Galaxy Nexus vs. Galaxy Note - Thoughts?

[adp192]

hey guys

I am new here, and just here to share what I think about the Galaxy Nexus. This is going to be another pointless rant, so if you think you don't have time to read this, you have been warned.

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as I was anxiously anticipating the Galaxy Nexus last night, I couldn't help but to ponder about which phone I would like to get when my contract expires end of Feb next year. Yes I know it's more than 4 months away and there is bound to be way better phones coming out in this timeframe, but it's always good to have a plan right?

anyway, here are my criteria for a new phone, from highest priority to the lowest
- i use my phone mostly for browsing the web, so a large screen is a must and data speed (LTE) is also preferred
- I want my phone to look sleek, one that would make people who see it jealous like crazy
- nothing is more of a deal breaker than a laggy phone, so both the UI and the processor is considered
- A large battery capacity is definitely a must, as a phone that won't even last a day is pretty much useless
- I want my phone to be unique, something my group of mates (who mostly use iphones and galaxy s2) do not already have

with all these criteria, I ended up with two of my favorite phones as of this moment - the Galaxy Note and the Galaxy Nexus

I also made up this 'chart' to compare both the size and its main strengths.

to further add on to this, here's what i don't like about both phones:

Galaxy Note:

- getting this to comfortably fit this in my pocket is going to be a serious issue

- I will look quite silly putting this against my head when I'm talking on the phone, especially that my body's frame is not that big

- it looks almost exactly the same as the galaxy sII, other than it being about 25% bigger. I want the phone to 'pop' to people around me whenever I take it out, I don't want people to think 'oh, just another one of those phones' when they see the Galaxy Note

- some sources I have read say that the Galaxy Note may have LTE, but GSMarena said otherwise, maybe it depends on different providers

Galaxy Nexus:

- I don't have any problems with this phone to be honest, it's just that when I imagine using these two phones in real life, I can see myself enjoying browsing the internet so much more with the Note compared to the Nexus. BUT the Note definitely has more faults in my opinion.

- the camera is a mere 5MP. Now I know that I can't base the camera quality purely on the number of MP on the phone, it comes down to so much more - aperture, sensor type and size, digital stabilization etc.- but I am being really skeptical about the fact that this camera will be able to beat those that are in the 8MP range, let's say for the iphone. If Samsung is so sure that their new '1080p HD enabled recording 5MP camera' will be able to compete with the iphone's new 8MP camera, they would add more publicity towards how amazing it is. I have tuned into the reveal of the Galaxy Nexus and Samsung has spent a mere 10 seconds about the still picture quality of the camera. Clearly to them - both Samsung and Google - the camera is not in their highest priority list, at least not as much as their 'speed, screen and design' categorization. I am not a professional photographer myself but it always annoy me when a picture I take turns out to be massively blurry or contains high levels of noise.

- obviously LTE is a plus-point when looking for a new phone, but it drains battery life like crazy and it is not even supported yet for certain countries. Australia - where I am situated - for example. They have said that according to demands they will release a HSPA+ version to certain areas, but considering how LTE is one of Nexus' selling points, having the HSPA+ version is a definite minus. Also, the LTE version is already reported to be slightly thicker than the other one, and although it is a thin phone, its design somehow makes it look a little chubby, at least when compared to the s2.

- the hardware itself is not that revolutionary, compared to current new phones it seems as if Samsung was just throwing in a bunch of random parts together, and just really focused on ICS integration. It's a really good start for ICS but the phone itself is - in a way - simply a demo to ICS.

- Nexus also lacks some critical features that are simple necessities in a ground-breaking phone - a microSD slot and a DIVX and xVID player. I'm not quite sure about the latter but I have seen a large number of people saying this.

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To sum it up, the Nexus is an amazing phone. It's integration with ICS is certainly a definition of a device where 'some things just go better together' as stated in the teaser video. However, I still can't stop wondering how amazing using a Galaxy Note in everyday life would be. The Galaxy Note is like a double edged sword, it's best and main selling point may also be its deal breaker. With a screen that massive, interaction with a phone can be so much more than a 'quick game in the commute home from work'. But then again, with a screen that massive, how does it even classify as a 'portable device'?

For those who have read my rant, I thank you for spending your time and I apologize for wasting your time, but I would really like to have another Samsung/Android lover's opinion on this. Clearly I have made some false points and maybe suggested hypocritical remarks, but this is pretty much what has been surging around in my mind for the past 2 weeks.

There's also always the possibility for me to wait around 5 months for the new Galaxy sIII to come out, but is it worth it? After seeing what the Nexus has in store, and seeing trends for both the Nexus S and Galaxy sII from the past year, I reckon the sIII will be so much more revolutionary than the Galaxy Nexus.

So, what do you reckon?

