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5 inch phones, the next big thing

CES brought with it a few good contenders in the 5-inch phone battle. Only a month ago, the Butterfly/Droid DNA from HTC was the only game in town. In the next couple months, the Sony Xperia Z, Oppo Find 5, ZTE Grand S, and Huawei Ascend D2 will be popping their heads up for your consideration. MWC might even bring more 5 inch goodness, but any phones announced then will still be a ways off. The rumored 5 inch Galaxy S4 is still a good half a year away also.
The 5 inch size seems to fit the bill very well between a manageable and pocketable phone and one that is too big to use and impairs walking. It fits my requirements perfectly. I've owned a Galaxy Note that's 5.3" before and the 80+mm width and 140+mm height was cumbersome and bulky for me. However, the Galaxy S III at 4.8" was almost imperceptible in my pocket and very easy to hold. Most of the 5 inch phones currently releasing are about the same size, especially those with onscreen buttons. Some like the Xperia ZL are even smaller.
Here's a rundown on my thoughts of the current crop:
Xperia Z: The sides and power button are stylish. It's thin at under 8mm. The back is too plain and that plainless allows fingerprints to shine very easily and nastily. Front is pretty generic. The screen seems to be a bigger version of the Xperia S/T screen. That is, the viewing angles and color aren't the greatest. The 13MP camera seems to take great low light shots with very little noise, and the HDR video is also stellar. Sound capture could use some tweaking. IT's also water/dust resistant, but that doesn't factor much into my decision.
Xperia ZL: The internals and screen are identical to the Z, however Sony tried to squeeze the dimensions a bit and the height and width is actually smaller than a Galaxy S III. The thickness, however, is less impressive. There is a godawful butt flap on the back, especially noticeable on the white one. The textured black one is too Samsung-ish and cheap looking to me. The lower right front facing camera, similar to the one on the Nokia N9, also drives me nuts because I always notice it. Not on my shortlist.
Oppo Find 5: This is the one I'm enamored with. I've always liked the way the Xperia Arc looked, minus the cheap looking plastics. This one is matte and soft touch instead. It is sleeker and more streamlined than the curvaceous and fluffier, less hardy looking One X and Droid DNA polycarbonate shells. The screen is supposedly the same one as the Droid DNA, which is the best 5" 1080p on the market. The camera is also 13MP and possibly has HDR video and a 120fps mode. This phone already has a release date of 1/29 in China, with many more countries following after. Most important of all, it's been stated that they will sell it unlocked in the US for $500 online. Hassle-free. Close to release and fully unlocked are big pros in my book. The name Oppo is also very endearing.
Huawei Ascend D2: Probably the ugliest and most generic of the lot. The front seems identical to the Galaxy S II from 2011, and the back is just cheap shiny plastic with generic budget phone design. There's also an iffy homemade SoC inside. The screen might be the same as the Droid DNA/Find 5 however. There is also a sizeable 3000mah battery.
ZTE Grand S: The design looks a lot like the HTC One series. At 6.9mm, it is also the thinnest. The screen seems to have varying opinions. Some say it is good. Others say it is washed out with poor colors. The only thing I can gather from the videos is that the default brightness isn't very high and it always looks rather dim. The large raised dais that the camera sits within doesn't look very elegant. It is a fingerprint magnet and contrast sharply with the matte of the rest of the phone.
Droid DNA: This one is actually out and available. I don't know about the Butterfly or international variants, but it is on Verizon in the US and can be easily unlocked for GSM networks. It has the best 5" 1080p screen in the market, and the colors are not overly warm like the One X. It also has the same fluffy pillow look of the One X, but with some fun red stripes on the sides. It is quite light for its size, but on the thicker side for modern smartphones. There is a woefully small battery. The camera is a transplant from the older One X, and is only 8MP compared to the other 13MP shooters. The quality is decent, but it tends to be overly dark and oversharpened. The video capture is also not very good.

at some point phones can get too big. I have fairly big hands, but still I do not want to be stretching out my thumbs every time I need to click the back button.

well........
in my opinion, 5" is the ideal size, any bigger than that, the phone would be hard to handle as a phone atleast for people like me.
i have my fingers crossed for my next BIG phone , already expecting a Nexus-4 soon, and hopefully get a HTC Butterfyl or Xperia-Z soon.
:fingers-crossed:

Next "BIG" thing ... hehehe
the irony!
But serious I'm also an owner of rather big hands and I think I could handle a 5" phone, especially if it had a 1080p display.

it is good if phone has 5 inch screen display but phone should be comfortable in hands, now a days most of the mobile companies trying to launch big screen phone because big screen phone are very famous in youngsters.

