Introduction
Lightweight, agile and simply affordable, seven-inchers did, at one point, seem capable of pushing ten-inch Android tablets out of business. Even Samsung, with its device-for-every-taste approach had to admit defeat. The Koreans all but threw in the towel with the Galaxy Tab line, consciously relegating it to the midrange.
The Notes are a different breed though - one we can't see Samsung giving up on any time soon. Of course, it's always the phablet enjoying most of the spotlight and the Note 3 has already had several occasions to emphatically prove that it deserved every bit of it.
But the ten-point-one that follows closely could turn out to be the even more impressive device in terms of the scope and depth of upgrades it brings to the table.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition official pictures
The new Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition comes in three different flavors sharing a quite similar design to the Galaxy Note 3 phablet. There is a Wi-Fi-only version and a 3G-enabled model, both powered by Samsung's own Exynos 5 Octa chipset, as well as an LTE-capable tablet with Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 800 chipset ticking inside.
The one we're reviewing is the Exynos 5 version and here goes the spec sheet.
Key features
- 10.1" 16M-color Super Clear PLS capacitive touchscreen of 2560 x 1600 px resolution
- Quad-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A15 & quad-core 1.3 GHz Cortex-A7, Mali-T628MP6 GPU; Exynos 5420 chipset
- 3GB of RAM
- Android OS v4.3 Jelly Bean with TouchWiz UX UI
- S Pen input and great software backend
- One of a kind split-screen multitasking and pop-up mini apps
- Quad-band GPRS/EDGE/HSPA and hexa-band LTE connectivity cat.4
- Voice calls (on 3G and LTE models only)
- 16/32/64 GB of built-in memory
- 8 MP autofocus camera, 3264x2448 pixels, geotagging
- 1080p video recording @60fps (LTE model) / 1080p video recording @30fps (Wi-Fi and 3G models)
- 2MP front-facing camera; 1080p videos
- Side-mounted stereo speakers
- Wi-Fi 802.11 ac/a/b/g/n Wi-Fi Direct, dual-band, Wi-Fi hotspot
- Stereo Bluetooth v4.0
- HDMI TV-out (adapter required), USB host (adapter required)
- microSD card slot
- Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
- Infrared port
- GPS with A-GPS support; GLONASS, digital compass
- 1080p XviD/MKV video support with subtitles
- Accelerometer, three-axis Gyroscope sensor
- Polaris Office 5 document editor preinstalled
- 8,220 mAh Li-Po battery
Main disadvantages
- No NFC
- No DivX and AC3 codec support
- Air view works with S-Pen only, no thumb support
- Notification area not optimized for the large screen
The latest in processing power is not a bragging right - more a necessity really - considering there are more than a handful of potential competitors powered by either Snapdragon 800 or Tegra 4. And not Androids only, the likes of the Lumia 2520 and the Surface too. The iPad Air certainly doesn't come underpowered either.
But the choice of chipset(s) isn't the only lesson learned from the previous Note 10.1. This time around, the screen resolution too is at the top of what's currently available in the tablet segment. Samsung have also thrown in a massive 8220mAh battery in a body that's more compact, slimmer and weighing less than the predecessor's. The 2014 Edition Note 10.1 couldn't have hoped for a better start and the praise the Note 3 is getting will put even more wind in its sails.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition at ours
But is it going in the right direction and what kind of journey will it be? Follow us on the next page where we begin to find out, starting as usual with the design and build.
Design and build quality
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition takes after this year's flagship phablet and isn't keen on experimenting. The tablet is a scaled-up near replica of the Note 3, featuring the same faux-leather-like finish at the rear. It is offered in the same black and white paint jobs as the Note 3.
At 243.1 x 171.4 x 7.9 mm, the Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 is near 2cm narrower and a millimeter slimmer than the predecessor while offering the same screen real estate and a more robust battery. The Wi-Fi-only version weighs 540g, which is 60g less than the original Note 10.1.
The screen bezels are notably slimmer, which is probably the main reason for the relocation of the stereo speakers to the sides (in landscape position). We liked the front-facing speakers on the original better, but their position on the 2014 edition is sufficiently high to not get covered by hands holding the device and are quite loud too.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 insists on having the hardware controls at the front. Beneath the display we find the usual combo of a hardware Home button between capacitive Menu and Back keys. We don't think this is the best solution as those get in the way once you start using the tablet in portrait mode. Those occasions are rather rare but once you decide to use it that way, accidental taps on the Back key are likely.
The hardware controls below and the 2MP camera above the display
At the top (in landscape) we find an IR blaster, the Power/Lock button and the slim volume rocker next to it.
The top side houses IR emitter, the volume rocker and the power/lock key
The microphone is at the bottom, which is something to consider if you're going to make Skype or Viber calls in loudspeaker mode (the mic can get muffled depending on where you place the tablet). That, by the way, applies to calls over the cellular network too, which the other versions are perfectly capable of. Our unit though is the Wi-Fi-only version with no GSM, 3G or LTE radios on board. A standard microUSB port is also around and used for charging . We are happy to see Samsung has dropped the proprietary 30-pin connector.
The microphone and the microUSB port at the bottom
The left side of the Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition has the 3.5mm audio jack and one of the stereo speakers, under a subtle metallic grille. On the right we find the S-Pen compartment, the other speaker and the microSD slot, covered by a small plastic lid.
The 3.5mm audio jack is on the left • The other speaker and the microSD slot on the right
The S Pen is the same that comes with the Galaxy Note 3 phablet. It can now be used on the capacitive buttons too, so you can navigate the Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 with the stylus only. The new S Pen enables several great shortcuts, so using the stylus might actually be faster for certain tasks.
The S Pen can be placed back into its compartment either side up, the button facing up or down. The stylus is made of matte plastic, with a finely grooved top part that matches the sides of the Note 10.1. The flat sides of the stylus actually allow an even more comfortable grip. The button is positioned on one of those flat sides and is easy to reach. We found it a bit unusual that the S Pen compartment is actually in the tablet's long side but it's quite comfortable - for right-handed users obviously, being in the top right corner.
The S-Pen compartment
At the back of the Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 we find an upgraded 8MP camera with an LED flash next to it. The camera is quite capable of shooting the occasional photos and 1080p videos.
The back of the Galaxy Note 10.1 • A close-up of the camera
The tablet has lost a bit of weight, which can definitely be felt, and is more space-efficient. The bezels have been trimmed down as well. Edges appear sharper on the latest Note 10.1 and, coupled with the slimmer body and feel of leather, lend a more conservative, businesslike quality to the package as a whole.
Handling the Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 can be held with one hand and operated with the other, but at about half a kilo you will soon need to find some kind of support. The build is excellent though, and the leather-like rear not only adds a touch of sophistication but also nicely enhances the grip. We had fears the finish wouldn't works as well on a bigger scale, but the ten-inch Note looks and feels great.
Display
The 10.1" Super Clear LCD now has four times the resolution of the original Galaxy Note 10.1 at 2560 x 1600 pixels. This adds up to 299ppi, which is the highest available on a tablet at this screen size. In fact, the iPad's Retina has long been outstripped by no other than Samsung themselves with the Nexus 10. The screen of the latter could actually have been used on the 2014 Edition Note 10.1, but Samsung claim they're different.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition display matrix
Samsung lets you select between four display modes for your Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 - adaptive, dynamic, normal and movie. Naturally, those that are fond of the extra punchy colors should opt for the dynamic setting.
The Galaxy Note 10.1 screen mode manager
Numbers aside, the image quality is excellent. Viewing angles are very good and blacks look reasonably deep. The outdoor visibility has been greatly improved too. We ran our usual display tests on the Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 and here are the results:
| Display test | 50% brightness | 100% brightness | ||||
| Black, cd/m2 | White, cd/m2 | Black, cd/m2 | White, cd/m2 | |||
| Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 | 0.27 | 221 | 831 | 0.53 | 440 | 821 |
| Google Nexus 10 | 0.26 | 223 | 859 | 0.50 | 443 | 878 |
| Sony Xperia Tablet Z | - | - | - | 0.53 | 531 | 996 |
| Sony Xperia Tablet S | 0.35 | 334 | 947 | 0.67 | 526 | 783 |
| Samsung Galaxy Note 3 | 0 | 149 | ∞ | 0 | 379 | ∞ |
| Apple iPad mini | 0.25 | 208 | 838 | 0.51 | 458 | 812 |
| Apple iPad 3 | 0.21 | 167 | 809 | 0.6 | 477 | 779 |
| Apple iPad 4 | 0.21 | 163 | 797 | 0.63 | 476 | 762 |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 | 0 | 200 | ∞ | 0 | 328 | ∞ |
| Asus Google Nexus 7 | 0.25 | 244 | 954 | 0.36 | 327 | 908 |
| Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 | 0.27 | 223 | 832 | 0.49 | 406 | 821 |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 | 0.31 | 257 | 826 | 0.55 | 502 | 915 |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus | 0.17 | 196 | 1141 | 0.34 | 424 | 1236 |
Battery life
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 is powered by a massive 8220 mAh Li-Po battery. By Samsung's estimates, it should give you 2230 hours of standby and 98 hours of music playback. We did our own tests too, and the tablet managed 9 hours of video playback and 7 hours and 39 minutes of web browsing.