If you’re wondering whether this title pertains to vacuum cleaners or refrigerators, it’s safe to say that you’re either over 60 years old, or you have no interest in technology whatsoever. Just kidding; you all know what Samsung is and in this modern day and age of “selfies”, the Internet and overachieving, it can become difficult to specify what such a title is related to. But, smartphones and phablets have stormed our lives overnight and whoever says they’re not fascinated by them is either lying or living on top of a mountain somewhere, hunting gain for every meal. Samsung is and has been one of the leading manufacturers of smartphones in the past years and its models are one of the most popular. However, as today’s consumer societies are based on expendable goods, you can easily understand why new and modern things are always popular. On that note, Samsung has yet again brought forth two models that promise to maintain the brand’s reputation as a reliable and innovative smartphone manufacturer.
Contender No. 1
First off, let’s take a look at the Galaxy Note 4
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Size Matters; Quality Even More So
The predecessor of the Note 4 is (you’ve guessed it) the Note 3 and it was a real whopper in its time (and it still is) with its 5.7-inch screen. Now, you might be thinking that bigger is always better, but that’s not the case when it comes to the fine line between smartphones and phablets, which is actually not so fine anymore. The Note 4 prides itself with the same 5.7-inch screen, but unlike its older brother, the focus this time is on quality instead of size.
Huge And Beautiful
Now, when you hear the dimensions of the screen, the next question is bound to be about its quality, which really is impressive. The Quad HD Super AMOLED technology has been utilized to equip the Note 4 with a 2, 560 x 1, 440 screen resolution and it doesn’t end there: Samsung claims that the device has an adaptive display, which is a fancy way of saying that the screen changes with regards to the light of the room you’re in (or aren’t).
They Listened To The Market
The design is an absolute advantage of the Note 4 and it’s where it really shows that the device has really gone one up on its big (equal) brother in terms of build quality. A metal rim surrounds the handset, which gives it a more premium feel, in addition to making it sit very comfortably in the hand. The weight is pretty much standard at 176 grams, and the newest addition to the handset is the heartrate monitor on the back, which was borrowed from the S5.
What Took You So Long?
The S Pen is probably one of the biggest surprises in the device, especially when one NOTEs (get it?) that it took 4 generations of the handset to really get the S Pen to where it should have been from the start. The fountain and calligraphy options of the pen really are a nice and, more importantly, functional addition. Unlike the previous versions of the pen, the one in the Note 4 is by far the most impressive in terms of sheer usability.
Say “Cheese” And Don’t Worry About Power
- Boosting the camera to 16MP from the previous 13MP could easily sound like plain old bragging on paper, but the difference really shows. The front camera (3.7MP) has also been reengineered to let in 60% more light than before, which is good news for all you selfie-fans out there.
- Performance-wise, this giant packs a punch. Why? Because if has a 2.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 805 processor, coupled with 3GB of RAM tucked away safely on the inside. This makes the phone very fast, speeding-bullet fast even, which begs the question: how long will you be able to use it daily? Well, the 3200mAh battery, the same one from the Note 3, with its improved charging function, will make sure you’re never short on power.
The conclusion? A darn-right beastly device!
Contender No. 2
On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge is one of those prototypes that was never meant to see the light of day in terms of mass production. However, somewhere along the line, Samsung made the wise call of producing a smartphone like no other in the market right now. The company wasn’t sure what to do with their patented bendable OLED displays for quite some time, but it has finally found a purpose for them.
The Deal-Maker
When it comes to extra real estate, the world of smartphones really goes above and beyond; some try to make bigger and wider screens, others try to focus on minimizing the bezels, but at the end of the day, Samsung is the first to come up with a revolutionary solution – a screen that literally folds over one side of the device, leaving only 3 “normal” sides to the handset. This is no new screen, by the way – the same one can be found on the Note-s 3 and 4. It’s the good, old 5.7-inch AMOLED beast.
You’d think that such a unique design would have tons of flaws and wouldn’t be very practical; well, you’d be wrong in thinking that. The smartest thing that could have been done with this extra inch of screen on the side of the phone…has been done. It is completely independent from the main screen, making it highly practical when you want to save power and check for notifications, weather or the time. If you’re in a business meeting, imagine how cool you’ll look!
Not A One Hit Wonder
In terms of overall features, the Note Edge’s screen is pretty much the only thing that separates it from the Note 4. In other words, the only differences are mirrored in the fact that you might have to settle for a battery with “only” 3000mAh, but on the other hand, you’ll be welcomed by a 16:10 aspect ratio whenever your eyes fall onto the device.
Again, like the Note 4, the chassis of the Edge is also equipped with a heartrate monitor on the back, which is something that will definitely do wonders in terms of practicality for all the die-hard selfie-enthusiasts out there.
It Would Be A Real Shame To “Write It Off”, Samsung!
The S Pen is also another glorious addition to this characteristic handset by Samsung, and its most prominent improvements, in comparison to the older Note models, pertain to the fact that the new pen actually makes your handwriting look like it was done on paper. Shrinking applications like you would do with widgets is also possible with the new pen, which enables you to access the homescreen more easily.
The conclusion? Compared to the Note 4 and the rest of the Note models, the Edge really is a characteristic and, above all, beautifully designed and crafted device. Its beauty, coupled with proven Samsung functionality, are its biggest selling points. Is it better than the Note 4? Not really. Is it more interesting? Absolutely! The only thing you need to be worried about are the rumors that Samsung plans to make the Edge a limited edition.
