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.

OK. The Galaxy S6 edge rocks.

(It's not the note 4 but I think it's relevant here; are you gonna get it?)
We're up and the hall is PACKED. Everyone is on their devices.
A woman in tight business suit and high heels comes on stage and welcomes CEO. He has the phone in his his pocket.
Relentless Innovation. We listened, we learned, we pushed forward. We rebuilt from the ground up. The most beautiful phone Samsung have ever produced and the most advanced one in the world.
The screens that go the ENTIRE way around the hall burst into life, aaaaand....
The pictures are exactly as leaked!
As has been the discussion all week, it's the curve that they're pushing - and yes, it's gorgeous. The detail is seamless.
It remains to be seen what they're going to do with the none-curved version.
The pricing will dictate whether or not the S6 flies off the shelf - and it's availability.
I think they should have released just the curve.
There you have it.
The curve is gorgeous. Absolutely. The detail is very precise. The plain S6 is plain ugly.
And the light-up notifications thing on the edge is tickling ALL the journalists.
Will you stick to the Note 4, or switch?
Let the games begin.
Sent from my LG-D802 using XDA Premium HD app
Sent from my LG-D802 using XDA Premium HD app

kolembo said:
(It's not the note 4 but I think it's relevant here; are you gonna get it?)
We're up and the hall is PACKED. Everyone is on their devices.
A woman in tight business suit and high heels comes on stage and welcomes CEO. He has the phone in his his pocket.
Relentless Innovation. We listened, we learned, we pushed forward. We rebuilt from the ground up. The most beautiful phone Samsung have ever produced and the most advanced one in the world.
The screens that go the ENTIRE way around the hall burst into life, aaaaand....
The pictures are exactly as leaked!
As has been the discussion all week, it's the curve that they're pushing - and yes, it's gorgeous. The detail is seamless.
It remains to be seen what they're going to do with the none-curved version.
The pricing will dictate whether or not the S6 flies off the shelf - and it's availability.
I think they should have released just the curve.
There you have it.
The curve is gorgeous. Absolutely. The detail is very precise. The plain S6 is plain ugly.
And the light-up notifications thing on the edge is tickling ALL the journalists.
Will you stick to the Note 4, or switch?
Let the games begin.
Sent from my LG-D802 using XDA Premium HD app
Sent from my LG-D802 using XDA Premium HD app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Regarding the S6, I don't feel the glass back and the camera sticking out as on the iPhone 6 and 6 plus...Also software wise it does look smoother but the size of the icons and the whole UI looks kinda ugly, especially the percentage bar, it's just too big...also non removable battery is a miss.
If only the note 4 would somewhat benefit from the S6's software

I think Ill stick.Note 4 has got looks but hey s6 looks like iphone 6 same rounded metal frame,same speaker style,same protruding volume buttons.Although s6 edge could be worthy to switch over but can be cleared only when they are available in stores.Except processor Note 4 has an upper hand
Sent from my SM-N910G using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

I really like the design they've chosen! I've always been jealous of iPhone smooth and clean designs, now there's a similar design from Samsung. No need to get iPhone knock-offs from China with android running.
But I'll still keep my Note 4.
- 5MP Front camera, not my thing, I don't care abt selfies and Note 4's 2MP 3.7MP (Edited) works well for video chat even at low light.
-No SD-Card slot... Bumper.. The choice for buying cheap128GB SD card to store media and easily transfering between devices has been a great advantage for Samsung phones, it will be missed
(Cuz 128 GB ver. Of S6 will be much more expensive than just getting basic 32GB + 128GB SD Card)
-Wireless charging, not an issue... I put in a wireless charging receiver pad and can use qi chargers to charge. No extra bulk.
-5.7" screen of Note 4 will be much better for viewing any media!
-S-Pen... Nuff Said.
However, these are the plus points of S6,
-Speaker at the bottom! Would prefer front facing but at least better than at the back...
- Touch finger print! I've no issues with Note 4's swiping sensor, been using wit great accuracy for months... But the new one might reduce the error rate.
- Double curves on display (S6 Edge)... Its just look smooth and sexy. Less awkward than Note 4 Edge.
-eMMC faster flash memory... Hopefully it'll be like changing from a tradiotinal hardisk to an SSD. With how Lollipop's ART runtime works (fully unpacked apps), S6 will be a beast.
-Exynos for all! Will be a great performer hopefully. Although, custom firmware will be lesser, snapdragon 810 on Note 4 is one of its draw backs. Hope the Exynos will not throttle its performance so much.
Sorry for the long post. Still great devices by Samsung.
Sent from my SM-N910G using XDA Free mobile app

