Samsung Note 5 rumors/hype thread

[Artdeco]

So some thoughts after 24 hours:



10. Samsung gives a 30% coupon for registering device - I may use it for the fast wireless charger.

That coupon is great, I always used mine to buy a 2nd battery and or a charger.

 

[KentState]

So far, the LTE speed has been great too. The first test was while downloading apps yesterday.

 

[mnewsham]

So some thoughts after 24 hours:

1. Fingerprint scanner is great -yes, I know you iPhone owners and S6 owners are used to a good one, but just a light touch unlocks very quickly.

2. Build is great - feels great, I really like the curve on the back as an accent and to hold. Oddly more comfortable from a size POV than my Note 4 - even though its just a mm here and there.

3. It is slippery compared to the Note 4 - though I do have a slim case on the way which I'll decide whether to use. Honestly feels less slippery than the 6 Plus, though I'd have more confidence in the 6 Plus to survive moderate drops without damage.

4. Stock UI and layout is toned down from the Note 4 - seemed fine to me. Theme stores are a nice touch that many OEMs are using - I switched to the Material Dark theme (like I had on my Note 4) and it looks great. Way way easier than finding a theme and flashing it manually.

5. The Note 5 has a higher information density than the Note 4 (i.e. more content per screen) as the lcd_density is 560 instead of 640. Makes a noticeable and positive difference.

6. So far everything is fluid and fast - a small, but noticeable improvement over the Note 4 which had the occasional hiccup.

7. Setting up was surprisingly easy as I used the NFC tap option for the first time - you touch your old phone to your new phone. All my apps and accounts auto downloaded - I still had to login to my apps, but it certainly made setup faster.

8. Screen is excellent as expected - I always use Basic mode and it looks great.

9. Charges crazy fast - faster even than my Note 4. 15 minutes of charge gets you a ton of battery life.

10. Samsung gives a 30% coupon for registering device - I may use it for the fast wireless charger.

I agree with pretty much everything here, I am loving the phone so far, really a pleasure to use.

Also that 30% off coupon is going towards a wireless fast charger for sure.

 

[gorcorps]

So some thoughts after 24 hours:

1. Fingerprint scanner is great -yes, I know you iPhone owners and S6 owners are used to a good one, but just a light touch unlocks very quickly.

2. Build is great - feels great, I really like the curve on the back as an accent and to hold. Oddly more comfortable from a size POV than my Note 4 - even though its just a mm here and there.

3. It is slippery compared to the Note 4 - though I do have a slim case on the way which I'll decide whether to use. Honestly feels less slippery than the 6 Plus, though I'd have more confidence in the 6 Plus to survive moderate drops without damage.

4. Stock UI and layout is toned down from the Note 4 - seemed fine to me. Theme stores are a nice touch that many OEMs are using - I switched to the Material Dark theme (like I had on my Note 4) and it looks great. Way way easier than finding a theme and flashing it manually.

5. The Note 5 has a higher information density than the Note 4 (i.e. more content per screen) as the lcd_density is 560 instead of 640. Makes a noticeable and positive difference.

6. So far everything is fluid and fast - a small, but noticeable improvement over the Note 4 which had the occasional hiccup.

7. Setting up was surprisingly easy as I used the NFC tap option for the first time - you touch your old phone to your new phone. All my apps and accounts auto downloaded - I still had to login to my apps, but it certainly made setup faster.

8. Screen is excellent as expected - I always use Basic mode and it looks great.

9. Charges crazy fast - faster even than my Note 4. 15 minutes of charge gets you a ton of battery life.

10. Samsung gives a 30% coupon for registering device - I may use it for the fast wireless charger.

How did you get the material dark theme on your note 4?

 

[KentState]

I agree with pretty much everything here, I am loving the phone so far, really a pleasure to use.

Also that 30% off coupon is going towards a wireless fast charger for sure.

I'm also really liking this phone. The form factor and materials is great, no lag and a great screen. For my personal use, this is the best phone on the market.