I would choose the Sony ZL from that list for these reasons:
-Smallest surface for a 5 inch phone (for now)
-On screen buttons, very modable like Nexus devices once rooted
-Sony UI are lighter and more tolerable to me than sense and even touchwiz
-The camera, sound quality and durability should be good to excellent which is a trend with Sony devices from what I see, quite important factors
-It has removable storage which the DNA does not, this is a big deal for a 1080p device. They go hand in hand.
-It have bigger battery capacity than the Z and DNA.
-Base on so spec charts, it is 3G pentaband, a huge plus, you can bring it to any GSM carrier in the world. With LTE too.
If you read the spec charts, the DNA and ZL thickness is .1mm apart, if that is enough of a concern than you deserve the 11gb storage space and overpriced CDMA contract. Though the Z is 2mm thinner, it is 8.4mm longer with big empty space below the screen.
But probably I won't buy it due to the price and my preference of Nexus devices.

Still depends on the size of your palm.

bigger screen is better to use, but the issue is the pocketable size, I m a guy and i dont carry a purse with me.... if u put a 5" in ur front pocket, its hard to bend or kneel down, and u risk sitting on the phone if u put it on ur rear pocket, especially for those who wear tight jeans
i guess its fine if u use a purse or a belt hanger or clothing with big pockets

5.0 Screens
I was concerned my 4.3 inch screen would be too large, not so. Now with the bevels disappearing a 5.0 inch screen is workable for an average sized hand. The long term issue for all this larger screens with all the added functionality is going to be battery life. Sony's White Magic integrated white pixels into the screen to help reduce battery consumption, not sure if it did. They are also introducing a new deep sleep mode that is suppose to reduce battery drain, further. I think the Sony Z and ZL are extremely nice. I have an Xperia Arc S, but we will have to see what Google's X phone is...
It could be a leap in development and one would assume it is a 5.0 screen.

As you see everyone have own opinion. I think 4.5-4.7" is max size. So it's good when we have many option to choose.

I like 4inch phones :/
Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk 2

Phew! I have a phone so small that the resolution is cut off sometimes when I play a game. 5 inches would be massive thing to handle casually, and I like to be able to handle my phone from hand to hand easily. Not giving it a death grip afraid it'll be too big for my hands!

Nice.........I don't think 5 inches will be that bad.........looking at the note 2 and then going back to my phone is night and day lol
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda app-developers app

I will bei getting a Xperia Z or Ascend D2 depending on availability in Germany/Switzerland....5 inch is perfect for my long fingers and Huawei impresses me already with my second phone (G615).

Mmx canvas 2 superphone A110
----------------Read If You Have Time----------------
Send From My Samsung Galaxy Note 2 N7100,
HIT thanks if I did Helped you.
LIFE! It's what you make out of it!

Many people also forget 1 very important thing.
For some people 5" might be/seem to big, why is it too big? Most people use both hands when they operate their phones anyways.
And the important thing I was talking about is:
The eyes!
The bigger the screen, the less eye problems you'll have once you become older.
So think about it, don't just think in the now, but also try to think about your own future.:good:

Dsteppa said:
Many people also forget 1 very important thing.
For some people 5" might be/seem to big, why is it too big? Most people use both hands when they operate their phones anyways.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Most? Perhaps. Certainly not everyone. I use my phone with one hand most of the time.
I really only use it with both hands when playing games or writing a really long SMS. And that's not even certain.
Playing Puzzle or rotation games(Like Mega Jump) is easier with just one hand.
I could not for the life of me want to drop your bag or tossing your smoke just cause you have to answer a call. 2 Hand phones really should be a hassle.
I will wait abit till theres a durable, fast speed 4.5" (maximum) phone.
For years everything has gotten smaller I think making them bigger is really a step backwards.
Dsteppa said:
And the important thing I was talking about is:
The eyes!
The bigger the screen, the less eye problems you'll have once you become older.
So think about it, don't just think in the now, but also try to think about your own future.:good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I'm only 19. When I'm 80 with eye problems (which probably by then has a magic cure), Phones probably wont even have screens or some crazy stuff.

I like the 5-inch phones, but I am just worried where I am supposed to keep them since they will barely fit in my pocket. I currently own a Galaxy S3 and I have trouble keeping that in my pocket. I'll have to purchase custom pants if I want to get a 5-inch phone

I think 5" is really the acceptable limit. Anything over that would be too uncomfortable to use as a phone.
It'd make more sense to get a tablet if you need anything bigger.

After using the Note 2 for a while, the biggest thing I don't like is the fact that I don't want a smaller screen for my next phone. I have average sized hands and don't find it cumbersome hardly at all. 5 inches would be the smallest id consider. The DNA is certainly a lot easier to manage though. 5 inches would be the minimum for me and 5.5 the max. I will say that I've lost count of how many times I've dropped the Note 2 on my face when laying down
Sent from my SCH-I605 using xda app-developers app

[Anticipation] note 3 vs nexus 5

My next phone will defo be one of those, though solid details on both are scarce if existent at all.....
I really hope the 3gb ram rumours are true.
If there is finally no lag on touch wiz with note 3 I'll go there if not then nexus 5 steals my cash.
Right now feeling the pinch of UK s3 limit of 1gb ram, but still loving my first taste of android even a year later, my second phone the iPhone 4s only gets a look in when I need a separate business phone or this battery is low.
Originally intended to get a windows 8 lumia but they hadn't been released and ICS/jelly bean had ensured that I haven't regretted it
Which of the two do you anticipate more and why?
------------------------------------------------
Sent from my right hand, which is surprisingly not busy right now.