psycovirus said:
I really like the design they've chosen! I've always been jealous of iPhone smooth and clean designs, now there's a similar design from Samsung. No need to get iPhone knock-offs from China with android running.
But I'll still keep my Note 4.
- 5MP Front camera, not my thing, I don't care abt selfies and Note 4's 2MP works well for video chat even at low light.
-No SD-Card slot... Bumper.. The choice for buying cheap128GB SD card to store media and easily transfering between devices has been a great advantage for Samsung phones, it will be missed
(Cuz 128 GB ver. Of S6 will be much more expensive than just getting basic 32GB + 128GB SD Card)
-Wireless charging, not an issue... I put in a wireless charging receiver pad and can use qi chargers to charge. No extra bulk.
-5.7" screen of Note 4 will be much better for viewing any media!
-S-Pen... Nuff Said.
However, these are the plus points of S6,
-Speaker at the bottom! Would prefer front facing but at least better than at the back...
- Touch finger print! I've no issues with Note 4's swiping sensor, been using wit great accuracy for months... But the new one might reduce the error rate.
- Double curves on display (S6 Edge)... Its just look smooth and sexy. Less awkward than Note 4 Edge.
-eMMC faster flash memory... Hopefully it'll be like changing from a tradiotinal hardisk to an SSD. With how Lollipop's ART runtime works (fully unpacked apps), S6 will be a beast.
-Exynos for all! Will be a great performer hopefully. Although, custom firmware will be lesser, snapdragon 810 on Note 4 is one of its draw backs. Hope the Exynos will not throttle its performance so much.
Sorry for the long post. Still great devices by Samsung.
Sent from my SM-N910G using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Note 4 has a 3.7MP front camera...
The only thing which I like on the S6 is the 64bit processor, new camera UI and the speaker on the bottom.

Without microsd, its crap.

toofimoofi said:
Without microsd, its crap.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I originally thought that too, but when I really think about it, I could actually do without the MicroSD. For sale, Note 4U with extra battery, 2 cases, Gear VR, used once, for best offer!! Nuff said!

I like it, but there is no s pen do I don't think it can replace my Note 4.
Definitely much more compelling than the s5 though, which made me yawn.

I'll stick with note 4 ofc.
But if they won't give that better touchwiz to note 4. I won't probably buy another Samsung phone again. limiting exynos 5433 to 32 bit another retarded thing too.

toofimoofi said:
Without microsd, its crap.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1
Lets not forget the battery is a smaller 2600mAh unit vs. 2800mAh in the S5, don't even dare give me the CPU is more efficient BS, once you get Facebook, Chrome and Instagram going all that stuff becomes typical marketing talk, and you realise the advantage of a much larger batt.
I'll keep my Note 4 thanks, I just hope the Note 5 doesn't go the same way or I'll be very disappointed.

POLO_i780 said:
+1
Lets not forget the battery is a smaller 2600mAh unit vs. 2800mAh in the S5, don't even dare give me the CPU is more efficient BS, once you get Facebook, Chrome and Instagram going all that stuff becomes typical marketing talk, and you realise the advantage of a much larger batt.
I'll keep my Note 4 thanks, I just hope the Note 5 doesn't go the same way or I'll be very disappointed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
battery will be probably same with s5.

M glad i left S series at S3. Samsung started distroying it after that. Not worth. The true class in note series.
Sent from Galaxy Note 3 (The beauty & beast)

POLO_i780 said:
+1
Lets not forget the battery is a smaller 2600mAh unit vs. 2800mAh in the S5, don't even dare give me the CPU is more efficient BS, once you get Facebook, Chrome and Instagram going all that stuff becomes typical marketing talk, and you realise the advantage of a much larger batt.
I'll keep my Note 4 thanks, I just hope the Note 5 doesn't go the same way or I'll be very disappointed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The battery is actually 2550mAh but it will probably be on pair with the galaxy s5 and the note 4...

