Samsung Galaxy Note II is the top-of-the-line Samsung phone now while iPhone 5 is Apple's top model, so we compared the two, hands-on, over the six days ended Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013. Both models are available in Verizon stores and other outlets here in the Cleveland area and across most of the USA.
Differences: The most noticeable difference between these two excellent phones is their size. The Samsung Galaxy Note II is huge. It sports the biggest cell phone screen we've seen and has earned the nickname Phablet because it seems like a cross between a phone and a tablet. Note II has a 5.5 inch diagonal screen, compared to the 4 inch screen of the iPhone 5.
S Pen: Samsung Galaxy Note II comes with an S Pen, a light-emitting pen that is stored within the phone and slides out easily. When used like a pen on the screen, the S Pen emits a beam of light which the touch screen recognizes. We found the S Pen easy to use for selecting menu items on the small screen and liked the way it stores within the phone. For anyone who remembers the Palm Pilot and its stylus, this method of storage and use will be familiar.
Battery life: According to published specs, iPhone 5 gets 8 hours of talk time and Samsung Galaxy Note II gets 22 hours of talk time. In our demo we never ran out of battery on the Note II, unlike other Samsung phones we demoed in the past. The Note II battery lasts longer than iPhone 5's battery.
Pricing: Samsung Galaxy Note II costs $299.99 at Verizon. This is 50% more than iPhone 5 costs at $200. Both prices require a new 24 month service commitment with Verizon. Both cover 16 gigabytes of storage and for more money you can get more storage in either phone.
Screen resolution: Galaxy Note II has high definition resolution with 1280 by 720 pixels. Compare the iPhone 5 which has a 4 inch diagonal display and 1136 x 640 pixels, or 326 pixels per inch. In our trial the bigger screen with more pixels mattered much more than the fact that the iPhone 5 has more pictures per inch.
Click here for operating system comparison and conclusion.
Copyright © 2013 Susan J. Walker. Subscribe above to receive an email whenever Susan Walker publishes on Examiner.com; follow @WalkerSusanJ on Twitter.
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