Galaxy Note review - Galaxy Note GT-N7000 General

Galaxy Note review - Galaxy Note GT-N7000 General

Sorry for my choppy English, I'm not a native speaker.
When we first reviewed the mighty Galaxy S II back in June, we called it the best phone ever. But when the Galaxy Note was announced in IFA this september, we thought that it will be the new best phone ever. As it turns out, it wasn’t, and here’s the explaination why.
Design
Galaxy S II already was a huge phone. 4.3” might be too much for some people (usually for iPhone users). Keeping that in mind, try to imagine what were the initial reactions when we first took a glance of Galaxy Note in our hands. An unstoppable stream of many swearwords was ended by „...how big!”. And, if we look at the competitors, there is no surprise why it feels so big – Galaxy S II, Sensation and RAZR – all of them are 4.3inchers, Dell Streak is using 5” screen, but the smallest of tablets are sporting 7 inches. After two weeks of Note usage, almost every phone looks very small.
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Image courtesy of GSMArena.com
Samsung itselves are calling this device neither a smartphone, nor a tablet – it is in a segment of its own. It is in a planet of its own. Of course, the big screen is comfy for Internet, Angry Birds or HD movies, but using this device as a, umm, phone, is a bit tricky. You see, operationing with one hand is pretty much impossible, because the finger can’t touch this. Or that. Or every corner. (Hello MC Hammer!) To reach a control, you must change your grab, and it is not only unconvienient, but a bit dangerous too, since there is a possibility to drop the device and shatter your 700$ on the floor.
Apart from that, you must forget about tweeting and messaging with one hand, because it’s impossible to reach the keys in the other side of the screen. And when I was too lazy to use both hands, I figured that using my nose to touch the controls I can’t reach is good enough. Of course, that sort of device is bought by people who know they will confront with some inconveniences like these, and they just deal with it, knowing that 5.3” screen is included in their needs (architects, IT admins etc.) And, of course, the mighty experience of browsing Internet on screen this big is absolutely magnificient.
Galaxy S II users will recognize many familiar shapes, because the front of Galaxy Note is made by a single piece of Gorilla Glass, which is covering the big screen, a home button, and two illuminated capacitive Back and Menu controls. However, the distance between them is too big, and I can’t reach them with one hand. There is Samsung logo in the top, a speaker, sensors and frontal camera. The proximity sensor leaved us with a bit of disappointment, because its job was to lock the screen down during the call, but all it did was flicker the screen.
Image courtesy of GSMArena.com
The back is more flat on the Note than it was on S II, it hasn’t got the curve that was on the bottom of S II. The back cover is made from black plastic, which, although it isn’t as rough as it was on S II, feels a bit cheap. It is very thin and light. The phone also is very thin and light. Anyway, there are lens on the top, which is companioned by LED, but on the bottom there is Samsung logo and very weak speaker.
Fortunately, the lock button is on the right, and, if you think about it, putting it on the top would be more than insane on a phone this big. On the left we find a volume rocker, which is too high, but on the top is 3.5mm jack and noise-cancelling microphone. There is S-pen stylus and microUSB on the bottom.
Design rating – 8. The design and ergonomics are very well fitted for a screen this big, and, even though it is very inappropriate to think about Note as a phone for daily usage, and it’s too small for being a tablet, as a golden compromise it’s very good.
Hardware
Even though there are many phones that have claimed its title, the mighty Galaxy S II still is the king of smartphones. Its hardware is very great and powerful, and it’s the closest definition of the word perfection. And Samsung thought: If we have such a great piece of hardware, why should we bother of making new one, if the old hasn’t been broken? Indeed, they did transplant it from S II to Note. For example, the chipset is the same (Exynos), the GPU is the same (Mali-400MP), and the ARM-Cortex A9 based dualcore processor (although it has been a tiny bit overclocked to 1.4GHz), is the same. Even though this configuration was initially launched in February, it is still one of the most powerful yet.
The device is powered by 2500 miliamperhour battery, which is huge, measuring it after phone standarts, and, once again, mediocre as a tablet battery. Assuming it is more of a phone than tablet, we will measure it after phone standarts. Even though Samsung is promising cake, magnets and unicorns with its battery life, we didn’t actually get more battery life than from a normal phone, for example, S II. That said, it is very good indeed, meaning that you’ll end up with 20% of battery life at the end of a really busy day.
As we said earlier, the front is occupied by 5.3” SuperAMOLED HD display. Of course, it’s an AMOLED, what would you expect from it to do? Indeed, it has very great and vivid colors, deep blacks and high contrast. It has 800x1280 resolution, which is very popular among laptops, not phones. Its DPI is 285, but we aren’t sure if it’s any better than Galaxy S II which has much lower DPI rates. Prepare for James May mode, because I’ll explain why.
See, SuperAMOLED Plus is better than the original SuperAMOLED, because it has RGB pixel layout instead of Pentile, which means it has the same amount of green subpixels, as it has red or blue subpixels, making it total of 12 subpixels within a pixel. However, SuperAMOLEDs are using PenTile rather than RGB, which means a lower amount of subpixels, making it a total of 9. That’s because AMOLED technology isn’t advanced enough to put enough subpixels in such high DPI, or, let’s put it the other way round, RGB AMOLED pixels are too big to make enough DPI – that’s where Pentile comes in. That’s the reason why Galaxy S II has only 217DPI.
Image courtesy of GSMArena.com
Of course, in daily usage you’ll not notice it. Only, viewed close, yes, you can say it’s PenTile. And, displaying very small text shows up all the disadvantages of PenTile. But, yes, that’s the mark against AMOLED – we hope that until the release of Galaxy S III, which, if all the rumors are true, has HD display too, Samsung will have resolved thi issue.
This phone, being a flagship, doesn’t lack everything in connection departement, and it sports WiFi b/g/n with DLNA and WiFi Direct, 3G HSPA, GPS, NFC in some regions, Bluetooth 3.0, USB-to-go and other familiar things. It has 16/32GB storage, which can be expanded with microSDHC card. It’s possible to connect the device to the big screen with MHL audiovideo cable.
The device has 8MP camera, which is the same as on Galaxy S II. Of course, it can capture HD video. Image quality is very good and you can think of it as a replacement of point-and-shoot cameras.
Hardware rating – 9. The device is very well equipped. Of course, you would demand a RGB screen, but that’s not a big deal – just a little disappointment. Everything else is just great.
Software
Note has Android 2.3.5, which is topped by Touchwiz 4.0. The device’s ROM is very well optimized and the battery consumption is handled nicely, bounding CPU frequency between 200MHz and 1.4GHz. The max frequency is used only 5% of time. Of course, this being XDA, you wouldn’t be interested too much in the stock ROM, but this is one of the best stock ROM’s I’ve ever seen.
The TouchWiz itself is very colorful and flash. Many will dislike it, but we loved it. It’s very functional and easy to use, and, because of the big screen, it has been made possible to put 5x5 icons/widgets on desktop or menu.
Software rating – 10. TouchWiz 4.0 is great, the ROM is optimized very nicely, and it’s a very nice gesture from Samsung to have the bootloader unlocked.
To buy or not to buy...
Amazon has put Note’s price circa 700 dollars.... I would say – not to. Of course, if you aren’t the sort of person who especially wants a big screen – then, and only then – Note is a great buy. But, if you are a normal bloke who wants a great phone with a big screen, you wouldn’t want more than Galaxy S II. It has the same hardware, but a smaller screen, which would be more comfortable in everyday usage. It also is cheaper, more popular and with a better screen (SuperAMOLED+). If you want something smaller than Note but bigger than the pack, you should take look at HTC Titan/Sensation XL, but, because it is more expensive than it’s really worth, and, has the specs of 2010, we wouldn’t recommend it either. That’s the conclusion – if you want a Galaxy S II on steroids, buy Note, but if you are fine with the S II, why should you not take it in the first place?
+ Huge screen
+ Great performance
+ Nice camera
+ Android 2.3.5 + TouchWiz 4.0
+ S-Pen stylus
- Cheap plastics
- Price is too high
- Too huge screen
- Pentile ruins the party
CTRL.lv rating – [9/12]
(Galaxy S II had 11/12)

wow great review! although the note is beautiful, i though the screen might be a little too big, as well.

