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Tom
In the next few weeks, those looking to pick up a new smartphone are going to have quite a few options. From new Android devices and Windows Phone 8 handsets, the mobile marketplace will be chock full of possibilities. Two of the leading candidates for the hearts and minds of consumers are the new Samsung Galaxy Note 2 phablet and Nokia?s flagship Windows Phone 8 offering, the Nokia Lumia 920. Here, we take a look at how they stack up against each other.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is Samsung?s latest and greatest phablet, a term used to convey the fact that it offers the features of a tablet and a smartphone. And with its large screen, bundled stylus, speedy processor and powerful software, the Galaxy Note 2 is a force to be reckoned with this holiday season.
There is a reason that it has already sold over three million units worldwide, even before it has arrived on AT&T and Verizon.
Read: Samsung Galaxy Note 2 vs. iPad mini.
The Galaxy Note 2.
As for the Nokia Lumia 920, it?s the Finnish company?s latest flagship Windows Phone smartphone, replacing the Nokia Lumia 900 as AT&T?s flagship Windows Phone. Nokia has packed in a number of appetizing features including a large display, quick processor, a fantastic camera, an extraordinary price tag, and of course, Windows Phone 8, Microsoft?s latest piece of mobile software.
Like the Galaxy Note 2, it?s an intriguing option and one that smartphone shoppers certainly should have at the top of their shopping lists as well. But how do they stack up against each other? Well, in order to help shoppers make the inevitable decision, we are going to take a close look at how the Galaxy Note 2 compares to the Lumia 920.
Here is the Galaxy Note 2 versus the Lumia 920 for AT&T.
Release Date
The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 has already arrived in the United States though its release is currently limited to three of the nation?s five largest carriers. While Sprint, T-Mobile and U.S. Cellular have all launched the phablet, AT&T and Verizon still have yet to release it.
AT&T?s release picture is clear. The carrier is currently taking pre-orders for the device and will be releasing it on November 9th. Verizon, unfortunately, has quite a few question marks remaining. It?s currently offering the Galaxy Note 2 on pre-order, however, it still hasn?t said when the device will be released. Right now, November 29th looks to be the date but that remains unconfirmed.
Read: Nokia Lumia 920 Comes To AT&T November 9 For $99.99.
The Lumia 920 will hit AT&T in just a few days.
Pre-orders are supposedly going to start shipping on November 27th, according to Verizon?s website, which means that the November 29th release date should hold up.
The Nokia Lumia 920 release date is confirmed for November 9th and it will be available both online and in-stores on that day. Currently, the device is up for pre-order through AT&T?s website.
Design
Samsung?s new Galaxy Note 2 is a behemoth when it comes to design due, in part, to its massive 5.5-inch display. It dwarfs standard smartphones, thus, why it?s often called a phablet. Starting with the design itself, the Galaxy Note 2 features a polycarbonate/plastic design, typical of Samsung, that is both durable and easy to hold. It also features the same curves found in the design of the Galaxy S3 smartphone.
Specifics as far as the dimensions are concerned include 51.1�x�80.5�x 9.4mm thin with a weight of 6.35 oz. That means it weighs about 180 grams, which is heavy for a smartphone. Those with small hands will likely find it a little more difficult to hold in one hand than the average smartphone. A price to pay for the large display.
The Lumia 920 is heavier and bulkier than the Galaxy Note 2.
Nokia?s Lumia 920 isn?t much better in terms of size. The Lumia 920 features a fairly bulky and heavy design that is built out of glossy plastic. Unlike the curves of the Galaxy Note 2, it features a rectangular monoblock build.
Specifics include 130.3 x 70.8 x 10.7 mm thin, meaning it?s actually bulkier than the Galaxy Note 2. It weighs more as well checking in with an 185 gram weight.
Display
Samsung decided to boost the screen of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 up from the 5.3-inch display on the original to a massive 5.5-inch display. However, Samsung decided not to do much else with it.
The display is a Super AMOLED HD which means it offers 1280 x 720 HD resolution and features 265 pixels-per-inch which is down from the original Galaxy Note. The screen allows for stylus input as well given the Galaxy Note 2?s S-Pen accessory. Given the size and type of screen, two people can easily enjoy a movie together as it provides not only the size but great viewing angles.
It also offers 16:9 resolution which means it will provide true widescreen content, perfect for watching movies and TV.
Nokia?s Lumia 920 offers a spacious display with HD resolution as well. It boasts a 4.5-inch�PureMotion HD+ ClearBlack display with a 1280�768 resolution.
The ?PureMotion HD+ ClearBlack? in the name refers to the fact that the Lumia 920 has a high refresh rate so words on-screen still look smooth when scrolling. It?s also easy to read in any light. The screen is also very sensitive which means that users can use it with gloves on.
