Database Users

Why is the note 2 faster than the s4?

I'm not talking about benchmarks or specs but rather real world use. I've looked at tons of videos on youtube and the note 2 has the s4 consistently beat on opening apps and websites. Is it because it has a larger motherboard??? They both have quad cores and the same 2gb rams. Or is this because of software optimization because the note 2 has "mature" software.

kingofthebraves said:
I'm not talking about benchmarks or specs but rather real world use. I've looked at tons of videos on youtube and the note 2 has the s4 consistently beat on opening apps and websites. Is it because it has a larger motherboard??? They both have quad cores and the same 2gb rams. Or is this because of software optimization because the note 2 has "mature" software.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its because of android optimization. Note 2 is running on 4.1.2 which had loads of updates allready. Don't forget that the s4 is the only smartphone which runs 4.2.2 at the moment (except the nexus devices). S4 will get updates and will get just better and better. We just need to be patient.

Dean-xXx said:
Its because of android optimization. Note 2 is running on 4.1.2 which had loads of updates allready. Don't forget that the s4 is the only smartphone which runs 4.2.2 at the moment (except the nexus devices). S4 will get updates and will get just better and better. We just need to be patient.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
true.. Note 2 is running 4.1.2 hence is faster than S4.. nevertheless, S4 is getting faster (using WanamLite) better battery life, smoother.

kingofthebraves said:
I'm not talking about benchmarks or specs but rather real world use. I've looked at tons of videos on youtube and the note 2 has the s4 consistently beat on opening apps and websites. Is it because it has a larger motherboard??? They both have quad cores and the same 2gb rams. Or is this because of software optimization because the note 2 has "mature" software.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I too have used a note 2 stock and with many roms
and now have moved to S4 since 26 april and no doubt that S4 is fast and enjoyed using it and never wud want to go back to Note 2
this is my personal experience and havng abt 40 apps and not filled with any crap and keep the phone with only thing req

How can 4.1.2 be faster than 4.2.2 if it's the same Google release?
I've had an s3 and it was super buggy and slow even with custom rooms. My note 2 in the other hand was a beast!! Opening and closing apps was a breeze and Web pages loaded smoothly. The s4 on the other hand I'd rate as being in the same league as the mote 2 which is disappointing given that this is a newer generation chipset. I'm more excited for the release of the Google edition though which is the main reason why I switched to an s4.

kingofthebraves said:
How can 4.1.2 be faster than 4.2.2 if it's the same Google release?
I've had an s3 and it was super buggy and slow even with custom rooms. My note 2 in the other hand was a beast!! Opening and closing apps was a breeze and Web pages loaded smoothly. The s4 on the other hand I'd rate as being in the same league as the mote 2 which is disappointing given that this is a newer generation chipset. I'm more excited for the release of the Google edition though which is the main reason why I switched to an s4.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Simple answer... new software needs time to get the bugs out.
Sent from my GT-I9500

Android 4.2 needs fixing definitely , or perhaps optimisation on key lime pie will be better ... Hopefully

I noticed this one too. My friend has the Note II (I also had the same device a couple of weeks ago) and the device is noticeably faster than my GT-I9500.

same here.. i have both and note2 is faster in everything, specially taking photos.

No wonder my sister's s3 on 4.2.2 is performing terribly. Lag is prevalent and touchwiz keeps on crasing and restarting everytime she plays games.
To be honest the s4 is a disappointing upgrade over the note 2, this is one of the few times wherein I wished I stuck with my old phone lol You can't really tell the difference except with the screen and the battery life but there's a big 150 dollar difference in the price tag.

Note 2 vs Note 3 - real world performance

I bought the note 3 to replace the note 2.
I have not yet sold the note 2 and have been testing both phones simultaneously to determine for myself if the upgrade is worth it.
Note 2 setup: stock ( leaked android 4.3) , a few apps installed
Note 3 setup: stock (Android 4.3), same apps as installed on note 2
Benchmarks Apps:
Note 3 beats Note 2 in all I have tried.
Real world use/Apps:
I have run several applications (multiple times ). Some are .....
Browers: chrome, default browser,
Snote
Gmail
Youtube
Speedtest
maps
Camera
Google now
etc...
In several cases, the note 2 is slightly faster than note 3 ( yes, this is not a typo)
Not by much...... but note 2 in "real world use/applications" seems ever so slightly faster than note 3.
In multi-tasking/split window, I run CPU-Z side by side with the chrome browser.
This was to monitor the 4 cpu cores during browser benchmarks.
I tried the following browser benchmark tests....
1. browsermark - rightware.com
2. sunspider
In both tests, the note 2 out-performed the note 3. -----------update: {may have been due to thermal throtling}
I have searched the net and surprisingly, no one else seems to have noticed/reported this.
Can someone else with both phones verify this?
note 3: SM-N900 ( 1.9Ghz) - Octa-core
note 2: GT-N7100 (1.6Ghz) - Quad-core
Update:
I've run the online browser benchmarks a couple more times after some hours of rest.
Sunspider 1.0 scores {firefox}:
note 2: [ 664.4ms]........note 3: [ 414.8ms]
Benchmarks are consistently showing note 3 as faster than note 2.
Real world use shows little to no difference.

