Samsung Galaxy Note 2 vs Galaxy S4

The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 became a very popular phone for tech enthusiasts because it was big and could do a lot of stuff.  The Samsung Galaxy S4 meanwhile is small and it does a lot of stuff.

So between these two devices that do a lot of stuff, the Galaxy Note 2 and the Galaxy S4, which is the better device?  In this review, we try to answer that question.

Build quality and design

• Aside from their size, the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and the Samsung Galaxy S4 share a lot of the same design elements.
• In the end, which phone suits you better will depend on how you use your phone.
• If you like using your phone one-handed, then the larger size of the Galaxy Note 2 is not for you.
• If you like the smaller form factor, the Galaxy S4 is the phone for you.
• 

Display

• The Galaxy S4 has a 4.99-inch display with a resolution of 1080p and a pixel density of 441 pixels per inch.
• The Galaxy Note 2 has a 5.5-inch display with a resolution of 720p for a pixel density of 267 pixels per inch.
• Galaxy S4 may have the smaller screen but it has the more powerful display.
• The larger screen size of the Galaxy Note 2 allows for better viewing from a distance. From a distance, the lower sharpness level of its 720p display is barely noticeable.

Specs

• Both the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and the Samsung Galaxy S4 have the same amount of internal storage options
• The Galaxy Note 2 and the Galaxy S4 have the same amount of RAM.
• The difference between the two devices comes in when we look at their processing packages.
• The Galaxy Note 2 has a quad-core Exynos that clocks in at 1.6 GHz.
• The Galaxy S4 has two versions with two different chipsets, a Snapdragon 600 and an octa-core Exynos. Both of these chipsets are a bit faster than that of the Note 2.

Performance

• We ran an AnTuTu Benchmark test ten times on both the Galaxy S4 and the Galaxy Note 2.
  • Average score of the Galaxy S4 (with the Snapdragon 600 chipset): 24,500
  • Average score of the Galaxy Note 2: 17,500
• We then ran Epic Citadel tests on the two devices.
  • Epic Citadel on High-Quality mode:
    • Galaxy S4: 58 frames per second
    • Galaxy Note 2: 45 frames per second.
  • Both the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 performed well and tended to be very responsive.
  • However, while some animations used in the Galaxy S4 make it seem like the slower device at the time, the Galaxy S4 is the better performing phone

Software

• Both the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 run Android Jelly Bean.
• The Galaxy S4 runs Android 4.2.2
• The Galaxy Note 2 runs Android 4.1.2.
• While the newer version of Android in the Galaxy S4 does mean it has a bit more features, the difference is negligible.
• The Galaxy S4 has a few new software additions that are not found in the Galaxy Note 2. This includes Air View, Air Gestures, Smart Scroll and S Health.

Camera

• The camera app of the Samsung Galaxy S4 has a lot more features than that of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2.
• Some of these features include dual shot, drama shot, and eraser.
• While the Galaxy Note 2’s camera is not bad, it is undeniable that the photos from the Galaxy S4 are better.

Battery

• The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 has a 3,100 mAh battery.
• The Samsung Galaxy S4 has a 2,600 mAh battery.
• The Galaxy Note 2 has the larger battery unit and you would have expected it to have the longer battery life, however, that is not the case.
• During testing over a period of around 6.5 hours, the battery life between the Galaxy S4 and the Galaxy Note 2 actually remained the same.

If you’re looking at both phones with an eye towards numbers as well as sheer power, then the Samsung Galaxy S4 is the right phone for you.  You shouldn’t ignore the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 though.  If what you like is a big screen and you want S-Pen specific functions, then the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is the right phone for you.

At the end, the choice between the Galaxy S4 and the Galaxy Note 2 comes down to personal preference.  What is it that you need or want out of your phone?

What do you think? Is it the Galaxy S4 or the Galaxy Note 2 for you?

JR

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