Top 5 defects of Galaxy Note 5

Galaxy Note 5 vs Galaxy Note 4: 

what are the missing features? 

No Micro SD card support, non-removable battery, no IR blaster, smaller battery, and missing Lollipop features.

Update 1: Galaxy Note 5 S Pen is another design defect.  If you accidentally insert the Galaxy Note 5 S Pen in wrong direction, Galaxy Note 5 will not be able to detect whether the S Pen is in the slot or not. There are no solutions except visiting service center. Please read this page for details.

As detailed in this post, Galaxy Note 5 comes with some new or improved features, for example, new design with curved glass back, fast wireless charging, improved S pen features, improved camera, more RAM, faster CPU, better fingerprint sensor.

You will surely enjoy these features and the new Galaxy Note 5.

However, it seems Samsung  failed to get some user feedback of the defects or design flaws of Galaxy S6  and Galaxy S6 edge.  Galaxy Note 5 share some similar defects.

This post will try to summarize the top 5 defects in Galaxy Note 5.

Top 5 defects of Galaxy Note 5:  1. No micro SD card support

All previous generations of Galaxy Note devices, including Galaxy Note tablets (Galaxy Note 8.0, Galaxy Note 10.1, Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 edition and Galaxy Note Pro), have a micro SD card slot for you to expand the storage or to transfer files.

But Galaxy Note 5 stops this trend. Galaxy Note 5 does not support micro SD card. There is no micro SD card slot.

As micro SD card has similar size to SIM card,  micro SD card slot does not necessarily reside inside the phone.

If you have a SIM card slot, then technically, there is no problem to put a micro SD card slot.

One of the excuses of missing SD card slot is that Galaxy Note 5 is using UFS 2.0 storage, which is 3 times faster than eMMC storage. The micro SD card is too slow to match the performance of UFS 2.0 storage.

The truth is in your PC, you very likely have a very fast SSD drive, together with traditional, slower mechanical hard disk. It does not make sense you should throw away your old mechanical disk because of the new SSD drive. They can co-exist and serve different purposes:  SSD for fast access and old disk for storage.

This is same for UFS 2.0 and micro SD card.

Another commonly cited excuse is that most Galaxy Note users do not use SD card at all, based on some stupid market studies.

The truth is you should still buy medical insurance although you haven’t made any claims in last 10 years. 

One of the major factors we choose Samsung Galaxy Note devices is the “choices”.

The reality is Samsung made a wrong decision by removing micro SD card support. They hope they can get enough Galaxy Note 5 users who do not know what they want.

But Galaxy Note 5 will lose many existing Note users who know what choices mean.

Top 5 defects of Galaxy Note 5:  2. non-removable battery

Removable battery is now a luxury for high-end smartphones.

Apple enjoyed the success of embedded non-removable battery in all their devices. The non-removable battery can give them more freedom in internal design.

Now, more and more Android vendors follow this strategy.

But they forget that Apple has an extensive service network with acceptable service standard all over the world.

This means Apple fanboies can replace the battery easily in almost all places. The cost will be relatively similar in all regions. So, it is predictable.

So, how about Samsung? How many Samsung service centers in your area?

Do you know how much they will charge you for replacing the battery 2 years later?

You have no answer, Samsung has no answer.  Nobody has the answer. Maybe, the part is always out of stock and they will suggest you buy a newly released Galaxy Note 7.

Even worse, in some regions, Samsung relies on local distribution agents. Why do they have interest to stock parts for more than 20 different smartphones  that are 2  years old?

Of course, the non-removable battery is due to glass back cover design. It is hard to design a removable glass back cover.

So, the question is whether the glass is a good choice over plastic as in previous Galaxy Note devices.

Although many Galaxy Note owners criticized the plastic back cover. But what they complained is the poor-quality plastic Samsung used.

If you try Motorola or Nokia phones, you will know plastic is not created equally. Motorola even shows us you can customize your $180 Moto G with all-plastic construction.

The reality is that Samsung made another wrong decision to go to glass for the back cover, instead of using better plastics.

Metal is not a good option if wireless charging is needed.

Top 5 defects of Galaxy Note 5:  3. No IR blaster

Surprisingly, Galaxy Note 5 removed the IR blaster, which some of Galaxy Note 4 owners have enjoyed.

Very likely, “most” of Galaxy Note 4 owners never used it. And removing it can save about less than $1 in each device.

