The holidays are upon us, so let's compare two of the best smartphones on the market today: the Apple iPhone 5 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 2.
CNET gives both phones a 4 out of 5 rating, but they give a slight edge to the iPhone 5. The Note II has stylus issues and the oversized dimensions can cause problems in transit or when multitasking.
I have problems holding onto my Galaxy S III, the Note II's smaller cousin, and my hands aren't particularly small.
The Note II is huge-as in size. The Apple iPhone 5 is marketed as tall, since it's longer than the iPhone 4 but it has the same width. The Galaxy Note II is over an inch longer than the iPhone 5, wider by 7/8 of an inch, and has a larger screen--5.55 inches--over an inch more than the iPhone 5. But, the Note II is also thicker, and the size can make it unwieldy for smaller hands, especially when used as a phone.
But the Note II is very quick, with a quad-core processor, compared to the dual-core in the iPhone 5's.
PC Magazine actually gives the Note II the lead, with 4.5 out of 5, edging out the iPhone 5's 4 out of 5, because of its large and bright display, features and sheer speed.
But MacWorld and PC World gave the two phones the exact opposite ratings. Reviewers there docked points for the Note II's size.
However, reviews from users reviews lean toward the Note II. CNET users give the iPhone 5 only 3.5 stars, while the Note II is currently a full star ahead at over 4.5.
But the iPhone 5 has four times the number of reviews, so the ratings might even out over time.
At Amazon, user ratings are comparable to other sites. The Note II averages a bit under 5 stars, while the iPhone 5 hovers just around 4 stars.
The feature set for both phones is very comparable.
Displays are essentially large eye candy, and both sport an 8 megapixel camera and 1080p HD video.
The internal storage of the Note II is double that of the iPhone 5, at 32 GB, and the Note II has an SD card slot that offers up to an additional 64 GB of storage.
And the Note II's bigger battery also offers longer life. The Note II boast a ridiculous(ly good) 35 hours of talk time, compared to 8 hours on the iPhone 5. You'll run out of things to say long before you'll need to recharge.
But be sure to pick up a Bluetooth headpiece, because the Note II looks silly against an ear.
If you're on T-Mobile, you won't get a choice between the two, at least not yet. While there's speculation about next year, the iPhone 5 isn't available on that carrier, so you'll have to get the Note II.
If size isn't an issue, you'll be happy with the Note II. If you prefer something sized for small hands, get the iPhone 5.
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