Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8 Pro Reviews

The Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8 is an interesting idea: at first, one might think “why bother” since the Galaxy Note seems occupy the same space, but if you take pricing into account, you will see that it opens a Galaxy Note like experience at a much lower price point. Granted, if you are a “specs” person, this is really not for you, just pay more and get something more powerful – wait for the Note 3 for instance. However, if you are a person who wants to benefit from a large display and good overall experience without playing the price for a high-end phone, this is a sound choice. As I used it, it felt better than the Galaxy Note 1, but not quite at the level of the Note 2. For day to day operation, the dual-core setup isn’t much of a problem, and Samsung tuned the graphics low enough that even gaming performance is actually decent. The other option is to look for the Galaxy Note 1 ($400, street price), which would give you a better display, but it is also noticeably slower than the Mega 5.8. I came into this review thinking that the Mega 5.8 was an odd idea, but I may have judged it too quickly. This phone might extend the “big display phone” market to a much wider audience than the Note line can. If you can get past the low pixel density, this phone has a big-screen experience, the latest Samsung software, a good camera and it is $200 cheaper (about 33%) than the latest Note or Galaxy S smartphone. Not a bad deal at all.

The Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8 is the smaller member of a pair that leads the "go-big-or-go-home" campaign. If you're looking for a device that gives you big screen action without breaking the bank, it's a device worthy of your consideration as it falls in just short of the tablet range. The dual-SIM support is also a huge plus in this regard, as many emerging markets have users who are keen on having not only the ability to wield a larger screen around, but also be able to place calls across multiple carriers. That being said, the dual-SIM functionality may not be without its fair share of sacrifices.

It goes without saying that the Samsung Galaxy Note II beats the Galaxy Mega 5.8 by a mile. The former is a high-end handset after all, while the latter is positioned in the mid-range tier. Unsurprisingly, the Note II delivers a much better user experience since it is faster, easier to operate, and outfitted with a screen of higher quality. On top of that, you get the S Pen digital stylus for doodling and taking down quick notes. The Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8, on the other hand, is inferior in a number of aspects, although it is still a decent device with very few alternatives. We must note that it is very similar to the Note II in terms of software, and it has a pretty capable camera as well. But what's likely to be the biggest advantage of the Galaxy Mega 5.8 over the Galaxy Note II (and many smartphones of 5-inches and beyond, for that matter) is that it will be cheaper once it is on the market, although we can't yet say by how much. Still, if pricing is not an issue, going with the Samsung Galaxy Note II instead would be a better choice.

No, the Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8 isn't ridiculous despite its gargantuan proportions. It is simply not a smartphone for the mainstream market. Rather, it is meant to be used by a very specific demographic – those few who want their smartphone to have a large display above all. Without a doubt, having such a huge screen makes gaming a lot more comfortable and it is great for watching video or photos. Overall, the Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8 is meant to be used as a multimedia device first and as a (dual-SIM) phone second. However, bigger isn't always better. Owning the Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8 does come with a number of trade-offs, one of them being that it is simply uncomfortable to carry around for obvious reasons. We are also a bit disappointed by the occasional performance issues, and the low resolution of the screen is another thing that we have a hard time getting over. If a large screen is what you need and if you don't demand on having dual-SIM functionality, it would be worth going for the Samsung Galaxy Note II, which might be more expensive, but will provide you with a much better user experience overall.