And therefore, Samsung decided to remove this feature from Galaxy Note 5 to cater for the mass market who do not know what they want.

As mentioned, this means Samsung slammed the doors to users who know why choices matter.

Top 5 defects of Galaxy Note 5: 4. Smaller battery

Galaxy Note 5 has an identical screen size (5.7″) to Galaxy Note 4.  But the battery capacity is reduced from 3220mAh to 3000mAh.

Probably, Samsung’s home-made 14nm Exynos processor in Galaxy Note 5 may be more power efficient than the 28nm Snapdragon 805 processors in Note 4.

But you should not expect longer battery life than Galaxy Note 4.

This is really bad for heavy users who have problems to access the wall charger often, although you can charge Galaxy Note 5 batteryfaster

For Galaxy Note 4 owners, you can just prepare a spare battery.  For Galaxy Note 5 owners, you have to learn to save battery and reduce the usage.

Top 5 defects of Galaxy Note 5: 5. missing  Lollipop features

Android allows all sorts of customization.

This makes a colorful Android world. HTC Android phones may have some unique features. LG can customize it to get some unique features.

Samsung is infamous of adding too many useless (sometimes also unique) feature to Android phones.

But the backlash of many half-baked unique features in Galaxy S4 dragged Samsung “back to basics” in Galaxy S5.

Now, Samsung is heading to another extreme. |

They trimmed many useful features in the TouchWiz. Now, they also trim some Android features.

Some excellent Android Lollipop features were removed in Samsung Galaxy Note 5 as they did for Galaxy S6.  This is surely another defect of Galaxy Note 5.

Here are a few examples:

• no guest user support. Android Lollipop offers guest user mode and multiple users in smartphones. This makes device sharing easier and safer. But you cannot find these features in Galaxy Note 5.
• no multiple user support.
• messed notification and interruption system. AlthoughAndroid Lollipop notification and interruption system received some negative feedback, it is still the best notification system compared to iOS, Windows phone. In Samsung Galaxy Note 5, Samsung implemented a hybrid of new notification system and the old one. It simply makes more confusions for new users.

Everything about Galaxy Note 5 S Pen

This guide shows you Galaxy Note 5 S Pen components and their functions, the difference between white and grey S Pen nibs, and how to replace S Pen nibs...

S Pen is the signature accessory for Galaxy Note devices. A lot of special features and functions on Galaxy Note 5 require S Pen.

This guide will try to cover all aspects of Galaxy Note 5 S Pen.  So, this guide will be helpful for you even you are a new user of S Pen.

For experienced S Pen users, the difference between Galaxy Note 5 S Pen and S Pen in previous generations is illustrated.

Because S Pens in all Galaxy Note devices share similar design. This guide also applies to old generation Galaxy Note devices, e.g., Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy Note II, Galaxy Note, Galaxy Note 10.1, Galaxy Note 8.0, Galaxy Note Pro.

If something is exclusive to Galaxy Note 5, it will be highlighted.

Galaxy Note 5 S Pen components and their functions

In your Samsung Galaxy Note 5 box, you should find following components related to Galaxy Note 5 S Pen:

1. a S Pen (with  a S Pen button) attached to Galaxy Note 5 S Pen slot (see Galaxy Note 5 layout here);
2. 5 spare S Pen nibs (in 2 colors), and
3. tweezers.

The 5 spare spare S Pen nibs and the tweezers were put inside a small plastic bag in the box.

The functions of the Galaxy Note 5 S Pen nib:

1. Use the S Pen to write, draw, or perform touch actions on the screen.
2. Hover the S Pen over items on the screen to access additional S Pen features, such as Action button and the Air view feature.

The functions of the Galaxy Note 5 S Pen button:

1. Hover the S Pen over the screen and press the S Pen button to display the Air command features.
2. While pressing and holding the S Pen button, drag the S Pen over items to select them.

The function of tweezers is to remove the S Pen nib when replacing the nib.

What are the differences between the white and grey S Pen nibs?

You may notice among the 5 spare S Pen nibs, 3 are white and 2 are grey.

By default, the S Pen attached to Galaxy Note 5 is white in most regions.

The color is not random. The white nibs are actually different from the grey ones.

The white one is harder and it is easy to move it on the screen with less friction. The grey one, on the other hand, is like rubber. It provides more friction.

So, these two types of S Pen nibs give you different S Pen experience depending on your habit.

But if you applies screen protector to your Galaxy Note 5 screen, you may find it is hard to use the grey one.