 

[mnewsham]

I'm also really liking this phone. The form factor and materials is great, no lag and a great screen. For my personal use, this is the best phone on the market.

agreed, as long as you dont NEED a removable battery or specifically mSD card support (Some users are going USB OTG storage options, but that's not going to interest me I dont think) then this phone really is amazing.

 

[KentState]

BTW, I picked up this charger and it did a good job overnight. No problems with getting it to charge or alignment.

http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00Y839YMU?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

 

[dawheat]

How did you get the material dark theme on your note 4?

Rooted, got it on xda and flashed through twrp.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/note-4-tmobile/themes-apps/theme-foreverlocos-lobotomy-t-mobile-t3124130

 

[krumme]

Why no non edge s6+ model in lineup?

 

[krumme]

Any theories as to why there is no note 5 in europe yet?
Are they eg. ajusting production to lower level - waiting for demand to easy and then take eu?

 

[mnewsham]

Why no non edge s6+ model in lineup?

you mean the note5?

 

[s44]

So... The 4100mah device is apparently the Note 5 Active.

Interesting... Apart from the AT&T part.

 

[hellfire88]

Thanks all for the feedback and thoughts regarding Note 4 to Note 5, I think I'll stick with the Note 4 for now (I'm running all stock, don't feel like modifying it and tripping Knox to lose the warranty).

By the way, regarding wireless chargers this one I have works quite well, it's 3 coil so you don't have to find the "sweet spot" as much to charge as compared to some other ones. I used it with my Nexus 6 before I sold that for the Note 4

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00JA...ger+3+coil&dpPl=1&dpID=31WE9MNpp9L&ref=plSrch

 

[Zaap]

Hands on first time with the Note 5 ( and S6 edge+) today.
Eh.

Fine, the N5 is a great device on it's own, but for previous Note owners (me certainly) who really like the full feature set, none of its improvements are enough to overcome it's feature downgrades. Loss of SD storage is just too much a kick in the ass to me.

I also despise..loathe...HATE the glass back. It feels slippery and nasty...it doesn't even look good. Glass is an idiotic material for a phone. People will cover it up to protect it (so whats the point?) Or put up with it making the phone slippery in hand and eventually shattered and cracked like so many iPhone 4 owners I recall. Just a dumb backward ass move the glass nonsense IMO.

Much as I'm not impressed by the Note 5, I recognize its an awesome device and will probably sell well with people new to Samsung and the Note line, if not previous hardcore Note fans. It could be a smart move to attract new users as opposed to appease current Note owners, I dunno.

But for me the thing that hits home biggest: side by side with the Note 4, the Mg still IMO is the MUCH better device in every way save stats. The N4 looks more preimum. Looks/feels sturdier, and feels like more of a serious device than a boutique toy that the N5 borders on.

I wish Samsung and others hadnt swallowed so much Apple cool-aid; the back of the N4 looks and feels far better, more practical, more serious than that slimey glass mess on the N5. That that glass is to accomodate the loss of two key Note features is IMO just insult to injury.

Kinda sad as I've had the N2,N3 and N4 and felt each was atleast a decent step past the last, or at least an adequate refinement (N4). Each time I've felt the momentum to own the next subside a little... but bottom line I still wanted to own the next. Not this time.

The N5 for me breaks the trend. I feel its too much of a downgrade for no real purpose other than some notion of 'hipness' which I've never cared about with electronic devices. Form definitely overtook function which is a detriment to the Note IMO.

Oddest to me is what would compel most people to buy an N5 vs. an edge+? The pen? I don't see most caring about that.

The edge+ is (IMO) more compelling, more radical, more interesting, more impressive than the N5. I don't see why the average consumer would choose an N5 over it.

I don't see gloom and doom for Samsung. They'll probably do well and people will go blindly back to piddly 32GB being 'enough' and scoffing at the idea that for some strange reason in 2015/16 anyone would want more storage than that without paying through the nose, or use a phone as a productivity device not just a shiney make-believe 'status symbol'.