Thank you!

Thanks for the review. I have added it to the note review sticky. So no need to keep this thread open now.
Thread Closed

Related

moving on from my N1

Hey all
My nexus 1 got stolen
I'm contemplating my next smartphone to replace it, and the Samsung Galaxy S has caught my attention.
Justwondering what I'll miss/love moving to the SGS?
I'm attracted by the Super AMOLED screen, a real beauty.
But I'm not sure whether I'll hate the TouchWiz interface over the stock Android UI...but then against it's a software issue - I'm sure a vanilla ROM will be released sooner or later!
Also wondering about the build quality. The N1 just felt solid in my hand - would the SGS feel flimsy from it's plastic build?
And FroYo was great
Sing

Played with my friend nexus.
Galaxy S have great screen and is faster. But moving to galaxy, you will miss the stability of your nexus. Galaxy still have a lot of clink that needed to be patched.
And to be fair, something to look forward to when proper 2.2 comes out. Check out the pics below.
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irrelevancy said:
Hey all
My nexus 1 got stolen
I'm contemplating my next smartphone to replace it, and the Samsung Galaxy S has caught my attention.
Justwondering what I'll miss/love moving to the SGS?
I'm attracted by the Super AMOLED screen, a real beauty.
But I'm not sure whether I'll hate the TouchWiz interface over the stock Android UI...but then against it's a software issue - I'm sure a vanilla ROM will be released sooner or later!
Also wondering about the build quality. The N1 just felt solid in my hand - would the SGS feel flimsy from it's plastic build?
And FroYo was great
Sing
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

For the various differences:
SCREEN
Big improvement, especially in sunlight, but everyone knows that already. I like the 4" size too as, for me at least, it's the perfect balance between screen real estate and usability (larger than 4" and you need to start shifting your hand to reach stuff).
The other thing to consider is that the Galaxy S has a far better capacitive touch sensor, so none of the multitouch issues of the HTC phones and it feels much more responsive to me. It's also made from Gorilla glass, so much stronger than regular glass and coming from the HTC Hero feels a lot less frictiony for me. My fingers seem to be able to glide across it much better than my old Hero and iPod Touch 2nd Gen.
SPEED / POWER
The Hummingbird CPU in the Galaxy S is known to be a fair share more powerful than the Snapdragon in the Nexus One / Desire, as can be seen by comparing the Nexus One <2.2 and the Galaxy S <2.2 bars in the graphs shown by the previous poster. The difference is, the Nexus One has Froyo now which provides a HUGE performance boost, hence the massive bar in the top of the graph. Froyo has been confirmed for a Korean launch in August, and most likely then international in September. Can you wait until then is the major question, but from a usability standpoint the Galaxy S is very snappy and the latest beta firmwares have mostly fixed the lag issues.
The GPU is FAR more powerful, so if gaming is your thing you'll find there isn't a single Android game that is anything less than flawlessly smooth, even Gameloft's games such as NOVA.
BUILD QUALITY
Here's where we need some distinction. There's a big difference between build quality and materials.
The materials are where the Galaxy S isn't quite as nice as HTC's phones. The front is great, but the rear is glossy plastic which is quite slippery and incredibly easy to smudge. Simply put, it doesn't 'feel' as premium as the Nexus One or Desire's soft-touch plastic and aluminium. Easily fixed with a case though.
That being said, the build quality is still top notch, with no creaking or flex in the phone. The gorilla glass screen is strong, and the plastics are suitably hard. Nothing feels loose or weak.
So basically, the phone is strong and well made, they just should have used some nicer-feeling materials to give it the premium feel and look its hardware deserves. It would also be nice if they hadn't aped the iPhone 3GS look, although I must admit I'm getting used to it and holding it next to a 3GS in an Apple store today it actually made the 3GS look cheap and nasty (especially the screen and chunkiness).
SOFTWARE (TOUCH-WIZ 3.0)
I was cringing when I saw the screenshots and photos of what Samsung had done. It looked cartoony and quite frankly amateurish. After using it, I actually don't mind it anymore since one of the key things is having a solid black background. Being a Super AMOLED display, it's actually pretty much impossible to see where the edge of the screen is with black next to it, giving the impression the text is actually floating on the black glass.
It does use some wild colours like the iPhone-esque apps menu, but in the end I wouldn't say it's any better or worse than stock Android. Just a bit different.
Functionality-wise however, it does have some good improvements. Being able to jump to messaging or email straight from the lock screen if you've gotten something new while it was locked is great, as is having music controls in the notifications pull-down list (very very handy!). The best thing has to be having the wifi / bluetooth / gps / silent mode buttons in the notification list at all times. Google should add this themselves!
They've got a few widgets (mostly meh) but a very good task manager in the latest firmware, and some of their apps are surprisingly good. The email one works well, and their music player is an improvement over the stock Android one and even includes a custom equaliser.
If you don't like Samsung's stuff, you can just use Launcher Pro to get back to stock easy, no probs at all.
OTHER GOOD STUFF
It's been shown the Galaxy S actually has the best sound quality for any Android phone via headphones, on par with the iPhones in absolute minimal distortion or interference. No background buzz and full dynamic range is fantastic! Sammy did a good job with the media.
Speaking of which, it supports tons of media formats such as FLAC for audiophiles, and for video it can do MP4 as per usual, but also FLV, MKV, DIVX, XVID and WMV! It's the best Android media phone by far.
Internal memory is also either 8gb or 16gb (depending on country), including 2gb for installing apps as well as obviously having MicroSD. Again, great for media.
The phone itself is very light thanks to the use of plastics without feeling flimsy, and is extremely thin for its size. Holding an iPhone 3GS today made the iPhone feel positively bloated!
A good sign Sammy has changed its ways from poor Android support is the nearly constant flow of new beta firmwares recently, some separated by a matter of hours! These have each been fixing bugs and improving performance as well as adding some new features such as the task manager.
Froyo has been confirmed for August in Korea and most likely September everywhere else, but of course no word on Gingerbread.
The battery life is reportedly better than the Nexus One and Desire, although I haven't owned either of them and can't comment.
ISSUES / PROBLEMS
The most widely known problem with the Galaxy S is the GPS issue, with it being very shaky getting a connection. Recent beta firmwares have improved this somewhat, but it's still so much of an issue that if you use GPS a lot you should probably avoid the Galaxy S. I never use GPS anyway, so not a problem for me though.
Also the firmware that ships on the Galaxy S is quite buggy with random stalling / lagging. The recent leaked beta firmwares have mostly fixed this as well as some fixes found by xda members, but simply put the Galaxy S firmwares are nowehre near the Nexus One or Desire's in terms of polish and maturity yet, so be aware.
It's also unlikely we'll see many radical custom firmwares with the Samsung drivers being encrypted, so no massive ports or huge variety of roms like the Nexus One / Desire. Mostly just themes and optimisations.
The camera is also lacking a flash, which is a big omission for many people but like the GPS issue I rarely use my phone for photos anywhere. It's like the Galaxy S's drawbacks were specifically designed to not apply to me, haha.
All in all, I love the Galaxy S. I had an HTC Hero and was a big Sense fan, but I've found the Galaxy S offers everything I want.
Just be aware the firmware is still reasonably buggy and performance isn't at the level of a Froyo-running Nexus yet, but should definitely overtake it once Froyo is released for the Galaxy S's superior CPU and far superiour GPU. If you're happy flashing your phone with the new firmwares that keep being leaked and provide bug fixes while we wait for an official firmware release, the Galaxy S should keep you happy.
-----
Wow. I just started typing and didn't realise what a marathon it is! Congrats if you managed to read it all!

