Develop Bugs

Nexus vs note

I am considering buying a note or a nexus what you think is the best at the moment? Or maybe other phones??
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App

Depends. What is more important to you and which phone will cater best to your needs.
Sent from my Nexus in Texas.

bjornj said:
I am considering buying a note or a nexus what you think is the best at the moment? Or maybe other phones??
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I never used the Note, but i just wen to its website and I would prefer the Galaxy Nexus (I own one) because f many factors: The note screen is 5.3 inches big, this is not a phone. Its a small tablet nd its to bif for me. The difference seems to be more software related. Software can work on any phone, some one only have to make it.
Also, they probably sell the stylus for 50 bucks.

I would consider the galaxy nexus over the note as well. IMO the note is too big for a comfortable size phone, and still too small to watch videos.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium

I would personally have gone with the note, but now have a gnex because i am on verizon and the radios dont work well together.
Gnex has been great though and I certainly dont regret it. ICS is great and I think that touchwiz is really annoying personally.
The reason I wanted a note was because the screen size since I have large hands, and because the battery life.
But Gnex actually has a better screen in my opinion, cause it has a higher pixel density 316 ppi vs. Gnote's 285.
To me it really majorly depends on what will feel most comfortable in your hands, and what carrier you are on.
Also if people say the note's processor is faster they are likely comparing it with quadrant, an app not optimized for ics

Always Nexus because of Google updates and huge dev community
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

They might have similar specs but for me they don't serve the same market. 5,3" is so much bigger than 4,65" that it's not "pocketable" anymore for many people.
Go into a store, pick up a Note and judge for yourself if this "phone" is something you want to carry around every day. For me that was all it took to pass on the Note and buy the Nexus.

I was convinced that I was going to get the Note. I do a lot of work in documents, terminal editor, and the browser and would have loved the extra screen space. Plus, the Note has a microSD slot. Then I found out that the radio does not currently support both T-Mobile US HSPA+ bands and I would be limited to EDGE. No way...
The other concern that I had was that this is sort of a niche device and I was concerned that the ROM support would not be there like it will be for the GNex. Coming from the N1, I have to feed my crack flashing addiction.
I still have some remorse over not getting the Note, but the GNex is truly a great phone. I've been cleaning out my N1 so that the kids can use it to play games and such on wifi (sometimes tethered to my GNex) and realized how SMALL it is and how clunky the gingerbread ROM feels now.

If you ever considered Galaxy Nexus vs Galaxy Note...

I have both in hand! Bam!
Maybe this will help someone choosing between them, maybe not. But I did an upgrade on my second line and now have both sitting in front of me.
Ok so Rogers Galaxy Note LTE vs Galaxy Nexus...(Random thoughts on both follows)
The Note's LTE speeds are freaking fast...faster then my wifi, its insane. Also battery life seems very nice. I was getting 2 days out of the GSM Nexus and about the same out of the Note.
Screen brightness is much better on the Note. Typing text messages on the Note seems funny as hell because the keyboard is huge and everything is comical big. The Note is a pain in the ass to hold but might not be an issue if you have bigger hands (I'm only 5'8. I'd imagine someone 6'+ would have an easier time)
The Galaxy Nexus supports atleast 10 points of touch. And its rock solid where the Galaxy Note only supports 7. Placing an 8th finger down kills all touch input. Also if you place 2 fingers down on the Note at the exact same time, one will cancel out. Not an issue on the Galaxy Nexus.
Phone quality seems about the same on both.
Pictures look better with the Notes camera. I honestly think video is better on the Galaxy Nexus. The Auto focus will focus much much closer on the Galaxy Nexus to a Macro level. I could not get the Note to focus nearly as close.
Even though the Note has a dark blue textured back plate it seems to get finger prints, the back of the Nexus does not.
The S-pen is fun as hell. If you are into drawing its really nice in Autodesk.
I don't know what to say really about a choice between the both of them. I have to sell one but I am trying to decide what one. They are both really nice.
Anyone interested in anything between the two of them just ask and I'll test. Quadrant scored the Note higher but I don't really trust it because the original Nexus S slaughters both. Fastest I've gotten with an original Nexus S was OC to 1.5 running Miui and I scored over 3000.
Anyways ask away.

