Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Pro Reviews

The big phone category is well, bigger than ever, but the Galaxy Note 3 proves that Samsung still owns this arena. The wealth of iterative improvements over last year’s quite-capable model are more than welcome, and the overall experience is better than ever. It feels nicer, runs faster, lasts a long time, and is just a better device overall than the Note II. If you really liked the earlier models, you’ll love the Note 3, but it probably won’t convert those that never bought into the idea. Samsung didn’t reinvent the wheel here, it just gave it a smoother ride. Samsung is still the only manufacturer to give oversized smartphones a function other than “have a big screen,” and the updated S Pen and associated software will be appreciated by many. The Note 3 is not a phone for everyone — looking at it side-by-side next to my iPhone, I wonder how two beings of the same species could opt for such wildly different devices — but the runaway successes of the Note and Note II have proven that there is a demand for such a large phone. We’ll have to see if the other manufacturers playing in this space will be able to catch up to Samsung — so far, none have offered a compelling stylus experience, which is what really differentiates the Note — but for this year, if you’re looking for the biggest smartphone you can get with the best experience, the Note 3 should be at the top of your list.

Fortunately for Samsung, the Note 3 lives up to its legacy in a big way. It improves on the Note II in almost every meaningful sense, and it even manages to stand apart from its fellow devices functionally and aesthetically – something not easily done in Samsung’s watered-down world where nearly every smartphone bears the Galaxy moniker. While we’d like to have seen a stronger focus on quality over quantity in the feature set and a streamlining of the S Pen functionality, those are minor quibbles. If you’re buying a large-screened Android device, you don’t just want the added acreage of a big-screen TV in your pocket; you want utility to go along with the added scale. And right now, the Galaxy Note 3 is absolutely the most capable, most powerful smartphone/tablet hybrid on the market.

Samsung improves the Note in almost every way, making it the phablet to buy

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is the best Note yet. Samsung made improvements to the hardware and the software that result in a device that's easier to use, yet more powerful than ever. The Note 3 is lighter, thinner, and narrower than its predecessor, which makes it less fatiguing to hold and use. There are no downsides to the Note 3's amazing display, battery life, or call quality. The device managed to perform well on T-Mobile's LTE network, too. The phone's camera exceeded my expectations. Samsung's TouchWiz user interface is as flexible and adjustable as on other Galaxy-branded smartphones, and lets people take control over plenty of the phone's features and functions. The added Air Command and related stylus tools take the S Pen functionality not one, but several steps further. By breaking out the different functions that are available to the S Pen, users will have an easier time getting traction with each (once they jump past the learning curve, that is.) Perhaps the only negative I can think of is the Note 3's price: most U.S. carriers are selling it for $299 with a contract. Off contract, prices are likely to surpass $700. Would I recommend the Note 3? Yes, if you like large-screened phones, the Note 3 is the large-screened phone to get.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is the phablet benchmark for the competition to live up to - and a matching price tag is perhaps the only piece of bad news. On the other hand, without the advantage of the S Pen, rivals haven't got too many options - they just deliver as much horsepower as possible and the push screen size as far as they can and hope for the best. The first obvious casualty is the comfort of handling. And the irony of it is that a device like the Note, which clearly is supposed to keep both hands busy, is more compact and more optimized for single-handed use than its main rivals. Oh well, Samsung and the Galaxy Note 3 have done it again and the bad news for the competition is that their phablets have just been relegated to just huge phones by the latest installment of the one that once started it all.

Once Samsung commits to making a product, it plays to win. The company may not get things right the first time around, but it patiently persists until it creates a truly seductive piece of hardware. The third time is indeed a charm, because the Galaxy Note 3, while certainly a niche gadget, is the most compelling phone/tablet mashup Samsung has ever created, and the best I've ever used. That list includes a growing of phablet monsters such as the LG G2, Motorola Droid Maxx, and LG Optimus Vu II. I admit a few of its attributes won’t appeal to some people. Its sheer size is hard to ignore, or squeeze into tight pants pockets. The handset’s textured imitation leather backing and retro styling will be a stumbling block as well. Frankly, though, I’m completely in love with the Note 3’s aesthetics, especially in its classy black hue (it also comes in white). To me it harkens back to the venerable Galaxy S2’s design as well, one of my favorite phones of all time. And whether you ever unsheathe its S Pen stylus and much-improved stylus interface, the Note 3 is an amazingly advanced device in its own right. Its components and swift processor are top-notch, and its engaging screen practically functions as a portable HDTV. Sure, priced at $299.99 with a two-year contract, the Note 3 is one of the most expensive mobile phones on the market, right up there with the Droid Maxx ($299.99).

Prepping for that crucial holiday season, Samsung seemingly has a one-two punch offering now, seeing that the Galaxy Note 3 perfectly complements Sammy’s other flagship smartphone. On the surface, the two share many of the same commonalities, like their designs and software experiences, but as we’ve come to know and love, the Note 3 gets the love with its juicier hardware specs, updated design, and deeper software experience. True, most of the new software features aren’t new, as it borrows many things from the Galaxy S4 before it, but the new stuff primarily centers around the S Pen and multi-tasking aspect of the phone, which is something that continues to make the Note 3 very different from other smartphones. Business oriented folks will surely appreciate all of these features, but even for the everyday Joe, it’s something that offers more diversity than other things. Some argue that the exorbitant amount of features might end up confusing, and possibly alienating users, but it simply goes to show how rapid Samsung really is when it comes to expanding its experience. On top of all that, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is simply one balanced performing smartphone! At $300 with a 2-year contract, there’s no denying the fact that it’s an expensive cost, but as we’ve come to learn, the hefty pricing does come with some perks. The phablet category saw some new entrants into the space this year, but the Note 3 continues to be the best in its class.