I don't think that a few seconds make a difference between two smartphones as daily driver. So I don't think the note 3 is worth the upgrade at least for what I heard. Thanks for sharing!
Sent from my Note 2 using xda-developers app
ProBam v4.4.7
Stock Kernel

I dont have the Note 3, but I have just seen a video of the "famous" LG G2, with the S800, running some top games with FPS meter enabled, and I'm proud to say than my "old" Note 2 has the same performance, and in some games is even better! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16TAbUkAHlU
Benchmarks are the most useless thing that happened to mobile phones. And you can prove it with your own Note 2. Flash an AOSP rom and run a benchmark like 3DMark, you'll get a better result than in stock TouchWiz. So, this means that games should run better on AOSP, right? Then run some game. They will lag WAY more on AOSP roms than in stock roms. Benchmarks aren't a good indicator of anything.
In conclusion, I think phone specs are evolving, that's for sure, but the improvement between generations, like Note 2 -> Note 3, are little in terms of performance, it's not worth the huge amount of money they cost.

Maybe most apps are optimized for 720p rather than 1080p.
Sent from my SGH-I317M using Tapatalk 2

Very interesting. I wonder how long it will take for the rest of the world to catch on to this... or if they ever will?

Thats so interesting. .I wouldnt ever expect that and first time hearing it. No i feel a sense to apprach note 3 performance suspected.
If you proove this with a video screenshots and some benchmark test you would do a revolution i guess..
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda app-developers app

More and more I believe that with top of the line smartphones like these, upgrading is necessary only every two years. I had the S2 before this and it's really when I began to feel the slouch in newer games that I decided to upgrade.
Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 4

cdlq456 said:
I dont have the Note 3, but I have just seen a video of the "famous" LG G2, with the S800, running some top games with FPS meter enabled, and I'm proud to say than my "old" Note 2 has the same performance, and in some games is even better! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16TAbUkAHlU
Benchmarks are the most useless thing that happened to mobile phones. And you can prove it with your own Note 2. Flash an AOSP rom and run a benchmark like 3DMark, you'll get a better result than in stock TouchWiz. So, this means that games should run better on AOSP, right? Then run some game. They will lag WAY more on AOSP roms than in stock roms. Benchmarks aren't a good indicator of anything.
In conclusion, I think phone specs are evolving, that's for sure, but the improvement between generations, like Note 2 -> Note 3, are little in terms of performance, it's not worth the huge amount of money they cost.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have stored worrying about benchmarks because all people say is the phones cheat the score. I would rather see just see real world performance. And like a PC a higher clock speed and more cores does not mean better performance.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app

note 2 to 3 not compelling upgrade
very useful, thanks.
I was considering upgrading when Note 3 prices fall, maybe early 2014. But now I am far from sure especially with Samsung's stupid region locking.
Reasons to upgrade:
IR emitter for TV remote control. Vaguely useful, perhaps in bars and restaurants when their TVs are turned up too loud so's I can turn them off or down!
USB3. Possible good for faster charging off computer and occasionally dumping in a load of music files.
802.11ac. Maybe I'll upgrade one day at home?
Display. Reports suggest it's easier to read outdoors.
Reasons I was considering not upgrading:
Note2 can support all the note3 software. We just have to wait for Samsung to release it. Or androiders to kang the note3 rom.
Am happy with 720p display. I have quite good eyesight, with corrected vision (short sighted) and I never feel my Note2 needs more pixels on the screen. A better sensor in the camera for low light would be nice but the camera is good for casual shots.
Camera already good enough.
NFC antenna. I like the NFC antenna not being part of the battery so I can use Anker third party battery which gives as good as OEM battery.
S-Pen already good enough fine. I got used to the only minor nuisance that the off-screen capacitive buttons couldn't sense the pen.
CPU already fast enough.
802.11ac wifi. I don't have anything which supports super high speed wifi. I'd end up buying an 11ac access point, then would want to upgrade my laptop wifi card too.
Besides, 802.11a/n is faster than my broadband at home. And at work we don't even have 802.11a.

I too have the Note 2 (international) and the AT&T Note 3... I can say that if you don't have an upgrade available it definitely IS NOT worth paying full retail price for the phone. I signed a new 2 year agreement to get it for $288.88 and I can turn around and sell my Note 2 for $350-400 easily making my money back...
The pros with the Note 3 are that the screen is absolutely beautiful! Besides the S4 this is the most amazing screen I have ever seen with my own eyes. Next, comes the software. There's a lot of new small changes that make things easier to use, however most of these things will be coming to a Note 2 via an update. If you're into aesthetics then this device looks more "premium" over a Note 2 and I almost don't want to cover it with a case.
As far as performance goes, you can notice it slightly. Apps open faster, but it could be due to the increase in screen sensitivity also. TouchWiz eats up over 1 gig of ram leaving a little more than 1 gig free for user apps. On my note 2 with my custom rom I would use about 600mb of ram leaving a litle more than 1 gig free also. No improvements here.
Some buggy things I've noticed so far is that my text vibration is very weak compared to others such as email. Also every app gives me a vibration alert even if I turned it off.
There's a lot of bloat on here even for a carrier phone. Most of it is from Samsung it seems.
Besides the few "pros" I see with the Note 3, I would not recommend anyone to purchase it over a Note 2 unless you have an upgrade you can use. Especially an AT&T one with a locked bootloader, which forces you to keep all these useless apps running on your phone.

