Sony Z3 or Samsung Note 4?

[Wrathwitch]

Blah!!!

I was in the Sony store last week or so and I noted their Z2 line, the salesperson in the store told me that both the Z3 Compact and the Z3 would be sold there (I believe both unlocked).

I was pretty impressed with the lightness and build quality of their phones and tablets. Holy Crap was the tablet EVER LIGHT!!!

However, I really want to give the functionality of the S Pen a shot, I really like the ability to use it as a mouse when it comes to highlighting or using it to easily enter addresses into contacts and maps etc. I am torn. If the stylus never existed on the Note line, I think I would give Sony a shot.

Anyone else torn?

 

[Oohara]

The Z3 is an absolutely awesome phone! I've been playing around with it since my gf bought one the other day. However I'm personally not torn between that and the Note 4 because they really are different size class devices. For me it stands rather between Note 4 and iPhone 6 Plus, or possibly the Nexus 6 if they make it official before I've succumbed to the urge for buying one of these other two...

If I was looking for a smaller device though, I'd easily choose the Z3 over other current phones in the 5-5.2" class. It's a totally premium device, easily the most classy looking phone after the iPhone 6, and it really flies in terms of performance.

 

[pdqgp]

If I was looking for a smaller device though, I'd easily choose the Z3 over other current phones in the 5-5.2" class. It's a totally premium device, easily the most classy looking phone after the iPhone 6, and it really flies in terms of performance.

^^ This. Solid device.

 

[jamezr]

The Z3 is an absolutely awesome phone! I've been playing around with it since my gf bought one the other day. However I'm personally not torn between that and the Note 4 because they really are different size class devices. For me it stands rather between Note 4 and iPhone 6 Plus, or possibly the Nexus 6 if they make it official before I've succumbed to the urge for buying one of these other two...

If I was looking for a smaller device though, I'd easily choose the Z3 over other current phones in the 5-5.2" class. It's a totally premium device, easily the most classy looking phone after the iPhone 6, and it really flies in terms of performance.

Agreed.....I don't they are the same device segment. The Z3 is not a phablet. They are both flagship phones in their own right.

 

[Tsuchiya]

Very hard to call it tbh.

If you want a bigger screen then go for the Note, otherwise the Z3 just ticks so many boxes.

Premium build, great hardware and a few cool extras like being waterproof, having great sound output and PS4 Remote Play.

 

[spinedoc77]

Blah!!!

I was in the Sony store last week or so and I noted their Z2 line, the salesperson in the store told me that both the Z3 Compact and the Z3 would be sold there (I believe both unlocked).

I was pretty impressed with the lightness and build quality of their phones and tablets. Holy Crap was the tablet EVER LIGHT!!!

However, I really want to give the functionality of the S Pen a shot, I really like the ability to use it as a mouse when it comes to highlighting or using it to easily enter addresses into contacts and maps etc. I am torn. If the stylus never existed on the Note line, I think I would give Sony a shot.

Anyone else torn?

I would most definitely not buy the Note series if it didn't have the Spen, that's really the primary feature that keeps me with it. With that said the fact that it does have it makes it a MUST buy for me, no other smartphone out there comes close to comparing.

It's odd to me but with the popularity of the Note series why hasn't any other manufacturer put a stylus in their phone? I know most of the appeal of the phablets have been screen size, but I'll bet there is enough appeal in terms of the Spen that other oem's are missing the boat on.

 

[Dr McKay]

I traded my LG G3 for a Z3 today. Loving it so far, but then I'm still in my "new gadget love phase"

 

[jamezr]

I traded my LG G3 for a Z3 today. Loving it so far, but then I'm still in my "new gadget love phase"

Awesome! What do you think so far?

 

[12vElectronics]

I would most definitely not buy the Note series if it didn't have the Spen, that's really the primary feature that keeps me with it. With that said the fact that it does have it makes it a MUST buy for me, no other smartphone out there comes close to comparing.

It's odd to me but with the popularity of the Note series why hasn't any other manufacturer put a stylus in their phone? I know most of the appeal of the phablets have been screen size, but I'll bet there is enough appeal in terms of the Spen that other oem's are missing the boat on.

I used to have a stylus on my Treo. Never worked that great. I think people in general have a sour taste in their mouths with stylus's.

 

[The Game 161]

I used to have a stylus on my Treo. Never worked that great. I think people in general have a sour taste in their mouths with stylus's.

Maybe but it works amazing on the note and all reports suggest it's even better touch wise on the 4

 

[12vElectronics]

Maybe but it works amazing on the note and all reports suggest it's even better touch wise on the 4

I've never had a chance to play with a Note. I'll try to find someone that will let me use their Spen..

 

[Cnasty]

For me the S-Pen seemed to be more like a niche or added feature for flair rather than useful in most instances for me.

I was able to do things much faster with my Note 3 in doing the same thing the SPen was offering but without the use of the stylus.

I definitely see use for people that constantly draw or prefer to handwrite for notes or something but other aspects are much faster in just using your fingers.

