I have a Note 5 may go to a Note 4

[Lasse58]

I have N910f the international one, it''s rooted and now I'm running Nameless rom V4. I doubt that there is any device out there that is more smooth than this. So happy I didn't go for the N5.
Now I have a phone as smooth as the N5 and all the N4 hardware.

 

[robonik]

Oh I don't know about that. The N5 has a more expensive, weighty feel, it's less cludgy and boxy, thinner and narrower for a better feel in the hand. Plus the plastic is gone, a thing of the past. The plastic I think is what made the N4 feel cheaper.

Both have fast processors and GPU's but there is no disputing the horsepower advantage of the N5. And the camera lens is noticeably faster in the N5 yielding a better low light performance.

 

[robonik]

...

 

[amyf27]

I got the note 4 - did a nice little trade deal for it. I love it. So far I haven't been disappointed at all. It keeps up with everything I was doing on the note 5. I haven't used the camera too much yet so will see how that goes. Nice phone

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Sammuel1973]

Interesting dilemma. I went through this myself a couple of weeks ago. My push toward the Note 4 was the sim card. I wanted a phone that used the Micro Sim Card like my Galaxy S5 as I wanted to be able to switch back and forth between the S5 and the Note. The Note 5 uses a Nano Sim Card.

Then I found out (here at Android Central) about sim adapters and I found the best sim adapter was already in my kit from Tmobile. It is the Trio Sim Card from Tmobile and allows me to easily switch my sim from the Note5 to the S5. I am ecstatic that I didn't have to downgrade to the Note 4. The truth is about the interchangeable battery is that while thought I wouldn't be able to live without an interchangeable battery that was just nonsense when I shined the hard light of reality on the subject.

I had my Galaxy S5 for about a year with one extra battery. Not once in that entire year did I ever need to change the battery. So that knocked the "interchangeable battery deal breaker" out of the picture. Not an issue especially since I picked up a 15,200 mAh power bank by Choe from Amazon. This will do a FAST recharge if needed of my Note5, 5 times on one charge. However, the Note 5 is less power hungry than the Note 4 in the first place. Now the battery issue was truly eliminated.

Then regarding the absence of the micro SD card, I picked up a Dash Micro SD Card Adapter from Amazon for $13. It will adapt up to 128GB micro SD cards to my Note 5 with a tiny accessory that simply plugs into the USB slot. Bingo! There went the so called "micro SD card deal breaker" issue.

Then the only thing remaining that could even remotely be considered a "con" in upgrading from a Note 4 to a Note 5 is the absence of the IR Blaster. Again, for me, this was a non issue. All of my equipment at home is controlled by Logitech WiFi remote control which offers an Android app that works perfectly without IR.

So bottom line is I went with Note 5 and I am very glad that I did. The feel, the horsepower, the improved software - everything is just better on the Note 5. I have no reason to ever look back.

The only valid reason I can see someone might need to go with a Note 4 would be cost. If the prospective buyer cannot afford the Note 5 then by all means, the Note 4 is a good alternative. But all these other BS complaints about the battery, the SD card, etc., are just that - BS.

I believe that the technological advancements on the Note 5 are worth every penny of extra cost over the Note 4. In fact, in my business, the ability to take notes down without having to engage the S Notes app has paid for the cost difference already. I just pop the pen out and start writing, try doing that with any other smart phone on the market, it won't happen.

I wouldn't call the complaints BS. Your points are valid, but so are Note 4 lovers'. Regarding sd card expansion, battery life, and IR blaster, the key difference is convenience. We can achieve the offline Action Memo on the Note 4 as well. The new out of the box 5.1.1 Note 4 is just as fast as the Note 5, with very little difference. I agree though, the look of the Note 5 is awesome, but once we put a plastic case over it, both look the same.