LDDR3 and USB3 better than note2
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium

pageniao said:
LDDR3 and USB3 better than note2
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
is it real world performance?

i dont know what is real world performance.but
when i playing flac music and browsing pictures,note2 get lags.
with leaked 4.3
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium

Leaked 4.3 is not final. Also I hope you flashed Wanam or such 4.3 based ROMs, not just 4.3 as it is. Either way pretty sure it's Touchwizlag.

mazdamiata210 said:
I too have the Note 2 (international) and the AT&T Note 3... I can say that if you don't have an upgrade available it definitely IS NOT worth paying full retail price for the phone. I signed a new 2 year agreement to get it for $288.88 and I can turn around and sell my Note 2 for $350-400 easily making my money back...
The pros with the Note 3 are that the screen is absolutely beautiful! Besides the S4 this is the most amazing screen I have ever seen with my own eyes. Next, comes the software. There's a lot of new small changes that make things easier to use, however most of these things will be coming to a Note 2 via an update. If you're into aesthetics then this device looks more "premium" over a Note 2 and I almost don't want to cover it with a case.
As far as performance goes, you can notice it slightly. Apps open faster, but it could be due to the increase in screen sensitivity also. TouchWiz eats up over 1 gig of ram leaving a little more than 1 gig free for user apps. On my note 2 with my custom rom I would use about 600mb of ram leaving a litle more than 1 gig free also. No improvements here.
Some buggy things I've noticed so far is that my text vibration is very weak compared to others such as email. Also every app gives me a vibration alert even if I turned it off.
There's a lot of bloat on here even for a carrier phone. Most of it is from Samsung it seems.
Besides the few "pros" I see with the Note 3, I would not recommend anyone to purchase it over a Note 2 unless you have an upgrade you can use. Especially an AT&T one with a locked bootloader, which forces you to keep all these useless apps running on your phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this very well note 3, but I see exorbitant price

There is nothing worth here to give up $450 to trade in my Note II ($850-$400), mine is so fast and so optimised for my needs that will skip the Note 3 for the next one, for me that's the end of the story.

pageniao said:
i dont know what is real world performance.but
when i playing flac music and browsing pictures,note2 get lags.
with leaked 4.3
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Note 3 lags too (stutters ) when ......
playing flac: (44khz, 16bit, 23.35mb) and browsing pictures ( gallery, slideshow )

After 4.3 leak install, my note 2 doesn't have any microlag.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk 2

fixfox2 said:
Note 3 lags too (stutters ) when ......
playing flac: (44khz, 16bit, 23.35mb) and browsing pictures ( gallery, slideshow )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what player are you using for playing flac?
if i may ask

spiderio said:
what player are you using for playing flac?
if i may ask
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the default music player

How does it compare to Nexus 10 ?

I'm thinking to upgrade from Nexus 10 and was looking into this device.
Speed wise, how does it compare to Nexus 10 ?
Which variant is faster Exynos or S800?
Sent from my Nexus 5 using xda app-developers app

jodvova said:
I'm thinking to upgrade from Nexus 10 and was looking into this device.
Speed wise, how does it compare to Nexus 10 ?
Which variant is faster Exynos or S800?
Sent from my Nexus 5 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had a Nexus 10 and liked it a lot. I now have the Note 10.1 1014 Wifi (exynos) and it is a better tablet all the way around. Speed wise it feels much faster. The battery life is at least 50% better. The screen seems a bit better. It is smaller and lighter than the Nexus 10 also. Performance wise Snapdragon versus Exynos, the Exynos is slightly faster CPU wise and the Snapdragon is slightly faster GPU wise. The LTE snapdragon model is not officially available in the states yet. The camera is way better and the S pen is not just a gimmick. The New Note 10.1 is the most useful tablet day to day that I have owned and I have owned a ton of them.

nrage23 said:
I had a Nexus 10 and liked it a lot. I now have the Note 10.1 1014 Wifi (exynos) and it is a better tablet all the way around. Speed wise it feels much faster. The battery life is at least 50% better. The screen seems a bit better. It is smaller and lighter than the Nexus 10 also. Performance wise Snapdragon versus Exynos, the Exynos is slightly faster CPU wise and the Snapdragon is slightly faster GPU wise. The LTE snapdragon model is not officially available in the states yet. The camera is way better and the S pen is not just a gimmick. The New Note 10.1 is the most useful tablet day to day that I have owned and I have owned a ton of them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 to everything he said. This tablet is way better than the current nexus 10. The nexus 10 never got to be properly optimized and felt much more sluggish and buggy. I can give many details if you want, but I bet you won't be disappointed with the upgrade.

