Samsung was on to something when they launched the original Galaxy Note back in 2011. The large-screened smartphone seemed awkward at the time
with its 5.3-inch display, but quickly became Samsung’s second most
popular line. The success in the phablet market spurred competitors like
Sony (Xperia Z Ultra), Nokia (Lumia 1520), and even Apple (iPhone 6 Plus) to release their own large handsets.
It’s no surprise that in 2014, Samsung is releasing their fourth-generation Galaxy Note. Like the Galaxy S5
that launched earlier this year, the Galaxy Note 4 is an incremental
update on what came before it. It’s a similar size to and, on initial
inspection, looks quite like the Galaxy Note 3, though the changes bat a little deeper than what might be apparent to begin with.
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For starters, the Galaxy Note 4 is the second handset from the company
to use a 2560 x 1440 Quad HD display (the first being the Quad HD
variant of the Galaxy S5 that saw a limited release). It’s 5.7 inches in
size and uses Super AMOLED technology, which will be interesting from
both a power consumption and subpixel matrix perspective.
Samsung has borrowed the part metal design used in the Galaxy Alpha,
ditching the cheap plastic that has received a lot of criticism over the
years. We’re also looking at an improved 16-megapixel camera with
optical image stabilization (finally!), and a refined software suite
that includes updates to the device’s signature S Pen functionality.
As for the rest of the hardware, Samsung is using cutting edge SoCs in
the Galaxy Note 4. Some markets will receive the Samsung Exynos 7 Octa
5433 model with Category 4 LTE, while others will get the Qualcomm
Snapdragon 805 model with Category 6 LTE. Both SoCs are new to the
TechSpot test bed and will provide interesting talking points,
especially the Exynos chip which utilizes ARM’s new 64-bit CPU cores.
From the moment I opened the Galaxy Note 4’s box it was obvious how much
of an improvement the metal would make. The difference between the new
aluminium-magnesium alloy rim and the faux-metal plastic rim of the Note
3 is massive. Samsung’s high-end, premium smartphone finally feels and
looks like it’s living up to its price tag, and that’s thanks to the
company finally listening to and addressing widespread complaints about
the design.
The rim that runs around the sides is crafted from a single piece of
metal, and has been painted to match the color of the rest of the
device. Initially I was skeptical that the paint job might look a tad
unimpressive, but thanks to the carved metal sections that poke out
either side the handset looks great without being overbearingly shiny.
The paint doesn’t hinder the metal feel either, so you still get the
benefits of the alloy beneath.
If you look really closely you’ll spot several small polycarbonate gaps
in the metal that allow the Note 4 to still have good wireless
performance. These gaps are hardly noticeable, and are integrated much
better than the obvious strips on the back of the HTC One M8, for example. The rim also bulges slightly at the top and bottom of the handset, which improves the look of the handset.
Aside from the metal makeover, the Note 4’s design is very similar to
the Note 3. Both devices are essentially the same size, and the front
panels are nearly indistinguishable. The Note 4 is blessed with a larger
front-facing camera lens and a slightly enlarged home button to
accommodate the fingerprint scanner, but that’s about it. Oh, and if
you’re wondering about the fingerprint scanner, it’s still as
ineffective and gimmicky as the one in the Galaxy S5.
The back cover is still made of faux-leather, though Samsung has
improved it in several ways. The terrible fake stitching has been
removed in favour of a clean and far batter looking design, and the
coating applied to the plastic has been revamped. The Note 4 now feels
more like the Galaxy S5, which in turn makes it feel more like real
leather. It’s still not quite as good as the real thing, though I’m
perfectly happy with what Samsung delivers.
The rear speaker has been relocated from the bottom to the back cover,
and it’s still tinny and terrible despite its loudness. The camera lens
also protrudes from the cover, bringing the Galaxy Note 4’s maximum
thickness up to 10.0mm from 8.5mm; this is around the same as the Note
3. Below the camera you’ll find the LED flash, heart rate monitor, UV
sensor and pulse oximeter. Yep, that’s even more sensors than the Galaxy
S5.
Removing the back cover reveals the large removable battery, microSD
card slot and micro-SIM slot. The piece of plastic protecting these
components is somewhat flimsy, though it attaches solidly. The microSD
card slot is always a welcome feature, and I’m sure the removable
battery will also come in in handy to some people, though I’ve never
bothered swapping on the go.
Around the edges you’ll find very solid volume and power buttons to the
left and right sides respectively. The top features a 3.5mm headphone
jack and an infrared LED, while on the bottom is the micro-USB 2.0 port
and stylus slot. I’m disappointed that Samsung reverted back to USB 2.0
after including USB 3.0 on the Note 3, though the company probably
received too many queries about the oversized port and its compatibility
with previous cables.
The S Pen itself is very similar to the one found in the Galaxy Note 3:
it’s the same shape and comes with the same singular button for extra
functionality. The design of the pen makes it feel a bit cheap, as it’s
entirely constructed of plastic, though it’s lightweight and serves its
purpose well.
Also, just in case you were wondering, the Note 4 is not water resistant
like the Galaxy S5. Don’t be fooled into thinking that because
Samsung’s smaller-sized flagship can be used in a pool that the Note 4
can as well. It can’t, and if you try you’ll probably be left with an
expensive paperweight.
One other comparison that should be made between the Note 4 and its
predecessors is that it feels noticeably sturdier. The Note 4 with its
part-metal body feels absolutely rock solid, with no perceivable flex
when moderately stressed. Although the Note 3 never really flexed much
either, the Note 4 feels stronger and more dependable.
As for its size, there’s no escaping that the Note 4 with a 5.7-inch
display is a large device. Although it’s smaller than the iPhone 6 Plus,
one-handed use can be tricky, especially when it comes to hitting the
capacitive navigation buttons embedded in the bottom section of the
bezel. A phone like this will take some adjusting to: it’s taken up
until my fourth review of a Note product to feel really comfortable
using a phone as large as this.
As a quick aside, I also wanted to test out these supposed Galaxy Note 4
‘GapGate’ claims; claims that involve a small gap between the edges of
the Note 4’s display assembly and the metal rim. Not only did my retail
unit not have a gap large enough to fit in a piece of paper, but even if
it did, it wouldn’t matter. The Note 4 is not the first smartphone to
feature such a (tiny) gap, and it won’t be the last. And on top of that,
the gap does not affect the usability or aesthetics of the device in
any meaningful way. What a completely overblown load of crap.
~ Tim Schiesser
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