Samsung GALAXY Note II AT&T Pro Reviews

We have been using the Samsung Galaxy Note II smartphone as our primary device for over a week and we must admit that it is growing on us. At first it feels too big, but you do get used to it after time. That said, it still isn’t going to be for everyone. If you have no desire to use the stylus and don't use much data (you’re someone who makes a lot of voice calls), then this phone was not designed for you. This phone was created from the ground up for those that are primarily data driven. The Samsung Galaxy Note II also has a ton of features and settings to learn, so be prepared to learn some new things with the Note II as it is unlike anything you've ever used before. If you like using a stylus the S Pen on the Galaxy Note II will most certainly impress you. We love the ability to write on the calendar, crop images, take notes and airview is awesome. The Galaxy Note II can detect the S Pen when it's help a centimeter from the screen with something called airview. You can preview a video file, slim through a photo gallery and adjust the video timeline without even touching the screen. Samsung has some pretty revolutionary features on the Note II that you will love. The S Pen and NFC are our two favorite features. At the end of the day the Samsung Galaxy Note II smartphone has amazing performance, excellent battery life, a large 5.5" display, and unique features like S Pen and NFC. If you like the size then this is one device that is worth trying out. The Samsung will be available on the four major carriers in the United States. That means you can get this phone on Sprint, T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, and even smaller carriers like U.S. Cellular will have the Note II. AT&T will be offering the Galaxy Note II for $299 with a 2 year contract.

With a fast quad-core processor, a big, gorgeous display, and features galore, the Samsung Galaxy Note II delivers everything a huge-screen smartphone should. If you want a phone that doubles as a small tablet, it's the best you'll find.

Pricing can dictate many things for people, but in this case, it’ll depend on how much people are willing to shell out to experience something special and definitive. At $199.99 on-contract, the LG Optimus G is undoubtedly an admirable offering worthy of being included in the elites of the smartphone world. Considering that it’s packing one of the best displays out there and the snappiest performance we’ve seen on a smartphone to date, it’s a fitting price point that would make it an automatic buy for many people. Despite its higher starting price of $299.99 (AT&T, Sprint, Verizon versions), the Samsung Galaxy Note II makes it up with its better overall performance and comprehensive software experience. Underneath it all, the Note II has all the qualities found with the Optimus G, but its S Pen and associated functions are unique to it – making it a one-of-a-kind device that’s not replicated elsewhere at this moment. Capping things off, we find the Note II performing better than the Optimus G in some categories, like its battery life and video recording, which proves its $100 difference in price is justified.

The Galaxy Note II is a worthy second act for Samsung’s big screen phone. It makes an even better case for the inclusion of the stylus than the first generation, improves on performance and battery life, and does it all while not adding bulk. A giant smartphone isn’t for everyone. For the people who crave larger screens and don’t want a tablet, the Note 2 is the best choice available right now. Pricing varies across carriers. AT&T, Sprint, and US Cellular announced that they will offer the Note 2 for $300 (with contract). T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless will also sell the phone but haven’t announced pricing or availability yet. Sprint sales start this week with other carriers to follow in November.

Think of Samsung's Galaxy Note 2 as a big phone rather than as a tablet wannabe, and you'll come closer to appreciating its top-flight smartphone specs. However, continued problems with the S Pen and the handset's oversize dimensions won't make it a universal choice for all Android-seekers, blazing quad-core processor or no.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that a flagship Android phone announced back in February is handily beat by another one announced six months later, and yet we have to mark that the Note II is the better handset in many respects. It is more powerful, with richer interface functionality, and the options brought along by the stylus can’t be replicated on the Optimus 4X HD. Samsung’s phone also runs the newest version of Android, whereas 4X HD with its Tegra 3 processor seems to be on the backburner for a Jelly Bean update for now. Plus, once you see that nice 5.5” display and get used to reaching for the stylus on various tasks, it will be hard to go back. Still, both are flagship Android devices, and you won’t be disappointed with the stylish and compact body of the 4X HD if you can’t force yourself to carry around a supersized phone like the Note II, not to mention that LG's handset now comes much cheaper than the Note II.

Where the Galaxy S II and III were Samsung’s answer to the Apple iPhone, the Note II is a step in another direction for different users – those requiring something more like an old-school PDA, able to work with a stylus for reading handwriting input and for sketching. As a phone, it has the same kind of capabilities as the Galaxy S III, with slightly faster performance an added bonus to the increased screen size, at the expense of one-handed usability.

There are very few undecided voters who are on the fence when it comes to the iPhone 5 and the Note II. The phones are with such unmistakable individuality that considering one before the other would be either because of sheer curiosity, or because one serves your intended purposes better. If your aim is to have a “set it and forget it” phone, the iPhone 5 is your piece - it is light, with unique design, excellent display and battery life, good snappy camera, and very easy to handle and operate with one hand. This is perfect for the majority of people, who aim for style and convenience out of their handset the most, and getting some work done takes the backseat. Those who need a productive multitasker to be with them at all times and/or are consuming more video than is healthy by the FDA standards, should seriously consider the best large screen out there accompanied by a stylus - conveniently together in the Samsung Galaxy Note II.