The age of add your own storage or swap out a battery are coming to and end, Samsung knows it and is fully onboard, ready to lock those avenues down, roll back time and profit handsomely.

I'll likely stick with my 'old school' Note 4 for longer. $8 added wireless charging to it that's been rock solid.

 

[dawheat]

Hands on first time with the Note 5 ( and S6 edge+) today.
Eh.

It's true that the improvements (SOC, camera, fingerprint, storage speed, etc) could have been added to a phone with Note 4 type build.

I don't know - I'm already over the mSD and removable battery. I had a 128GB card and it was nice to carry a ton of content and still have tons of space left over. But I moved over the stuff I really use and I still have enough space in the 64GB version - and it was the same price as the 32GB Note 4 last year.

The one area I will disagree with you is build - I think it feels great, very premium, and looks great. Now if it cracks from a small drop onto a wooden floor, I'm going to change my tune very quickly. The Note 4 was an improvement, but come on, it wasn't anywhere near the best. The gaps weren't seamless, the back was functional but not nice - it was good, not great.

From a waist drop onto concrete - I'd expect any phone to get enough damage or have a good chance at screen damage - that you're playing the lottery without a case. And I'm anal enough that if there was a bad chip/scuff in my phone, I'd buy a new one.

The Note 4 is a great phone no doubt - but I'm already happier with my Note 5 than I was with the Note 4. The few pictures I've taken of my daughter are better, the fingerprint scanner is excellent. I'm still getting these things when they just work surprisingly well.

 

[hellfire88]

It's true that the improvements (SOC, camera, fingerprint, storage speed, etc) could have been added to a phone with Note 4 type build.

I don't know - I'm already over the mSD and removable battery. I had a 128GB card and it was nice to carry a ton of content and still have tons of space left over. But I moved over the stuff I really use and I still have enough space in the 64GB version - and it was the same price as the 32GB Note 4 last year.

The one area I will disagree with you is build - I think it feels great, very premium, and looks great. Now if it cracks from a small drop onto a wooden floor, I'm going to change my tune very quickly. The Note 4 was an improvement, but come on, it wasn't anywhere near the best. The gaps weren't seamless, the back was functional but not nice - it was good, not great.

From a waist drop onto concrete - I'd expect any phone to get enough damage or have a good chance at screen damage - that you're playing the lottery without a case. And I'm anal enough that if there was a bad chip/scuff in my phone, I'd buy a new one.

The Note 4 is a great phone no doubt - but I'm already happier with my Note 5 than I was with the Note 4. The few pictures I've taken of my daughter are better, the fingerprint scanner is excellent. I'm still getting these things when they just work surprisingly well.

How's the shutter and autofocus speed on the Note 5? Comparable to an iPhone 6? Like you, when my kid is doing something cute I grab my wife's iPhone 6 to take the pic VS my Note 4 since the autofocus and shutter speed are noticeably slower. Thanks.

 

[KentState]

How's the shutter and autofocus speed on the Note 5? Comparable to an iPhone 6? Like you, when my kid is doing something cute I grab my wife's iPhone 6 to take the pic VS my Note 4 since the autofocus and shutter speed are noticeably slower. Thanks.

Don't have an iPhone 6 on hand to compare, but my Note 5 is faster than me with launching the camera and taking a photo. I have the home button setup to open the camera on double tap and it's instant.

 

[Dannar26]

it wasn't anywhere near the best. The gaps weren't seamless

Why does that even matter?

 

[Commodus]

Don't have an iPhone 6 on hand to compare, but my Note 5 is faster than me with launching the camera and taking a photo. I have the home button setup to open the camera on double tap and it's instant.

I've used both, and you're pretty much on the mark -- the GS6/Note 5 are really the first Android phones I've seen that approach iPhone 6-level camera speed. We'll have to see how Apple responds with the iPhone 6S, of course, but you probably don't have to worry about missing the moment like you do with most Android phones.

