Here's the comparison review for the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, which has a release date on Verizon Wireless Oct. 10. We'll compare it to the its predecessor, the Galaxy Note 2.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is just about to launch on one of the most popular U.S. carriers, Verizon Wireless. With such a huge flagship phone, with cutting-edge features, coming out, you can expect a relatively huge price, too. So is it worth the extra cash? Or should you get last year's model for (possibly) far less than its ever been sold? What's the difference between the two anyway?
Display
There are quite a lot of differences. For one, the display has been amped up in resolution and size, without making the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 heavier or larger.
Verizon's Samsung Galaxy Note 3 has a Super AMOLED touchscreen display, which measures 5.7-inches diagonally. Compare that to the Galaxy Note 2's 5.5-inch display of the same type.
Now take into account that the new Galaxy Note 3 packs about 386 pixels per inch with its Full HD 1080 x 1920p resolution. Especially on a larger display, that's impressive, as the Galaxy Note 2 only had 720p HD, resulting in a mid-quality (by today's standards, thanks in part to the GN3) 267 pixels per inch.
Size
Take further into account the fact that the Galaxy Note 3 isn't larger than the GN2, despite the larger screen and upped hardware specs. The Galaxy Note 2 had dimensions of 151.1 x 80.5 x 9.4 mm and weighed 183g.
Samsung has done an amazing job of engineering on the Galaxy Note 3, as it is slimmer and thinner than the Galaxy Note 3, and just, just barely taller. It has dimensions of 151.2 x 79.2 x 8.3 mm, and it actually weighs less, at 168g.
Power (Processor and Battery)
The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 was released with Samsung's Exynos 4412 quad core chip, clocked at 1.6GHz with a Mali GPU and 2GB of RAM. That's impressive, and still compares nicely against some of the lower-powered phablets and phones of this year.
However, as you might suspect, the new Galaxy Note 3 blows that out of the water. Some models of the Galaxy Note 3 will get the new Samsung Exynos processor, but in the U.S., the Note 3 comes with the latest Qualcomm chip, the Snapdragon 800, clocked at 2.3GHz with 3GB of RAM (that's a first for mobile devices in its class).
Powering this beast of a processor is a 3200 mAh battery, which should get you up to 21 hours of talk time, compared to the 16 hours of talk time on the GN2's 3100 mAh unit - an impressive improvement, especially considering the hardware running in the new Note 3.
Camera and Storage
Samsung didn't exactly re-invent the wheel with its Galaxy Note 3 camera. That's okay, because its still a capable shooter, at 13-megapixels with image stabilization and the ability to shot full-frame-rate 1080p HD video.
It's not a huge improvement over the Galaxy Note 2's 8-megapixel shooter, had much of the same software behind it when it launched last year. But if you're getting a Galaxy Note, it's not primarily the camera you're interested in anyway. Both handsets have a good secondary camera around 2 megapixels.
One of the advantages of the Galaxy Note 2 when it was released was its huge storage capacity. That remains unchanged in the Galaxy Note 3. Both phablets have 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB models - depending on how much you want to pay (and whether you can find a 16GB GN3 out there - and added to that, the microSD card slot gives you 64GB more media storage. Room for your stuff is never going to be a problem in either Galaxy Note phablet.
Other Features, Look
Samsung changed it around for the Galaxy Note 3, giving it an old-timey Moleskin-type cover of fake stitched leather. Some may not like that, preferring their phablet to look like a phablet, but nonetheless, it's different.
One thing you won't see on the Galaxy Note 3 compared to the GN2 is the Verizon logo on the home button. That irked some people last year - seeing their carrier's logo several times on a daily basis - but it wont happen this year, as the Verizon checkmark is safely on the back of the device.
There are a couple other features of the new Galaxy Note 3 that put it far ahead of its predecessor, including an updated S Pen that has multiple multitasking capabilities baked right into the system. Copying and pasting, saving S Notes, and making reminders will be easier than ever.
The other thing to "note" is that the Galaxy Note 3 comes with the latest Android 4.3 Jelly Bean operating system, which gives you enhanced graphics support, multiple secure profiles, and several other improvements that make the Note 3 more like a ultra-portable laptop than a phone.
The updated Android OS means it also will work with the Galaxy Gear smartwatch, while the GN2 will not. But that feature is probably not worth your time or money at the moment.
Release Date and Price
Right now, of course, the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 has been unleashed on the U.S. for about a year, while the Galaxy Note 3 is available for pre-order, and shipping on Oct. 10.
The new Galaxy Note 3 will cost you about $300 with a two-year contract. The Galaxy Note 2 is currently priced at $200 with a two-year contract, but that may get marked down as the GN3 comes into full circulation. If you're just looking for a solid phone that you can use a stylus on, but you don't want to spend much, the Galaxy Note 2 may soon be your phablet, if the price gets dropped more.
But if you want one of the hottest phones on the market right now, and one that will be very future-proof, and can spend $300 on it, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is just what you want. And aren't you so excited about Thursday, Oct. 10?
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