After unveiling its latest high-end phablets, the Galaxy Note 5 and the Galaxy S6 edge+, a few weeks before IFA 2015, Samsung launched the Galaxy S6 edge+ in India last month. There were some reports stating that the South Korean smartphone giant won't launch the Galaxy Note 5 in India. However, the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 has been launched in India with a starting price of Rs. 53,900, and the device will be available starting September 20.
It comes with a 5.7-inch QHD Super AMOLED display which is brighter than the one in the Galaxy Note 4. It runs Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, and features an octa-core 64-bit Exynos 7420 processor, 4GB RAM, 32/64GB of internal storage space, 4G LTE connectivity, and a 3,000 mAh non-removable battery that can be fast charged over microUSB or through a wireless charger.
Samsung Galaxy Note 5 Specifications
- 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display, 2560 x 1440 pixels, Corning Gorilla Glass 4, S Pen
- Android 5.1.1 Lollipop-based TouchWiz UX
- Samsung Exynos 7420, 2.1GHz quad-core Cortex-A57 + 1.5GHz quad-core Cortex-A53, Mali-T760MP8
- 4GB RAM, 32/64GB UFS 2.0 internal storage, no microSD card slot
- 16MP primary camera, phase-detection autofocus, F/1.9 aperture, single-LED flash, 4K video recording
- 5MP secondary camera, wide-angle lens, F/1.9 aperture, QHD video recording
- Accelerometer, ambient-light sensor, barometer, fingerprint sensor, gyroscope, heart-rate sensor, and proximity sensor
- 4G LTE (Cat 6.), 3G HSPA+, dual-band Wi-Fi ac/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Hotspot
- Miracast, DLNA, Bluetooth v4.2, GPS with A-GPS and GLONASS, NFC
- microUSB v2.0 port, and 3.5 mm headphone jack
- 3,000 mAh battery, Fast Charging, Fast Wireless Charging
Apart from the high-end internals, Samsung has improved the software a lot, and the Galaxy Note 5 comes with a new version of TouchWiz UX that has been streamlined, de-bloated, and simplified when you compare it to the version of TouchWiz that came with the Galaxy Note 4. The S Pen, which can now be ejected using a click mechanism, has a few new tricks up its sleeve including an ability to capture long screenshots.
Samsung has, for the first time, removed the ability to swap the battery and increase the storage using a microSD card slot. The battery is now sealed inside the metal + glass body, and there's no microSD card slot in the smartphone. This will certainly irritate a lot of power users who like to swap an empty battery with a fully charged one, but the company seems to be determined to choose this path for its current-generation and upcoming high-end smartphones.
The 64GB variant of the device will come with a price tag of Rs. 59,900. Buyers who pre-order the Galaxy Note 5 before September 19 will receive a fast wireless charger and one-time screen replacement for free. They will also receive an option to buy it on a 24-month EMI with no interest. The Galaxy Note 5 will be available in three colours; Black Sapphire, Gold Platinum, and Silver Titan. The Silver Titan colour seems really classy and gorgeous, and if you're looking to buy the Galaxy Note 5, get it in silver. The Galaxy Note 5 competes with the likes of the Apple iPhone 6 Plus, the upcoming Sony Xperia Z5 Premium, and Samsung's own Galaxy S6 edge+.
