The Samsung Note line has always appealed to those looking to have a mini computer in their hands and the Note 5 continues that tradition with advanced hardware and software features.

I posted my full Samsung Galaxy Note 5 review yesterday and gave it one of the best ratings I’ve ever awarded for a smartphone on ZDNet.
While evaluating the Galaxy Note 5, I discovered many functions that make it the best business phone I have ever used. In addition to writing about mobile here on ZDNet, I am a professional engineer who works in a firm that uses Exchange for company communications.

All of my smartphones have been set up to help me with engineering tasks and account synchronization with Exchange, but these ten reasons (not in any ranked order) help the Galaxy Note 5 stand out from the rest.

1. Exchange-based contact list: I have something like 400 contacts in various databases, but only about 10 from my firm in one of these lists. Through Exchange on the Note 5, I now have access to everyone at my company for calls, text messages, and email. No other phone I have tested has this capability.

2. Annotate PDFs: All of our letters and deliverables are signed electronically. While I can’t get full secure signature support on the Note 5, I do have the ability to use the S Pen to provide my signature.

3. Use the S Pen with the screen off: You can replace all your Post-It notes by simply pulling out the S Pen and writing on the Note 5 without ever turning on the phone.

4. Installed Office apps: The core Microsoft Office suite is loaded on the Note 5. Even better, the large high resolution display makes using spreadsheets a practical experience and not simply a viewing novelty.

5. Scroll capture: There are times when I need to share more than just what is shown on the viewable display. The scroll capture functionality lets me do that and then share longer web pages, documents, and more.

6. Brilliant large display: There are plenty of phones with large displays, but this year Samsung minimized the bezel margins that cut down the width while improving the display so it’s the best available on any smartphone. A large screen that you can comfortably handle is a major benefit to getting things done on the go.

7. Flawless fingerprint scanner: Other new Galaxy phones have a fingerprint scanner, as does the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. It’s quick to unlock the Note 5 and get up and running. Reliability and performance has been fantastic.

8. Samsung Knox: Knox provides a secure mobile environment so you truly can use your device for work and play. Samsung Knox has been improved on the Note 5.

9. Samsung SideSync: SideSync lets you quickly and easily share the Note 5 display and data with your connected computer. Notifications from your connected Note 5 can even appear on your work computer, which helps improve communications efficiency.

10. Samsung Pay: I can’t judge this functionality yet since it hasn’t launched in the US, but the promise of replacing my cards and working for payments wherever magnetic strips are used is very appealing.

I recently sold my Apple iPhone 6 Plus on Swappa with the intent to purchase the next Plus model. However, as the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 continues to impress me more each day I may end up skipping the iPhone this season.

Author: Matthew Miller
Source: ZDNet