Ashade said:
+1 to everything he said. This tablet is way better than the current nexus 10. The nexus 10 never got to be properly optimized and felt much more sluggish and buggy. I can give many details if you want, but I bet you won't be disappointed with the upgrade.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would like to know your opinion on the screens...as far as I know, nexus 10 came with a rgb subpixel arrangement, while Note came with a somehow strange rg bw arrangement. Supposedly one shouldn't be able to see the difference since the pixel density is so high, but I can and do see the tiny jagged dots, and it's not a very nice feeling though...that's why I wanna know how it compares to nexus 10. Thank you!
Sent from my SM-P600 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

alexcarterkarsus said:
I would like to know your opinion on the screens...as far as I know, nexus 10 came with a rgb subpixel arrangement, while Note came with a somehow strange rg bw arrangement. Supposedly one shouldn't be able to see the difference since the pixel density is so high, but I can and do see the tiny jagged dots, and it's not a very nice feeling though...that's why I wanna know how it compares to nexus 10. Thank you!
Sent from my SM-P600 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The screen is noticeably better on the note. The nexus has pale colors in comparison, and while in the note they might feel a little bit over emphasized and warm the screen is nicer to watch, specially at higher levels of brightness. Regarding definition and pixels... the note might appear sharper bit it's probably due to the colors and not for the density or anything similar. I bet you cannot tell the difference resolution/subpixel wise but the final feeling is that the note offers a far superior screen IMHO.

I have both and have had the Nexus 10 since April this year and I manually updated it to kitkat. My note 10.1 is running the latest mk1.
The Note is a lot more powerful on paper but the nexus10 is definitely more responsive. It really is samsungs touchwiz that's slowing down the note. However, the note destroys the nexus 10 on all benchmarks (if it matters anyway).
Screen sharpness I would say is the same. However, I prefer the colours on the note 10 as the nexus 10 feels underwhelming.
Both have stereo speakers and the nexus 10 has the edge because of its placement. But the note 10 isnt bad, it is actually loud I dont mind the speakers facing sideways.
I bought the note 10 because I need the stylus. I bring my note 10 to work everyday and use the stylus all the time. If I didnt need the stylus then I would be sticking with my nexus 10.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

bimmerboii said:
I have both and have had the Nexus 10 since April this year and I manually updated it to kitkat. My note 10.1 is running the latest mk1.
The Note is a lot more powerful on paper but the nexus10 is definitely more responsive. It really is samsungs touchwiz that's slowing down the note. However, the note destroys the nexus 10 on all benchmarks (if it matters anyway).
Screen sharpness I would say is the same. However, I prefer the colours on the note 10 as the nexus 10 feels underwhelming.
Both have stereo speakers and the nexus 10 has the edge because of its placement. But the note 10 isnt bad, it is actually loud I dont mind the speakers facing sideways.
I bought the note 10 because I need the stylus. I bring my note 10 to work everyday and use the stylus all the time. If I didnt need the stylus then I would be sticking with my nexus 10.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks ! That was really helpful !

bimmerboii said:
I have both and have had the Nexus 10 since April this year and I manually updated it to kitkat. My note 10.1 is running the latest mk1.
The Note is a lot more powerful on paper but the nexus10 is definitely more responsive. It really is samsungs touchwiz that's slowing down the note. However, the note destroys the nexus 10 on all benchmarks (if it matters anyway).
Screen sharpness I would say is the same. However, I prefer the colours on the note 10 as the nexus 10 feels underwhelming.
Both have stereo speakers and the nexus 10 has the edge because of its placement. But the note 10 isnt bad, it is actually loud I dont mind the speakers facing sideways.
I bought the note 10 because I need the stylus. I bring my note 10 to work everyday and use the stylus all the time. If I didnt need the stylus then I would be sticking with my nexus 10.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with everything you said except with the responsiveness. I'm not saying you are wrong it laying, but in my experience, I almost have the same configuration right now that I had in the Nexus: Same launcher, same keyboard, same apps. I'm using it exactly the same way I used to use my Nexus, and I can tell you I've never had in my hands a tablet that responsive. It is far more responsive than my Note II as well. I tried the Nexus 10 with all the stick operating system except KitKat, Cyanogenmod, Paranoid Android and Revolt. 4.3 helped but the Nexus had been never at the level of the Note. This is just my experience, and I've seen a lot of divergence I'm the comments of people so I cannot tell you exactly what makes the difference.
By the way, I forgot to mention I bought the Nexus 10 the first week it came out, so maybe they did a running change in the hardware that improved performance in more modern models.
Sent from my SM-P600 using Tapatalk 4

Im comparing it stock vs stock. No 3rd party launchers.
For ME, the nexus 10 "feels" faster, smoother and more responsive. Even if I know that the note 10 has a lot more power. The nexus 10 has come a long way with updates, and google have mostly polished the experience (it still stutters occasionally, but not as much as my note 10). I just hope samsung will continue optimizing this tablet and polish things out.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

bimmerboii said:
Im comparing it stock vs stock. No 3rd party launchers.
For ME, the nexus 10 "feels" faster, smoother and more responsive. Even if I know that the note 10 has a lot more power. The nexus 10 has come a long way with updates, and google have mostly polished the experience (it still stutters occasionally, but not as much as my note 10). I just hope samsung will continue optimizing this tablet and polish things out.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
One of the apps in which I feel the difference the most is Chrome. Apart from the launcher, Chrome has been always sluggish to me on the Nexus 10. It works flawlessly in the Note.
The apps open much faster on the Note as well. And it moves between apps faster.
I definitely find the Note superior to the Nexus and I'm not trying to open a discussion up. This is just my mileage in case somebody find it helpful. Your mileage can vary of course.
Sent from my SM-P600 using Tapatalk 4

