The Samsung Galaxy Note II is a mammoth phone with a huge 5.5-inch display. With the release of the Samsung Galaxy S4, the S series increased its size for 4.8 inches to 5 inches. The S4 is a cracking phone and perhaps the best on the market at the moment. Indeed, many analysts are rating it ahead of the HTC One, Sony Xperia Z, iPhone and just about everything out there. Its probably the best phone ever made.
So how do these two Samsung phones stack up against each other? The Samsung Galaxy Note II is from last year and the Samsung Galaxy S4 from 2013. Well take a look at the different specifications and see how the phones compare on specifications and then well summarise how they perform.
The Processors
The Samsung Galaxy Note II has a 1.6GHZ Quad Core processor. It is a powerful processor that does just about everything that you could want it to do. The Samsung Galaxy S4 is more powerful at 1.9GHz with Quad Core although some models do come with 1.6GHz the same as the Samsung Galaxy Note II.
The processors of both phones are sufficient for most activities and you can multitask and do most of what you want to do fast and snappily without any problems.
The RAM Memory
Both phones have 2GB of RAM and perform adequately because of this.
Memory and Storage
The internal storage capacities of the two models from Samsung are very similar. You can get variance in 16, 32, and 64 GB of internal memory and you do have the capacity to expand the storage through a microSD card. This is a real bonus as some phones on the market such as the HTC One, the iPhone 5, and Nokia Lumia 920 and so forth dont give you the possibility to expand your memory and you can get stock with 16GB of storage.
When it comes to storage on your phone, you wont get the full 16GB either. Phones will have a certain amount of space taken up with the operating systems and with the apps that are installed when you get your phone.
The Displays
Both phones have super AMOLED HD displays although the Samsung Galaxy S4 is a frankly amazing full HD display. The pixels are 1920×1080 on the Samsung Galaxy S4 and 1280×720 on the Samsung Galaxy Note II. The pixels per inch are noticeable better on the Samsung Galaxy S4 at 440ppi compared to 267ppi on the Samsung Galaxy Note II. The Samsung Galaxy S4 is certainly a better display although it is a little bit smaller.
Its also full HD and so will capture the movies and sports much better. Of course these days we are watching more and more television on our smartphones either through the WiFi or through 4G connectivity and the display on the Samsung Galaxy S4 really does do a good job of helping you get the maximum benefit from the likes of Sky Go, BBC iPlayer, and the online movie sites that we can engage with.
The Cameras
The cameras on the phones are very different. The Samsung Galaxy S4 is the best camera on the market at the moment for me. It performs superbly well in low light conditions and has a number of excellent features such as beauty face, best shot, action photos, and so forth that provide the opportunity to really have some fun with the camera.
These snaps are good enough to be printed and not just used for social media and online viewing. It is 5MP better than the Samsung Galaxy Note II which has an 8MP camera. It still takes very good pictures but the performance on the S4 is certainly much better.
When it comes to front facing cameras, they are hard to split with 1.9MP on the Samsung Galaxy Note II and 2MP on the Samsung Galaxy S4.
Battery Life
The battery life of the Samsung Galaxy Note II is extremely good. It has a 3100mAh battery that will certainly see you through a day and perhaps even more. With the Samsung Galaxy Note II being targeted at work users, this is an important characteristic of the phone, of course, you get the stylus which is quite nice too.
The battery on the Samsung Galaxy S4 is 500mAh bigger than the Samsung Galaxy S3 at 2600mAh, it will get you through a day in most cases. And you can also with both phones remove the battery and carry a spare on times when youre not going to be able to charge your phone.
Long Term Evolution
Both phones have the capacity for LTE connections. The fourth generation of the mobile broadband is ten times faster than 3G and Everything Everywhere are seeing connection speeds of 8 to 12MBps is pretty incredible and comparable with the average fixed line broadband connection. Of course it does depend on the coverage in your area.
The Samsung Galaxy Note II does not always have LTE so you have to watch out to make sure that you do have this capacity as different models have different internals.
The Dimensions
The Samsung Galaxy S4 measures 136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9 mm and weighs in at 130g. The Samsung Galaxy Note II is significantly weightier at 183g and you do feel it in your hand. It measures 151.1mm x 80.5mm x 9.4mm. It is difficult to use in one-handed operation whereas the Samsung Galaxy S4 is pretty easy to use even with fairly small hand.
Certainly, when it comes to ergonomics the Samsung Galaxy S4 is much better although the slide back does make it a drop hazard and youll want to get a case for it too.
NFC and SIM Card
Both phones come with Near Field Communication enabled and both use a Micro-SIM rather than a Nano-Sim or a normal SIM.
Overall
Both phones are superb pieces of technology. The Samsung Galaxy Note II is a fun gadget with the stylus making it a bit different and similar to a tablet rather than a smartphone for many. The size of the display and the dimensions also make it feel like a small tablet rather than a big phone.
The Samsung Galaxy S4 is certainly a phone and feels it and looks it. It is a beautiful device with a superb display and is the best phone on the market at the moment in my opinion. It trumps the Samsung Galaxy Note II and is comparably priced on contracts ‘cause the Samsung Galaxy Note II still is pretty expensive despite it being last years release.
The Samsung Galaxy range seemed to be appealing to Sam Jones’s colleagues. By checking sites like uSwitch he found he could save a fair bit of money if he switched providers himself.
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