Database Users

[Q] Hard to decide between Note 3 and Nexus 5

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.

Note 4 vs. Note 3

I got the note 4 yesterday, a day ahead of most people. I've been testing it throughly and to my shock, I'm finding my note 3 running MOAR to be working faster, longer, and better.
Take for example the photo below. The note 4 is on the left and the note 3 running MOAR on the right. Isn't it amazing the difference in quality?
I don't blame the phone. I blame 4.4.4 for messing up what could have been an awesome smart phone. I'm returning mine today.
Battery? The note 4 battery is at 48% at 1:00 pm while my note 3 is at 80%. I use gsam battery and it breaks down what is using battery and the system and kernel on the note 4 are using almost 30% while the note 3 uses about 18%.
So, for all those of you that own a note 3, beware, you will be disappointed if you upgrade.
And if my advise saved you from disappointment, I believe a thank you would be in order.

new battery ........ give it a week of cycles

Samsung came out and said there was an issue with the battery last week. They have already issued an update. Tmobile started getting it today. We should be getting it in the ne,t fews days. Search google for comparisons of this version and the update. Battery seems fixed after the update.

I actually think the lefthand picture looks better.
Brighter doesn't mean better.

Hard to compare something you've used for a year to something you just got. Give it some time.

Good to hear they've got a fix for the battery. Actually, I flashed 4.4.4 on my note 3 and it was eating up my battery as well. Hope they release a fix for those that upgraded their note 3s to 4.4.4.
But seriously, the camera was my biggest disappointment.
And the photos don't lie.
I guess that if there is any good news is that the note 4 will be the first one to get lollipop and that should take care of many issues. Feb my bet.

eNkrypt said:
I actually think the lefthand picture looks better.
Brighter doesn't mean better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
JAG50 said:
Good to hear they've got a fix for the battery. Actually, I flashed 4.4.4 on my note 3 and it was eating up my battery as well. Hope they release a fix for those that upgraded their note 3s to 4.4.4.
But seriously, the camera was my biggest disappointment.
And the photos don't lie.
I guess that if there is any good news is that the note 4 will be the first one to get lollipop and that should take care of many issues. Feb my bet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm gonna have to agree ENkrypt.. The picture on the left looks much clearer and realistic while the one on the right looks way off like a insta gram filter was on top of it (excuse my lack of the appropriate vocabulary in describing camera quality).
And I ditto the fact that you need to give the new battery some full to dead cycles before you can make an accurate statement on the battery life. Also of course on your Note 3 with MOAR has plenty of the bloat and pointless background processes removed which play a huge factor.
Sent from my SM-G900P using XDA Free mobile app

I'm in phone envy. I could kick myself in the ass right now for getting the s5 when it came out and not waiting for the note4

Turn off Auto adjust screen tone in display settings!

BubZX said:
I'm in phone envy. I could kick myself in the ass right now for getting the s5 when it came out and not waiting for the note4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Told my sister to wait and she is glad she listened.
Why did you upgrade to the S5?
Sent from my SGNote 3

ubigred said:
Told my sister to wait and she is glad she listened.
Why did you upgrade to the S5?
Sent from my SGNote 3
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Was sitting on an upgrade. And had an s3

JAG50 said:
I got the note 4 yesterday, a day ahead of most people. I've been testing it throughly and to my shock, I'm finding my note 3 running MOAR to be working faster, longer, and better.
Take for example the photo below. The note 4 is on the left and the note 3 running MOAR on the right. Isn't it amazing the difference in quality?
I don't blame the phone. I blame 4.4.4 for messing up what could have been an awesome smart phone. I'm returning mine today.
Battery? The note 4 battery is at 48% at 1:00 pm while my note 3 is at 80%. I use gsam battery and it breaks down what is using battery and the system and kernel on the note 4 are using almost 30% while the note 3 uses about 18%.
So, for all those of you that own a note 3, beware, you will be disappointed if you upgrade.
And if my advise saved you from disappointment, I believe a thank you would be in order.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It seems like you don't want to like the phone. Lol. First, you are comparing performance between a phone that has stock firmware on it to a phone that is rooted and has an optimized custom rom. That's not a comparison. As far as the pictures, I'm agreeing with everyone else the one on the left looks better. The one on the right looks like you either have a filter on it or flash. And it still doesn't look as good as the other. The Note 3 is a great phone, but the 4 is just better. And the cameras are definitely night and day. But to each his own. You won't know what you are missing once the devs start to give this thing some love.
Sent from my SM-N910P using XDA Premium HD app

Note 4 is not that huge as an upgrade. Should stick to note 3 till note 5 comes or you got alot of money.