Post all Note Reviews Here!

Note Review Thread
Hi all
After the influx of reviews for our great device. I feel a centralized location for them would Idea. So i have created this thread for that. Please try to keep pointless comments out. I would prefer this to be a collection of peoples thoughts on the note. I plan to move any reviews to this thread and close the original threads. Hopefully this will keep some clutter down in the general section. Making it easier for us all to find what we need.
Hopefully this could be Good reference for prospective note owners!
Note Review Links:
http://www.coolsmartphone.com/2011/11/30/samsung-galaxy-note-review/
http://www.freeyourandroid.com/inthenews/samsung-galaxy-note-hands-on
http://www.digitalversus.com/mobile-phone/samsung-galaxy-note-p11735/test.html
http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_gala...review-676.php
http://www.mobiletechreview.com/ubbt...p?Number=41874
http://hemorrdroids.net/samsung-galaxy-note-review/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxxEm_P57JE
http://www.androidnz.net/2011/12/samsung-galaxy-note-complete-review.html
Thanks to, Arkymedes, Gaugerer, deymayor, AndyCr15,NZtechfreak for supplying a link to above reviews (sorry if i missed anybody)

This is just a video I created to really show off a fully customised galaxy note. Link it to your friends (including iphone lovers) and spread the word about this crazy ass device!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JyfrD4VrHY

I am experienced with the 5" form factor having owned a Dell Streak.
The Note? Wow!
The good:
- The Screen is amazing! Wonderful! Colours are incredible.
- The feel of the device in hand is great! I was surprised, by this, after reading reviews. It's light... grips nicely... the back textured cover is a nice touch. It doesn't feel like it needs a case.
- The camera is better than the reviews here. It's not going to replace your camera if you are a photo freak... but it's pretty darn good.
- The speed. I've got another dual core tablet... and I'm pleasantly surprised by the speed of this device. Get ICS on it and it will be really-really good.
- I like touch wiz. I've not owned a Samsung Android device before... but the touch wiz is nice.
- It's pocketable. Yes... again... I knew it would be... but when looking at Tablets the Note has an advantage here.
- The "on-board" ability to edit photos and video (with good tools) is cool. It's one of the things that drew me to the Note.
- The SPen. Admittedly, I don't use it much yet. It's got potential though in some applications.
- The battery life. It's really-really good. Granted... I use mine exclusively as a pocket tablet on 3G/wifi... but it's got plenty of life at the end of the day.
- The screen is wicked bright! Holy smokes! I don't think I've had brightness above 50%.
The bad:
- The buttons (power, volume, etc) can get easily pressed when gripping.
- There is color shift (green/blue) when viewing at angles.
- The scrolling can lag or be glitchy occasionally. Nothing big. Just a tad.
It's a great device! I'm stoked! I love my Samsung Galaxy Note!
Cheers!

It anyone is looking for a very comprehensive and balanced review of the Note mine is finally complete.
You can find the review all in one volume here (be prepared, it's LOOOONG!).
Or, alternately in it's individual parts:
The Galaxy Note "Real-user" Review: Part 1 - Unboxing, Initial impressions, Design/build quality, Screen and Benchmarks
The Galaxy Note "Real-user" Review: Part 2 - Entertainment and media - Music and video playback, gaming, browser
The Galaxy Note "Real-user" Review: Part 3 - GPS and Telephony
The Galaxy Note "Real-user" Review: Part 4 - the "ABCs of smartphone review" - Addendums, bugs, battery, camera, conclusion... and S-Pen!
...and we also have a Root guide replete with video here.
Stay tuned, we have Motorola Razr and Galaxy Nexus reviews in progress currently.

I thought this was an interesting comparison -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36gO7BuzUxs
It's very close, but the Note does edge it, as I think you would expect.

Hi everyone, I'm not much of a forum poster per se, but the immense sense of satisfaction if I dare call it that this device has given me I wanted to share with the community and perhaps sway people that are on the verge of deciding whether to take the plunge or not.
Little demographic info because I believe it will influence this short review since the device itself falls under a sort of intermediary category (phone/tablet). I am month away from 30 years of age, 181 cm tall, big giant head, small hands .
-----
• Size and handling:
The SG Note in my palm, feels like a phone. I have by no means large palms, and the general feel is that the device is perfectly operational with 1 hand with the exception of typing. It's doable but the device has to be positioned so it's bottom edge in portrait lies on the little finger, then the whole on-screen keyboard is accesible with the thumb. In other words, for my type of usage, I'd even dare to ask for an even bigger screen, 5.5"-5.65" and even then I'd be using it as an all-in-one device.
Positioned next to the ear, you might get asked the "what's that question" but teen insecurities are long behind me so I don't give a damn of other people's opinion when it comes to my style or appearance let along gadgets I use. Small talk is for the weak.
In the pocket, the phone can fit just about any size, front/back pockets. So this is a non-issue when it comes to transport. I prefer wearing it in my front pockets. It doesn't create any noticeable bulge. Minor exception might be extremely elegant silk suits, but that's couple times a year scenario for me, and even then, the front jacket pockets would do just fine.
7.5/10 for size and handling (I'd give 9 to SGS2, 9.5 to HTC sensation)
• Weight:
With it's 178g, the device is light and easy to work and hold in the hands for prolonged periods of time. I've watched a full video without having to switch hands or body position, something I frequently do when using a tablet or a netbook. It's weight isn't felt even when worn in the front pockets of loose trousers, so you won't be getting that uncomfortable feel of unbalance and a weight pulling down.
8/10 for size and handling (I'd give 10 to SGS2, 8.5 to HTC sensation)
• Display:
In order to comment of the display, I have to mention previous handheld/PDA/cell phone history: Palm Vx, Nokia 6600, Dell Axim X5, Toshiba 640x480, Iphone 2G, Nokia E90, Nokia N900, HTC HD2, HTC Desire, Nokia N8, HTC Sensation, Samsung Galaxy S2.
And without hesitation I'd like to declare that SG Note offers the best viewing experience out of any of the aforementioned devices. It's a perfect blend of resolution and picture quality.
- Black color: 95% pure black. SGS2 has perfect, 100% black tones, and Note, in a pitch dark room can distinguish between absolute darkness and on-screen tones. But it would be an extreme nit-picking if anyone finds this objectionable since the difference is so miniscule that doubt any sane person or even extreme gadget/visuals freak will find it objectionable. Introducing ambient light in the room, makes the on screen black appear as perfect blacks.
- White color: perfect white! Unlike my SGS2 which was simply put blue, in the 6400K range, the SG Note has extremely accurate white color tones. Beats my IPS apple cinema display 30" / 27" setup. Not having a true white color made browsing and watching web sites unbearable of the SGS2, outweighing to a big extend the joy from watching 720p videos.
- Contrast, saturation and brightness : Perfect. Unlike SGS2 where red/green/blue was heavily over saturated, the balance here is perfect. Everything is easy on the eye, colors pop-up just enough to make you want to stare for a long time admiring HD pictures, videos or simply browsing your favourite sites. You don't get tired when watching the screen.
In a way, all the benefits or Super amoled combined with all the benefits from an IPS display technology.
The resolution, paired with 5.3" or real estate, is something I've been waiting since I first got my hands on a mobile device. Sole reason I've changed devices was having the need for getting the highest resolution on an ideal size (4.5-6"). Although Iphone 4 had and still has the highest PPI, the 3.5" makes it useless for my needs.
1280x800, on a 5.3", + the contrast, tonal clarity, 0% light bleeds/leaks or similar effects, only 1 stuck sub pixel (stuck red, unnoticable in daily use) - make it the best panel I've ever seen.
9.5/10 (I'd give 8.5 to SGS2, 7.5 to HTC sensation)
(To be continued)

