Is the Note 4 still a Good Buy?

[bo_woods]

I highly value the camera of my smartphone. Samsung and LG seem to be making the best smartphone cameras on Android. Although LG is behind a bit with shaky video capture, and poor audio recording.

So is the Note 4 still a good buy? I've heard Samsung devices don't age well? Possibly due to touchwiz? Does anyone out there still have a smooth Note 4?

 

[Alex Wetzel]

I highly value the camera of my smartphone. Samsung and LG seem to be making the best smartphone cameras on Android. Although LG is behind a bit with shaky video capture, and poor audio recording.

So is the Note 4 still a good buy? I've heard Samsung devices don't age well? Possibly due to touchwiz? Does anyone out there still have a smooth Note 4?

My Note 4 is still very smooth even after 9 months of use. I'm using Nova launcher btw, which helps a great deal with lag and stuttering.

Posted from the one and only Note 4

 

[Allenhardiman]

If you really care about removable battery and sd cards or are in the budget, get the note 4. However, if you don't, the note 5 or the 6p is probably the better choice since it improves the note 4 in every aspect. I own the note 5, although the battery life is fine (not super great, it's on par with my old note 4), TouchWiz is 99 percent lag free here.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Alex Wetzel]

If you really care about removable battery and sd cards or are in the budget, get the note 4. However, if you don't, the note 5 or the 6p is probably the better choice since it improves the note 4 in every aspect. I own the note 5, although the battery life is fine (not super great, it's on par with my old note 4), TouchWiz is 99 percent lag free here.

Posted via the Android Central App

I think that when Samsung switched to using their Exynos chipset, they were able to better optimize the software to run smoother.

Posted from the one and only Note 4

 

[bo_woods]

I would love to go with the Note 5 or Nexus 6p, but my budget is below $240 so that's why I'm considering the Note 4. The Lumia 1520, 930 & 830 all have awesome cameras and can all be found within my budget but there doesn't seem to be any androids with cameras that match them within that budget.

I really only want an excellent camera, good display and nice design, but it seems like I cant get that for under $300 on Android... Decisions, Decisions...

The 2013 & 2014 Lumia Stills and video/audio recording seem to be better than all the other androids in the under $250 price range. Man I wish I could flash Android onto a Lumia 1520...

 

[bo_woods]

The Note 4 seems to be the closest thing so far. I lose some megapixels and slightly less audio recording quality (one less microphone and no Dolby 5.1 surround sound capture) but I do gain Android and a 2k display

 

[mary beth hale]

The Note 4 seems to be the closest thing so far. I lose some megapixels and slightly less audio recording quality (one less microphone and no Dolby 5.1 surround sound capture) but I do gain Android and a 2k display

Coming from a Lumia 1520 and 930...Note 4 for 2 months now. Absolutely love it. Got mine for $300 refurbished and is like new. Camera not quite as good as my Lumias but really good none the less. screen gorgeous, good battery life since 5.1.1 update, no lags and I actually use the S-pen quite a bit. Wish I could throw WP OS on it and it would be perfect. Use Nova launcher. EBay has some good deals now. Just could not afford the Note 5 but am completely satisfied with this Note 4. I will say that the 5.1.1 lollipop made a huge difference. Very snappy now.

 

[bo_woods]

Coming from a Lumia 1520 and 930...Note 4 for 2 months now. Absolutely love it. Got mine for $300 refurbished and is like new. Camera not quite as good as my Lumias but really good none the less. screen gorgeous, good battery life since 5.1.1 update, no lags and I actually use the S-pen quite a bit. Wish I could throw WP OS on it and it would be perfect. Use Nova launcher. EBay has some good deals now. Just could not afford the Note 5 but am completely satisfied with this Note 4. I will say that the 5.1.1 lollipop made a huge difference. Very snappy now.

Haha yeah I remember you from over on Windows Central.

We're in opposite situations (sort of)

I have left Windows Phone due to software while you seem to have left due to hardware (assuming because you said you wish your Note 4 ran Windows). Well I'm not leaving specifically because of the software but more so app availability. Not the actual OS. W10M was beautiful and is a work in progress. I plan on coming back a year from now when this rumored Surface mini/phone device comes about and the OS is more premium. I just want to have more app availability and a more consistent and developed OS. Hopefully that'll be the case in some time.

 

[mary beth hale]

Haha yeah I remember you from over on Windows Central.

We're in opposite situations (sort of)

I have left Windows Phone due to software while you seem to have left due to hardware (assuming because you said you wish your Note 4 ran Windows). Well I'm not leaving specifically because of the software but more so app availability. Not the actual OS. W10M was beautiful and is a work in progress. I plan on coming back a year from now when this rumored Surface mini/phone device comes about and the OS is more premium. I just want to have more app availability and a more consistent and developed OS. Hopefully that'll be the case in some time.

Hey back at you! There's just something about WP that I really enjoyed but slow progress with the Windows 10 mobile software just got so frustrating. I thought the Lumia hardware was great. I didn't think lack of apps bothered me but turns out I am enjoying the huge amount of choice android gives me. Haven't ruled out WP in the future, but for right now I am enjoying this Note 4 a lot. If you get one, make sure you update to 5.1.1. Big improvement. The $300 I spent was worth every penny (for me). Good luck Bo.
Edit... I miss Cortana so much but the android app for her is just not quite up to snuff yet.