It features a 332 pixels-per-inch, which means that text and images will appear rich and crisp on the display. The Galaxy Note 2 on the other hand has a 265 pixels-per-inch.
Specs
Both of these smartphones are going to be high-end devices and that means they possess some extremely powerful hardware.
First, here are the specifications for the Samsung Galaxy Note 2.
- 5.5-inch Super AMOLED HD display with 1280�720 resolution
- 1.6GHz Quad-core Exynos Processor
- 16GB
- 8MP Camera/1.9MP Front-Facing
- 3100mAh Battery
- 2GB of RAM
- S-Pen
- NFC
And now, in comparison, the Nokia Lumia 920 specifications:
- 4.5-Inch IPS display with 1280�720 resolution
- 1.5GHz Dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Plus Processor
- 16GB Storage
- 2000 mAh Battery
- 1GB of RAM
- NFC
- Wireless Charging
Key differences here include the battery sizes, the Galaxy Note 2?s is much bigger because of the display, and the amount of RAM and processor type. The Galaxy Note 2 features a quad-core processor with 2GB of RAM which should make for great looking gaming and a smooth all-around user interface experience.
We should also point out that the Galaxy Note 2 features an S-Pen stylus bundled in along with it.It allows users to write and draw directly on the screen and it?s also equipped with unique software like S-Note, which is a simple note taking app designed for the S-Pen.
Camera
With the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, Samsung included similar cameras to the original?s. The front-facing camera is a 1.9MP shooter that will be decent for things like video chat. As for the rear camera, it can shoot solid photos but don?t expect the world from it.
A sample taken with the Galaxy Note 2 camera can be seen below.
A Galaxy Note 2 camera sample.
The Nokia Lumia 920 on the other hand has a stellar 8MP PureView rear camera that reviews say is one of the best available on the smartphone market, particularly when shooting in low-light environments.
A sample taken with the Lumia 920 camera can be seen below.
A Nokia Lumia 920 camera sample.
As for the front-facing camera it too will be solid offering 1280 x 960 �pixel resolution which should translate to high-quality video chats.
Software
The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 will be running Google?s Android 4.1 Jelly Bean software, a piece of software that was released back in July of this year. It?s not the newest Android version, that belongs to Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, but it?s still an optimal OS to have out of the box.
Android 4.1?s main features can be seen in the video below, and include a super quick user interface, top notch Google Apps, a fantastic camera app, an improved Browser, and a whole lot more.
The Galaxy Note 2 benefits from being one of the first devices to launch with the software out of the box, meaning, it will likely be one of the first to Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. It will also be running Samsung?s TouchWiz over the top of it and will also come with some unique software as well including the ability to split-screen multitask. That means that users will be able to split the device?s massive display to run two different apps at once.
The device?s S-Pen also will be able to take advantage of unique applications including the ever-present S-Note app that allows for easy note taking.
Nokia?s Lumia 920 on the other hand runs Microsoft?s new and improved Windows Phone 8 operating system which brings a new user interface, NFC support, and a whole lot more to the table.
The operating system is detailed in the video below.
Carriers
One of the benefits of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is that it is home on five of the largest service providers in the U.S. AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular and Verizon will all be offering it at one point or another. This is the first time that the Galaxy Note has seen this kind of support. The original Galaxy Note only became available on AT&T and later, on T-Mobile.
This means that users will be able to decide which 4G LTE network, based on coverage, is right for them. Verizon currently has a massive 4G LTE network, boasting over 400 markets in the U.S. AT&T is next closest with just under 100 while Sprint and U.S. Cellular lag behind. T-Mobile still doesn?t have 4G LTE in place and won?t until 2013.
The Nokia Lumia 920 unfortunately will only, for the time being at least, be available on AT&T?s 4G LTE network.
Price
The pricing of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is known across the board. And while four of the carriers will charge the same price on-contract, one U.S. carrier opted to charge a different price. So, let?s take a look at how it breaks down.
AT&T, Sprint, U.S. Cellular and Verizon are all charging $299.99 on-contract for the Galaxy Note 2. That price will net customers a 16GB version of the Galaxy Note 2. It?s unclear if other storage options will arrive in the U.S. at this point.
T-Mobile however decided to charge a premium for its Galaxy Note 2 with a price tag of $370 on-contract. That?s a bit of a steep price for a phone that won?t have 4G LTE data until next year.
The AT&T Lumia 920?s price tag is one of its most appealing features. AT&T, like the Lumia 900, will be charging $99 on-contract for the Lumia 920. That?s an aggressive price especially for a smartphone of this caliber.
In addition, the carrier will only be charging a mere $449 for the device off-contract, far less than the steep $600+ off-contract prices of the Galaxy Note 2.
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