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Hi guys,
I know there are many similar threads like "Note vs. S3" and "S3 vs. Note" here but I wanted to bring everyone's opinions under one roof and make it clear for future buyers of either devices.
Those of you who own or have used the Galaxy S3 and still prefer the Galaxy Note over it, please do share your reasons and experience here.
I own both the Galaxy Note and the Galaxy S3 and to be frank, I prefer the Note over the S3 despite the S3 being newer, more powerful, etc.
I had bought the Note in June reluctantly as I was afraid it would be too uncomfortable to use due to the screen size. I was leaning more towards the S3 as it was a more valid upgrade over my S2 and the latest newest piece of technology in town. But the initial asking price for the S3 was quite high for me and hence I decided to give the Note a try, slightly worried that this may be the worst decision I made as an upgrade, (again due to the size) but I was mistaken.
Anyways luckily after a month, my dad bought an S3 and hence I got to use the phone in a more personalized manner and guess what? I prefer the Note over the S3.
The reasons being:
a) Screen: I've grown so used to the Note's screen size that it makes me feel that the s3 is small and the S2 which set the standard for screen size in 2011 looks tiny. The screen of the note is also much brighter than the S3 ( I'm not talking accurate measurements but percievable brightness). The note at the lowest brightness is equivalent to the S3 at 30-40% brigntness. Its also great browsing on the bigger screen. There are disadvantages with the Note's screen too, mainly the poor gamma calibration, banding and clipping but the positives weigh over the negatives.
b) ]The S-Pen: This is maybe the main reason why I prefer the Note over the S3. The S-Pen still amazes me with its accuracy and using the S3 makes me "miss" the S-Pen. Makes me wonder why the S-Memo and S-Note exist on the S3. And sketching on the S3 during leisure hours is pure bliss.
I'm not much of a gamer and I havent seen much apps which utilize the dual core processing other than benchmarking tools, so for me, quadcore A9 just doesnt cut it, atleast for now. Lets talk Cortex A15s and then maybe I'm game.
So what is the only thing which I find attractive on the S3?
The Wolfson WM1811 Audio Chip ofcourse. The wolfson on the original Galaxy S, changed the scene for Music on a Mobile Phone. Hence, I have high hopes about this one too.
Apart from this, I dont find anything else attention grabbing about the S3. Nothing revolutionary either. To be frank, I regret cutting my SIM into a MicroSIM to trial the S3 for a couple of days. Will revert back to the Note soon.
Disadvantages of the Note (My experience)
Screen again: Improper gamma calibration of the Note's screen causes a noticeable amount of black clipping in images and videos which depict dark shades or shadows.
The EMMC Brick Bug: Considering that every Galaxy Note has the chip with the faulty firmware, it makes me fear owning the phone beyond warranty period as even though however careful we may be, accidents do happen. This and the time when dualcores may be lacking (which isnt soon) may be the only reasons for me to sell the Note.
Will I ditch the Note and buy the Note 2?
If its about the quadcore A9's, Maybe Not
Considering the S3 still costs atleast 200$ more than the Note, The Note 2 would definitely be more expensive than the S3, which makes it much more expensive than the Note, Hence making it difficult and a pointless upgrade for people who've bought the Note recently.
And maybe if the Note 2 comes with anything truly "revolutionary", I might consider it, but again, not anytime soon.
So people who've moved on from the Note to the S3, who are planning to or who still prefer the Note over the S3, please do share your opinions here. Also please make it a point to share the reason why you prefer one over the other. This would help other people who are confused between both. This can also help some people understand their needs and maybe even save some considerable amount of money.
Please share your opinions in the following order, making it easier for readers to follow.
A.) If you prefer the Note over S3,
a.) Reasons: (Advantages based on experience)
b.) Disadvantages (Again based on experience)
B.) For those who've moved on to the S3 from the Note but still own one,
a.) Advantages of the S3 over the Note (based on experience)
b.) Disadvantages of the S3 compared to the S3 (based on experience)
C.) Will you upgrade to the Note 2 upon launch?
Please note that the advantages or disadvantages you post are ONLY based on experience and NOT merely Technical Specs. Anyone would prefer going for the latest anyday if it was mere Technical Specifications.
would like to see Note 2, i am sure it will be better than s3..
I have seen S3, and it looks pretty good too. But I love the size of our BIG G Note
Hi I use my note for the past six months and it gives me better satisfaction over s3....because the screen size, s note and the speed.
As a normal user with the given drugs of games the speed is more than enough.. I prefer my note than my system for gaming.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium
One simple reason.
Real estate. Screen real estate.
I simply cannot downgrade to anything below 5.3".
CorruptedSanity said:
One simple reason.
Real estate. Screen real estate.
I simply cannot downgrade to anything below 5.3".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here. Even if S3 had 8 cores and 4gb of RAM i'd still prefer the Note. Great specs are useless if you have a tiny screen ( hello iphone )
Galaxy note screen size is both its biggest advantage and disadvantage. I love the size. Guess its the biggest size of a phone that you can carry. I think coz the phone is so slim its managable. I use the phone mostly in a landscape mode so get the tab experience.
S3 seems like your everyday phones. I dont know why its priced so high. Guess the price will fall soon.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda app-developers app
I have both the s3 just does not do anything for me yes its virtually lag free however screen is too small compared to note. Everything has less impact than the note. And i dont think the s3 could feel any cheaper. I know sammy use more plastic than lego but the S3 just feels tacky compared to my note which is yhe blue one as i know the white one also has the glossy black plate like the s3
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium
Prefer note over s3. S3 looks like a toy
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda app-developers app
I like the screen size
Sent from my GT-N7000
I like my purse to be full and not empty..
Using Note past 4months and totally satisfied by the experience...i'm a hardcore gamer and developer and so the big point awsm HD screen which really enhances my Hydef games like asphalt6,7, real soccer, batman,etc...