 

[Sammuel1973]

I got the note 4 - did a nice little trade deal for it. I love it. So far I haven't been disappointed at all. It keeps up with everything I was doing on the note 5. I haven't used the camera too much yet so will see how that goes. Nice phone

Posted via the Android Central App

Congrats. Does yours come with 5.1.1 out of the box? And what carrier? I had a Note 5, reverted to my Note 4. Then bought a Note 5 again to use Samsung Pay, only to find out my bank has yet to participate. Now I go back and forth between these 2 phones, and honestly, being tethered to a charger with my Note 5 is really a hassle, and I even have the quick wireless charger, ha.

 

[amyf27]

I got it used. The person I got it from had it for only 1 to 2 months. It's like brand new and has the 5.1.1. I can't use the Android Pay yet because my bank doesn't support it grr.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[amyf27]

When I had the note 5 I didn't feel like it needed tethered but I did keep a cord handy just in case.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[cardboard60]

Does the note 4 not have a wider screen and a IR reader ?
That would be enough to make me want the Note 4.

 

[amyf27]

The 4 is a bit wider than the 5

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Allenhardiman]

Note 4 is a no brainer. Note 5,
Smaller battery
No sd card slot
No removable battery.
An easy decision.

Posted via the Android Central App

I had the note 4 and have to disagree with some of these after 2 months with the note 5. The battery is almost the same as the note 4 if not better (it's definitely better in standby time). The exynos 7420 and ddr4 ram is definitely taking a huge effect on battery life. The battery lasts all day so I never find the time to miss the replaceable battery.

And sd card slows your phone down

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[Tahoe916]

I had the note 4 and have to disagree with some of these after 2 months with the note 5. The battery is almost the same as the note 4 if not better (it's definitely better in standby time). The exynos 7420 and ddr4 ram is definitely taking a huge effect on battery life. The battery lasts all day so I never find the time to miss the replaceable battery.

And sd card slows your phone down

Posted via the Android Central App

Same here. I switched from Note 4 to Note 5 a few weeks ago and my battery life is about 10-15% better. I went with the 64GB model which more than meets my needs. I've had SD card problems off and on with phones so I'm happy to be rid of it. On rare occasions I had carried and used a spare battery but switching to a quick charge 2.0 portable battery charger is not a big deal for me and overall I'm very glad I made the switch. I also got tired of waiting for T-Mobile to make the 5.1.1 update available. The previous update made the phone worse with several ongoing issues, the worst being the GPS being practically useless and required me to buy a dedicated GPS for my vehicle. The Note 4 is still a great phone and maybe a better choice for some, especially if you can get the 5.1.1 version, but not a no brainer decision.

 

[Sammuel1973]

Same here. I switched from Note 4 to Note 5 a few weeks ago and my battery life is about 10-15% better. I went with the 64GB model which more than meets my needs. I've had SD card problems off and on with phones so I'm happy to be rid of it. On rare occasions I had carried and used a spare battery but switching to a quick charge 2.0 portable battery charger is not a big deal for me and overall I'm very glad I made the switch. I also got tired of waiting for T-Mobile to make the 5.1.1 update available. The previous update made the phone worse with several ongoing issues, the worst being the GPS being practically useless and required me to buy a dedicated GPS for my vehicle. The Note 4 is still a great phone and maybe a better choice for some, especially if you can get the 5.1.1 version, but not a no brainer decision.

I agree with you...the 5.1.1 Note 4 out of the box seems to be better overall than the ones released a year ago. Regarding the Note 5's battery life seems to be better may be because it has a newer battery cuz it's a much newer phone. When I popped in a new battery for my Note 4, it's battery life is the same if not a bit better than my Note 5, same carrier, apps, usage, etc.

Regarding Note 4 users with a spare battery, but rarely used it...I understand...but once they use it the way I and some others use it interchangeably in the day, they would understand the beauty of never needing to be tethered or recharged their phone in the day. To me, would you want 16+ hours/day of ongoing battery life with a spare battery or 8 hours with the hassle of recharging it?

 

[robonik]

I had the note 4 and have to disagree with some of these after 2 months with the note 5. The battery is almost the same as the note 4 if not better (it's definitely better in standby time). The exynos 7420 and ddr4 ram is definitely taking a huge effect on battery life. The battery lasts all day so I never find the time to miss the replaceable battery.

