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b166er

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Apr 17, 2010
2,062
18
Philly
Aside from screen size, can anyone explain to me the major differences between the note 2 and the GS3? I admitadley have no experience with either device but I'm wondering which you guys would go with and your reasons why. Just trying to get some opinions, thanks!
 

joudbren

macrumors regular
Apr 13, 2007
244
1
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Note 2 has stylus and integrated Wacom digitizer. Note 2 also has fast quad core CPU in North America, GS3 is only dual core in North America. Note 2 has HUGE 3100mAh battery. Note 2 only available in 16GB version so far in North America. Screen on Note 2 is not pentile like the GS3 so it's better but that's a minor issue for some.

I switched from a GS3 a month ago and no regrets. Love the Note 2. Cheers!

Edit: Note 2 also came with 4.1 Jelly Bean out of the box in North America but GS3 Jelly Bean rollouts have started already so this is not really a difference any longer.
 
Last edited:

CyberCat

macrumors member
Jan 11, 2005
61
9
I got the Note 2 a week ago to replace my iPhone 5. Hands down the best phone I ever used. Had a GS3 prior to the iPhone 5 and it doesn't touch the Note 2. Note 2 is so much better in every single spec I'm totally blown away. I was afraid it would be too big but it's really not after a couple days of use. Yes 1 handed use is more awkward but after having used it awhile now I feel it's easily worth the trade off.
 

mikegasol

macrumors member
Nov 29, 2012
57
0
I have owned both phones, currently have the Note 2. Both are excellent devices and you can't go wrong with either one. I give the Note 2 the edge though. Bigger screen that's not pentile, bigger battery and a unique feature list no other phone out there has.
 

Diseal3

macrumors 65816
Jun 29, 2008
1,072
95
I had the note II and was disappointed that big red locked the bootloader again. Not a complaint with the phone as much as the carrier locking it, but I ended up buying a off contract S3 instead and couldn't be happier.
 

Fed

macrumors 6502
Jul 7, 2012
409
0
Liverpool.
Note 2 has stylus and integrated Wacom digitizer. Note 2 also has fast quad core CPU in North America, GS3 is only dual core in North America. Note 2 has HUGE 3100mAh battery. Note 2 only available in 16GB version so far in North America. Screen on Note 2 is not pentile like the GS3 so it's better but that's a minor issue for some.

I switched from a GS3 a month ago and no regrets. Love the Note 2. Cheers!

Edit: Note 2 also came with 4.1 Jelly Bean out of the box in North America but GS3 Jelly Bean rollouts have started already so this is not really a difference any longer.

How would you rate the responsiveness of Android on each device? I'm considering one of the flagship Android phones as my next phone, moving away from my usual iPhone. I wouldn't have thought about this in the past, but I was thoroughly disappointing with iPhone 5's upgrades from the 4S (my current phone).

I went into Vodafone (UK) over the weekend and played around with the Note 2. Whilst I wouldn't describe my experience as laggy and fully understand Vodafone may have packed it full of their usual crap, I was very disappointed with the responsiveness of Android in comparison with my iPhone 4S. Though as I've never used the GS3 or any Android phone in the past, I have nothing to compare it to.
 

charlieegan3

macrumors 68020
Feb 16, 2012
2,394
17
U.K
Can't speak for the GS3 but the note ii is an incredible phone, just perfect for me, means I don't need a tablet. Laptop + this = perfect combo.
 

mattopotamus

macrumors G5
Jun 12, 2012
14,738
6,109
Can't speak for the GS3 but the note ii is an incredible phone, just perfect for me, means I don't need a tablet. Laptop + this = perfect combo.

which also points to the fact apple will not make their phones much larger than 4" if they do. They would definitely eat into their tablet market. If I could get a 4.8" iphone...why would I want a 7.9" mini. I would just skip the tablet all together and go laptop.
 

theluggage

macrumors G3
Jul 29, 2011
8,015
8,450
If I could get a 4.8" iphone...why would I want a 7.9" mini. I would just skip the tablet all together and go laptop.

iPad Mini: from £269

vs.

iPhone 5: from £529 (unlocked) - or hypothetical iPhablet from, what, £629...
MacBook: from £849 (...and beyond the infinite)

Hmm... let me think...

OK, I don't know what profit margin they get on an iPhone versus an iPad, or how much they rake in from an of iPhones sold on-contract - although I'm pretty sure that the 'unlocked' prices of phones (from any manufacturer) are deliberately inflated to make contract deals sound good.

Whatever, I'm sure it would be better for Apple to have their own iPhablet eating into their iPad sales (with the compensation of some extra laptop sales) than Samsung and Google eating into their iPhone and iPad sales.

You might just as well argue that the iPad Mini cannibalises iPad 4 sales, the iPad 4 cannibalises Macbook Air sales... and so on. Provided Apple get their price structure right and plan their production volumes wisely, auto-cannibalism isn't an issue.

There's a pretty well-defined market for phablet vs. phone + tablet: people continually making/receiving voice calls and one-handed texting will mostly prefer a small phone + tablet when they need it. The main phablet market is for those of us who want a pocket-sized internet appliance/media player/GPS/Game console, with making voice calls several places down the priority list.

Personally, I've always seen the 7" tablet as the nonsensical option: too big to fit in a pocket, too small for the 'laptop replacement' possibilities of a 10" tablet (e.g. multi-fingered typing). The really successful 7"-ers like the Kindle Fire and Nexus 7 have also been end-of-argument cheap.
 
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