No, it isn’t a movie starring Ghita Muresan, but we’re still dealing with a Star!
One came from Samsung – Galaxy Note for instance, what makes us wondering if we are faceing with a Smarphone, or a small Tablet. One of my mate called it ,,tablophone”, and who knows, maybe it suites it?!
Beyond the unusual size, Note still keeps the body line of the Galaxy class with simple and sober shapes, but with a particular add: the S-Pen, an useful tool what resembles with the PDAs of a decade ago.
On a first sight, the Note is equipied with a 8MP camera, 1080p video recording with a LED flash, and a nuclear powerplant-like batery of 2500mAh. From my experience I noticed that it passed away only after 3 and a half day of heavy usage: Internet, taking photos, videos, and using as a GPS module.
On the hardware side, the exterior body size is matchet on the internal ,,soul”: an 1.4 GHz Arm-Cortex A-9 Processor and 1 GB of RAM memory.
The Tablet-Phone’s Display is impressing for any demand: from the huge 5.3” diagonal with SuperAmoled technology, to 1200X800 pixels resolution (full scale Tablet, isn’t it?) up to the fact that on the easel-sized display you can give reign to imagination and to the painting talent with the wonderful S-Pen. With this pen you can cut out and crop images from the Internet and edit them on a funny way, you can scribble on his sizeable ,,board” or you can take screen-captures by a push of a button.
The main menu is reminding you of his smaller cousin Galaxy S II, because Galaxy Note use the same Android Gingerbread (yet) with Touchizz 4 interface, wich assures you of simple operations and unique design.
The main menu is reminding you of his smaller cousin Galaxy S II, because Galaxy Note use the same Android Gingerbread (yet) with Touchizz 4 interface, wich assures you of simple operations and unique design.
The 16 GB of internal memory + the card slot are very useful to upload your music and video content up to 1080p, and the games, thanks to the powerful processor are very, very pleasant to play with! Asphalt 6 HD is beyond any imagination, a real blessing for gamers!
On the Internet you can surf with an ease of a Tablet, with Adobe Flash Player and 21Mbps speeds, you are aloud to swipe through pages within a blink of an eye.
You can syncronize the Calendar as you wish, and the Polar Office app helps you to view and edit your documents very useful to your office. The incorporated GPS module is proving very useful thaks to the brighted and big display, being a very trusteful friend to your long journeys.
As Samsung wanted to create the ultimate and complete device, the snaping and video recording part is without any compromise! This cameraphone has an 8MP back camera and yields very sharp images as you can see beyond. The LED flash added to the camera helps you to manage succesfuly as a photografer on the parties in night clubs.
The videos taked with this device have a maximum resolution of 1080p, at 30 frames/second. There is also present a front camera with 2MP suited for 3G/Skype calls.
In Quadrant, the results are telling everything: Galaxy Note scores 3750, a record in the real meaning!
Through Note, Samsung succeeds to create the ultimate and perfect device: a cross-over between a Smartphone and a Tablet, a new start-up by implementing the S-Pen that allows you to completely give reign to creation, top harware set, and by his abilities as a cameraphone, you can forget that there are specialized photo-video appliances.
Samsung Galaxy Note is not delicate and smooth, an not aimed to be! It is a powerful device, for powerful men, and... as its owners, it doesn’t go unnoticed!
You simplu like the Note or not! Uncompromising! More on: Samsung Mobilers Romania Mihai Nanu

Made a review of the galaxy note after having it for a few weeks... check it out if you are interested. Hope it helps someone
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOLisyA2VXc

dears,
i got my note (white) 3 days back, and im lovin it. i just thought of writing a small review. i will compare it with my sgs2 and iphone 4(not S).
size, usability, display
most people say this is 'big', but let me tell u, this should be ideal sized phone. its just amazing. due to its low weight you really dont feel that you are holding such a 'big' phone.i feel its easily pocketable. and display s 100 times better than my s2 and phone 4. technically pentile might be inferior, but in reality u just cant feel so.
let me tell u, white is far better than blue version(my personal opinion). there are so many black devices available. and white just stands apart
performance
lets accept the fact.galaxy note has lag. but not a deal breaker, but it isnt as good as s2. reason: big screen!!!more pixels...switching between application menu and home screen is smooth in s2 , but not in gnote. u can test it by fastly switching between those two screens. also sometimes, when some applications are touched, it takes 3-4 seconds before app opens. but this doesnt happen always.gs2 is just amazing when it comes to speed.im using stock rom and i beleive future upgrades should fix this. but let me tell u, this is noticeable only if u r already having a s2 or iphone4s. but suppose u r coming from a different phone, u wont be able to notice it.
battery
decent enough for such a big high end phone. bteer than my s2 and iphone4.
flipcase
good. galaxy note really turns into a 'notebook' with the flipcase(samsing). it doesnt protect the phone as such, but good enough to protect the front part of the device. but i love the white flipcase. actually the backcover which comes with the flipcase protects ur camera lens as well. because with the default back cover, it doesnt protect the camera lens, especially when when u keep the phone down.
overall rating.
i'd rate my note 8.75/10.
my gs2 9.5/10
iphone 4 (6/10 for size, and 9/10 for speed).
I updated with KL7 and now i feel note is on par with S2. May b little bit less faster than S2. but after KL7 theres a dramatic increase in performance and the lag is gone., now il rate my Note 9.25/10

I did a video review-type thing of the Galaxy Note. It's the first time I've done a video like this - please let me know what you think!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEJCVQA-VeE

A very positive review of the Note in this phones show video; once he got past the 'how big do your pockets need to be issue'.
http://stevelitchfield.com/sshow/

For all those comparing the Note to the Nexus I would like to throw in my two sense. I currently own the Galaxy Nexus and the Galaxy Note and I would like to give a comparison from build quality and ergonomics point of view and performance.
Ergonomics and design:
We all know the answer to this. The Galaxy Note has a large display so the ergonomics win would go to Galaxy Nexus. The Galaxy Nexus form factor is just amazing. I think its just about one of the sexiest phones ever made. The screen size is something I thought would be a problem but it wasn't that big of deal because for me the larger the screen the harder one handed use is and after about 4.3 (4:3 aspect ratio) you can't reach the left corner with the thumb of your right hand without shuffling the device in hand. Once that can't happen i think the screen size doesn't matter anymore.
Performance:
This is a hard one to really compare since ICS isn't completely working on the Galaxy Note. I have installed it on my note for a few days to see how it ran. Most tech reviewers have said there is no lag on the Galaxy Nexus and I just see that as a bold faced lie. There is noticeable lag on the Nexus to the point it actually annoys me. The Galaxy Note on the other hand does have lag on third party launchers but not on touchwiz but I suspsect there is some sort of catch there that I'm not seeing. As an overall use standpoint I think the Note is just faster. I'm not annoyed with it on an everyday basis. It doesn't have same gusto as the Galaxy S2 (which i've also owned) but that is probably just based on it pushing more pixels. When the Galaxy Note gets ICS i think its going to be a much better experience than the Galaxy Nexus. I'm like 100% sure of that.
Final Thoughts:
The Galaxy S2 was the best android experience I've ever had but there were only two flaws IMO and that was the lack of notification LED and low resolution screen. The Galaxy Nexus is the best form factor and aesthetic pleasing experience i've ever had on an android phone. The on-screen buttons just lead to a very nice looking device when off and when on. The curved screen, although slight, lead to a very nice in-hand experience as well as gorgeous look. That all being said the performance of the Nexus was abysmal after using the Galaxy S2. It might have been tolerable before I used that device. The Galaxy Note is an awkward experience as far as size but I have to say its still extremely enjoyable. The larger screen allows for more useful layout of widgets and icons.
My guess is the GS3 will be a combo of the note and the gs2 and will be the ideal phone for me.

