Samsung won’t be trying to reinvent the wheel — or better said – display — with the Galaxy Note 10, according to a newly spotted benchmark listing that sheds new light on some basic specifications of the upcoming Android phablet.
An entry found in the newly refreshed database of browser performance rating tool HTML5test suggests the Galaxy Note 10 will have a resolution of 3,044 by 1,440 pixels, which is identical to the resolution supported by the Galaxy S10 range released several months ago. The aspect ratio that amounts that’s even slimmer than a perfect 19:9 (2:1) is a novelty for Samsung who first embraced it with its last series of high-end Android smartphones.
The company traditionally did little to innovate on the design front with the Galaxy Note family, having usually opted to assemble every generation of the line as the culmination of that year’s Galaxy S range but enhanced with the addition of an S-Pen stylus, higher-capacity battery, and somewhat improved software. That product strategy is understood to be in for a shake-up in late summer, with Samsung being understood to have decided to scrap its conventional approach in favor of a more diversified series of devices more akin to Samsung Galaxy S10.5, so to speak.
The new approach should primarily be reflected by the existence of a more affordable Galaxy Note 10 model designed with the goal of offering better value for money than other members of the series, sources claimed earlier this year. In that regard, the device is expected to be somewhat similar to the Galaxy S10e. Much like this year’s Galaxy S series included four models, so will the Galaxy Note 10, though Samsung is said to be planning a slightly different breakdown of the new portfolio and base it around two distinct devices manufactured in both 5G and 4G-only variants.
A 6.28-inch screen is rumored to be part of the smaller pair of phablets – the SM-N970 and (5G-ready) SM-N971. That duo will be marketed as the Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy Note 10 5G, with Samsung supposedly looking to accompany it with Pro-branded (LTE-only) SM-N975 and (5G-enabled) SM-N976 which are expected to utilize 6.75-inch screens but without a resolution change. In other words, the QHD+ experience will definitely be even denser on the more affordable models, hence being even more suitable for virtual reality applications. Not that this expected quality will amount to much seeing how Samsung has all but dropped its VR portfolio, presumably due to disappointing sales.
The exact device whose benchmark revealed the information outlined above appears to be the 5G version of the Galaxy Note 10 5G intended to be used on Verizon’s next-generation network, as suggested by its model number – SM-N976V. 5G capabilities remain a niche feature in the mobile world, having just been introduced to consumer-grade products this spring. The vast majority of telecom operators around the world aren’t expected to offer large-scale 5G coverage until at least next year, yet Samsung apparently believes using the new connectivity standard as a basis for special variants of all of its upcoming flagships is a worthwhile investment.
The Galaxy Note 10 series is likely to launch in August.