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All the important news from Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10 event

Two new smartphones, a laptop and more.

Amrita Khalid
Contributing Writer
Updated ·4 min read
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At its Galaxy Unpacked event today in Brooklyn, Samsung unveiled the latest additions to its Galaxy Note lineup -- the Note 10 and Note 10+. Unlike prior Note releases, Samsung's phone comes in two sizes to suit user preferences. The Note 10's display is 6.3 inches and the Note 10+, with a display that measures at a whopping 6.8 inches, is Samsung's largest phone screen to date.

Samsung President and CEO DJ Koh in the keynote made the point that future innovations wouldn't be just about devices -- but also new services and ecosystems. That being said, as devices the Note 10 and Note 10+ hold up on their own. Both are packed with features and improvements not seen before in its predecessors, as well as a few significant omissions: Neither have the Bixby button or a headphone jack. The larger Note 10 has four cameras on the back, including one specifically for AR video and drawing. Note 10's stylus, the S Pen, got a significant upgrade -- including a 6-axis sensor that lets users take pictures, zoom in and switch camera perspective with a gesture.

Priced at $949, the Note 10 comes with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. The Note 10+ starts at $1,099 with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, or you can spend $100 more to get 512GB of storage. They're available in a prismatic color range; Aura Glow, Aura White and Aura Black. Both phones are available to pre-order today, and will be available for sale on August 23rd. Here's a rundown of all the major announcements from the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event today.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+

  • With the release of its latest phone in two different sizes, it's clear that Samsung wants to reach more people -- those that craved a super-sized device that could double as a tablet for reading and drawing and those that seek a more moderately-priced, smaller option. Both feature what Samsung calls an "Infinity-O" display, including a small punch-out circle to house the front camera. We took a hands-on look at both models.

  • At 6.8 inches, the Note 10+ is Samsung's largest phone screen yet.

  • Here's how the Note 10 stacks up against the latest iPhone, Galaxy S10 and Pixel models.

  • Here's how the Note 10+ compares to the largest models on the market: the iPhone XS, Galaxy S10 and Pixel 3XL.

  • The Note 10's smooth, bezel-less surface won't be interrupted by a physical Bixby button or a 3.5mm headphone jack.

  • The camera systems on both Note 10 phones include new pro-grade editing tools. The idea is that users will be able to shoot, edit and watch professional quality video right on their device.

  • Gamers can stream games right to their PC with the PlayGalaxyLink P2P streaming service. You'll also be able to chat with other players with a new Discord integration.

  • Finally, we think Note 10 could be much more reasonably priced.

The new S Pen

Samsung Galaxy Note 10

  • The updated S Pen features gesture controls, or "Air Actions." This will let users activate shortcuts and perform specific actions by drawing shapes above the screen.

  • The S Pen can now shrink, enlarge or change the color of text -- and you'll be able to export handwritten notes in different formats, including Microsoft Word and PDF.

  • A new AR Doodle feature lets the stylus double as a mixed-reality paintbrush. You can draw images directly on photos and video footage.

  • Samsung is opening up the S Pen to developers, so be on the lookout for new features.

Samsung DeX

Samsung DeX

  • The expanded version of DeX lets you transfer files, reply to messages and run mobile apps on your Mac or Windows PC.

  • More integrations are underway, including the ability to make calls on your PC.

Samsung Galaxy Book S

Samsung Galaxy Book S

  • Samsung also unveiled a new laptop today: the Galaxy Book S. The company says the new computer -- complete with a 13-inch touchscreen display -- "looks like a laptop" but has the "essence of a smartphone."

  • What that means in practice is that the Galaxy Book S includes a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx chip, rather than the Intel processor you might expect. It has built-in LTE connectivity, as well.

  • The laptop's battery lasts for 23 hours and can be charged via USB-C, so you can use the same battery charger as your Note 10 (or many other smartphones).