The Note 3 is targeting to a specific demographic – those who heavily prize organization and hardcore productivity above everything else. Knowing that, the amount of features attached to it can make some people feel overwhelmed. Well, either that or they simply would never use any of those features to begin with.In contrast, the iPhone 5s is the smartphone that’s going to be able to catch a wider audience, mainly because it’s simple and just works in the things we need it to do. Throw in the updated iOS 7 experience, it’s something that we certainly haven’t encountered before. Looking at the TouchWiz experience on the Note 3, it packs some new and updated features, but as a whole, it borrows from its siblings and very much acts like other Galaxy smartphones – save for its S Pen functionality of course. Beyond the software experience, we’ll vouch that the iPhone 5s’ design continues to be the more favorable one – and that’s despite the obvious fact that it’s a recycled one too. We still appreciate the subtle level of sophistication attached to the Note 3’s updated design, but it lacks the premium construction of its rival to make it an equally compelling offering. At the end of the day, we can talk how one is better than the other in this or that category, but it’s all about what you need and want as an individual. If features and productivity are your thing, choose the Note 3. However, if you favor simplicity and ease, choose the iPhone 5s. That’s all folks!

There are a few little things about the Note 3 that we think require some attention, such as photo processing and possible concern over SIM region-locking. These feel like software issues though, and that gives us some hope that they might be fixed at some point in the future. Aside from that, the leap forward from the Note 2 is pretty epic. The included S Pen is great for handling the new air command interface, while handwriting recognition is more accurate now. But the bug that causes handwriting to time-out after a few days use is just stupid. It'll get fixed, no doubt, but it's worth pointing out. Then there are the real leaps in technology too. The screen is now 1080p, and looks utterly glorious. It's an OLED, so of course colours are a little on the wild side, but for a phone this is perfectly acceptable. We love the new 4K video function, and the camera is good for stills, although not quite amazing. The right things have improved and we find ourselves loving the Note 3 more than old one. If, like many, you find the screen too big for practical use then you may want to look elsewhere. But if you're after a large-screen handset then we can think of few competitiors to match - the Note 3 is very much the one to get.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is far and away the most mature smartphone of this size on the market today. More than that, Samsung has outdone themselves in this category – with the likes of Air Command, the S Pen suite becomes a solid experience that I’ll no longer have to explain to relatives is just for writing notes and drawing pictures. Here there’s a real solid draw. The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is appearing with several carriers in the imminent future, and at the moment we’ve got no reason to believe that the T-Mobile experience will be significantly different from any other hardware save – perhaps extremely importantly for you – the speed at which data is delivered. The pricing structure is a bit different too – at $199.99 up front with $21 USD a month for 24 months, you’re paying $703.99 full retail price in the end. Working with AT&T, on the other hand, has you paying $299.99 with a 2-year contract, $724.99 off-contract, or $35 per month for 21 month (aka $735 USD). One way or another, you’re going to be paying a hefty sum for this device – but as the same is true with most devices of this caliber, you’ve got our thumbs up. Have a peek at the timeline below for additional Galaxy Note 3 bits and pieces and don’t hesitate to continue asking us questions about this device well into the future!

For power users looking for a big-screen phone to help manage their hectic lives, the Galaxy Note 3 is a no-brainer, especially if you like the idea of using a stylus for jotting down notes. And even if you don’t use the S Pen, the device still delivers excellent battery life and a great screen in a package that looks, performs, and feels like a serious productivity device, not a toy-like colorful slab of plastic and glass (hello, iPhone 5C). That being said, there are so many features loaded into the Note 3 that we’re pretty sure we didn’t cover half of them. For instance, if you leave the S Pen behind and walk away with the phone, a pop-up window and a sound alerts you that you’ve forgotten your stylus. Also, the Wi-Fi radio supports 802.11ac, so the phone will play nice with next-generation routers. We could go on, but we already have. And that, really, is the Note 3’s biggest failing. It’s not a good fit for smartphone novices or those who don’t enjoy digging into layers upon layers of features. Because those layers run deep, and it’s hard to tell what’s worth using and what’s worth disabling or uninstalling. Samsung’s phones are getting daunting to explore. If you don’t mind feature clutter and the device’s high price, or you just want a big-screen phone that has the fastest internals for gaming and multitasking, the Note 3 is the best phone for you. But if a big screen and good performance are mostly what you’re after, there are other big-screen options, and there will soon be more. If you can live with a lower-resolution screen (that’s still pretty great) and the absence of the S Pen, Samsung’s Galaxy Mega is a good choice. It’s not as exciting as the Note 3, but using it isn’t nearly as overwhelming, either.

Samsung refines its top-tier phablet with the 5.7-inch Galaxy Note 3, a powerful, full HD phone/tablet combo that may be the only mobile device you need.

We're not sure you need all the extra features that Samsung packs in, and we could live without the S Pen. And not everyone needs or wants a smartphone with a 6in display. Neither is the camera all that great. But be in no doubt about it, the Galaxy Note 3 is a high-quality portable device, offering the best performance we've ever seen, a stunning screen and nice build quality.

It's a close run thing, and we'd recommend you handle both of these handsets before you buy. The Note 3 is the better performer, but we're talking about a level of performance on both phones which is more than adequate for everything you need to do. It has a bigger, more colourful screen - but not everyone wants a huge screen and the Xperia Z1 has a sharper display anyway. Camera wise we'd err toward the Z1, but neither is earth-shatteringly good. And battery life is about even, albeit with the Z1 again marginally on top. They run similar software similarly well, and although only the Z1 is waterproof, they are both built to last. You pays your money you takes your chance. Two great phones that show how far Android has come.