Launch report · Samsung
Galaxy Note7: The acclaimed flagship recalled worldwide over battery fires.
SpecEagle Editorial·Aug 2016·$850·Score 56/100
The Galaxy Note7 was reviewed as one of the best phones ever made — until battery defects caused units to catch fire, triggering a global recall, flight bans and a permanent production halt. It remains the most infamous safety crisis in smartphone history and a landmark case study in QA.
Key specs at launch
Display
5.7" QHD SAMOLED
Chipset
Exynos 8890 / SD820
Memory
4 GB · 64 GB
Main cam
12 MP Dual Pixel
Battery
3,500 mAh
Weight
169 g
What stands out
- Iris scanner and refined S Pen with translate.
- Dual-curved QHD AMOLED + IP68.
- Dual Pixel camera was excellent.
- USB-C, microSD + jack.
What to watch
- Globally recalled over battery fires.
- Banned from flights — a historic safety crisis.
- Production permanently halted.
- Tarnished the Note brand temporarily.
The phone it has to beat
Pixel 2 (2017)
$649 · score 88/100