Nope. I don't agree that it isn't a big enough upgrade. The camera is better. The screen is better. The pen is better. The multi window is easier. I love the fingerprint scanner -- which is the thing I thought I'd have no use for! It feels better in my hand. I know I'll find more as I use the phone, but so far I think it was a great upgrade from the Note 3.

Samsung Rolled out an OTA update to fix battery problem on the launch day.
and for camera try using other camera apps and then please inform me about cam result. Congrats for a New Note 4. :thumbup:
Sent from my Xtreme-V30 using XDA Free mobile app

I respect all of your opinions and I'm leaving your remarks as they stand. I am an android enthusiast and was looking forward to the note 4. But I'm totally bummed out, because it's not what they told us in all those youTube videos. Here's my analysis:
1. SIRI finally found human, one button access, works.* Google Now also works on note 4, not note 3.
2. Camera is sub-par to MOAR on note 3, but Turning off HDR makes photos acceptable.* Completed multiple photos. Note 3 is unquestionable the better camera: saturation, clarity, color, etc.
3.Battery:* Android sys consumers 30% plus of battery.* Forums say there's a patch coming.* After testing both batteries, note 4 is holding more power than note 3.
4. Found a cool case on Amazon.
5. The new multi window feature is a lie. doesn't work because it's app depended, not hardware depended.
6. Not rooted.* Android L (lollipop) is probably months away.* Hackers will have a note 3 version before the official release for note 3.
7. Can't use any of my rooted apps or features like moving apps to ext card.
8.* Rebate from Samsung smells like a rip-off.* They advertised a $200 rebate, but fine print days otherwise.* It says it's $200 minus value of tradein.
9. I will have to buy new batteries.
10.* No significant increase on speed or performance. Same as note 3.
11. My note 3 is running smooth. Just minor bugs that are doable.
12. Will get my $375.00 refunded.
13. Maybe note 5 will be the one with major improvements. Note 4 improvements over note 3 are really minor in comparison.
14. Well, I discovered that if I hold down right button, I can still access menu.* Many apps haven't placed the menu on top right like Google asked.* No QC.
15. I do have 12 days to **** with it before returning. Put the nice case on it and continue experimenting.
16. It's full potential will not be reached until I rooted it and get rid of 4.4.4
17. Speaker is now on the back, not at the bottom where you can heart it.
18. Honestly believe note 4 camera flash to be weaker.
19. Damn, I ripped off the velcro. Will have to get more velcro.
20. It was expected to be water proof like the Galaxy S5,* but it's not water proof.
21. The stylus does have nice feature. It works now like mouse. You can freely highlight text unlike the note 3 that you have to curse and pray simultaneously to capture text.
22. The USSA app still won't split into multi window mode.
23. I'll do full battery comparison today.
24. YouTube has adds on note 4, not note 3.
25. Just watched YouTube video and note 3 screen is way brighter than note 4.
26. Videos load faster on note 3.
27. I set both displays to auto and note 3 is definitely brighter and easier to see.
28.Programs open slightly faster on note 3.
29. Even though note 4 allows you to copy and paste,* I can buy app (which I will) that gives same capability to note 3.
30. Most apps on note 4 can't be minimized.
31. Watching netflix you can't tell difference of screen quality.
32. Speaker:* Note 3 has better speaker sound and location.* Speaker on back was not good idea.
33. The note 4 has only one antenna and thus you can't make a call and. surf at the same time.
So take it for what it's worth. In a way, I'm proud that all my hacking with my note 3 produced a better phone. Those who wish to argue, fuzz, and complain about my remarks, go for it. I'm a ex-combat warrior. My skin is thick.

