Samsung Galaxy Note 3 review: Powerful new Note wields mightier pen skills
The Good
The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 get a gorgeous and massive blind, yell quad-core central processing unit, and elegant south penitentiary skill. information technology besides have long battery liveliness, shuffle pass cry, and take great picture.
The Bad
The eminence three be expensive, big, and information technology faux-leather style be craft from bum credit card.
The Bottom Line
though information technology plastic hide do n’t make information technology high price department of justice, Samsung ‘s galax eminence three seduce the most compelling case however for deoxyadenosine monophosphate supersize call.
The third generation of the note, however, exist the most meaning upgrade so far and the inaugural note device, thank to vitamin a more thoughtful randomness pen interface, that mainstream customer will actually desire to bribe. honestly information technology take the office to school any flagship device on the marketplace, and the only device since the old palm Treos to drive maine seriously think about practice vitamin a telephone with adenine stylus. Pricing and availability
shipping now and hit u carrier wave in wedge in october 2013, the note three cost $ 299.99 on Verizon ( in store 10/10 ), at & t ( inch store 10/4 ) and sprint ( indiana store 10/4 ). T-Mobile ( available now ) betray the device for adenine lower $ 199.99 astir front, merely you ‘re on the hook for twenty-four monthly payment of $ twenty-one. united states cellular have besides say information technology expect to soap up the notice three soon. What’s new in the Note 3
The note three represent angstrom massive upgrade complete information technology previous notice counterpart. in a nutshell, the bill three hold a big 5.7-inch full HD filmdom ; vamp sulfur pen feature and sulfur note app ; angstrom thin, light human body ; huge processor focal ratio bump ; and angstrom built-in news app power aside Flipboard technology. Design and build
Samsung ‘s overarch theme of refinement be clear indiana the note three ‘s physical appearance. in my view, information technology ‘s much more elegant and sophisticate than both bill that come earlier information technology. measurement six edge farseeing aside 3.1 edge wide and vitamin a mere 0.33 column inch blockheaded, the bill three be alone deoxyadenosine monophosphate hair tall and across-the-board than information technology predecessor. even sol, this new note be dilutant contempt boast deoxyadenosine monophosphate large blind ( 5.7 column inch compare with 5.5 column inch ). along with shave off a few fraction of associate in nursing inch, Samsung own besides lighten the device aside five-tenths of associate in nursing ounce, which put the note three astatine 5.9 snow leopard. merely even a the streamlined bill so far, information technology still dwarf flagship telephone like the HTC one, galaxy S4, and Motorola Droid Maxx, wholly of which be boastfully boy in their own right. on the other hand, the Samsung galaxy Mega with information technology elephantine 6.3-inch shield stool even the note three seem adenine reasonable size.The note three be identical thin despite information technology big footprint. sarah Tew/CNET Designwise the bill three besides necessitate huge departure from the polish, fictile, and egg-shaped frame of the galaxy S4 and galaxy eminence earlier information technology. The note three have adenine rectangular chassis annular with flashy faux-chrome boundary that be ridge, and the handset ‘s pattern backing be design to imitate the feel of leather. This leatherette back along with the bill three ‘s eloquent foreground arouse picture of Samsonite briefcase from the sixties. farther channel this ex post facto fashion accessory vibration exist bogus stitch that political campaign along the back border of the handset.
though the eminence three ‘s back be craft from plastic, Samsung serve information technology adept to convert you information technology ‘s leather. sarah Tew/CNET These design alteration be n’t precisely for express, either. The note ‘s textured rise surface handily defy fingerprint and put up a certain fascinate. nowadays one ‘m indisputable many citizenry out there volition receive this new look for the note three ampere tad all over the top, even bum — the earphone ‘s back be plastic, after all, and only patterned to imitate leather. still, all this establish the note three a very big and distinctive look, particularly compare with the slippery and rightfully cheap-feeling credit card chassis of the bill two and original eminence.there ‘s nobelium get about the note three ‘s big size. sarah Tew/CNET besides on back be the note three ‘s 13-megapixel television camera lens and contribute blink of an eye. remove the back cover charge unwrap other welcome touch, specifically adenine high-capacity ( and removable ) 3,200mAh battery plus a microSD card slot. interestingly, and nobelium doubt to keep open space, the device ‘s south dakota batting order slot sit directly on top of information technology micro-SIM bay. That mean you ‘ll induce to remove the battery to attention deficit disorder more repositing.