How to replace Galaxy Note 5 S Pen nib?

You may need replace the Galaxy Note 5 S pen nib when:

• you want to get more friction (grey) or less friction (white).
• the S Pen nib is dull or not responsive as usual.

Please note, S Pen nibs are NOT reusable.  So, don’t waste your S Pen nibs.

You may follow these steps to replace Galaxy Note 5 S Pen nib.

Step 1: Remove the old nib with tweezers

You need hold the nib firmly with the tweezers, then pull it out as shown below. Do not use any other tools.

Step 2: Insert the new S Pen nib.

Insert the new S pen nib into the S pen with your hand as shown below.

Do not insert the rounded end of the nib into Galaxy Note 5 S Pen.

How to detach Galaxy Note 5 S Pen?

To detach Galaxy Note 5 S pen, you need press the end of the S Pen to disengage it. Then, pull the S Pen from the slot as shown below

This is different from detaching S Pen from previous Galaxy Note devices. The Galaxy Note 5 S Pen is loaded with a spring. And you must press the end to disengage it.  For S Pen in Galaxy Note 4 and older devices, you can pull out the S Pen directly.

In Galaxy Note 5, the S Pen is fully inserted into the slot and you cannot pull it without pressing the end.

How to store Galaxy Note 5 S Pen?

To store Galaxy Note 5 S Pen, push it back into the S Pen slot until you hear it click. You need insert the S Pen’s nib first as shown below. Failure to do so can
cause the S Pen to become stuck. Forcefully detaching the S Pen from the slot may cause damage to the S Pen and Galaxy Note 5.

The Galaxy Note 5 S Pen design has a flaw: you may accidentally insert the S Pen in wrong direction without applying much force until it is stuck. If you pull out the S Pen after it is stuck, your Galaxy Note 5 will not be able to detect S Pen any more. You have to visit local Samsung service center to repair it.

If the Galaxy Note 5 S Pen is stored properly, the whole S Pen should be in the S Pen slot.

What can I do if I accidentally insert Galaxy Note 5 S Pen into the slot in wrong direction?

As mentioned, Galaxy Note 5 S pen has a design flaw. You may insert the S Pen in wrong direction without getting any warnings until it is stuck.

It is too late!

If this happened to you, you may damage the S Pen slot. Galaxy Note 5 will unlikely detect whether the S Pen is in the slot or not from now on.

This means you cannot use screen off memo. You have to use air command by pressing the S Pen button.

As it is a hardware damage, you have to visit local Samsung service center to repair the S Pen slot.  Factory data reset will NOT solve the problem.

For other Galaxy Note 5 features and detailed Galaxy Note 5 how-to guides , please check Galaxy Note 5 how-to guides page.

You may also download and read the official Samsung Galaxy Note 5 user manual here.

Top 5 new features of Galaxy Note 5 you will like

Galaxy Note 5 vs Galaxy Note 4: what's new and exciting? New design, fast wireless charging, improved S pen features, improved camera, more RAM, faster CPU, better fingerprint sensor.....

Update 1: Official Samsung Galaxy Note 5 user manuals are available now. You can download and read them in your language from this page.

Update 2: Galaxy Note 5 how-to guides page is available now. You can get detailed guides on how to use Galaxy Note 5.

On August 13 2015, Samsung announced the 5th generation of Galaxy Note phone: Galaxy Note 5 (together with Galaxy S6 edge+). In Asia, Galaxy  Note 5 has been available 2 days later (August 15). In US and North America, the release date is August 21.

If you are a long term Galaxy Note device user, you will notice Galaxy Note 5 was announced 2-3 weeks earlier than its predecessors.

All previous generations of Galaxy Note phones were announced in IFA Berlin (International radio exhibition Berlin, Berlin Radio Show).  The event usually starts from last week of August or first week of September. Galaxy Note (Note 1)  was announced in IFA Berlin 2011, Galaxy Note II in IFA Berlin 2012 (August 29, 2012), Galaxy Note 3 in IFA Berlin 2013 (September 4, 2013) and Galaxy Note 4 and Note Edge in IFA Berlin 2014 (September 3, 2014).

But this year, Samsung desperately rolls out Galaxy Note 5 earlier due to competition of the 5.5″ iPhone 6 plus, and the upcoming S version of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus next month.