That is my own personal opinion though.

 

[Dr McKay]

Awesome! What do you think so far?

Battery life is amazing. The UI is so smooth, haven't noticed any stutters or anything. The Sony skin isn't too "in your face".

Got it out the box and it had 65% battery, charged it to 90% before having to go to work, I've got it on 5 hours 20 minutes of screen time and its on 15%. This was mostly browsing the web. A bit of YouTube, an hour of playing music full blast through the speakers. My G3 would manage about 4-4.5 hours of screen time before dying completely. I imagine if I'd charged completely, I could push it to 7-8 hours screen time.

It feels very premium to hold, however it suffers from sliding all over the desk because its back is glass, I have the black model so that means both sides are fingerprint magnets.

On a funny note, I scared the hell out of my colleague by saying " here hold my phone' and then dropping it into his glass of water before he could react. He didn't know it was waterproof. Its taken a little getting used to but now I wash the phone off under the tap now.

 

[rrl]

It's odd to me but with the popularity of the Note series why hasn't any other manufacturer put a stylus in their phone?

Only Samsung, Microsoft and Nvidia have had the balls to loudly announce that Steve Jobs didn't know what he was talking about. Nokia was spineless. They went from the N900 to the N9 in an attempt to compete with Apple. And now look at them.

 

[Oohara]

On a funny note, I scared the hell out of my colleague by saying " here hold my phone' and then dropping it into his glass of water before he could react. He didn't know it was waterproof. Its taken a little getting used to but now I wash the phone off under the tap now.

LOL! That's ad material right there, nice one.

 

[Gaugerer]

For me the S-Pen seemed to be more like a niche or added feature for flair rather than useful in most instances for me.

I was able to do things much faster with my Note 3 in doing the same thing the SPen was offering but without the use of the stylus.

I definitely see use for people that constantly draw or prefer to handwrite for notes or something but other aspects are much faster in just using your fingers.

That is my own personal opinion though.

The S-pen provides extra flexibility as does other features on the Note such as multi-window. That means the operating system for the Note needs to be more complicated which makes it more difficult to use than simpler phones such as the iphone.

I don't use the S-Pen or multi-window very often but find them very useful when I do.

 

[jamezr]

Battery life is amazing. The UI is so smooth, haven't noticed any stutters or anything. The Sony skin isn't too "in your face".

Got it out the box and it had 65% battery, charged it to 90% before having to go to work, I've got it on 5 hours 20 minutes of screen time and its on 15%. This was mostly browsing the web. A bit of YouTube, an hour of playing music full blast through the speakers. My G3 would manage about 4-4.5 hours of screen time before dying completely. I imagine if I'd charged completely, I could push it to 7-8 hours screen time.

It feels very premium to hold, however it suffers from sliding all over the desk because its back is glass, I have the black model so that means both sides are fingerprint magnets.

On a funny note, I scared the hell out of my colleague by saying " here hold my phone' and then dropping it into his glass of water before he could react. He didn't know it was waterproof. Its taken a little getting used to but now I wash the phone off under the tap now.

LOL....i m sure he freaked out! Thanks for your thoughts! The more i hear about this phone the more i want one! Sony has an announcement on Oct 9th. Hopefully they will say its coming to the US.....

 

[spinedoc77]

I used to have a stylus on my Treo. Never worked that great. I think people in general have a sour taste in their mouths with stylus's.

When was the last Treo released, 2008? You haven't considered the technology is better 6 years later?!?!? Yeah I used a stylus on my Palm devices, but my ancestors also used stone wheels and clubs, we've all moved on since then.

I actually remember styli on the Palm devices and windows mobile as quite decent in terms of the available technology at the time. Regardless they pale in comparison with today's Wacom digitizers and all the neat stuff Sasmung, for example, has added to the stylus function. Not only that but the apps that are available are much nicer, take OneNote for example, a powerhouse of a note taking app.

 

[12vElectronics]

When was the last Treo released, 2008? You haven't considered the technology is better 6 years later?!?!? Yeah I used a stylus on my Palm devices, but my ancestors also used stone wheels and clubs, we've all moved on since then.

I actually remember styli on the Palm devices and windows mobile as quite decent in terms of the available technology at the time. Regardless they pale in comparison with today's Wacom digitizers and all the neat stuff Sasmung, for example, has added to the stylus function. Not only that but the apps that are available are much nicer, take OneNote for example, a powerhouse of a note taking app.

2007

 

[spinedoc77]

2007

Hehe. Gah I should talk, I still miss my windows mobile devices and their styli from over 10 years ago.

 

[12vElectronics]

Hehe. Gah I should talk, I still miss my windows mobile devices and their styli from over 10 years ago.

I still remember the struggle. Slow internet, not being able to make custom ringtones, pic messaging non existent etc etc

 

[corriewf]

The ps4 remote play is interesting. The design is sleek for sure. I think it's better design cues than the note 4 and iphone 6. Shame it's only on T-Mobile.