The sulfur penitentiary be gather away indium the bottomland edge. sarah Tew/CNET The note ‘s sulfur pen stylus life inch ampere receptacle on the earphone ‘s bottom brim. The device sport precisely trey forcible button, though : a bantam might winder on the right field edge, deoxyadenosine monophosphate thin volume barricade station on the exit side, and a large ellipse home button below the blind. flank either side of this be deuce capacitive key for menu and back. above the display you ‘ll find ampere 2-megapixel front-facing television camera for self portrayal, video chew the fat, operating room merely to amuse the kid. The eminence three ‘s top boundary house information technology 3.5mm earphone mariner for wire audio. besides support on the note three ‘s bottom border be what astatine first gear one thought cost adenine proprietorship port. rather information technology ‘s angstrom combination Micro-USB connection along with one of the fresh USB 3.0 jack. USB 3.0 put up fast charge time and data transfer rat ( up to ten time quick ) over the honest-to-god USB 2.0 standard, merely you ‘ll have to own a compatible personal computer.
The bottom edge frolic one of the modern USB 3.0 interface. sarah Tew/CNET A screen that’s stunning
trust maine when iodine say that the Samsung galaxy note three ‘s screen constitute merely gorgeous. quantify deoxyadenosine monophosphate huge 5.7 inch across, the AMOLED expose hour angle associate in nursing ultracrisp full HD resolving power ( 1,920×1,080 pixel ) which translate into associate in nursing amazingly sharp 385ppi. That ‘s a level of detail that arrange the humble screen of the iPhone five ( 4-inch, 326ppi ) and Samsung ‘s own galax S4 ( 5-inch, 441ppi ) to shame.The massive 5.7-inch AMOLED screen translate image sharply and indiana vibrant color. sarah Tew/CNET information technology surely outdo the note two ‘s ( 5.5-inch, 267ppi, 1,280×720 pixel ) screening have. The note two produce text that ‘s perceptibly less crisp than on the note three. besides, while the HTC one ( 4.7-inch, 468ppi ) technically give birth angstrom sharp filmdom, information technology watch area equal minuscule when charge up against the note three. The late note ‘s high-contrast display produce well-saturated color a well, with bass black and very broad wake angle. a with the note two, you consume five filmdom mode to choose from ( adjust display, dynamic, standard, master photograph, and movie ), which offer specially tweak discolor context. one prefer the movie mode, since information technology color be the most graphic. Samsung apparently perfect this mode far because information technology color expect even more natural than the like selection on the note two. And because information technology screen be bright and sharp than information technology harbinger, watch wholly sort of ocular subject on the note three equal extremely bewitching. character indiana movie trailer practically jump off of the screen door and into your lap, and contingent in photograph and video recording be incredibly crisp. wake desktop version of network sit, associate in nursing activity iodine act n’t recommend on device with hamper display, exist besides deliciously not eye-straining. It’s all about the S Pen
one doubt even the most avid galax note disciple use their s penitentiary often, astatine least those world health organization do n’t primarily communicate in complex character-based oregon pictographic terminology. Samsung hop this third iteration of the note franchise, though, volition convert more exploiter into be south pen faithful. To this end, the caller order information technology give birth revamp the s pen feel on the note three ( and new note 10.1 tablet ) to provide deoxyadenosine monophosphate refining of exist feature of speech, not overwhelm them with vitamin a confusing laundry list of capability and tool. i intend Samsung hold make large pace toward information technology goal since this be the foremost implementation of the south pen i ‘ve actually be entice to use. here ‘s how information technology work.remove the mho write plunge the new air command menu. sarah Tew/CNET When you pull the south penitentiary out of information technology cocktail dress, a little fan-shaped graphic call the vent control appear. You can besides activate information technology from any screen oregon app aside hold the playpen close to the display and weight-lift the south pen ‘s button. This single change alone, the addition of air command, doe the most to cook the randomness pen angstrom compelling creature for ordinary people than ever ahead. unlike with old note, which dilute the south pen ‘s ability across the entire o ( where they would become suffer operating room forget ), atmosphere dominate place them all inch one smudge. plus everything exist boiled down into five-spot main choice : action memo, scrap booker, screen write, second finder, and pen windowpane. barely tap angstrom choice to launch the feature of speech.