This is a very good review:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBhEiiMd3qU
It's technobuffalo's "what I think of the Note one month later" review.
He did his preview before, but I think these 'how do you like it after using it for a while' stuff to be much more real.
- Frank

My review is in my signature. Hope you guys like it.

i check these Amazon reviews everyday...bunch of liars, no way this phone can be that good!!
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Galax...iewpoints=0&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending

NZtechfreak said:
It anyone is looking for a very comprehensive and balanced review of the Note mine is finally complete.
You can find the review all in one volume here (be prepared, it's LOOOONG!).
I viewed ALOT of reviews and hands-on videos before deciding to purchase the Note, and I gotta say NZtechfreaks review is by far the most indepth and detailed review out there! Definitely worth a read.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Jay-Taicho said:
NZtechfreak said:
It anyone is looking for a very comprehensive and balanced review of the Note mine is finally complete.
You can find the review all in one volume here (be prepared, it's LOOOONG!).
I viewed ALOT of reviews and hands-on videos before deciding to purchase the Note, and I gotta say NZtechfreaks review is by far the most indepth and detailed review out there! Definitely worth a read.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, nice to know people enjoyed it!
MOD EDIT: Added to OP. Thanks for the review
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

http://www.bgr.com/2012/02/13/samsungs-galaxy-note-is-the-most-useless-phone-ive-seen/
In case you don't want to reward BGR with page views, here's the summation:
The phone is too big. You will look stupid talking on it, people will laugh at you, and you’ll be unhappy if you buy it. I really can’t get around this, unfortunately, because Samsung pushed things way too far this time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

I had a chance to use the device for 7 days and I would say its a great device and full of potential but it has its faults as well, Im not sure if this thread is the right outlet to post the negative side as I see this is only a positive 'review' posts and I cant post a full review nor the positive only.
If this post is in anyway offensive to this thread or its users please ask a moderator to remove it, cheers!

[SGS 3] Discuss everything SGS 3 related here[Pictures,Specs N benchmark in thread]

Galaxy s3 is out!
Discuss everything sg3 related in this thread.
Info:
http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/03/samsung-galaxy-s-iii-preview-hands-on/
Performance:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/5810/samsung-galaxy-s-iii-performance-preview
Specs:
http://goo.gl/F7j9p
Code:
Dimensions: 136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6mm
Wight: 133 grams
Display: 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED (1280×720) ; Pentile (no Plus);
Processor: Exynos 4 Quad @ 1.4Ghz for HSPA version
Rear Camera: 8MP Autofocus, Flash, Zero Lag Shutter BSI Image sensor
Front Camera: 1.9 MP HD, Flash, Zero Lag Shutter
Video: Full HD 1080p Recording and Playback
Storage: 16GB/32GB/64GB
Battery: 2,100mAh
Connectivity: GPS with GLONASS
Networking: 802.11n Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth 4
Storage: Available in 16/32/64GB and supports microSD expansion
Other: 21Mbps HSPA, LTE supported and Micro SIM
Operating System: Android 4.0.4
GALAXY SIII UNPACKED:
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W33NPDutOcw
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43qbwoHyCos
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnNkZyX7P7s
Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZXpZELOWTY
Part 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bs62tfQs9SE
Talk about first impressions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gu8t4ahRtrg&feature=uploademail
SGS3 vs One X vs Galaxy Nexus vs SGS2:
http://goo.gl/F6ksQ
SGS3 Vs One X (more info):
http://goo.gl/A1l59

No fights, like HTC is better than Samsung.. You can for instance, discuss One X vs Sgs3, but stay on-topic and don't end up in a fight.
This thread will be watched

I personally think it looks great. The small little features like wireless charging, a buzz if missed calls sound genius. Most people are overlooking these and looking straight at the stats. It's a great phone.
Sent from my Galaxy S running Slim ICS 3.5 and Midnight kernel from my XDA Premium app.

great features and specs, but i think it is totally hideous. It got killed by the home button being odly shaped and the corners start to round before the top of the screen. Just my opinion though, its stilla nice phone

I like the Smart Stay, Android 4.0.4 and ICS-y TouchWiz (now we know why SGS2 get Gingerbread-y TouchWiz).

It isn't near as bad as many people are making it seem. It's just because of how big of a deal Samsung made it that makes it more of a let down. If this was just announced normally at an event like MWC then people wouldn't be having that big of an issue. It's just how it got over hyped with Samsung sending it out to be tested in secret boxes, no leaks for anything at all, it's own big press conference, etc. It was sickening reading in the One X section with all their biased opinions on a phone they've never even seen or tried first person. Give it a chance.

Features look neat, design is terrible.
Sent from my HTC Flyer P510e using xda premium

mcord11758 said:
Features look neat, design is terrible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1
Really, nice specs but it's hideous.

I gotta admit, It's a bit of a letdown. It looks a bit goofy but I have the feeling that a proper first hand hands on will turn my opinion around again, they are going for function over form with this one I guess. Also It has a pentile screen but seeing from videos and hearing description of reviewers is not enough to judge this category. Overall, I think the hate from many place will die down once it is released just like iPhone 4S, people are shouting, mocking, and taunting because it's only an iteration but suddenly no one is hating it anymore.

Specs great
Design Disappointing
Sent from my Legend using xda premium

furt890 said:
I gotta admit, It's a bit of a letdown. It looks a bit goofy but I have the feeling that a proper first hand hands on will turn my opinion around again, they are going for function over form with this one I guess. Also It has a pentile screen but seeing from videos and hearing description of reviewers is not enough to judge this category. Overall, I think the hate from many place will die down once it is released just like iPhone 4S, people are shouting, mocking, and taunting because it's only an iteration but suddenly no one is hating it anymore.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's because no-one cares for the iPhone. They get what Apple gives them. Period. Android users do have a choice and over-hyped products that look like something blue and ugly crawled from the sea, made sex with a pebble and then gave birth to this thing, rarely stand a chance. It will still sell but won't be the success S2 was.
I really thought Samsung would put something nice on the table this time. Now I know why they didn't show it on MWC. Side by side with the HOX it would be a media disaster for them.
And all the fun we have with it at the HOX forum, is because the Samsung fanboys who never owned a HOX were saying for the past month "S3 will blow it out of the water" and now we saw what they meant. Noone wants to be in the same ocean with something as ugly as this thing. In a year and a half *maybe* there will be some apps that will run slightly better on the S3, but it will still be as ugly as it is today with the same ugly pentile screen.
Sent from my HTC One X using xda premium

Cant go wrong with sammy.
Sent from my GT-I9003 using xda premium

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W33NPDutOcw
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43qbwoHyCos
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnNkZyX7P7s
Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZXpZELOWTY
Part 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bs62tfQs9SE
The New Samsung GALAXY SIII A GALAXY Unpacked 2012 Video LiveStream
Enjoy

