The Samsung Galaxy Note is currently one of top devices from the Korean electronics giant. It has great specs, great design and offers great features. It separates itself from the rest of pack by combing both phone and tablet functionalities in a 5.3-inch package. At this size, the Galaxy Noteis naturally big for a phone and is also small for a tablet. The question is, will this diminish the value and usefulness of the Galaxy Note? Or does is the device able to shine nonetheless? Read the rest of the review to find out.
Design
Big. This is what immediately comes to mind when you hold the Samsung Galaxy Note. This is of course if you have a previous knowledge about the device being a phone. “Small” then comes to mind if you have previously been told that the Note is a tablet. In reality, the Galaxy Note is both, so you will actually feel confused if the device is big or small. What is clear, though, is that the Note is impossible to operate using only a single hand. Try doing this and you’ll end up tapping the wrong icons, or worse, you’ll drop the thing.
Samsung is practically the first to introduce this kind of device. It’s a “phablet” as some have labeled it, since it is both a phone and a tablet. As such, it’s hard to measure the device if you treat it as a phone, and equally hard if you treat it as a tablet. So what should we make of it then?
The Galaxy Note is a unique device that both enthralls and impresses. The construction of the Galaxy Tab is something that’s praise-worthy. Apart from the plastic back cover, I like everything else about the Galaxy Note’s design and materials. It’s a premium device no doubt. From the all black front part, to the silver trimming that outlines the phone, to the minimalist overall appeal, the Galaxy Note is simply beautiful. The display on the front abruptly ends on the edges, a design element that’s not exactly original but is highly useful on a touchscreen device since it lets users swipe until the edge of the phone without anything blocking or stopping the action.
The buttons have nice resistance to them, except for the Home button which is soft, but not in a bad way. The power button is located at the right side while the volume rocker occupies the left side. On top is a 3.5mm headphone jack and at the bottom is the micro USB port. The camera occupies the back part, joined by an LED flash and a speaker grille. The back cover of the device has a textured feel to it yet it’s still obviously plastic. What’s good about plastic back covers is they can be easily removed and that’s the case with the Galaxy Note.
Hardware and Display
The Galaxy Note is currently one of the best devices in terms of hardware specs. The combination of a 1.4GHz dual-core Exynos chip, 1GB RAM, 8 megapixel rear and 2 megapixel front camera, 2500mAh battery, and 5.3-inch HD Super AMOLED display with 1280×800 pixel resolution make the Galaxy Note a superdevice. This set of specs lets you run apps, play games and videos and snap photos without lags or hiccups.
The most impressive hardware feature of the Galaxy Note has to be the screen. The 5.3-inch display on the Note is simply stunning. It’s arguably one of the best displays I’ve seen on a mobile device, possibly at par with the retina display on the iPhone 4S. The 1280 x 800 resolution makes the display crisp and sharp, and we all know how good Samsung’s Super AMOLED displays are. The version on the Galaxy Note is an HD version, so it’s even better than the one on the Samsung Galaxy S II for instance.
The 5.3-inch size is huge. It’s ideal for watching videos, playing games, reading ebooks or browsing websites. I prefer doing these tasks on the Galaxy Note than on my Galaxy Nexus because of the bigger screen real estate. This is an advantage of devices of with bigger screens. The downside, clearly, is lesser portability. I used to think that at 5.3 inches, the Galaxy Note is still going to as portable as my 4.65-inch Galaxy Nexus. I was wrong. The Galaxy Note is not meant for one-hand use. It’s simply impossible to do this if you have normal-sized hands. I tried to type text messages with a single hand and I always failed to finish what I was typing as it’s hard to reach for the letters on the other side of the display. This also holds true for tapping icons located at the upper left hand corner. For those who drive, you will not be able to use the Note while mobile. You may need a second phone for that.
Here’s the list of main specs for the Galaxy Note.
Samsung Galaxy Note Specifications
- 5.3-inch HD Super AMOLED display (1280×800 pixel resolution)
- Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread
- Samsung TouchWiz UI 4.0
- 1.4GHz dual-core processor Exynos chip
- Mali-400MP GPU
- 1GB RAM
- 16GB internal memory (expandable via microSD up to 32GB)
- HSPA+ 21Mbps or 4G LTE
- WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0
- 8MP rear camera with 1080p full HD video recording
- 2MP front-facing camera
- GPS w/ aGPS support
- FM radio tuner
- 2500mAh battery
- Size: 146.85 x 82.95 x 9.65 mm, 178g
