Database Users

SGT 7.7 vs SGN 5.3

I have a dilemma...
http://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=4136&idPhone2=4135
i want the Galaxy Note because of it's newer features, but i want the 7.7 size of the Galaxy Tablet, actually i want 10.1 but it's not SAMOLED HD, the Note is only 5.3 not big enough as a tablet, yet not small enough as a phone
i've seen and used the Gnote in person and it's big. way bigger than my SGS2. but not big enough to see games in a bigger screen
so the 7.7 is as good as it gets until the release a 10.1 SAMOLED HD version
the spec on the 7.7 seems a little bit dated vs the Note 5.3 (camera MP, resolution 720 vs 1080, and many many others)
so i'm really unsure about the purchase
if i got for the 7.7 i'll probably go for the 64 GB version or at least 32 GB like on the Note
ideally i'd like to use 3G on either of the two, but both are not compatible with Tmo AWS 1700
it'd have been a simple purchase if the 7.7 had the same spec as the 5.3 except for the better screen

The Note and the 7.7 both have the same resolution.
http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/galaxynote/note/spec.html?type=find
Really, the Note's strengths are in its digitizer pen and pocket-ability. I can't see keeping both a Galaxy 2 and the Note. It's kind of odd how many niches Samsung is trying to fill, but they're all pretty solid products so there can be a dilemma when choosing. If you just want a larger SAMOLED screen then you may have to wait.

SGT7.7 is using the better screen SAMOLED+ = RGB matrix
while the Note is only using the SAMOLED HD = Pentile matrix

I have a Note, and I have a Tab 8.9 LTE (not Tegra!) and an SGS2.
I haven't touched the SGS2 in three weeks. I rarely use the Tab now. I use the hell out of my Note. I also have a 1st-gen Tab 7" 3G, which is now a very expensive alarm clock.
That said, I'm still going to buy a 7.7 3G. It's just too sexy to resist that big SAMOLED HD Plus display combined with Exynos, in a thin, mostly metal case.
Don't know how much real use I'll get out of it if I keep the Note though.

GT-P6800 vs GT-N7000: FIGHT!!!
Since I currently have both devices, I'll give you my take on them in their own right. Bear in mind, this is my own personal review based on my own experiences with each. So whichever one I favour in the end is really just my own opinion; your experiences may favour a different opinion, and as such, it's really down to the individual as to which one is ultimately better for you. That said, the Galaxy Tab 7.7 and the Galaxy Note are absolutely fantastic devices, and I love them both.
By now, most of us know that these devices are very similar on the inside, so I'm going to break this down by their differences instead. Mainly I'm going to focus on the most obvious differences like screen, battery, camera, form factor, and x-factor (like things which can't really be put on a spec sheet).
So let's begin!
Screen:
Let me just start this section by saying that both screens are absolutely gorgeous! Both have a 1280x800 resolution but that's about where the similarities end. The Note features Samsung's HD SAMOLED display technology vs the 7.7's HD SAMOLED Plus technology. Now, there's a lot of hoo-ha going on about the inferiority of the PenTile subpixel arrangement that the Note uses, and that it would have been just that much better had it been the same kind of RGB subpixel matrix used in the Galaxy S2 (and the 7.7 for that matter!). To this is say in the most respectful manner possible, QUIT YOUR MOANING!!! It makes complete sense as to why Samsung chose to use the PenTile pixel arrangement with the Note due to its smaller size; you can achieve a higher resolution with fewer subpixels. If Samsung had gone with an RGB arrangement instead, with today's current technology, either the screen would have had to have been bigger, or the resolution lower (maybe qHD or something). On top of that, I actually kinda like the way that the PenTile display seems to dither and/or anti-alias images. So oblique angles appear sharper and less pixelated. Text on the Note is crisp and easy to read, even without having to zoom in. On top of that, since PenTile uses more green subpixels than either red or blue, and since human eyes are more sensitive to green, the Note's display appears to be noticeably brighter than the 7.7
Now for the 7.7's display, and oh what a great display this is! If you've ever seen or used the SAMOLED Plus displays found on the Galaxy S2 or other Samsung products using the same technology, you'll feel right at home with the 7.7; it's the same exact thing, only bigger and more of it! What's not to like? Not much really. The only thing I find worth noting when comparing the 7.7's display to the Note, apart from the difference in the subpixel design which I have already talked about, is the brightness. The 7.7 doesn't really appear to be as bright as one might expect. However, what the 7.7 lacks in brightness, it more than makes up for in colour accuracy. The 7.7 reproduces colours which are warmer and more natural looking than what you might see on the Note. Even when I compared my 7.7 to my 8.9 side by side, the 7.7 wasn't as bright as the IPS panel in that device, though there was no competition with the 7.7's contrast levels or colour reproduction. All in all, the 7.7's screen is absolutely brilliant. Its refinement means that it focuses on being the best it can be in all areas rather than having to exaggerate one strength in order to distract the user from any would-be downfalls.
EDGE: Draw.
At the end of the day, both screens are winners because they are best suited to the respective sizes of the devices they're on, which leads me to the next category.
Form factor:
Which do you prefer: A small, slim, lightweight tablet that can double as your phone? Or do you prefer a jumbo sized phone which packs the power and versatility of being able to play the role of a tablet?
This one really comes down to the individual and their lifestyle, so it's very hard to remain objective here.
As a phone, the Note is massive. Once I had become used to the sheer size of it, my old Galaxy S2 felt utterly tiny in my hand for comparison. It's a really strange feeling which you have to experience yourself in order to fully understand. Having said that though, once you get used to it, it feels just like any other smartphone, only better. As someone with pretty big hands, having the extra real estate makes texting a breeze. Viewing web pages is also a much more pleasant experience than on any smartphone I have ever used, period. As large as the Note is for a phone, it was surprisingly pocketable. I rarely had an issue where it didn't comfortably slip right into my everyday trousers or jeans without a fuss. Finally, I never found it to be as awkward as I had expected when it came to the times I had to hold it up to my ear to take the occasional phone call either. I was half expecting to look like a fool holding something so massive as the Note up to my head, but it's really not an issue. It felt obvious to me that Samsung took a lot of care into making sure that the Note would push, but not exceed, the boundaries of what is the best and most comfortable fit for everyday people in most situations, and that's what makes it great.
On the other hand, the 7.7 feels amazing! When I first picked it up out of the box, I was almost startled by how thin and light it is! If Samsung had announced that the 7.7 could double as your razor blade, and you could effectively use it to shave, I could totally see that being a real possibility. Yeah, it's like that. Perhaps it's a good thing that the 7.7 is encased in lovely brushed aluminium to weight it down lest I'd be worried that it would simply float away in a light breeze. For me, the 7.7 hits the sweet spot as a tablet. I have owned both the original Galaxy Tab as well as the 8.9. With the original, I loved how portable it was, but the screen size and resolution left me wanting just a little bit more. For a while I had the 8.9, but compared to the original, it felt just a little too cumbersome and unwieldy for me. With the 7.7, I think Samsung has finally cracked it! It's just big enough that I can still have a full tablet experience, yet it's still just small enough that I can very easily slip it into a vest or coat pocket, with no ill effect. It's nice not having to carry it around in a separate man-purse. Absolutely brilliant! I will say however, that holding it up to your head to take the occasional phone call does look quite ridiculous... However, this embarrassment can easily be avoided by using either the included earphones or bluetooth. Problem solved. I should mention that I have a Samsung HM5000 on its way, so we'll see how that changes or improves the overall experience. Overall though, the 7.7 is still fantastic as both tablet and phone.
EDGE: Draw.
Again, this all comes down to the individual, so in an effort to remain objective on a very subjective category, I can't really award an edge to either device.
Camera:
I'll be completely honest here: The 7.7's 3mp shooter can't even touch the 8mp beauty packed into the Note. To say that the 7.7's main camera is adequate, is about the nicest thing I can say for it overall. Though both units can record 720p video (with the Note being able to take it a step further by doing 1080p as well), the pictures and video captured by the 7.7 are very grainy in comparison. Why Samsung chose to forego a better shooter with 7.7 is beyond my understanding. Perhaps size and/or cost restrictions. Who knows?
So, if you take a lot of pictures, and camera quality is a big issue for you, then you're best off going with the Note on this one. However, if a stellar camera is more of a bonus than a selling point for you, the 7.7's shooter is, as I said, adequate. Either way, the Note's camera is the clear winner here.
EDGE: Note.
Battery:
The Note features a whopping 2500mah battery compared to a stellar 5000mah battery found in the 7.7
Though the 7.7's battery is literally twice as powerful as the Note's, it is having to power a much larger screen. Obviously, battery performance all depends on your usage, so your own experience could vary considerably. Having said that, with both devices I rarely had any issues with getting through a whole day of moderate to heavy usage and still having some power to spare. Now this is moderate to heavy usage with the screens both set to full brightness levels mind you. If you take advantage of the built-in power management features and reduce your screen brightness, I have little doubt in my mind that you can very easily go a couple days of moderate usage without having to worry about charging.
In my experience, I would say that both devices are about equal when it comes to battery performance.
EDGE: Draw.
X-Factor:
This is the category to describe what makes each of these devices special in their own way.
For the Note, the obvious x-factor is the s-pen. For some people, this is a huge selling point. Steve Jobs once said that if you're using a stylus, you're doing it wrong. As much as it pains me to admit, I think he was right... to an extent. The fact that there are a plethora of after-market capacitive styli available for use on our modern touch-screen devices is evidence to the fact that a lot of people still want something to hold in their hands as a way of interacting with their equipment. Anyone who has tried to take handwritten notes using their fingers alone knows this truth; the pen was invented for a reason. Fortunately, Samsung had the creative vision to pose the question, "Why not not have the best of both worlds?" Thus the Note was born. It's important to remember that the s-pen is no ordinary stylus. In fact, Samsung prefers not to even call it that, and no wonder! It would be virtually insulting to call the s-pen a mere stylus, because in many ways, it's really much much more. The s-pen isn't actually capacitive at all in fact. Instead, it uses the very same industry leading technology found in Wacom tablets used by many artists today. To have that same technology in the palm of your hand is truly a worthy x-factor for the Note.
For the 7.7, the x-factor is its very own design and build quality. I'm not sure how to accurately put into words just how well built the 7.7 is and, in turn, just how much of a difference that makes for how it feels in your hands. You really have to hold it to fully comprehend what I mean. Every inch of it feels so well thought out and crafted to perfection. The thought of putting it in an after-market case of some sort, or slapping some screen protector on it just feels sacrilegious in some way; kinda like with what George Lucas has done in his Star Wars remakes. Leave it as it is and appreciate it for its own magnificence. It's rare to see Samsung use this level of quality in the materials it chooses for making its devices. In this particular case, the 7.7 has "premium" written all over it. In short, it's a work of art. Well done Samsung!
EDGE: Draw
Other thoughts and conclusion:
It's incredible to realize just how much we are able to do with our mobile devices today compared to 2 years ago, or 5, or 10, etc. The idea of bringing single device with you which could fill the roles of a phone, GPS, media player, camera, laptop, etc. is something that, at one point, seemed nearly impossible. Yet here we are. We have come to a point where we expect and demand that our devices be capable of doing all these things effortlessly, on-demand, on the go, untethered, and unlimited. So, with regard to the Note and the 7.7 (and indeed any mobile device), the question is: how well can these devices live up to our demands and expectations?
For me, the overall winner here is the Galaxy Tab 7.7
Don't get me wrong, I love the Note. It is a fantastic device, and I feel that it really does what few others do: live up to its very own concept. However, for me anyway, it just doesn't quite fit into my lifestyle quite as well at the 7.7 does. The s-pen is a brilliant idea, but for an IT guy with terrible hand writing who doesn't really spend a whole lot of time sketching or doodling, the s-pen x-factor is somewhat lost on me. At the end of the day, with the s-pen safely nestled away, the Note is just a really big Galaxy S2 to me. That's not a bad thing at all by any right, however, I already have a Galaxy S2, and it does what it does very well. Also, despite the virtually identical internals, the 7.7 does feel much snappier, smoother, and generally more responsive. If the Alpha build of CM9 is anything to go by, I'm sure ICS will all change the user experience for the better on the Note. However, as it stands, the overall fluidity of the 7.7 is something that, frankly, puts even the iPad 2 to shame, and that's saying something! Also, as I mentioned earlier, I have the HM-5000 bluetooth handset on order. I suspect when that gets paired up to the 7.7 it will prove to be a deadly combo by merging a full tablet experience with a practical phone experience, all in a nice neat package.
In closing, here's a little food for thought.
I had posted on the Note forum what I think would be the ultimate device for me:
Imagine an upgraded 7.7 that more-or-less keeps the existing form factor but with subtle refinements. Maybe include a better screen and camera. Perhaps include Samsung's upcoming 5 series Exynos chip as well.
Now imagine an upgraded HM-5000 with a sleeker design which includes s-pen technology on one end, a 3.5mm jack on the other end, and maybe a monochrome OLED display in the middle for things like caller-ID, message info, and media playback info.
Now pair those two together...
Holy hell...
Samsung, I hope you're listening!
Hope you've enjoyed this guys! Thanks!

