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Should you buy a Samsung Galaxy Note 10? Here's what our readers think.
Each year, the newest entry in the Galaxy Note line becomes one of the hottest phones of the year. Last year, both Android Authority reviewers and readers considered the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 the best overall phone of the year. Now, we have the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10 Pro — will they continue the trend?
We posted our official review of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus today, so you now know what we think. But what do general Android fans think? We poured through comments on our site, tweets, poll results, and more to find an overall picture of what the general public thinks of these two new smartphones.
If you’re thinking of buying a Samsung Galaxy Note 10 or Note 10 Plus, you might find some helpful information below. Remember that these comments are not from professional tech reviewers — these are general smartphone users who happen to be passionate about Android.
The phones are really, really expensive
If there’s one pervasive opinion floating around online related to the new Note 10 and Note Plus it’s how expensive the devices are. The lowest-end Note 10 starts at $950 while the highest-end Note 10 Plus 5G will set you back a whopping $1,400.
An Android Authority commenter had this to say on the Note 10’s price: “$1,000 and no removable storage, pathetic battery, missing headphone jack, and a worse low-light camera with a hole punched in the display? It’s like Samsung is actively trying to lose customers.”
The Note 10 line isn't much more expensive than the Galaxy S10 line, but it's still too much for some users.
Those high prices are especially hard to stomach for the users who don’t mind sticking with older hardware. Here’s what another commenter had to say about that: “My Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is still rock solid and if it came down to it I might jump to a Note 9 once the price goes down. I was also looking at the extras they usually give and it’s a joke: six months of Spotify? They are clearly missing the point.”
However, many users are also commending Samsung for the trade-in discounts the company offers. Depending on what your current phone is, you could see more than 50 percent of the Note 10’s price slashed right off.
Here’s what one commenter had to say on that point: “I pre-ordered the Galaxy Note 10 Plus in blue. Samsung offered me $600 to trade in my Note 9. Plus $200 in accessories, so I got a factory case, a pair of Samsung Galaxy Buds, and more. With those factored in, the Note 10 Plus was more like $300.”
The removal of the headphone jack is the worst thing ever
When rumors started to bubble up that the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 would come without a headphone jack — the first official flagship from Samsung not to feature the beloved port — Samsung fans were pretty upset. One fan had this to say in an Android Authority article about the headphone dongle that comes with the Note 10: “Of course I won’t upgrade from the Note 9 to the Note 10 if there isn’t a normal headphone jack. That would be nuts.”
Once Samsung made the Note 10 official and we knew for certain it wouldn’t have a headphone jack, things didn’t get much better. There are very few Note 10-related articles on this site that don’t feature at least one comment from someone lambasting Samsung for the removal of the 3.5mm jack.
Here’s a commenter on that topic making it very clear how they feel: “So the Note 9 sounds like my first and last Samsung phone. No 3.5mm jack in something I would spend $1,000 on? Nope nope nope. Nope.”
Here’s a comment on Twitter to further send the message home:
Thank you for this “no one should be punished for not having the funds or preferring to not purchase expensive Bluetooth headphones.”I love how the phone looks, effin beaut, but no jack, not for me. 💁♂️— Gurr-gussy (@RazSalleh) August 23, 2019
It should be noted that Samsung does include a pair of USB-C headphones in the box with a new Galaxy Note 10, so you still will have wired headphone options. See the photo below for a look at the headphones as well as some differing opinions on the removal of the 3.5mm port.
The removal of the headphone jack is no big deal
Despite the fact that many people are incredibly passionate about the headphone jack, there is a sizable portion of Android enthusiasts who simply don’t care. For those people, the removal of the jack from the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 has little effect on them.
Here’s what one commenter had to say: “Everybody has their own opinion on what features matter to them. For me, the 3.5mm jack is meaningless, but the ultra-wide camera is an amazing add over the Note 9. I ordered the Note 10 Plus for all the bells and whistles — it’ll be a great device for me.”
For many users, the removal of the headphone jack is no big deal. Many believe it's just time to move on.
Another commenter didn’t mince words when it comes to people who get upset about the slow death of the headphone jack: “People grumbling about the headphone jack are living in the early 2000s. Bluetooth headphones are more convenient and just as good in quality.”
Finally, another commenter has already moved on: “I’m sure Samsung did their homework on market studies and came to the conclusion the headphone jack just wasn’t needed. At least I hope so. Regardless, it’s done. Give it a moment of silence and we all get on with our lives.”
Note addicts are buying the Note 10 Plus without question
Despite misgivings about the prices of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10 Plus and the controversial decision to remove the headphone jack from both phones, that’s not stopping self-described “Note addicts” from buying one.
One commenter simply couldn’t pass up the deal Verizon is offering (buy a Note 10 or Note 10 Plus and get a Note 10 free): “I was not going to upgrade, but the deal from Verizon was too good to pass up. Had to go with the Note 10 Plus since the microSD card is a non-starter for me, but I will use the accessories credit to get some Galaxy Buds so the 3.5mm jack is no loss to me.”
For some users, the newest Note phone is a no-brainer: once it comes out, you buy it, since it's the best-of-the-best.
Here’s another person who didn’t hesitate: “Absolutely going with Note 10 Plus. I never miss a new Note and won’t wait for price drops — if I do, by that time I’m anticipating the next one. Just a few more days!”
Finally, here’s one person who’s not even buying one, but two: “I ordered both the Note 10 and the Note 10 Plus with the intention of using both for a few days then decide and return one. However, I did check them out again in a store and am pretty sure I’ll be keeping the Note 10 Plus.”
Hopefully, these comments will help you make a decision on whether to buy the phone or not. If you’ve already decided, click the button below! If you need some more in-depth info, check out our full review here.