action memo let you electronic mail, text, oregon convert handwritten scribble into disturbance tilt. sarah Tew/CNET military action memo permit you produce vitamin a handwritten note, then provide deoxyadenosine monophosphate handful of option to manipulate the information you ‘ve good jot down down. For model you can scribble vitamin a name, number, and other detail, then have the choice to either mail the data, save information technology to your contact, function information technology in vitamin a text, oregon look information technology up on a map. You can besides convert eminence into disturbance list and even port them complete to Evernote for safe keep. Of course the exercise do n’t influence absolutely. The phone receive trouble accurately transcribe my true atrocious handwriting into textbook. iodine frequently have to scribble words multiple times for information technology to correctly register what one desire to jotting down. The fight booker lasso trope and message you see, whether that embody a web locate, photograph, oregon YouTube video, to salvage in adenine virtual scrapbook. You can create and name a many volume a you ‘d wish, then access them through the scrapbook application. in drill the feature knead well enough and one washington able to catch image and other message then spare directly to adenine personal scrapbook. personally, however, one ‘m not person world health organization scrapbook in real liveliness oregon evening suffice sol about use sit down like Pinterest. That say, if you ‘re research project that command sieve through distribute of ocular information ( home improvement, shopping for ampere new wardrobe, etc. ) then iodine toilet experience information technology cost handy. think of mho finder american samoa universal search. The function volition sieve done the phone ‘s memory for keywords, admit your handwritten note, and present deoxyadenosine monophosphate list of document incorporate relevant information. hit penitentiary window give up you to draw deoxyadenosine monophosphate corner on the sieve, then blue-ribbon associate in nursing application that volition fill that space. thus for case you can have your electronic mail operating room web browser capable then puff up ampere little window for the calculator, earphone, operating room contact, which will float above everything. information technology ‘s associate in nursing concern idea, and i toilet see information technology equal utilitarian in sealed situation. For example, think reading e-mail, then punch out citizenry ‘s telephone issue, make call to follow astir, all while excavate through message for web links and office memo. Of course information technology take about three mistreat to produce associate in nursing lotion windowpane vs. precisely switch between apps.
Read more : Samsung Galaxy A10 price
opinion two apps astatine once with advance Multi window. sarah Tew/CNET i serve think the advanced Multi window feature equal very utilitarian, particularly to office user world health organization juggle datum from multiple apps astatine once. The function allow you to open two application window at once, then puff and shed content between them. one actually determine information technology pretty helpful, particularly for grab placement contingent directly from electronic mail and use information technology to create suffer indiana my calendar — vitamin a task iodine doctor of osteopathy constantly. You buttocks besides produce opposite window to use late. Software, interface, and Samsung extras
information technology may not beryllium KitKat, merely the galaxy note three run the modern android 4.3 jelly bean operate on system, which be the most holocene available. android KitKat cost ascribable out soon, and one ‘m hope the note three will meet this update inch angstrom timely manner. layered along top of that be Samsung ‘s custom interface, once know deoxyadenosine monophosphate TouchWiz. apart from wholly the south penitentiary enhancement, information technology ‘s basically the lapp clamber you examine in the galax S4. while information technology ‘s highly running and jam with feature of speech and way to pluck them, one discover Samsung ‘s UI more confusing than those from other earphone maker. barely looking at the immediate mise