I have an SGN 5.3 and an SGT10.1V
I sold my SGT 7. Its to small for home use an to big for mobile use.
There is no need for an new SGT 7.7.
An new Tab with 10.1 Amoled and full hd screen compatible with google tv resolution would be great.

Good Read
Nice job of evaluating the two products. I have both the Note and the Tab 7.7. I concur both are extremely good products. The only negative I have found is the font size with the 7.7 appears to be half of the Note size. I wish Tab 7.7 font size would at least match the size of the smaller Note, then a toss up on which is best. Then it becomes per user's needs and interests. Currently, unless something can be done (ICS 4.2?) then readability becomes a real issue, and I would have to select the Note. perhaps all the available software has to catch up with the increased resolutions of the screens. Maybe most software programs are written to work on a 5.3" screen, but lose it when you go to a tablet with 1280X800 resolution. I read the next Prime will be 1920X1200. If true, and if font small now due to increased resolution, or whatever the reasons, how would you even see print with this resolution?
I did have a Tab 7 Plus for a month late last year, with 1024 X 600 resolution, and all software seemed to be readable, not anymore.

I have gone by two Notes by now!
I'm waiting for my 7.7 to get home!
for me, Note requires me to stop doing what ever im doing and use both hands to do it (unlike my 4.2" DHD). so if i have to use both hands, i rather have a bigger screen (and bigger bat).
i do take a lot of photos for internet posting. shame the sensor is worse

I'd say wait for a quad core galaxy tab if you can, if not the note is the way to go.

Thanks Jade Eyed Wolf very good info & more food for thoughts before making the final purchase
... i still can't make up my mind ! LOL i like them both
FernandoMiguel said:
I have gone by two Notes by now!
I'm waiting for my 7.7 to get home!
for me, Note requires me to stop doing what ever im doing and use both hands to do it (unlike my 4.2" DHD). so if i have to use both hands, i rather have a bigger screen (and bigger bat).
i do take a lot of photos for internet posting. shame the sensor is worse
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
See, this is EXACTLY one of the points that is bothering the most about the Note, i really like the Note, but being only 5.3 is a really odd and weird side, which i need to use both hands to use it, but the screen readability is not better than those on 4.5"
the resolution is larger, but everything else it seems like compressed due the size of the 5.3 screen
nascar24usa said:
Maybe most software programs are written to work on a 5.3" screen, but lose it when you go to a tablet with 1280X800 resolution. I read the next Prime will be 1920X1200. If true, and if font small now due to increased resolution, or whatever the reasons, how would you even see print with this resolution?
I did have a Tab 7 Plus for a month late last year, with 1024 X 600 resolution, and all software seemed to be readable, not anymore.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
now this is the thing that is not really what you believe
both Note and 7.7 runs at the same resolution, so naturally on the 7.7 every thing looks enlarged and easier to read, while both occupaying the same space in relation to the resolution, all these will become more obvious when everything runs 4.x, instead of 3.x vs 2.3.x and all showing different things.
the truth is most of the apps are designed for the old "HD" resolution which was 800x480 the new "HD v2.0" is 1280x800, so anything that you see blurry are probably old 800x480 apps/games displayed (enlarged) on the 1280x800 screen
as Apps/Games maker updates their graphics and fonts to match the 1280x800 resolution screens, you'll see better and crispier text & picture quality
Personally my dilemma is that, i want to see bigger pictures and text on the same 1280x800 scale, that's why i like the 7.7 more it's less of a strain for my eyes, but the lower quality Camera and lack of the Pen and other nice features from the Note, makes is a real hard decision to lock on to either one
if it's all pure like like as in good package of everything i want, i'd have to default to the Note, but... the only turn down on the Note is it's 5.3" screen size
aaaaarrrrrrgggghhhhhhhh.... i'm torn between the two, can't make up my mind
maybe i should wait for the 10.1" SAMOLED version to come out before i revisit my purchase options
Sleek69 said:
I'd say wait for a quad core galaxy tab if you can, if not the note is the way to go.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
currently that's the last thing that concerns me
once you hit dual core, any extra core are just bonus
all i use my phone/tablet most for is webbing, emails, text, phone calls, games, apps, videos and music, the any extra core will only benefit heavy 3D Games, which i don't have that much luxury of time to play with
as the only times i'll be playing any game is in a bus/subway, bus stop, waiting room, doctor office, restaurant waiting for food or people to arrive, and stuff like that
any good heavy 3D game will usually require you to sit there and play for a good 30 min before you archive progress or able to reach to the next Save Point... so no, not worth it

SpenZerX said:
I have an SGN 5.3 and an SGT10.1V
I sold my SGT 7. Its to small for home use an to big for mobile use.
There is no need for an new SGT 7.7.
An new Tab with 10.1 Amoled and full hd screen compatible with google tv resolution would be great.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Note is too big to be an allday phone, the 10.1 is far too big and heavy to be used as a mobile device. The perfect size would be the one of the old 7" but of course the 7.7 is almost the same size and still extremely portable. I can chat on it, use video calls, browse, read my RSS feeds, emails and a lot more. It's my daily companion as the 7" was before and I'm absolutely addicted to either of them.
As you can see, opinions and favours differ very much.
Sent from my GT-P6800 using XDA App

@Jade Eyed Wolf
re: screen
i totally agree with you there, i actually have both pentile on my older SGS i9000 and Nexus S an the normal RGB on my SGS2 T989
i don't mind the pentile that much as other people exaggerate, but at times it's obvious the green line / blue line on the side of the screen but only noticeable on a white screen otherwise not noticeable at all, the only draw back on the pentile readability is white text seems coloured
the RGB SAMOLED+ as mentioned it does definitely produces a much more natural warmer colours, that what makes me want the 7.7 the most knowing it also uses the SAMOLED+ but in HD
re: camera
same view, if Samsung at least included a 5 MP camera, i wouldn't have had a 2nd though about picking up the 7.7 right away, but having a 3 MP camera is like going back to the dark ages of quick shot cameras...
that's one of the factors i could ignore, as i'd most likely hang on to my SGS2 as the main Phone/Camera/WiFi hot spot/GPS
while off loading all the work & entertainment functions to the 7.7 (assuming i go for it)
but it'll always be hanging as a after though in the back of my mind, if i do make the purchase, i wouldn't be completely be happy with the purchase.
re: battery
based on my own personal usage, i'll definitely like the larger battery capacity of the 7.7 that will allow for more action time, my preference on SAMOLED screen is always 30% that is a sweet spot that brings out all its best while not draining the battery too fast, except unless i'm outdoors then i set it to auto and it will go to 100%
battery should last pretty long since the 2G/3G radio will be off (not compatible in Tmobile AWS 1700), and only using the WiFi
re: x-factor
indeed what attracts me the most of the Note is the pen, i'm actually from the old time Palm, the original inventors per-say of the style, obviously the S pen is not a style but my main reason for wanting a pen again is for Hand written notes, as people says, it's natural and faster than texting
and the OCR tech they included in the note is just fantastic, it felt almost like Palm Pilot devices re-invented all over again
for the 7.7 i'll say the X-factor is more on the perfect screen size is just large enough for me (and maybe most other people) to type with full fingers and both hands on the QWERTY keyboard, which makes texting and forum browsing interation much more of a breeze, that's actually one of the biggest factor why i'm not convinced of the size of the Note, but as its name suggest it's meant for Notes with 1 hand on the pen, and one of the device.
I'm sure once upgraded to ICS both devices, and the software for the S pen is ported over to 7.7 i can pretty sure buy the Spen after market and use it on the 7.7, while still able to use both hands to type on the keyboard, so it's a Win-Win for the 7.7 in that regard
re: other
seems like we both reached to pretty much the same conclusion
although i wont be able to shed off the S2 unless they release a version of 7.7 that can run on AWS
having the S2 already i don't really want the Note, as it's just a larger version of the same with upgraded internals
i really liked how i was able to do full Qwerty with 2 hands on the 7.7 or larger tablets, it feels totally natural to use it as a replacement laptop
in fact my last Duo 2 Core high end gaming laptop that i use for work has been sitting on the shelf for the last 2~3 years collecting dust since i moved to the SGS1 ~ SGS2 that replaced all of its functions
but now that i'm so used to Android, i want to be able to type faster or write notes down faster than having to use only 2 fingers to type stuff in a relatively small screen while easily mistyping another letter cuz of the close proximity of the buttons

AllGamer said:
@Jade Eyed Wolf
re: screen
i totally agree with you there, i actually have both pentile on my older SGS i9000 and Nexus S an the normal RGB on my SGS2 T989
i don't mind the pentile that much as other people exaggerate, but at times it's obvious the green line / blue line on the side of the screen but only noticeable on a white screen otherwise not noticeable at all, the only draw back on the pentile readability is white text seems coloured
the RGB SAMOLED+ as mentioned it does definitely produces a much more natural warmer colours, that what makes me want the 7.7 the most knowing it also uses the SAMOLED+ but in HD
re: camera
same view, if Samsung at least included a 5 MP camera, i wouldn't have had a 2nd though about picking up the 7.7 right away, but having a 3 MP camera is like going back to the dark ages of quick shot cameras...
that's one of the factors i could ignore, as i'd most likely hang on to my SGS2 as the main Phone/Camera/WiFi hot spot/GPS
while off loading all the work & entertainment functions to the 7.7 (assuming i go for it)
but it'll always be hanging as a after though in the back of my mind, if i do make the purchase, i wouldn't be completely be happy with the purchase.
re: battery
based on my own personal usage, i'll definitely like the larger battery capacity of the 7.7 that will allow for more action time, my preference on SAMOLED screen is always 30% that is a sweet spot that brings out all its best while not draining the battery too fast, except unless i'm outdoors then i set it to auto and it will go to 100%
battery should last pretty long since the 2G/3G radio will be off (not compatible in Tmobile AWS 1700), and only using the WiFi
re: x-factor
indeed what attracts me the most of the Note is the pen, i'm actually from the old time Palm, the original inventors per-say of the style, obviously the S pen is not a style but my main reason for wanting a pen again is for Hand written notes, as people says, it's natural and faster than texting
and the OCR tech they included in the note is just fantastic, it felt almost like Palm Pilot devices re-invented all over again
for the 7.7 i'll say the X-factor is more on the perfect screen size is just large enough for me (and maybe most other people) to type with full fingers and both hands on the QWERTY keyboard, which makes texting and forum browsing interation much more of a breeze, that's actually one of the biggest factor why i'm not convinced of the size of the Note, but as its name suggest it's meant for Notes with 1 hand on the pen, and one of the device.
I'm sure once upgraded to ICS both devices, and the software for the S pen is ported over to 7.7 i can pretty sure buy the Spen after market and use it on the 7.7, while still able to use both hands to type on the keyboard, so it's a Win-Win for the 7.7 in that regard
re: other
seems like we both reached to pretty much the same conclusion
although i wont be able to shed off the S2 unless they release a version of 7.7 that can run on AWS
having the S2 already i don't really want the Note, as it's just a larger version of the same with upgraded internals
i really liked how i was able to do full Qwerty with 2 hands on the 7.7 or larger tablets, it feels totally natural to use it as a replacement laptop
in fact my last Duo 2 Core high end gaming laptop that i use for work has been sitting on the shelf for the last 2~3 years collecting dust since i moved to the SGS1 ~ SGS2 that replaced all of its functions
but now that i'm so used to Android, i want to be able to type faster or write notes down faster than having to use only 2 fingers to type stuff in a relatively small screen while easily mistyping another letter cuz of the close proximity of the buttons
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your comments AllGamer!
Might I suggest that if you're planning on keeping your SGS2 with you as your main camera and phone device, perhaps you might be more interested in the P6810 instead (wifi-only 7.7)? Seems a bit of a waste having a 3G radio if you're just going to keep it off all the time anyway. Main reason I sold my 3G 8.9 actually.
Pairing up a P6810 with an SGS2, along with a very useful app called Tablet Talk would be a very mean combination indeed! I used to do that with my 8.9 and SGS2, and it was fantastic!
Also, I totally agree with you on the 7.7 inch screen being the perfect sweet spot. I should mention as well that thumb-typing in portrait has never been easier!
---------- Post added at 01:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:36 PM ----------
AllGamer said:
@Jade Eyed Wolf
and the software for the S pen is ported over to 7.7 i can pretty sure buy the Spen after market and use it on the 7.7
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wasn't aware that the 7.7 had the necessary hardware built-in to support s-pen functionality. Can you show me a source which claims this?

