Can’t Wait For Samsung’s Galaxy Note 5? Here’s When You Can Get One, Plus: What The Note 5 Will Look Like

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 5 is probably the most anticipated smartphone due out for the latter half of this year – aside from Apple’s next editions of the iPhone – and the trickle of Galaxy Note 5 leaks is quickly turning into a steady stream. Tech observers think they’ve got a pretty good idea of when the Galaxy Note 5 will be unveiled, and we might now even know just what Samsung’s flagship phablet will look like when it hits stores.

As is the case just about every year, the rumor mill has been churning out reports that this year will be the one where Samsung releases the next Galaxy Note earlier than usual. These sorts of reports almost always turn out to be wrong, and Samsung – like clockwork – unveils the next Galaxy Note at a predictable time and place. This year, according to Samsung news site SamMobile, will likely be no different.

The time: September of this year, right around when Apple is releasing its next iPhones. The place: IFA 2015, the same conference where Samsung revealed its previous iterations in the Galaxy Note series.

As for a release date, that’s still uncertain, but it seems likely that Samsung will keep pace with the launch window for previous Galaxy Note devices. The Galaxy Note series is an early fall device, meaning it usually gets a big unveiling in September, followed by a release in September or October.

The biggest changes Samsung appears to have in store have to do with the Galaxy Note’s form factor and build quality. The Note series typically follows the design cues of the Galaxy S series – though sometimes it gets the jump on certain design elements – and this year will likely see Samsung wrapping the Galaxy Note 5 in the same high-quality build materials that won rave reviews for the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge.

That means the Galaxy Note 5 will probably feature a glass-backed design, as well as metal build materials. Longtime Note fans might be a bit miffed at Samsung’s design choices for the Note 5, though, as the glass-and-metal construction will likely mean that Samsung is doing away with expandable storage and removable batteries for the Note 5. That’s sure to anger some Samsung fans, who feel the tech giant is abandoning the things that made their phones attractive in order to chase after Apple’s high-end market share.

The newest concept images of the Galaxy Note 5 show off a sleek device, indeed. Were Samsung to come out with something similar, the Galaxy Note 5 would, of course, retain the S Pen stylus that differentiates the Note series from much of its competition. The difference this year will be in the styling of the new Note 5. Gone are the faux-stitched leather trappings of previous years, and instead Samsung is decking the Note 5 out in smooth glass and metal. Reportedly, that high-end look will be available in four colors: black, gold, silver, and white.

Inside, the Galaxy Note 5 is expected to be one of the most powerful smartphones to date. SamMobile claims that the Note 5 will introduce the brand new Exynos 7422 processor, which features a 64-bit octa-core CPU and a new graphics processing. That chipset will also likely pack RAM, storage, and LTE all onto the same component. The display is likely to be impressive, as well, as Samsung is expected to pack a 2K display – with more pixels than most HDTVs – into the Note 5.

[Images via TechnoBuffalo]