Hmmmm.... I've seen a post like this before.
On the Note 2 vs Note 3 thread...

I went from my Note 3 to the Note 4 and so far I am happy with my new phone. The screen is absolutely gorgeous!
I was eligible for an upgrade so I didn't have to pay a dime for my Note 4. I do not think the differences are enough to run out and sell your Note 3 either.
One thing I do not like about the Note 4 is the speaker is now on the back of the phone. I absolutely hate that!! The phone is very fast and my battery life is outstanding. I also love how I can charge my phone in like 30 mins.

I have had the 2, the 3 , and now the 4. I still have my 3 and the wifey has the 2. Here's my take on the 3 vs 4. The new screen is ridiculous. I bought the 4 just for the screen actually. The brightness outdoors, on auto brightness the 4 is slightly brighter. Some don't like the speaker on the back but I do. When I don't have my headphones, the sound reverberates better when on the kickstand than the 3, shooting the sound to the right. I always found myself cupping my hand near the speaker to hear the sound. The speaker may not sound as good as the 3 but it is way louder than the 3. I remember everyone saying that the 3 wasn't that great of an upgrade over the 2. Personally it was well worth it.

JAG50 said:
I respect all of your opinions and I'm leaving your remarks as they stand. I am an android enthusiast and was looking forward to the note 4. But I'm totally bummed out, because it's not what they told us in all those youTube videos. Here's my analysis:
1. SIRI finally found human, one button access, works.* Google Now also works on note 4, not note 3.
2. Camera is sub-par to MOAR on note 3, but Turning off HDR makes photos acceptable.* Completed multiple photos. Note 3 is unquestionable the better camera: saturation, clarity, color, etc.
3.Battery:* Android sys consumers 30% plus of battery.* Forums say there's a patch coming.* After testing both batteries, note 4 is holding more power than note 3.
4. Found a cool case on Amazon.
5. The new multi window feature is a lie. doesn't work because it's app depended, not hardware depended.
6. Not rooted.* Android L (lollipop) is probably months away.* Hackers will have a note 3 version before the official release for note 3.
7. Can't use any of my rooted apps or features like moving apps to ext card.
8.* Rebate from Samsung smells like a rip-off.* They advertised a $200 rebate, but fine print days otherwise.* It says it's $200 minus value of tradein.
9. I will have to buy new batteries.
10.* No significant increase on speed or performance. Same as note 3.
11. My note 3 is running smooth. Just minor bugs that are doable.
12. Will get my $375.00 refunded.
13. Maybe note 5 will be the one with major improvements. Note 4 improvements over note 3 are really minor in comparison.
14. Well, I discovered that if I hold down right button, I can still access menu.* Many apps haven't placed the menu on top right like Google asked.* No QC.
15. I do have 12 days to **** with it before returning. Put the nice case on it and continue experimenting.
16. It's full potential will not be reached until I rooted it and get rid of 4.4.4
17. Speaker is now on the back, not at the bottom where you can heart it.
18. Honestly believe note 4 camera flash to be weaker.
19. Damn, I ripped off the velcro. Will have to get more velcro.
20. It was expected to be water proof like the Galaxy S5,* but it's not water proof.
21. The stylus does have nice feature. It works now like mouse. You can freely highlight text unlike the note 3 that you have to curse and pray simultaneously to capture text.
22. The USSA app still won't split into multi window mode.
23. I'll do full battery comparison today.
24. YouTube has adds on note 4, not note 3.
25. Just watched YouTube video and note 3 screen is way brighter than note 4.
26. Videos load faster on note 3.
27. I set both displays to auto and note 3 is definitely brighter and easier to see.
28.Programs open slightly faster on note 3.
29. Even though note 4 allows you to copy and paste,* I can buy app (which I will) that gives same capability to note 3.
30. Most apps on note 4 can't be minimized.
31. Watching netflix you can't tell difference of screen quality.
32. Speaker:* Note 3 has better speaker sound and location.* Speaker on back was not good idea.
33. The note 4 has only one antenna and thus you can't make a call and. surf at the same time.
So take it for what it's worth. In a way, I'm proud that all my hacking with my note 3 produced a better phone. Those who wish to argue, fuzz, and complain about my remarks, go for it. I'm a ex-combat warrior. My skin is thick.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Some of the things you posted are opinions, i won't comment on them. But other things either don't make sense according to facts or you are comparing a stock samsung rom to a custom rom. There is no comparison there. I kinda wonder if you are trolling.
Sent from my SM-N910P using XDA Premium HD app