Note 3 for sure. Note 2 is my favorite phone ever, it's only right that I get it's successor.
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2

Actually, most of the Note 3's specs were leaked today: http://www.sammobile.com/2013/06/09...ra-ii-and-galaxy-s4-lte-advanced-coming-soon/
Note 3, without question.

Wow crazy... If it gets 3gb ram too that thing is taking over my life! Wedding is off, she can find a new man, just leave me to my note 3, take the iPad if you want...
------------------------------------------------
Sent from my right hand, which is surprisingly not busy right now.

Great. Thank you for your topic
Sent from my Burst S280 using xda app-developers app

I like nuxus but i don't have money
Sent from my Burst S280 using xda app-developers app

I have the original Galaxy Note and have loved it (came from a Galaxy SII). I've been wanting to get the Note 2 for the past few months and not sure I'll be able to hold out since I'm getting antsy for a new phone. If i can somehow suppress my impulse to buy the Note 2, I will be anxiously awaiting the release of the Note 3...after all, we're only talking a matter of 4 months or so..right? :fingers-crossed:

datanetresource said:
I have the original Galaxy Note and have loved it (came from a Galaxy SII). I've been wanting to get the Note 2 for the past few months and not sure I'll be able to hold out since I'm getting antsy for a new phone. If i can somehow suppress my impulse to buy the Note 2, I will be anxiously awaiting the release of the Note 3...after all, we're only talking a matter of 4 months or so..right? :fingers-crossed:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hold out, trust me on that
------------------------------------------------
Sent from my right hand, which is surprisingly not busy right now.

Note 3!!! Doing my best to hold out on upgrading my GS3 to the GS4 in hopes of the Note 3

datanetresource said:
I have the original Galaxy Note and have loved it (came from a Galaxy SII). I've been wanting to get the Note 2 for the past few months and not sure I'll be able to hold out since I'm getting antsy for a new phone. If i can somehow suppress my impulse to buy the Note 2, I will be anxiously awaiting the release of the Note 3...after all, we're only talking a matter of 4 months or so..right? :fingers-crossed:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wait for 3, seriously. It'll be worth it.
Send From My Samsung Galaxy S3 Using Tapatalk 2

I want the Note3 but, by the time I can upgrade it will new old news. So... what's next.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app

Apart from the slightly bigger screen there is not a great deal more to get excited about the Note 3. 13 MP? Irrelevant. Worst : it is actually detrimental to imagine quality in such tiny sensors. FHD? What for? Now, if they improve the sunlight legibility of the screen which is IMO one of the drawbacks of the current screen, that might make me think twice.
I also have my eyes on the upcoming Xperia Z Ultra. Looks like a real contender to the Note 3 although I'm afraid it is just too big.

Wunderwaffe said:
Apart from the slightly bigger screen there is not a great deal more to get excited about the Note 3. 13 MP? Irrelevant. Worst : it is actually detrimental to imagine quality in such tiny sensors. FHD? What for? Now, if they improve the sunlight legibility of the screen which is IMO one of the drawbacks of the current screen, that might make me think twice.
I also have my eyes on the upcoming Xperia Z Ultra. Looks like a real contender to the Note 3 although I'm afraid it is just too big.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
FHD Why? Well, because some of us DO see the difference. I don't want anything below 1080 ever again.
Oh, I don't know. The 3GB RAM maybe? Or maybe the fact it's either going to be a Snapdragon 800 or an Exynos Octa?
The camera I don't give a sh*t about. I carry my DSLR everywhere anyway.

With higher density displays you do see a better quality even if you can't see any more individual pixels - the more pixels making up the smallest visible "particle" the more detail and colour clarity you will experience, it's like cd vs a brand new vinyl, the vinyl records lots of frequencies that the human ear can't pick up while the CD is limit to the human spectrum, yet vinyls on a good system that have not worn out the tracts yet have a much warmer palette of sounds, the insensible waves have an effect on the sensible and the same happens with screens, if you play a 4k video on a 1000ppi screen theoretically you'd see a far better image than on a 1020 440 ppi which is visibly better than on a 720 on a 326ppi which is considered roughly retina. Don't let apple brainwash you into thinking that retina is the best you can get, it's clear yes, but it can look nicer than our already amazing top end screens do.
Usually the difference isn't noticeable instantly, but when you try to go back to the lower quality you notice the difference, try looking at an old android device from 2010 or an iPhone 3gs... Blurry as hell but at the time I couldn't imagine a better screen.
------------------------------------------------------
Sent by my right hand, which is not otherwise engaged.
{Nexus ⁴ stock unrooted 4.3 with Kii Keyboard.}

Phablet Wars! Which phone do you like better? Galaxy Note 3 vs The rest. Check it out

