Does the Samsung Galaxy S4 tread too closely to the Galaxy Note 2 for Samsung's comfort? The release date for Galaxy S4 is fast approaching, but looking at both the Samsung Galaxy S4 and Samsung Galaxy Note 2 side-by-side, the two devices essentially look like an enlarged Samsung Galaxy S3, with the Galaxy Note 2 differentiating itself with a stylus.
The Samsung Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 2, however, have many differences that outweigh their aesthetic similarities. This comparative review will help you delineate between the two handsets:
Samsung Galaxy S4 vs. Samsung Galaxy Note 2: Specs
Both the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the Galaxy Note 2 use Samsung's proprietary Exynos chip set. However, the Galaxy S4 utilizes an eight-core architecture while the Galaxy Note 2 only has four cores.
Even though the Galaxy S4 has twice as many cores, it still only has a 2GB RAM allotment — the same as the Samsung Galaxy Note 2. Due to this, we were not overly surprised during our hands-on with the Galaxy S4 when it failed to outperform the Galaxy Note 2 by any significant measure.
Samsung Galaxy S4 vs. Samsung Galaxy Note 2: Display
The Samsung Galaxy S4 and Samsung Galaxy Note 2 both sport large, Super AMOLED touchscreen displays. The Galaxy Note 2 screen has a Wacom stylus digitizer layer that enables S Pen functionality.
In the display category, the Samsung Galaxy S4 differentiates itself as the clear winner for a couple of reasons. For one, the Galaxy Note 2's 5.5-inch screen seems almost arbitrarily large, while the Galaxy S4's 5-inch screen seems more optimized for the software running on it.
Additionally, the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 has a resolution of 720 x 1,280 that coupled with its 5.5-inch screen, produces only 267 ppi. The Samsung Galaxy S4 has a resolution of 1,080 x 1,920 and produces a ppi of 441.
Samsung Galaxy S4 vs. Samsung Galaxy Note 2: Dimensions
The dimensions of the Samsung Galaxy S4 are: 136.6 x 69.9 x 7.9mm
The dimensions of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 are: 151.1 x 80.5 x 9.4mm
Galaxy Note 2 is generally larger and wider than the Galaxy S4, and the S4 is also significantly thinner than Galaxy Note 2. It's also less than half the weight: at 53g compares to the Galaxy Note 2's 130g.