The only mob with stylus/S Pen which is an ease of access
...also after the 4.0.4 update everything is just gr8 except some minor UI probs but again Sammy is there for us....pls Sammy give us a gud news JELLY BEAN
Well Indeed it is the best phone available before Note 2 arrives.... Hpy «Noting»
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium
Note is of course is still better compare to S3.
Other than the censors on it, S3 has nothing to boost up.
Screen is not as big as Note
Has S-Note and S-Memo, but no S-Pen to support. At the end you have to write / draw with ur fingers, which defeat its purpose.
But yes, S3 screen, sounds, and battery is slightly better than Note. Still, comparing the price and the functions, Note is still all the way best to S3.
Till Note-2 comes up (and if it's much better than N7000), I will stick to this N7000.
The S-Pen makes me easier in work also. :highfive:
I use and alwasy bring both S3 and Note whereever I go
But in term of speed, S3 is awesome
I would buy Note 2 only if it can make a recording continously while writing using SNote application.
Currently, when the screen getting off, the record will stop and when adding the new page as well.
I also have Flyer that can make a record and writing continously, however due to the weight, I use Note more than Flyer.
I love all my gadget, actually :victory:
Note is Better than S3
I've used galaxy s3 for a month now and i found it very buggy ..
i prefer galaxy note and i hope note2 will be better than s3
Advantages of S3 -
Best,smoothest Touchwiz stock launcher from samsung till date
holding grip
pixel density is amazing , super clear
smart stay (can be installed on note too with smartstay ex but its not the same)
Goes into pocket very easily..
gorilla glass
Disadvantages of S3
microphone malfunction - i face it sometimes..
random reboots when running high processing power games
smaller screen than galaxy note
back cover isn't impressive .
camera is same as note - when u transfer photos to computer n view it u wont find major differences
battery life is very low of 3.5 hours
gets heated up more than note
Advantages of Note -
bigger screen
s pen
s apps
dual core processor is almost perfect for playing popular games
battery life of 6hours on hardcore gaming on low brightness n when sound is turned off
Disadvantages of Note -
No Gorilla glass , delicate screen - gets scratches very easily
laggy stock launcher
ics 4.0.4 fixed all the bugs previously which were - hangs,laggy browser,task manager fake reading..
dual core processor - i feel its enough for gaming but ppl out there think its too low..
Hope this helps ..please press thanks if this helped :good:
samsung_saad said:
I've used galaxy s3 for a month now and i found it very buggy ..
i prefer galaxy note and i hope note2 will be better than s3
Advantages of S3 -
Best,smoothest Touchwiz stock launcher from samsung till date
holding grip
pixel density is amazing , super clear
smart stay (can be installed on note too with smartstay ex but its not the same)
Goes into pocket very easily..
gorilla glass
Disadvantages of S3
microphone malfunction - i face it sometimes..
random reboots when running high processing power games
smaller screen than galaxy note
back cover isn't impressive .
camera is same as note - when u transfer photos to computer n view it u wont find major differences
battery life is very low of 3.5 hours
gets heated up more than note
Advantages of Note -
bigger screen
s pen
s apps
dual core processor is almost perfect for playing popular games
battery life of 6hours on hardcore gaming on low brightness n when sound is turned off
Disadvantages of Note -
No Gorilla glass , delicate screen - gets scratches very easily
laggy stock launcher
ics 4.0.4 fixed all the bugs previously which were - hangs,laggy browser,task manager fake reading..
dual core processor - i feel its enough for gaming but ppl out there think its too low..
Hope this helps ..please press thanks if this helped :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have different experience from yours
My GNote is hotter than S3 when playing game (Asphalt 7)
My S3 Battery lasts longer than GNote
Cheers
I like the big screen size coz I'm using it to replace my gtab.
Galaxy S3: Faster, better battery life.
Galaxy Note : Bigger and better screen.
Verdict: Galaxy Note.
Sent from my Note
I'll bite.
I chose the Note over S3 because it's more useful.
S3's advantages based on my smartphone usage as an IT professional and Android enthusiast with explanations:
Quadcore/faster CPU. This is a valid an good advantage, but by no means is the Note slow or incapable, the S3 is just better.
Umm... http://www.phonearena.com/phones/compare/Samsung-GALAXY-Note,Samsung Galaxy S III/phones/6116,6330
Scrolling down...
Oh, 4.0 Bluetooth stack, ummm...
Gyroscope that I would really need for... something.
Let's look at the Note's advantages:
Bigger screen. That's quite nice, but the S3's screen is still really good.
Higher resolution. A little bit, but not enough to get worked up over.
S-Pen. This depends on if you would use it. I use mine WAY more than I expected to.
Okay, so cost to buy them...
Note is about $550, S3 is about $600, so not much difference.
Well, what do you want? Big screen and S-Pen or a quadcore?
It really comes down to that question.
I compared my Note with CM9 ICS ROM to Stock Galaxy S3 and Note was way smoother and faster. Also i can't think of going back to smaller screen... To me S3 doesn't offer anything, that Note couldn't offer.
Rooted Galaxy note with Asylum ICS ROM and Google Now is WIN!
Powered By Asylum ICS
Dungeon47 said:
I'll bite.
I chose the Note over S3 because it's more useful.
S3's advantages based on my smartphone usage as an IT professional and Android enthusiast with explanations:
Quadcore/faster CPU. This is a valid an good advantage, but by no means is the Note slow or incapable, the S3 is just better.
Umm... http://www.phonearena.com/phones/compare/Samsung-GALAXY-Note,Samsung Galaxy S III/phones/6116,6330
Scrolling down...
Oh, 4.0 Bluetooth stack, ummm...
Gyroscope that I would really need for... something.
Let's look at the Note's advantages:
Bigger screen. That's quite nice, but the S3's screen is still really good.
Higher resolution. A little bit, but not enough to get worked up over.
S-Pen. This depends on if you would use it. I use mine WAY more than I expected to.
Okay, so cost to buy them...
Note is about $550, S3 is about $600, so not much difference.
Well, what do you want? Big screen and S-Pen or a quadcore?
It really comes down to that question.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The galaxy Note also has a gyroscope. Some of the specs listed on your link is wrong.
The only features differenciating the Galaxy S3 from the Note is:
Quadcore, Smaller but better calibrated screen, Latest bluetooth stack, Really optimized, more functinal and visually pleasing touchwiz, cheaper quality plastics
And for the Note, Dual core, bigger and much brighter screen though poorly color calibrated, Wacom digitizer which is the actual magic behind the S-Pen, sturdier build quality.
Im currently looking at both and just want to hear pros and cons like signal and any other issues all comments are much appreciated.
I own a Note 2, and just ordered the N4 for my wife, so I cant comment on the N4 yet. However, I believe it boils down to a handful of differences between them. They are both very, very smooth, very fast phones, so take that out of the equation.
1) Bigger vs smaller screen. I like the Note 2's ginormous screen.
2) Touchwiz vs JB as Google intended. I personally dont mind TW, and can always throw Nova on it if I get tired of it.
3) Updates. Samsung will take way longer obviously than Google. If you MUST have the newest right now, its a no brainer.
4) If using TMo, the Note 2 allows for WIFI calling. May be helpful to you.
5) S-Pen. A bit of a novelty, but kind of useful.
You missed the most important point: tablet-class battery. To borrow a car analogy, there's no replacement for displacement.
TerryMathews said:
You missed the most important point: tablet-class battery. To borrow a car analogy, there's no replacement for displacement.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True, forgot about that. I can abuse the hell out of it and get 4+ screen time. Use it gingerly and approach 8.
I've owned both phones and honestly the Note 2 is great choice if you don't mind touchwiz and the larger size.
Note Pros:
It's gets more than double the battery life of the Nexus 4.
Beautiful, larger screen.
Touchwiz extras (wifi calling, multi-window mode, spen, gestures, etc)
Note Cons:
Slower rom development.
A bit too big to use one handed comfortably.
More expensive.
Bloated.
Nexus Pros:
WAY sexier and feels WAY better in hand.
Better development.
Half the price (unlocked)
No carrier bloat.
Nexus Cons:
Battery life not great compared to the note 2.
Speaker not as good.
The stock android on the N4 is nice and the screen size of the note is awesome. I think im leaning to the Nexus because of the Dev support keeps a phone new. Hows the call quality of both?
i'm in the same boat...i already have the n4 but i'm underwhelmed by it coming from the galaxy nexus. i know with the nexus you get the updates but custom roms like cm10 will come along for the note2. another big advantage for the note2 is the expandable storage. otg doesn't even work for the n4
I prefer the N4 as a PHONE, but as a more media-consumption-driven device, the Note 2 would beat it. The N4 is easier in-pocket and in-hand. The Note 2 would be better for reading, video, content creation.
Obviously, I chose the N4 over a Note 2. I prefer the smaller screen (and it's by no means small IMO), the pure or easily customizable Android (I had a Samsung phone before, TouchWiz can eat it), and the ability to jump to essentially any GSM network.
I have both. Initially i preferred my note 2 but now im used to the n4 screen, i much prefer it. To me, the note 2 screen doesnt seem as crisp as n4 & whilst the note w is fast, the n4 seems alot snappier in everyday use for myself.
Obviously watching youtube etc is great on the note 2 due to the real estate of the screen & i find the s pen relly handy & samsung did a cracking job of touchwiz on this device but ive grown to prefer the n4 as my daily driver & the note 2 is going on ebay this weekend!
Hope it helps.
Arguably the two best phones on the market right now. Its always a personal choice cause we all like different things on our phones but major pros of both phones are:
For nexus 4,
PRICE!!!! Pentaband, pure android, no bloatware and you get updates soon as its available. On top of that development is always great on nexus devices. Also more "portable" than note 2, and better screen. Both perform well without any lag so performance is pretty much even.
For Note 2,
INCREDIBLE BATTERY LIFE! I can't emphasize it enough, it truly is something else, ive never seen a smartphone perform so well in that area. More features, S pen has amazing things like air view, more storage, bigger screen means better for media consumption (movies, games blah blah) but size can be a con for some however when you go purchase the note 2 the size is obvious so there's no excuse to complain about it when its so obvious.
Bottom line is both phones are great, but honestly in a long run, a Nexus ALWAYS has the edge because of the support it gets. If you're like me, that does not matter a bit cause I switch smart phones more often than I go to the movies (and its not a joke ).
The galaxy nexus is still relevant to this day, it just received android 4.2.1 while for example, the galaxy s 2 is slowly becoming a retired phone.
Sent from my Mako Nexus quattro using Tapatalk!
WVFAN1 said:
Im currently looking at both and just want to hear pros and cons like signal and any other issues all comments are much appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
imho the Note is not a phone, I have had the first model just to use it as a digital block notes, and it's cool for that, but please don't think to use it as a phone becouse is heavy and huge, you could use it for some Emergency call, but not as a everyday phone...
...imho
I still on the fence on this i had the 1st note and the galaxy nexus both were great. I dont have LTE in my area with AT&T yet so thats not really an issue so can i use the N4 as a dumb phone on at&t.
atomo37 said:
imho the Note is not a phone, I have had the first model just to use it as a digital block notes, and it's cool for that, but please don't think to use it as a phone becouse is heavy and huge, you could use it for some Emergency call, but not as a everyday phone...
...imho
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Only dweebs and squares use cell phones for calls.
---------- Post added at 01:18 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:08 AM ----------
atomo37 said:
imho the Note is not a phone, I have had the first model just to use it as a digital block notes, and it's cool for that, but please don't think to use it as a phone becouse is heavy and huge, you could use it for some Emergency call, but not as a everyday phone...