Owned both and the GNEX is the clear winner. Glad I sold my International Note before the AT&T (worse) version launched.
IMO, the GNEX and an Android tablet is the best possible combo. My GNEX and Transformer work so much better in tandem than the Note by itself.

Agreed ^^^^^
Sent using axne1's
Beastly Galaxy Nexus Prime!

Two words: Gingerbread. Touchwiz. My Note was gone within the first hour I got it.

bmstrong said:
Two words: Gingerbread. Touchwiz. My Note was gone within the first hour I got it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1
I'm on my third Nexus and from the first one to now the 3rd, I fought with myself about which phone to chose. Every time I came back to the Nexus. Why? ICS with no stupid skinning. No way I can ever go back to touchwiz. Dunno how I'm gonna make out with the SGS 3.

True and we can't compare directly because of the OS. ICS is Windows 7 to Gingerbeads XP. There are more bells and whistles and GPU power set aside for UI components that are free in GB.
I agree that phone+tablet are great. Having 2 saved me several times when I'm traveling and one dies... I can rely on the other.
I used to have 2 cells on different carriers and a tablet.... somehow I'd still manage to kill 2 of the 3 during peak times.
EXT LTE Galaxy Nexus - 4.0.4
Asus Transformer - ICS

I also had both of them. The Nexus was the clear winner. I do miss the Note for playing games though, I was tempted to keep it around for gaming and surfing the web. I traded the Note for a 4S for my girlfriend

One of my colleagues got the Note. It's certainly a nice device, but it's not for me. I'm 6'4", but I still find the Note impractically large.

who would want to carry that piece of brick around? it is extremely big, you could kill someone with that

Just bought a Rogers Galaxy Note full price (and selling my GNEX). Didn't had the chance to play with the Note yet but I found myself using my GNex more like a small computer for internet browsing than as an actual phone.
It's gonna be my first Android that is not a Nexus, I'm certainly gonna miss lot of features (returning to 2.3 gonna be a pain) but in overall I think the Note gonna be better for my needs.
Still in a year I'll probably sell the note to get another the next Nexus!

CF - Bench on the NOTE with franco kernel? His kernel is also available for Note.
Greets!
I'm not a fake.
I prefer people to reply to me and give feedback instead of thanking me!
But thanking me does show if you apreciate my works.

T889 vs Nexus 4?

I've been debating with myself which phone to get - I'm pretty sure I'm not the only person in this boat so I made this thread.
My situation:
Nexus IV: $360 here in Canada
Note II: $400 here in Canada, although with a 3 year commitment ($40 a month for unlimited nationwide calling, unlimited data, although they throttle after 5gb, and unlimited nationwide text).
I'd use the same data plan if I got the Nexus, although on the plus side, I have no contract. Not too sure how big of a plus that is, as I don't want to swap from Wind Mobile.
Strongly leaning in favor of the Note II right now.
Nexus IV Advantages: Overall this phone is very similar to the Optimus G; not unlike the Nexus S and the i9000s.
- The SOC appears to be faster
- No Touchwiz (IMO Stock > anything the manufacturers come up with)
I personally do not care about the Wireless "charging orb" and think it's a gimmick; of limited use in the real world where one can simply connect a micro-USB.
Perhaps the biggest advantage the Nexus IV has is well ... a Nexus phone. That means that the development community around it will be much bigger, faster updates, and a 100% chance of Cyanogenmod. I'm not sure what's the Cyanogenmod prospects on the T889, but there is a beta one working for the N7100 and considering how similar this phone is to the international version. I don't know how big the development community for the T889 is going to be.
Note II Advantages: More or less a blown up Galaxy S3.
- Audio quality appears superior (Wolfson DAC); important to me; I keep a rooted voodoo Galaxy S variant just for the audio as a PMP; I am unsure at this time of what DAC the Nexus IV comes with, but having listened to the Galaxy S3 and the Optimus G
- Speaker appears to be superior (not a big deal IMO)
- Bigger screen (good for browsing and movies)
- S Pen (and everything that comes with it; probably the only custom thing that any manufacturer has done that has added value; well maybe Sense before Froyo added value to Android)
- Expandable storage (Nexus IV probably not enough to import a serious FLAC collection)
- Battery life (based on reviews, it looks like the Note II has a better battery life)
I would discourage people from using a "points" system to evaluate the 2 phones.
Areas for debate:
- Size .... I personally prefer a larger phone, up to debate though
- Screen; well it comes down to IPS vs Amoled. Both have outstanding viewing angles, and the Amoled isn't pentile (although not the traditional RGB either it seems). Amoled has deeper blacks, but the white reproduction isn't the greatest. IPS has better brightness and is better out in sunlight.
- Neither the Nexus IV nor the Note II can claim to have a better camera for taking images
- I'm not sure how well these phones will last over time - the glass back on the Nexus might be an area for concern; the Note II seems to do well in the drop tests though
- Pentaband phone (the T889 is pentaband as is the Nexus); not planning on making any international trips, but this would come in handy if it did
LG also seems to have a bad reputation; not too sure as I personally have never owned LG phones for an extended period, but my Samsung experiences have been positive.
Your thoughts?

