How do Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.’s latest phablets compare to the bevy of phablets hitting the market, and can they cripple any oversized handsets launched by Apple, Inc. next week?

Phablet shipments are expected to exceed portable PCs by the end of this year, according to the latest data from the research firm International Data Corp. (IDC). With Apple, Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. leading the charge, phablets are gaining traction with fresh designs, including the highly anticipated handset Apple could unveil next week. Hoping to beat the hype, Samsung has unveiled two new smartphones to its Note line of phablets this week: the Galaxy Note 4 and the Galaxy Note Edge.

Quick overview

 

The Galaxy Note 4 is an addition to its phablet line of gigantic phones, looking a lot like the older models but with a few tweaks. Samsung has ditched its chromed plastic frame for real aluminum, adding durability and sophistication, especially with its faux-leather back. The Note 4 comes with a fingerprint scanner and heart rate sensor, which we saw from another Samsung handset the Galaxy S5. Also the S Pen stylus’ has been improved (details below).

As for the Galaxy Note Edge, what makes it unique is the curved screen that allows for quick access to frequently used apps, alerts, and device functionality. The curved part can also display notifications without disrupting the main screen, so you can watch videos free of distractions.

Question now is, how do these two Notes stack up to the other phablets currently available in the market?

Galaxy Note 4 and  Edge vs. Other Phablets

 

Dimensions

Samsung Galaxy Note 4: Height – 153.5 x Width – 78.6 x Depth – 8.5 mm , Weight 176g

Samsung Galaxy Note Edge: 151.3 x 82.4 x 8.3mm, 174g

LG G3: 146.3 x 74.6 x 8.9 mm, 148g

HTC One Max: 164.5 x 82.5 x 10.29mm, 217g

Nokia Lumia 1520: 162.8 mm x 85.4 mm x 8.7 mm, 206g

Sony Xperia Z Ultra: 179 x 92 x 6.5 mm, 212g

 

Build and color

Samsung Galaxy Note 4: aluminum frame, chamfered edges, faux-leather back, and will come in white, black, gold and pink.

Samsung Galaxy Note Edge: aluminum frame, chamfered edges, one side of the screen is curved, faux-leather back cover, available in black and white

LG G3: comes in Metallic Black, Silk White, Shine Gold

HTC One Max: comes in Silver, Black, Gold

Nokia Lumia 1520: polycarbonate body, comes in yellow, white, black, red, green

Sony Xperia Z Ultra: Omni-Balance design comprised of tempered glass on both front and back covers with aluminum frame, comes in black, white, purple

 

Display

Samsung Galaxy Note 4: 5.7-inch Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 1440 x 2560 pixels, 515 ppi, Corning Gorilla Glass 3

Samsung Galaxy Note Edge: 5.6 inch (141.9mm) Quad HD Super AMOLED (2560 x 1440 + 160)

LG G3: 5.5″ Quad HD (2560 X 1440) IPS, 538 pixels per inch, Corning Gorilla Glass 3

HTC One Max: 5.9 inch, Full HD 1080p

Nokia Lumia 1520: 6” TrueColor Full HD (1920 x 1080), ClearBlack display, Corning Gorilla Glass 2, 368 ppi

Sony Xperia Z Ultra: 6.4 -inch Sony Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2, 1080 x 1920 pixels, 344 ppi pixel density, Triluminos Display for mobile

 

Camera

Samsung Galaxy Note 4: Primary camera – 16 MP, 3456 x 4608 pixels, optical image stabilization, autofocus, LED flash; Secondary camera – 3.7 MP, 1080p@30fps

Samsung Galaxy Note Edge: Primary – 16MP autofocus camera with smart OIS; Secondary – 3.7MP camera with f/1.9 aperture

LG G3: Primary camera – 13MP Optical Image Stabilization+ with Laser Auto Focus, Dual Flash; Secondary camera – 2.1 MP

HTC One Max: Primary – HTC 4MP UltraPixel Camera, Secondary – 2.1 MP, 88° wide angle lens with HDR capability

Nokia Lumia 1520: Primary – 20 MP PureView, dual LED flash, Secondary – 1.2 MP wide-angle HD camera

Sony Xperia Z Ultra: Primary – 8MP camera with auto focus, Secondary – 2MP camera

 .

