Samsung Galaxy Note LTE vs LG Nitro HD

Introduction:

Oh man…the new kid on the block has been garnering plenty of praise and adulation from the masses, and from the looks of it, rival handsets are finding it very difficult to compete with something so massive – literally! Cementing itself as a top-contender on AT&T’s lineup, the Samsung Galaxy Note LTE has captivated our attention thanks to its killer specs, but most importantly, its uncanny size for a smartphone is undeniably its trump card. Before its arrival, the LG Nitro HD pushed the envelope with its then above-average sized 4.5” True HD IPS display, but as we’ve all come to realize, it’s pales in comparison in size against the obnoxiously large display of the Galaxy Note LTE. Regardless of that, it’s still quite a lovable handset on its own, especially now it’s priced at under $100, so let’s find out how these two juggernauts stack against one another.

Design:

Over 2 months ago, the LG Nitro HD reaffirmed that 4G LTE smartphones could be manageable in size, even with super-sized displays in tow, but it was in fact bearing one of the largest footprints of any 4G LTE smartphone at the time. Well, it’s evident that’s not the case anymore, as the Samsung Galaxy Note LTE takes it to the next level with its ridiculous dimensions. Visually, there’s nothing whatsoever that stands out with their designs, seeing they’re both constructed out of all plastic, boast streamlined bodies, and sturdy construction. However, what’s apparent is the sheer size of the Galaxy Note LTE, which makes it the harder device to wield with one hand – whereas, it’s not a disturbing nuisance with the Nitro HD. At the same time though, it’s the size of the Note that draws us in more into it than the Nitro HD.


Thanks partly to its 3-button layout, as opposed to the usual 4 Android capacitive buttons on the Galaxy Note LTE, the Nitro HD is less prone to accidental presses. As for their front-facing cameras, the Nitro HD is equipped with a 1.3-megapixel one, while the Galaxy Note LTS is graced with a slightly larger 2-megapixel snapper.

Easy on the fingers to feel out and dishing up some quality responses, we’re fond of their dedicated power buttons and volume controls. With their microUSB ports, they obviously supply juice and transfer data, but they require the aid of an MHL adapter to gain video-out functionality.

For the photo-centric individuals out there, you’ll be pleased to know that they’re sporting the same sized 8-megapixel auto-focus camera with LED flash – with the ability to capture 1080p videos. In terms of battery, the Nitro HD houses a sufficient 1,830 mAh battery, while the Galaxy Note LTE is endowed with an uber sized 2,500 mAh one.



Display:

It’s not every day we find a smartphone with a monstrous 5.3” WXGA (800 x 1280) Super AMOLED display, but that’s the reality of things as the Galaxy Note’s screen makes the 4.5” True HD (720 x 1280) IPS display of the Nitro HD seem average in size. Without question, there’s a lot to like with both displays as they exhibit great viewing angles and sharp details on the surface, but that’s where the similarities end. Specifically, we’re enchanted by the  saturated color production of the Galaxy Note’s Super AMOLED panel, but it’s not necessarily accurate per se – especially when it has a distinct bluish tone with the color white. Conversely, the advantage of Nitro HD’s IPS display is that it has the more accurate and realistic colors.

Interface and Functionality:

Believe it or not, but these two smartphones are still running Android 2.3 Gingerbread in a time when Ice Cream Sandwich is readily available with other devices. Nevertheless, that’s simply just the way it is and we have to accept them for what they are. Honestly though, there isn’t a whole lot different between the two, other than running different customized UIs on top of Gingerbread, but they boast all the wonderful personalization aspects of the platform as a whole. On the surface, their presentations are very similar, but the Galaxy Note LTE offers additional functionality that broadens its depth – such as gesture controls that allow us to zoom in the gallery and browser. Plus, there’s this thing called the S Pen with the Galaxy Note LTE that turns the smartphone to a virtual canvas ready for drawing or jotting down notes.



Sure, the Samsung Galaxy Note LTE has the larger display, but the LG Nitro HD is still spacious enough to present us with a comfortable typing experience. When it comes down to it, there’s barely any pause with either device as they maintain a steady stream of responsiveness when typing up messages. And if typing isn’t your kind of forte, then there’s always Android’s speech-to-text service. However, it’s also worth pointing out the Note’s transcribing option with the S Pen – though, it’s not practical enough to overtake the usual method of using the on-screen keyboard since it’s more tedious.



Function-wise, there’s not a whole lot that separates the core set of organizer apps of the two devices in question, but the Galaxy Note LTE exhibits its tablet-like characteristics with apps like the calendar and regular email. Specifically, when placed in landscape, we’re given better visibility and organization thanks to its 2-panel layout. Furthermore, we’ve already mentioned the advantages of the S Pen of the Galaxy Note LTE, as it keenly presents itself as the more systematic device for note taking.


Processor and Memory:

Endowed with the some of the finest processors around, their performances are quite admirable to say the least. Knowing that these beasts are equipped with 4G LTE radios, it doesn’t surprise us that they’re donning the same 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S3 processors underneath their shells. Exhibiting plenty of fluidity and responsiveness with most basic tasks, we do notice just a tiny hint of degradation with more processor intensive tasks – such as running graphically intensive live wallpapers. By no means however are they turtle slow, but rather, it simply softens their status of being high-end devices. In any event, we’re not too concerned with it since it’s never to the point frustrating enough for us to become annoyed.