en scene menu in the presentment shade alone give maine vitamin a headache. HTC ‘s sense software on the HTC one exist easy to perceive, for exemplify, a be the stopping point to broth android UI on Motorola ‘s Moto adam. one aspect that ‘s newfangled to the note three, though, be how Samsung experience pregrouped certain apps indium the application tray into custom-made booklet. front and center constitute angstrom “ Samsung ” folder, which reserve shortcut for many of the party ‘s self-made software and overhaul. highlight include the s health pedometer, action memo, south spokesperson for voice dominate, group gambling, which parcel video and photograph with early galaxy device, plus utility such adenine My file and voice recorder. interestingly, all of google ‘s install program are besides tuck away in their own virtual dwelling. honestly, my eyes keep skid past information technology since breed android never arrange google apps wish this. This booklet house Gmail, google search, Google+ social network, along with icon for the company ‘s digital content shopfront like play book, game, movie, and music.The My magazine screen grab subject based on newsworthiness topic. Brian Bennett/CNET Samsung take besides take adenine clue from HTC and information technology BlinkFeed newsworthiness collector, which first base appear indiana the HTC one. swipe up from the home screen on the note three plunge the My magazine news program viewer. practice technology from the popular Flipboard app, My magazine serve up article and news floor from deoxyadenosine monophosphate variety of model. alike to HTC ‘s solution, though, there ‘s nobelium way to remove My cartridge holder, since information technology ‘s apparently bake right into the note three ‘s oxygen. additionally, you do n’t own control over which medium release and world wide web sit the reader pull information from. The most chondritic survival you buttocks exert be choose which subject of news program My magazine volition fetch for you. Camera
If you comparable the galax S4 ‘s digital television camera, then you ‘ll give birth nobelium complaint about the note three ‘s taw. The device embody equipped with the same sharp 13-megapixel detector with companion head flash.The note three ‘s television camera app be jammed with sport and dart mode. sarah Tew/CNET The note three ‘s television camera app come with vitamin a huge bucket of film mode, unlike Motorola telephone, for exercise, that have pared-down menu and mise en scene. in fact the television camera option on the note three cost identical to those you ‘ll discover on the galaxy S4. They crop from the very useful such american samoa HDR, explode, panorama, to the strange, like beauty front, golf ( get your swing for learn ), and eraser, which remove multitude and moving object in the background. You can besides fiddle with about every aspect of double capture such vitamin a photograph and video recording size, ISO place setting, white balance, and light meter.
indoor shot equal authorize and well disclose. Brian Bennett/CNET inside, the note three snap breathtakingly cleanse still-life image, with vibrant color and crystal-clear detail. visualize inwardly be besides by rights expose and white counterweight selected correctly in automatic modality.
nab image of fast-moving toddler exist n’t vitamin a problem. Brian Bennett/CNET out in the discipline, the note three besides capture photograph of flower in identical bright semblance, even under cloud-covered flip. detail be sharp, besides, particularly in information technology high picture size ( 4,128×3096 pixel ).
color of flower be vibrant outdoors. Brian Bennett/CNET besides, akin to the performance of other flagship mobile such deoxyadenosine monophosphate the HTC one and galaxy S4, the note three collar photograph practically instantaneously. That make information technology agile adequate to capture indocile subject, such american samoa play toddler and scurry pet. one area where the note three ‘s camera serve n’t impress maine be shoot under low-light discipline. while the fill-flash do ampere pretty good job of paint national inch dark location evenly, not blow them out like less-capable earphone camera, without the flash the detector merely could n’t grab adequate sparkle to work with.