So, Samsung not only announced Galaxy Note 5 three weeks earlier than IFA Berlin 2015, but also released it immediately. It used to take Samsung 1-2 months to release Galaxy Note devices after the device was announced.

many Galaxy note users may wonder what the new features of Galaxy Note 5 are, and whether you should get this new Galaxy Note device.

To help you understand Galaxy Note 5 better, two posts are prepared. This post shows you the new and cool features in Galaxy Note 5. The other one will focus on flaws of Galaxy Note 5.

A new design, full metal-glass construction andcurved glass back

Galaxy Note 5 looks fundamentally different from Galaxy Note 4 and other older Note devices, although Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy Note 4 share similar 5.7″ screen.

The new design of Galaxy Note 5 follows Galaxy S6. And, sadly, the design also reminds you about iPhone.

Galaxy Note 5 also says bye-bye to plastic (or faux leather). Metal and glass are used instead. It look gorgeous.

The unique point of Galaxy Note 5 design is the curved back. All Samsung Galaxy devices have a flat back, including Galaxy S6 edge which has curved screen in front side, not back.

The curved back reminds you Motorola design for Moto X or Moto G. But Galaxy Note 5 is only curved near the frame/edge. So, it still looks very different from Moto devices.

This curved edge in the back actually is far more useful than the curved screen (edge screen) in Galaxy S6 edge+, or Galaxy S6 edge. It makes it is very easy to hold Galaxy Note 5.

Wireless charging and fast wireless charging

Galaxy Note 4 supports fast charging, but not wireless charging.

Galaxy S6 comes with fast charging and wireless charging.

Now, Galaxy Note 5 gives you fast charging, wireless charging andfast wireless charging.

The fast wireless chargingis absolutely new for smartphones. Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 edge+ probably are the first duo to get this feature. You can simply enjoy fast charging with wireless charging.

Improved S Pen features in Galaxy Note 5

S Pen is the signature feature of Galaxy Note devices.

Of course, Samsung continues to improve the S Pen features in Galaxy Note 5.

Here are some remarkable improved or new S Pen features:

• New S Pen design. There is a serious flaw in Galaxy Note 5 design. You may accidentally insert the S Pen in wrong direction, and this will damage the S Pen slot. Please read this page for details.
• You can customize air command menu by adding your favorite apps to it.
• Scroll capture. You can take screenshot for multiple screens to cover whole web page, not just current screen.
• Screen off memo. You can write memos on the screen without turn the screen on.

We will prepare individual guides to show you how to use these cool features.

Improved camera

For the front camera, compared to Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy Note 5 upgrade the camera sensor. You can take 5MP selfies. A jump form 3.7MP in Galaxy Note 4.

The rear camera in Galaxy Note 5 has a similar 16MP sensor withOIS as you have in Galaxy Note 4.

But Samsung improved camera features significantly through software. For example:

• Pro mode. You can have detailed control of your photo.
• Camera quick launch. You can launch Galaxy Note 5 camera by tapping home button twice. Quick launch works even when the screen is locked.
• Tracking AF (auto focus) for you to take photos with moving objects..
• Lock focus and exposure.
• RAW support in Pro Mode. For advanced users,  Galaxy Note 5 can save photos in RAW format. This means you have the full freedom to edit the photos after they are taken. You are not limited to effects and filters. You can travel back and re-adjust camera settings.
• Video collage mode. You can capture multiple videos and play them in a single collage.
• Live broadcast. You can broadcast yourself live through YouTube in Galaxy Note 5 camera app. You can set the broadcast as private (only invited contacts can watch) or public. It is up to you.

More RAM, faster CPU, better fingerprint sensor

Compared to Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy Note 5 is equipped  with 4GB RAM (3GB in Note 4), faster 64-bit processor (Octa-core Exynos 7420). These surely boosts the performance of Galaxy Note 5 significantly.

Another improvement in Galaxy Note 5 is the UHS 2.0 storage, which is about 2-3 times faster than other smartphones with eMMC storage.  This is actually one of the  excuses of removing  micro SD card support in Galaxy Note 5.

Galaxy Note 5 also updated to touch-based fingerprint sensor. In Galaxy Note 4, you have to swipe your finger across the home button to register your fingerprint. In Galaxy Note 5, you need just touch the home button.

How to use Galaxy Note 5 screen off memo?

Galaxy Note 5 screen off memo lets you create action memos without turning on the screen. This guide shows you how to use Galaxy Note 5 screen off memo and how to open them as action memos in S Note app.