 

[Laura Knotek]

I remember both of you from WindowsCentral. I didn't get a Note 4, but I did switch to Android back in March 2015. I was frustrated by the constant "resuming" and the lack of new high-end hardware. However, once I made the switch, I found that there were so many great apps that I had been missing. My experience with Android has been much better than I ever anticipated, and I'm very happy to have made the switch. The hardware is pretty impressive too!

 

[mary beth hale]

I remember both of you from WindowsCentral. I didn't get a Note 4, but I did switch to Android back in March 2015. I was frustrated by the constant "resuming" and the lack of new high-end hardware. However, once I made the switch, I found that there were so many great apps that I had been missing. My experience with Android has been much better than I ever anticipated, and I'm very happy to have made the switch. The hardware is pretty impressive too!

Hey Laura! I loved reading your stuff because you were always "the voice of reason" in a lot of the heated interchanges on the forums.

 

[Laura Knotek]

Hey Laura! I loved reading your stuff because you were always "the voice of reason" in a lot of the heated interchanges on the forums.

Thanks Mary Beth! I'm glad I've been able to help.

 

[mary beth hale]

I highly value the camera of my smartphone. Samsung and LG seem to be making the best smartphone cameras on Android. Although LG is behind a bit with shaky video capture, and poor audio recording.

So is the Note 4 still a good buy? I've heard Samsung devices don't age well? Possibly due to touchwiz? Does anyone out there still have a smooth Note 4?

Let us know what you choose and your experience. I'm also kind of hopeful for the "surface phone" but that could be a long time coming. In the meantime, so far the note has been a good choice for me. I'm hooked on a large screen, no matter which OS.

 

[mary beth hale]

Thanks Mary Beth! I'm glad I've been able to help.

It's also nice having another woman's perspective. So few of us in any of these forums on any site.

 

[Tsepz_GP]

I highly value the camera of my smartphone. Samsung and LG seem to be making the best smartphone cameras on Android. Although LG is behind a bit with shaky video capture, and poor audio recording.

So is the Note 4 still a good buy? I've heard Samsung devices don't age well? Possibly due to touchwiz? Does anyone out there still have a smooth Note 4?

Had my Note 4 since launch week, so well over a year now and it is still running beautifully. Android 5.1.1 has made its UI faster a lot smoother. Samsung are doing monthly updates to it now, so its aging well.

The Camera in the Note 4 is still amongst the best in general. The Display is also at the top of the latest and battery life is also equal if not better than some 2015 phablets.

 

[pduffer]

Had my Note 4 since launch week, so well over a year now and it is still running beautifully. Android 5.1.1 has made its UI faster a lot smoother. Samsung are doing monthly updates to it now, so its aging well.

The Camera in the Note 4 is still amongst the best in general. The Display is also at the top of the latest and battery life is also equal if not better than some 2015 phablets.

What carrier are you on? I know it's not Verizon because you (and so many others!) already have the 5.1.1 update. Samsung might be doing monthly updates but Verizon sure isn't.

 

[Tsepz_GP]

What carrier are you on? I know it's not Verizon because you (and so many others!) already have the 5.1.1 update. Samsung might be doing monthly updates but Verizon sure isn't.

I'm on Vodacom (Vodafone South Africa).

 

[evohicks]

Is the Note 4 still a good buy? Well it only has the Note 5 to be compared to, if the Note series is your prefered line of phones. I have had a good look at the Note 5 but over here in the UK it's not so easy to get one with UK warranty but looking at the reviews it's a good solid phone.
The Note 4 is still definitely worth buying but I've heard that they are/have been discontinued now(at least in the UK) and are pushing the Galaxy S6 edge +.

 

[anon(5719825)]

Had my Note 4 since launch week, so well over a year now and it is still running beautifully. Android 5.1.1 has made its UI faster a lot smoother. Samsung are doing monthly updates to it now, so its aging well.

The Camera in the Note 4 is still amongst the best in general. The Display is also at the top of the latest and battery life is also equal if not better than some 2015 phablets.

This is the truth. I bought a 128GB iPhone 6+ on Thursday and am actually disappointed in the camera when taking pictures in my house with the normal lights on in the house. The 6S+ pics look dark and gloomy and the same pic taken on my Note 4/Note Edge look crisp and bright.

I haven't gotten to use the 6S+ outdoors yet to take any pics due to the weather but as for now, either one of my Samsungs are my go to for now when taking pics indoors.

 

[monsieurms]

I highly value the camera of my smartphone. Samsung and LG seem to be making the best smartphone cameras on Android. Although LG is behind a bit with shaky video capture, and poor audio recording.

So is the Note 4 still a good buy? I've heard Samsung devices don't age well? Possibly due to touchwiz? Does anyone out there still have a smooth Note 4?

I think if there is a good price on it, it's a great value. There's absolutely nothing wrong with the 4. It is still current technology and more phone than most typical users need. I was actually thinking of extending my normal 2 year upgrade cycle to 3 years. It is working perfectly. It is paid off. It does everything I want. It is properly configured and tricked out. It has a brand new 200gb card in it. I'm not feeling any great urge to throw all that away.

Some of these photos posted by users are not so good. But many of them are amazing considering that they've come from a phone:

http://forums.androidcentral.com/sa...amera-pictures-got-one-we-would-love-see.html

On the first page alone, check posts 9, 18, 20, 32, for quick examples early on. Post #32 also compares a real camera to the phone. The phone holds up well.

People say ( I haven't tried it) that the 5 has a better camera. But that is surely an incremental upgrade. Just a few months ago everyone was sitting here going "Wow! What a camera on that 4!" I often leave my real camera home these days. Samsung has lots of nice "mode" apps you can download free, too.

I don't think you'll be unhappy.