Software and Photographic camera

The Galaxy Note 5 comes pre-loaded with Android 5.one.1 out of the box, and of course nosotros're getting a custom skin as well. Aside from the S Pen features I described on the previous page, and some new icons for included apps, the Note 5 uses essentially the same software as the Milky way S6, including the same features and aforementioned visual fashion.

Over the by few years Samsung has done a pretty adept task of cleaning up their skin, making information technology more responsive and removing a lot of the unnecessary clutter that plagued previous iterations. I still prefer the visual manner of stock Android, as I'thousand sure many other people do, but Samsung's skin blends in a lot better with other Android apps than past versions, which makes the device feel at lot more than cohesive as y'all motility from app to app.

I appreciate many of the Notation 5's software features, including the easy access to settings in a small department of the notification screen, and total theming functionality. Other features, such as split-screen app support and Quick Connect, I tin can see existence handy for some users even if I didn't utilize them very oft myself. Live streaming to YouTube directly from the phone is also a handy feature, exclusive to the Note 5, though once again I didn't find myself using information technology very often.

On the other hand, and this has been the case with Samsung devices for some time, some aspects of the software however require polish, especially concerning the out of the box feel. Having auto-correct disabled by default in the keyboard is a central sin, and the loud, annoying touch sounds should be muted from the get get. At that place's also some bloatware to contend with, including 'apps' that are actually simply shortcuts to install something, and the pointless Milky way Apps store.

Generally speaking, though, the software experience from the Note 5 is perfectly acceptable, and certainly less intrusive and abrasive than previous versions, including what y'all get on the Annotation iv.

Equally for the camera, Samsung has taken the very same hardware from the Galaxy S6 and slapped it in the Note 5. We're looking at a Sony IMX240 rear one/2.6" 16-megapixel sensor with 1.12 micron pixels paired with an f/1.9 lens and optical image stabilization. On the front is a five-megapixel sensor also with an f/ane.9 lens.

I won't spend a ton of time on the Galaxy Note 5'due south photographic camera equally you lot can read more about the results in my review of the Milky way S6. Notwithstanding what I will say is that this camera is excellent, and its ability to capture superb images in car manner whether you're indoors or out is one of its many strengths. The f/1.ix lens lets in enough of calorie-free, and besides delivers surprisingly skillful bokeh for close up shots. Post processing and metering is also excellent, helping the phone to capture accurate yet vibrant images.

Samsung's camera application is very good, especially the automatic HDR mode that really enhances the detail in shadows and highlights where appropriate. The Pro style lets you command a decent amount of settings to further heighten your shots, while there's a large range of video features including 4K capture and 120 FPS slow movement.