Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Phone Review: A Comprehensive Analysis

The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 was a flagship phone released in 2016, featuring a 5.7-inch Quad HD display.

It had a large 12-megapixel primary camera with a wide-angle lens and optical image stabilization, making it a great choice for photography enthusiasts.

The phone's battery life was a notable concern, with some users reporting issues with overheating and explosions due to the faulty battery design.

The Note 7's S Pen stylus was a standout feature, offering precise and intuitive control over the phone's interface.

The Galaxy Note 7 has a premium look and feel, with glass front and back panels and an aluminum frame. It's a significant upgrade from the plasticky, faux-metal materials of the past.

The device has a curved display, similar to the S7 Edge, and a front-facing camera module and speaker above the screen. Below the display, you'll find a home button/fingerprint sensor setup flanked by Samsung's back and recent apps keys.

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The power/standby key is on the right side, volume keys on the left, and the bottom sports the 3.5mm headphone jack, USB Type-C port, speaker grills, and S Pen slot. The Note 7 is also waterproof, with a rating of IP68, meaning it can withstand being submerged in water up to 5 feet for 30 minutes.

The Galaxy Note 7 is a premium device with a sleek and sophisticated design. It's comprised of glass front and back panels with an aluminum frame, giving it a solid and luxurious feel.

The Note 7's curved display is one of its standout features, similar to the S7 Edge. Above the display, you'll find a front-facing camera module and speaker, and below, a home button/fingerprint sensor setup.

One of the most impressive aspects of the Note 7 is its durability. It's waterproof, with a rating of IP68, meaning it can withstand being submerged in water up to 5 feet for 30 minutes. You can even take notes underwater, if you're feeling adventurous.

The Note 7's screen is protected by Corning's Gorilla Glass 5, which promises to withstand 1.6-meter drops. However, it's worth noting that this is only a promise for a straight sheet of glass, and the actual performance may vary.

The phone's design makes it easy to hold, despite its expansive screen. It's smaller than past Note models and fits comfortably in a jacket pocket. However, the curved sides can sometimes get in the way of S Pen navigation.

One of the Note 7's most unique features is its iris scanner, which allows you to unlock the phone with your eyes. It's fast and accurate, but may not be the most practical feature for everyday use.

Overall, the Galaxy Note 7 is an incredible device where it counts, offering a premium design, impressive durability, and unique features like the iris scanner.

The Galaxy Note 7's camera is a powerhouse, taking clear, bright, crisp photos in any lighting condition.

You can expect great results whether you're snapping photos indoors, outdoors, or in low-light settings. Selfies are also generally good, especially when the screen lights up as a flash for dark environments.

The extra-wide selfie feature works like panorama mode, but it's impractical for group pics that require others to stay still. Tons of filters and editing features are available, making it easy to share your photos.

Shortcuts make it a breeze to share your photos, but you'll need to be careful not to accidentally tap the Back and Recent buttons, which can kick you out of the app.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 7's performance is snappy, handling fast-paced games and launching apps quickly.

However, it can lag when using the drawing tools heavily, enough to notice.

The Note 7 has a battery that barely lasts a day, with an average of 17 hours, 40 minutes of looping video drain test.

You can top up the battery using a wireless charging pad or USB-C cables, and Samsung gives you one in the box.

A spare wireless charging pad is recommended, especially if you're always on the go.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chip, found in the Note 7 I tested, scored high on benchmarks but was a little lower on the graphical benchmark test Geekbench 3 than the S7 Edge.

A security flaw in Qualcomm's 820 chip may affect this phone and millions of other Androids.

The camera on the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is a beast, with a dual-pixel sensor, wide aperture, and fast autofocus that work together to create sharp and beautiful photos even in low-light environments.

The camera's advanced technology allows for stunning results, making it perfect for capturing life's precious moments.

The Galaxy Note 7's S Pen is also a game-changer, with improved pressure sensitivity and a smaller 0.7mm tip that provides a ballpoint pen-like experience.

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With the S Pen, you can quickly jot down notes, draw, or edit memos without unlocking the screen, thanks to features like Screen off Memo and the Always On Display.

Here are some key specs of the S Pen:

The S Pen also makes it easy to create and share GIF animations with Smart Select, and access other creative features like Magnify and Translate.

The camera on your device is a powerful tool that captures life's precious moments. It features a 12-megapixel primary sensor, which is great for everyday photography.

With a wide-angle lens, you can capture more of the scene in front of you. This is especially useful for landscape or group photos.

The camera app also offers advanced features like optical zoom and portrait mode, which can help you take professional-looking photos.

