Samsung took the wraps off its Galaxy Note 7 phablet on Aug. 2 and the device is set to hit the shelves in many parts of the world starting Aug. 19.
The successor of the Galaxy Note 5 brings in its fold a gamut of new features such as an iris scanner, enhanced S Pen stylus and waterproof abilities, which could be enough reason for consumers to upgrade to the Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow-powered handset.
We take a look at what the experts are saying about the Galaxy Note 7 and if the handset indeed lives up to the hype.
"In many ways, the Galaxy Note 7 isn't a huge step beyond what Samsung already offers. There's been no great leap forward in display resolution, processor power, RAM or battery capacity. Even so, this feels like it could be the must-have phone of 2016," notes Trusted Reviews.
Kunal Khullar of Firstpost waxes eloquent about the device and feels it is the best Galaxy Note to date.
"Of course I am going to tell you that it feels like the best Galaxy Note smartphone till date and is probably the most powerful Android device, but there is a finer point that Samsung has made with the Note 7. It is going deep into smaller details something which all smartphone makers are going to follow, sooner or later," says Khullar.
The iris scanner on the Galaxy Note 7 is a much-touted feature, but seems it does not live up to the hype and is quite slow.
"The iris scanner doesn't seem to have much of a point to it at the moment, as it's too slow and doesn't seem to add much over the fingerprint scanner that's already there. But with a brilliant camera and a design rebooted slightly, as well as IP68 waterproof smarts, it's hard to see how anyone is going to dislike this compact, yet intensely, powerful, phablet," notes TechRadar.
However, the enhanced S Pen features and water resistance aspects are finding favor with experts.
"The Note 7 is a beautiful handset and it feels good to have the S Pen-equipped Note brand back in the UK. It has always been (and will likely always be) a niche part of Samsung's lineup, but one which is hugely powerful, looks great, and offers the benefits of a big screen and lasting battery. Adding water resistance, an improved stylus and headline-grabbing iris recognition only further secures the Note 7's position as a must-have smartphone," says IBTimes.
Experts are also touting the device's productivity and are raving about the S Pen.
"The Galaxy Note 7 is a masterpiece, like the S7 edge (our current favorite phone) on steroids. It's a serious device for serious productivity and should only be considered if you'll use the S Pen for notes and memos," says T3.