Staying with my note 4

Ashatar said:
The battery is actually 2550mAh but it will probably be on pair with the galaxy s5 and the note 4...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
s5 and note 4 has different battery life. it can just reach s5. probably 5 hour sot will be most for s6.

Waiting for note 5

You all know if the s6 is this good, the note 5 will be twice as good. I love the note 4 because it was a real upgrade from the note 3. Screen, CPu and Gpu. The s6, yes with 64bit with nothing that will use it, the note 5 will come out when there will be software that will use it.
The note 4 is my baby till it dies. I really do not see the need for another phone that will do nothing better on day to day activities.
More so, I really hope Samsung gives us the new tw unlike what they do normally. Which is they may upgrade Android versions but they rarely upgrade tw on older devices

jetbruceli said:
You all know if the s6 is this good, the note 5 will be twice as good. I love the note 4 because it was a real upgrade from the note 3. Screen, CPu and Gpu. The s6, yes with 64bit with nothing that will use it, the note 5 will come out when there will be software that will use it.
The note 4 is my baby till it dies. I really do not see the need for another phone that will do nothing better on day to day activities.
More so, I really hope Samsung gives us the new tw unlike what they do normally. Which is they may upgrade Android versions but they rarely upgrade tw on older devices
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It'd be great if they give us 5.0.2 with the new touchwiz but i doubt that will happen...

You never know, maybe that's one of the reasons for the lack of lollipop on the Note 4 so far (optimising TW)...I hope.

Happy the S6 looks good. Samsung has two ticks a year.
I always keep my phones for two years so I'll pass.

Galaxy S6 Edge+ or Note 5 - Which one did you buy ?

After the Samsung event today, when the pre-order went live, I got crazy over which one to buy. Even on samsung website, they have put a teaser to select the one I like. For being a note fan, I was inclined towards Note although I loved the edge display of S6 (never liked the 'S' series though). But finally, I took the big step. Ordered one S6 Edge+. Thought why not give a try, I can always change it after a year or two if its not that good, but I gotta try the edge for once.
So, which one did you buy ? (if you thought its worth the upgrade ofcourse). Or do you think I made a mistake ?

Yeah who know's if it's a good choice or not - tell us what it's like when you get it
Note 5 pretty much killed the Note series

I'll get it on 28th. I expected a delivery with the release date, however, I booked mine from BestBuy since they were giving away a free wireless charger (please note that this is not the fast wireless charging pad). I'll post some reviews once I use it for considerable time.:cyclops:

If you're one of 750 million people in Europe Samsung made the decision for you ...
Posted using Tapatalk

I'm still on my note 2 here. I was waiting for the announcement to decide if I wanted to go to note 4 or note 5.
The lack of SD card and no removable battery killed it for me.
Then I saw the new keyboard case!!
Omg be still my heart! It's been 4 years since my beloved HTC G2 and it's physical keyboard.
I might jump ship from the note and go for the s6 edge +!
I don't use my spen very often...

I like the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge plus, but the battery maybe the big problem which is bother me. Do I need to carry a power bank with it all day lone?

I wonder if existing S6 Edge owners will be pissed since they just bought a spanking new phone only a few months back, and now so soon an upgrade has been released.

Edge+ for me. I rarely used the S-Pen and just bought the Note line due to the large screen. Battery is a concern, but we will see.

Note 4. Samsung makes decision easy.

Being in the UK it would have to be the S6 Edge+. The only issue is that currently my provider (O2) has announced There will be 1 capacity available - 32GB but it hasn't even been 24 hours so I'm hoping it's incorrect.
Currently running 96GB on my Note

Motorpsycho said:
Note 4. Samsung makes decision easy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly. The only thing good about the Note 5 or S6 Edge+ is the looks, mostly everything else is a downgrade over the Note 4.