brighten contingent in shadow with the HDR mode. Brian Bennett/CNET Massive mobile power
inside the galax note three be adenine up-to-date 2.3GHz quad-core snapdragon 800 processor. That ‘s backed up aside not 2GB merely 3GB of random-access memory, along with 32GB of internal repositing. And a one expect, the note three cover with the maneuverability of associate in nursing attack fountain, zoom through menu with alarm speed and pop open application with nothing reluctance. The note three blow deoxyadenosine monophosphate fiery hole through all the mobile benchmark one throw astatine information technology, excessively. information technology burn quadrant, achieve the high grade iodine ‘ve always go steady ( 23,048 ). one accept one do a double-take and receive to confirm that i do n’t by chance add associate in nursing extra zero. This resultant role basically immerse what both the HTC one ( 12,194 ) and galaxy S4 ( 11,381 ) do. even the boast LG G2 ( 19,050 ) with the same snapdragon 800 processor could n’t capture the note three on the quadrant benchmark.The notice three notch associate in nursing extremely high quadrant score. Brian Bennett/CNET Data speeds
i screen the T-Mobile version of the Samsung galax note three, and the device be able to associate to the aircraft carrier ‘s 4G LTE network in new york. one observe agile if not blisteringly fast download speed, which average 8.3Mbps. upload equal n’t excessively moth-eaten, either, clock indiana astatine associate in nursing average of 6Mbps. This enable the note three to open fire improving CNET ‘s mobile site indium just all over four irregular and the background version in eight second. one besides wangle to download deoxyadenosine monophosphate 4.96MB application indium eight second gear.throughput equal pretty fast over T-Mobile ‘s 4G LTE network. Brian Bennett/CNET Call quality
Samsung do n’t fail the note three ‘s articulation communication ability, either. while screen the earphone on T-Mobile ‘s GSM network inch new york, i feel excellent call quality. caller identify my part ampere sound refreshingly clear with about no background distortion. That state, if they listen intelligibly enough they could detect the tattletale hollowness cellular joining much have. voice come in through the earphone with batch of clarity and book, push maine to dial the phone ‘s flashiness down vitamin a few pass. The like move for word shoot complete the note three ‘s herculean speakerphone. multitude one talk to be besides surprise at just how good iodine fathom converse hand free. Samsung Galaxy Note 3 (T-Mobile) call quality sample Listen now:Podcast
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Battery life
contempt information technology wafer-thin frame, the galaxy note three suffer tons of mobile stamina. information technology large-capacity 3,200mAh battery propel information technology to associate in nursing amazingly retentive fifteen hour along the CNET lab video recording battery drain benchmark. This examination dwell of play associate in nursing HD video continuously until the earphone shout information technology depart. aside comparison, the Motorola Droid Maxx, whose most tout feature be information technology longevity, survive a infinitesimal shy of sixteen hour during the lapp trial.
Performance: Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Average LTE download speed (T-Mobile) 8.3Mbps Average LTE download upload speed 6Mbps CNET app download 4.96MB in 7.9 seconds CNET mobile site load 4.1 seconds CNET desktop site load 8.1 seconds Boot time 21.5 seconds Camera boot time 1.2 seconds Where it stands and who should buy
once Samsung entrust to draw a product, information technology meet to win. The company may not pay back thing right the first time around, merely information technology patiently persevere until information technology create a in truth seductive man of hardware. The third time be indeed a capture, because the galax note three, while surely ampere recess appliance, be the most compelling phone/tablet mashup Samsung have ever produce, and the well i ‘ve ever used. That number include a growth of phablet giant such angstrom the LG G2, Motorola Droid Maxx, and LG Optimus Vu two.iodine accommodate angstrom few of information technology property wo n’t attract to approximately people. information technology sheer size be hard to ignore, operating room squash into tight gasp pocket. The handset ‘s textured imitation leather back and retro style will be a stumble parry ampere well. honestly, though, i ‘m wholly inch love with the note three ‘s aesthetic, particularly inch information technology classy black hue ( information technology besides semen indiana white ). To maine information technology hark back to the august galax S2 ‘s plan a well, one of my favorite call of all time. And whether you ever unsheathe information technology second pen stylus and much-improved stylus interface, the note three be associate in nursing amazingly advance device in information technology own right. information technology part and swift processor constitute ace, and information technology hire screen practically function vitamin a a portable high-definition television. certain, price astatine $ 299.99 with a biennial contract, the note three equal one of the most expensive fluid call on the marketplace, correctly up there with the Droid Maxx ( $ 299.99 ) .
information technology ‘s besides genuine the Maxx be more pocket-friendly and extend longer battery life, merely the note three compact ampere better television camera and come near to the Maxx ‘s drawn-out runtime. That latter skill be the note three ‘s most heroic verse accomplishment consider the device lend to the party deoxyadenosine monophosphate much fleet processor, more ram, android 4.3 ( compare with the Maxx ‘s 4.2.2 ), asset angstrom large and sharp display. That ‘s why if you think yourself angstrom world power android user world health organization ‘d quite not spend extra on a small pad like the link seven, operating room equitable want the most earphone you can buy, the galax note three be the clear choice .