Battery

Samsung Galaxy Note 4: 3,220mAh removable battery

Samsung Galaxy Note Edge: 3,000mAh, Fast Charging battery

LG G3: 3,000mAh  removable battery with optional wireless charging

HTC One Max: 3300 mAh embedded battery

Nokia Lumia 1520: 3400 mAh with wireless charging

Sony Xperia Z Ultra:  3050 mAh embedded battery

 

Storage

Samsung Galaxy Note 4: 32/64GB, upgradable to up to 64GB by microSD,  3GB RAM

Samsung Galaxy Note Edge: 32/64GB Internal memory, micro SD slot up to 64GB, 3GB RAM

LG G3: 32GB, upgradable to up to 2TB microSD, 3GB RAM

HTC One Max: 32GB, upgradable to up to 64GB by microSD, 2GB RAM

Nokia Lumia 1520: 16/32 GB, supports up to 64GB microSD, 2GB RAM, 7GB cloud storage

Sony Xperia Z Ultra: up to 16GB, expandable to up to 64GB with SDXC

 

Processor

Samsung Galaxy Note 4: 2.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 805 with a 600MHz Adreno 420 GPU

Samsung Galaxy Note Edge: 2.7 GHz Quad-Core Processor

LG G3: 2.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor

HTC One Max: 1.7GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor

Nokia Lumia 1520:  2.2 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800

Sony Xperia Z Ultra: 2.2 GHz Qualcomm MSM8974 Quad Core, Adreno 330 GPU

 

Operating system

Samsung Galaxy Note 4: Android 4.4.4 KitKat

Samsung Galaxy Note Edge: Android 4.4.4 KitKat

LG G3: Android 4.4.2 KitKat

HTC One Max: Android with HTC Sense 5.5

Nokia Lumia 1520: Windows Phone OS

Sony Xperia Z Ultra: Google Android 4.4 Kitkat

 .

Special features

 

Samsung Galaxy Note 4: Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, gesture, UV, heart rate, SpO2, fingerprint scanner, fast charging feature, S Pen – pressure sensitivity has been doubled and has a new calligraphy mode, Multi Window, Ultra Power Saving Mode

Samsung Galaxy Note Edge: Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, gesture, UV, heart rate, SpO2, fingerprint scanner, fast charging feature, S Pen – pressure sensitivity has been doubled and has a new calligraphy mode, Multi Window, Ultra Power Saving Mode

LG G3: laser auto focus, gesture shutter, Knock Code security, Smart Cleaning – to help you clean apps that you don’t frequently use, smart keyboard that learns your typing style with an adjustable size, and facilitates for quick editing.

HTC One Max: Gyro sensor, Accelerometer, Proximity sensor, Ambient light sensor, Fingerprint scanner, HTC BoomSound, HTC Zoe, HTC BlinkFeed

Nokia Lumia 1520: Automatic screen brightness adjustment, Battery saver feature, Energy efficient charger, Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass

Sony Xperia Z Ultra: Waterproof IP55 and IP58, you can use a ballpoint pen or pencil as a stylus, multi-tasking apps, easy-toggle keyboard, Stamina mode for longer battery life

 

Do the Notes deliver?

 

The answer to this question depends on what you looking for in a phablet. If you’re looking for a device that delivers information on the side of the screen for novelty purposes, the Note Edge would be your best bet.

The biggest competitor to the two Galaxy Notes’ is probably the LG G3, especially with its laser sensor that makes it easier to focus the camera when taking photos of moving subjects. For the size, if you’re looking for a phablet with a really big display, the Lumia 1520 or the Xperia Z Ulta will be your best bet, but if you want a lighter phablet, you should go for the G3.

If you’re a health buff or you want your smartphone to help you take care of your body, the Notes’ heart sensor and health apps will fit your healthy lifestyle. Over all, the Notes’ faux-leather back, aluminum frame and stylish design may put it at the top of the list for people looking to purchase new phablets, but if you have noticed, it didn’t have any new jaw-dropping features to offer, which is really odd considering that Apple Inc. is expected to unveil bigger iPhones this month.

What do you think? Will the Note Edge’s curved screen or the Note 4’s aluminum frame be enough to deter consumers from purchasing Apple’s phablet?

photos by samsungtomorrow via photopin cc