How much faster is the processor known to be on the Nexus 4?
I considered both, but definitely do not regret having gotten the Note II because I really care about the larger screen (the main reason I upgraded from a GS3, though I really wanted the quad-core exynos)
Also, there's a big difference in retail price, which is going to be a major factor in the comparison.

Nexus 4 is crap! Don't buy it or u will regret it!!!!!!
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda premium

jkxklutz said:
How much faster is the processor known to be on the Nexus 4?
I considered both, but definitely do not regret having gotten the Note II because I really care about the larger screen (the main reason I upgraded from a GS3, though I really wanted the quad-core exynos)
Also, there's a big difference in retail price, which is going to be a major factor in the comparison.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In my case, price is very close, but yeah the screen is a big attractor.

honestly i don't think you can compare these 2. galaxy s3 versus nexus 4 is more of a fair comparison. Either you want the big screen or you don't, really what it comes down to. The pen is nice too although I seriously doubt how much i'll use it. I believe samsung cameras are superior as well. and i'm sure its gotten better, but frankly stock android sucked to me when i tried it on froyo and gingerbread.

Apples and IEDs
You're comparing Apples and ****ing IEDs; Note is HUGE, wicked fast, polished up with TouchWiz and has the surprisingly useful S-Pen. Nexus devices are wonderful, and I've owned every single one except the two just announced... But you can pry the Note II from my cold dead hands because it is hands down, the greatest device on Earth today.

Ya, I gotta agree, you are comparing two totally different products. While saying your movie collection will help you get over the fact that you will be stuck with 8 or 16 gb worth of space, over time, you will kick yourself for being stuck with 8 or 16 gb worth of space. 64gb microSD cards should be enough for you to stop making silly statements referencing your FLAC collection; it's a no brainer.
The S-Pen should be at the top of your list for a device that's centered around productivity. If you just want to watch movies, buy a tablet.
Long story short, CM10 and the rest of the ROMs are needed on devices... the Note 2 doesn't need them. Oh, and you forgot to compare battery sizes... probably something more important than any rom or even the microSD card slot. On the Note 2, it's glorious!

