Although both the Apple iPhone 4s and the Samsung Galaxy Note have been out long enough, there are still many that cannot make up their mind on whether to get the iPhone 4S or the Galaxy Note as their next handset upgrade. Besides the Galaxy S2, the Galaxy Note is the next smartphone from Samsung which can make a serious run at the iPhone 4S, so here is our head-to-head break-down of the features and capabilities of each of these mobile devices.
Information is power, so here are the main facts you will need in order to arm yourself with all the buying power necessary to make an informed decision.
Apple iPhone 4S vs Samsung Galaxy Note: Operating System
We start with the operating systems of both phones because there is recent news, Apple has just released iOS 5. It would have been a close call between Galaxy Note's Android Gingerbread OS with TouchWiz user interface, and iPhone's iOS 4. But with iOS 5 being released, now the iPhone 4S has a clear advantage. One note of importance, the iPhone does not support Adobe Flash, while the Galaxy Note does. But with more sites like YouTube providing the H.264 video format, Flash support is mostly not needed. Also, Android should be releasing the much anticipated Ice Cream Sandwich OS soon, which will be a huge leap forward for all Android smartphones getting that upgrade, including the Galaxy Note - but for now...
Winner: Apple iPhone 4S
Apple iPhone 4S vs Samsung Galaxy Note: Processor
Samsung's Note runs a powerful dual core ARM Cortex-A9 processor, clocking in at 1.4GHz and including the Mali-400MP graphics processing unit (GPU), it is part of an Exynos chipset. With the Apple A5 chipset and a SGX 543MP2 GPU, the iPhone 4S also has a powerful dual core ARM Cortex-A9 processor, but the clock speed is only 1GHz. The 1GHz ARM Cortex-A9 dual core is Apple's first attempt at a dual core powered phone, and even though it is fast, the Galaxy Note's Mali GPU and faster clock speed make it better than the iPhone 4S...
Winner: Samsung Galaxy Note
Apple iPhone 4S vs Samsung Galaxy Note: Display & Touchscreen
The display screens of both these phones are amazing, and each has specific strengths which give it an advantage over the other. Do you think bigger is better? Then the Note's display screen would get your vote, measuring 5.3 inches compared to 3.5 inches for the iPhone 4S. Do you think sheer brilliance is better? Then you would probably opt for the iPhone's Retina display, with a pixel density of 330 ppi compared to the Note's pixel density of 285 ppi.
The Galaxy Note has a Super Amoled capacitive touchscreen covered with Gorilla Glass to make it scratch resistant. It includes a pressure sensitive stylus, which unlocks many customized apps. The resolution of the Note's display is a whopping 800x1280 pixels, bordering on tablet size, and comes with an accelerometer and gyro sensors to facilitate the auto-rotate functions.
The display of the iPhone 4S has not changed from the iPhone 4, but that's not to say it's not up to par. On the contrary, the iPhone's Retina display has been the best and brightest in the industry since it emerged on the iPhone 4. It has a capacitive touchscreen with a scratch resistant oleophobic surface, a screen resolution of 640x960 pixels, and an accelerometer and gyro sensors to top off the display package...
Winner: Apple iPhone 4S
Apple iPhone 4S vs Samsung Galaxy Note: Networking & Connectivity
The iPhone 4S has fast HSDPA+ data transfers speeds - 14.4 mbps, supports 4.0 Bluetooth technology, is 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and 3.5G capable. That makes for a very potent package. However, the Samsung Note has all that (except for 4.0 Bluetooth) and a few other little goodies to boot. First, the Note's HSDPA+ data transfer rates are faster than the iPhone 4S, at about 21 mbps. And although the Note lags behind with only 3.0 Bluetooth, it is a minor detail when all is said and done. The Galaxy Note supports near field communication (NFC) through which wireless payments and other money transactions can be accomplished, and offers USB storage support for transferring files such as music and photos - two features the iPhone 4S does not have...
Winner: Samsung Galaxy Note
Apple iPhone 4S vs Samsung Galaxy Note: Storage & Memory
The iPhone 4S comes with either 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB of storage, while the Galaxy Note come with only 16GB or 32GB of storage. So you might say the iPhone beats the Note as far as storage capacity goes, but not so fast. The Galaxy Note has a microSD slot whereby you can upgrade storage capacity by another 32GB, and on top of that it comes with a 2GB card as standard. The end result is a Galaxy Note smartphone capable of 64GB of storage via the microSD feature, just as much storage capacity as the iPhone 4S. As far as random access memory (RAM) goes, the Samsung Note wins hands-down with 1GB of RAM, almost twice as much when compared to the 512MB of RAM for the Apple iPhone...
Winner: Samsung Galaxy Note
Apple iPhone 4S vs Samsung Galaxy Note: Dimensions & Form
The one factor that clearly makes the Galaxy Note stand out from all other competitors is its size. This is the feature that will end up making you either love it, or hate it. While some love the nearly tablet size of the Note, others criticize it for being unwieldy and too big for small hands. The Note's dimensions are 146.85 x 82.95 x 9.65mm with a heft of 178g. It has a minimalist design which goes well with the large screen size, the drawback being, it won't fit where a lot of pocket phones will.
On the other hand, the iPhone 4S has not changed its dimensions and design at all, it measures 115.2 x 58.6 x 9.3mm and is has a very light weight of only 137g. But remember the iPhone 4S is a good bit smaller than the Galaxy Note, which many say makes it easier to conceal and tote...
Winner: You Decide
Apple iPhone 4S vs Samsung Galaxy Note: Battery Life
Both of these devices come with standard Lithium Ion batteries. The battery of the iPhone 4S is rated at 1420 mAh, giving it a talk time of about 14 hours and a standby time of about 8 days. The Galaxy Note's battery is rated higher at 2500 mAh, but you may be giving up some of that power due to the extra large screen of the Note. The Note has a talk time of about 13 hours and a standby time of about 23 days. In addition, the Note can conveniently be charged by USB cable from a computer or other USB charging device, while the iPhone 4S has no USB charging capability. The battery of the Galaxy Note can also be removed in case it needs to be replaced, something you cannot do with the iPhone 4S...
Winner: Samsung Galaxy Note
Apple iPhone 4S vs Samsung Galaxy Note: Cost
The Samsung Galaxy Note costs $683.99 on Amazon.com - The Apple iPhone 4S costs $626.95 on Amazon.com - both of these phones have come down in price considerably since their initial release dates...
Winner: Your Pocketbook
Apple iPhone 4S vs Samsung Galaxy Note: Conclusion
You can go through all the above information and decide yourself which you prefer of these two great smartphones, the Apple iPhone 4S or the Samsung Galaxy Note. But here is our conclusion, the Galaxy Note edges out the iPhone 4S.
Because of its larger design, bigger screen size and resolution, plus its better processor and RAM capabilities, the Galaxy Note wins by a nose. However if you consider all the tablet-hybrid capabilities of the Galaxy Note, a tipping point is reached and no other conclusion can be reached, except to say that the Samsung Galaxy Note is now the new Smartphone King.