Jade Eyed Wolf said:
I wasn't aware that the 7.7 had the necessary hardware built-in to support s-pen functionality. Can you show me a source which claims this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Doesn't this involve having a Wacom digitizer overlay across the screen? I need proof as well.
That reminds... I just bought the galaxy Note and now I'm comtemplating on the Galaxy Tab 7.7 as well.... But as this thread points out, I don't think there is a point of having both the Note and the Tab 7.7 right?

ckyllr said:
Doesn't this involve having a Wacom digitizer overlay across the screen? I need proof as well.
That reminds... I just bought the galaxy Note and now I'm comtemplating on the Galaxy Tab 7.7 as well.... But as this thread points out, I don't think there is a point of having both the Note and the Tab 7.7 right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why not? Note goes in my pocket and is everywhere I am....Tab 7.7 is not so portable, but still awesome.
TL;DR, if you can make a case for a smaller smartphone and a Tab, you can make a case for a Note and a Tab 7.7 too.

Jade Eyed Wolf said:
Since I currently have both devices, I'll give you my take on them in their own right
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Read the review and the YouTube video, and fcuk me an hour later I've got one. $21,000NT I hate you

ckyllr said:
Doesn't this involve having a Wacom digitizer overlay across the screen? I need proof as well.
That reminds... I just bought the galaxy Note and now I'm comtemplating on the Galaxy Tab 7.7 as well.... But as this thread points out, I don't think there is a point of having both the Note and the Tab 7.7 right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Seeing how Wacom Digitizer from the note doesn't work on my S2, spen from my note won't work on 7.7 either
---------- Post added at 07:34 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:24 AM ----------
AllGamer said:
@Jade Eyed Wolf
i totally agree with you there, i actually have both pentile on my older SGS i9000 and Nexus S an the normal RGB on my SGS2 T989
i don't mind the pentile that much as other people exaggerate, but at times it's obvious the green line / blue line on the side of the screen but only noticeable on a white screen otherwise not noticeable at all, the only draw back on the pentile readability is white text seems coloured
the RGB SAMOLED+ as mentioned it does definitely produces a much more natural warmer colours, that what makes me want the 7.7 the most knowing it also uses the SAMOLED+ but in HD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's really not the same comparison as the SGS vs SGS II since the pentile issue is being made up by the higher resolution and pixel density
I wouldn't call the SGS pentile usage worries as an exaggerated concern. There was a huge jump in pic quality when i moved up to S2's 4.3" from the captivate's 4" screen
in terms of color tone, Note seems to be showing more natural tone than my S2
AllGamer said:
@Jade Eyed Wolf
I'm sure once upgraded to ICS both devices, and the software for the S pen is ported over to 7.7 i can pretty sure buy the Spen after market and use it on the 7.7, while still able to use both hands to type on the keyboard, so it's a Win-Win for the 7.7 in that regard
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Like i said earlier, wacom digitizer stylus requires hardware support since it's not based on capacitive

Jimmy34742 said:
Read the review and the YouTube video, and fcuk me an hour later I've got one. $21,000NT I hate you
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Click to collapse
LMAO!! Well, you're welcome! Spread the hate bro! But enjoy that 7.7 when it arrives
---------- Post added at 12:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:40 PM ----------
ph00ny said:
Like i said earlier, wacom digitizer stylus requires hardware support since it's not based on capacitive
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree. However, there's another thread here about how the display controller used in the 7.7 supposedly has active digitizer hardware capabilities. That's why I was saying that perhaps all that is needed is the software support.

ph00ny said:
Like i said earlier, wacom digitizer stylus requires hardware support since it's not based on capacitive
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Jade Eyed Wolf said:
I agree. However, there's another thread here about how the display controller used in the 7.7 supposedly has active digitizer hardware capabilities. That's why I was saying that perhaps all that is needed is the software support.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
as both of you have pointed out at the moment this is still a theory, we need a coder/hacker that have access to both devices and figure out how to enable it in the 7.7
knowing Samsung they always take the easy route in the assembly lane, they always have goodies hidden under the hood, and just need a good coder to unlock the hidden features.
i wouldn't be surprised if it can be done, yet i wouldn't be disappointed even if it can not be done, but it's worth a try
either case we are slightly off topic here, we should open another topic to discuss about that possibility
so going back on topic about Note vs 7.7 ... i still have not yet made up my mind
i like them both the 7.7 is winning my vote for the larger size alone, but i still would prefer the features and specs of the note, but there's no point upgrading to the Note when i already have a SGS2

AllGamer said:
so going back on topic about Note vs 7.7 ... i still have not yet made up my mind
i like them both the 7.7 is winning my vote for the larger size alone, but i still would prefer the features and specs of the note, but there's no point upgrading to the Note when i already have a SGS2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just recently updated my Note to its latest available firmware (LA4) to see what that would do, but honestly, it still feels VERY laggy compared to my 7.7
I mean, it's not so bad to the point that it isn't functional or anything like that, but still, for a 1.4ghz dual core? Come on... I blame Gingerbread. Can't wait to see what both devices are like once they get official ICS!
In the mean time, I think I'll probably be making a couple more videos on YouTube. I know I at least want to make a short video showing how well my cheapo velcro car mount for the 7.7 works! Maybe I'll make another short one comparing the Note and the 7.7 side by side so you all can see what I mean by the lag on the Note...

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.

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)

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!

Why I chose the Galaxy Note... one mans journey

I had been in the market for a tablet for a few weeks, having not owned one before, I felt it was time to take the plunge. The main purpose was for evening internet browsing, maybe accompanied by a pint of beer. I'd previously purchased a galaxy Note phone for this very purpose, but I found even that was too much of a compromise screen wise, 5" just wasn't doing it for me, I had to go large. And if I had a tablet I could downgrade to a smaller size phone in future.
After extensive research on the net I narrowed the choice down. A 7” tab would be too small a leap in screen real estate for my needs, so the Nexus was ruled out, which left the front runner been the Transformer TF300, I though a keyboard would be nice for my very basic needs of Word and Excel, and of course it had the Tegra 3, which I had convinced myself I needed. I was aware the 300 could have a few ‘issues’ after reading the xda forums.
I resisted the urge to purchase as the Berlin IFA was about to commence, and Samsung and others would be releasing their latest tech there. Along comes the Note 10.1. And with that comes more frantic Googling for the latest internet reviews ( I ain’t gonna let go of £400 without knowing exactly what I’m buying!).
After reading the review at Android Police the Note seemed a pile of crap. A turd in the bath. A stink in a cesspool. However, my research goes further than that and I started reading user reviews and of course the review from Lisa Gade on youtube. All these seemed to counter what android Police had stated. With my head spinning I had to put some rational thought to my purchasing decision, and my thoughts were…
Do I need a keyboard – would be nice, but given my very limited use of work related stuff, and a large onscreen keyboard on tablets anyway, it would be possible to manage without, I shouldn’t compromise other factors just to have a keyboard.
Front facing stereo speakers – basic design principles tell me this is the way it should be done.
S pen – never really used it on my phone, but I was intrigued by the ‘hover’ function when viewing the web.
Charging cord – Another bummer mentioned at Android Police, its only 3 feet long, no way I could use the Note when its charging. Solution, charge it overnight.
Build quality – now that review at AP had a lot to say about flexing, squeaking and poor fitting. I saw the videos on that site and I agree with what the reviewer was showing us there. But I can only conclude that the unit he had must have been either pre production or had been subjected to some fairly vigorous tear downs.
I have my Note here and I must say it has very high build quality, absolutely no squeaking, all panels are flush fitting, and the only flex is right in the middle of the back panel, which incidentally is where I never hold it anyway. Also I’ve never had an issue with lightweight back panels, right from my first Samsung Galaxy phone. The technology is there to make things like that these days, it just makes sense, lightweight and no signal interference.
Tegra 3 – The reason I was after a Tegra device was so that I could ‘enter the tegra gaming zone’. It seems a nice place. But then again I don’t spend much of my life playing games and I can easily get my fix from whats available on Google Play.
Now that I have a Note I’m very happy in the knowledge that I have an even better processor, preloaded with masses of codec support and developed hand in hand with the Note to give a great browsing performance.
Cameras – I have no need for cameras on a tablet, waste of time. Oh hang on though, what have Samsung got here, this thing watches my eyes and doesn’t dim the screen unless I fall asleep, clever b******s.
GPS – I’ll only want this if I use Google Sky maps, I usually know where I am if I’m in my own house.
But it’s good to know that Glonass is included on the Note, another thumbs up in the high quality components list.
Audio quality. - Note has a Wolfson DAC. Nothing more to add here.
A note about resolution. One tablet I considered was the transformer Tf700 for its high res screen. Much talked about and much coveted. I wouldn’t turn it down. But when people are buying a tablet they need to consider what device they will be replacing. For me it will be primarily replacing my laptop, which has a 17” screen with a resolution of 1600 x 900. So just by downgrading to a 10” size screen with 1280 x 800 I’m getting higher res anyway, and given that it’s a PLS screen its higher quality to boot. So I’ve already gone ‘high res’ just by getting the note.
I’ve only wrote this review because I’m so impressed with my Note. I hope many others buy it and it gets the success it deserves.

Nice review, enjoyed reading it and hopefully teaches people not to be in haste at knocking a device without seeing real world usage user reports.
I think you have made a good choice and am happy that you are enjoying your note as it is out of the box, hopefully with the Jelly Bean update around the corner it will get even better.
Also love Lisa's reviews because her reviews do not seem to be biased unlike a number of other 'professional' reviewers.

same things i considered and bought note on its day of launch in india..
btw u forgot multiscreens and an extensive battery life
Sent from my GT-N8000 using XDA Premium HD app

Here's my bottom line. If I could have bought a 10.1 inch tablet with a 1920 x 1200 screen and a wacom digitizer and pen along with a 1.4 ghz quad core CPU and zero lag for $500 instead of this I would have.
Doesn't exist.
So I bought this.
** The problem I have with reviewers who have slammed this tablet is that they are comparing it either to tablets that do far less or simply do not and cannot exist at this price point. The lowest price for a pen based Windows RT tablet from Samsung will start at $150 more. And that will have worse dpi than this.
Sent from my GT-N8013 using Tapatalk 2

mitchellvii said:
Here's my bottom line. If I could have bought a 10.1 inch tablet with a 1920 x 1200 screen and a wacom digitizer and pen along with a 1.4 ghz quad core CPU and zero lag for $500 instead of this I would have.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hehe, +1.
mitchellvii said:
Doesn't exist.
So I bought this.
** The problem I have with reviewers who have slammed this tablet is that they are comparing it either to tablets that do far less or simply do not and cannot exist at this price point. The lowest price for a pen based Windows RT tablet from Samsung will start at $150 more. And that will have worse dpi than this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I get a sense that what the OP and I need is more like Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 with GN 10.1 specs less s pen + better screen / premium quality. I don't really care that much for the s pen. I do need everything else you mentioned out of the tab though. So, I feel that some of the low points of this tab, screen resolution and lack of premium build feel, could've been mitigated had Samsung saved the money on S Pen and associated hardware and software expenses.

