Samsung has unveiled a new Galaxy Note phablet, which is poised to stand against the LG G3. Both are big, nearly 6-inch smartphones with beefy processors, stabilized rear-facing cameras, and Android 4.4 KitKat. Let's look at how they stack against each other.
The G3 is markedly smaller and lighter, weighing nearly a full ounce less than the Note 4 and measuring over a quarter inch shorter and just a hair narrower (though, oddly, slightly thicker). The reason both models are phablets and not smartphones is so they can have nice, big screens while still being relatively palmable, and the Note 4 comes out slightly ahead by just a fifth of an inch.
Both devices have 2,560-by-1,440 displays, but the Note 4's Super AMOLED screen measures 5.7 inches compared to the G3's 5.5-inch IPS LCD screen. On paper, AMOLED should also produce a better picture, but we can't directly compare the two until we test the Note 4 in the lab.
| Name | Samsung Galaxy Note 4 (AT&T) | LG G3 (Verizon Wireless) |
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| Lowest Price | %displayPrice% %seller% | %displayPrice% %seller% |
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| Dimensions | 6.04 by 3.09 by 0.33 inches | 5.76 x 2.94 x 0.35 inches |
| Weight | 6.21 oz | 5.36 oz |
| Screen Size | 5.7 inches | 5.5 inches |
| Screen Type | Super AMOLED HD | IPS LCD |
| Screen Resolution | 2,560 by 1,440 pixels | 2560 x 1440 pixels |
| Screen Pixels Per Inch | 515 ppi | 538 ppi |
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 Quad-Core | Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 Quad-Core |
| Processor Speed | 2.7 GHz | 2.5 GHz |
| Operating System as Tested | Android 4.4 | Android 4.4 |
| Camera Resolution | 16 MP Rear; 3.7 MP Front-Facing | 13 MP Rear; 2 MP Front-Facing |
| Video Camera Resolution | 4K, 1080p | 4k/1080p |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 | 4.0 |
| Wireless Specification | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac |
| Read the Review | Read the Review |
The Galaxy Note 4 takes a slight lead over the G3 in terms of processing power, with (depending on country and carrier) a 2.7GHz quad-core CPU or an octa-core setup with both a 1.9GHz and a 1.3GHz quad-core CPU. The G3 sports a 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon, which is no slouch itself. Both phones have 3GB of RAM, and they seem close enough in raw specs that we won't be able to know if one is faster until we fully test the Note 4.
For storage, both phones are nearly identical. Both the Note 4 and the G3 feature 32GB of internal memory and have micro SD slots. However, according to Samsung, the Note 4 can only accept micro SD cards up to 64GB, while the G3 can handle (in theory) 2TB micro SD cards.
Samsung's phablet boasts higher-resolution cameras than LG's, with a 16-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 3.7-megapixel front-facing camera. Both devices' rear-facing cameras feature optical image stabilization, which is a very useful feature for smartphone cameras.
For more, check out Samsung Galaxy Note 4 vs. Galaxy Note 3: A Noteworthy Upgrade.