Samsung Galaxy Note 5 has several new features.  One of the most useful S Pen feature is Galaxy Note 5 screen off memo, which allows you to write on a locked screen like on a blackboard using your S Penwithout unlocking the phone.

This guide tries to explain to you what is Galaxy Note 5 screen off memo, and how to use Galaxy Note 5 screen off memo.

What is Galaxy Note 5 screen off memo?

Galaxy Note 5 screen off memo is a special S Pen feature  introduced in Galaxy Note 5. You can quickly create memos by writing on the screen with S Pen without turning on it.

In other words, when the screen is still locked and black, you can use S Pen to write on the screen like on a blackboard.

You can edit or erase what you wrote.  Then save what you wrote as an action memo.

The tricky features of Galaxy Note 5 screen off memo include:

• the screen is still locked.
• Galaxy Note 5 screen turns into a blackboard and your S Pen is the chalk.
• you cannot use your finger.
• you have a eraser to remove part or all of what you have written.
• you can choose to delete without saving.
• you can choose to save what you have written as an action memo.

You probably should not worry about too much battery usage, because the super AMOLED screen on Galaxy Note 5 does not consume battery for black color (the black pixels is not lit up).

How to use Galaxy Note 5 screen off memo?

To use Galaxy Note 5 screen off memo, you can follow these steps.

Step 1: Enable Galaxy Note 5 screen off memo

By default, Galaxy Note 5 screen off memo is turned off.

To use Galaxy Note 5 screen off memo, you need enable it.  InSettings—S Pen, you can enable screen off memo as shown below.

Once Galaxy Note 5 screen off memo is enabled, the switch will be shown as green as shown below (if you are using the default Galaxy Note 5 theme).

Please note, you need enable Galaxy Note 5 screen off memo only once.  The feature will be available until you manually disable it.

 

Step 2: Make sure Galaxy Note 5 screen is locked and turned off

Galaxy Note 5 screen off memo only works when the screen is off (black).

By default, you can press the power button to turn off the screen and lock the screen.

Step 3: Pull out S Pen

When the screen is off, you can detach S Pen from Galaxy Note 5.Please do NOT touch home button or power button to turn on screen.

To detach Galaxy S5 S Pen, you need press the end of the S Pen to disengage it. Then pull the S Pen out of the S Pen slot as shown below..

You may check this guide to detach and store S Pen on Galaxy Note 5.

Step 4: Write what you want on the screen

Once S Pen is detached from Galaxy Note 5, and if the screen is off,  you screen will now become a blackboard as shown below.

There are 4 buttons on the top:

1. S Pen mode.  You can use S Pen to write on the screen, just like a white chalk on a blackboard.
2. Eraser mode. In this mode, you are make corrections. You can erase any strokes. Please note, the eraser erases one stroke at one time. It is NOT based on pixels.
3. Discard the memo. You can tap this button to discard the memo and turn on the screen.
4. Save the memo. Tap this button to save the memo and turn on the screen.

By default, you are in S Pen mode. You can write straightaway after pulling out the S Pen as shown below.

After finishing your memo, tap SAVE button to save it as an action memo in S Note as shown below.

 

Step 5 (optional): Edit Galaxy Note 5 screen off memo in S Note.

Once you save the Galaxy Note 5 screen off memo, the memo will be saved as an action memo in S Note (see above).

You can edit it further in S Note app later.

When the memo is saved, you will also get a notification message in the notification panel as shown below.

How to access Galaxy Note 5 screen off memo in S Note app?

All memos created and saved in Galaxy Note 5 screen off memo are saved as action memos in Galaxy Note 5.

You need start S Note app to access action memos.

Once S Note starts, the default view is “All” as shown below.

You can tap ALL button as shown below to switch to action memos as shown below.

 

You can edit and link an action to the memo by tapping MORE button after opening the memo.

The detailed usage of action memos will be covered in this guide (coming soon!!).

Can you use Galaxy Note 5 screen off memo now?

If you have any questions on Galaxy Note 5 screen off memo, or encounter any problems when using Galaxy Note 5 screen off memo, please let us know in the comment box below.

The community will try to help you.

For other Galaxy Note 5 features and detailed Galaxy Note 5 how-to guides , please check Galaxy Note 5 how-to guides page.

You may also download and read the official Samsung Galaxy Note 5 user manual here.

Charge Galaxy Note 5 battery

how to charge Galaxy Note 5 battery properly? How to use wireless charging and fast wireless charging to charge Galaxy Note 5? How to use fast charging on Galaxy Note 5?.....