So I went to Bestbuy to try the table out.
I've left being very disappointed with its responsiveness. They had Exynos model runnings 4.3 android. The tablet was dead slow due to touchwiz.
Chrome was extremely slow opening new tabs and in navigation through web sites.
Samsung should really kill the touch wiz or produce Google Edition for every of its devices to run a stock android.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using xda app-developers app

jodvova said:
So I went to Bestbuy to try the table out.
I've left being very disappointed with its responsiveness. They had Exynos model runnings 4.3 android. The tablet was dead slow due to touchwiz.
Chrome was extremely slow opening new tabs and in navigation through web sites.
Samsung should really kill the touch wiz or produce Google Edition for every of its devices to run a stock android.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you sure it was completely updated? Mine doesn't perform as the ones on bestbuy. Have into account that's a display model.
Anyways, not trying to convince you. You can stick with the Nexus 10. I cannot be happier having gotten rid of it, but if it works fine for you, why would you replace it?

I find it strange people complain about the lag in the new Note. I have the Note 10.1 2014 edition LTE version with Snapdragon and Chrome browser flies with it. It is a lot smoother than my old Note 10.1 ever was when browsing the web. I haven't encountered much lag elsewhere either. The home screen transitions were not silky smooth before I removed the widgets that were on the homescreens by default, but after that I really have no complaints there either.
Also the Note specific features are really well made this time in my opinion. Especially the new clipboard app is excellent with the pen (very quick to just cut and paste stuff with the pen while browsing the web or reading pdf magazines etc).

jankko said:
I find it strange people complain about the lag in the new Note. I have the Note 10.1 2014 edition LTE version with Snapdragon and Chrome browser flies with it. It is a lot smoother than my old Note 10.1 ever was when browsing the web. I haven't encountered much lag elsewhere either. The home screen transitions were not silky smooth before I removed the widgets that were on the homescreens by default, but after that I really have no complaints there either.
Also the Note specific features are really well made this time in my opinion. Especially the new clipboard app is excellent with the pen (very quick to just cut and paste stuff with the pen while browsing the web or reading pdf magazines etc).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think it's the best tablet out there by a long far, and in fact, the only one that has satisfied me since the very first moment. Thus, I cannot agree more with you.
The nexus 10 took more than six months to solve the problem with the GPU driver. The little flaws in this thing have been solved within weeks.
Sent from my SM-P600 using Tapatalk 4

jankko said:
I find it strange people complain about the lag in the new Note. I have the Note 10.1 2014 edition LTE version with Snapdragon...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because most people do not have access to the Snapdragon version and are looking at the Exynos?

locovaca said:
Because most people do not have access to the Snapdragon version and are looking at the Exynos?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is still uncertain the difference in performance between the two is that big. I've read a little bit of everything already.

Ashade said:
Are you sure it was completely updated? Mine doesn't perform as the ones on bestbuy. Have into account that's a display model.
Anyways, not trying to convince you. You can stick with the Nexus 10. I cannot be happier having gotten rid of it, but if it works fine for you, why would you replace it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know. I didn't try to update it via Check updates.
Maybe it was bloated with apps, 'cause still it's a demo version. But it was slow.
I had a lot of Samsung phones, Galaxy S2, S3, S4, S4 GE. I know the difference between Android with touchwiz and without it.
I hoped that a faster CPU can run touchwiz smoother, but there is no magic. Nexus 10 on latest 4.4 runs smoother.
Maybe I should try Snapdragon 800 version. Nexus 5 is uber fast on it.

locovaca said:
Because most people do not have access to the Snapdragon version and are looking at the Exynos?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the Exynos. No problems t'all.

jodvova said:
I don't know. I didn't try to update it via Check updates.
Maybe it was bloated with apps, 'cause still it's a demo version. But it was slow.
I had a lot of Samsung phones, Galaxy S2, S3, S4, S4 GE. I know the difference between Android with touchwiz and without it.
I hoped that a faster CPU can run touchwiz smoother, but there is no magic. Nexus 10 on latest 4.4 runs smoother.
Maybe I should try Snapdragon 800 version. Nexus 5 is uber fast on it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Nexus 5 is pushing far fewer pixels and bare bones Android so it should be uber fast. Anything running AOSP should be super fast. Again I had the Nexus 10 and now have the Exynos version of the Note 2014. I got rid of the Nexus 10 the week before I bought the Note. The Note blows the Nexus 10 out of the water even with the bloat of Touchwiz. The most important difference though is the battery life. The Note has almost double the battery life of the Nexus 10 with my usage. I do use the Note a lot more than the Nexus just because of the S pen for work. I would not trust a demo unit in a store and there are many reviews on the web for the Note 2014.