First I will explain my story: I went from owning the SGS 1, then SGS 2 and then I bought a Droid DNA for something different, but someone stole it. Luckily a friend sold me an SGS 3 for very cheap. By the time I played around with the SGS 3, I realised why I was getting bored of Samsung to begin with. It's because of the screen. Yes it looks sharp and clear but the amoled screen was so fake and forced with saturation which my Droid DNA wasn't suffering from. Not to mention the SGS 3 seemed exactly the same as my SGS 2 only a different shape and size. It was quite frankly boring!
After my insurance company replaced my Droid DNA I could no longer use the SGS 3 because of these facts. I continued to use the Droid DNA for the following months and I can not fault it besides the screen being too small for me now, I have simply outgrown it. I have since sold all of my phones including the DNA to purchase a new phone. I automatically wanted the Note 3 because of the size and hardware and well known projected development but my main questions are:
Is the screen on the Galaxy Note 3 improved with life like colours in comparison to the SGS 3?
Is the camera going to be good enough without OIS?
If you want to know my other choices and reasons why I am considering them please look below. (Was going to include Sony Xperia Z Ultra but the camera has no flash and is only 8mp and the size form factor is too much for me)
My first choice (hoping the screen doesn't put me off)
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Samsung Galaxy Note 3
Pros:
Biggest screen in a small chassis in comparison to any other phablet
Stylus might come in handy but I have never used one before
Has the best internals out of the competition Snapdragon 800/Adreno 330
Development support is massive for Samsung!
Massive battery
4K recording on specific model I am interested in
More RAM
Cons:
Amoled screens have always seemed boring to look at to me and everything seems fake, almost like a cartoon. I need to use the GN3 in person before I can be sure. They might have made it better than the SGS 3? - This is the main reason I am concerned about - My Droid DNA felt so lifelike and easy to look at)
Camera has no OIS (and apparently the auto focus is slow according to some reviews)
My second choice
Acer Liquid S2
Pros:
Screen appeals to me more as it is not amoled like the Note 3
6" display
Same internals as Note 3
Same battery capacity as Note 3
Highest contrast amongst my choices?
Better Front Camera than the other choices
LED Ring Flash (4 leds)
Cons:
Bigger than Note 3 and not sure if it is worth it for the size increase of the screen (TOUGH DECISION)
Has a slower clock speed at 2.2 instead of 2.3 in other Snapdragon 800 phones
If it is not a lot cheaper than it will make me lean towards the Note 3
Reflective screen might cancel out contrast levels outdoors
Not sure what development will be like?
My third choice (more information on release might push me to buy this phone)
Oppo N1
Pros:
Rotating 6 lens camera with F/2.0 Aperture
First Cyanogen Mod Integrated Phone
Duel LED Flash
Biggest battery of all of my choices
Back of the phone has a touch panel which I bet will become very customisable
Aluminium
Some images make it look like the phone is waterproof?
Cons:
Phone might be tooooo big
last generation internals Snapdragon 600/Adreno 320
My third choice tied (more information on release might push me to buy this phone)
HTC One Max ( Some specs might still be unconfirmed)
Pros:
Screen might appeal to me more as it is not amoled like the Note 3
Larger screen
Camera has OIS and might be great. (The HTC One camera didn't impress me too much however)
External surround speakers
Development has really started picking back up with HTC
Cons:
Physical size must be big considering the speaker layout and camera
last generation internals Snapdragon 600/Adreno 320
Another tied third choice (Price is so cheap it might make do)
LG Optimus G Pro (Was also looking at Note 2 but this trumps it in every way besides stylus/software which I am still unsure if I will use often enough and of course I prefer a non amoled screen)
Pros:
This phone is literally half the price as the note 3 costing me $450 vs $850 for the Note 3 (This phone might keep me going until a newer phone entices me and for half the price it is tempting)
Dolby mobile sound enhancement
Great sized screen
Big battery
Camera is better than average
The development is not tooooo bad
Cons:
last generation internals Snapdragon 600/Adreno 320
My fourth choice (most disappointing because screen is probably not going to be big enough!! but I love all of the other features. If this phone was 5.5" I would be getting it over anything else! I am so annoyed it has on screen keys and a smaller screen! - It's why I sold my Nexus 4 so quickly)
LG G2
Pros:
Screen appeals to me more as it is not amoled like the Note 3
Large battery for a small phone (not as good as the note 3 but the life should be close to the same as it has a smaller screen to power)
The phone is cheaper to buy outright by $200 dollars in my country in comparison to the note 3
Camera is outstanding - 4K record might be possible with firmware update - f/2.4 aperture and OIS has proven to take better images and video with the right settings in comparison to my other phone choices
Internals are the same as Note 3
Cons:
Screen is only a little step up in quality and size from my Droid DNA (especially if I choose to keep on screen keys active)
LG usually have little development support compared to Samsung
The button placement at the back makes the phone look weird and maybe awkward. I thought it was a camera lens cover when I first saw it
At the end of the day if the Note 3 didn't have an amoled screen and did have OIS I wouldn't be looking at other phones at all. Even if it just had a different screen it would probably lock me in to buying it. That goes the same for the LG G2 if it had a larger screen! To make a definitive decision, I need to use all of these phones in person but because I live in Australia, most of these phones aren't available to me. Makes it very hard to make a decision! I need to look at the Galaxy Note 3 screen and see if I can deal with the amoled, if I can I will buy it. It is released in Australia in 3 days for me to check out.
If I don't like the Note 3 screen, I will need to handle the Oppo, Acer and HTC One Max to see if I am comfortable with the size of them. If I am then I will buy whichever one I like better, the problem is these phone will probably not come to Australia anytime soon, if at all for me to test them so I can only go by user opinion!
If I am not completely happy with the Acer/HTC/Oppo size I will end up buying the LG Optimus G Pro for so much cheaper than the others and I will then look to replace it when I am happy with another phone even if the phone is lower spec, it has decent development and an upgraded screen size and quality over my DNA.
I also need to see the LG G2 in person to judge the screen size for myself, again the phone is not available in my country until November! and I will want to make a decision by then