Although Galaxy Note 5 battery has a smaller capacity than that of Galaxy Note 4 (3000mAh vs 3220mAh), and the battery is non-removable as discussed in top 5 Galaxy Note 5 defects,  Samsung did introduce some exciting new technologies in Samsung Galaxy Note 5 battery:  fast charging, wireless charging and fast wireless charging.

In this guide, I will share with you on how to charge Galaxy Note 5 battery properly, how to use Galaxy Note 5 fast charging, how to use Galaxy Note 5 wireless charging, and how to use Galaxy Note 5 fast wireless charging. Some frequently asked questions on Galaxy Note 5 battery are also answered.

Because Galaxy Note 5 battery is sealed behind the glass back cover, you cannot use a spare battery.  You also have to visit Samsung service center to replace the battery if needed.

Most battery has a life span of 2-5 years depending on usage and cell quality. Heavy users may have to replace the battery after 12-18 months.

Properly charging Galaxy Note 5 battery can make your battery last longer.

Of course, it is unwise to sacrifice your usage to “protect” you battery: your Galaxy Note 5 costs about $700 and the battery only costs about $50.  The value of your Galaxy Note 5 is redeemed through your usage, not through keeping it fresh.

How to charge Galaxy Note 5 battery

Samsung Galaxy Note 5 can be charged through the USB port (multipurpose jack)  in the bottom with normal USB cable, or charged wirelessly (read on).

In your Galaxy Note 5 box, you can find the charger and an USB cable. You should try to use these official charger and cable.

Do not use low-quality chargers. Such chargers may cause fire and may damage your Galaxy Note 5.  If you want to get a spare charger, try to get it from reliable suppliers.

USB cable may also affect charging. If you want to get a spare USB cable, try to get it from a computer hardware store, not from handphone shops.

To charge Galaxy Note 5 through USB cable, you may follow these steps.

Step 1:  Connect USB cable to the charger

There is no way to get it wrong!  Only the “big” end of the USB cable can be inserted into the charger.

Please make sure it is inserted tightly.

Step 2: Connect USB cable to Galaxy Note 5.

Now, insert the “small” end of the USB cable to the micro USB port in the bottom of Galaxy Note 5 as shown below.

Please note the orientation of the cable. The narrow side of the connector should be on top. For Samsung USB cables, the USB icon should be facing upwards as shown below.

If you put it in the wrong orientation and push it violently, you may damage the USB connector on the phone and the cable.

Step 3: Plug charger into an electric socket.

You can plug the charger into an electric socket or extension.  If there is a switch for the socket, turn the power on.

Step 4: Wait till Galaxy Note 5 is fully charged.

The indicator LED in the top left of Galaxy Note 5 (see Galaxy Note 5 layout) should turn red.

Now it is time to relax.

With the official Samsung charger, it should take about 90 mins (from 0%) to charge the battery to full.

You can check the status by waking up the screen. In the lock screen it should shows you the battery charging status.

Once Galaxy Note 5 battery is fully charged, the indicator LED should turn green. So, it is not necessary to wake up the screen to check the charging status.

Step 5: Disconnect USB cable from Galaxy Note 5

Once Galaxy Note 5 battery is fully charged, you can and should disconnect USB cable from Galaxy Note 5.

Step 6: Unplug the charger from socket

It is recommended to unplug the charger from the socket or turn off power for the socket.

Is fast charging harmful to Galaxy Note 5 battery?

The official Samsung charger for Galaxy Note 5 in your box is actually a fast charger (adaptive charger). This is why you can charge Galaxy Note 5 in about 1.5 hours.

Fast charging is supported and enabled in Galaxy Note 5. You cannot disable it. This is different from Galaxy Note 4, in which you can disable fast charging if you are not comfortable with it.

Fast charging is achieved through elevated voltage (from 5V to 9V), not through increased current. The adaptive charger has a special chip to communicate with the battery (and the phone) to determine the proper output power depending on battery level and other parameters. Once the battery level reaches above about 50-60%, the charger will function as a normal wall charger and fast charging is essentially disabled.

Theoretically, fast charging may increase wear and tear to the battery cells due to higher charging power.

But technically, the impact is very marginal. You should not worry too much about it.

It may slightly shorten life span of Galaxy Note 5 battery. But the gains of shorter charging time usually offer more value for the phone.