IMHO i need the sd slot by getting that phone i would have to revert back to ousting my iPod for music amongst the other things I've got on it.. can't do it... sides love the s pen.. this phone is awesome
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app

I would personally never buy the nexus 4 simply because it is made by LG and Samsung is far superior when it comes to smart phones. I upgraded my SGS3 to the Note 2 for the larger screen and the extras like the s-pen. Only thing that sucks right now is there are very few accessories for the Note at the moment but Seidio and Otterbox are in the works.

brashmadcap said:
You're comparing Apples and ****ing IEDs; Note is HUGE, wicked fast, polished up with TouchWiz and has the surprisingly useful S-Pen. Nexus devices are wonderful, and I've owned every single one except the two just announced... But you can pry the Note II from my cold dead hands because it is hands down, the greatest device on Earth today.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are exactly right.. I honestly don't see how i can honestly go to soothe device after I've had the note 2 i had a guy at work offer me 300 bucks and his white s3 I was like no!! Put the s3 on Craig'slist and get your own...the next phone i buy wool obviously be a note 3... What can i say I'm hooked...
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app

I have to agree. The t889 is the way to go. I look at the nexus4 and it is very similar to my t989 with a updated soc and very slightly different size screen. Along with the whole stock android thing. I didn't really feel the need to upgrade to the s3 from my s2 especially since I don't like hardware home buttons. But the note 2 has got me desperately wanting out of my contract so that I can get it. Bigger better screen, s pen, removable battery and sdcard slot. And I don't know about the statement that the qualcomm Soc is better then the exynos they are probably very very close but I'd take the Mali gpu over the adreno any day of the week. If you really want a nexus device just get a 199$ nexus 7. It seems like a better deal then the nexus 4. But you probably wouldn't even use the 7 incher if you had the t889.

I'm not sure what sort of crap people are talking on here and saying the Nexus 4 is crap, but that's an absolutely ridiculous statement. The SoC on the Nexus 4 is definitely faster than the Note II, but honestly Need for Speed Most Wanted is the only thing that doesn't run perfectly on the Note II (and even then we're talking a handful of frame drops that make no difference to gameplay). Most games aren't even close to being as taxing as NFS MW, so I wouldn't even worry about that. Games that usually slow phones down like Plight of the Zombie, and livewallpapers that do the same don't slow down the Note II at all. Everything runs perfectly on the phone.
As for features, it's really TouchWiz vs. stock Android. As nice as Android 4.2 is, the features in TouchWiz are unmatched, even though it can be extremely ugly. What's really nice about the Note II though is that there are already a lot of theming kitchens available, like this one, that make TouchWiz just a little less ugly by letting you customize icons and colors in the interface. Honestly after having the S-Pen features on the Note II, I'm not sure I could go back to any phone that doesn't have such features. It's one of the reasons I'll probably never run an AOSP based ROM on this phone. Of course AOSP has S-Pen gestures now, so there's no telling what the wizards here at XDA will do over time, but for now I bought the Note II for the S-Pen features primarily, and that keeps me from jumping ship from Samsung's stuff.
It's up to you. I'm getting my wife a Nexus 4 for Christmas because although she loves the Note II and the features, it's just a little too large for her. Plus I'd recommend a Nexus 4 over a Galaxy S III any day, but that's a whole 'nother thread. Get the Note II, you won't be sorry. It's by far the best phone I've EVER used.
---------- Post added at 08:49 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:48 AM ----------
bookburner said:
I have to agree. The t889 is the way to go. I look at the nexus4 and it is very similar to my t989 with a updated soc and very slightly different size screen. Along with the whole stock android thing. I didn't really feel the need to upgrade to the s3 from my s2 especially since I don't like hardware home buttons. But the note 2 has got me desperately wanting out of my contract so that I can get it. Bigger better screen, s pen, removable battery and sdcard slot. And I don't know about the statement that the qualcomm Soc is better then the exynos they are probably very very close but I'd take the Mali gpu over the adreno any day of the week. If you really want a nexus device just get a 199$ nexus 7. It seems like a better deal then the nexus 4. But you probably wouldn't even use the 7 incher if you had the t889.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Nexus 4 has a Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core and an Adreno 320. It's in a league of its own honestly. The only thing that truly competes with it is the SoC in the iPhone 5. Burns me that that's the case, but facts are facts unfortunately.