SM05 said:
Hehe, +1.
I get a sense that what the OP and I need is more like Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 with GN 10.1 specs less s pen + better screen / premium quality. I don't really care that much for the s pen. I do need everything else you mentioned out of the tab though. So, I feel that some of the low points of this tab, screen resolution and lack of premium build feel, could've been mitigated had Samsung saved the money on S Pen and associated hardware and software expenses.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol, yeah that crazy Samsung with their crazy s-pen.
It's simple, if you don't need or use pen input, why the hell are you buying this tablet? Buy an iPad or an Infinity that are pure consumption devices. The SGN 10.1 is for people that want to do WORK with their tablet.

mitchellvii said:
It's simple, if you don't need or use pen input, why the hell are you buying this tablet? Buy an iPad or an Infinity that are pure consumption devices. The SGN 10.1 is for people that want to do WORK with their tablet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If it were that simple I wouldn't be replying on my GN 10.1. I posted this before but yeah, consumption device is what I mostly need. I don't plan on buying any Apple devices, don't wanna say ever but for a long time. That leaves android, which I prefer anyways (GS2 is my current phone). There aren't that many stable, fast and well built android tabs out there. Build quality + specs is why I went with GN. S pen is just an appendix as far ad I'm concerned. Lol
So, if you're listening Samsung, give us galaxy tab 10.1 with the same specs as GN, premium/better finish and improved screen dpi, if possible, and no s pen. All under 500 please. Lol

SM05 said:
If it were that simple I wouldn't be replying on my GN 10.1. I posted this before but yeah, consumption device is what I mostly need. I don't plan on buying any Apple devices, don't wanna say ever but for a long time. That leaves android, which I prefer anyways (GS2 is my current phone). There aren't that many stable, fast and well built android tabs out there. Build quality + specs is why I went with GN. S pen is just an appendix as far ad I'm concerned. Lol
So, if you're listening Samsung, give us galaxy tab 10.1 with the same specs as GN, premium/better finish and improved screen dpi, if possible, and no s pen. All under 500 please. Lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, they need 2 models. Consumer - $400, without the pen. Creator / Producer - $500 includes pen . Display on both needs to be the same (highest resolution and quality they can manage without slowing the system down.)

mitchellvii said:
Lol, yeah that crazy Samsung with their crazy s-pen.
It's simple, if you don't need or use pen input, why the hell are you buying this tablet? Buy an iPad or an Infinity that are pure consumption devices. The SGN 10.1 is for people that want to do WORK with their tablet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't say the infinity is a pure consumption device. I like my note a lot more then the prime I owned but with the keyboard dock it really does move it out of a pure consumption device.

nice review. exactly what i went thru lols

I mentioned it elsewhere, but the first review I read was from Lisa. Always unbias and as someone that knows about stylus's and wiacoms, she was very to the point about the device. Most if not all the others, reviewed the device as a competitor to the iPad, Transformer etc, when in reality those devices do not do what the Note does. After reading that stupid review from AndroidPolice, and I say stupid since no journalist/writer would make such a headline or put in stupid comments of the device giving them cancer, I went to the store to test it myself. It was nothing like what the reviews mentioned and right then and there I knew this was the tablet to get. A few days later I got it.
Haven't regretted it since.
is it the perfect device, No. nothing is, no matter what any one says, including Apple. Each and every device has its pro and cons, but this device runs circles around my previous Lenovo and overall, its one awesome device.
TS

As has been noted, I did not buy the Note for its pen, this was low on my list of needs as I had never found much use for it on my Galaxy Note phone (I found it just too cramped a space for my liking). I was instead drawn more by its quality and cutting edge components. However, given that the pen was there I’ve been giving it a go anyway, and I’ve found it a much better experience on this larger screen, infact I’m now beginning to use it all the time, it just seems easier and quicker for most things.
Websites are not designed to be prodded at with fingers, but to be used by a precise pointing device, so navigating using the pen feels quicker and more natural. When playing games (Air Attack HD) its easier to slide the pen around the screen and fingers are not blocking out the action.
Oh, I forgot about another reason that swayed me towards buying the Note, and that was to do my own little bit to support Samsung against the dark forces of crApple and its abuse of the (broken) patent system. Or as someone else on the net succinctly put it – the American patent system is a pile of ****, and Apple is sitting on top of that pile.
I’ve been listening to the sound quality of this thing, I’m going to put up a new post about it so its easier for people to find.

[REVIEW - Professional Comparison] Galaxy Note GT-N7000 & GT-N7100

Hello everyone!
Nearly everyone, who is reading this, will own a SAMSUNG Galaxy Note GT-N7000. Our beloved device is a real special phone with many functionalities, other phones doesn't have. But be honest. I am from a more mechanical-technical sector, like from car-planning and constructing.
And one very very important thing about cars is, the first car of a new type, like the new Mercedes A-Class, will have more faults than the last one. That's a proven thing, because over time, the developers change things because of the feedback.
So everyone who owns a Galaxy Note One is kind of a guinea pig or experimental rabbit. Name it as you prefer, but fact is:
Samsung built something from scratch with no feedback at first.
Thats' the FIRST thing why I thought, that I have to buy the Galaxy Note Two.
I fell so deep in love that I thought I must have this device although it's as expensive as three used, but well preserved Note One's.
I spent very much time for searching videos about this telephone and the specifications. I thought the phone is a real MUST HAVE, but after that, I found things that made me thoughtful.
That's why I am opening this thread. Everywhere you can read reviews where people are idolizing the Note 2 and everything that belongs to it. They say it's a real successor and so on. But there are no real objective comparisons between the old and the new one. But at first I want to say, that the Galaxy Note 2 is for sure a real great device and the name successor is partly given right. But not in all situations and circumstances.
Let's begin :
Size of the display and resolution:
Note One: 5,3" with a resolution of 1280x800 pixels, a ratio of 16:10, a density of 285ppi, and uses PenTile-Matrix technology.
Note Two: 5,5" with a resolution of 1280x720 pixels, a ratio of 16:9, a density of 267ppi, and uses normal RGB-matrix.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
> For everyone who don't know the difference between PenTile and normal matrix, please use Wikipedia.
When I heard that the Note 2 has a screen diagonal with 5,5" is was like OMG :cyclops: ! I must have it. After some time, I found out, that the resolution is less than before and so the density shrinks noticeably. I thought that's a minus point, but then I thought OKAY it's a normal RGB matrix so the difference could be acceptable. Then I thought I should compare that in real, so I drove to the next store, where I can play around with the Note 2 and I came to the following conclusion.
The density IS less but you won't notice it really easy. BUT. Yes, there is always a but. The RGB matrix shows a worse picture than the PenTile matrix. I couldn't believe it a first so I checked again with many different pictures. The Note One provides MUCH MUCH MUCH better clearly defined borders and more beautiful colours. Anyone who can't believe this now, check it out by yourself! The other point is, that pictures on the Note Two get some kind of grey stripes in vertical. That won't look nice and doesn't emphasize the potential of such a big screen. Fact is, that borders with a PenTile matrix a looking jagged, but they are clear.
EDIT:
It's not a RGB matrix, it's a non-striped BGR-matrix. And after some more comparison of the displays, I came to the conclusion, that the screen of the Note 2 is really better. The striped pictures were... I don't know where from. So the screen provides very natural colours and you won't see any bad things to mention. Just test it out by yourself!
Although both phones are not bad, this point goes to the Galaxy Note Two!
Ergonomics (phone itself and also stylus):
The S Pen is an invention that makes sense in every way. It's very comfortable to use it and makes life with our Note's easier most of the time. But the stylus of the first Note is not really good designed. If it's dark it's very hard to find the button on the stylus without holding it near to the display the get some light. With the stylus of the Note 2, there is not such a problem. The side with the button is flat. You will find the button very quick, although you won't look at it and in addition it's very comfortable to hold. Also the bigger size makes it a pleasure to use.
The design of the first Note is a little bit abstract. You need some time to get used to it, but after that, you can use the phone without problems. I know what I am talking about, because I changed from my Samsung Galaxy S2 to the Note. Today I am using my Note without problems also with only one hand. That won't make any problems at all. The buttons have their places and I am used to this phone. BUT... The Note 2 is in this case a real real improvement. The buttons are moved downwards a little bit, so you can reach them also if you are holding the device normal at the lower end. The width of the phone is PERFECT! You can type on the virtual keyboard with no problems AT ALL! So the screen ratio is a big improvement. Also the home button got raised a little bit, so it's easier to push it. Also the round corners make the phone very easy to hold.
Undisputed this point goes to the Galaxy Note Two. (That's also the point I wanted to mention at the beginning with car development.)
Hardware and it's potential:
Note One: 1.4GHz Dual-Core Exynos processor with 1GB RAM and Mali400 GPU
Note Two: 1.6GHz Quad-Core Exynos processor with 2GB RAM and Mali 400GPU
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Most of the hardware components haven't changed since the Note One, but there ARE improvements! The processor changed, the RAM, the Note 2 got Bluetooth version 4, NFC. I won't talk about BT4 and NFC because these are nice features, but commnly not in excessive use, that's why they are not important now. My Note One has nearly the same specs as my Acer 5253 notebook (regarding the processor), so that's not bad. 1GB of RAM is also not bad for Android, BUT it's not the world. It happens very often, that RAM is full very quick and if I juggle between more than four apps like browsing the web, then starting the music player, answering an SMS, reading an E-Mail and making a note, and then coming back to the browser, the phone has to completely reload the app. That can be very annoying. 2GB of RAM are a real enrichment. The processor of the Note One does it's job very good, I would say we should blame Samsung for their interface because of the stuttering sometimes. But the processor of the Note 2 is also a real diamond. It also works really good.
Although the specifications are speaking for the Note Two, that can't be the last consequence. The main difference is, that the Note Two comes with Jelly Bean and "Project Butter". The Note One provides Ice Cream sandwich with no "Project Butter". Also we know, that the memory management of Samsung is not the best, which are causing this stuttering. I don't have any of these problems on CM10 AT ALL! Also most of the apps won't unleash at least the potential of the Note One, so there is no real need for a quad-core processor.
AND there are also some points reagarding the whole phone market. Two years ago, phone's had only single-core processors. Computers already had quad- to octo-core processors. FACT IS that manufacturers were already able to build phones with quad-core processors in 2009, but they didn't because if they use every step, they can achieve more money. THAT'S A FACT! So don't get impressed of horsepowers. What count's is INTEGRITY! I was talking to a Samsung developer of SAMSUNG AUSTRIA and he told me, that the quad-core isn't a real improvement, because information processing get's worse per core. But that's too deep now.
So summarized, more cores are not always more performance.
To be fair, this question ends in a tie.
These three points are the main differences between the Note One and the Note Two.
I WON'T MENTION SOFTWARE-REGARDING IMPROVEMENTS BECAUSE MOST OF THEM
WILL COME TO THE NOTE ONE IN DECEMBER TO JANUARY.
And also I want to eliminate this common believe about the stylus and HOVERING!
Samsung told us, that the Note Two is able to recognize the stylus, although you are not touching the phone with it. WTH is new here? You can also hover with the stylus on the Note One! Test it out and open the XDA homepage and try to hover over the buttons of the page at the top (Quick Links for example). You will see that it works.
Responses from YOU ALL I want to answer:
Koguchi9 said:
Also you didn't talk about the aspect ratio. Personally 16:9 is only great for videos... Everything else 16:10 is a large improvement.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I talked about the ratio in ergonomics. The 16:9 ratio is in this way an improvement, because the phone got narrower. It's easier to write on the keyboard, also when you are not used to such a big phone. But in my opinion the 16:10 ratio is WAY BETTER for productivity. I compared the phones also in this way and came to the conclusion, that it depends on what you are doing with the phone. If you use it as a media center, you will love the 16:9 ratio, if you use it for office and productivity like I do, 16:10 is much better. And at the first sight, the Note One's screen looker bigger although that's not true. Only because is wider. Proven.
andrekua said:
Hovering in Note 1 does nothing, but if you hover long enough with Note 2, it will load the menu. While I'm not sure whether it is configurable, the hovering works better in Note 2 due to its higher sensitivity.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
YOU ARE RIGHT! The S Pen and the stylus recognition is much higher, the Note Two will detect the stylus earlier than the Note One, but both are able to hover something. And AirView and all the features of the Note Two are ONLY software features. I said, that I don't want to mention them because the Note One will get them soon.
msedek said:
You forgot about the 3100mah battery... Slow/fasf motion/burst mode built in camera(0 shutter lag) , and the better audio DAC.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I forgot that! The battery is very big, that's super for using your phone during the day. Some people already tested the battery and some mean you have more actove-time now, but that's partly a myth. The Note Two NEEDS the bigger battery because the RGB matrix has more subpixels to light. They display needs more power. But its true, the battery as blazing strong! More screen-on-time than I need ! And yes, the camera is faster now. The burst mode is a very attractive feature, like the Zeroshutter-Lag. I know much people like these features, I don't care about that, so I'd forgotten to integrate that into my post. FACT ist also, that the Note Two makes more natural pictures, while the Note One's pics are more yellow. And really I can't tell any difference in Audio Output/Input, so thanks for this information!
ChodTheWacko said:
I've had the Note 2 for a couple of weeks, and formerly owned the Note 1 since launch day. (roughly a year). I do want to ask the OP - do you actually have one? Or are you just going by specs?
Here's my supplement to your review, based on my experience of using the note 2 so far.
*) Notification light. At last. and you can customize the colors with lightflow.
*) it sure is nice that the microsd card isn't blocked by the battery.
*) Signifigantly louder speaker.
I find it very hard to find anything to complain about with regards to the Note 2. The only thing that comes to mind is that the USB port is weird, and some USB cables don't stay in well.
The only other major annoyance is JB's fault - that you can't use Apps2SD anymore. DirectoryBind is almost a requirement now if you play huge 1-2 Gig games on the 16GB note. (which only has 10 gig of app data space). That means rooting your phone (which I did, so I'm fine).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
At first I want to especially thank your for your enlargement of this comparison! And I'm sorry of cutting your post, but therwise my post would get to long. So no, I don't have a Note Two but I really wanted to buy it and I spent much time playing around with one in a shop, so I tested everything in real. And the first point is also for me very interesting, the notification light! IMPROVEMENT IMPROVEMENT! I like it, that the Note Two has a notification light. Really! It's also nice, that you can change your microSD card, but in my case, that doesn't matter, I will tell you at the end of my answer why, because it could be also interesting for everybody here. And the louder speaker. As I already mentioned before I didn't know that, but it looks like the Note 2 has really a little bit better sound processing. And you are also right with the USB cable. It's not possible anymore to use old MHL-Connectors for example. They will fail. If thhe new pin configuration of the USB port was neccessary or only a new marketing gag... I don't know.
And regarding your space problem. I have also the 16GB version of the Note One. As I am using Google Play, my space can shrink very fast because I want to keep the music on my card in the cache. THE PROBLEM IS: Google Music only uses the internal memory, as also games does.
Here is the solution for you:
In system/etc/ there is a file called vold.fstab this file configurates the mounting points of your storages. You can simple change the mounting points of the microSD card and the internal memory and they are swapped with no disadvantages. That makes sense because I am using a 64GB microSD card and now my phone hast 64GB INTERNAL MEMORY. For detailed instructions, please PM me.
abhinav quietly brilliant said:
i guess the note 2 has a 1.9 mp front camera and our beloved note one has 2.0 mp front camera
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's vice versa. The Note One has 1.9MP in front. But I don't think that this is a real improvement.
Thank you all for your answers and questions!
SUMMARY ON PAPER:
The Galaxy Note Two is a beautiful device and makes some faulty things of the Note One better. The handling is a pleasure and the stylus is a big improvement. All the other changes are only a product of the progressing time. THIS CHANGES HAVE TO BE! Otherwise people say it's old. Yeah, humanity is very very stupid. If you have the chance to get the Note Two very cheap, I would say you should take it. Otherwise STAY with your beloved Note One. It's a great device and also in two years it will be. I also made my decision and came to the conclusion that I will keep my Note One.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
SUMMARY IN REALLIFE:
So. After some phone calls and much time spent on searching good offers, I got a Galaxy Note Two now for nearly nothing more than a Note One. I will sell my Note One in one week. I have the Note Two now for 5 hours and there are some things, that differ from the summary on paper. At first, the screen is beautiful, although sometimes you can see those grey stripes, I talked about. The screen ratio is WONDERFUL for playing around. Steering works brilliant on the Note 2. But anyway, productivity apps will be circumcised because of the new format. The external speaker is really good. Playing music with it sound very nice. Also deeper sound frequencies are now with more power. The battery is really good. I am playing around now with the display all time on for four hours, making phone calls and using Google Play streaming some tracks, battery fell from 90% to 78%! That's more than fine. And I like those software features. Although they are not neccessary to mention, they are cool to use. The stylus is very comfortable to use, as I already told you. The design is cool, I like it really, I like also the button very much. The home button is a small thing but it makes navigation very nice. Also I like the glass very much. So the design is TOP! The camera is brilliant. Fast in any way. And the rest of the phone also. But that's now only the felt summary. The real one is in between of felt and paper summary!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hope I can clarify all the questions around this thorny topic.
If there are any other questions, please post it.
If they are important, I will include them in this post!
I am from Austria and English is not my native language.
I am feeling very sorry for my language rape !
If this is helpful or informative for you please hit the Thanks-button.
Best regards,
Gerhard