...imho
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Only dweebs and squares use cell phones for calls.
N4 has a better CPU/GPU and can be operated 1 handed plus it's pure google and has on screen buttons.
but the note 2 has cool touchwhiz features but it's bloated and too big for 1 handed use.
I have an S3, but have considered switching to the N4, I just cant find the motivation though... will the Quad Core give me that much of a real world NOTICEABLE speed difference? and why does the N4 appear to have a yellow tint to its screen? I also worry about potential quality issues.
Shenkoa said:
I have an S3, but have considered switching to the N4, I just cant find the motivation though... will the Quad Core give me that much of a real world NOTICEABLE speed difference? and why does the N4 appear to have a yellow tint to its screen? I also worry about potential quality issues.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i believe that is temporary...just the glue drying - will go away in a week or so.
I came from an S3 and couldn't be happier. The phone does feel a bit faster than my S3 did. Battery life is about the same, the S3 might have been a little better. The only thing I miss about the S3 is the SD card slot, but Google music has me covered.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium
jnewman1991 said:
I came from an S3 and couldn't be happier. The phone does feel a bit faster than my S3 did. Battery life is about the same, the S3 might have been a little better. The only thing I miss about the S3 is the SD card slot, but Google music has me covered.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How is the screen size difference? is it real noticeable? and does Netflix, Youtube and videos in general Full Screen?
Is the Yellow Tint really just glue drying? that doesn't make much sense to me.
Between the 2 the Note 2 is easily a better phone. Being a media hog my self I love the huge screen and its beautiful. Also love the design.
Anybody having issues using the N4 on att non-smartphone plan can att tell the difference i really like not having to pay for another smartphone on my family plan.
Anyone who used to own a note 2 ? How does the s4 compare minus the new features. Were talking about speed, app switching , wifi , browser etc. i used to have a note 2 and it was an absolute beast best phone I've ever had
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
kingofthebraves said:
Anyone who used to own a note 2 ? How does the s4 compare minus the new features. Were talking about speed, app switching , wifi , browser etc. i used to have a note 2 and it was an absolute beast best phone I've ever had
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree.note 2 still good gadget.off course s4 is lot of new technology but if using as daily hp,note 2 still good choice coz wat ever games or apllication still can run smoothly.battery life also much better.i m using both s4 n note 2 but for browsing i m still using note 2.
kingofthebraves said:
Anyone who used to own a note 2 ? How does the s4 compare minus the new features. Were talking about speed, app switching , wifi , browser etc. i used to have a note 2 and it was an absolute beast best phone I've ever had
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i have Note 2 right now and i am gonna sell it tomorrow to get S4. i went to store this week to test S4 before purchase. S4 was faster than Note 2. you will not note it that much but i have my own kinda "steps" to compare the smartphones.
the only issue i have and i fear is the over heating issue of S4. i guess it will be gone because even my S3 used to get very hot in the beginning when i purchased it last year but later updates resolved the issue.
so im hoping S4 would also get an update for the over heating issue.
other than that, S4 has almost 80% better screen than Note 2! and im a movie buff and heavy internet user so i love the screen of S4. camera performance is also great. i will recommend u to get S4
choice is your though
s3 vs s4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf-Mgj3WXuI
channel
http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=aqrab1
So freakin bad dude
You just stole my time
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda premium
aami.aami said:
i have Note 2 right now and i am gonna sell it tomorrow to get S4. i went to store this week to test S4 before purchase. S4 was faster than Note 2. you will not note it that much but i have my own kinda "steps" to compare the smartphones.
the only issue i have and i fear is the over heating issue of S4. i guess it will be gone because even my S3 used to get very hot in the beginning when i purchased it last year but later updates resolved the issue.
so im hoping S4 would also get an update for the over heating issue.
other than that, S4 has almost 80% better screen than Note 2! and im a movie buff and heavy internet user so i love the screen of S4. camera performance is also great. i will recommend u to get S4
choice is your though
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do you measure that "80% better screen" part exactly? For me, at least on such smaller screens, 1080p is a bit pointless. The high ppi is great though as it's pentile and I could clearly see the graininess on S3, which I can't on S4. While watching movies, I personally can't notice any difference between N2 and S4 - and N2 has more screen real estate, ergo I prefer it for watching movies than S4. And personally, I prefer rgb over pentile (personal preference though).
However where you would notice a difference is while browsing - the screen is marginally sharper than N2. Again that's my experience from using S4 briefly although I don't plan to own one.
As for speed, both phones are fast when it comes to the UI, but without doubt S4 will handle resource intensive tasks better. But Note 2 has handled anything I've thrown at it well without any issues so far anyways. Hell, even S2 handles most apps fine even now, so that shouldn't be a problem with either of these devices.
As far as perfornence concerned...after all note 2 is better
S4's octa cores are better only for bencmark & gimmic...whereas note is real performer...no heat issue, more ram available , heating & more battery friendly....everybody knows these are key features to be better performmer
Bigger screen
Wel costomized firmware
Better battery
No such heatin problem
More free ram
Now much cheaper than s4
Great dev support in XDA
(u can use all kind of roms, apps tweaks & mods...even many s4 features )
S pen creativity
And dont forget...Fm app
I think untill note 3 or s5, note 2 is best deal
.............
Lets see s4 features
Screen smearing
Battery draining
Heating
Jerks in TW
More bloatwares ...almost half of 16 gb
More to come
ipsuvedi said:
As far as perfornence concerned...after all note 2 is better
S4's octa cores are better only for bencmark & gimmic...whereas note is real performer...no heat issue, more ram available , heating & more battery friendly....everybody knows these are key features to be better performmer
Bigger screen
Wel costomized firmware
Better battery
No such heatin problem
More free ram
Now much cheaper than s4
Great dev support in XDA
(u can use all kind of roms, apps tweaks & mods...even many s4 features )
S pen creativity
And dont forget...Fm app
I think untill note 3 or s5, note 2 is best deal
.............