Gwanatu said:
I'm not sure what sort of crap people are talking on here and saying the Nexus 4 is crap, but that's an absolutely ridiculous statement. The SoC on the Nexus 4 is definitely faster than the Note II, but honestly Need for Speed Most Wanted is the only thing that doesn't run perfectly on the Note II (and even then we're talking a handful of frame drops that make no difference to gameplay). Most games aren't even close to being as taxing as NFS MW, so I wouldn't even worry about that. Games that usually slow phones down like Plight of the Zombie, and livewallpapers that do the same don't slow down the Note II at all. Everything runs perfectly on the phone.
As for features, it's really TouchWiz vs. stock Android. As nice as Android 4.2 is, the features in TouchWiz are unmatched, even though it can be extremely ugly. What's really nice about the Note II though is that there are already a lot of theming kitchens available, like this one, that make TouchWiz just a little less ugly by letting you customize icons and colors in the interface. Honestly after having the S-Pen features on the Note II, I'm not sure I could go back to any phone that doesn't have such features. It's one of the reasons I'll probably never run an AOSP based ROM on this phone. Of course AOSP has S-Pen gestures now, so there's no telling what the wizards here at XDA will do over time, but for now I bought the Note II for the S-Pen features primarily, and that keeps me from jumping ship from Samsung's stuff.
It's up to you. I'm getting my wife a Nexus 4 for Christmas because although she loves the Note II and the features, it's just a little too large for her. Plus I'd recommend a Nexus 4 over a Galaxy S III any day, but that's a whole 'nother thread. Get the Note II, you won't be sorry. It's by far the best phone I've EVER used.
---------- Post added at 08:49 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:48 AM ----------
The Nexus 4 has a Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core and an Adreno 320. It's in a league of its own honestly. The only thing that truly competes with it is the SoC in the iPhone 5. Burns me that that's the case, but facts are facts unfortunately.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Imagine a note 2 with a s4 pro
Sent from my SGH-T889 using XDA Premium HD app

I think these devices have really different use cases.
One major draw back for me about the nexus 4 is the battery and SD card. I've owned every nexus devicedevice and while they are amazing devices, there always seems to be some (major)drawback.
This could be said about any phone.
For the note2, the Major drawback is the size, something that I'm OK with. Which is whyi won't be switching to the n4.

brashmadcap said:
You're comparing Apples and ****ing IEDs
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
mdt73 said:
Ya, I gotta agree, you are comparing two totally different products.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree they're pretty different, but definitely not comparing apples and oranges (or IEDs). ..mainly because (for most), it's one or the other. They're going to serve the same purpose, even if in different ways.
I've been going crazy, back and forth btwn the two. I told myself I'd never get a non-nexus device again, but leaning more towards the NoteII now. The most important aspect for me now is the developer support. ParanoidAndroid has ruined my crackflashing escapades. I've never been on a ROM so long, and everything else seems weird now.
I hope PA comes soon. Aside from that, I worry about the N4's lack of storage/expandable storage which has seriously been a PITA on my Gnex. That BS from Duarte or another Googler about users not needing expandable memory is bs. And the cloud storage argument is ridiculous. Files commonly accessed get cached on the device anyway and take up space. (preaching to the choir). I'm less concerned about the LTE futureproofing, but it's definitely an issue as well.

dannydv said:
Nexus 4 is crap! Don't buy it or u will regret it!!!!!!
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The nexus 4 isnt going to be crap. There are many negative points for me regarding the nexus 4 versus the note 2 but it will not be a bad phone.
On another note. I haven't done any reading or researching on the matter, is the snapdragon really THAT much faster than the exynos? I didnt know such a disparity existed.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk 2

I got the Note II because it has much better battery life than the new Nexus. My last phone was the Galaxy Nexus, a great phone, but I was always carrying an external battery with me or charging it in the wall. Compared to the galaxy nexus (and probably the nexus 4 and most androids out there), my experience so far with the Note II is that the battery life is about twice as good. With the Note II I can leave the bluetooth on, gps on, screen bright, and it's all okay for the day. It also charges super fast at 2amp. It took me longer to charge my Galaxy Nexus even though the battery was much smaller.
Wifi calling, removable battery, larger screen, SD card are nice as well. It seems Google doesn't update their OS that often anymore anyways. I had the Galaxy Nexus for a year and only had very few updates that barely improved anything (where as my Nexus S and Nexus One seemed to have had more significant updates.)