 

[Greatbape]

These are the 2 phones I'm considering also. To be honest.. depending on when the note gets ICS is what's important to me. The note trumps the nexus in just about every important area: battery, screen size and resolution, camera pixel(pictures I have seen so far from the nexus aren't any better than galaxy s2), processor and gpu, etc. Not to mention it has a stylus. The nexus on the other hand has an amazing design. That's the only thing appealing to me. I think ICS is the best thing about the nexus, and it will make it's way to other phones in time. The galaxy nexus will get the most love from google and developers, but I don't even see the need to root my phone anymore. Main reason I rooted was to extend battery life and speed of my phone. 2500mah battery and 4500+ stock quadrant score from the note is good enough out the box. I also mainly use my phones to text, browse, game, and watch youtube videos on my phone. So bigger screen will make these things better for me.

 

[ChodTheWacko]

Here are my thoughts:
I made a cardboard mockup and It's actually not that big. It is surprisingly pocketable. It goes in my front jeans pocket no problem. I don't have tight jeans though.
I think the whole 'will people point and laugh' thing may be overdone? Do people notice when people whip out a Htc Thunderbolt? The sgnote isn't THAT much larger.
I actually suspect it will be the opposite. In this age of tablets, people may actually think 'what a small tablet' and ignore you. Sexy, this phone isn't.
The only time you'll get attention is the stylus, maybe the screen, and if someone notices you pulling it out of your pocket. Imho.

The prime has a neat camera, and a sexier body but that's all it has going for it. I am very confident the note will get ICS eventually.
For me, someone with big hands and uses his phone like a tablet 95% of the time, the sgnote is a godsend. I can't get one soon enough.

 

[anotherhawkeye]

I would love to get the note as well. Save money on buying a tablet.

 

[DaPoets]

The Note is being marketed toward women who carry a handbag/purse to put something that size in it and don't need a phone holster. Tablets are too big, and phones are too small, so the Note is just right for women handbags as a phone and a workable mini tablet.

 

[ManBearPig618]

Is there even any credible rumors about the Note coming to fee U.S./carrier support?

 

[ChodTheWacko]

The Note is being marketed toward women who carry a handbag/purse to put something that size in it and don't need a phone holster. Tablets are too big, and phones are too small, so the Note is just right for women handbags as a phone and a workable mini tablet.

That's been quoted by many articles, but It has to be a misquote.

See this marketing video for the Samsung note:
Samsung to Unveil Samsung Galaxy Note - YouTube

And in particular, jump to the 3:05 mark.

- Frank

 

[adp192]

Thanks for all the comments guys, but I still have no idea what to go with. I'm wondering whether the 4460 1.2ghz processor for the Nexus will even be able to handle the whopping 1280x720 display once it has been filled with so many junk that i tend to fill my phone with (music, apps and videos)

I have just watched this review and although the reviewer clearly hates the phone, he made some really strong and inevitable points: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aK0lyunK8Kw

ChodTheWacko - I have myself made a cardboard prototype and to be honest yes, it does seem very pocketable, but I'm not sure if I will think the same way after a couple of months with it - I can see myself regretting getting such a massive phone.

A UK online store is holding pre-orders for the galaxy note right now and first batch starts on the 31st of october : http://www.handtec.co.uk/product.php/5504/samsung-galaxy-note--16gb--sim-free-unlocked-
what i found really interesting is that the site stated NFC is actually optional for the galaxy note. I am aware that NFC chips were pre-installed in a couple Galaxy SII batteries and this will be pretty great when android beam is enabled in ICS.

I am seriously a very impatient person, with still 4 months to go anything can happen in the tech world, I need help getting rid of this obsession of looking for a new gadget! haha

 

[pepitosegrilla]

It seems many people are considering just theese two phones

I'm also in the doubt. I have a SGSII, and before that a Palm Pre (original), and I can speak of the impotance ot the screen size, and the performance. Getting a 4.3', when you come from 3.1' is like heaven... so I become a screen size freak.

Anyway, the Note is just not optimal because it packages a crappy interface, and a gimmick that I don't need (the stylus), that is probably the cause of the thickness of the device, and moreover, THE WEIGHT. I remember my old Treo days, and how I hated carrying around that hell of a BRICK on my pocket, even when size-wise it fitted my pocket quite nicely

ICS is another big reason, because if something I've learned this years, is that you can't count on future actualizations from no Android OEM... once they've sold you the device, THEY DON'T CARE, and if they do, they care too late, because they have to re-write their crappy interface, most likely to mess it up! ...even more!

So having a Nexus phone is a BIG PLUS because SW is more important than HW. And in this case, you also get all the new technology Google is trying to introduce, that devices designed before ICS probably won't manage so well, even if they get to update (mostly the camera speed, and all the NFC-based technology) And you get better ppi!

So Nexus for me

 

[kharrigan]

If I could, I'd get the Note. I'd use the stylus for note-taking in meetings and such. As it stands, I burn through too many post-it notes and paper-based notepads. I LOVE to use the Note to make these electronic and simply email them.

Since I can't, I'll get the Nexus. If the SGS2 had ICS, I'd get that instead.

Making it simple, I'd buy in this order:

1. Galaxy Note
2. Galaxy S2 (with ICS)
3. Galaxy Nexus
4. Galaxy S2 (with GB)
5. Brickphone
6. Two soup cans with a string
7. Smoke signals
8. iPhone 4S