Lets see s4 features
Screen smearing
Battery draining
Heating
Jerks in TW
More bloatwares ...almost half of 16 gb
More to come
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1
Note 2 seems faster, perhaps due to the chipset having half the pixels to push data to.
I agree that with a display this size, 1080 seems overkill if compromising performance. That said, I may just be rationalzing since Verizon might only be offering the 16gb model and I will not trade my 32gb S3 for that.
ipsuvedi said:
As far as perfornence concerned...after all note 2 is better
S4's octa cores are better only for bencmark & gimmic...whereas note is real performer...no heat issue, more ram available , heating & more battery friendly....everybody knows these are key features to be better performmer
Bigger screen
Wel costomized firmware
Better battery
No such heatin problem
More free ram
Now much cheaper than s4
Great dev support in XDA
(u can use all kind of roms, apps tweaks & mods...even many s4 features )
S pen creativity
And dont forget...Fm app
I think untill note 3 or s5, note 2 is best deal
.............
Lets see s4 features
Screen smearing
Battery draining
Heating
Jerks in TW
More bloatwares ...almost half of 16 gb
More to come
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Deleted.
tuxonhtc said:
How do you measure that "80% better screen" part exactly? For me, at least on such smaller screens, 1080p is a bit pointless. The high ppi is great though as it's pentile and I could clearly see the graininess on S3, which I can't on S4. While watching movies, I personally can't notice any difference between N2 and S4 - and N2 has more screen real estate, ergo I prefer it for watching movies than S4. And personally, I prefer rgb over pentile (personal preference though).
However where you would notice a difference is while browsing - the screen is marginally sharper than N2. Again that's my experience from using S4 briefly although I don't plan to own one.
As for speed, both phones are fast when it comes to the UI, but without doubt S4 will handle resource intensive tasks better. But Note 2 has handled anything I've thrown at it well without any issues so far anyways. Hell, even S2 handles most apps fine even now, so that shouldn't be a problem with either of these devices.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
u asked me to explain and wrote all that long comment or urs... lols
any ways... 80% better screen means i can see more pixels on note 2 screen than i could on my S3. note 2 screen is better for watching videos and thats it. anything higher than 720p was sharper but below that i can see pixels. there is also black clipping on some of the note 2 devices as reported by some of users. but s4 just does not have that. dont know how u can say s4 screen is just a tad sharper than note 2 screen i found it to be a lot sharper than note 2 screen! and just cause of the sheer size of the screen and so widely spread pixels cause of the lower resolution, the note 2 really got hot after using especially when more whites are displayed on the screen. it used to lag a lot when going from app drawer to the widget section and the lag is considerably lowered now in s4.
so over all s4 is better than note 2 in almost every way and oh the s pen, dont talk about that! cause until dont have real good use scenario for it or u have lots of free time and u have really good drawing and hand writing its useless and i really didnt use it that much after my first 10 days with note 2!
aami.aami said:
u asked me to explain and wrote all that long comment or urs... lols
any ways... 80% better screen means i can see more pixels on note 2 screen than i could on my S3. note 2 screen is better for watching videos and thats it. anything higher than 720p was sharper but below that i can see pixels. there is also black clipping on some of the note 2 devices as reported by some of users. but s4 just does not have that. dont know how u can say s4 screen is just a tad sharper than note 2 screen i found it to be a lot sharper than note 2 screen! and just cause of the sheer size of the screen and so widely spread pixels cause of the lower resolution, the note 2 really got hot after using especially when more whites are displayed on the screen. it used to lag a lot when going from app drawer to the widget section and the lag is considerably lowered now in s4.
so over all s4 is better than note 2 in almost every way and oh the s pen, dont talk about that! cause until dont have real good use scenario for it or u have lots of free time and u have really good drawing and hand writing its useless and i really didnt use it that much after my first 10 days with note 2!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can see pixels on Note 2? You must have super vision or something. I do see grainyness on S3 if I look hard, but Note II? Really? Especially since the Note II has larger pixels. Probably placebo effect IMO.
I never had black clipping (and from what I hear from Erica, Note II is better than S4 in this regard, not the other way - either way it's fixable), and I've browsed a lot on Note II with full brightness on (websites typically have white background) and there were no throttling issues or overheating, unlike reported by some S4 users (which should hopefully be fixable) for me. And that's even without the power saving blue tint (It has some sort of greenish tint, which I got rid with Perseus). And what makes you think that lower pixel density is what causes overheating anyways?
And the lag is entirely touchwiz, not hardware (unless you're somehow suggesting a quad core device with 2gb RAM would lag in widget drawer) - though for me lag was not that apparent (solved entirely with Nova+custom ROM) - many people with S4 has that too, but apparently fixed with firmware upgrade.
Anywho, whatever suits you mate S4 is a great phone nevertheless.
Hi guys,
I am having some serious thoughts on what to get... Basically I am a software developer and I have a Galaxy Nexus, a Galaxy S1 some ond Xperia and a Nexus 7. It is time for me to switch to a new device as my daily driver. The options I have are Galaxy Nexus 5 and the Note 3. The Note 3 is more expensive with around 150$ in my country, considering the type of contract I am getting. The phone will be used for at least one year.
Nexus 5: well, no review yet. Price is reasonable in my country and has the new 4.4. The new android version doesn't impress me. To be honest I find the google experience pretty boring but I have to admit I liked receiving fast updates on my Nexus.
Note 3: I have been reading around the forum for the last days. I saw that many have problems with the home button, the battery life, the screen issues. I like the s-pen features but I am not sure how much I'll use them.
What advice do you give me ? What should I get ?
alinescoo said:
Hi guys,
I am having some serious thoughts on what to get... Basically I am a software developer and I have a Galaxy Nexus, a Galaxy S1 some ond Xperia and a Nexus 7. It is time for me to switch to a new device as my daily driver. The options I have are Galaxy Nexus 5 and the Note 3. The Note 3 is more expensive with around 150$ in my country, considering the type of contract I am getting. The phone will be used for at least one year.