Lembo said:
Being in the UK it would have to be the S6 Edge+. The only issue is that currently my provider (O2) has announced There will be 1 capacity available - 32GB but it hasn't even been 24 hours so I'm hoping it's incorrect.
Currently running 96GB on my Note
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey fellow loyal Samsung user who don't exist according to Samsung!
Even though I would have managed to get over the fact that for what ever reason the Samsung god decided we are not worthy of Note 5, when I went to O2 website and saw the only option of 32 GB.... I simply just close the tab and went to look at XiaoMi Redmi Note 2!

nookcoloruser said:
If you're one of 750 million people in Europe Samsung made the decision for you ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right, Note 5 would have been my best choice for an high-end device to buy.
So... I'll buy a Nexus 5 2015.

I got a ship notification for the GS6E+ for a Monday delivery. I guess AT&T had them ready. I just ordered a few hours ago.

Im soo hyped i just got both the S6 Edge+ and the Note 5 pre ordered and im going forum post trigger happy lol I hope they mod, custom rom etc the works on these devices cuz i cant wait to see what these magicians can do with these devices!

which color are u getting, looks like US is getting only the black and the gold version, i was keen on the silver titanium version.
The verizon store owner who is also a friend told me that the gold version looks very classy, as a samsung rep brought it over to the store to show it to him.
I am kinda finding it hard figure out, if i should get the gold or the black

Decided on the edge+ cause i never use the s-pen
Sent from my SM-G925P using Tapatalk

first guy in UK to get one ! maybe in the world

Motorpsycho said:
Note 4. Samsung makes decision easy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
geoff5093 said:
Exactly. The only thing good about the Note 5 or S6 Edge+ is the looks, mostly everything else is a downgrade over the Note 4.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I'm not the one to judge what you should or shouldn't buy, however, I wouldn't say its a downgrade in anyway. For further clarification, let me take a few examples of the things people have been complaining about:-
Lower Battery Life
-You might say it has a 200-300 mAh lesser than any competitive device or even older Note devices. However, there is a good reason for that too. The new AMOLED is highly optimized for less power consumption compared to older Note devices. GS6 Edge and Edge+/N5 packs the same Quad HD resolution, hence the screen consumption will be same even though the screen size is bigger since the PPI is reduced in Edge+/N5 (which is again irrelevant to naked eye).
-The 14nm processor is way more power efficient than the older processors used in Note series.
- The non inclusion of SD Card also positively affects the battery life, check google for more info (we will come to the negative side later)
- The LPDDR4 RAM in newer smartphones have double the efficiency (data rate) with considerably less power consumption.
Even though I do not disagree that inclusion of bigger battery with some compromise over thickness would have been better, however, the battery (even though sounds less on paper) is equivalent (if not more) to what we used to get in old note series.
Missing SD Card
This seems to be one of the biggest worries for most of the folks, and they do have a valid reason for that. However, if we talk about why the SD Card hasn't been included, I can tell you its definitely not because SD Card is not supported with UFS2.0. The real reason is due to UFS2.0 being too fast (atleast 3 times of eMMC 5.1 ). When coupled with an SD Card, just imagine the user experience when half the app is running from UFS2.0 while its cache/data is stored in SD Card, that might actually lead to lags. This is the same reason for Apple not supporting SD Cards too (they don't use UFS2.0 though). Although its not the perfect replacement, however, you can pick some cheap sandisk otg flash drives for like 10-15 bux or may be wifi flash drives for like 30-40 bux. At least that's what I use.
Removable Battery
I think they did it to make create that unibody design and give it the premium look. I know it might not be what we were looking for in Note series, however, I do remember the days of the past (like 2 years back) when Samsung was criticized for their cheap plastic models compared to metallic HTCs. Well, guess what, they heard us. Even I miss this one. I'm looking forward to pick one MobilePal QI enabled power bank which retails at around 38 bux. I know we can't carry another bulky device with us all the time, but samsung didn't leave us with much choice in this area.
Missing IR Blaster
I still couldn't figure out what made them get rid of this. I was so much looking forward to this one and this is probably the only thing I would miss on my upcoming flagship. Can't do much here either...
Overall, I do not think Samsung has released a downgrade to its predecessors. The inclusion of amazing hardware [14nm fastest processor, UFS2.0, DDR4 RAM, Fast Wireless Charging, LTE Cat9, Optimized S-PEN, etc] bundled with its fair and unique software does put it above any other flagships in the market ( if we do not consider the price range ). Again, this is not for the sake of any argument, its just as per my analysis. Please feel free to correct me if I've mentioned anything wrong.

