The processor is significantly better. Your design criticisms are subjective. (And it sounds like you're basing your entire opinion of this device on the verges review) also, the USB flap exists because the device is waterproof/splash proof.
I'll give you the splashproof idea, and I'm not basing my opinion on just the Verge, but on other reviews and videos I've seen as well.
The menu button criticism is nonsensical. That button has been deprecated in android. If you want to get technical about it, the one in the wrong is Samsung for including one.
They are both wrong, but HTC is more wrong. As long as apps (especially major ones like Twitter and Facebook) use the menu button, HTC's button layout is absolutely stupid. Ideally both phones would have soft keys, but Android isn't at the point where a menu button isn't needed yet. Samsung, at least, doesn't waste screen real estate.
99% of what you listed is subjective, and much of it isn't even true. The multitasking issue? Yeah, that was fixed about six months ago and hasn't been present on any HTC handsets since then.
The entire concept of choosing a cellphone is opinion based, but most people would agree that not all phones are created equally. Attempting to invalidate my statements by calling them opinions equates to stating that the DNA is a better phone and that no one will ever be able to convince you otherwise. Leave the topic if that's how you feel.
All of the pop up, s pen, etc stuff you mention is irrelevant, because the note is trying to be a tablet while the DNA is trying to just be a regular smartphone. They do not compete against each other.
The Galaxy S3 is getting the same popup multitasking treatment, and that's trying to be a phone. Furthermore, the fact that this topic exists in every Verizon Galaxy Note 2 forum known to the internet proves that, while they may not technically be in the same category, they certainly compete against each other.
We're going to have to agree to disagree, because EVERYTHING you posted has to do with software, which is entirely subjective.
What makes software any more or less subjective than hardware?