Note 3 Ftw!
Sent from my SM-N900K using Tapatalk 2

Come on brotha, your posting in a Note 3 thread. That'd be like me going to a Republican rally and asking which is better: Republicans, Democrats, or the Green Party? lol

uppon2 said:
First I will explain my story: I went from owning the SGS 1, then SGS 2 and then I bought a Droid DNA for something different, but someone stole it. Luckily a friend sold me an SGS 3 for very cheap. By the time I played around with the SGS 3, I realised why I was getting bored of Samsung to begin with. It's because of the screen. Yes it looks sharp and clear but the amoled screen was so fake and forced with saturation which my Droid DNA wasn't suffering from. Not to mention the SGS 3 seemed exactly the same as my SGS 2 only a different shape and size. It was quite frankly boring!
After my insurance company replaced my Droid DNA I could no longer use the SGS 3 because of these facts. I continued to use the Droid DNA for the following months and I can not fault it besides the screen being too small for me now, I have simply outgrown it. I have since sold all of my phones including the DNA to purchase a new phone. I automatically wanted the Note 3 because of the size and hardware and well known projected development but my main questions are:
Is the screen on the Galaxy Note 3 improved with life like colours in comparison to the SGS 3?
Is the camera going to be good enough without OIS?
If you want to know my other choices and reasons why I am considering them please look below. (Was going to include Sony Xperia Z Ultra but the camera has no flash and is only 8mp and the size form factor is too much for me)
My first choice (hoping the screen doesn't put me off)
Samsung Galaxy Note 3
Pros:
Biggest screen in a small chassis in comparison to any other phablet
Stylus might come in handy but I have never used one before
Has the best internals out of the competition Snapdragon 800/Adreno 330
Development support is massive for Samsung!
Massive battery
4K recording on specific model I am interested in
More RAM
Cons:
Amoled screens have always seemed boring to look at to me and everything seems fake, almost like a cartoon. I need to use the GN3 in person before I can be sure. They might have made it better than the SGS 3? - This is the main reason I am concerned about - My Droid DNA felt so lifelike and easy to look at)
Camera has no OIS (and apparently the auto focus is slow according to some reviews)
My second choice
Acer Liquid S2
Pros:
Screen appeals to me more as it is not amoled like the Note 3
6" display
Same internals as Note 3
Same battery capacity as Note 3
Highest contrast amongst my choices?
Better Front Camera than the other choices
LED Ring Flash (4 leds)
Cons:
Bigger than Note 3 and not sure if it is worth it for the size increase of the screen (TOUGH DECISION)
Has a slower clock speed at 2.2 instead of 2.3 in other Snapdragon 800 phones
If it is not a lot cheaper than it will make me lean towards the Note 3
Reflective screen might cancel out contrast levels outdoors
Not sure what development will be like?
My third choice (more information on release might push me to buy this phone)
Oppo N1
Pros:
Rotating 6 lens camera with F/2.0 Aperture
First Cyanogen Mod Integrated Phone
Duel LED Flash
Biggest battery of all of my choices
Back of the phone has a touch panel which I bet will become very customisable
Aluminium
Some images make it look like the phone is waterproof?
Cons:
Phone might be tooooo big
last generation internals Snapdragon 600/Adreno 320
My third choice tied (more information on release might push me to buy this phone)
HTC One Max ( Some specs might still be unconfirmed)
Pros:
Screen might appeal to me more as it is not amoled like the Note 3
Larger screen
Camera has OIS and might be great. (The HTC One camera didn't impress me too much however)
External surround speakers
Development has really started picking back up with HTC
Cons:
Physical size must be big considering the speaker layout and camera
last generation internals Snapdragon 600/Adreno 320
Another tied third choice (Price is so cheap it might make do)
LG Optimus G Pro (Was also looking at Note 2 but this trumps it in every way besides stylus/software which I am still unsure if I will use often enough and of course I prefer a non amoled screen)
Pros:
This phone is literally half the price as the note 3 costing me $450 vs $850 for the Note 3 (This phone might keep me going until a newer phone entices me and for half the price it is tempting)
Dolby mobile sound enhancement
Great sized screen
Big battery
Camera is better than average
The development is not tooooo bad
Cons:
last generation internals Snapdragon 600/Adreno 320
My fourth choice (most disappointing because screen is probably not going to be big enough!! but I love all of the other features. If this phone was 5.5" I would be getting it over anything else! I am so annoyed it has on screen keys and a smaller screen! - It's why I sold my Nexus 4 so quickly)
LG G2
Pros:
Screen appeals to me more as it is not amoled like the Note 3
Large battery for a small phone (not as good as the note 3 but the life should be close to the same as it has a smaller screen to power)
The phone is cheaper to buy outright by $200 dollars in my country in comparison to the note 3
Camera is outstanding - 4K record might be possible with firmware update - f/2.4 aperture and OIS has proven to take better images and video with the right settings in comparison to my other phone choices
Internals are the same as Note 3
Cons:
Screen is only a little step up in quality and size from my Droid DNA (especially if I choose to keep on screen keys active)
LG usually have little development support compared to Samsung
The button placement at the back makes the phone look weird and maybe awkward. I thought it was a camera lens cover when I first saw it
At the end of the day if the Note 3 didn't have an amoled screen and did have OIS I wouldn't be looking at other phones at all. Even if it just had a different screen it would probably lock me in to buying it. That goes the same for the LG G2 if it had a larger screen! To make a definitive decision, I need to use all of these phones in person but because I live in Australia, most of these phones aren't available to me. Makes it very hard to make a decision! I need to look at the Galaxy Note 3 screen and see if I can deal with the amoled, if I can I will buy it. It is released in Australia in 3 days for me to check out.
If I don't like the Note 3 screen, I will need to handle the Oppo, Acer and HTC One Max to see if I am comfortable with the size of them. If I am then I will buy whichever one I like better, the problem is these phone will probably not come to Australia anytime soon, if at all for me to test them so I can only go by user opinion!
If I am not completely happy with the Acer/HTC/Oppo size I will end up buying the LG Optimus G Pro for so much cheaper than the others and I will then look to replace it when I am happy with another phone even if the phone is lower spec, it has decent development and an upgraded screen size and quality over my DNA.
I also need to see the LG G2 in person to judge the screen size for myself, again the phone is not available in my country until November! and I will want to make a decision by then
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Lol, well at least you did your research I am a former amoled hater, I returned my galaxy nexus because of the crappy colors and green tint, so I understand your concerns. In seeing friends gs3 vs gs4 the screen is much improved and I find the colors more realistic, the colors on LCD being super saturated, and the blacks are miles better. I then played with a gnote2 for a few days before deciding if I wanted the 3 and the answer was a resounding yes, the screen was fantastic