The charging is pretty cool on the note 2. Ive never had a phone with such a huge battery that can chsrge so fast
Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk 2

Funny thing is when I had my S2 all I heard is how crappy the snapdragon was and how great he Exynos was, now that the nexus has one all of a sudden its the best. Smh

tigerz0202 said:
Funny thing is when I had my S2 all I heard is how crappy the snapdragon was and how great he Exynos was, now that the nexus has one all of a sudden its the best. Smh
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This exactly.
Sent from my JellyBean Galaxys3

[Q] Did you come from the s3?

So I am trying to decide what to get. The note 2 or the galaxy s3. I do not mind the size, so that is not issue. If any of you came from the s3, why did you jump ship? What makes you stick to the note 2 and not go to the s3. Any ideas why the note 2 is better? Can you see a difference in smoothness from the note 2 compared to the s3. Since the note 2 has the quad core.

Gave mom S3 and bought N2 day one, S3 is the 2nd best phone out by the note does so much. I have a business and coach and it's size makes doing those things easy. Definitely see a speed difference, better screen. U can get us to the size I'm thinking of going bigger. Again get the N2 it will amaze u.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app

I used S3 for couple months, until I hold Note2 at my local mall, they have Samsung expo or w/e, and after comparing the size, I decided that I can go bigger, and I fell in love with Note2 screen. After switch to Note2, definitely no regrets, smoother, faster, bigger screen.

I love my Note II. Granted, I didn't come from an S3. But even still, if you don't mind the size of the phone then by all means go for it.
It is basicly a SIII but its newer, it has a better screen despite its dpi being lower because its not pentile, if you are on T-Mobile the Note has 42mbps HSPA+ instead of 21mbps, quadcore, bigger battery, and of cource the s pen.
Like I said, if you can deal with the size, which you will get used to unless your hands are just really small, its a much better choice. But in the end you can't go wrong with either one of them.

I had samsung galaxy s3 and got the iphone 5. A month later, got the note 2. Never looked back ever since. Iphone feels slower. Like ten times slower than my note 2.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk 2

I came from the MT4GS. When I upgraded I also bought my wife the S3. I do prefer the GN2 but find that the S3 is perfectly capable.
The gn2 is a tad smoother and the screen is obviously bigger. The s-pen makes the comparison a non starter, the note taking fcn is unparalleled.
The gn2 does make one hand use very problematic due to size. I am also paranoid about screen breakage due to dropping the device (this phone has stated to develop a rep for breaking screens). The camera is pretty darned good (though the MT4GS camera was arguably better). Viewing video content or games simply cannot be beat. The screen is beautiful. Let me say it again, the screen is B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L. Did I mention I kinda like the screen. Oh, what is this lag thing that people on other devices keep talking about?
I hate the usb connection between the stock charging cord and the device, falls out with a stern look. My TPU case also puts a bind on the connector but that is my problem.
I don't know that it's $300 better than the S3 (price difference) at the time. I didn't pay that difference (it was about $100 with the deal I worked out). I certainly will not be getting rid of this device any time soon.
Hastily spouted for your befuddlement

Came from an S3. And would never go back. Smoothness is way better and the screen is the perfect size. Seems big at first but after a couple of days you totally get used to it. Quad core and 2GB ram, and the Spen is pretty handy. Since I paid 350$ for the note 2 and sold my S3 for 350$ it was a no brainer.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda premium

Sold my s3 for my note 2 with no regrets. Its an awesome phone for sure but I couldn't pass go the big screen and spen.
Sent from my SGH-I317 using xda premium

Note 2 is the way of bigger Doesn't bother you. I sold my s3 and bought it outright. Well worth it, where you root it or not. Fast and smooth.
Sent from my GT-N7105 using xda app-developers app

They are both beasts. The difference is the Galaxy SIII is the flagship, while the N2 is more of a niche item. Meaning the GS3 will always have more accessories and development. Both have 42+ HSPA capability, but the Note 2 has the true image and internals Samsung dreamed of. It is my 1st exynos device and I couldn't be happier.

