The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 was just announced today and it's already being prepped for a pre-order ahead of its Friday, August 21 release date.
While you may be deciding between it and the newly unveiled Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+, to become the earliest of early adopters, you'll need to pre-order it at 3 p.m. EDT.
After that, Samsung and carriers like Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint and US Cellular plan to start delivering its new phone by the end of next week. Phablet-clutching fingers (carefully) crossed.
AT&T
AT&T is phasing out contracts, but hasn't quite made that mandatory, like Verizon. That means you can still a Galaxy Note 5 for $250 for 32GB and $350 for 64GB with a two-year agreement.
That's $50 cheaper than the Note 4 launch price, but be warned, you need to be due for a new phone to get that sort of deal. Otherwise, it'll cost you $740 up front for 32GB or $840 for 64GB contract-free.
You can also opt for the carrier's AT&T Next plan. The Note 5 costs $24.67 a month for 30 months with the network's confusing plan that has three other tiers: 18 months for $30.84, 12 months $37, and "AT&T Next with a down payment" for 18.50 for 28 months $222 upfront.
T-Mobile
T-Mobile will be one of the first to offer the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 on August 21, and likely boast about it the most. Their CEO likes to do that with every launch.
Its contract-free pricing will have new Galaxy 5 seekers paying $25 a month for 18 months with its Jump On-demand plan. T-Mobile typically has better prices than other carriers nowadays. It's just a matter of its coverage in your area.
Sprint
Sprint, now the fourth-place carrier, isn't pulling the fast one it tried last year when it priced the Note 4 at $350 on-contract instead of $300. It eventually matched AT&T and Verizon when it came it its senses and graciously gave the Android phablet a well-marketed "price drop."
The Note 5 costs the same $250 for 32GB as it does through AT&T, when bought on a two-year contract. Upping that to 64GB mirrors AT&T, too, with a $350 price.
Off-contract, it's actually cheaper than AT&T with a price of $720 for 32GB and $816 for 64GB. Sprint is the better of the two places to go if you want an unlocked Note 5 in the US (by canceling your contract at the get-go).
Conversely, it's a little more expensive through Sprint's monthly payment programs, at $25 (32GB) and $30 (64GB) a month to lease and $30 (32GB) and $34 (64GB) to eventually own the phone outright.
Verizon
Verizon introduced mandatory, contract-free ways to pay for phones in the US the same day as the Note 5 pre-order launch, which may not being a coincidence.
That means you have the option of paying for the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 outright without a binding two-year contract, or ponying up for the Verizon Device Payment Plan over 24 months at $29 every month - in addition to your usual phone service and data bill.
Unlike the Galaxy Note 4, this phone won't cost you $300 through Verizon because it's not subsidized. Instead, you'll pay $696 if you go contract-free. That's actually the lowest price if you're paying full retail.
- Now check out the Galaxy S6 Edge+ hands on review