When it comes to storage, its breaks down to a preloaded 16GB microSD card for the LG Nitro HD, and 16GB of internal storage for the Samsung Galaxy Note LTE with expandability via its unoccupied microSD card slot.

Internet and Connectivity:

Glorified by their innate ability to load complex web sites with minimal wait thanks to their always beneficial 4G LTE connections, they wonderfully replicate that desktop-like experience thanks to their proper rendering and support of Adobe Flash. Obviously, the Galaxy Note LTE has the larger display, but at the same time, it dishes up the smoother and more fluid navigational controls between the two. Well, it’s not that bad at all with the LG Nitro HD, but there are some light instances of choppiness with its movement – albeit, it’s not all that terrible.



Similar to the tooth in the hardware department, these two GSM based smartphones will default to HSPA+ speeds in the event they’re outside the warm glow of AT&T’s new network. Of course, that means that these two will be able to travel to other countries abroad with no worries of incompatibility. Commonly expected, they share the same set of connectivity features such as aGPS, Bluetooth 3.0, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, and mobile hotspot functionality.

Camera:

Previewing the sample images snapped by each handset’s 8-megapixel auto-focus camera, it’s nearly indistinguishable at first to say which is the superior between the two, but after meticulously combing over them, there isn’t a definitive standout winner. In all honesty, they exhibit the same level of quality with most shots, but the LG Nitro HD is better able to compensate exposure when shooting against the sun – whereas the Galaxy Note LTE has a tendency to overexpose brighter areas. Meanwhile, indoor under artificial lighting, we prefer the punchier colors produced by the Galaxy Note LTE versus the bland tones of the Nitro HD. Either way, we’re content by the results and they’re more than worth it for a 4” x 6” print out.

Concurrently, we can say the same thing with their 1080p video recording quality seeing they share many characteristics – like their smooth recording, clear audio quality, and pleasant details. However, the LG Nitro HD exhibits more artifacing when panning very quickly, which isn’t much of an issue for the Galaxy Note LTE. Aside that one qualm, there isn’t anything particularly dramatic to justify one is supremely better than the other.

Samsung Galaxy Note LTE Sample Video:



LG Nitro HD Sample Video:



Multimedia:

Catching the shine in our eyes, we prefer the LG Nitro HD’s music player for the single reason that it features a very glitzy looking presentation when it’s placed in landscape. Oppositely, the Galaxy Note LTE’s offering follows in line to the usual conventional approach, which lacks any significant eye candy to reel us in. Setting them at their loudest volumes, there isn’t one that’s more blistering with their tones, but overall, they’re sufficient in being pleasant sounding.



Mainly for its overly generous size, our eyes are particularly more attracted to the beautiful glow of the Samsung Galaxy Note LTE’s display when watching high-def videos. Well, you can’t count out the LG Nitro HD as well, with its fancy True HD IPS display and all, but it doesn’t quite have the allure and sheer magnitude exhibited by its rival.

Performance:

For the gregarious types that can spend all day chatting away, the Samsung Galaxy Note LTE appears to slightly offer the better overall calling quality. Conversing away with no limit in sight, we dig the Note LTE’s distinctive and robust tones, whereas the Nitro HD is muddled by the grainy voices through its earpiece. Switching over to using their speakerphones, both are still somewhat audible enough to converse without much annoyances, but the two are plagued by some muffled tones.

Making these two devices our travel companions for a few days, we’re happy to report that signal strength appears to be solid without a single instance of dropping any of our phone calls.

Attempting to overlook the size disparity between the two is one thing, but when it comes to fathoming battery life, that’s entirely something else. Between the Nitro HD’s 1,850 mAh battery and the Galaxy Note LTE’s beefier 2,500 mAh, it’s dramatically evident in our experience that the Galaxy Note LTE has the longevity. In fact, we’re able to pull close to two days under normal usage via HSPA+ connectivity, as opposed to the less than one day battery life out of the Nitro HD.

Conclusion:

Storming onto the scene and gracing  AT&T’s lineup very recently, we can’t help but take notice of the dominating presence attached to the Samsung Galaxy Note LTE. Not only because it’s the latest and greatest here stateside, but it’s simply different from the normal trove of smartphones we’re accustomed to seeing. Blurring the fine lines of being a tablet, the Galaxy Note LTE is also able to make some headway over the LG Nitro HD for the added functionality of its S Pen and superior battery life. When it comes to sheer presence, there’s no way to hide the Galaxy Note LTE, obviously, but it has this invisible allure that enchants people far and wide – and it’s still doing it to us!

Interestingly enough, when the Galaxy Note LTE became official blessed AT&T’s lineup, the LG Nitro HD was given a dramatic reduction in price. On one hand, you’ll need to fork over $300 to pick up the newer Samsung Galaxy Note LTE, while the LG Nitro HD is easier to handle at $100 on-contract. Needless to say, that’s a major factor for some people, but if pricing isn’t a worry whatsoever to you, we totally would recommend the Samsung Galaxy Note LTE for the stark reason that it’s simply the bigger head turner.

Samsung Galaxy Note LTE vs LG Nitro HD: