and reflective back that fits comfortably in palm and reflects light to make the device stand out. The Phablet device has 5.7 (143.9mm) Quad HD Super AMOLED, 2560 x 1440 (518ppi) display and a very narrow bezel around it to allow more immersive experience while viewing images or videos etc. The key placements is same as in other Samsung devices. Nothing new there.
Hardware: Being a premium device, of course, it has high specifications. Let's begin with the processing power. Note5 has Octa core (2.1GHz Quad + 1.5GHz Quad), 64 bit, 14 nm processor. As for internal storage, Note5 is available in 32GB and 64GB versions. Both versions have 4GB RAM which will help in ensuring good speed while multi-tasking on Note5. The device is powered by 3,000mAh battery with Fast Charging technology both on wired and wireless charging. The wireless charging is compatible with WPC and PMA. The Operating system is Android 5.1 (Lollipop). Note 5 has LTE Cat.6 capability.
Camera: Samsung Galaxy Note5 has 16 MP OIS (F1.9) rear camera and 5MP (F1.9) front camera. The camera modes include Live Video Broadcast. When this mode is used, it sends a YouTube link to chosen recipients or public so they can watch on their computers and smartphones the live stream of whatever you are filming. Other camera features include Video Collage and Video Highlight. The camera is capable of 4K (UHD) video filming. Note 5 has Quick Launch feature for camera. That is, users can launch the camera in less than 2 seconds by just by double clicking the home button. The camera shortcut is available on Lockscreen as well. The camera of Samsung Galaxy Note5 also has Auto Real-time High Dynamic Range (HDR), and Smart Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) and several new filters.
Battery and Fast Charging: As stated before, Galaxy Note5 has 3,000mAh battery with fast wired and wireless charging technology. The wireless charging technology of Note5 is compatible with any wireless pad available at present. With wired charging, the device can get fully charged in about 90 minutes.
S-Pen: The highlight of Note devices is of course their stylus or the S-Pen. The S-Pen of Note 5 feels very comfortable to use. In fact, it feels and weighs so much like a normal pen that it is easy to forget that it's a stylus. It can be taken out from its slot by just clicking at its back end. This springs it out a little from its slot and makes it easy for the user to slide it out.
Writing on the device using the S-Pen is very comfortable. The interesting thing is that now the S-Pen can also write on the black screen, without unlocking the phone. Just slide out the pen and start writing. You can even erase what you have written and easily save the quick scribble for later use. The S-Pen can also be used to write on PDF files. There's a very interesting feature that allows the users to write their signatures on the documents which can then be printed out. Using S-Pen and the Scroll-Capture features, users can also easily capture long images or webpages by just scrolling and capturing, without breaking the content in various images.
Air Commands: The Air Commands have been re-designed too and look cleaner, more vibrant and more intuitive. Users can also add their favourite app as shortcut in the Air Commands. The Air Commands definitely seem to respond faster and with more precision when compared to previous Note devices.
Side Sync: The Side Sync feature has also received some upgrading in Note5. It can sync Note5 with computer or tablet using wired or wireless connection. The auto-detection and quick setup can make it easier for users to sync their Note5 with other devices.
Security: Samsung Galaxy Note5 claims to be enterprise ready smartphone. It is equipped with KNOX Active Protection which can help the users in protecting their sensitive data. And of course, it has the Fingerprint scanner.
Accessories: Samsung has made available several cool accessories for Note5. This, of course, includes Samsung Wireless Charger. But what I found more interesting is the range of cases that are going to be available for Galaxy Note5. These included shiny and sparkly cases in vibrant colours and also cases in more sober and subdued colours and finish. One unique case I noticed had a pocket for the smartphone to slide into. The upper side of this pocket had a keyboard. I'm not sure whether that is a functioning keyboard capable of turning the smartphone into touch-and-type. But if it is, than I'm sure many users will love it.
Availability and Price: The Galaxy Note5 will start selling in Indian markets starting from September 20, 2015. It will be available in Black Sapphire, Gold Platinum and Silver Titanium colours options and two memory variants. The 32GB memory variant is priced at INR 53,900 and the 64 GB memory variant is available in India for INR 59,900.
- Display: 5.7 (143.9mm) Quad HD Super AMOLED, 2560 x 1440 (518ppi)
- Dimensions: 153.2 x 76.1 x 7.6mm
- Weight: 171g
- Processor: Octa core (2.1GHz Quad + 1.5GHz Quad), 64 bit, 14 nm process
- Internal Storage: 32/64GB (UFS 2.0)
- RAM: 4GB (LPDDR4)
- OS: Android 5.1 (Lollipop)
- Camera: Rear 16MP OIS (F1.9) / Front : 5MP (F1.9)
- Battery: 3,000mAh, Fast Charging both on wired and wireless / Wireless Charging compatible with WPC and PMA
- Network: LTE Cat.6
- Connectivity: WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, MIMO(2×2) / Bluetooth® v 4.2 LE, ANT+, USB 2.0, NFC
- Sensors: Accelerometer, Proximity, RGB Light, Geo-magnetic, Gyro, Fingerprint, Barometer, Hall, HRM
- Colour: Black Sapphire, Gold Platinum and Silver Titanium colours
- Note5 Price in India: INR 53,900 (32GB) / INR 59,900.(64 GB)
