Getting by with a Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ in 2024 is easier than you think

I’ll never complain about my job, as I get to use the latest and greatest flagships released, like the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL. It’s a tech enthusiast’s dream, and I’m still excited each time I power up a new device. However, it means I don’t get to live with one phone for too long, missing out on some particularly excellent devices.

For example, I loved the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+. It was thin and powerful, with a premium build and excellent design. It was also the best Samsung offered towards the end of 2019, over five years ago.

I wanted to look back at older hardware to see what it’s like to live with an older flagship and if it’s really worth upgrading our phones as often as we do. New features are tempting, and today’s phones offer more than their predecessors, but how much more? Let’s find out.

What’s still great about the Galaxy Note 10+

Still looks great with decent cameras

It’s hard to believe the Galaxy Note 10+’s display is five years old; it’s still a gorgeous and vibrant 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED QHD panel. Watching YouTube videos and playing games looks fantastic, and the colors match even the best displays in 2024.

I understand it’s limited to a 60Hz refresh rate, but you won’t really notice it unless you place a high refresh rate display next to it. And if you were offended when curved displays disappeared, you’re in luck, as the Galaxy Note 10+ still featured a moderately tapered panel.

The Galaxy Note 10+’s Snapdragon 855 chipset has held up better than anticipated, too. Apps open a beat or two slower compared to the Galaxy S24 Ultra, but overall performance is snappy. I always knew we overestimated the raw horsepower we needed in our smartphones, and the Galaxy Note 10+ does a great job highlighting that. It includes 12GB of RAM, and companies have long moved on from UFS 3.0 storage, but it doesn’t bog down the experience.

Galaxy Note 10+ camera performance

I thought the Galaxy Note 10+’s camera system would suffer without AI computational models or today’s bigger sensors, but the photos hold up well. Even a year after its release, I remember the Galaxy Note 10+ winning multiple blind camera tests, as Samsung got plenty of mileage from the phone’s triple camera setup: a 12MP primary sensor, a 12MP 2x optical telephoto lens, and a 16MP ultrawide camera.

Unfortunately, photos can suffer in low lighting, and nighttime photography gets noisy and soft compared to today’s phones, which have the advantage of larger sensors and AI technology cleaning up images. Photos won’t rival anything I can get from my Google Pixel 9, but you’ll still be pleased with the Note 10+’s cameras.

Legacy features

Hanging on to an older phone also means you keep legacy features. In the case of the Galaxy Note 10+, that means a MicroSD card slot for expandable storage and Samsung Pay. But, instead of relying simply on NFC for payments, older Samsung devices could replicate the magnetic strip on the back of your credit card, which could be used on older credit card machines. It was a neat feature, and I was sad to see it go.

The Galaxy Note 10+ was relatively light compared to today’s flagship beasts, too, tipping the scales at a mere 196g. However, we didn’t compromise on build quality, as the Note 10+ still featured Gorilla Glass 6 and a gorgeous premium design. Phones don’t have to weigh as much as a Buick to be powerful; I wish manufacturers would re-learn that lesson.

What you’ll notice when upgrading to a newer phone

Battery life and gaming performance hits

Flagship phones have experienced a significant increase in battery life in the last few years. The Galaxy Note 10+ has a 4,300mAh battery, which isn’t tiny, but chipset and software efficiencies have increased the mileage we get from cells.

My Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra can get over 8 hours of screen-on time without breaking a sweat, compared to about 5 hours for the Galaxy Note 10+. The Note 10+ does support 45W wired charging speeds, however, which is the same as the S24 Ultra, and 45W still bests some Samsung mid-range devices.

Gaming performance for today’s AAA titles is better on newer phones as well. The Galaxy Note 10+’s Snapdragon 855 is still adequate for daily tasks, but frame rates in more intense games suffer. If you’re a gamer, it’s worth checking out the latest and greatest if you grind games other than Pokémon Go.

Android 12 is still alright

I don’t mind living with Android 12 on One UI 4. Not everyone needs built-in Galaxy AI functionality; I can still download apps. However, I do worry about losing software support. I know the Play Store is still supported on older hardware, but I like receiving security patches and updates for my device. I can trust banking and financial software and hope new vulnerabilities are contained quickly.

It’s not a dealbreaker, and new phones can be just as susceptible to attacks, but I like my device being optimized and secure for longer — I wish the Note 10+ had the seven years of support we now enjoy.

It’s really not that bad

If you watch a new phone launch from Samsung or Google, you’d think a five-year-old device was only a step above a potato, but that’s not the case. There’s plenty of life in older phones, and I love how light and thin the Galaxy Note 10+ is compared to today’s phones. If the fear of missing out starts hitting hard every time there’s a new flagship phone release, take a moment and look at what’s already in your pocket. You’ll find it’s still more than up to the task.