Note 4, the good and the bad, my thoughts so far

[xxx420]

For what it's worth I'm very happy with my note so far but I do see the over sharpening effect when taking photos and I'm a little bit disappointed with the camera. Has anyone tried any third party camera apps from the Play Store to see if that changes it in a more suitable way? I know some have tried the Google camera, I did also but was not impressed with that either.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[piinkRainbowz]

This is exactly why I bought the note. Hell, I would preferred the spen on galaxy s series to be honest. The only reason I avoided purchasing notes was because I felt it was too big for me personally. But I finally decided to just leap for it and enjoy the spen functionality. and I'm happy I did because screen size isn't that bad.

Why do I need to answer your question with specifics aside from just saying that I love the S pen capability? If you need specifics, i'll offer a few....I love the screenshot functionality, I love being able to then draw precise notes on top of a screenshot. I love using the function of clipping a small piece from a webpage and saving that to a prior note. I take notes in meetings, college classes, and my daughter loves to draw with it. There's so many reasons I love the S pen.

I know some people do not care for or need the S pen. And i'm not saying that's the ONLY good thing about it. what I am saying, is that Samsung has chosen to focus on the S pen when it comes to the Note series, and everything else is just small improvements upon the S series that gets released a few months prior. My entire point, is that the Note's biggest strength is that it has the S pen functionality. You seem offended that Samsung pushes the S pen so hard, yet it's their NOTE device line. Why wouldn't they push it when it's the entire point of the Note? Sure, there's many other great features like the metal trim, incredible screen, screen size, multitasking functionality, etc.. But there are other outstanding devices on the market that meet most of those categories and they do not push any s pen.

The phones I mentioned were just off the top of my head, so I apologize if those I mentioned did not meet your expectations. However the Note came out just barely before the Nexus 6 was announced, so people are still within their return window if they don't need or are offended by the S pen that they can return it and get the Nexus. That's why I mentioned that as an alternative even though it's not yet on shelves.

Back to my original point, each device has it's strengths and no one should or can expect the Note to compare in terms of external speaker to the HTC One or Moto X. The camera, that should meet expectations and outperform an iPhone 5s or whatever, so Samsung better release a software update to improve the performance because I too have had many of the problems OP mentioned.

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

 

[limoeric]

I use Nova Launcher and destroys Touchwiz. Just my 2 cents.

 

[limoeric]

Use Nova launcher and it runs very fast as you can customize it to your liking. Much, much better than Touchwiz!

 

[Verizoned]

Nice thoughts on the Note 4....

It's a shame that they don't do something about the lousy speakers on them. With the Note 2 I had since day 1 with it, they had the best DACS for it, but fell flat on the speakers. Yes I am a audiophile and have invested $$$$$$ in both my home theaters and my 2 channel systems and can say that the Notes are lousy. Now my M8 is significantly better but even it is lacking in real world quality as compared to what I have in my home.... but it is the best as compared to anything else available.

The spen is a great feature of the phone and many use it but most don't. I didn't buy my note for it itself but as a package as most people do.

The screen is the best I have seen on them and certainly will be why most buy one. Call quality issues is because Samsung has always been behind on getting the best radios in them. Every note series has been this way.

For me if they upgrade the speakers and the radio in it it will be one of the absolute best..

Thanks for the comments on the M8. I may buy one tomorrow. Still have my Note 4 and trying to accept it's crappy sound, but I too am an audio person and it's tough compromise.

 

[evilcopter]

good review for note 4, i had it for a while but handed over to my family friend.

 

[LaTuFu]

Thanks for the comments on the M8. I may buy one tomorrow. Still have my Note 4 and trying to accept it's crappy sound, but I too am an audio person and it's tough compromise.

If you're an audio person, there is no mobile device out there that you will be satisfied with the external speaker.

Samsung doesn’t see the external speaker as a high priority feature, to be sure, but any device that uses digital output, a single speaker and 3.5mm audio jack is going to have compromise as its middle name.

I wouldn't necessarily put a Samsung device at the top of the list for speaker quality, but I wouldn't put them at the bottom, either.

 

[MDMcAtee]

Thanks for the comments on the M8. I may buy one tomorrow. Still have my Note 4 and trying to accept it's crappy sound, but I too am an audio person and it's tough compromise.

A top end set of ear buds is a very good compromise and will make a huge difference in your listening pleasure for music and video. Also a great bt ear piece for your phone calls as well covers the rest.

It was what I did with my Note and worked well.

 

[Verizoned]

Thanks for the comments on the M8. I may buy one tomorrow. Still have my Note 4 and trying to accept it's crappy sound, but I too am an audio person and it's tough compromise.

I haven't been around much...still on a quest to find a phone that I'll stick with. Still have a Moto X (lollipop update sucks) also now have the M8, Nokia 1020, Nokia 1520. The M8 sound is pretty good, but it is v shaped with a weird boost in the highs that bothers my ears a bit. Boomsound absolutely RUINS the headphone quality. Be sure to turn it off in the settings. I guess if I was using $5 crappy ear buds it would improve them, but if you are using any decent headphones it actually makes things worse.

The Moto X sound is still very good when paired with some external BT speakers and I like the sound thru headphones but the M8 has more power and drives low end with more authority. I just hate the high end bump that you can't get rid of.

Anyway, none of the phones are fantastic but I could live with: M8 and Moto X. I could "deal" with the sounds on the Nokia phones just because the cameras are so good.

 

[Axr6]

I find the sound quality of the Note 4 excellent. I use the speakers for voice navigation and for speaker-phone applications and the sound is clear, loud and without distortion. By far the best for the phones I have owned, thus far. As far as the amplifier, I can not be called a true music buff but, my Sennheiser HD 490, as well as my Velodyne ear buds sound terrific to me. I am, altogether, very happy with the sounds.

Sluggishness issue: Under Settings - Display, I set the "Increase touch sensitivity" option and am quite happy with the response of the screen as opposed to the default setting.

Camera; I have not played with the camera, yet, as my phone is only a few days in my possession. I did, however, download the optional free Samsung modes. Looking forward to exploring all the many options.

For me the Note 4, thus far, exceeds my expectations after coming from the Thunderbolt-S3-S4 line. I use the S-pen a LOT, multiple times a day by making reminder notes, editing them and pinning them to my home page. No excuse for forgetting any honey-do tasks anymore. Good-by yellow notes all over my various desks . I also love the many options that the pen provides in creative modes, and the precision that it provides over fat thumbs. On the pen-use alone, I would never go back to a phone without it.

 

[godzillinois]

One other note...in bright sunlight the Moto X screen was better. I was not expecting that. All of the above are just my opinions of course.

Not for nothing, but did you have "auto-brightness" on when using the Note 4 in daylight? It actually gets brighter than the brightest setting and is a lot easier to see. Not sure if the Moto X has that same feature.

 

[LegalAmerican]

Not for nothing, but did you have "auto-brightness" on when using the Note 4 in daylight? It actually gets brighter than the brightest setting and is a lot easier to see. Not sure if the Moto X has that same feature.

My wife has the 2014 Moto X and for all the things it does better than the Note 4, the screen is not....one of them. In the outdoor setting, NOTHING touches the Note 4's brightest setting. It simply doesn't. If you are wanting accurate colors, then you wont like it but if your main concern is to be able to use your device and read the text displayed, Moto X has no feature that will come close in direct sunlight.

Moto x was my second choice and I am the first to give it credit for the things it does better than the Note 4, but everything about the screen goes easily to the Note 4. (Aside from Active Display of course.)

 

[Verizoned]

Not for nothing, but did you have "auto-brightness" on when using the Note 4 in daylight? It actually gets brighter than the brightest setting and is a lot easier to see. Not sure if the Moto X has that same feature.

Hi, yes, I had auto on, same with the Moto X. I also have an HTC M8 and it is brighter than the note and Moto X outdoors.

 

[Verizoned]

My wife has the 2014 Moto X and for all the things it does better than the Note 4, the screen is not....one of them. In the outdoor setting, NOTHING touches the Note 4's brightest setting. It simply doesn't. If you are wanting accurate colors, then you wont like it but if your main concern is to be able to use your device and read the text displayed, Moto X has no feature that will come close in direct sunlight.

Moto x was my second choice and I am the first to give it credit for the things it does better than the Note 4, but everything about the screen goes easily to the Note 4. (Aside from Active Display of course.)

Perhaps there are variances in both the notes and moto x's screens. In my case the X was easily better than the Note 4.

 

[LegalAmerican]

Perhaps there are variances in both the notes and moto x's screens. In my case the X was easily better than the Note 4.

That definitely could be possible. I wouldn't doubt it. My dad also has the Moto X 2014 and my screen beats his pretty easily as well. Of course i'm speaking mostly about outdoor, direct sunlight. Nothing in the Moto X in terms of software can come close to the Note 4 on the brightest outdoor setting. Indoors, mine still beats both but it's much closer. The Note 4 has almost 100 more pixels per inch, which I understand that doesn't always mean we'll be able to tell with the naked eye but I think there's a reason most tech reviewers say the Note 4 has the best screen of any smartphone ever. I've never seen a review that said that about the Moto X.