Nexus 5: well, no review yet. Price is reasonable in my country and has the new 4.4. The new android version doesn't impress me. To be honest I find the google experience pretty boring but I have to admit I liked receiving fast updates on my Nexus.
Note 3: I have been reading around the forum for the last days. I saw that many have problems with the home button, the battery life, the screen issues. I like the s-pen features but I am not sure how much I'll use them.
What advice do you give me ? What should I get ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i have galaxy note 3 but if i time returns i will choose nexus 5
Please mention your reasons. It would help me a lot. Thanks
I'm using note 3 at the moment and my nexus 5 is on its way to me, will give more accurate impression once received.
Features I prefer nexus 5 over note 3
Design look and feel (massive improvement)
No TW bloatware (another massive factor)
Easier to carry around
More regular software updates kat 4.4
No lag freezing (hopefully)
Features I will miss coming from note 3
camera not impressed at all (will miss that the most)
4k video recording
Battery life
S-pen (just a little)
Multi screens (what a feature)
Large screen
Ext memory
Have you encountered any problems with the Note 3 ? Does it lag ? Do you have that effect on low brightness for dark borders ? How does TW bloatware affect you ?
Battery wise note has 50%more juice. Home button issues - do you mean the button moving around? It is not a problem, people are too much complaining about tiny tiny things they should never find unless they read about it.
Camera - i think nexus5 is way better than n3. Its not the pixels that matter, or software options. Nexus 5 camera is next level, focus is about 10 times faster.
Bloatware yes, samsung puts 700mb of bloatware that you dont receive on nexus. Not sure if anything of that is usable. But cyanogenmod should arrive soon!
I wish note3 had the new camera and with optical stabilization, then it would be perfect!
As for 4.4 - its just a number. There will definitely arrive new android versions fast on the n3, just that you have to flash it yourself and void the warranty.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using xda app-developers app
I like Nexus because:
- The design of the device and the appearance of the UI is more appealing to me. I like to keep things on my phone looking pretty "minimalistic" with few colors and lots and lots of black. I absolutely hate the Touchwiz cartoony look and I always change everything about it, the process starts immediately on first boot of the phone. Everything about Touchwiz looks awful - the icons, the menus, the choices in colors, those horrible big green quick settings toggles in the notification bar. Stock Android is much much better when it comes to looks. The Nexus 5 and its software looks like it's been designed by a design team made up of adults who actually make cohesive decisions together. Touchwiz looks to me like the school project of a pre-school class where everyone can add their favorite color and everyone gets to participate and add their touch to the design. Little Johnny wants a big blue, round icon there - OK let's put it right next to Jenny's rectangular pink icon there and add Lisa's green toggles! Fun for everybody.
I like Note 2/3 because:
- The battery is bigger. I've never been this satisfied with battery life.
- The screen is bigger. Honestly after using the Note 2, I cringe every time I use my iPhone 4 (I keep it as my spare phone) or my wife's Galaxy S III. The displays are so tiny, I don't think I could go back. Not even to a 5" display.
- I don't like the on screen nav buttons of stock Android. I want the physical menu, home and back buttons.
- The S-Pen. I'm not a heavy S-Pen user but it has really nice features on the Note 3. I use it much more with my Note 3 than I did with my Note 2.
- Memory card slot. Seriously. I could not live without one.
- Removable battery - not a big reason but nonetheless it is nice.
I hate the Note 2/3 because:
- I get to a point where I'm never satisfied with the ROM I use. New stuff is released on XDA and I feel this pressing need to try other ROMs. All the time. Sometimes it seems all I do with my phone is restoring backups. With the Nexus I think that I would be more easily able to just stick with one ROM.. Maybe even the stock ROM, just rooting it.
Don't listen to them
I just bought Note 3 after using Note 2 for couple of months
And go for Note 3 believe me this is the beast .. Note 3 Snap dragon
I am in the same boat as op.
I have a s2 now for 3 years and looking for an upgrade.
Minimum 5 inch screen, preferably a tad bigger.
Key feature should be office workability, due to a upcoming promotion as a project manager.
So I need info from all sorts of documents on the fly. Including excel.
Does the note provide this?
For free time I love playing games and viewing movies.
Help appreciated.
EJ
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda app-developers app
U may have to wait for few weeks to get the full hands on review about this. Nexus 5. The specs r good. But we don't know about battery life, camera performance, and heating issues. Note 3 is good in these areas.
Sent from my SM-N9005
I am planning on using the Note 3 with stock firmware from Samsung... because of warranty issues of knox trigger. This would also help on trying to reproduce bugs that appear on TouchWiz platform easier. So, having stock on Note3 sucks performance wise ?
efjbdejong said:
I am in the same boat as op.
I have a s2 now for 3 years and looking for an upgrade.
Minimum 5 inch screen, preferably a tad bigger.
Key feature should be office workability, due to a upcoming promotion as a project manager.
So I need info from all sorts of documents on the fly. Including excel.
Does the note provide this?
For free time I love playing games and viewing movies.
Help appreciated.
EJ
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Perhaps wait for nokia lumia 1520.
That's ideal for such mundane tasks. Lol
---------- Post added at 02:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:39 PM ----------
alleshi said:
Don't listen to them
I just bought Note 3 after using Note 2 for couple of months
And go for Note 3 believe me this is the beast .. Note 3 Snap dragon
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Note 3 is far better then note 2 for sure but is it the best ow no. It's a beast but not the best.
If i didn't have the Note 3 already i would be pretty tempted to buy the Nexus 5. It's half the price, here, with great hardware, Kit Kat, Google updates, etc. But those touch buttons (why?) on the screen are a no no for me.
