Note 4 (now $200 rebate with any $10+ trade-in!)

[Brian Stirling]

1/2.6" vs 1/3.06" sensor and and F2.0 vs F2.2 aperture should be an improvement as well.

A physically larger sensor will help offset the higher resolution and will actually make for larger photosites so it should be less noisy. f/2.0 versus f/2.2 may help a little in low light conditions but in most cases the lens will be stopped down to limit light and provide greater DOF.

The real problem is that diffraction limiting makes these higher resolution sensors pointless given the blurring effect that's unavoidable when shooting at higher f/#'s. My 36MP Nikon D800E DSLR with full frame sensor begins to see diffraction above about f/4 but isn't much to worry about until above f/7 or so. However, with these much smaller cell phone sensors the point where diffraction starts to become a problem is at much lower f/#'s.

The sensor in the Note 4 is more than 10X smaller than my D800E and with a bit less than half the pixels the sensor area per pixel is 4.5X smaller. The linear size is less than half as much so the effects of diffraction are going to show up at much lower f/#'s.

The bottom line here is that we are already well beyond the practical limit for resolution in cell phones and increasing the resolution, in addition to making noise problems worse, doesn't improve actual detail capture because Physics is a bitch and diffraction blurs the image.


Brian

 

[ControlD]

Between glossy plastic, dimpled plastic and this, I can't think of any android phone's back material that doesn't get criticized to hell and back.

That is true, which always seemed silly to me considering the first thing most people do after getting a new phone is slapping it in a case of some sort.

 

[ControlD]

But... But... Aren't you worried about what other people will think of you if your phone doesn't look sexy to them?

Hmm, good point. Maybe I should wait for the gold version ...

 

[Red Storm]

Hmm, good point. Maybe I should wait for the gold version ...

You mean the Swarovski version. 😉

 

[s44]

Whoa:

http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/Android/Land's+End/news.asp?c=61339

This is going to retail for 6-700 dollars right?
Think i will stick with my oneplus.

OPO is comparable to the Note 3, not the 4.

 

[TrulyUncouth]

I gotta say, I have a Note 2 and was completely convinced I wasn't going to be buying a flagship phone this time around and even if I won the lottery was dead set on switching to Apple since there are still a number of exclusive games I would like to try... but VR man.

Just the idea of that beautiful screen pumping out super-low latency VR is extremely tempting. The developers working with the beta/prototype version are speaking extremely highly and latency looks even better than the new DK2 oculus prototype on PC. They really found a way to rope me into an upgrade when I was so sure I wasn't going to. Color me impressed.

 

[Anubis]

This is going to retail for 6-700 dollars right?
Think i will stick with my oneplus.

yes pmuch all new flagship phones are 600 or so

 

[ibex333]

Personally I see the Note 4 as big a step forward over the Note 3 as it was over the Note 2 (which IMO was considerable). There are plenty of folks who said the Note 3 wasn't worth it over the Note 2 - I just thought they were wrong.

Whether annual upgrades are worth the $350 or so after selling your old phone is up to you. I'll be replacing my Note 3 with the Note 4 (and VR possibly, especially if there's a bundle discount).

- the metal frame alone is a big deal to me - I HATE the chrome plastic frame. Button feel is supposed to be much better as well.
- the Note 3 screen is good but not great. It's still a touch dim compared to the best LCDs and whites are not quite white yet. If the S5 LTE-A 1440p screen is any indicator, both these areas will be noticeably better than the Note 3 screen. And battery life on the LTE-A with the S805 didn't decrease at all vs. the normal S5 with the same battery size.
- The camera needs to get better - the Note 3 is not great indoors and bad in low light. I end up using my wife's iPhone in low light situations.
- The software will be a bit slimmed down (a la S5) - I'll take what I can here and wait for debloated ROMs.