And sd card slows your phone down

Posted via the Android Central App

Exactly, right on the button. It's great to hear from the voice of experience, someone who has owned both and is discerning and honest enough to report the realities of these two great phones.

No doubt about the SD card slowing down the phone, that is the primary reason Samsung eliminated it from the Note 5. Also, by eliminating it and the related circuitry they were able to trim down the Note 5 into a slimmer, sleeker and more elegant form factor.

With the Dash Micro mini SD card reader I have 128GB extra storage capacity whenever I need it on my Note 5 in a tiny form factor that works just as well as the internal SD card on my Galaxy S5.

Plus I can fast charge my battery if need be with a portable power bank which contains the Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 technology. Funny thing is that in the first two months with the Note 5 I haven't needed a battery fill-up during the day yet.

I have to admit I was one of the hard sell customers on the Note 5 not having the SD card and interchangeable battery. After living with it for two months I and using it for my long work schedule in my own business, I have found that I was worried for nothing. I have barely tapped 10% of the internal 64GB storage and haven't run lower than 40% of battery yet.

Had I gone with the Note 4 to retain the interchangeable battery and the SD card I would have missed out on the all of the advancements contained in the Note 5 for absolutely no reason.

 

[786chatur]

Its on you... compare both first then do what fits accordingly

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[Tahoe916]

I agree with you...the 5.1.1 Note 4 out of the box seems to be better overall than the ones released a year ago. Regarding the Note 5's battery life seems to be better may be because it has a newer battery cuz it's a much newer phone. When I popped in a new battery for my Note 4, it's battery life is the same if not a bit better than my Note 5, same carrier, apps, usage, etc.

Regarding Note 4 users with a spare battery, but rarely used it...I understand...but once they use it the way I and some others use it interchangeably in the day, they would understand the beauty of never needing to be tethered or recharged their phone in the day. To me, would you want 16+ hours/day of ongoing battery life with a spare battery or 8 hours with the hassle of recharging it?

I guess it depends on how heavy of a phone user you are. My Note 5 lasts 15+ hours but I'm a casual user and have some heavy power optimization in place. I don't think it's the newer battery, rather the hardware more efficient and probably 5.1.1 is helping. I had already been using a replacement battery on my Note 4 due to age of the original one. See Galaxy Note5 battery life benchmark: Outperforms the Note 4 despite smaller battery. Still, I was pretty peeved that the Note 5 didn't have a replaceable battery, if T-Mobile had sent out the 5.1.1 update sooner, I may have stuck with the Note 4. It's much less bulky to carry an extra battery in my pocket than a portable charger, that's for sure.

 

[Sammuel1973]

Exactly, right on the button. It's great to hear from the voice of experience, someone who has owned both and is discerning and honest enough to report the realities of these two great phones.

Well, my real world experience is perhaps comparing apples to apples since I am using the Note 4 and 5 concurrently, same usage pattern, apps, carrier, signal strength, etc. While my Note 5 is optimized better than my Note 4, the battery life is not that much better, honestly. And certainly not enough to offset the benefit of the swappable battery feature of the Note 4. The Note 5 though is pretty to hold and look at, naked.

 

[anon(631531)]

OK, you can love whatever phone you want, but when did the sd card slow down a phone? Where was it written that the primary reason that Samsung dropped the sd card, was because it slowed down the phone? Love your phone, but don't run down another phone with bs. That smells of insecurity and buyers remorse. Samsung wanted to make the Note 5 thinner and lighter, plus they probably wanted their customers to use the "cloud".

 

[Jay Sacks]

I have my Note 4 for six months and love everything about it. After using my son's Note 5 I am convinced that I have the right phone. For sure I would not trade my 6 month old Note4 for a new Note 5.

 

[anon(631531)]

I have my Note 4 for six months and love everything about it. After using my son's Note 5 I am convinced that I have the right phone. For sure I would not trade my 6 month old Note4 for a new Note 5.

I agree with you 100%. IMHO, right now, a Note 4 is a better phone than a Note 5.