Decisions Decisions!!!
The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is not a brand new handset, it was released on September 25th 2013, however it was my mobile phone of choice when I upgraded the phone in the middle of June 2014. Rather than focus on a full review, this looks at the reason why I chose this phone over the Samsung S5, the Sony Z2, the HTC One (M8) and the Oppo Find 7a, all worthy contenders but in the end they lost out to my choice of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3.
I spent many months researching my next mobile phone handset, and not only looked endlessly at the specs, but also spent a lot of time on the handsets on the various stores. Many hours were spent deciding what I wanted, what was the best handset available, and the best tariff to make the most out of the phone.
The Specs
The Galaxy Note 3 is no slouch when it comes to specifications, sporting 4G capabilities, removable battery and micro-sd cards, Gorilla Glass 3, 1080x1920 pixels on a 5.7inch screen giving 388dpi, 32GB storage, 3GB RAM, 13MP camera, Android 4.4.2 and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor clocked at 2.3ghz with Adreno 330 graphics.
Yes, the newer phones have the Snapdragon 801 processor, but the Note 3 has the 3GB RAM which makes a huge difference. Looking through the internet, the Galaxy Note 3 bench tests are very impressive, and are on a par with the latest released phones. In real-term tests, where benchmarks mean less, the Note 3 is a stellar performer thanks to that extra RAM. Since having the phone, it has never skipped a beat, and compared to my old Samsung S3, it’s like chalk and cheese.
The screen resolution means that the text is crisp, and you cannot see individual pixels, while the screen is nice and bright without being over-saturated like other Samsung phones. The main reason I picked the Galaxy Note 3 over the Samsung S5 is the screen size. It’s a huge 5.7inch of screen, which contrary to popular belief, is still perfectly usable with one hand! It’s gorgeous, and combined with the S-Pen, makes an ideal screen for work and play!
Of course, I tend to stream all my content these days, however the phone comes with 32GB of storage, plus I have added my old 8GB card meaning I have 40GB of storage, more than enough for keeping loads of films, music and photos on my phone at all times and for taking content on holidays on on my travels.
The camera is 13MP, and gives some amazing results. The camera is quite important to me, as although I use a Nikon D3200 as my main camera, having a camera on me at all times is something I need. The results of the photos are impressive, and to be fair, even the camera on the Samsung S3 was great. These added megapixels mean the choice of a wide-screen photos or the usual square photos, plus Samsung has added extra features such as live-filters, surround-shot, panorama, erase (takes out moving objects from background), HDR and much more.
Graphics and graphic handling are once again fantastic, due to the extra RAM, and the latest games load quickly and play fast. The same can be said for the software in general, with everything opening instantly and running as smooth as silk.
Other Features
The Samsung Note 3 comes with something called an S-Pen. The phone can work perfectly without it, but using it opens up more options. Taking the pen out of the holder instantly opens a menu with various options. The most useful option is Action Menu, which brings up a box in which you can write.
Whatever you write can be manipulated in a number of ways, you can write numbers and then dial, add contacts, send text or email, open webpages, find places or simply add a note. Word recognition is accurate, and even in my scrawl it will open the right web page or convert my writing to text with hardly any mistakes (mistakes are because my writing is so bad).
You can cut parts of the screen and save the content to a scrapbook, draw a square and open applications within it, take screenshots and much more. The S-Pen is ideal for artists, as using the latest technology it can sense everything from hovering over the screen to pressing at infinite different pressures. Using the included Sketchbook Pro, you get a sense of how powerful this pen is, as you can draw as if using a real pencil, with thick and thin strokes depending on how hard you press.
Hovering over parts of the screen while using different apps on your phone will open up little windows with summaries of it’s contents, while of course swiping to text is even easier than when using your fingers. The pen really is that good that once you find a use for it, it’s hard to live without it.
S Health is also inbuilt to the phone, and your phone will look after everything from your diet to how many steps you’ve walked in the day. The step-counter is especially useful, and seems to be extremely accurate in counting steps. The app also tells you the temperature and the humidity of the air, plus a whole lot more that I’ve yet to discover.
In Real Use
A lot of people are worried about the size of the phone. At 5.95 x 3.12 x .33 inches the phone looks huge compared to others on the market. That said, because of the software, one thumb operation while typing is easy and feels no difference to any other phone once you’re used to it. I do not have huge hands by any means, but feel the phone fits nicely into the hand. Any bigger though, and it would be a struggle, and in the smaller hands of a woman, I can see two handed operation being the norm.
Battery lasts a full two days of moderate to high use if switched off overnight. The screen is bright, so can be turned down to half to conserve battery. The sound volume is nice and loud so you will never miss a call or text, while the vibration is very noticeable on even the lowest setting.
The phone comes with a lot of Samsungs own software built in, and although some may see it as bloatware, if used properly it’s all good stuff. Of course TouchWiz UI is installed by default, however it is simple to replace with stock Android launcher should you feel the need to. I did for a short while, but soon realised with all this power, TouchWiz works so much better and works without fault at all times.
As far as my contract, I get 2600 minutes of calls, unlimited texts and internet plus I can use my phone abroad in a host of countries as if still in the UK as part of Threes “Feel At Home”. 0800 numbers are free and 084 numbers are just 5p a minute, better than any other network, and all for just £38 a month.
Overall
The Galaxy Note 3 is an exceptional piece of kit, and combined with Three’s unrivaled coverage and data-plans, it means the phone kicks some serious butt. Not restrained to watching my data or talk and texts, the phone excels in every area thrown at it. 3G is fast, and 4G is super-fast, meaning tasks are always done quickly and efficiently.
Call quality is great, with people sounding loud when you are talking to them, while they can hear you perfectly too. Due to Samsung’s keyboard designed for the Note 3, texting is fast and accurate, while the swipe-to-type feature seems to be even more reliable than Google’s own keyboard.
Running Android 4.4.2, the phone can install all software on the Android store written for it, while being simple to run other launcher’s if you are not happy with TouchWiz. The phone is fast, and the battery lasts. The screen is beautiful and the S-Pen works. Overall, the Samsung Note 3 is an amazing phone if you are after something larger and with unique features and are a technology-geek who likes the best that technology has to offer.