If you don't like to call it a downgrade then call it a sidegrade if you like and of cause the SOC, Fast RAM, Software improvements for the SPEN and so on are on the plus side. The problems you name for a SD card would apply to OTG storage just the same, besides you have to have this externally plugged in tearing at the usb port. For now the majority of S6 users seem not to be very impressed by battery time. Maybe software improvements can make that better and the hardware has the potential to deliver equal running times, but for S6 users this promise is not yet fullfilled.
The plastic back of Samsung phone always were a pro argument for me and i did never understand why people cried for metal or glass bodies. A plastic back is light weight, very cheap replaceable. Never had a problem with that while other phones with metal bodies had poor connection strength.
Actually i bought the Note 4 yesterday from my carrier for 19,95€ with contract prolongation while a S6 (without edge) with 128GB would have cost me more than 340€ and S6edge+ will probably be even more expensive while having only 64GB and the Note not be available for Europa at all (at least for now). Paying 300-400€ more for a phone that has some technical advantages and a lot of disadvantages in usability and the promise that regarding battery time it might come close to the note 4 and some of the insufficiencies can be compensated, somehow. Sorry, I don't see this for me.
I think their new commercial slogan will be "Samsung, making decisions easy!".

Why is Note 4 Better than Note 5?

After Note 5 was published, people make lots of complaints about it. So, can anyone tell me why Note 4 better than Note 5?

The War LOrD said:
After Note 5 was published, people make lots of complaints about it. So, can anyone tell me why Note 4 better than Note 5?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
MicroSD-Card reader, IR Blaster, swappable battery, larger battery, Gear VR, no fragile glass body, etc.

Screen off Memo
the only reason why I want to update to Note 5 from Note4 is "Screen off Memo". And now we can have this SOM on Note 4, so no more Note 5 for me (Big thank to xperiacle and Pako7).
http://forum.xda-developers.com/note-4/themes-apps/screen-off-memo-t3203744

The War LOrD said:
After Note 5 was published, people make lots of complaints about it. So, can anyone tell me why Note 4 better than Note 5?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No microSD support is bad, but I still can manage that.
But NO user replaceable battery....that's a DEAL BREAKER!
I'm the type of person who use a device until it is broken.
So being able to replace battery easily means I can just replace the battery if the original battery is broken.
That's why Note 4 is better than Note 5