Galaxy S III vs. HTC One X
I wanna take this time to give a fair comparison of the Galaxy S III to HTC's flagship One X. Let me start by saying I am not a fanboy for any brand. I like any device that works, and works well. I choose my devices based on build quality, specs, and features. Software is never a dealbreaker for me, as I usually prefer to load custom ROM's (CM/AOSP mostly). That said, I must say I am quite impressed with the Galaxy S III so far.
In my own honest opinion (and without starting any fights), I felt like the original Galaxy S and even the GS2 were way overhyped. Yes, I agree that they are good devices, but I feel like they didn't really scream out "next gen" when they launched. With the specs on paper and even in real world benchmarks, the first 2 generations only just gave their Nexus counterparts a run for their money. At first glance, it looks like the GS3 is finally going to push the bar to the next level. Of course, HTC also has it's high-end contenders, and this time around it happens to be the One X.
Now, I am in the market for a new phone, and I was highly considering the One X. With all the hype leading up to the GS3, I thought about the previous two generations, and prematurely decided the third gen would end up like the first two. Well, I stand corrected. I could easily see myself buying a GS3, but I am still undecided. On one hand, I have always loved HTC's build quality, and the One X's features definitely fits my requirements. But on the other hand, the Galaxy S III has a few things HTC missed.
When it comes to raw horsepower, both devices are definitely packing a lot of power, so that leaves other things to consider. While I have yet to actually handle each phone in my own hands, my first impression about build quality would go to HTC's polycarbonate unibody design. I always prefer a body not made of plastic, but then again, the Gorilla Glass 2 on Samsung's flagship does give it an upper hand. So all in all, it's still a tie.
When it comes to the camera, HTC definitely wins here. Sure, both devices are 8MP, but as a photographer, I know that the lens makes all the difference. The HTC One X has a beautiful wide angle lens with f/2.0, and from what I've read, Samsung put more effort into the software, leaving it with just an average lens at best. HTC also spent a lot time perfecting their camera software, so they get bonus points for paying attention to all the small details.
Two other important factors for me are the ability to remove the battery and add an external microSD. Unfortunately, this is where HTC made their mistakes, and Samsung was right there to make it right. These are actually two of the biggest things that are giving me second thoughts about buying the One X, and opting for the GS3 instead.
But then I start thinking about the screen. Quality is more important to me than size, and while Samsung's may be a tenth of an inch bigger, it appears that HTC's Super IPS LCD2 wins here. Not to say Samsung's screen isn't good, but I was a bit surprised to see they forgot the Plus part of their HD Super AMOLED. Maybe they did this to leave some room for improvement when another variant of the GS3 comes out in the next 3-4 months. Who knows...
Other than a few other minor differences that could go either way, one final important feature is the battery itself. We all know smartphones are power hungry, so it goes without saying that Samsung's removable 2100mAh gives it an upper edge. Hopefully, it's enough to keep the phone charged for at least a couple of days. HTC's 1800mAh may also last a couple days, partially thanks to the Tegra 3's fifth power-saving core. But when it comes right down to it, 2100mAh simply sounds better. And did I mention it's removable?
This leaves me stuck with a hard decision to make. I'm sure I'll be happy either way, but in both cases, there will be some sacrifices to make, yet there will always be the satisfaction of having a powerful device nonetheless. You win some, you lose some.
I'm also considering a new tablet as well, so if only the Asus Padfone would come out. That would make this decision even harder!

I wish I had enough money to buy both

Love it
Gonna buy it !
Thats all i have to say!!
Best regards !

Awesome specs, design ain't so good. But for christ sake, what a hell of a specs.
I'd give my someone's left nut to have it

Presterin said:
mcord11758 said:
Features look neat, design is terrible.
Sent from my HTC Flyer P510e using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1
Really, nice specs but it's hideous.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+2!
Had the original SGS and was originally holding out for the SGS3, and opted to go the HOX when it came out given the specs and couldn't be bothered waiting for the SGS3, and timing with my contract coming up for renewal.
S-Voice - Interested there's finally competition to Siri, but something I wouldn't use anyway.
Wireless Charging - Slow and a novelty.
Vibrate when pick up phone for notifications - Very neat, but if I'm picking up my phone, 9/10 I'll be looking at it anyway
Eye-focus thing - Very neat, only big feature I would quite like.
Now so glad I didn't wait around for it.

Samsung Galaxy S III Full HD PSD Vector
Last work of my Design Factory :
5 diferents Samsung Galaxy S III Full HD PSD Vectors available at http://tinyurl.com/cdl79nh
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"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
Proud to have made the very first Samsung Galaxy S III Full HD PSD Vector available in the web !!!
Perfect for your screenshots on this beauty
Happy theming !

I guess all those leaked fake sgs 3 pics raised my hopes too high
Sent from my Legend using xda premium

SGS3 vs HOX FULL NO BS REVIEW with BOTH HARDWARES

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Bottomline
GS3
Better Photos in regular lighting, and better color reproduction
Better Audio
Better Video
Better Speaker
Better GPU/CPU
Better Battery Life
Better Software
Better Gorilla Glass
Better Screen
+ Removable Batteries
+ SD Card Support
HOX
Better Photos in Low Light
More Instagram like filters...
Better Looks (They say, but this is subjective even in this picture above the GS3 looks much better personally)
More at GSM Arena
EDIT: Made some changes and corrections

I expected as much.
I believe that the key point here is that all of those differences you've listed are marginal in most areas, but having a high quality feeling and good looking phone is very important to me.
Unless those differences were huge (let's face it, they aren't), I'm struggling to look past the One X for myself.
The amount of times I'll pick up my phone and enjoy the feel of it absolutely blow away the zero times I'll care about the camera being 1% better or the phone loading a web page 000.1 second quicker.
Why can't Samsung use some intelligent designers? They really are clueless at this stuff. They've managed to make TouchWiz look even worse as well, despite adding some nice features.

+
Better Storage
Removable Battery
Just read it
SGS3 is amazing
It's way way better than the HOX

haters gonna hate, where are everyone now?
GS III is purely awesome

The battery life test here is what is the most interesting. AMOLED screens use up more power than LCDs at bright colours, so it's expectable to see the S3 have only a slight margin over the HOX. The video test is the most interesting one; that's just pure obliteration beyond the 300mAh advantage. Expect the device to have on average a much better screen-on time than even that that if you optimize for the AMOLED screen, Samsung's default skin isn't quite nice in that regard. So much for Nvidia's +1 core.

This thing is proven again and again this year's best goes for samsung !! No more pointless discussion on which is the best.

GS3
So the GS3 won in Performance, Display, Battery Life, Sound Quality, Camera, Memory and most other things, in other words it mopped the floor with the One X, HTC fans are not going to like this,
Something else im impressed by is the Galaxy S2's performance in the benchmarks and Camera, absolutely incredible for a device released over a year ago, Samsung built an absolute masterpiece there.

lonelyw said:
So the GS3 won in Performance, Display, Battery Life, Sound Quality, Camera, Memory and most other things, in other words it mopped the floor with the One X, HTC fans are not going to like this,
Something else im impressed by is the Galaxy S2's performance in the benchmarks and Camera, absolutely incredible for a device released over a year ago, Samsung built an absolute masterpiece there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you the person that posted that comment? It made me cringe.
Fanboys aloof.

Dtguilds said:
Are you the person that posted that comment? It made me cringe.
Fanboys aloof.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol I was reading that and I thought it's either deja vu or I've read it before
Well colour me impressed Samsung, gonna be hard deciding between the two... still don't like Touchwiz though (tried it on an ICS S2) let's see if the newer version is good enough.

Always loved touchwiz, even tho i have an P990, im sure any software issue can be fixed eventually, im more concerned about the physical issues that it may bring.

LeviathanPT said:
Always loved touchwiz, even tho i have an P990, im sure any software issue can be fixed eventually, im more concerned about the physical issues that it may bring.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To me the home screen flinging didn't really respond to my touch, as in no matter how fast my finger moves, once I lift it it glides at its own pace. It's not very satisfying. Or maybe it was just my friend's phone that's like that...
About the defects (if that's what you mean) all phones will have some when they launch. I wait a couple months for them to iron things out.

It is extreme subjective. I have hold my buying decision when One X launched and waited for the announcement of SGS3. I still prefer SGS3 to HOX for switchable battery and microsd. They are with the same surface material. Sense UI may be better and I get used to it for years. Just wait for the arrival in my place to buy SGS3.

