Since Samsung's Note family is in a league of its own when it comes to the phablet realm, thanks to the embedded S Pen stylus, we can't really compare with open heart the newly announced Note 3 with the likes of the Sony Xperia Z Ultra, for example, as they evidently fall into different user categories.
We can, however, compare to the previous edition, the Note II, and see what's changed in terms of size, specs and S Pen functionality. We are also throwing in the original Note - not for kicks and giggles, but to follow the evolution of the Note phablet family since its introduction.
First off, Samsung has done great with keeping the size of the Note 3 in check despite the larger 5.7" display - it is as tall and wide as the Note II, and even thinner, while keeping its weight the lightest of the trio. The leather-like material with stitching on the back is sure to raise eyebrows in some, and get a positive reaction in others as a bold move escaping the plastic/glass/metal routine of today's smartphones. With the Note 3 Samsung shows it is listening to the complaints about its repetitive chassis material choices, and maybe that's a precursor to something new in store with the Galaxy S5 as well.
Needless to say, the third generation of the Note phablet family is a clear winner in all other aspects against the other two - 386ppi AMOLED display, blazing fast processor with multiband LTE support, record 3 GB of RAM, double the storage of its predecessors, IR blaster, larger battery, 13 MP camera with high-powered LED flash and 4K video recording, new S Pen and stylus functions - those bells and whistles seem to ensure its futureproof status for the foreseeable future. What do you think, is it a worthy upgrade?
DESIGN
Device type
Galaxy Note 3
Galaxy Note II
Galaxy Note
OS
Android (4.3)
Android (4.1.2, 4.1.1) TouchWiz 4.0 UI
Android (4.1.2, 4.0.4, 4.0.3, 2.3.5, 2.3.4)
Dimensions
5.95 x 3.12 x 0.33 inches (151.2 x 79.2 x 8.3 mm)
5.94 x 3.17 x 0.37 inches (151 x 80.5 x 9.4 mm)
5.78 x 3.27 x 0.38 inches (147 x 83 x 9.65 mm)
Weight
5.93 oz (168 g) the average is 4.4 oz (127 g)
6.42 oz (182 g) the average is 4.4 oz (127 g)
6.28 oz (178 g) the average is 4.4 oz (127 g)
Design features
S Pen
S Pen
S Pen
Side Keys
Left: Lock/Unlock key; Right: Volume control
Left: Volume control; Right: Lock/Unlock key
Left: Volume control; Right: Lock/Unlock key
Colors
Pink, Black, White
Pink, Blue, White
Black, Pink, White
DISPLAY
Physical size
5.7 inches
5.5 inches
5.3 inches
Resolution
1080 x 1920 pixels
720 x 1280 pixels
800 x 1280 pixels
Pixel density
386 ppi
265 ppi
285 ppi
Technology
Super AMOLED
Super AMOLED
Super AMOLED
BATTERY
Talk time
35.00 hours the average is 11 h (650 min)
26.00 hours the average is 11 h (650 min)
Stand-by time
40.8 days (980 hours) the average is 18 days (444 h)
40.0 days (960 hours) the average is 18 days (444 h)
Talk time (3G)
16.00 hours the average is 10 h (582 min)
13.50 hours the average is 10 h (582 min)
Stand-by time (3G)
37.1 days (890 hours) the average is 24 days (564 h)
34.2 days (820 hours) the average is 24 days (564 h)
Capacity
3200 mAh
3100 mAh
2500 mAh
HARDWARE
System chip
Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 MSM8974
Samsung Exynos 4 (4412)
Samsung Exynos 4
Processor
Quad core, 2300 MHz, Krait 400
Quad core, 1600 MHz, ARM Cortex-A9
Dual core, 1400 MHz, ARM Cortex-A9
Graphics processor
Adreno 330
ARM Mali-400 MP4 (Quad-Core)
Mali-400 MP4
System memory
3072 MB RAM (Dual-channel, 800 MHz) / LPDDR3
2048 MB RAM (Dual-channel)
1024 MB RAM
Built-in storage
32 GB
16 GB
32 GB
Storage expansion
microSD, microSDHC up to 64 GB
microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC up to 64 GB
microSD, microSDHC up to 32 GB
CAMERA
Camera
13 megapixels
8 megapixels
8 megapixels
Flash
LED
LED
LED
Aperture size
F2.6
Features
Back-illuminated sensor (BSI), Auto focus, Touch to focus, Digital image stabilization, Face detection, Smile detection, Exposure compensation, ISO control, White balance presets, Burst mode, Digital zoom, Geo tagging, High Dynamic Range mode (HDR), Panorama, Scenes, Effects, Self-timer
Daniel, a devoted tech writer at PhoneArena since 2010, has been engrossed in mobile technology since the Windows Mobile era. His expertise spans mobile hardware, software, and carrier networks, and he's keenly interested in the future of digital health, car connectivity, and 5G. Beyond his professional pursuits, Daniel finds balance in travel, reading, and exploring new tech innovations, while contemplating the ethical and privacy implications of our digital future.
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