Best way is like you said, to just wait until it reaches your country and you can see it in person. Amoled displays have vibrant over saturated colors, better viewing angles, better battery efficiency than LCDs, and better blacks. LCDs have better whites, better brightness and viewing eligibility under the sun, more realistic colors. See which benefits you like the most and get the phone with the corresponding screen.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

I bought the Note 3 for its unparalleled stylus integration. (and screen size/beast-mode specs) It has no competition at this point in time (Although a few competitors are in the works).
FWIW, I think the Note 3's screen is gorgeous.

When you posted it here, you should have known the answer is skewed.
If Note 3 did not have so much restriction, it should have been my choice.

mingkee said:
When you posted it here, you should have known the answer is skewed.
If Note 3 did not have so much restriction, it should have been my choice.
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Not arguing, but what restriction?

Change the screen mode in settings to Natural and if it's still not to your liking try Movie. By default it's on Standard and can even be increased with Dynamic. Changing the saturation has been present in settings since the GS2, idk how people miss that one option that could end their complains. If that doesn't do it for you then the Galaxy line might not be for you.
Sent from my SPH-L900 using xda app-developers app

MohJee said:
Best way is like you said, to just wait until it reaches your country and you can see it in person. Amoled displays have vibrant over saturated colors, better viewing angles, better battery efficiency than LCDs, and better blacks. LCDs have better whites, better brightness and viewing eligibility under the sun, more realistic colors. See which benefits you like the most and get the phone with the corresponding screen.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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Click to collapse
Doesn't anybody use the movie mode or adobe rgb mode? Looks great in either mode. The galaxy series are on dynamic mode out of the box. Similar to how TV manufacturers and resellers put display TV's in this mode to stand out.

MohJee said:
Best way is like you said, to just wait until it reaches your country and you can see it in person. Amoled displays have vibrant over saturated colors, better viewing angles, better battery efficiency than LCDs, and better blacks. LCDs have better whites, better brightness and viewing eligibility under the sun, more realistic colors. See which benefits you like the most and get the phone with the corresponding screen.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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Click to collapse
This is all personal taste, of course, but I find LCD screens more over saturated, and the sun viewing thing is overstated, while technically true, the reflections off the glass of all these screens makes it mostly mute. I've used my iPhone, iPad, friends galaxy devices, they all ultimately stink in direct sun

Thanks for the replies guys. I posted this here because amongst bias choices, people will still give me answers I want to hear. A lot of people buy the Note series for the stylus and software features alone, where these features are simply bonuses that I might use and not even close to the reason I want a large screen device!