[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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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

Note 4 vs Note 2 (and Note 3), what's missing

After reading more than 1 person complaining about stuff from the Note 3 that's missing on the Note 4. Although I've never used the Note 3 it occurred to me that I don't have stuff that I had on the Note 2. There was a 2 month time frame where I was using the LG G3, so I can't recall everything, but I know the Note 2 had different home screens based on what you're doing. For example, if you plug in headphones it brought up a screen for related apps.
I can't believe that that's not on the Note 4. What other things have been removed since the Note 2, and for the sake of interest, the Note 3?

I miss note2 photo editor...
Sent from my SM-N910C using XDA Free mobile app

I'm going to buy Note 4 this month, and I know that I'll miss temperature and humidity sensors, which I can find now in my Note 3...

Wooba99 said:
After reading more than 1 person complaining about stuff from the Note 3 that's missing on the Note 4. Although I've never used the Note 3 it occurred to me that I don't have stuff that I had on the Note 2. There was a 2 month time frame where I was using the LG G3, so I can't recall everything, but I know the Note 2 had different home screens based on what you're doing. For example, if you plug in headphones it brought up a screen for related apps.
I can't believe that that's not on the Note 4. What other things have been removed since the Note 2, and for the sake of interest, the Note 3?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
there is a **** load of stuff missing from note 4 your right about headphone buddy,no air view for fingers,music and phone and alarm voice control missing,bubbles from music art,no photo note where you could write on rear of photos,no reader mode,No eye scroll or Web page magnification with fingers,no group play that's unbelievable,no volume increase in pocket Plus other stuff like Tag buddy in gallery....strange thing is all these are in the hidden settings but don't work even when turned on,I don't understand it at least give people the choice to have them but turn them off its no big deal for Samsung as they have the software already....

lee yun khong said:
I miss note2 photo editor...
Sent from my SM-N910C using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Photo editor is still there
Sent from my SM-P605 using XDA Premium HD app

Is the Note 4 the best upgrade from a Note 2?

My Note 2 has served me well, but it's time to move on. The screen shows signs of burn in, and applications frequently crash due to (likely) faulty memory. Clearing the cache helps, but it's not something I want to do daily.
I'm looking for a similar phone with a pen/stylus, replaceable battery and mSD card support. Is the Note 4 the only option? Other than having a phone with no faults, what are expected to be the main benefits if I upgrade, and are there any regressions/drawbacks to consider?
Thanks!

wait a few weeks and see what the Note 7 have to offer ( it wont have removable battery though )

definately Note 7 - waterproof, with decent camera and audio, superb screen, sd card and many many more. I migrated to Note4 (DN5) from N3 and I'm waiting also for n7 as n5 is a crap (or beta version )

Lack of replaceable battery makes the Note 7 a non starter. When travelling I frequently use the phone for many hours without charging (on-foot navigation; tripadvisor etc) and I need it to be completely dependable. With a replaceable battery I just pop a new one in and I'm good for the rest of the day. I tried using a portable charger in the past, and hated how unwieldy it was compared to just spending 10 seconds to replace the battery.
The LG Stylus 2 Plus looks somewhat comparable to the Note 4 and is newer (Android 6, touch fingerprint reader), but seems to have a more limited stylus and lacks a physical home button (which I like very much in the Samsung, but I'm not sure lack of it is a deal breaker).
Thoughts?
Edit: Man, this promotional video from LG is good!

2 august is the day!!!
SM-N910F

What happens on August 2?