[Q] Pls help me decide to buy Note 4

Hi guys,
I've been reading and watching alot of videos on youtube regarding the Note series...
I would like your very honest answer with in regards to previous experiences with Note devices, specifically Note 3, as I need to make a decision to buy the Note 4.
A) Does it start lagging after a while? I've heard many reports that it does. I'm coming from iPhone 4s (which I've been using for 3 years) and get annoyed with any lag, which I've almost never experienced with the 4s.
B) Is it possible to get rid of lag, if indeed the Note 3 does lag after a while?
C) Does the battery start dying after a while as well? I know it can be replaced easily but I would rather not spend money on it if I can help it.
Thanks alot guys. Anything you can offer to help me make the right decision will help. And I apologize if there was a thread like this before...

I have owned all the notes till note 3 (note 4 is not out yet here) and I can tell u I've been quite happy with all 3 and never had any real issues with lag (i think occasionally it does but not that bothersome to me) and the batteries have always been excellent no problem with them (but I did buy a spare one for the note 3)

I still don't know what do to myself. I want it but it's not available in my country and since i am using Tab S 8.4 LTE i am not even sure do i need huge phone like that next to Tab S.
I used Note 3 for almost half year and my experience with it was great. But reading about display problems and that metal frame and how easy it gets damaged and scratched made me think better and i am not sure should i buy it or skip N4 and wait for S6 maybe.
And as i said it's still not available to buy in my country, i can't believe how Samsung messed it up, it's been 2 months since announcement and still nothing, this never happened before with Samsung devices. And new iPhones are coming in 2-3 days. Such a shame.
If it's too expensive when it becomes available i am not getting it, but i would really like to try it even 5 minutes.

KyCigni said:
Hi guys,
I've been reading and watching alot of videos on youtube regarding the Note series...
I would like your very honest answer with in regards to previous experiences with Note devices, specifically Note 3, as I need to make a decision to buy the Note 4.
A) Does it start lagging after a while? I've heard many reports that it does. I'm coming from iPhone 4s (which I've been using for 3 years) and get annoyed with any lag, which I've almost never experienced with the 4s.
B) Is it possible to get rid of lag, if indeed the Note 3 does lag after a while?
C) Does the battery start dying after a while as well? I know it can be replaced easily but I would rather not spend money on it if I can help it.
Thanks alot guys. Anything you can offer to help me make the right decision will help. And I apologize if there was a thread like this before...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its way too soon to say about all your questions. My note 3 hasnt had any decrease with time, but that doesnt mean the note 4 wont. Battery is also the same as it has always been on my note 3, but again it doesnt mean that is the same for the note 4.
I had the Note 4, now I have the Note 3 (little issue with my note 4, so its at the repair shop to be declared DOA), and I notice a few things:
Note 3 feels a lot slower
Pen on the Note 3 is far less usable in terms of merely navigating the phone, and FAR less useful. On my Note 4 i took the pen out almost all the time, because its just such a sweet feature, even if i wasnt planning on using it for anything real, but just to browse the phone with.
Screen isnt as good
It feels less sweet in hand
So thats just my little input on all of this.

*Emix* said:
I still don't know what do to myself. I want it but it's not available in my country and since i am using Tab S 8.4 LTE i am not even sure do i need huge phone like that next to Tab S.
I used Note 3 for almost half year and my experience with it was great. But reading about display problems and that metal frame and how easy it gets damaged and scratched made me think better and i am not sure should i buy it or skip N4 and wait for S6 maybe.
And as i said it's still not available to buy in my country, i can't believe how Samsung messed it up, it's been 2 months since announcement and still nothing, this never happened before with Samsung devices. And new iPhones are coming in 2-3 days. Such a shame.
If it's too expensive when it becomes available i am not getting it, but i would really like to try it even 5 minutes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a Tab S 8.4 and I still appreciate having a large screen phone too. So buying the Note 4 was easy for me. I have come from owning a Note 3 for the past 12 months too. I thought at first I may be wasting my money and that it wasn't going to be a major upgrade. I was wrong. It feels very much like a totally new phone. The way it feels in your hand is outstanding and the screen is amazing.
I don't really remember lag being an issue on my Note 3 and on the Note 4 it is too early to say but so far so good. I have never had an issue with batteries either. They aren't that expensive to replace anyway.
The Note 4 is the best phone I have ever owned (and see my sig, I have owned a lot!)

I've had my Note4 since Sat the 25th. I haven't experienced any lag at all, just a one second delay on the recent apps capacitive button, but it being a multi function button is normal. The glass is on straight so the "gap" issue is not present. I'm getting 19.5 hours of battery life with 5.0 Hours of screen on time. Very good screen with no color changing effects from any viewing angle..
Sent from my Galaxy Note4