How to use wireless charging to charge Galaxy Note 5 battery?

Like Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy Note 5 also has a built-in wireless charging coil. This means you can charge Galaxy Note 5 battery through wireless charging.

To use wireless charging to charge Galaxy Note 5 battery, you need awireless charging pad.  Unfortunately, Samsung did not bundle it in the box.

Galaxy Note 5 wireless charging supports both Qi and PMA charging standards. So, it is easy to get a wireless charging pad for Galaxy Note 5. It should cost you less than $40.

Please note, if you want to use “fast” wireless charging for Galaxy Note 5 (see next section), you have to use Samsung’s fast wireless charging pad. There are no offers from other vendors.

It is very simple to use wireless charging to charge Galaxy Note 5 battery.  You just put Galaxy Note 5 in the center of the wireless charging pad.  The charging pad should illuminate certain color (for Samsung wireless charging pad, it is blue)  to indicate the charging is progress.

Once Galaxy Note 5 battery is fully charged, the charging pad will also change color. For Samsung wireless charging pad, the color is green.

Of course, you can check the charging status by waking up the Galaxy Note 5 screen.

How to use fast wireless charging to charge Galaxy Note 5 battery

In addition to normal wireless charging, Galaxy Note 5 also introduced fast wireless charging, which is 50% faster than normal wireless charging.

Unfortunately, only Samsung currently offers the fast wireless charging pad. It will cost you about$70 in Amazon.

Please note, Samsung sells both normal wireless charging pad and fast wireless charging pad. For fast wireless charging pad, it is clearly marked with “fast charge” as shown below.

Fast wireless charging pad will function as normal wireless charging pad if the device does not support fast wireless charging. Currently, only Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 edge+ support this.

Must I charge Galaxy Note 5 battery before using it for the first time?

Samsung recommends you to charge Galaxy Note 5 battery before using it for the first time.

This is not a requirement, just a recommendation.

In reality, as Samsung does not offer 1-for-1 replacement in many regions, you have to test Galaxy Note 5 before making payment.

The new Galaxy Note 5 battery should have about 50% capacity when leaving factory. It is enough for you to try and test the phone.

If you want, you can use Galaxy note 5 till it reminds you to connect to the charger.

Of course, if you want to play safe. You can charge Galaxy Note 5 battery to full before using it.

But is is NOT necessary to leave it on the charger for 8 hours.

FAQs on charging Galaxy Note 5 battery

What’s the typical charging time for Galaxy Note 5?

The typical charging time when you charge Galaxy Note 5 battery (from 5% to fully charged) varies:

• Using the official adapter charger:  about (usually less than) 90 mins (1.5 hours) .
• Using normal Samsung wireless charging pad : about 3 hours.
• Using fast wireless charging pad:  about 120 mins (2 hours)

Is leaving Galaxy Note 5 on the charger overnight harmful for the battery?

No, there are no evidences to show it is harmful to Galaxy Note 5 battery.

But it is a BAD habit.

Then, is leaving Galaxy Note 5 on the charger overnight good for the battery?

No, there are no evidences to show it is good for Galaxy Note 5 battery,.

But it is a BAD habit.

How to disable Galaxy Note 5 fast charging?

Unlike in Galaxy Note 4, you cannot disable fast charging in Galaxy Note 5.

If you really want to disable Galaxy Note 5 fast charging, you can use non-adaptive chargers, i.e., normal wall chargers.

Why fast charging is not working on Galaxy Note 5?

You need use an adaptive charger (like the one in your Galaxy Note 5 box).

Why fast charging is not fast when charging my Galaxy Note 5 battery?

Fast charging will be essentially disabled if:

• the screen is on, or
• after battery level reaches about 50-60%.

Also, it is important to insert both ends of the cable tightly into the charger and Galaxy Note 5.

I was told, to use fast charging, I must plug the charger to the wall socket, not an extension. Is this true?

It is totally wrong.

As long as power is supplies to the charger, the charger has no idea it is from a socket or an extension.

Of course, stable voltage is important to keep the charger cool and efficient.

Why is Galaxy Note 5 battery still charging when it is 100%?

It is normal.

100% means reaching 100% based on estimation. It can take a few more mins, even longer,  to reach “fully charged”.

Fully charged is a hardware state of the battery, not an estimation.

For other Galaxy Note 5 features and detailed Galaxy Note 5 how-to guides , please check Galaxy Note 5 how-to guides page.