[9] The Galaxy Note was distinguished by its unusually large form factor—later referred to using the term "phablet"—which straddled the size of the average smartphone at the time, and that of a small tablet: it features a 5.3-inch display, and is bundled with a stylus branded as the "S Pen", which can be used to navigate the device's user interface, and write or draw in supported apps.

[13][16] In May 2012, Samsung began to distribute an update to Android 4.0.4 "Ice Cream Sandwich" (which itself added system-level support for pen input)[17] to the Galaxy Note.

[18][19] In October 2012, Samsung began to distribute Android 4.1 "Jelly Bean" for the Galaxy Note in South Korea[20] and some other parts of the world.

(Some Galaxy Note phones in the North American region used capactive buttons only for the home, menu and return key.

Samsung have made available a collection of accessories such as a clip-on screen cover (which replaces the back panel), a docking station, and spare chargers and styluses.

The Galaxy Note received positive reviews, but with critics divided on user acceptance of its polarizing form factor.

Pocket-lint remarked that the device was "positively gargantuan" in comparison to an iPhone 4S and that users would look "like a tool" if they held it to their face to take a call.

[16] At the same time, the HD Super AMOLED display was considered one of the best that Samsung had ever used in a device—praising its increased resolution and clarity over that of the Galaxy S II, its "vibrant and searing" colors, and its convenience for watching video whilst travelling.

The presence of a stylus was compared to PDAs and early Windows Mobile devices, but with the addition of pressure sensitivity and the "versatile" S Memo app.

In conclusion, the Galaxy Note was considered to be a capable device and potentially "the best handheld games console around" due to its screen size, but showed concerns over whether it would appeal to a mainstream audience.

In regard to its market positioning, it was felt that web browsing felt more comfortable on the Galaxy Note's 5.3-inch screen than watching video (in comparison to a 10.1-inch screen), explaining that "not necessarily the perfect choice for any situation, the Note will have you covered for most of the applications of modern day smart devices."

[18] In December 2011, Samsung announced that one million Galaxy Notes were shipped in less than two months, and that a North American variant would be available in February 2012.

[27] In January 2012, the US model of the Galaxy Note was featured at the 2012 CES in Las Vegas, allowing press to get an early look at the new device.