Thank you all for replies. After doing a lot of reading on the Buyers remorse thread I see that most of note3 users are happy. The only notable problems are: very weak audio output because of the small speaker, the pink effect around black edges on low brightness settings and the wobbly home button. Also I see that the battery isn't so great.
I am really thinking what to get, as I said, the difference would be around 150$ in price.
If I didn't have N3 already I would have the N5. I had N4 previously.
N3 has plus and minus points.
+ points
Battery Life - best I ever had
SD Card - installed 64GB,some users have install 128GB.
Big Screen - I like the screen some don't like AMOLED colors.
Fastest CPU & 3GB RAM
Multi Window & Pen Window
IrDA port - can control devices from my phone.
- points
Design - not very stylish
Build quality - my back cover already creaks only 1 month old. Others have experienced Home button and screen/multi touch issues
External Speakers - embarrassing from Samsung.
Samsung bloatware - unnecessary
Wireless Charging - not built in but @ extra cost
Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk
Costum ROM
why wouldn't you just wait on xda to get pure 4.4 android and install that ROM on your note 3 ?
Hi,
the Google Nexus 5 is indeed a very good phone. Having switched from Nexus 4 to Galaxy Note 3 I can basically give you good explanations.
The Galaxy Note 3 has plenty more features than the Google Nexus 4 abd 5 which is great.
I would say the Note 3 wins everywhere against the Nexus unless you tell me you prefer smaller screen. In my case, the screen size was the reasob why I moved.
On the otherside, yes there are a lot of Samsung apps and that sucks to me. The Galaxy Note 3 can be rooted easily, so you can easy remove those bloatwares which make me feel more confortable that way.
On the other hand, I do prefer the PURE Androis that the Google Nexus has to the TouchWiz by Samsung because it uses way less resources.
The perfect phone for me would be a Note 3 with a AOSP Rom. (CyanogenMod or Android Open Kang Project (AOKP) because it would give the pure android feeling which means higher battery life, no bloatwares, faster updates.
Ok guys, some N5 reviews have appeared and to be honest, things don't look that good in battery and camera departments. Actually that was kinda expected considering the 2300 mAh battery and 1080p screen.
Now back to note 3, all the small things that bothered me (wobbly home button, pinkish black borders, bloatware) are not important anymore. The things that worries me most is the screen burn in. I saw some reviews where this is mentioned (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3mbkoXCMhs&feature=em-uploademail from 19 minute). I have own so far a Galaxy S1 and a Galaxy Nexus both having amoled screens. On my GNex sometimes I can see the keyboard shadow after using it, but I haven't really noticed any permanent retention as it goes off after a few seconds. I just did a quick check with blue color all over the screen and I can see a very faint shadow of the top bar, but nothing really noticeable. BUT, I use the phone on auto brightness and considering that Note 3 has the most bright amoled display built, I am afraid that it will suffer from permanent burn in because of blue pixels. Could anyone tell me if they have burn in ? This is a major drawback for me and might be the point which may convince me to give up on note3 in favor of N5.
Thanks all for your help. I really appreciate it.
For me it's so simple. They don't even belong to the same category.
Do you need/like the S-Pen features (and do you actually use them)? Do you need the bigger screen and the amazing Full HD @60fps video (let alone the 4K)?
If not then the Nexus 5 is a no brainer at this price point. Plain and simple.
Apps and bloatware are of no importance to me. I always remove them to my preference, to me flashing ROMs is an integral part of a smartphone like Note 3.
I agree with you, but if the screen has issues than all the other features are pointless, considering that the screen is the thing we see most.
It would be really great if owners could do some screen tests and return with the result.
Nexus 5 released a day back and the specs are not that bad if we see. Now this has given rise to a hunger of having an official google product in me. I use my note 2 like crazy and love it too but I want to see how it feels having a nexus device.
Storage is one thing that still makes me think of retaining my Note 2. I dont use SPen much either. Nexus 5 looks strong on paper and its tempting me. Is it advisable to sell my Note 2 off and get a Nexus 5?
I am in same situation but specs are really a boost from note 2 but major flaws of nexus 5 are storage and battery life....though I really want to see the display comparison....is the nexus 5 display better than note 2's...I know its 1080p compared to 720p but I really saw some 1080p display looking worse than 720p's like xperia z1....
I will wait for some reviews and then will decide is it worth to upgrade..
The Nexus 5 compared to Note 2 , looks like cheep, plastic, smaller and non Spen device.
Next Move will bring us to Note 4.
And the answer is no way to abandon my Note 2.
Performance on the Nexus 5 will be superior. That Snapdragon 800 screams.
The main issue is battery life. A petty 2300mha battery for a 5 inch 1080p display... It's going to suck.
Screen is slightly smaller with more pixels. But it won't be as jumping with colors as it's an LCD type screen vs our AMOLED screens which pop with colors.
The performance will be much better on the Nexus 5. Better processor. Same RAM. Better GPU. More FREE ram at boot.
Now, if I didn't have the Note 2 and I were to buy a new device, I'd get the Nexus 5. But I think the Note 2 is superior FOR MY USAGE. The SPen helps a lot, and the extra screen is great. The screen is plenty packed with pixels for my usage, too. The 2GB ram is great. In fact, the Note 3 having 3GB isn't an upgrade as you have LESS FREE RAM AT BOOT than the Note 2! WTF Samsung! haha. Anyways, RAM is taken care of by the Android OS. But Samsung takes up too much ram to begin with.
With Nexus devices you won't have that issue, as there is nothing at boot extra. It's only Android processes. So it should run much more smoothly. My Note 2 does stutter or lag a little every once in a while, but it doesn't bother me in the slightest.