Nice comparison/Review dude

Nice comparison Gerhard.
I haven't had a chance to play with a Note 2 yet, however the biggest thing that would put me off upgrading is the lower screen resolution. It may be slightly bigger, but the drop in res and aspect ratio is disappointing.

I see no compelling reason to upgrade either. Happy to wait for the next generation Note or whatever other wondrous thing Samsung or Google have to offer in a year or so.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

Nice comparison.. Once the note 1 gets the JB update we will then get a true sense of how much an update the note 2 is.
Also you didn't talk about the aspect ratio. Personally 16:9 is only great for videos... Everything else 16:10 is a large improvement.

There are some minor differences. Hovering in Note 1 does nothing, but if you hover long enough with Note 2, it will load the menu. While I'm not sure whether it is configurable, the hovering works better in Note 2 due to its higher sensitivity. You have to hover near to the screen with Note 1 but with Note 2, it was at least twice the distance (or possibly more, I did not measure).
The rest would have to rely on how much updates Samsung are willing to provide for Note 1 Jelly Bean updates.

You forgot about the 3100mah battery... Slow/fasf motion/burst mode built in camera(0 shutter lag) , and the better audio DAC.
Enviado desde mi GT-N7000 usando Tapatalk 2

I've had the Note 2 for a couple of weeks, and formerly owned the Note 1 since launch day. (roughly a year).
I do want to ask the OP - do you actually have one? Or are you just going by specs?
Here's my supplement to your review, based on my experience of using the note 2 so far.
Pros:
1) I have to admit, the note 2 is more comfortable to hold. Part of it is that it is less wide, but the corners are also rounder and it doesn't jab into your palm as much. Biggest surprise for me.
2) The s-pen is much nicer to hold, and the button easier to find and push. The CPU also makes the pen more responsive. This is a rather big deal if you are a s-pen user.
3) The hardware s-pen switch is quite nice. You can pull the pen out, scribble on the s-memo, and put the pen back in. S-memo automatically opens and closes, making the final result a LOT like pen and paper. Also, having the 'you forgot your s-pen' alert is REALLY nice.
4) The Note 2 is really really responsive. I don't know if it's a factor of the faster CPU, faster GPU, 2 Gig of memory, and/or JB. It's probably all of them together. I thought the note 1 was great, but the note 2 is just insane.
5) Notification light. At last. and you can customize the colors with lightflow.
6) Bigger battery is GREAT. I can't wait to see what the Mugen extended battery is - 6700 mah? gulp.
7) it sure is nice that the microsd card isn't blocked by the battery.
8) Side note on the memory - 2 gig over 1 gig, for me, is a huge deal. After bootup, I only have 1.1 gig memory left. That's with a custom rom that stripped out all the bloatware.
9) NFC - don't really use it to be honest
10) Bluetooth 4 - should save power over BT 3.
11) Signifigantly louder speaker
12) Much better sound chip.
13) Minor thing, but the Note charges a fair bit faster. It's a bigger battery, but stock charger is a 2A charger.
14) bigger screen, but only slightly - 4%. I quickly got used to the 16:9. It's not THAT different from 16:10 in day to day use. It's not like you went from 4:3 to 16:9 or anything. I still believe that using a standard resolution is a good thing in the long run, but that's just me.
15) Gorilla glass 2. I'm not sure if it's a big deal in the long run, as they might have just made the glass thinner to compensate for the extra strength.
16) Power button isn't so close to the corner, so you aren't accidentally hitting it so much.
17) Apparently no black crush.
There are, of course, the numerous software improvements that may or may not make it to the Note 1.
I'll list them for completeness, but they can be considered 'short term' improvements in the Note 2.
A) multi view
B) smart view (i.e. auto-rotate doesn't drive you crazy when you are lying down)
C) JB in general I guess
D) air view
for starters. Those I use all the time.
In short - I really loved my Note 1 but I recognized that it had lots of little annoyances/quirks.
I just accepted them, knowing that the original note was a brave new step into unknown territory.
The note 2 pretty much wiped out every single complaint I had about the Note 1, and made everything I liked about the Note 1 maybe 20% better. I find it very hard to find anything to complain about with regards to the Note 2. The only thing that comes to mind is that the USB port is weird, and some USB cables don't stay in well.
The only other major annoyance is JB's fault - that you can't use Apps2SD anymore. DirectoryBind is almost a requirement now if you play huge 1-2 Gig games on the 16GB note. (which only has 10 gig of app data space). That means rooting your phone (which I did, so I'm fine).
So for me the Note 2 was well worth the money. I had definitely really maxed out my note though, having about 300 apps/widgets on it.
If you're a lighter user, then it's a tougher call.
- Frank

Silberpfeil3110 and ChodTheWacko...Thanks for the detailed comparision...
I have been using note since last Dec and I agree that there are few things which are annoying and could be changed...
Haven't played with Note 2 yet but its on my wishlist

Shrink said:
I see no compelling reason to upgrade either. Happy to wait for the next generation Note or whatever other wondrous thing Samsung or Google have to offer in a year or so.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
me too. It's just not worth the money for me to upgrade to note 2 when I don't even play video games on my phone. Mainly just surfing the internet, and my note 1 is really good enough for that right now.
We'll save alot of money by waiting as always. Hell, in one year, we'll probably have the note 3.

DPMAce said:
me too. It's just not worth the money for me to upgrade to note 2 when I don't even play video games on my phone. Mainly just surfing the internet, and my note 1 is really good enough for that right now.
We'll save alot of money by waiting as always. Hell, in one year, we'll probably have the note 3.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
He he, that long, the way Samsung churn there phones out your be reading about note 4's this time next year.
I tend to agree that there is just not anything that pulls me towards sending £200 on top of the sale of my note 1, I have used both side by side, and am happy with my note 1. I know people seem to think the screen width doesn't mater, for me I found the note 2 annoying, love the width of the note 1, but then I'm not a movie watcher.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2

yeah really. Hell, in 6 months, if I really want the note 2, I could probably buy it used for a good price because someone will be looking to upgrade to something else like s4

i guess the note 2 has a 1.9 mp front camera and our beloved note one has 2.0 mp front camera
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2

Koguchi9 said:
Also you didn't talk about...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
andrekua said:
Hovering in Note 1 does ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
msedek said:
You forgot about the ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ChodTheWacko said:
I've had the Note 2...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
abhinav quietly brilliant said:
i guess the note 2...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
THANK YOU for your information!
I have edited the opening post and integrated your questions and answers!
Best regards

abhinav quietly brilliant said:
i guess the note 2 has a 1.9 mp front camera and our beloved note one has 2.0 mp front camera
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Trust me, the Note 1 front facing camera is total BS.
S3 and Note 2 front facing camera is way superior.

