Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014) special features The Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014) is heavy and sometimes best left on a flat surface. The weight won’t surprise you, but you will need to rest your arms after using it for extended periods. Though it’s housed in plastic rather than metal, the Note 10.1 is quite a weighty device and might prove too heavy for a nighttime read or when holding in one hand for long periods of time (if you’re typing, for example). Given what’s housed inside, at 7.9mm the Note 10.1 is remarkably thin, even if it can’t compete with Sony’s modern tablets (like the Xperia Z4 Tablet).

The stylus is tucked away nicely around the back-right side of the device when holding it in landscape (a convenient placement), and the power and volume buttons appear on the top left. The S Pen stylus can be seen at the top left of the device. / © ANDROIDPIT Notice the 'stitching' effect on the tablet's rear. This is interesting considering that it was visually quite different from other tablets when it was first released back at the end of 2013. It’s unassuming, which assured that it never looked out of place no matter where I took it. Not immediately striking, the Note 10.1 has something of a muted quality about it. In 2015, and in light of some of the more recent Sony Tablets, the Note 10.1 (2014) isn’t exactly “premium” - the plastic chrome-effect packaging feels particularly tacky these days. The Note 10.1 looks like an oversized Galaxy Note 3. It houses the same textured plastic rear, complete with a stitch-effect trim, and chrome-effect edges.

To anybody who has handled the Galaxy Note 3 phablet, the design of the Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014) will be immediately familiar. And, for our money, it’s the best all-rounder, striking the right balance between size and price.

The Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014) is the middle child in Note tablet series, sitting between the 8.0-inch version, and huge Note Pro 12.2 variant. Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014) design and build quality

Best tablet for handwriting notes 2014