This is obviously a hot topic in the One X forum also. Here's what I posted there. Keep in mind I'm deciding between the two after a week or so with the SGS3. I also came from a i9100 and have a 3G UK G-Tab 10.1 so I'm no one's fanboi.
Dtguilds said:
Reviewed - So, the Galaxy S 3 IS better, but are you keeping your X?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
BarryH_GEG said:
Hmm, not really. The closing of the article summed it up best...
"Anyway, back to where we started. Two superphones, one Android crown. The HTC One X managed to come to the market first, while the Galaxy S III is a little late, but has plenty to show for it. We're tempted to play it safe and split it equal. The HTC One X: this is what a droid flagship should look like. The Samsung Galaxy S III: that's what a droid flagship should perform like. But that won't be fair to either of them. They didn't get where they are by playing it safe.
It seems obvious that the Samsung Galaxy S III wouldn't have raised as the new standard-setter without a powerful challenger like the One X. There's no consolation prize here, no second-best. A fair fight and a win-win for Android."
Some other things that struck me as relevant...
"The HTC One X is encased in a polycarbonate unibody (Gray or Black), which is matte in appearance and pleasant to the touch. The Samsung Galaxy S III is covered in glossy plastic (with Blue brushed metal look or pure white), which is durable, but not quite as nice to hold. We're not impressed by its looks either.
"On the other hand, Samsung's design allows you to change the battery allowig you to use a spare one to extend battery life or replace an old burnt-out battery with a fresh new one. Oh, and there's a microSD card slot too. Not that HTC couldn't have put a card slot into the One X, they just decided that 32GB should be enough for everyone (and it probably is)."
"Of course, not all of them are deciders. The S-Voice is a direct take on Siri, but it really fails to live up to expectations, while the NFC-based media sharing over S Beam has limited application for now. Pop-up play will rarely be used while Buddy photo share borders on useless."
So what does it come down to? Personal preference.
1) Is a removable battery and SD card slot important? Buy the SGS3.
2) Is design, construction, and feel in the hand important? Buy the One X.
3) Is low light picture and video important? Buy the One X.
4) Are more detailed pictures in bright light important? Buy the SGS3.
5) Do you like the vivid (I'm being kind) colors of AMOLED? Buy the SGS3.
6) Do you like a brighter, non-PenTile display, with more accurate color and better detailing? Buy the One X.
7) Want a better browsing experience and more audio and video codec support? Buy the SGS3.
8) Are you an avid gamer that'll be pushing the CPU and GPU regularly? Buy the SGS3.
9) Do you like TouchWiz? Buy the SGS3.
10) Do you like Sense? Buy the One X.
11) Do you listen to lossless audio over $300+ headphones or a home system that cost several thousand dollars? Pick the SGS3.
There's other differences that may matter to people but those are the main ones. I knew the SGS3 would benchmark better than the One X when I bought it. The reality is, as it stands today, the power of Teg3, S4, and Exynos-Quad are wasted because the OS and apps aren't able to tap their power. Other than bragging rights you'd be hard pressed to tell them apart performance wise; they'll "feel" the same.
My views on the main features...
1) I like the LCD2 display on the One X. After using AMOLED for a year the realistic colors, the lighter look because black backgrounds aren't used to save battery, and increased display brightness are all nice for a change.
2) The One X camera h/w is better than the SGS3's. It shows in low light settings. I'm hoping s/w tuning in future updates makes it a better all-around performer. I wouldn't ditch the One X over the camera as they don't strike me as that dramatically different from each other.
3) Audiophiles probably never considered the One X once it was announced that the SGS3 has a Wolfson DAC. An audiophile would cut off their arm before listening to compressed formats like MP3's or on anything less than high grade equipment. That makes 95% of us “non-audiophiles.” And a real audiophile would question the use of something like a smartphone as an audio output device anyway.
4) Did anyone who bought the One X not know in advance it had fixed storage and a non-replaceable battery? I'd like those features; I think anyone would. But I really like the design of the One X and if it had to look like the SGS3 in order to have them I'd pass.
5) Other than the graphics issues which are big, the One X's launch has been pretty typical from a QC perspective. I'll bet anyone here the SGS3 launch looks the same (sans graphics issues) and that display consistency will be one of the biggest *****es on their forum. The SGS2 and GN launches were far from great.
So, the short answer to OP's question, nothing in that review has changed my opinion of the One X. Look at it this way, the SGS2 crushed the Sensation. In less than a year HTC launched a phone that made GSMArena consider splitting the win. That alone is pretty impressive. Of course, YMMV and I clearly don’t expect everyone to agree with some of my comments.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

I stopped posting on the one x section, after they started calling me a troll. I don't know what exactly a troll is but I posted on 3 threads with with the words "galaxy" on the title. Im not going there to start a new thread or whatever and never have. Now that the dust has settled, lets be the bigger man.

In my own opinion these guys don't realize just how many of us have mp3 collections we want to pack on our phones. Not having the ability to get my mp3s on board makes the htc piece a non starter all by itself unless it can offset this by having an apk that makes naked supermodels spill out its guts on command.

Dtguilds said:
I expected as much.
I believe that the key point here is that all of those differences you've listed are marginal in most areas, but having a high quality feeling and good looking phone is very important to me.
Unless those differences were huge (let's face it, they aren't), I'm struggling to look past the One X for myself.
The amount of times I'll pick up my phone and enjoy the feel of it absolutely blow away the zero times I'll care about the camera being 1% better or the phone loading a web page 000.1 second quicker.
Why can't Samsung use some intelligent designers? They really are clueless at this stuff. They've managed to make TouchWiz look even worse as well, despite adding some nice features.
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differences were not huge you say?
have you seen the video comparisons?htc's looked pale as compared to sgs3's.
and the most important thing that everyone waited and wanted to know was the battery life.
"here's a curious little detail about what people are saying that amoleds use more power when displaying whites compared to other screen displays.
"The two flagships were less convincing in the browser endurance test. The HTC One X shut down just 4 hours and 18 minutes into the test and the Galaxy S III went on for 5 hours and 17 minutes. We were actually rather surprised that the S III came out on top here, knowing how badly the predominantly white web pages treat AMOLEDs.""
"Audio quality
The Samsung I9300 Galaxy s III turned out to be one of the most talented musicians around and managed to edge out the One X in the audio output quality test."
not huge difference my ...

This seems to be nearly flawless victory or smackdown (for the SIII, except screen and body imo), the photo sensor even trump the iPhone 4S. Glad to see the the audio quality is decent, that is a big factor for me.
I still don't understand Samsung decision to not use 5x5 icon rows in the home screen.

can someone explain to me why the GS3 has 4+ hour difference in movie playback? That is freakin amazing!

boodies said:
can someone explain to me why the GS3 has 4+ hour difference in movie playback? That is freakin amazing!
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the 300mah difference can't account for those 4+ hours for movie playback. lols
let those who can only attack with "ugly design" explain why the hell that is.

boodies said:
can someone explain to me why the GS3 has 4+ hour difference in movie playback? That is freakin amazing!
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Might be the amoled blacks and hardware acceleration for all codecs
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Asus Zenfone 2 Review USA Spec 4gb/64gb version