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The S Pen is a game-changer for anyone who wants to bring ideas to life quickly and easily. The enhanced Galaxy Note7 S Pen allows users to jot down handwritten notes, draw, or edit memos from one location with Samsung Notes, the unified app.

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With the S Pen, users can create and share GIF animations with Smart Select, making it easy to express themselves in a fun and creative way. This feature is perfect for social media or messaging apps.

The new S Pen also gives users the ability to zoom in on the screen or convert languages with a simple hover of the S Pen, thanks to the new Air Command functions, including Magnify and Translate. This is incredibly useful for those who travel or work with people who speak different languages.

The S Pen writes with ease and precision, thanks to its new, improved pressure sensitivity and smaller 0.7mm tip, providing a ballpoint pen-like experience. This makes it feel more natural to use, and the results are more accurate.

The Screen off Memo feature allows users to bring ideas to life the moment inspiration strikes, without unlocking the screen, by simply pinning the memo to the Always On Display. This is a huge time-saver, and it's amazing how often this feature comes in handy.

Here are some of the key features of the S Pen:

The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 has a 5.7-inch Dual-edge Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 and 518ppi.

It's powered by a quad-core 64-bit processor, either the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 or the Samsung Exynos 8890, depending on the region. The phone has 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage, which can be expanded up to 256GB with a microSD card.

Here's a comparison of the Note 7 with other popular phablets:

The Note 7 also has a 12-megapixel rear camera with a dual-pixel sensor and optical image stabilization, as well as a 5-megapixel front camera.

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The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is a powerhouse of a device, with a 5.7-inch Dual-edge Super AMOLED display that boasts an impressive 518ppi resolution.

One of the standout features of this phone is its processor, which can be either a quad-core 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 or an octa-core Samsung Exynos 8890.

The Note 7 comes with 4GB of RAM, which is more than enough to handle demanding tasks and multitasking. The phone also features a 64GB storage capacity, which can be expanded up to 256GB via microSD card.

The camera setup on this phone is top-notch, with a dual-pixel 12MP sensor on the rear and a 5MP sensor on the front. Both cameras have an f/1.7 aperture, making them perfect for capturing stunning photos in low light conditions.

The battery life of the Note 7 is also noteworthy, with a 3,500mAh capacity that supports fast charging, wireless charging via WPC and PMA, and even wireless charging via USB Type-C.

Here's a breakdown of the phone's connectivity options:

The phone also features a range of sensors, including a barometer, fingerprint sensor, gyro sensor, and more, making it a great device for tracking your fitness goals and daily activities.

The Note 7 costs more than the S7 Edge, but it has a stylus and doubles the Edge's onboard storage. The S7 Edge does a fantastic job for less if all you really want is a large screen.

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If you'll use the S Pen, the Note 7 is the way to go. Otherwise, the S7 Edge is a great option.

Compared to the Note 5, the Note 7 brings a more sensitive and powerful pen, water resistance, and an external storage slot on a sexy, curved-screen design.

You can buy two OnePlus 3s for the price of a single Note 7, but the Note 7 has features like a pen and expandable storage.

When shopping for a phablet, one of the most important things to consider is display size and resolution. The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 boasts a 5.7-inch display with a stunning 2,560x1,440 pixel resolution, giving it a pixel density of 518ppi.

The Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge has a slightly smaller 5.5-inch display, but still packs a punch with a 2,560x1,440 pixel resolution, resulting in a pixel density of 534ppi.

In contrast, the Apple iPhone 6S Plus has a 5.5-inch display with a lower resolution of 1,920x1,080 pixels, giving it a pixel density of 401ppi.

If you're looking for a budget-friendly option, the OnePlus 3 is a great choice, with a 5.5-inch display and a 1,920x1,080 pixel resolution, also resulting in a pixel density of 401ppi.

Here's a comparison of the display sizes and resolutions of these phablets:

In terms of dimensions, the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is slightly larger than the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, measuring 6x2.9x0.3 inches. The Apple iPhone 6S Plus is actually slightly larger than the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, measuring 6.2x3.1x0.29 inches.

If you're looking for a lightweight option, the OnePlus 3 is a great choice, weighing in at just 5.57 ounces.

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The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 has a range of additional features that make it a powerful and versatile device.

Its 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display is perfect for watching videos or browsing the web on the go.

With 4GB of RAM, the Note 7 can handle demanding tasks with ease, whether you're multitasking or running resource-intensive apps.

The device also features a 12MP primary camera with optical image stabilization, allowing you to capture stunning photos and videos in any lighting condition.

The Note 7's battery life is a major selling point, with a 3500mAh battery that can last up to two days on a single charge.

Additionally, the device supports fast charging, allowing you to quickly top up your battery when you're on the go.

The Note 7 also features a built-in heart rate sensor, allowing you to track your fitness goals and stay on top of your health.