Silberpfeil3110 said:
The Note Two NEEDS the bigger battery because the RGB matrix has more subpixels to light. They display needs more power. Of you compare the Note One and Note Two, you will find out, that the display-on-time is nearly the same. Of course if you are listening to music and the display is off all the time, the Note Two will last longer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As a Note 1 user for a year, and having now had my Note 2 for a few weeks, I can say that for my usage patterns, which are quite heavy, the Note 2's battery life blows the Note 1's out of the water.
Put simply, on my Note 1, I would regularly get 5 to 6 hours worth of screen-on time on my phone from a single charge, whereas on my Note 2 is is more like 9 to 10 hours screen-on - that is in excess of a 50% improvement and means I haven't ever felt the need to carry around a 2nd
battery with my Note 2 (even though I have a couple) whereas I would not leave home without a spare for my Note 1.
I was never unhappy with the battery life on my Note 1, but on my Note 2 the battery life is quite literally epic in comparison!
The only thing I honestly miss about my Note 1 is the 16:10 aspect ratio, because I do use remote desktop and Citrix apps from time to time on my phone, and you do miss those extra 80 pixels in that scenario. However, in every other respect, the Note 2 is a vastly superior device to the Note 1, and I loved my Note 1! (Technically, I still love it as I've kept it as a backup device!)
Regards,
Dave

foxmeister said:
Put simply, on my Note 1, I would regularly get 5 to 6 hours worth of screen-on time on my phone from a single charge, whereas on my Note 2 is is more like 9 to 10 hours screen-on - that is in excess of a 50% improvement and means I haven't ever felt the need to carry around a 2nd
battery with my Note 2 (even though I have a couple) whereas I would not leave home without a spare for my Note 1.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is the biggest load of crock I've ever read in a while.
If you use your phone under normal conditions, there is no way in hell you're going to get a screen on time of 6 hours on the Note 1 or 9-10 hours on the Note 2.

PoisonWolf said:
This is the biggest load of crock I've ever read in a while.
If you use your phone under normal conditions, there is no way in hell you're going to get a screen on time of 6 hours on the Note 1 or 9-10 hours on the Note 2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for telling me that what I experience for a fact is a "crock", but then again you know exactly what I do with my phone day in day out and so obviously are extremely well qualified to tell me how much screen-on time I get? I hadn't noticed that I have attracted a stalker!
I clearly must be very confused, and I'm simply imagining that my phone is still operational when it isn't.
I have no reason whatsoever to lie, so I'll just go on enjoying my 9-10 hour battery life along with plenty of other Note 2 users, and you can go on believing whatever "crock" you wish.
For those more reasoned souls, take a trip over to the Note 2 forums and ask around.
Regards,
Dave

ChodTheWacko said:
After bootup, I only have 1.1 gig memory left. That's with a custom rom that stripped out all the bloatware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That was actually the piece of information I was looking for and about to ask about it on SGN2 board.
I have to say the JB memory usage must be significantly higher than ICS. It suggests the Project Buttler is an in-memory caching system to require memory.
Did you remove much from /system/app for house cleaning or just user applications? I'm thinking Samsung features also taking up a good portion of the memory providing the custom ROM you mentioned shipped with the original Samsung Features. Could you clarify that please?
@all users
You should know that if you intend to purchase JB devices it must support 2GB ram at least to be future-proof and not to choke after opening a couple of applications.

I am an ordinary user of my phone with a lot of spen usage during ward rounds. Keep my reference books on my phone. Do a hell lot of browsing and watch movies and music. I dont really need a powerhouse coz most of what i need is already in my note 1. Though i use the camera a lot and would have upgraded if there was a bigger camera. Some features in the note 2 are just not for me. Like air view i only use spen for taking notes or drawing. Dont use it to scroll things on my phone. So a useless feature for me. Multi view is also useless because u dont have enough space to open the messaging and read an email altogether coz the keyboard takes half the screen so another gimmick.
0 shutter lag thing is dealt by the fastburst camera.
Spen indicator or alarm thing. If ur reaponsible u wont loose ur stylus.
People who play hd games should definitely go for note 2. But ppl like ua ahould atick to our devices.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda app-developers app

My Xperia Z & Samsung S4

I'm a satisfied owner of the Xperia Z for the last 2 months. Its an excellent device! IMO its the best Android smartphone at the moment that has managed to incorporate a good balance between design, performance and software in an excellent package. I won't go into the details about the Z as I'm sure owners of the device already know it well.
Yesterday I was lucky enough to get my hands on the new Samsung S4 (LTE version). My wife was due for a free upgrade but she didn't want it (as she loves her Note 2 too much!) so I jumped at the chance! After getting home last night I put the S4 on charge and managed to get half of my setup done. Anyway, I'm going to be comparing real life use on both devices for around 2 weeks before deciding which device works better for me and that would be the one I will keep (right now my choice is still the Z :victory.
Here are my initial thoughts after a little feel and play with the S4:
Design & Feel:
Essentially, this is an S3 upgrade, period! I know hardcore fans of Samsung will disagree. Sorry, but its much like the iPhone 4 to iPhone 5 story, its NOT a revolution but an evolution. Samsung touts a premium finish, again sorry but these words do not apply to the S4. Its still plastic but this time round the finish on the plastic, like a high gloss piano finish, is much better than all of the other Samsung devices I've seen. The metallic like rim is plastic with a brushed metal finish. One would not mistake it for metal, it definitely looks plastic. On the 4 corners of the metallic rim are lines which makes it look as if it was 4 pieces joined together but actually I am assuming its due to injection moulding process used to make the part. This is present on the Z also but Sony has done a much better job as its much cleaner and barely noticeable. The addition of the checkered pattern does gives the appearance quite a nice look, though not exactly a premium one. The front of the S4 looks OK, its basically a Samsung look, nothing special but acceptable for me with the exception of the ugly earpiece grill which has never appealed to me. The back is where I have always felt Samsung has failed and need to improve in the design department. The camera design is big, ugly and always protrude, meaning it will be more susceptible to damage and scratches. A slightly recessed and smaller camera design would have made it safer for the camera and improved the looks. A good looking case would be a solution but I prefer to use my devices butt naked.
In the hand, the S4 feels slippery, very slippery, like a fish that will jump out of your hand if you don't hold it tight enough. Definitely needs a case or something on the back to reduce the risk of dropping it. It does however, have quite a nice form factor and feels more comfortable to hold than the Z, I think the curves do a bit of justice here. The placement of the volume and power buttons on the S4 needs improvement, having them on opposite sides just allows for frequent accidental pressing of the unintended button, the guy that designed/approved it should be shot! The volume and power button placement on the Z is just perfect.
Theres nothing really premium about the design and feel of the S4 when compared to the Z. In the hand, the Z gives the feeling of a high quality and solidly built product. The S4 despite the improved plastic finishes, feels a little more comfortable to hold in the hand but does not justify a price tag of $800 in terms of design and finish. Theres no squeaking from the plastic at the moment but hey, I've had it less than a day and time will tell.
Screen
Right now I can't provide my detailed thoughts on the screen as I have not had enough screen time yet. At first sight the screen looks sharp but colours are quite over saturated and less natural compared to my Z. One aspect I can confirm is that the viewing angles of the S4's screen is pretty good.
Update May 2:
Both screens are of different technologies and has its pros and cons. After comparing them both through typical web browsing, reading text, emails, use of same apps and viewing photos:
1. I like the natural colours of the Z more. The S4, no matter what display mode you set it in, the colours are still a little over saturated. The reflections are less on the Z and brightness is higher, thus making it more comfortable to use outdoor. That said, the screen on the S4 is still gorgeous, if not comparing them side by side, you'll get comfortable and used to the colours quite quickly.
2. Both screens display superb sharpness and clarity. You'll have to look hard to notice the difference and I find that the Z has the edge when it comes to sharpness and clarity. Thats obvious given the LCD technology advantage over AMOLED in this respect. However, the screen on the S4 is certainly no loser.
3. I mentioned viewing angles earlier and theres nothing to debate about this one. The S4 is a clear winner. I know that there are Z owners who say things like "who uses their phone and look at the screen from an angle, stupid!" or "I always look at the screen face on, so it doesn't matter anyway". I raise a practical example: in the office my phone is on my desk most of the time, when I check messages I do it with the phone on the desk and a good viewing angle is welcomed here. The fact is, the Z is Sony's flagship: a premium product with a premium price, which IMO should have came with better viewing angles. However, IMO we got a slightly sub-par display.
In terms of personal preference, I'd choose the display on the Z because I prefer the more natural colours. If I had to make an objective judgment, I'd have to give the S4 display the heads-up. In addition to that, you'll get a little more real screen estate because the S4 doesn't use soft buttons.
Update May 3:
As request by member 'thelittleidiot', I did a movie test on both screens. I downloaded and used the latest Superman trailer 3 (HD mov format) because it had a mixture of dark and bright scenes and close-up on characters so as to be able to compare how skin tones rendered. I used MX Player Pro on both phones to make the test as fair as possible and had both screens at maximum brightness with auto adapt off, Bravia engine was on. Before starting the comparison, I watched the trailer on my Macbook just to familiarise with the colours and details. Here's what I found:
S4 in movie mode: Movie mode is supposed to be closest to natural colours but this was not what I saw. Colours were pale as if a little washed out. Seriously I wouldn't chose this option for watching movies.
S4 in professional photo mode: Colours were better and closer to the Z but still not natural when comparing both side by side. The viewing experience is still better on the Z.
S4 in standard mode: Colours are now looking over saturated. Its still the Z that give a better viewing experience.
I didn't test dynamic mode or adaptive mode because these modes would have been even more saturated. The S4 screen is very contrasty and blacks are very good but this is not necessarily a good thing for movies IMO. In dark scenes I could not see all the details on Russell Crowe's face whereas on the Z it was not a problem. On all of the modes on the S4, the blues had a tint of green, whites often not enough and skin colours were either not accurate or way off.
My opinions above are obviously due to the fact that I prefer more natural looking colours, though this may not apply to everyone. Nevertheless, the S4's screen has started to grow on me. I have an almost identical setup on both phones to help with my comparison: the same wallpaper, widgets, app icons on home screen etc. When I have them both side by side, I can't help but notice that the S4's vibrancy and colours just seems as if they want to jump out at you, like theres so much life in the screen. On the Z, despite that colours are more natural and whites are whiter, it just doesn't give me that feeling. I had Galaxy Note 2 before and didn't feel that way but I suppose its because the S4's is a FHD screen.
Performance and Software
OK, so the S4 is a step ahead of the Z with JB 4.2.2 out of the box. Its heavily Touchwiz with UI improvements. It feels smooth so far with no lags or micro lags whatsoever. I ran Antutu benchmark and it scored over 23K compared to 20K that my Z got.
Update May 2:
I don't run intensive apps or do heavy gaming, so my findings are from general use and also based on software out of the box.
I've never been particularly fond of the Touchwiz interface but don't hate it either. The S4's Touchwiz is the latest and comes with some UI improvements and changes. It works well and feels fluid. Though theres been a couple of times when I exit an app to the home screen and theres been a bit of a micro lag or stutter. Not sure what caused it but overall the S4 is very smooth. Samsung's added a host of features and software to the S4, air view, air gestures, smart gestures, S Health etc. They all work most of the time but will add loading on the power consumption. I prefer a little more interaction so I keep most of these features off. To be honest, most of these are a gimmick thing rather than being a real productive feature. The new settings menu is now categorised into 4 tabs which is a nice idea but could have been better if sliding to switch tabs was possible (like the how its possible switch to tabs by sliding left or right in the Z's phone app). The notification panel of toggles are extremely convenient for turning on or off a list of features/functions and can be pulled down by sliding 2 fingers from the top of the screen. I get the feeling that Samsung is trying hard to add/create value to its flagship model with additions of software and features, which is a good thing, but not all of it will appeal to everyone and a lot of it we probably wouldn't use 90% of the time anyway.
The S4 has newer hardware, hence a higher benchmark score over the Z. In standard daily usage though, theres really no noticeable difference. Both phones are very capable of handling almost any task thrown at it and feels very fluid. BTW both get pretty hot on the backside when the CPU is pushed. Overall, performance wise, both phones will satisfy the majority of users day in day out. In respect of the software side, its more of a subjective thing. I like the Z's clean, crisp and minimalist skin. I love its Walkman app (top sound reproduction and 2nd to none!) and Album app & widgets. I also like and use the small apps feature quite often. With the S4, multi window is great and I like being able to continuously scroll through desktops or the app & widget drawers. Microsoft Exchange Active sync works and integrates better on the S4 than it does on the Z. Its hard to a make a decision on the software comparison. However, the good thing is that Android is highly customisable so we can always tune it to work our way. I'd like to have a mixture of both the Z & S4 if I can!
Update May 3:
A small but important update on the software side. Some apps and games that I have been using on the Z which on the screen was not scaled properly (part of the interface goes outside of the screen are) is perfect on the S4. On top of that, certain widgets that not working/displaying properly on the Z works perfectly on the S4. I have to give Samsung a +1 for that.
Update May 2:
Battery Performance
Now that I've completely setup my S4 and managed to fully discharged the battery once, I will get the first battery performance results tonight. Will update then.
Update May 3:
The battery on my S4 won't be fully conditioned until after a few more full charges and discharges. Anyway attached results of the first battery performance after one discharge and then full charge. Now, I have read that other owners of the Z and S4 get amazing battery performance and on screen time of 5 - 6 hours. Honestly, it sounds a bit abnormal for me. I have never got that kind of battery performance on my Z, around 3 hours of screen time is probably the max I get. Are those who get 4+ hours simply turning off the majority of functions? Reduce screen brightness to 25%? Stop every process they can in the background? If thats the case, then we're really not getting most out of our smartphones during normal daily usage. I understand that its important to get the most of out the battery, especially if you are not near a charge port during the day but for me, its most essential to utilise the device for its abilities. Smartphones are really state of the art things nowadays which are simultaneously multifunctional and should be used that way.
Here are the parameters affecting the battery performance of my S4:
- wifi, gps, all sync features on, exchange active sync set on push so constant connection to the server.
- was on wifi network about 70% of the time, the rest was on LTE for data.
- screen brightness adaptive and set at 0.
- vibration, sound and haptic feedback on.
- led on with light flow.
- samsung's smart features/guestures off with exception of smart stay.
- around 25 mins of phone calls and 10 sms
- lots of whatsapp, medium google+, little wechat voice messaging, medium facebook, light browsing on chrome, some youtube, a few emails, some app updates via playstore, some instagram, some news reading, 30 mins or so of gaming.
I'm pretty happy with the results (I consider my usage pattern being medium to heavy) and as the battery gets more conditioned, coupled with further fine tuning of the S4, I'm confident that the battery performance will further improve. For me, its very clear that the S4 battery performance bypasses that of the Z. I use my Z the same way and don't get that kind of battery performance. Note though, the S4 does have the advantage of a larger 2600mah battery and the power efficient AMOLED, so its not like comparing apples to apples here. I have an external battery for my Z and don't mind carrying it when needed, it may not be so convenient when charging the Z but it does the job. As for the S4, I can see myself getting a day's usage on a single charge and if needed a spare battery can be changed easily, a plus point for the S4.
Update May 3:
Call Quality & Signal
In general, when in an area with good signal the call quality on the Z was good. The audio quality is also good. Where I have experienced problems with the Z are:
- When outside or in relatively noisy places its hard to hear the call from the earpiece on the Z. I have to resort to plugging in my hands free to solve the problem.
- In areas where signal is unstable or patchy whether its 3G or 4G, I sometimes find that the Z have difficulties in locking onto the network. It just jumps back and forth between 3G & 4G. This is not good because the phone constantly drains power by trying to lock itself onto a signal and your data connection is also on and off, again draining battery. One time I was outside in a patchy area and data connection was pretty unstable, it ended up that Kaiten Mail was responsible for 50% of the battery consumption because it was trying to sync my mails but couldn't get connected and just forced the phone to boost the radio and try get data connected.
- On a few occasions, where I have made or received a call, I can hear the opposite party but they cannot hear me. Even after hanging up and then redialing it still happens. I have to restart the phone to solve it.
So far the call quality and signal from the S4 have been good and stable, the audio quality of the call is quite a rich experience. Most important of all, the earpiece volume is loud enough that I don't need the hands free in relatively noisy environments. On top of that, the speaker on the S4 is much louder and clearer which is good for me because sometimes I like to hear voice chat messages via the speaker for convenience. I'll need to have used the phone in similar areas as the Z before concluding its signal and call quality. I expect to round this part up in a week.
Camera
Not had time to play and compare the cameras yet. Something for the weekend I think. Stay tuned!
Update May 5
Build Quality
6 days into using the S4 and build quality issues are beginning to show. The first is the slight squeaking of the back cover in certain places. It’s not really bad but enough to be noticeable. The second is the issue of vibration, which I believe may be related to the camera module, as this also happens with the Note 2. When using the phone on a flat surface you’ll hear vibration sounds when tapping the screen. Also, tapping around the camera area on the back of the phone will also emit vibration sounds. Don’t have these problems with the Xperia Z.
Performance & Software
Here are some new findings:
1.Out of the box you get just over 50% of the available storage for use on the S4 whereas on the Z you get closer to 65% of available storage for use. Samsung’s obviously bloated out its S4 a little too much.
2.After boot up the S4 consumed 854MB of RAM, in comparison the Z used less than 600MB. Open a host of apps and soon the S4 will start to show a bit of lag and stutter. Not something to expect considering the faster CPU and RAM the S4 has over the Z.
3.The more I look at Touchwiz the more I think ugly. The appearance of the phone dialer, contacts, notification and toggles, settings menus and pop up settings/menu all look ugly and outdated. The Z beats the S4’s interface design by miles.
4.Tried all of the gimmicky features of the S4 and only found Air View to be the only feature that I could make use of frequently and it works quite well. Its obviously nice to have the other features of S4 and show people what the phone is capable of but I certainly don’t see myself using it 90% of the time.
Call Quality & Signal
So, I’ve managed to use the S4 for calls in most of the areas I have been using the Z and the call quality is good with no dropped call, network signal holds well, though in patchy areas the phone does switch between 3G and 4G constantly. I don’t see this as an issue with the phone but more a network problem as it happens on the Z also. The S4’s voice calls are loud and clear, the Z does have a bit more depth in the call audio department though. Overall, I think both phones hold up pretty well in this area with the only exception that the earpiece volume on the Z is under average thus making it difficult to hear in noisy environments.
Just a note on the wifi. The S4 holds the wifi better than the Z. Where the Z dropped the connection the S4 stays connected.
Music Audio Quality & Headphone Compatibility
The sound quality produced by the Z’s Walkman app is the best. I have not used another app that can produce audiophiles as clean and as original as the Walkman app. Sony must have also used a very good DAC in addition to excellent software. Even music with Poweramp app sounded better on the Z than it did on the S4. The S4’s music app is no match. My only complaint with the Z is that the volume level is a little low but it’s still sufficient for me. Those who like their music loud will not be happy with the highest volume level on the Z.
Now comes the BIG problem with the S4. There are headphone compatibility issues. There is already a thread in the XDA Samsung S4 forum about this, so those who want to know more should give it a read. Basically, there are serious amounts of crackling and distortion with certain headphones when used on the S4 with the volume 50% or above. I was shocked when I plugged my Sony XBA-2VP into the S4. I thought they had failed on me but it turns out the problem was the S4. They work perfectly well on the Z. Now to me, this is a serious problem and one not to be forgiven for. How Samsung failed on this one I don't know. Surprisingly, a lot of the expensive premium headphones have this problem on the S4 and the cheaper (including stock) ones aren’t affected. To me this issue is really a big minus for the S4 and especially to people who crave for excellent audiophiles. On top of that, I don't think we want to splash out more money just buy a good compatible pair of headphones.
Camera
So, I was supposed to do some comparison on the camera over the weekend but sadly the speaker on my Z had some problems and had to go to Sony service center. I did manage to take a couple of shots (attached) for a quick comparison. Here are my thoughts on both cameras:
1.The S4 fires up the camera fast, in a second or so and your good to start snapping away. The Z is slow and takes a few seconds.
2.From EXIF data, I noticed that the S4 has a larger aperture of f2.2 compared to f2.4 for the Z. It’s not a big difference but still means the S4 will capture more light.
3.Burst rates on the S4 are simply breath taking, hold the shutter and you’ll be snapping away at 20 frames per second!
4.Autofocus is fast on both cameras.
5.From the samples, you can see that the photos from the S4 are sharper, more detailed, better exposed and white balance more accurate. The Z simply has too much compression and the photos end up losing detail and sharpness.
I like photography but I’m not a big fan of smartphone photography. To me, cameras on smartphones play a point and shoot role. It needs to fire up quick and get the shot done. Its supposed to be sophisticated (by todays standards) yet is simple to operate and have an easy to use interface. The S4 fits the job very well. I like the S4’s new camera UI, very intuitive and easy to use. The new addition of drama shot and eraser mode on the S4 sounds appealing but in practice it’s quite difficult to get it to work. With drama shot you have to keep a good distance away from the subject so it can be captured throughout the frame to make it work and it wasn’t working for me all the time. In respect to eraser mode, I have had no success with it yet.
Overall, the S4’s camera is a pleasure to use and gives you the feeling of wanting to shoot more pictures. The Z’s camera is not so bad and I’m sure the Z has good camera hardware but Sony needs to improve on the software. Hopefully, this will come soon with the next update.
May 11 – Round Up
Design & Feel
Xperia Z:
-Excellently crafted industrial design: from the details and precision of the power button, to the neatly recessed camera lens and the excellent fit & finish.
-Feels premium in hand. Nicely built and solid yet oozes a very distinctive sleek look.
-IMO the most beautifully designed Android smartphone to date, period! The HTC One is also very nice but I see a bit of following Apple’s suit. The Z shows that Sony really went back to the drawing board and gave us a new and unique product.
-It’s relatively comfortable in the hands but the straight edges may be of discomfort for some when holding it for prolong periods.
-Excellent placement of the power and volume buttons. The speaker is better on the side than on the back but I would have preferred it to be at the bottom to avoid accidentally covering it up when holding the phone.
S4:
-Having closely compared it with my wife’s Note 2, the S4’s design seems more of a downsized Note 2 with a slight facelift. Basically, it’s still that typical Samsung design, look and finish.
-Though I consider it a slight facelift, the changes and finishes does make it Samsung’s best looking phone to date. I kind of liked the diamond-checkered pattern and also found that the buttons are now nicely tapered and beveled. A nice touch.
-The form factor is very comfortable in the hand but feels a lot less solid compared to the Z.
-The home and capacitive button design will increase your usable screen estate by 0.5 inches.
Screen
Xperia Z:
-LCD technology, excellent clarity and details.
-Colors natural and closer to real life. Brava Engine 2 makes viewing photos and videos a pleasure and adds the pop back in the colors.
-Excellent visibility outdoors and in bright sunlight. Less reflective.
-Poor viewing angles and blacks & contrast may not be enough for some.
-I see a bit a of backlight bleeding and this does make the screen appear a little washed out at high brightness levels.
-IMO, kind of feel that Sony used a slightly sub-par display. I checked out the Z tablet yesterday and the screen does not exhibit similar issues.
S4:
-Samsung’s best Super AMOLED yet. Clarity and details par with the LCD. It’s hard to see the difference and I’d say 99% of people wouldn’t notice it.
-Excellent viewing angles and colors pop on this screen, it may be too saturated for some but the S4 provides the option of 4 screen modes to cater for different tastes.
-I’ve noticed that auto brightness allows higher brighter levels compared to manual setting. This is excellent as when in sunlight, the viewing experience was still comfortable.
-I prefer the natural colors of the Z more but the S4 screen has really grown on me. It is simply a superb screen and there is not much I can fault about it.
Performance & OS
-The S4 has the newer tech but in daily use both are just as capable of performing 99% of the tasks you throw at it.
-Power does not necessarily translate into speed. The S4 is well bloated out and consumes a massive 900mb of ram after boot up, whereas the Z is less than 600mb. Open up a few more apps and my S4 lags more than my Z. Your hardware is as good as your software and it’s evident that the software on the S4 is not fully optimized yet.
-Interface wise, the Z is refreshing, clean and minimal with some really nice touches and widgets, there’s also the excellent Walkman and Album (gallery) app that's second to none. If you like stock android, the Z is the closest you’ll get.
-The S4 has a lot of bells and whistles, some work well and others not, and that's all wrapped up in a dated Touchwiz interface. With 4.2.2 comes some nice UI improvements but it could have been better. The dull interface design just does not compliment the wonderful screen.
-Overall, despite a dated interface, Touchwiz does provide a fuller user experience. It’s not just a skin; it’s more of an eco-system which Samsung has put a lot of thought and effort into building.
Battery Performance
-There’s no argument on this one, the S4 has the better battery life. A slightly larger capacity and power efficient screen gives it the edge. Having used the S4 in the same way I have used my Z, the battery lasts well into the evening whereas with the Z it would have died on me by then.
-Another advantage is the option to be able to replace the S4 with a spare battery and this is definitely a convenience as well as a must for power users.
Call quality, Signal & Wi-Fi
-Both phones flared well with call quality and strength of signal.
-The in call audio on the Z has a lot of body but volume level low, whereas the on the S4 it’s crisp, loud and clear.
-The S4 has an adaptive sound capability which works very well as it tunes the audio to fit the listening capabilities of the left and right ears. Note this function works only in stock apps.
-The Z’s Wi-Fi capabilities are one of its weaknesses. Where I lost connection with the Z, the S4 stayed well connected.
Camera
-Despite the similar hardware, the S4 is a clear winner for me. The camera interface, ease of use and host of features make it hard to beat. It does what a smartphone camera is supposed to do but does it better.
-The Z is not a bad performer overall. All that is required is some tuning in its digital processing to improve clarity and sharpness in the photos.
Other Issues
-If you love listening to music on your phone, the Z and its Walkman provides the best audiophile I have ever heard on a smartphone.
-You won’t have headphone compatibility issues on the Z. There is a widespread problem with the S4, I don’t know if its software or hardware, but the audio clipping is frustrating and a nightmare! I had to resort to downgrading the headphone audiophile to avoid the problem.
Final Thoughts
The S4 and Z are excellent flagship smartphones. In the last 2 weeks, I’ve found the S4 to better the Z in some areas, but that should not put you off the Z. Why is that? Design, plastic, build quality and Touchwiz. If these factors bother you, then the S4 might not be the smartphone for you. The Xperia Z, on the other hand, is anything but cheap and plastic, while the interface is much more clean, simple and understated than Samsung’s Touchwiz.
I love the design of the Xperia Z, IMO it has the best balance in design, performance and software. That said, the Z isn’t perfect, the screen should have been better for a flagship and there are issues that need ironing out which hopefully will be fixed in the next software update not too distant away. The S4 has grown on me more than I expected. The plastic and its design doesn’t bother me anymore, I don’t even notice it. The screen looks more beautiful day by day and my work and productivity needs are handled better on the S4. I have also found that I prefer the home and capacitive touch buttons and enjoy the extra screen estate in the absence of the navigation bar. The software isn’t fully optimized, there is lag and Samsung seriously needs to do some work on it. Surprisingly though, at the start of the thread my choice was the Z but after 2 weeks, it appears the situation has changed and the truth is, the S4 suits my needs more. So, the S4 stays and the Z goes back for a refund. I wish I could have a mixture of both though! I highly recommend both devices, my top picks for 2013.

right now i'm holding both of them surely S4 is a winner

I can't agree with your comment until I have really had the chance to get to a complete usage and a thorough run through on the S4. At the end of day, whichever is the winner is purely a personal preference for me and may not be the case for others. If it wasn't for the free upgrade I would have never gone and bought the S4 because the design factor was the first thing that put me off. Now that I am fortunate enough to have both devices, I thought I'll make a thread to let others know how both compare in daily use. My intention is not to make a public judgement of which device is the winner but rather to express my findings on both devices, how well they work for me in a daily use and give members of the forum some factual experiences on both smartphones. Since you say S4 is a winner, perhaps you could share some of your thoughts with us?

I'm sure S4 is a very phone and will outsell XZ for sure, but I'm just sick of this brand (Yes, Samsung, is you!!), I had been using my SGS2 for a year until the emmc brickbug killed it. The thing get me so furious is Samsung said it's my fault and they would not provide any help unless I pay the maintenance fee, which cost about half of a new unit. How dare are they!?

Thanks for the review, I love it how you are accurate, keep it up dude!
Sent from my C6603 using xda premium

When I saw s4 I thought it will be exactly like s3 design like what most website said.
But not, it was nice and better than s3.
S4 is a good phone for everything.
Sent from my C6602 using xda app-developers app

cosinav said:
I can't agree with your comment until I have really had the chance to get to a complete usage and a thorough run through on the S4. At the end of day, whichever is the winner is purely a personal preference for me and may not be the case for others. If it wasn't for the free upgrade I would have never gone and bought the S4 because the design factor was the first thing that put me off. Now that I am fortunate enough to have both devices, I thought I'll make a thread to let others know how both compare in daily use. My intention is not to make a public judgement of which device is the winner but rather to express my findings on both devices, how well they work for me in a daily use and give members of the forum some factual experiences on both smartphones. Since you say S4 is a winner, perhaps you could share some of your thoughts with us?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I find your 'professional' attitude a breath of fresh air. Congratulations in making an objective set of points rather than a fan boy rant.
I am finding it such a bore to come to the Sony Xperia Z forum to find more posts regarding other brands than the one we own? The more we negatively persist in comparing then rubbishing other brands the more we appear a group of losers. At least your comparison is written fairly with open eyes and not biased.
To date it appears the biggest enemy of the SXZ is its owners by bashing other brands?
Keep up the professional attitude and thanks for sharing your thoughts in a palatable fashion.
Bet wishes..

i very agree this. I'm also sick of Samsung now

Can you please compare battery life of these 2 monsters

Thanks for the post, it's the one I expected to see. I have a Xperia Z and I hesitate to buy a Galaxy S4 to replace it.
For the screen could you test to change the mode natural in mode video. According to the tests, it's the mode to have the best color next to the natural one. And after that, can you tell us, what you think about the screen and compare it to the Xperia Z.

brutal_noise said:
Can you please compare battery life of these 2 monsters
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, this please!

Ryland Johnson said:
I find your 'professional' attitude a breath of fresh air. Congratulations in making an objective set of points rather than a fan boy rant.
I am finding it such a bore to come to the Sony Xperia Z forum to find more posts regarding other brands than the one we own? The more we negatively persist in comparing then rubbishing other brands the more we appear a group of losers. At least your comparison is written fairly with open eyes and not biased.
To date it appears the biggest enemy of the SXZ is its owners by bashing other brands?
Keep up the professional attitude and thanks for sharing your thoughts in a palatable fashion.
Bet wishes..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't think you've spent time anywhere else then because from what I've seen and heard, the Xperia has been the most bashed brand out there. Don't know what world you're living in if you think the bashing of other brands is worse in the Sony forums. You can't have spent any meaningful time in the Samsung forums or htc ones. Or YouTube or the web. To say that Sony fans are in some way more guilty of such things is strange to me indeed.
Fanboys are everywhere, human beings form needles emotional connections with things.
I too got some hands on time with the s4 today in store and first impressions, the black version looks ok. It doesn't scream plastic at you in the same way that the white one does and if Samsung keep putting out black phones, I could see myself owning one. I didn't mind so much the s2 like I did the s3 and I don't mind the s4 too. The ui was silky smooth. It just made want to seek out the Sony developers and scream "enough with all the transparency and animated widgets". It just causes ui glitches and stutters here and there. It may look nice but it's not, in my view, worth compromising on performance for eye candy.
It terms of daily usage, I seriously doubt that you'll notice much of a difference in performance than you'd get with any other quad core phone. 2011 line up included. In graphics intensive games perhaps but what percentage of users play such games on phones.
Its also worth noting that although, certain content might have a slightly bluish tint about them, the s4 doesn't suffer the same yellow screen problem suffered by a lot of high contrast LCD phones e.g. Htc one, iPhone 5, Xperia s etc.
It seems LCD displays cannot compete with amoled displays for vibrancy and contrast without this yellow tint problem. Perhaps that's why Sony walked away from that battle.
The S4's display is almost as clean and clear as the Zs but has more vibrancy. Too much still for me but others may love it. The bluish whites are the only real criticism.
To avoid mumbling on and to put it simply, the S4 is a phone I'd happily recommend.
Also the size and dimensions of the thing show the advantage of plastic for use in construction.
No on screen buttons but still smaller than the Z and equally as thin. It may not offer a premium feel buy there's still much value in its construction. I was thoroughly impressed with it as phone just as I am with the Sony. My two picks for 2013
Sent from my C6603 using xda app-developers app

zodiac100 said:
Don't think you've spent time anywhere else then because from what I've seen and heard, the Xperia has been the most bashed brand out there. Don't know what world you're living in if you think the bashing of other brands is worse in the Sony forums. You can't have spent any meaningful time in the Samsung forums or htc ones. Or YouTube or the web. To say that Sony fans are in some way more guilty of such things is strange to me indeed.
Fanboys are everywhere, human beings form needles emotional connections with things.
theSent from my C6603 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am not a sheep and don't follow the crowd. The SXZ is a rather exceptional device and perhaps I expect those who own them to be exceptional and act accordingly? They say there is no such thing as bad publicity and to that end those who criticise the XZ at every opportunity and I agree they are out there, do us a favour? It should not be an excuse for us to write that other brands are poor.
Regards.

brutal_noise said:
Can you please compare battery life of these 2 monsters
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Click to collapse
I got my S4 today. Battery was at 52% when i turned it on. Used it till the Battery was down to 1%. 10 Hours with 3 Hours Screen on time. I call that pretty good for even no first charging cycle and during the first setup process

brutal_noise said:
Can you please compare battery life of these 2 monsters
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will be providing the first battery performance results tonight!
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda premium

thelittleidiot said:
Thanks for the post, it's the one I expected to see. I have a Xperia Z and I hesitate to buy a Galaxy S4 to replace it.
For the screen could you test to change the mode natural in mode video. According to the tests, it's the mode to have the best color next to the natural one. And after that, can you tell us, what you think about the screen and compare it to the Xperia Z.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK, I will do it tonight and update.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda premium

Higgins12 said:
I got my S4 today. Battery was at 52% when i turned it on. Used it till the Battery was down to 1%. 10 Hours with 3 Hours Screen on time. I call that pretty good for even no first charging cycle and during the first setup process
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right now i'm at 7 hours with 1 hour 30 mins screen time, 58% battery left from full charge.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda premium

This is really making for a good read, I must say, wish we had more reviewers like you.
I've got a I9500, wish I could get hold of the Htc One or Xperia Z and do a comparison, seems to be a lack of comparisons with it.
Anyway, keep up the great work!

Hi OP! Very nice & unbiased comparison of the two imo :good: ! Having played with the GS4, I mostly agree with your comparison/review.
However, I want you to comment upon the call signal/quality & "in call" volume of the two, if possible. Thanks.

I have the Xperia Z since 2 month. I've just bought the Galaxy S4, for several reasons : want to test it, the lack of update of the Xperia Z and the fact that my followers on my blog would like to have my point of view.
I change fastly the screen selection in video because i wanted to compare the best I can my two phones. The screen of the S4 is definitely better than the Xperia Z. The color are more next to the reality, but the more important is that the contrast is really really awesome in comparaison. The screen of the Z seems to be dull. I didn't test outdoor with sunlight (unfortunatly, the weather is rainy theses days where I live). But when I compared my Z with my iPhone 5, i couldn't use the Z on sunlight at the opposite of the iPhone.
With the Galaxy S4 in my hands, I find 3 defaults on the Z. The screen is definitely not good enough for the best smartphone of Sony. And more when we now the quality of the TV Sony, and the result we have when the bravia engine is activated (even if the colors become less natural). The second one is the form factor. The size of both phones are nearly the same. But the corner of the Xperia are not curve like the S4. So when we have both phones on the hand, the Z seems to be harder to use, less confortable. The last point is the camera (i didn't test yet the one of the S4, but i see many comparison). The camera of the Xperia Z is really worse than the one of the S4 even if it's normally the same cameramade by Sony.
The first and the third point could be correct by an update.
There's no bad point on the Galaxy S4 because i just received it, so i didn't find its defaults and consequently the better point on the Z.
It's just my point of view with my first with the S4.
Sorry for my english, I'm french. I just hope you understand what i mean in my sentences