For some, the original Galaxy Note was a monstrosity: not quite a phone, not quite a tablet, and not standing any chance at all of ending up in their pocket or bag. They’re unlikely to be any more convinced by this refined, faster successor, since the main criticisms are the same: it’s big, it’s heavier than many phones, and it often requires two hands to use it properly. Those not immediately turned off by the Note II’s size have a more tempting prospect ahead of them. The new phone offers a bigger display and better pen functionality, not to mention a jump in core performance and – until Samsung can push out OS updates – a newer and more user-friendly version of Android and TouchWiz than its predecessor. It’s nicer to look at and hold, faster in use, and lasts longer; most importantly, it takes greater advantage of the digital pen, something which continues to set the Note II apart from most of the competition.

When you get the Note 2 out of its box, your first reaction will be to its enormous size. Some will find it absurd, but those who want a big screen with loads of beautiful detail, a much better battery and some cool pen features will "get" it within 10 minutes of holding it for the first time. The Note is a device that shouldn't work. A device that the Koreans dreamt up after too little sleep, and too many energy drinks. But somehow, it's the most captivating phone we've used for a long time. It manages to invalidate the tablet to some extent, because it's big enough to be a powerful media device, but small enough to carry everywhere. It isn't a phone for everyone, but those who love gadgets will take to it, and it will change their lives.

For a pound less than a 16GB iPhone 5 with its piddly 4in screen, terrible maps app, dodgy Wi-Fi reception and scratch-prone body, the Galaxy Note 2 is something of a bargain if you are after the ultimate mobile phone. It has the physical presence of an A380, the power of Concorde and the stamina of a U-2, and is packed with more features than a Swiss army knife.

There is a brand new sheriff in town when it comes to the battle of stylus-laden big screen phones, of which now there are precisely two, and the Note II is a no-brainer upgrade from its predecessor. Not that the Note II is that much more compact, compared to the original - it is still a beast, but with an even larger display now. That screen alone, however, is worth the upgrade - it is the best phone screen Samsung has ever produced, and addresses all weak points of Super AMOLED displays so far in one fell swoop. The 24% increase in battery size alone is worth the upgrade, too, as it brings top-notch endurance to the handset, and the juicer is on top of that replaceable.

The HTC One X has certain advantages before the Galaxy Note II, like a brighter screen and a beautiful, light and compact unibody design, but in most other aspects it gives way to Samsung’s giant. If looks are your thing, you are probably wondering how are people appearing in public with something like the Note II anyway. Samsung’s handset has a large, beautiful HD Super AMOLED screen, too, and its way larger battery ensures much better battery life than what you will get with the One X, plus you can swap the battery, or put a microSD card in it, unlike the sealed unibody design of HTC’s phone. When we add the number of extra functions brought around by the S Pen stylus of the Note II, it becomes a more complete package compared to the HTC One X, but only for users who are willing to go all the way up to its size.

If the Galaxy Note II has attracted your attention in the first place, that means you know the downsides that come with its size, and are willing to sacrifice pocket comfort and one-handed operation for its sweet screen real estate, so the size can’t really be held against it. It is not that much more compact, compared to the original, and it could hardly be, considering we have an even larger display now. That screen alone, however, is worth the upgrade - it is the best phone screen Samsung has ever produced, and addresses all weak points of Super AMOLED displays so far in one fell swoop. The 24% increase in battery size alone is worth the upgrade, too, as it brings top-notch endurance to the handset, and the juicer is on top of that replaceable. Or, if you are buying a Note for the fact that it sports a stylus silo, you’d be happy to hear that the S Pen is much improved now - easier to handle, with a more natural ink flow, and a number of handy new features like Air View and Pop Up Note.

The Note II is still a big hunk of a phone, but the Galaxy S III design is so recognizable now, that making the second edition Note look similar immediately earns it some street cred, as it just looks like you are holding a larger S III to your ear. That “larger S III”, however, finally ends the Samsung processor fragmentation in the US, as it pairs the LTE radio with quad-core Exynos, rather than with a dual-core Snapdragon S4, like the Galaxy S III US versions do. Granted, the second member of the Note family is not for everybody, but for those who dare to consider it, it has some evident extras before the Galaxy S III - extra screen with extra brightness and extra subpixels, extra processing power, extra input methods, and very importantly - extra battery life. All of these come without much extra price, but again, juggle both phones in your pockets and in your hands first, as hauling around a Note II might only be warranted if you are not that much the talking type on your smartphone, but rather a media consumption and web browsing buff who’d also make good use of a stylus to jot down quick notes, tasks and remarks. And if you are the skinny jeans type - forget it, the Galaxy S III is already enough of a stretch for you.