It is August 2015, and Samsung has completed its technical metamorphosis. The Galaxy Note 5 has arrived, shedding the faux-leather and plastic of the past for a stunning ‘glass and metal’ unibody that mirrors the design language of the S6. At 171g, it is thinner and more compact than the Note 4, featuring a curved glass back that makes the 5.7-inch device surprisingly comfortable to hold. In the UK, it has arrived as the definitive choice for the productivity purist, despite a limited initial rollout that has made it a highly sought-after prize.
The technical headline is the 5.7-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED display (2560 x 1440). At 518 PPI, it remains the gold standard of mobile screens, offering peerless contrast and colour accuracy. Under the hood, it is powered by the 14nm Exynos 7420 octa-core processor and a massive 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM, the most ever in a Samsung flagship. This technical muscle makes the multitasking experience on Android 5.1.1 blisteringly fast. The S Pen has also been refined with a new ‘clicky’ top and the ‘Screen-off Memo’ feature, allowing you to jot down ideas on the black screen the second the pen is removed.
On the imaging front, the 16-megapixel camera with an f/1.9 aperture and OIS is widely considered the best in the business, capturing incredible detail even in dim lighting. Connectivity includes 4G LTE Cat 9, Wi-Fi ac, and a new ‘Ultra High Quality’ audio engine. While the loss of the removable battery and microSD slot remains a technical point of contention, the inclusion of integrated fast wireless charging and a 3,000 mAh battery ensures the Note 5 remains a power-user’s dream. It is a sophisticated, precision-engineered tool that finally brings the Note line into the premium modern era.