-Well, the metal frame is very subjective. Personally I never found myself needing it. Is it nice? Sure. But is it necessary? Again, very subjective.
-Buttons were fine before. Never found any issues with them.
-You say yourself that the Note 3 screen is only a "touch" dimmer. Whether it's worth to spend an extra $350 on a better one is subjective.
-There is no way the Note 4 will be any better than Note 3 indoors. Samsung just doesn't make good low light shooters on their phones. More megapixels and image stabilization? Yes. Better low light photography? No. That being said, the Note 3 can be descent in low light if you know what you are doing. I remember reading an article online where they tell you to enable a certain setting to improve quality... The difference is literally night and day. Google it.
-Bloated software a bit slimmed down is still bloated. ; ) And I don't see all that BS regarding KNOX going away. So rooting will always be hit or miss.
-I probably will upgrade eventually, but I will upgrade because I can. Not because I need to. Which kinda sucks IMO.

It seems to me that you have potentially given a very large reason to upgrade from the Note 3. If the in-call quality is substantially better than the Note 3, and indeed this is a common issue with that phone, then what better reason to upgrade?

Personally, I would love to upgrade from my Note 2, but in reality now that I am running SlimKat + AGNi kernel I can't imagine the experience being much better performance-wise than what I have now. More importantly, if I use my Verizon upgrade I will be demoted from a bad data plan to a truly terrible one.

Not gonna happen. The sound wasn't good unless rooted with Cyanogen on Galaxy S3. It didn't improve in S4 or S5. Is sucks in Note 3, and will sure as hell suck in Note 4. Pessimistic? Maybe. But it's a guess based on history, and history tends to repeat itself.

 

[dawheat]

yes pmuch all new flagship phones are 600 or so

The Note 4 won't be cheaper than $700 at launch in the US (Note 3 launch price). On one hand, for 32GB base storage + everything you get, IMO it's a good price compared to what you get from other flagships at $600 or $650 that often start at 16GB. Compared to the iPhone 6, it's probably a very good price.

However in contrast to the 0 margin Nexus and OPO phones, it obviously is a bit expensive. Considering that OPO stated they're selling at cost and the higher end hardware of the Note 4, I'm dreading a bit that US carriers will be selling the Note 4 at $750.

 

[Red Storm]

The jump from the Note 2 to the Note 3 was HUGE in my opinion, a substantial upgrade in every way. The Note 4's problem is that the Note 3 is still a very nice phone even by today's standards, so the jump is not nearly as big. Having said that, I'm still going to get a Note 4.

 

[sze5003]

The Note 4 won't be cheaper than $700 at launch in the US (Note 3 launch price). On one hand, for 32GB base storage + everything you get, IMO it's a good price compared to what you get from other flagships at $600 or $650 that often start at 16GB. Compared to the iPhone 6, it's probably a very good price.

However in contrast to the 0 margin Nexus and OPO phones, it obviously is a bit expensive. Considering that OPO stated they're selling at cost and the higher end hardware of the Note 4, I'm dreading a bit that US carriers will be selling the Note 4 at $750.

Yea that's quite expensive. I'd rather pay 600 for a gpu than a cell phone. But the nexus 6 will also cost about $600 so I'll have to pay up to get a new phone regardless. I just wish my OPO didn't have the yellow band, I would have kept it.

 

[Red Storm]

Yea that's quite expensive. I'd rather pay 600 for a gpu than a cell phone. But the nexus 6 will also cost about $600 so I'll have to pay up to get a new phone regardless. I just wish my OPO didn't have the yellow band, I would have kept it.

I had the yellow band (though it was hard to notice), and I also had the touch issues as well as network connectivity issues. It was that last issue that made me sell it, just can't deal with that.

Considering my smartphone is my most important electronic device (communications, camera, maps and navigation, etc.), I don't see ~$700 as a high cost.

 

[sze5003]

I had the yellow band (though it was hard to notice), and I also had the touch issues as well as network connectivity issues. It was that last issue that made me sell it, just can't deal with that.

Considering my smartphone is my most important electronic device, I don't see ~$700 as a high cost.

I didn't have the multi touch issue but the band was unbearable for me. Considering I like to upgrade almost every year I don't know. By the time I sell my m7 which I paid $340 for, I'll probably only get around 180-200 for it.

 

[openwheel]

The Note 4 makes me love my Note 3 even more. I am having doubts about upgrading in a few months. I'll have to see it in person and keep up on XDA to determine whether I really want to upgrade. I am currently very happy with Note 3.