note 4 vs note 5
I just purchased a note 4 Exynos chip instead of a note 5. The reasons for the going for the older model.
- expandable SD card.-( I upgraded from an LG G2), it was always a hassle to backup Roms and if the memory is full from apps and app data then there was no space for music let alone videos. now with SD card I can carry loads of media and even swop out SD cards while I travel. also easy to update ROMS and load content from computer to phone without the need for cables.
- Battery life-the note 4 has a larger battery, yes the note 5 has more efficient hardware and might actually last longer but i believe that with proper software like the recent update to 5.1.1 will negate the hardware effectiveness unless you run high intensity games. I easily reach 2 days battery life and can push 3. and then you can just pop off the back and boom insert new battery. also as your device ages the battery dies and it is a cheap fix to just pop out the back and insert new battery, future proofing a bit.
-Exynos chip- The note 5 has a much faster chip but I am not a gamer. I like to use my phone for everything from calling(yes it is obvious but very overlooked) to running functionality apps that simplify life, with some light to medium gaming thrown in between. IE more calculations than graphics that is why i purchased an unlocked exynos chip note 4. it has the ability to oneday, with the correct software, to also run with 64 bit capability. downside is lack of ROMS especially my favorite CM 12.1. I have also done benchmark test and on geekbench i am getting results of 4500 plus multi score and 1200 single. Antutu gives still 54000 . this means that with Android 5.1.1 the phone is not much slower than the note 5.
The Spen - you cant break your phone with the note 4 Spen, and is idiot proof like you can with the note 5. the other little upgrades are just software. Software can always change. Look at some of the fantastic work done by Devs here to give note users the latest features on older phones.
IR blaster- overlooked but so useful, can control TVs Aircons and Media devices. (just wish samsung could also learn IR signals like my old G2 to custom make a remote for the house/office)
Things that make the note 5 better.
Faster chip( as mentioned above not that major for sum of us, if you game a lot then maybe it is), more ram, better fingerprint reader(one thing I wish note 4 had), samsung pay (nice to have, will unfortunately not be coming to my country soon so not a problem).
Things people say makes note 5 better but I think is just hogwash
- build quality- both are excellently built, but everyone just puts covers on anyway and then the note 4 even wins with better covers that integrate with the back panel, and no glass that can be slippery.
- wireless charging. REALLY people how difficult is it to insert a charger , USB type C with fast charging would be the ultimate solution. and if you really want it the note 4 can also use wireless charging with 3rd party products
Above is just my 2 cents worth. use it ignore it it is just up to you, I know I made my disision and I am not regretting it at all. will probably root my phone soon, but so far there is little reason to root. maybe to use note 5 apps
:good::good:

Plus no mhl and no smart select ie and converts to text

The Note 4 has overall mostly the same features as the Note 5 does. You won't really notice and difference in speed on a normal daily use, only benchmark wise.
The Note 4 has a removable back, replaceable battery and microSD support. If your Note 4 battery is fauly, you can get a new one under warranty. If your Note 5 battery is faulty then you would have to send it back to Samsung.
And, of course, the Note 4 is cheaper and you're getting way more value for your money than with the Note 5 in my opinion.

It seems to me that every new Note has features I don't want added, and ones I really use taken away.
Case in point - I still have my old Note 3 lying around as a spare, and picked it up to use the other day. It made me stop and think - the Note3 was actually an awesome phone, why on earth did I "upgrade" to a Note4 in the first place?
1) Note3 was lighter and slimmer than the Note4
2) It had USB3 - to be honest I don't miss that all that much, but it was kind of cool when copying large videos off the phone
3) The car dock audio worked flawlessly via the USB cable, something I've been waiting in vain for Lollipop to fix, but to be honest I think it's a hardware limitation
I feel the same about the Note5 - everyone + dog has belabored the lack of SD card and removable battery, and while I wholeheartedly agree that these individually would be a deal breaker for me, the nail in the coffin is the lack of a Snapdragon processor.
Yes, yes the Exynos is a fine processor I'm sure but it feels as if all the development of ROMs is happening on the Snapdragon. I mistakenly bought the N910C Exynos version when the Note4 was first released and it took me about a week before I sold it, at a loss, to buy a Snapdragon variant - it just felt laggy, I couldn't find any hope that I'd ever be able to put CyanogenMod onto it. In short I hated it, and myself for not checking the model number before buying.

upgrade ?? confused

Hi all,
I'm confused and very hesitant about upgrading , I have a note 4 and I love it but like I said I'm very hesitant and reluctant to upgrade because I don't want to be a slave to a charger.....this is the number one reasons I hate Iphones besides not being able to expand the memory you can't switch out the battery, and you become as I stated a slave to a charger. Also I want to know if you are rooted & running the latest software does it make a difference what device you have? I know a friend of mine who has an s6 and I know one who has a note 5&6 their constantly charging it because the battery is constantly dying. can anyone tell me why I should upgrade to a note 5 if I cant expand the memory?
Can anyone tell me weather I'm doing the right thing, Or can anyone tell me anything to rest aside my fears concerning upgrading. ......thanks

I think best upgrade from note 4 is now s7 edge.
S8 is not anymore samsung phone becaus there`s no HW buttons and screen look ... WTF? WTF? ... pain in eyes so no thanks.
Still note 4 is amazing device but I think only exynos version becaus on Snapdragon if u have screen time 3 hours u can be happy of Exynos 6 hours sot.
I have 910F with snapdragon and low SOT is reason why i want to upgrade. (OR i need replace mainboard for 910C)