I came from S3 for a very specific reason: GN2 has "hidden" full Trad Chinese interface as well as native Changjei and hand writing methods with Swype. Frankly, battery on GN2 is definitely better than S3. According to my usage scheme:
S3 lasts 3-4 hours before switching battery
GN2 lasts almost 6 hours.
Larger screen makes reading e-books easier while it still can occupy shirt pocket (Galaxy Tab Plus can't).

[Q] Galaxy Note 2 Still Worth Buying?

In a sticky situation right now. My phone just died on Verizon and I need a new phone. Unfortunately I'm still under contract for another 9 months so I have to pay full price for a new phone or I can jump to Tmobile and have them pay my ETF but then I have to buy a phone from them. I don't want to spend more then $350 on something and I want to be able to unlock it and use it with AT&T at some point.
I can pick up the Note 2 as a refurb for $344 or I can get a Nexus 4 for $324. I guess what I'm wondering is whether or not the Note 2 is worth spending that much on?? Should I just ride out my contract for 9 months and get my old phone fixed (Razr Maxx HD $200 to fix)? Is there another phone I should consider?
Any thoughts appreciated.

Nexus 4 for $342?? I can't even sell my brand new Nexus 4 for $180 AUD.
I would not get a refurb Note II for $344, it's not worth it. You can get brand new for a bit more online.

kuromusha38 said:
Nexus 4 for $342?? I can't even sell my brand new Nexus 4 for $180 AUD.
I would not get a refurb Note II for $344, it's not worth it. You can get brand new for a bit more online.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If I pay $200 to get out of my contract with Verizon I can get anything. I'm looking at jumping to Tmobile since they'll cover the ETF cost. Only catch is I have to buy a phone from them. So whats a good Tmobile phone that will work on ATT under $350? I'm trying to do this as cheap as possible. Otherwise I would just cancel for $200 and get a nexus 5 for $400.

Hi there,
YES it is still worth buying the Note 2. I had both phones, Nexus 4 and Note 2 and the Nexus 4, compared to the Note 2, was garbage. Nexus 4s battery is small (mAh), display colors were washed out, the speaker was completely crap when listening to music, etc. That's just my experience.
Better get the Note 2

I moved on to the Galaxy S5 and maaaan, do I miss my Note 2. That's all I need to say LOL

Okay so price of the note 2 refurb'd w/tax and shipping is about $330. I know I can buy brand new on Amazon for roughly $60 more but I have to buy from Tmobile if I want my ETF covered and they only sell a refurb'd note 2.
I'll probably go this route then unless there are any other suggestions. Thanks!

Absolutely! Its still fast as hell, even on KitKat and Im sure will remain to be so for the near future.

Note 2 still kick ass and I love it. But I think u should get a newer phone.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using XDA Free mobile app

naeem86 said:
Note 2 still kick ass and I love it. But I think u should get a newer phone.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you can find it around $350 , I would say yes

I bought note 2 over s4 and i am perfectly satisfied

mubeenshahid said:
I bought note 2 over s4 and i am perfectly satisfied
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd take Note 2 over S4 (even S5) any time!