 

[chubbyfatazn]

The Note 4 won't be cheaper than $700 at launch in the US (Note 3 launch price). On one hand, for 32GB base storage + everything you get, IMO it's a good price compared to what you get from other flagships at $600 or $650 that often start at 16GB. Compared to the iPhone 6, it's probably a very good price.

However in contrast to the 0 margin Nexus and OPO phones, it obviously is a bit expensive. Considering that OPO stated they're selling at cost and the higher end hardware of the Note 4, I'm dreading a bit that US carriers will be selling the Note 4 at $750.

Paid $648 USD for my 16GB Note 3 from ebay late Nov 2013. I remember 32GB models were going for $680.

Paid $5100 HKD back in Dec 2012 for my 16GB Note 2. Bought locally in Hong Kong.

Just wait a month or two after launch

 

[NutBucket]

Yea that's quite expensive. I'd rather pay 600 for a gpu than a cell phone. But the nexus 6 will also cost about $600 so I'll have to pay up to get a new phone regardless. I just wish my OPO didn't have the yellow band, I would have kept it.

Which is ironic as a cell phone is far more sophisticated (and useful but that part is different for everyone).

 

[sze5003]

Which is ironic as a cell phone is far more sophisticated (and useful but that part is different for everyone).

You are correct. At one point I had to fight and justify to myself to even spend that much on a gpu but now it is a lot easier to do so.

 

[dawheat]

Paid $648 USD for my 16GB Note 3 from ebay late Nov 2013. I remember 32GB models were going for $680.

Paid $5100 HKD back in Dec 2012 for my 16GB Note 2. Bought locally in Hong Kong.

Just wait a month or two after launch

Heh I know prices are generally higher outside the US, but saving $20 (32GB was the base storage in the US) by waiting a couple months and taking some risk on ebay isn't a compelling reason.

But sure - if you're willing to wait a couple months and go to the secondary market (even if new), you can always find savings. Just don't expect to save anything from the carriers until the new year rolls around on the Note 4.

 

[LtMikePowelll]

I bought my note 3 from Tmo store in december and I have to pay 708 USD (phone + 8% sales tax). I expect the note 4 is going to be the same price

 

[WelshBloke]

I'm not seeing a massive difference between those two shot TBH (apart from colour).

 

[cmdrdredd]

I'm not seeing a massive difference between those two shot TBH (apart from colour).

What I see is the real shot makes it look more like actual leather with the wrinkles. The other shot looks like a bunch of bumps and looks more fake and synthetic.

 

[WelshBloke]

What I see is the real shot makes it look more like actual leather with the wrinkles. The other shot looks like a bunch of bumps and looks more fake and synthetic.

I dont really think Samsung is trying to pretend that its real leather they just need a texture to put on the back that gives a bit of grip and sheds fingerprints.

The fake threads looked a little out of place on the back of a phone anyway IMHO, not that its a massive issue either way.

I'd rather see them get rid of the camera hump and just thicken the whole device a tad. Are smartphone dimensions normally measured at the thickest bit (the camera hump usually) or the thinnest part of the shell?

 

[DigDog]

also buying this on release date

 

[Mopetar]

Hmm, good point. Maybe I should wait for the gold version ...

The Galaxy S5 had a gold version, but I don't think they released the Note 3 in gold. If it was popular, I would imagine the Note will get it as well.

 

[chubbyfatazn]

Heh I know prices are generally higher outside the US, but saving $20 (32GB was the base storage in the US) by waiting a couple months and taking some risk on ebay isn't a compelling reason.

But sure - if you're willing to wait a couple months and go to the secondary market (even if new), you can always find savings. Just don't expect to save anything from the carriers until the new year rolls around on the Note 4.

I don't see it as particularly risky due in part to ebay's lopsided seller/buyer protection, but then again I've been doing this for awhile. I've been in enough shops in Hong Kong (we just buy our phones outright) to know what to look out for.

The price the carriers wanted at the time was higher than what I paid, definitely more than $20 after all taxes, and I didn't want to deal with waiting to get it unlocked or the ESN blacklisted for whatever reason. I don't have a plan with 4G anyway so it didn't bother me.