If it wasn't for my need of the digitizer pen for documents there are a lot of strong contenders like LG G2 (especially the price <$200), Sony Z1, etc.

mi7chy said:
If it wasn't for my need of the stylus for documents there are a lot of strong contenders like LG G2 (especially the price <$200), Sony Z1, etc.
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This is my point exactly. People can usually see the benefit of a stylus and that might play a huge roll in choosing the device! As this is not my primary concern I would choose the Z1 if it had a larger screen or The LG G2 if it had solid AOSP support; I guess I could make do with hiding the soft keys

I think this thread is a bit premature at the moment as there's too many unknowns about some of the other devices, the Acer looks potentially interesting but whether it's going to be worth considering will depend a lot on the price and how well it works in practice.
John

I have yet to see a note 3 in the flesh but colour rendition in the s4 is better than in the s3 so it may be an indicator of what to expect.
Sent from my GT-N7100

vtjay said:
Not arguing, but what restriction?
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Knox (prevent rooting)
Regional SIM locking (this is a major issue for travelers)

Regional sim locking won't effect anyone. It's only meant to prevent people from purchasing phones out of their region.
sgh-TWEAKED-889©

It won't affect people who travel to other countries?

Warrior1975 said:
Regional sim locking won't effect anyone. It's only meant to prevent people from purchasing phones out of their region.
sgh-TWEAKED-889©
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Not true. Read the main thread...
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317

Considering returning my Note 8 for a galaxy s8 plus

I posted in the note forums i thought i would see what replies i get here as well
I loved my note 7 (nice rounded edges samsung oem screen protector etc) This phone just feels ...well HUGE... in pocket as well as in hand... I am realizing im not using the spen at all really (other than to send sparkly messages to my wife) since i got my ipad pro and pencil for sketching. For some reason this thing feels immense in my front pocket and heavy.I read at night and holding this phone can be cumbersome at best.. I love the screen and playing games on it but for pretty much everything else its not what i expected. I went to best buy and held both phones at the same time and the s8+ feels so much better in hand with only a .1 in screen difference (i cannot even notice) Am i crazy for exchanging it for a S8+?
ps i like the dual camera live focus thing but for me personally its not that important. 99% of my phone pics are point and shoot and share to a friend or social media..
I had a s7 edge up until 2 weeks ago when i picked up the note 8 and it just feel gigantic.. I wanted a bigger screen because i wear reading glasses but the ergos are not nearly as nice as my old s7edge or the newer s8 and s8 plus.

Do you want to trade? Is your phone unlocked and what carrier are you on? My phone is unlocked by T-Mobile due to military status and it is in new condition! Message me I'm serious.

furfmonkey said:
I am realizing im not using the spen at all really
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Click to collapse
there's your answer. and you'll get a bit better battery life with the S8+

I'm sure a lot of people will trade their s8+ for your note 8. Just ask them to add some cash for the difference.
Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

S8+ is the same size, with no SPen and a single camera, and 2 gigs less RAM. The battery is marginally bigger, though. If you want a smaller device with the same basic experience, go with a regular S8.

Just a quick follow up i got my s8 plus and I'm in love!!!! It's so much lighter and more comfortable in hand and pocket.. I'm so glad i switched ?

RazoE said:
S8+ is the same size, with no SPen and a single camera, and 2 gigs less RAM. The battery is marginally bigger, though. If you want a smaller device with the same basic experience, go with a regular S8.
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Not mine ... I have 6gb 128 version. .
I have always since s3 had the notes Note 3 etc... Can't see myself swapping from s8+ this time. Less battery life on the note? Nah - pass.

I agree with your assessment of the two. I did the same Best Buy comparison last week and wound up buying the S8+. However, I will likely trade it in for dual cameras on the S9+. For now, I just wanted the step up from Note 4 and it fits the bill. S9+ will likely be it for a while unless Note reclaims their ergonomics for all. I'm a small person and not going to start carrying a bag around just to tote a phone. Meanwhile S8 was too small and odd feeling compared to Note 4. S8+ is just right.

Personally I hate the aspect ratios they have started using. 16:9 is the ideal ratio and happens to match widescreen video formats exactly. all this 18.5:9 crap just means you have a long skinny screen with less actual space on it. It's amazing how the screen on my old S5 just seems bigger simply because it doesnt have this silly long and skinny aspect ratio. In reality these screens are not actually 6.2" due to this, they are closer to an equivalent 5.5 and really ARE about 5.5 if you want to watch any 16:9 video without cropping it. Using the same logic they have started using for these screen sizes, by continuing to measure diagnonals despite not having a 16:9 ratio, you could make a screen 10" long and 1" wide and call it a 10.5" screen.....but it isn't is it.
That's my only problem with my S8+ (other than the fingerprint scanner placement) and it irritates me constantly. If it was 16:9 (which would also allow a much bigger battery) then it would be perfect. But I haven't exactly seen people commenting on it so i guess nobody else cares.