I don't know... Battery life on both devices are different. Smaller with updated processors vs bigger battery with less efficient display & processor? I don't know... Wait for some battery tests? Regardless, I've never killed my Note 2 in 18 hours except for my vacation days where I'm on a bus or train for 5-6 hours then I get it down a nice amount.
i was also thinking into a change to a nexus but the battery definitely make me consider having my note a year more. i bought the note for screen and battery and mexus doesn't win at any. moreover i dt know any game yet that doesn't run smoothly in the note and the screen difference is not that noticeable since my cousin has a 1080p screen and mine seems to be better also for him.
my 2 cents
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium
of course Nexus 5. Note 2 will get its last update with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. But you will have many updates with Nexus 5. If you are not a traveller person, don't think about battery life. Buy 32 gb model and live your days good.
nidhish91 said:
Nexus 5 released a day back and the specs are not that bad if we see. Now this has given rise to a hunger of having an official google product in me. I use my note 2 like crazy and love it too but I want to see how it feels having a nexus device.
Storage is one thing that still makes me think of retaining my Note 2. I dont use SPen much either. Nexus 5 looks strong on paper and its tempting me. Is it advisable to sell my Note 2 off and get a Nexus 5?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Non removable battery (instant deal killer right there for me), small and non expandable storage (32GB vs the 80GB total on my Note II), small display (even smaller than its 5" since part of that space is taken up by the virtual buttons), no S-Pen, no Samsung SW features like MultiWindow = for a poweruser they don't even play in the same league.
Samsung is doing something very stupid with the Region Lock and something less stupid but that is pissing powerusers and geeks off with the Knox warranty status but the (sad) truth is that the Note III is the ONLY smartphone out there today which I would replace my Note II with. ANYTHING else is INFERIOR to my Note II.
I gass you have very big hands to use note 3 like phone lol
Ive got note 2 yesterday and one nexus 4
Sorry but that clean android isnt for me. I prefer samsung and htc devices....not nexus
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda app-developers app
I will get a Nexus 5 for sure to replace my backup phone HTC HD2, and will also keep my Note II forever!! unless otherwise Samsung smoehow try to screw it up with an dubious update,(yes I don't trust them anymore),I've played with a Note 3 at the store but didn't find it much an upgrade to my existing Note II.
I`d go with nexus 5..coming from note 2 user!!
julzz said:
The Nexus 5 compared to Note 2 , looks like cheep, plastic
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea lol my Note 2's high quality aluminum construction looks so much better
/s
I've bought n5 and my only worry is battery. I'll tell you in a few days.
I'm happy with N2 but love nexus flavor.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda app-developers app
Well, If I were to buy a new phone and the Playstore sold hardware in my country, I'd seriously consider the Nexus 5.
But as an upgrade to Note 2? No way. Sure, it will run circles around the Note in the performance department... but I find that for my use, the Note's performance is sufficient (even though it lags now and then). Even for games, the lower res mens that pretty much everything runs smooth so far. And the lower res doesn't really bother me, as I find the screen of the Note 2 absolutely fantastic... better then that of HTC One, IMVHO. Xperias just can't compare. Sure some text zoomed out can be a tad sharper on 1080p, but otherwise the screen on the Note 2 is just gorgeous.
The S-Pen is usefull... especially for extending menus while browsing the web. That's one unique functionality that only a handfull of phones has and means that some webpages can only be browsed with these devices. Other tricks like video or gallery highlight thumbs are neat as well. And it's good for Excel editing too, especially during a meeting (otherwise it's quite difficult in a zoomed out view - only view in which you actually see a reasonable amount of data).
Storage? For me 16+64 GB is barely enough. Actually scratch that, 16GB internal is definately NOT enough (a bit more than 10 GB available...). I hope an update can allow me to use the external memory for apps. My memory card is almost full as well. So 32 GB altogether? No thanks (even with less bloat).
Battery? It's decent on the Note 2, but I wouldn't call it a stellar performer. So here we have a battery that's smaller by almost a third? And not removable too? I'll pass, thank you.
Plus, does the Nexus 5 even have the USB OTG capability? I remember there were some issues with the earlier models. I like to output video via MHL... love connecting an external USB drive or additional memory card via a card reader and it can be nice to connect external controllers via USB. Is Nexus 5 able to do this all?
Other stuff, primarily Multiwindow and Popup Browser are neat also. Hopefully even Pen Window will be possible on the Note 2.
duskdiyebiri said:
of course Nexus 5. Note 2 will get its last update with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. But you will have many updates with Nexus 5. If you are not a traveller person, don't think about battery life. Buy 32 gb model and live your days good.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not correct. Note 2 will get Kitkat update next year
Sent from my GT-N7105 using xda app-developers app
Think of it this way. Only for a few minor hardware boosts and a new Launcher would you really want to upgrade ?
Note 2 still stands as a power house when compared. And if you like the idea of talking to your phone start using Google Now the experience will be no diff.
On the other thoughts I would love to upgrade to Moto X if ever get an opportunity
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda app-developers app
darkchazz said:
Yea lol my Note 2's high quality aluminum construction looks so much better
/s
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do let me know.
Posted from Macbook running on Windows 98
After reading all your views I completely feel I'll have that itch with the nexus 5 when it comes to battery and storage Coz both things matter to me. I think my note 2 will stay in my pocket for comparatively good time
Posted from Macbook running on Windows 98
I am running the Ditto note 3 rom. .. With 4.3... Note 3 apps and installed the 4.4 kit kat apps on top of it. .
I also have the nexus 7_2013.. which will get 4.4 and is similar to nexus 5.. But I rarely use it. .
I use my note 8 and note 2 more
Why would I need the nexus 5 ?... Note 2 is good enough. .
Will bother about a new phone next year
Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk 2
C'mon!
Oh God! I think it makes no sense at all! Galaxy Note II is a pretty much older device which can still be compared to other TOP devices. Plus, the Note II has got touchwiz, and lots of Samsung applications which are pretty usefule. Nexus devices are a little too poor to me. I think that if you want to try out a Nexus device, you should try the Nexus 7 2013! I think that rocks. Got such a cool display, so incredibly fast and pure Google style. Plus: updates and other Nexus stuff.