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The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is available for pre-order in four color options: Silver Titanium, Gold Platinum, Blue Coral, and Black Onyx.

You can pre-order the Note 7 starting from Wednesday, August 3, and it will be available to all on Friday, August 19.

Pricing on T-Mobile is $850, while on AT&T it's $880. Verizon and Sprint have not announced their pricing yet, but you can pre-order on Sprint.

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UScellular is offering the Note 7 for $834, and like Samsung, is giving it away with a free Gear Fit2 or 256GB microSD card.

The Galaxy Note 7 price is £699 in the UK and €849 in most of Europe, with pre-orders starting on August 16 and a sale date of September 2.

The camera on the Note 7 is not mentioned in the article sections provided.

Battery life is a different story. The Note 7's battery ran 2 hours shorter in a looping video drain test compared to the S7 Edge, averaging 17 hours, 40 minutes. I got a solid day between charges and topped up in between using a wireless charging pad or USB-C cables.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 has a premium look and feel, ditching the plasticky materials of the past.

It's made of glass front and back panels, with an aluminum frame, giving it a solid and sturdy feel in your hand.

A curved display is one of the major design changes, similar to the S7 Edge.

Above the display, you'll find a front-facing camera module and speaker, while below it sits a home button/fingerprint sensor setup.

The power/standby key is on the right side, volume keys on the left, and the bottom sports the 3.5mm headphone jack, USB Type-C port, speaker grills, and S Pen slot.

Samsung includes an adapter in the box to help you transition from Micro USB cords.

The back of the phone is nearly indistinguishable from the Note 5, with a squircle camera module towards the top and LED flash/HR sensor to the right.

The curved edges on the back make it easier to hold the phone comfortably.

The Note 7 is waterproof, just like the S7 and S7 Edge, and you can even take notes underwater if you're feeling adventurous.

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The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phone has a large 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display, making it perfect for watching videos or browsing the web.

Its hardware is powered by a 64-bit, octa-core processor, ensuring smooth performance and efficient multitasking. The phone also features 4GB of RAM, which helps to keep multiple apps running simultaneously without a hitch.

The Galaxy Note 7 has a long-lasting 3500mAh battery, which provides up to 24 hours of talk time on a single charge.

The S Pen Software is a game-changer for Samsung Galaxy Note users. It allows you to write, draw, and annotate directly on your screen with incredible precision.

The Air Actions feature lets you control your phone with gestures, making it easy to take photos, change songs, and more without even touching the screen. This feature is especially useful when you're in a meeting or cooking and can't put down your phone.

With the S Pen Software, you can also capture screenshots and edit them right away, making it easy to share what you see on your screen with others. This feature is super convenient for work or school.

The S Pen Software also includes a feature called Screen Off Memo, which lets you write a note even when your screen is off. This is perfect for jotting down a quick reminder or idea without having to turn on your phone.

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The Galaxy Note 7's hardware is a mixed bag. Despite the lack of higher RAM capacities, Samsung has closed the gaps in storage with a 64GB built-in option, and the ability to add a microSD card is a welcome feature.

The phone's speaker is a major letdown, with poor sound quality that's even weaker than other bottom-mounted speakers. It's one of the weakest points of the Galaxy line.

The headphone jack is still present, and it's a relief for those who want to keep using their wired headphones. The sound quality is above average, but it's not exceptional.

Samsung's SoundAlive feature returns in the Note 7, offering sliders and dials to customize the sound coming out of the headphone jack. It's a useful tool for fine-tuning the sound to your liking.

The Note 7 can even analyze and enhance plugged-in headphones through a process of beeps and user input, which can result in a better sound experience. This feature is a nice touch, but it's limited by the phone's inability to drive powerful headphones.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 was designed to seamlessly integrate with other Samsung devices, creating a cohesive ecosystem. This means users can easily share files, photos, and more between their Note 7 and other Samsung devices.

With Samsung's Smart Switch feature, transferring data from your old phone to the Note 7 is a breeze, making it easy to set up your new device. This feature also allows for effortless transfer of data to other Samsung devices.

The Note 7's compatibility with Samsung's SmartThings platform enables users to control and monitor their smart home devices, such as lights and thermostats, directly from their phone.

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The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 had a major issue with its batteries bursting into flames.

The phone's design change to USB Type-C was a good move, but it also had some drawbacks.

The new Gear VR headset for the Note 7 was a nice addition, but it had some physical limitations.

The Gear VR headset had a weight of 345g, which may be a bit heavy for some users.

The phone's compatibility with other devices was a plus, but it also had some limitations.

Here are some of the devices that are compatible with the Note 7's Gear VR headset: