Samsung GALAXY Note II Pro Reviews

A suitable replacement for an iPhone and iPad mini. The best Android phone and tablet you can buy.

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure this one out: the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is indeed better in many ways than the Samsung Galaxy Note II. That’s why if pricing isn’t an issue, picking the newer model instead of the old one would be a wiser choice. In return, you’ll get to enjoy its larger, high-res screen, experience its silky smooth performance, and utilize its plethora of productivity and multitasking features. At the same time, the Samsung Galaxy Note II is still standing strong. Sure, it might have been over a year since it launched, but it does rank as a relevant smartphone, and in case you happen to own one, then upgrading to the Note 3 is not really a must. Unless you’re a smartphone aficionado, that is. Besides, the price of the Galaxy Note II has gone down quite a bit, so it could be a cheaper alternative for those who find the Note 3 too expensive.

While those who want the latest and greatest technology will certainly find the premium price of the LG flagship easy to justify, the fact remains that the Galaxy Note II is still a stellar device that will serve its purpose well, while saving you a quite a few bucks. So as the two contenders part ways, each will have its own reason to celebrate. LG Optimus G Pro walks off with a promise to be the new king of the phablet realm, once it comes to the market (by May-June 2013). The Samsung Galaxy Note II, on the other hand, can rest assured that come the summer, it will still be a purchase no one is likely to regret, even eight or nine months into its product life.

Choosing the Note II before the newer Galaxy Mega 6.3 is a no-brainer. Its smaller screen diagonal makes it way more compact, it has the precise input option of a stylus, and sports more internal storage, plus it takes better pictures and video, all for a slightly lower price even. Samsung's largest handset would be picked only if you are looking for the largest mobile phone screen out there in a slim package, and mainly for media consumption at that, rather than the good ol' talking or even the odd content creation, which the Note II would be better at because of the stylus.

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.

At the end of the day, though, there can be no doubt about it – the Samsung Galaxy S4 is the better smartphone of the two, as Samsung has enhanced a number of key areas like the screen quality, the camera, the processor and the whole user/software experience. The Galaxy Note II is definitely not far behind in any category, and it has advantages of its own, like the bigger screen and the S Pen, but if those aren't super-important for you, we'd recommend that you get the lovely Galaxy S4. However, if you are currently sporting a Note II and are thinking about upgrading to the GS4, we can't really say that it's going to be worth the effort, except if you are tired with the enormous size of the Note II and want to switch to something much more convenient.

To answer the question we posed at the beginning of this review, this thing is the real deal, and it's decisively better than the device that began the whole phablet craze. With SIM-free versions starting in the ballpark of £530, it's a bit on the pricey side, but for good reason: it offers best-in-market performance, an S Pen experience that blows its predecessor out of the water, a solid OS in Jelly Bean and plenty of other features that will make this a tempting offer to even the most petite-handed individual. To do so in a package that's actually thinner and narrower than the first Note is a tremendous accomplishment, and one that'll be hard to match. Get ready to have your cake and eat it too.

The Samsung Galaxy Note II is the best performing, Android-based smartphone we have ever tested. In terms of its CPU and GPU performance, the Note II’s Exynos 4 Quad SoC with its quartet of ARM cores and Mali 400 GPU put up the best numbers we have seen to date, besting phones like the HTC One X and Galaxy S III. Only the iPhone 5 offered better graphics performance, but the Note II was able to overtake Apple’s latest iPhone in BrowserMark and hang right alongside it in SunSpider. Despite its relatively large screen, the Samsung Galaxy Note II also offered excellent battery life and its camera was decent as well. The images were somewhat under-saturated for our tastes, but the resolution is there and the camera is quick too. Although we haven’t devised a means to easily quantify voice quality just yet, we’re comfortable saying the Galaxy Note II also offers excellent voice quality, should you actually be making calls on the device. It is a smartphone, after all.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is one of the best 4G LTE device that we had the opportunity to test (the LG Optimus G, the iPhone 5 or the Galaxy S3 would be contenders for that title), and the combination of a large 5.5” screen, LTE speeds and a good battery life makes this a rather unique and efficient combo. With the enhancement of the S-pen, the Galaxy Note 2 becomes a real interesting tool for creative people, it can now really be used for drawing, additionally editing photos with the S-Pen in Photoshop is a joy. I personally enjoy to use the Galaxy Note 2 as a phone that acts like a tablet, surely because I carry it in my purse. Consuming content of any kind on that device is very comfortable, whether reading a book, browsing desktop version websites or watching movies. Of course, it is up to you to decide if the large format work for you or not, but from what we’ve seen people either love it, or won’t consider it at all, so this should to be an easy decision.

When first announced, the Galaxy Note II looked and felt very much like a supersized Galaxy S III with a slightly fancier stylus attached. After spending some quality time with it, I’ve come to the conclusion that that’s exactly what it is. And that’s a good, nay, a very good thing indeed. The S Pen has matured and improved in subtle but significant ways, while the GS III formula has only been upgraded with a larger battery and an even more generous screen size. At nearly 5 inches, Samsung’s flagship 2012 phone is already too big for a lot of people to comfortably use one-handed, so why should they not opt for the larger, but also more capable, Galaxy Note II? Relative to its predecessor, the Galaxy Note II is a clear and unequivocal upgrade. It’s now more powerful, lasts even longer, and ships with the best software that Samsung has yet put on an Android device. It doesn’t feel as characterful or quirky as the original Galaxy Note, and it is indeed festooned with superfluous apps and software presets, but those are small hurdles you can either disable or avoid. The commercial success of the first Galaxy Note came as a surprise, however the same won’t be true of the Galaxy Note II. It represents the best possible marriage of the Note lineage and Samsung’s 2012 technology and is likely to cement the Korean company’s position as the premier Android device maker.

Personally, I think the Samsung Galaxy Note II is an excellent smartphone for me and my needs. If I were due for an upgrade, I would seriously consider it, assuming it soon receives the multi window feature for all carriers. It's fast and powerful, with a bunch of innovative features, and the S Pen support is superbly implemented. Sure, it's big. But my phone usually travels by backpack or jacket pocket, where the added size isn't an issue. That said, the Galaxy Note II is not for everyone. Talkers will find it unwieldy, and casual users with likely get nothing out of most of the features. Serious note takers might be disappointed by S Note, as it is not quite ready for primetime, but with an open S Pen SDK, it probably won't be long before another developer releases a more viable notes app. Other flaws include a display that is just a little too drab for my liking, only adequate battery life, and the missing HDMI input (though I fear that will be the norm on handsets going forward). The last two are particularly frustrating because it's not as if Samsung had to limit the battery size and port selection in order to design a more compact device. None of those are dealbreakers, however. Overall, the Note II is a well-built and well-implemented smartphone. Power users looking for a new handset would be wise to check out the Samsung Galaxy Note II.

Sure, the Dell Streak may have broken the five-inch barrier first, but it took Samsung to make it popular. In every meaningful sense, the original Galaxy Note launched the phablet category, an accomplishment for which it’s been rightly praised. But even though it sold millions more than some of us expected, it didn’t quite manage to make “phablets” a household name. Today, the world is different. The Samsung name is stronger than ever before, with its Galaxy and Note sub-brands right out in front on the war for mind share. Given the public’s increased awareness of Samsung’s products, and the growing tendency of the average consumer to treat the words “Galaxy” and “Android” as synonymous, the Galaxy Note II stands a very good chance of doing something even more significant than its forerunner. It might be the device that catapults phablets to the point of mainstream acceptance. It’s going to launch on many more carriers than its predecessor, and we can reasonably assume Samsung will use its advertising resources to full effect. It’s going to be everywhere. With high-end smartphones already pushing the 5-inch mark, and the Galaxy Note II’s physical proportions not much larger than some of those jumbophones, some people in the market for a specced-out device will no doubt be tempted to make the jump to a phablet. Based on everything this device offers, the quiet competence with which its software operates, and the solid confidence its massive hardware inspires, justifying that jump is looking easier and easier. With the Galaxy Note II leading the pack, future of the phablet category -and Samsung’s dominance of it- has never looked brighter.