ewokuk said:
Personally I hate the aspect ratios they have started using. 16:9 is the ideal ratio and happens to match widescreen video formats exactly. all this 18.5:9 crap just means you have a long skinny screen with less actual space on it. It's amazing how the screen on my old S5 just seems bigger simply because it doesnt have this silly long and skinny aspect ratio. In reality these screens are not actually 6.2" due to this, they are closer to an equivalent 5.5 and really ARE about 5.5 if you want to watch any 16:9 video without cropping it. Using the same logic they have started using for these screen sizes, by continuing to measure diagnonals despite not having a 16:9 ratio, you could make a screen 10" long and 1" wide and call it a 10.5" screen.....but it isn't is it.
That's my only problem with my S8+ (other than the fingerprint scanner placement) and it irritates me constantly. If it was 16:9 (which would also allow a much bigger battery) then it would be perfect. But I haven't exactly seen people commenting on it so i guess nobody else cares.
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Click to collapse
no I agree with you. once i find a 6" phone with a less stretched aspect ratio AND stereo speakers.. i'd gladly trade my S8+. I'm not a fan of playing games/watching videos with a narrower width but longer horizontals. i wish Google would make the Nexus 6 again with modern hardware.

I actually like the new aspect ratio. It simply sees more stuff then 16:9
Had an s7e before s8+ and to me it's like switching from 4:3 monitor to 16:9 wide FHD monitor.
Only thing I don't like is iris not being as fast on daylight unlocking the phone and fingerprint feels useless here.
Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

I ended up going back to the note 8 !! Even with a case on the s8 plus i was getting false registers on the sides and corners with my big meaty hands... Is will be here Monday. Also in gaming grip or watching movies there note is far superior.. i feel dumb returning it but hey, it was a learning experience and at least i ended up with the better phone in the end

All those guys who say the Note 8 is heaps bigger than the S8+, I own both. a side by side comparison is about 5mm taller and almost exactly same width...
Battery life is pretty mch comparable with both .
I have the Exynos version of both so that may make a difference.

ultramag69 said:
All those guys who say the Note 8 is heaps bigger than the S8+, I own both. a side by side comparison is about 5mm taller and almost exactly same width...
Battery life is pretty mch comparable with both .
I have the Exynos version of both so that may make a difference.
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Click to collapse
I certainly wouldn't call it "heaps" bigger. The angles are simply awkward for some hands and some situations. As for the weight, a hundred pound person may find it heavier versus a 150 to 200 pound person. Note 4 and Note 5 felt very comfortable. 8 is different. Not bad, just different. Without a doubt, the Note is the better phone. Thank goodness for choice.

Why Did You choose The Note 10 Vs The Note 10+ ?

Was it simply you wanted the smaller form factor ?

Picked the note 10+ the bigger the better

Yeh it was exactly that for me, just wanted a smaller version just wish the battery was as good as my S10+, but obviously that won't be the case.

For me, it was the size. Yeah I know the plus model isn't that much bigger but still... After using a bunch of huge phones for the past few years, I wanted something smaller. Also I was ok with the 1080p display (which still looks amazing btw) and didn't mind the 8gb of ram so yeah.

-Ric- said:
For me, it was the size. Yeah I know the plus model isn't that much bigger but still... After using a bunch of huge phones for the past few years, I wanted something smaller. Also I was ok with the 1080p display (which still looks amazing btw) and didn't mind the 8gb of ram so yeah.
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Ditto

I chose the+for the simple overwhelming additional features.
Sent from my Note 10+ using Tapatalk

Price

wandro3d said:
Price
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Had it not been for the price you would have gone for Note 10+ ?

Size for me.

Nothing more besides the build of the device. I love the boxed shape chocolate bar desiggn of the devices ever since my Sony Xperia z3. I was waiting for Samsung to implement a similar design and this seemed to be it.
Now if they remove the curved edges since it's outdated in my opinion, I feel this design is perfect. I felt the Xperia xz3 had the perfect build and design for a smartphone. If they were to modernize that build with extremely minimal bezels like the note 10 plus that would be my ideal smartphone design.

SlyUK said:
Had it not been for the price you would have gone for Note 10+ ?
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Would i leave my hamburger for steak dinner if the price is the same? Hell yes.

The size of the phone is 100% important to me. I can't carry phone around, it really irritates me to have to somehow fit it in the front pocket, then when I sit, I have to remove it, baby it all the time as a nanny. I remember having Sony Xperia Compact...few years ago, was good, but it didn't support wifi calling, VoLTE with my T-Mobile sim, although other phones did. So even 5 inch phone is great. I just want to forget that I have it, as one pocket has keys, the other my wallet. I like Note device and picked Note10. The sad part is that my phone is 60% in my car/home and 40% with me.

I've been waiting for such a phone for so many years. big screen, slim body, and I really need s pen in every day use.
If only the camera was under the screen, it would have been perfect. But the punch hole is not that bad anyway.
FHD display is enough for me, and I've never used more than that in my note 9 and note 8, so I actually prefer it to QHD.
Not having a micro sd when you get 256 Gb is not a problem either. For me even 128 gb is enough.
Battery is a lot better than I expected. I get about 1 hour screen on time more than note 9.
It's almost the perfect phone.