the last 6 months I was switching frequently between I phone 5s and Samsung s5, till I received my I phone 6 plus last month, which is still with me , ...... and now I am a note 4 user, my input:
I had very good stability with the note , lag is at minimum but not zero
screen is super good
battery life on bar with iPhone 6 plus, probably 1 hour more or less depend on your usage
feeling in hand is great especially compare to iPhone 6 plus ( less slippery, and feels smaller somehow)
camera is very good and actually i prefer it over the Samsung s5 and 6 +
no over heat no crash no freeze which i had about four times on my 6+ and more often on my s5 but never on iphone 5s or note 4
s pen is very very useful and for my surprise i found my self using more than expected
conclusion is note 4 is full of features and the fact is almost a PC replacement ( in term of productivity) doesn't come without a price which is ( very occasion lag)
but again remember no phone is perfect, but the note is so far the best what I have used so far
very happy with my purchase so far

but it being a multi function button is normal
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now youre just rationalizing. Theres no reason the delay should be there. If it was merely that its a multifunction button, why isnt it the same on the backbutton? Why wasnt this the case with the Note 3, who has a multifunctionbutton in its place? Why does the recent apps on the Note 3 pop up instantly?
Nah, this is merely shoddy implementation, which I hope they will fix with a patch soon.
Other than that, its the best phone Ive used for my use, and the functions of the device are stellar. Just a great improvement over my Note 3.

Slai said:
Now youre just rationalizing. Theres no reason the delay should be there. If it was merely that its a multifunction button, why isnt it the same on the backbutton? Why wasnt this the case with the Note 3, who has a multifunctionbutton in its place? Why does the recent apps on the Note 3 pop up instantly?
Nah, this is merely shoddy implementation, which I hope they will fix with a patch soon.
Other than that, its the best phone Ive used for my use, and the functions of the device are stellar. Just a great improvement over my Note 3.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe.. But it's a non issue for me really. I've never been a nit picker, if that's the only issue this phone has... Like I said.. Non issue. Jmho
Sent from my Galaxy Note4

Eh, its a bit annoying for me, coming from the Note 3 where it pops up fast. And I regularly pop between apps, even with multiwindow and windowed mode options, so Id really appreciate it being sped up a lot. But yes, I dont find it a dealbreaker or anything like that, even with this flaw its still the best phone available for me, without question.

KyCigni said:
Hi guys,
I've been reading and watching alot of videos on youtube regarding the Note series...
I would like your very honest answer with in regards to previous experiences with Note devices, specifically Note 3, as I need to make a decision to buy the Note 4.
A) Does it start lagging after a while? I've heard many reports that it does. I'm coming from iPhone 4s (which I've been using for 3 years) and get annoyed with any lag, which I've almost never experienced with the 4s.
B) Is it possible to get rid of lag, if indeed the Note 3 does lag after a while?
C) Does the battery start dying after a while as well? I know it can be replaced easily but I would rather not spend money on it if I can help it.
Thanks alot guys. Anything you can offer to help me make the right decision will help. And I apologize if there was a thread like this before...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My little input. I haven't read all posts yet so I might be writing something that has been mentioned already.
A)Samsung phones always have lags. If you decide to stay on touchwiz (Samsung launcher) which brings us to question B.
B). You can remove lag for the most part and speed up your note by simply doing a few tweaks that you can find on YouTube. or if you wanna do a little heavier tweaking depending on your carrier you can root(jailbreak) your phone, from there the possibilities are endless especially if you have an unlocked bootloader.
C) Even if your batter dies eventually, for my galaxy S4 I bought two zero lemon batteries and a charger for 10$ on Amazon. One battery lasted me a year and to this day its still good!the fast charger works amazing! And worth buying extra batteries all day! Just my opinion.
Sent from my SM-N910V using XDA Free mobile app

A)Samsung phones always have lags. If you decide to stay on touchwiz (Samsung launcher) which brings us to question B.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What lag have you seen on your Note 4? Lets say we ignore the recent apps thing, it clearly has some kind of bug there, but that has nothing to do with the launcher.

Slai said:
What lag have you seen on your Note 4? Lets say we ignore the recent apps thing, it clearly has some kind of bug there, but that has nothing to do with the launcher.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The recent apps lag is clearly a bug as you said. Hopefully they'll fix it in Lollipop. I've also noticed there is some lag when applications are being installed through the Play Store and you attempt to use the phone for other things. Coming from Nexus 5, I can confirm that this used to happen to a much lesser degree on the Nexus 5. Except with the Note 4, these lags and microstutters seems to be exemplified. Other than that, I haven't noticed any lag at all.

Ive seen some stuttering myself in the Chrome Beta browser on certain websites as Im zipping up and down a website, but thats not launcherrelated at all. Other than that, I havent seen any stuttering or lag myself.

If you want random strangers to convince you to buy any phone then this phone is not for you. You should buy it because you like it be a leader not a follower

If we were leaders wed make our own damn phones and wouldn't be the consumers we are. A follower with delusions of grandeur is still a follower.
Nothing wrong with asking for input. After all, we are pack animals. Even leaders take their cues from the pack.

