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The term “phablet” was originally coined to describe a phone that’s about as large as a typical tablet. The word has (thankfully) mostly gone out of popular use, but considering the number of super-sized phones that have been hitting the market, there’s a chance it could be resurrected. The latest to be introduced is Samsung’s impressively sized and equipped Galaxy Note 10 Plus.
The Note 10 Plus, with its 6.8-inch display, may boast the largest screen currently available in the US market. (It is outmatched by at least one non-US phone, the Huawei Honor Note 10, with a 6.95-inch display.) However, the size of the display doesn’t necessarily reflect the overall size of the phone. Although the Note 10 Plus measures 6.39 x 3.04 x 0.31 inches, Samsung’s own Galaxy S10 5G (which has a 6.7-inch display) beats it by a hair at 6.40 x 3.04 x 0.31 inches. And although the Pixel 3 XL isn’t all that much smaller at 6.22 x 3.02 x 0.31 inches, its display is a relatively modest 6.3 inches.
The Note 10 Plus, with its 6.8-inch display, may boast the largest screen currently available in the US market
Other alternatives in the “bigger is better” sweepstakes include Samsung’s Galaxy S10 Plus (6.4-inch display), the OnePlus 7 Pro (6.7-inch display), and Apple’s iPhone XS Max (6.5-inch display).
So what do you get with all this extra tech goodness? To start, you get high-resolution screens: the Note 10 Plus, S10 5G, and S10 Plus all have AMOLED displays with resolutions of 3040 x 1440, while the OnePlus 7 Pro’s AMOLED display has a resolution of 3120 x 1440. You get multiple-lens rear cameras; the Note 10 Plus even includes a time-of-flight sensor (also called a which helps measure depth of field. And you get longer battery life, from the 3,174mAh battery found in the iPhone XS Max to the 4,500mAh battery that sits in the Galaxy S10 5G. (Of course, the size of the battery may not indicate how long you’ll get to use the phone, considering how much power the larger displays, multiple cameras, and other features may require.)
What you won’t get from any of these large-scale marvels is a phone that will fit easily in your pocket. But if you want the latest tech in the largest package, here are some specs that may help you decide which to choose.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus Spec Comparison
| Specification | Galaxy Note 10 Plus | Galaxy S10 5G | OnePlus 7 Pro | Galaxy S10 Plus | iPhone XS Max | Pixel 3 XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dimensions (in.) | 6.39 x 3.04 x 0.31 | 6.40 x 3.04 x 0.31 | 6.40 x 2.99 x 0.35 | 6.20 x 2.92 x 0.31 | 6.20 x 3.05 x 0.30 | 6.22 x 3.02 x 0.31 |
| Weight (lb.) | 0.43 | 0.44 | 0.45 | 0.39 | 0.46 | 0.41 |
| Display (in.) | 6.8 | 6.7 | 6.7 | 6.4 | 6.5 | 6.3 |
| Resolution | 3040 x 1440 | 3040 x 1440 | 3120 x 1440 | 3040 x 1440 | 2688 x 1242 | 2880 x 1440 |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 | Snapdragon 855 (US)/ Samsung Exynos 9820 (elsewhere) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 | Snapdragon 855 (US)/ Samsung Exynos 9820 (elsewhere) | A12 Bionic | Snapdragon 845 |
| RAM | 12GB | 8GB | 6GB, 8GB, 12GB | 8GB, 12GB | 4GB | 4GB |
| Storage | 256GB, 512GB | 256GB, 512GB | 128GB, 256GB | 128GB, 512GB, 1TB | 64GB, 256GB, 512GB | 64GB, 128GB |
| Rear camera | 12MP, 16MP (ultra-wide), 12MP (telephoto), ToF (time-of-flight) sensor | 12MP, 16MP (ultra-wide),12MP (wide), ToF (time-of-flight) sensor | 48MP, 8MP (telephoto), 16MP (ultra-wide) | 12MP, 16MP (ultra-wide),12MP (wide) | 12MP, 12MP (wide) | 12MP |
| Front camera | 10MP | 10MP, ToF (time-of-flight) sensor | 16MP | 10MP, 8MP | 7MP | 8MP, 8MP (wide) |
| Battery | 4,300mAh | 4,500mAh | 4,000mAh | 4,100mAh | 3,174mAh | 3,430mAh |
| Water protection | IP68 | IP68 | n/a | IP68 | IP68 | IP68 |
| Wireless charging? | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ports | USB-C | USB-C, headphone jack | USB-C | USB-C, headphone jack | Lightning port | USB-C |
| Starting price | $1,099.99 | $1,299.99 | $669.00 | $999.99 | $1,099.00 | $599.00 |