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In this review i am looking at Asus’s flagship phone for 2015 the Zenfone 2 complete with 64gb of storage and 4gb ram (most in any phone to date). As a flagship it is going up against some stiff competition such as the Galaxy S 6, the LG G4, and the One M9. With the specs Asus’s top version of this phone boasts it fits well into that crowd but there are areas that they did need to “skimp” on in order to reach that magical $299 unlocked price. There is a lower spec’d version of the Zenfone 2 for $199 unlocked but it does come with a slightly slower processor and 2gb of ram. We shall be focusing on the higher end one here.
Look & Feel
As you can see from the pictures i was able to grab the red version of the phone. i’m a huge fan of red so any phone released with a red option already gets a bit of an edge in my mind but i won’t let that come into my decision here. I do like that they left the front of the device all black so all you can see in the front is the small chrome speaker grill, chrome Asus logo and the hardware keys. I think it looks rather tastefully done and it does have the premium look that many seem to want these days.
The back of the phone is plastic but they do a good job hiding that a bit with a “metallic” finish with a bit of texture that help in keeping a grip on what is a large phone. It is not a fingerprint magnet by any means. In my opinion it feels even a little better in hand then last years LG G3 even is the Zenfone 2 is a bit taller thanks to those hardware keys. I personally am not a fan of these but many are...all comes down to your taste. Taking more design cues from LG the Zenfone 2 has its volume rocker is on the back. They did opt to put the power button in my opinion the worst spot on such a large phone... Dead center on the top of the device. Not only that... It's also quite "mushy" giving little to no tactical response to let you know you actually pressed it. The Zenfone 2 does have double tap to wake and sleep function as well but it did not work as intended to me all of the time.
The device’s dimensions are 152.5 x 77.2 x 10.9 mm (6.00 x 3.04 x 0.43 in) and weighs in at 170g (6.00 oz) It is a bit thick but the sides slim down to 3.5mm which make it much nicer to hold. What i will say is where the front glass on the phone meets the small “chin” below the hardware keys there is a very noticeable sharp lip. Not enough to hurt but enough to become annoying in my short time with the phone. Overall it’s a well designed phone and for the price.
Under the HoodUnder the back cover you will find a micro SD card slot for up to 128GB of expandable storage and 2...count them 2 sim card slots. This is a bit strange to have in a phone in north america but very common in other areas of the world. I did test this out and switching between phone numbers was easy enough but only sim slot 1 can handle 3g and LTE. The second slot is only for 2G and Phone calls. Inside you will also find a 3000mAh battery but this is not user removable which is a bit of a shame but that’s the way most phones seem to be going. Do note that this phone comes with Intel’s version of quick charge and the $299 version of the phone comes with a high amp quick charger. It does work with all chargers with Qualcomm’s Quickcharge 2.0 spec as well.
User InterfaceThe Zenfone 2 comes out of the box running Android 5.0 Lollipop which is nice to see. I did receive an OTA right after turning on the device but the version number stayed at 5.0. Everyone is now waiting on phones to get 5.1 but Asus am an interested to see how up to date they keep their not flagship. I will say that this phone as the most “bloatware” I have ever seen on an unlocked device. Even comes running Cleanmaster out of the box...classy. Asus is nice enough to let you uninstall much of it but for the review I wanted to keep most of it intact. I did uninstall Cleanmaster as it was just too annoying to deal with. I do however like that almost all of the phones apps live in the Play Store and can be updated without having to wait for a full firmware update. Nice moves.
Over all Asus stuck to the material design aspects of Lollipop with its revamped ZenUI. The menus are in list view and are easy to navigate. The notifications pulldown is close to stock with few differences but the quick toggles have been completely re-skinned and are customizable. I actually like the way this works and give you a quick brightness slider and access to some of the tools you may use most often on your device.
The only part of the UI i really have a problem with is the one you see most often...the launcher. To get into Google Now you must long press the home button then swipe up... not the most intuitive or the best implementation of this feature. There is also no google now hotword support built into the launcher. It took me about a day to install the Google Now Launcher and all is well.
Performance One word can describe the performance of this device...Fast! With 4gb of ram to work with i would expect nothing less. Couple that with the Intel Atom Z3580 clocked at 2.3GHz (Intel Atom Z3560 1.8 GHz in the 2gb version) and this thing is a screamer. I have had Zero slowdowns or stutters since i started playing with it and that is also after loading it up with all of my personal apps and having all of my accounts syncing all of the time. Pretty great!
On the graphics and video handling of this device it was again very good. Running the PowerVR G6430 (same as the iPhone 5s) it has no problems playing some of the most intense games. Its pushing a 1080P screen so not as many pixels as many of the other 2015 flagships. I do not run benchmarks on my phones but can tell you that you will not be disappointed.
Display The phone boasts a 72% screen to body ratio which is not too shabby. It comes with a 5.5 inch 1080p IPS display which come out to be 402ppi and to my eyes it is perfectly adequate. Images look sharp and its 3 built in screen modes. Comes set on the balance mode out of the box but has a Reading to cool things down and a Vivid mode which really makes colors pop like on the GS6, even a mode to let the user make their own settings. I left mine on balanced. Where the display does not do well is with readability outdoors. It does not get bright enough to overcome even an overcast day. At the same time does not get dark enough when trying to watch a video or read a website in pitch blackness...my eyes did feel strained. The display is just fine but it is clearly one of the areas that Asus had to give a little to keep the price down.
Camera In the press and at the US launch event this is the one area Asus spent the most time talking about. Asus is very proud of this camera and they should be...it is quite good. Lets start out front where the Zenfone 2 is rocking a 5 Mega-Pixel, Fix Focus, Wide View, camera with Asus’s PixelMaster tech. It takes decent selfies and has many modes to help you tweak them to your liking. Out back is a 13 Mega-Pixel camera with Asus’s PixelMaster tech. While the mega-pixel count may seem low for a flagship phone today it actually takes some good shots. In good lighting it did very well. It does not has the optical image stabilization of some of the more expensive phones but it even does well in dim to low light situations. Not the greatest camera but one the best i have seen at this price point for sure.
Battery Life One of the most important specs in any mobile device and I am happy to report that the Zenfone 2 delivers in the battery life department. I an not easy on my phones battery. I have all of my social media as well as 4 google accounts and 8 other email accounts constantly updating in the background. While testing i kept the phone on auto brightness. With its 3000mAh cell I was always able to through a whole day with some to spare. As mentioned before it does not have a removable battery but the quick charging is definitely a plus if you have really been hammering on it for a few hours.
In Conclusion Asus really wants to make it clear that they are coming to play. The Zenfone 2 delivers in many areas and ticks all the right boxes for what most would want out of a flagship level device. With that said even though Asus is comparing this phone to the likes of the GS6, I am much more comfortable comparing it to the 2014 flagship phones from all of its competitors. The GS5, the LG G3, the HTC One M9, let’s even throw the Oneplus One in there… all still cost more when purchased new and unlocked then the Zenfone 2 at $299 for the top model. I think that is the biggest win here for Asus. Lets not forget that it starts at just $199 unlocked! That is what most flagships smartphone cost for their lowest spec model on contract.

Just a couple notes --- you can reach Google now by holding down the home button for a moment and swiping up. Discovered this through serendipity [emoji14]
And it's odd how everyone talks about the screen being hard to see in sunlight, since I have absolutely no trouble seeing it in direct sunlight with my transition glasses. I must have weird eyes or something [emoji14]

jerflash said:
The only part of the UI i really have a problem with is the one you see most often...the launcher. With no swipe up from home to reach google now you are relegated to using Asus’s google search widget. There is also no google now hotword support built into the launcher. It took me about a day to install the Google Now Launcher and all is well.
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You can pull up to Google Now from the home button. Press the capacitive home for a second and Google Now icon shows up. Just slide finger to it once it does. And from Google Now, you can set the 'OK Google' keyword to be used from any screen.

richard_rsp said:
You can pull up to Google Now from the home button. Press the capacitive home for a second and Google Now icon shows up. Just slide finger to it once it does. And from Google Now, you can set the 'OK Google' keyword to be used from any screen.
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hey thanks for the tip i did not come across that at all while using it. still not very intuitive or the best implimentation

TOT_tomdora said:
Just a couple notes --- you can reach Google now by holding down the home button for a moment and swiping up. Discovered this through serendipity [emoji14]
And it's odd how everyone talks about the screen being hard to see in sunlight, since I have absolutely no trouble seeing it in direct sunlight with my transition glasses. I must have weird eyes or something [emoji14]
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Those are some special glasses lol

Interesting! I use transition lens myself and this is good news! Still waiting for my phone to arrive though. ?
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