All phones lag at some point or another when they do multitask
I been using note2 and now note 4
Is this an issue absolutely not
Battery life in note was always better than anything else and note 4 is not exemption no only that you can buy a spare battery and be cover for a long time until they star to wear of like all bateries
If you been all this time happy with a phone like 4s i don't know what to say. I would struggle to even the most basic operation like sms with a toy like that. The big screen is like travel in economy and being upgrade to first class again i would don't know if this is the phone for you
I know note is good for me and i would not be happy for a second with a puny phone llke the one you been using
Go to the shop try it and see if you are ready
also a phone is a phone and a tablet is a tablet when im away i carry my phone when im home i use my tab even though the phone is nice size i would use my tab rather than this
I hope it helps

I'm coming from an Iphone4s myself so can't comment on previous Notes sorry but I can say my iphone freezes and lags all the time. Admittedly I'm a heavy user and have been mostly satisfied with the phone (it was even replaced for free under warranty once so kudos to Apple) but to say iphone's don't lag themselves isn't true.

I've used the Note 4 for a few weeks now - on lag issue, experienced some lag after phone being continously on for more than a week (left it on when charging too) but problem was resolved after restarting the phone. Think this is acceptable?
Also on the Note 4, have needed to retrain my usage as you can switch between apps directly without having to go back to desktop to access shortcuts (with side key panel, you can access app drawer directly too)
Sent from my SM-N910G using XDA Free mobile app

qwerty168 said:
I've used the Note 4 for a few weeks now - on lag issue, experienced some lag after phone being continously on for more than a week (left it on when charging too) but problem was resolved after restarting the phone. Think this is acceptable?
Also on the Note 4, have needed to retrain my usage as you can switch between apps directly without having to go back to desktop to access shortcuts (with side key panel, you can access app drawer directly too)
Sent from my SM-N910G using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I find the performance acceptable. TouchWiz may have its bugs but the Note 4 is coming off a launch with many varients.
Sumsungs devs are probably overworked and focused 100% on lollipop due in just a few weeks time.
When lollipop hits and if these bugs are still present then I will be disappointed for sure

[Q] Lag even after Firmware Update

Has anyone noticed a considerable lag continuing even after Samsung's most recent Firmware Update for the Note 4? Some users and commentators are praising the Note 4 for its lightning speeds and no lag, but somehow I cannot say the same. I have serious lags in most any operation of the Note 4, but especially in the Camera.
Is it also normal, that there is static when the speaker is turned up?

lrsthmp said:
Has anyone noticed a considerable lag continuing even after Samsung's most recent Firmware Update for the Note 4? Some users and commentators are praising the Note 4 for its lightning speeds and no lag, but somehow I cannot say the same. I have serious lags in most any operation of the Note 4, but especially in the Camera.
Is it also normal, that there is static when the speaker is turned up?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What firmware are you running?
Sent from my SM-N910H using XDA Free mobile app

djunited said:
What firmware are you running?
Sent from my SM-N910H using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The stock Samsung firmware KTU84P.N910FXXU1ANJ4

lrsthmp said:
The stock Samsung firmware KTU84P.N910FXXU1ANJ4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Im on that firmware and i have no lag at all. The phone is very smooth. I did however disable shealth and svoice. I thought NJ8 was the latest?
Sent from my SM-N910H using XDA Free mobile app

I can't believe i'm saying this but i have been using a Galaxy Note 4 for two weeks and i have never experienced even the tiny bit of lag. You should try disabling apps you are not using, disable sync etc. If nothing works you should try factory reseting your phone.

I'm using a tmobile note 4 on the latest anj4 firmware and my phone is almost unusable.
There's so much keyboard lag regardless of what keyboard I use.
Scrolling sometimes just completely stops until I actually pick up the s pen from the display.
I actually had a Samsung rep at best buy look at it and he couldn't believe how bad it was. I sent it to Samsung but of course since I had rooted it they said it was my fault.
I've been rooting and roming phones since the captivate and have never had an issue.
My note 4 has been like this from day 1, I bought it new from eBay which was my mistake. Now I'm basically stuck with it and at time's the lag is so bad I want to throw it out of the window.
Mine is definitely hardware defective. I have a Lumia 520 that runs smoother to be honest.
I guess the only way I can get any money back from it is to sell it for parts I suppose.

donharden2002 said:
I'm using a tmobile note 4 on the latest anj4 firmware and my phone is almost unusable.
There's so much keyboard lag regardless of what keyboard I use.
Scrolling sometimes just completely stops until I actually pick up the s pen from the display.
I actually had a Samsung rep at best buy look at it and he couldn't believe how bad it was. I sent it to Samsung but of course since I had rooted it they said it was my fault.
I've been rooting and roming phones since the captivate and have never had an issue.
My note 4 has been like this from day 1, I bought it new from eBay which was my mistake. Now I'm basically stuck with it and at time's the lag is so bad I want to throw it out of the window.
Mine is definitely hardware defective. I have a Lumia 520 that runs smoother to be honest.
I guess the only way I can get any money back from it is to sell it for parts I suppose.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Samsung owner here for 2 weeks and believe me my phone is blazing fast compared the first day of use after i bought it!!!
no lags here, its the fastest android phone ive ever used and much faster and smoother than my sony z ultra!
booom

Me too very fast... I use Nova

No lag what so ever....

My Note 4 is blazing fast, the most smooth android phone i ever use. My previous android phone is HTC One M8.
Lag? No way Note 4 is lag.

I just bought a squaretrade warranty last night. Hoping they can fix it or replace it.
Anyone have experience using squaretrade?