If you are on a budget then yes the Note 4 is a worthy upgrade from a Note 2. As it's the last in Samsung's flagship line that had a removable battery. However if you have the cash to spend, wait and get the Note 7.

The Note 7 doesn't fit my requirements, regardless of cost (no replaceable battery). It seems I need to decide between the Note 4 and the much newer LG Stylus 2 Plus.

oren_b said:
The Note 7 doesn't fit my requirements, regardless of cost (no replaceable battery). It seems I need to decide between the Note 4 and the much newer LG Stylus 2 Plus.
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Yap.
My vote is for Note 4.
It`s really an awesome device.
I`m using this one for last one year without any issue.
Excellent Display.
Removable Battery.
Expandable Memory.
Good XDA Dev support.
Stock MM really gives good battery backup.

Micheal86 said:
Yap.
My vote is for Note 4.
It`s really an awesome device.
I`m using this one for last one year without any issue.
Excellent Display.
Removable Battery.
Expandable Memory.
Good XDA Dev support.
Stock MM really gives good battery backup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, the LG Stylus 2 Plus is a rather poor spec device. You are much better getting the Note 4 instead of that! As the stylus used in the LG Stylus 2 is just a regular capacitive stylus that you can get at any high street retailer.

Ok, so I'm probably getting a Note 4 later this week. A few questions to make sure I'm making the right decision:
1. Is it easy to root?
2. Do I need to worry about Knox?
3. Can I use it worldwide without an issue (roaming)? I've had no issues at all in this regard with my Note 2.
4. I can get the N910C variant for less money than the N910F. Is there any significant difference between the two? Note that I don't play games on my phone.
Thanks!
Edit: I can also get the Galaxy Note Edge SM-N915F for the same price as the N910F. It seems pretty cool, but getting a TPU case for it (which I like) seems to be impossible. Such cases are very easy to fine for the Note 4 and usually cost only a couple of bucks.

The N910C is much more stable than the N910F as the N910C uses the Exynos 5433 SOC rather than the Snapdragon 805 in the N910F. You can root it pretty easily both the N910C and F models have excellent worldwide coverage with the exception of specific US carriers.
It is possible to get TPU cases for the Note Edge I've seen them online.

When you say the N910C is much more stable do you mean the N910F tends to crash / freeze, or something else?

Bought the Note Edge eventually. I love almost everything about it, but there are some senseless regressions on the software side:
- No way to display Favorites (contacts) as a list. The thumbnail-based display uses tiny text for names and has them truncated.
- No way to display Apps as a list. The grid display is much slower to browse because the eye has to go in different direction to follow the correct alphabetization.
- Dialer log does not support long-press menu anymore. Makes it more difficult to add a number to the reject list or favorites.
Why cripple things that used to work so well?

oren_b said:
Bought the Note Edge eventually. I love almost everything about it, but there are some senseless regressions on the software side:
- No way to display Favorites (contacts) as a list. The thumbnail-based display uses tiny text for names and has them truncated.
- No way to display Apps as a list. The grid display is much slower to browse because the eye has to go in different direction to follow the correct alphabetization.
- Dialer log does not support long-press menu anymore. Makes it more difficult to add a number to the reject list or favorites.
Why cripple things that used to work so well?
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Congrats mate.
Hope you`re enjoying your new device.
Best of luck.
:good:

Overall I do enjoy it. Hopefully I can find solutions for these relatively minor annoyances.

oren_b said:
Overall I do enjoy it. Hopefully I can find solutions for these relatively minor annoyances.
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Sure mate. Best of luck.
[emoji106]

The Note 4 is great. Since you have no interest in the Note 7, then you'll be completely fine with the N4. I upgraded from a Galaxy S5 and it feels like a completely new phone even though it released a long time ago. Marshmallow breathes new life into it.

AndroidGTAF said:
The Note 4 is great. Since you have no interest in the Note 7, then you'll be completely fine with the N4. I upgraded from a Galaxy S5 and it feels like a completely new phone even though it released a long time ago. Marshmallow breathes new life into it.
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Exactly. It's an amazing device