The much-leaked Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and its larger Galaxy Note 10 Plus sibling are now official. But if you’re thinking about picking up the smaller model there’s something you should know.
Unlike just about all of Samsung’s recent phones, the Note 10 forgoes expandable storage completely. That means there’s no microSD card slot here and no way to up the internal storage from the base amount.
Related: Best Note 10 Deals / Best Note 10 Plus Deals
While the lack of SD expandability is something of a shame, it is offset by the fact that all versions of the Note 10 come with 256GB of internal storage. That’s double the base versions of both the Galaxy S10 and outgoing Note 9 and four times as much as you get on the iPhone XS.
Lacking microSD expandability isn’t uncommon, with the OnePlus 7 Pro and Google Pixel 3 also giving the user no way to up the base storage without paying more upfront. We’ve also never seen an iPhone come with a card slot and likely never will.
If having the ability to add a microSD card if important to you then Samsung has kept it around for the larger, pricier Note 10 Plus. That device comes with either 256GB or 512GB storage, plus the option of upping that further.
Another feature that’s missing across both phones is a headphone jack. Samsung has previously been staunch about keeping the 3.5mm plug around but the Note 10 signals its demise. In its place, you’ll find both a dongle and pair of AKG USB-C buds in the box, plus there’s always that option of using Bluetooth headphones. Samsung’s Galaxy Buds are a good pick if you want a pair of truly wireless ‘phones that work well with the Note 10 and Note 10 Plus.
The Note 10 and Note 10 Plus will be available on a load of carriers from August 23. There will be a 5G model too, however you’ll only be able to get this if you go for the larger Plus model.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