I did not upgrade my Note4 until the Note7 came out. Then it go recalled so went back to the Note4. I can swap the battery around when I want and I have a 256gb microSD card installed. It's still a great phone I say keep it.
I have rooted my Note4 and have a Note7 rom installed. It works really well.
Sent from my SM-N910G using Tapatalk

There's really not a lot of good phones to upgrade to with as much features as the Note 4. Closest by far is the LG V20 and Huawei Mate 9.
I'm actually aiming for the BlackBerry KeyOne cuz how good the battery life will be, I'll wait for a full review though.

Im sad of 910F (snapdragon) battery life. I looking for 910C (Exynos) but in my country is quite imposible

Short Answer: The Note 4 won't be beaten by new phones. Only if you are willing to sacrifice 2 features. The pen, and the removable battery. But for the next 2 to 3 years, it will stand alone on the throne.
Swapped the battery in the beginning of the year, because it died down with some shutdowns after 2 years of usage. No Shutdown since then, I have low SOT but still got 3 days instead of 2 before (910F). Just imagine having a phone with a fixed battery, you would either have to live unhappy with it or buy a new phone. The display is absolutely fine, no AMOLED aging problems yet.
It got a fine camera, 4k video, QHD Display, fast processing power and UI, good battery life, and a pen. That's so far stuff the note 4 has, and isn't worse than recent phones in a considerable amount in any of the things it does.
I crave for an even bigger display (something like 6 - 6,4 inch with 16:9), dual sim (with the bands I need), small bezels, and durable design on the edges (no bent display). I mean man, i dropped the note 4 so many times. The metal frame got damaged like it should, and the display hasn't broken yet.
Future Galaxy Notes won't get bigger in my opinion (Samsung using 2:1 ratio, only good for movies), and even after the note 7 disaster, removable batteries are going to be even less common (like no flagship phones have them anymore).
My only hope are smaller asian companies. But even Xiaomi (who are not small in any way, but they show to have the guts and put money into development of innovative phones like the Mi Mix), won't introduce an integrated pen and removable battery design just like that. Who knows, maybe in 5 years it may be different. When phones are just a display at the front, and you have to be different because they all have become the same concerning the design (lg g6 = s8 design, or like all the sharp aquos and the mi mix).
By the way, I use the dr. Ketan rom. Main Reason: With UC Browser (you can use a custom background, like a black picture. Bugless black browsing experience), and the official samsung theme manager, I got a close to complete black UI.

Vybramo said:
I think best upgrade from note 4 is now s7 edge.
S8 is not anymore samsung phone becaus there`s no HW buttons and screen look ... WTF? WTF? ... pain in eyes so no thanks.
Still note 4 is amazing device but I think only exynos version becaus on Snapdragon if u have screen time 3 hours u can be happy of Exynos 6 hours sot.
I have 910F with snapdragon and low SOT is reason why i want to upgrade. (OR i need replace mainboard for 910C)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
on s8 you can set the navigation bar to be static and black and you will get the same as hardware buttons with the plus of the force touch home button.
nobody used to the hardware button will get any difference in using them.
to understand what i'm saying just give a look at the antutu benchmark ... you will see the black bar.just imagine the black bar with buttons.no difference
you can adjust even the ratio to be 16/9 so...if you want you can get advantages from the infinity display otherwise not

Still its amoled. After half year of using u will have different collors on display on Button spot. But i dont understand why samsung use just only 4gb of ram on latest CPU ... Most of application eat around 700mb and 8gb will be nice to have on flagship.
I using my note 4 as navigation but s8 rly sux with screen ratio + edges for it.
I thinking about upgrade to oneplus 3t but night shots its imported for me alot + battery life where is samgung s7 edge for now best choice.

Even by current standards the Note 4 is still a very good device. Especially if you have the Exynos variant.

If the Note 4 had the S7 Edge Camera, fingerprint scanner and Ip68 resistance, it would be Samsung King.
Sent from my SM-G935V using XDA-Developers Legacy app