The Samsung Galaxy Note II N7100 is one beast of a droid and a major step forward for the class it represents. The second generation of the phablet is a massive upgrade, doubling the processing power of the predecessor, and bringing a bigger, and better, screen and an ampler battery. The slimmer waistline and narrower body improve handling a great deal, and while the Note II still isn't the easiest smartphone to wield, it's much better than the original Note. There's also the new S Pen, which is not only more comfortable to use now, but also way better integrated into the platform. Last, but certainly not least important, the Note II has received a host of software upgrades, which take the user experience a level up. From the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean platform and its Project Butter to the Buddy screens - it's obvious that Samsung's developers spared no effort to make the new Note as good as it can possibly get.

Having reviewed both the Samsung Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II, and looking at them up close again for this article, it's still hard to pick a favorite. The Note II certainly offers more in a lot of areas we've tested but the user experience isn't dramatically different from what a Galaxy S III offers. So is it worth the extra weight in your pockets and the higher price tag? We guess it's down to what you plan on using the gadget for - the Galaxy S III feels like more of an all-in-one device. It's an excellent phone for calls, for using outdoors, for shooting photos and with a 4.8" 720p Super AMOLED display it does a great job at browsing the web or playing movies. In short, it's a great balance between portability and performance. The Galaxy Note II trades away some phone functions (not the least of which are portability and sunlight legibility) and lets the tablet side of its phablet personality come forward - a screen that's even better suited for multimedia consumption, gaming and, with features like S Pen and the split-screen UI, a higher productivity potential.

Indeed, the HTC DROID DNA is one attractive looking handset that’s setting the bar with its 1920x1080 display. More importantly, though, we’re grateful to find it priced at $200 with a 2-year contract, which makes it a solid buy for anyone in the market for a premier smartphone. However, if you’re willing to dish out the extra $100 to pick up the Samsung Galaxy Note II for $300 on-contract, it’s still an alluring option to go with considering the wealth of functionality it has to offer over its rival. Above all, it’s the bigger 5.5” display and the TouchWiz Nature UX experience of the Note II that makes it such a prolific offering – especially when we see the advantageous benefits of the S-Pen. Not only that, it proves its worth in key categories, like taking photos/video and battery life, to make it a tangible selection worth the money spent on it.

In this world you get what you pay for, a phenomena of which smartphones are a good example. The Ace 2 is a cracking little smartphone for the price, but if your budget will stretch the to the SIII you won't regret the extra expense. Choosing between the Note II and the SIII is a little more difficult. In essence, the former is a small tablet with phone capabilities. If you require a bigger, 5in screen you'll find the Note II is the best such device on the market. It comes with a stylus too, so you can definitely be more productive and creative on it than with a standard-sized smartphone: even one with a big screen like the SIII. However, its bulk won't be for everyone, and the SIII is a truly stand out Android phone.

We spoke of a compromise solution in the precursor of Samsung's Galaxy Note II. Although the second Note's screen diagonal is bigger, we find it easier to categorize it now. The smaller width and the fact that smartphones currently seem to be getting bigger makes the Note II more of a smartphone than a tablet. It fits in most pockets even if it sticks out a bit. And nowadays, no one looks at you oddly when you hold a "small screen TV" to your ear. So we note that Samsung's Galaxy Note II is a big smartphone and not a small tablet. The device's hardware is extremely strong and matches the steep price better than the mediocre material impression. The workmanship does not give reason for complaint. The other equipment also looks good in a high-end smartphone. However, Samsung should perhaps consider installing a bit more internal memory. The screen looks a bit better on paper than it is in reality. The colors, contrast and black value are very good but the brightness could be better. The viewing angle stability is also marred by a visible bluish cast.