Allow me give you my opinion on this. I strongly believe the Note 2 is a remarkable device for the following reasons and I would still chose it over any other phones.
- It still has one of the best battery life of Samsung devices. I know... the Note 3 has 100mah more but that doesn't suffice, having a 1080p screen, more pixels means more drainage. Also, it has a more powerful octa-core processor (a nice pro) but again with great power comes even greater battery drainage, remember that.... lol The Knox app components which constantly guards the phone from illegal privileged access is also a resource hog (RAM) and hiders the phone even more (coming from 4.3 I have that experience). Take a look at the Huawei Ascend Mate 2, they are doing it correctly... keeping 720p resolution (which is dense enough imo) and a gigantic 4050mah, make it the longest running phone (not tablet) on the market at the time of this writing.
- The screen is 720p, as I discussed already has its benefits on battery, furthermore, it is the only flagship device by Samsung that isn't pentile. This means full RGB sub-pixel for every single pixel. It is a true-HD display. While its not as dense as other phones, it still can hold its ground very well. I am scared for the note 4, Samsung will make it a 2k display, instead of focusing on what really matters. 2k on screens below 7inches is a waste of technology. 10-12 inch tablet with 2k displays and larger batteries, now you are talking.
- It is made polycarbonate plastic, as with all Samsung phones, can be regarded as a pro. As CPUs get faster it generates more heat. Metals heat very quickly and can make you feel uncomfortable when holding while running CPU-intensive tasks. I think even though metals can dissipate heat well, if run too long it, exposes the internals to heat and wear the internals faster. But one definite pro of polycarbonate is improved reception, I assure you, along with other benefits, naturally scratch resistant, lighter, and more durable. When I look at a phone, I don't care for "premium feel", I care for quality of operation.
- Lastly, camera. Sadly, I must admit the Note 2 doesn't have the top optics, as it improves rapidly with technology. But after lots and lots of reading and comparing, I found that the Galaxy S4 has produces the best quality/sharpness/color IHMO, bar NONE (not even Lumia 1020 which captures more detail, but fails at color reproduction). The Note 2 does inherit the S4's color reproduction traits, so that's good. But the best all-rounder (ie. in low light, good light, night mode etc) I have to give it to Iphone 5s. Well done Apple, even if you do not belong here. lol
Video strangely doesn't fall into the same category as photo, as the S4 gives murky, blurry 1080p videos. For the best video I nominate the S5 at 4k, clear even when zoomed in at the slightest detail, thanks to 16MP camera. This is improvement from what used to be the best, Note 3, which is blurred when zoomed in. No, optical image stabilization sadly, but that comes later. Even so the Note 2, doesn't slouch and gives its best in both categories. It also produces the loudest audio, and all devices after the S4 has poor speaker sound quality.
So, there you have it, my long explanation of why I would still choose the Note 2 over S4, Note 3, or S5, even if it breaks now. Samsung really hit the nail on the head when it made the S3/Note 2 generation, and I hope they will again someday. Was the very best, make history, and set a good example for generations to follow.

Thanks everyone! Definitely helped make this decision much easier than I thought it would be. My note 2 arrives today and then I'll active it with T-mobile. I plan on unlocking it after the 40 day wait period is up with T-mobile and bringing it over to AT&T. From my research that shouldn't be an issue as T-mobile and AT&T share all the same bands outside of one that AT&T uses for 4G LTE. Curious to know if anyone has done this previously?
On another note (no pun intended :laugh, I've been looking into installing a custom ROM once I get it. I love cyanogenmod but curious if there are other recommendations I should consider? This may need to be in another thread so I can move it if needed.

I bought my Note 2 about 450$ in Samsung brand shop at April 2014, it worth because my work need 3G always on to check email or contact with boss (my country not have 4G LTE)

eknee1417 said:
On another note (no pun intended :laugh, I've been looking into installing a custom ROM once I get it. I love cyanogenmod but curious if there are other recommendations I should consider? This may need to be in another thread so I can move it if needed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In my opinion, CyanogenMod isn't a good idea for this phone. It has some annoying bugs and you lose ALL the SPen features. I'd recommend you to install any TouchWiz based Rom.

Note 2 screen is outdated though.

onagric places
Yeah, original Note screen is better

I had a Note 2 and bought a Nexus 4 as backup when my Note 2 was being repaired. I was thinking that I might switch to Nexus as android is a big interest of mine and it would be wonderful to get all the new features quick.
It was a big relief to get my Note 2 back from the shop. The Nexus 4 doesn't last a whole day (with my usage pattern). The external speaker volume is to low. And its very slippery! (had to buy the LG bumper).
Recently upgraded to a Sony Z2 and it feels like a smaller upgrade than I expected, coming from the Note 2. Its was/is an awesome phone.