 

[Minerva]

I picked up the Edge+ instead.
I never use the pen and when my brother picks up (the Note 4) he draws penis pics on the screen. :biggrin:

It's just a bigger version of my S6 Edge with less storage. I got the 64GB flavor whereas my Edge is 128GB. Come to think of it I have 100GB free so there.

Oh and 4GB RAM showing 3.58GB usable and about 1.3GB free. WTF Verizon!?

And both lack the IR blaster. I will miss that, I used it for everything from controlling stereos, window ac units, ceiling fans, and even my dslr. That's a huge setback. Storage isn't a big deal as I've been getting used to using OTG dongles and stuff. And a non removable battery is a non issue too.

But if you drop a Note 4 the back flies off and the battery and s-pen go flying in opposite directions. Do that now and you most likely will have a cracked up phone both front and back.

Granted the frame pits and chips looking like hell if you're one of these hard use type folks.

Unless you don't mind making it like a brick with a big ass otterbox or similar.

Hmmmm.... is that your phone in your pocket or are you just happy to see me? :biggrin:

Likewise all hard things around, it's very stiff, doesn't feel like it will bend like the iphone 6+ hehe!

 

[dawheat]

I've used both, and you're pretty much on the mark -- the GS6/Note 5 are really the first Android phones I've seen that approach iPhone 6-level camera speed. We'll have to see how Apple responds with the iPhone 6S, of course, but you probably don't have to worry about missing the moment like you do with most Android phones.

Yep - I'm enjoying the camera quite a bit. Double click to launch, tap to take - everything is bam bam bam and in focus.

Also traded in a POS Lumia 635 to AT&T for my $200 credit in-store. They were cool about it, even though the current value showed it was worth $5 (it was $10 last week). Got $200 applied to my account instantly.

I am having to wait for a good glass screen protector. Like the Note 4, since the glass curves at the very edges, early glass protectors all had halo since manufacturers designed it to go to the edge. Later versions stopped a bit short to avoid halo.

Mime had there's in stock at launch, which should have warned me, but they're such a good brand I thought maybe they had some early insight. Nope - halo all around. I'm keeping it on since it'll be a couple weeks before good alternatives are available.

I'm pretty anal about glass protectors as I keep my phone in my jean pockets and no matter how careful you are, you'll always get tiny hairline scratches on the screen without one.

 

[N2gaming]

I have a question about the non-removable battery, if the battery does go bad how does one go about replacing it? Thanks!

 

[mnewsham]

I have a question about the non-removable battery, if the battery does go bad how does one go about replacing it? Thanks!

Samsung offers a battery replacement service for $45 if you want to go that route. It is expected the batteries for this phone will cost $30-40 when they are available to the public in a few months. So you can save some money doing it yourself, but it is going to take time, the note 5 apparently takes ~20-40 minutes for a battery change.

But it is possible, and it isn't hugely expensive or very difficult, just time consuming. I think there is a walk through somewhere on XDA if you're really interested.

 

[dawheat]

Samsung offers a battery replacement service for $45 if you want to go that route. It is expected the batteries for this phone will cost $30-40 when they are available to the public in a few months. So you can save some money doing it yourself, but it is going to take time, the note 5 apparently takes ~20-40 minutes for a battery change.

But it is possible, and it isn't hugely expensive or very difficult, just time consuming. I think there is a walk through somewhere on XDA if you're really interested.

Hmm didn't know about that. $45 isnt bad.

I assume if its under a year though,it'd be under warranty.

 

[Red Storm]

Got to mess with one in store the other day. Have to say, despite the loss of the battery and mSD, I'm liking the in hand feel and looks. I'd still prefer the faux leather over glass any day, but I was surprised at how light the phone was. Screen is gorgeous, and that S-Pen is the one thing that has me still considering the Note 5, rather than being 100% sure I'm getting the new Nexus 6.

Also fast wireless charging seems very cool, will actually make me consider wireless charging for once.