PC World - USA (2019-10)

46 PCWorld OCTOBER 2019

REVIEWS SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 10+ 5G

through the middle. That type of geography

is important for mmWave, because the initial

deployment sends a direct signal that is

easily interrupted. Verizon says that

beamforming will help mmWave signals turn

corners and eventually reach inside

buildings, but that’s still in development

(read more in our beamforming explainer by

Eric Geier [go.pcworld.com/bfrm]).

So for now, getting 5G on your phone

requires an awareness of where you are in relation

to the nodes. Turn a corner—or even turn

around—and you might drop the signal. When I

questioned the fluctuating speeds, in fact, the

Verizon representative told me that the 5G

network is so finicky that if I turned to face the

node rather than use the Note with my back to it,

I’d see better results

because the signal

wouldn’t have to go

through my body to

get to the phone.

He was right.

At times the

5G connection

would revert to

4G without

moving. Other

times it switched

while walking

toward one of the

nodes. Sometimes

the Note 10+

registered the 5G

UWB network but delivered less-than-LTE

speeds. Trying to connect to 5G inside a

building was nearly impossible. But all in all, I

came away impressed with what I was able to

do with a 5G phone, though the network

would need to get a whole lot stronger

before I’d recommend buying into it.

THE FUTURE ISN’T NOW

The $1,300 Galaxy Note 10+ 5G is identical

in every way to the Note 10+, save for its

deep-purple color and 5G modem. That’s a

feat in itself. Previous 5G phones, such as the

Galaxy S10+ 5G and LG V50 ThinQ 5G, were

thicker, larger versions of their LTE

counterparts to compensate for the heat,

battery, and modem. So Samsung is either

The node at the corner of Thayer Street and Bowen Street provides 5G to the

surrounding streets.