Samsung Galaxy Note 5 review

Where to buy

Samsung's big-screen Note devices have allowed it to effectively have two Android launches each year, with the Galaxy S series typically launching in the first part of the year while the Note "phablets" appear in the latter half. The Note 5 is the 2015 model, and maintains many of the expected Note features from previous generations, alongside some welcome improvements.

Upsides

• Decent processor performance: The Note 5 doesn't have the strongest benchmark figures amongst 2015 releases, but it's plenty powerful enough and you're unlikely to experience any sense of lag for day-to-day tasks. Here's how the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 compares to a range of popular premium handsets on our standard benchmarks:
  

  Handset	Geekbench 3 Single Core (higher is better)	Geekbench 3 Multi Core (higher is better)
  Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+	1492	4893
  Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge	1324	4626
  Google Nexus 6P	1251	4597
  Samsung Galaxy Note 5	1111	3686
  Samsung Galaxy S6	1347	4569
  Apple iPhone 6S	2540	4410
  Apple iPhone 6S Plus	2491	4391
  Google Nexus 5X	1188	3198

• Top-notch display: While it's the same size as its predecessor the Note 4, the display on the Note 5 is notably clearer and brighter, and easily viewed in a wide range of lighting conditions. That's especially welcome when you're dealing with a larger screen. The Note 5 is also slightly thinner and lighter than its predecessor, making it more pleasant to hold.
• Enhanced S-pen: The other key selling point for the Note is the integrated S-pen stylus. Enhancements for the Note 5 include the ability to customise the options for the Air Command menu which appears when you hover over the screen with the S-pen, and the option to scrawl memos using the stylus even when the phone is locked.
• Exceptional battery life: The larger size for the Note range has always meant that it offers solid day-long battery performance, and that continues with the Note 5, which beats out most of the class of 2015 thanks to its 3000maH battery. It can also charge extremely quickly with the supplied fast charger. Here's how it rated using Geekbench's inbuilt battery test with the screen dimmed:
  

  Handset	Geekbench 3 Battery Test Duration	Geekbench 3 Battery Score
  Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+	8:24:10	5041
  Apple iPhone 6S Plus	7:48:10	4681
  Samsung Galaxy Note 5	9:18:00	5580
  Samsung Galaxy S6	6:51:30	4115
  Google Nexus 5X	7:14:20	4062
  Google Nexus 6P	6:39:20	3754
  Apple iPhone 6s	3:52:10	2321

Downsides

• No removable battery: As with Samsung's Galaxy S6, there's no longer an option to swap out the battery (or simply remove it to force a reboot). The impressive battery performance means this won't be a huge issue for many users, but if you're a serious power hog it's worth bearing in mind.
• It's a big device: Not everyone is keen on phablet-sized phones, but in the Galaxy universe, if you want the S-Pen, you'll have to settle for the bigger screen.
• No expandable storage: There's no expandable storage option for the Galaxy Note 5, a frustration which is enhanced by the fact that only the 32GB variant has officially gone on sale in Australia.

Verdict

If you want a large screen Samsung device, your main choices are the Note 5 or the Galaxy S6 Edge+. The Note 5 has slightly better battery life and offers the integrated S-Pen; the Edge+ offers the unusual side-of-screen interface. Both are solid choices, but if you're looking for a phone for productivity purposes, the Note 5 is a better fit.

Other larger-screened handsets you might consider include the Google Nexus 6P and the LG G4. In the iPhone world, you're looking at the iPhone 6s Plus.

Pricing and availability

The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 is no longer available either outright or on contract from local carriers. You can still purchase import stock from various online retailers, however, such as eBay sellers and Amazon.

Specifications