Skip to main content

The U.S. Galaxy Note 10 will have the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 after all

Samsung has for a long time used two different processors in its flagship phones, depending on where they are sold. In the U.S., a Qualcomm chip is usually found inside, while in Europe, South Korea, and most other places, Samsung’s own Exynos chip is used. And, it looks like that will happen once again for the Galaxy Note 10.

Serial Twitter leaker Evan Blass tweeted earlier that some U.S. variants of the Galaxy Note 10 would feature a Samsung Exynos chip, but has since retracted the claim, saying that, in fact, the U.S. Galaxy Note 10 will feature the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855.

When Blass first made the claim, he mentioned that only the Verizon Galaxy Note 10 would have the Snapdragon 855 in the U.S.

“Speaking to two people with firsthand knowledge of U.S. carrier stock, it seems clear that the U.S. devices will have the Snapdragon 855 across the board,” Blass said in a new tweet.

The reason Samsung may be holding out on using Exynos chips in the U.S. may have to do with 5G connectivity in the U.S. According to PCMag reporter Sascha Segan, phones on AT&T and T-Mobile need to support sub-6 FDD, which is a technology used in some 5G spectrums in the U.S. — and the Exynos chipset currently doesn’t support sub-6 FDD. Because of that, it’s unlikely that Samsung will offer phones with Exynos chips in the U.S. any time soon — though it could eventually develop chips that support sub-6 FDD.

In general, the Galaxy Note 10 is expected to offer an edge-to-edge display with a pinhole camera cutout for the front-facing camera. On top of that, the device will likely offer as much as 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. The device may also do away with the headphone jack — despite the fact that Samsung has long championed the fact that it has held onto the headphone jack in its phones.

We will know the full set of Samsung Galaxy Note 10 specs on August 7 when the Galaxy Note 10 is revealed. Or will we? Samsung doesn’t always talk about specification at its launch events, preferring to focus on experiences and how the phone will benefit you on a daily basis. If it keeps quiet, all will be revealed once we get our hands on the phone.

Updated on August 2, 2019: Evan Blass has retracted his tweet and the Galaxy Note 10 will likely offer the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 in the U.S.

Editors' Recommendations

Andy Boxall
Senior Mobile Writer
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
Should the Galaxy S22 Ultra replace your Note 20 Ultra?
Galaxy S22 Ultra and Note 20 Ultra screens held in hand.

If the S Pen is like an extension of your body, then you’ve probably stuck with the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra since it was released, unwilling to compromise by getting an S21 Ultra and the S Pen case accessory. But now Samsung has the Galaxy S22 Ultra, and it comes with an S Pen stylus inside the body. Does that mean it’s time to upgrade, and if so, what else should you expect?

I’ve given the two a back-to-back workout to see if now is the time for Note 20 Ultra owners to get a new phone.
Hold the phones
There is almost no difference whatsoever between the Galaxy S22 Ultra and the Note 20 Ultra when you hold them both. It’s uncanny how similar the two are, with the same flat end caps, the same sharply curved sides, and essentially identical dimensions. Even the placement of the speaker grille on the bottom of both phones is exactly the same. However, Samsung decided the 208 gram Note 20 Ultra wasn’t heavy enough and added another 20 grams to the overall weight of the S22 Ultra.

Read more
How Samsung reimagined the Galaxy Note to make the S22 Ultra
Galaxy S22 Ultra in Phantom White.

Is the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra really a new Ultra phone, or is it a new Galaxy Note just without the name? It turns out it’s both ... and neither. It’s something new, where the essence of both these great device families has been rolled into one, and a lot of what we're seeing comes from Samsung’s commitment to listening to its customers.

Digital Trends spoke to Nick Porter, vice president of product management and commercial operations at Samsung U.K. and Ireland, ahead of the new Galaxy S22 smartphone range’s launch about what makes the Galaxy S22 Ultra new, yet still surprisingly familiar.

Read more
Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S8 and S8 Plus have few compromises
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 being held up with the lock screen showing.

After months of rumors, speculation, and leaks, Samsung has finally revealed its new Galaxy Tab S8 lineup at Samsung Unpacked. As we've been expecting, the trio of new tablets includes the Galaxy Tab S8, Galaxy Tab S8 Plus, and Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, with the latter bringing some hefty upgrades over the two smaller and more affordable models. The S8 and S8 Plus provide plenty of power in an attractive package, though, for those who don't need the Ultra's considerably larger screen and internal storage space.

Same internals, different sizes

Read more