Mobile :hones Shop: Testing the Samsung Galaxy Note 4: Always phablettes champion?

The Galaxy Note 4 is the high-end year-end Samsung. There is no so long ago, it was a UFO. Today, it is still called “Phablet” eventually became … a smartphone with a large screen. For this fourth release, Samsung has opted for a slightly sleeker design, while inflating a little technical details. The first giant smartphone he still distinguishes from its competitors? In any case, it retains a strong case to win.

Since the first Galaxy Note in 2011, Samsung did not really change the size of a smartphone, but rather optimized the space occupied by Screen: 5.3-inch, we went to 5.5, then 5.7. Note the 4 seems to mark a pause in the increase in size remaining on the latter, with a surprising choice: it is also a bit thicker and heavier than its predecessor

The reason for the weight gain.? The border, which mimics that of the Galaxy Alpha and opted finally to the metal rather than plastic with chrome paint. And despite this noticeable, but not really annoying difference, we can only welcome this choice, which finally gives the rating to “premium” look it deserves, even though there will always be bad language to be ironic about the resemblance with the contours of an iPhone 5S.

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Some small defects affect the design of Note 4. Samsung has opted for a slightly curved glass facade on the sides, reminiscent of the Galaxy S3, or more recently the iPhone 6. But instead of creating continuity with the metal edge, the panel is framed by the edges sharp thereof: sensation during sweeps of the finger is a bit confusing, even unpleasant

The other problem is the plastic imitation leather on the back of the unit.. Samsung seems convinced that we absolutely want the Galaxy Note gives the impression of holding a Moleskine in hand, we can at least appreciate the disappearance of false seams. But why not just opt for a matte surface, as very well done Nokia / Microsoft Lumia Devices on its 930 and 830? Frankly, the smartphone would gain in elegance. By the way, as usual, the camera protrudes from the hull, and the lack of stability flat creates vibrations very sound.

Overall the results is still positive: ruggedness, good glide of the screen, clicks buttons francs, almost perfect assembly of different parts … We note a very slight depression of the rear seat when pressing the center, and if the S- Pen has changed, we would have liked it also abandons the plastic, but the Galaxy Note 4 is still the best that Samsung has finally delivered us to this smartphone.

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range has always been distinguished by a fact sheet on top, and it is not with the score 4 that will change. It may be surprising to most of the back-and-forth on Samsung smartphones integrated with its chips by region: while the recent Galaxy Alpha boarded a house Exynos 5 in the European version, it is to the manufacturer Qualcomm turns to Note 4 with a 805 Snapdragon clocked at 2.7 GHz, a quad-core processor with Adreno 420 GPU of which will have bread on the board.

The other major change lies in fact in the definition of the screen that goes from 1920 x 1080 2560 x 1440 pixels à. As mentioned above, the diagonal, it does not move, and the display is slightly less dense than the LG G3 casait the same definition on a 5.5 inch screen. And it is not an evil, because the pixels of the G3 were a little cramped, and LG had to resort to a sometimes unpleasant emphasis on fonts.

None of that here, and once again the endless black of the Super AMOLED screen is appreciated. As usual, the default setting is very saturated, probably too much for some users, but the user “Photo AMOLED” is a good compromise without being too dull. WACOM layer also manages the stylus is more precise and now recognizes 2048 levels of pressure instead of 1024.

The last major novelty is the addition of two sensors was not surprising since the already on the Galaxy S5. a heartbeat sensor located under the camera, and a button to return home as acting fingerprint reader

We often tackle manufacturers in the internal storage as standard, Samsung opts once again for the 32GB Note 4, and it seems sufficient, especially since the manufacturer does not ignore the Micro SD slot. It still has 3 GB of RAM to support the CPU

No change either on the wireless part. Korean version is compatible 4G Cat 6, but our declination limit the Cat 4, and thus a theoretical speed of 150 Mbps.

And the battery? She earns 20 mAh to move to 3220 mAh. It seems little to compensate for the small boost of the technical details, but in practice it is very tough Note 4

In use. A well-proven formula back to contents

Samsung has refined its Touchwiz interface and support the stylus over the new versions of the Note, and the manufacturer appears to have reached a point of maturity where there is much more to add except refine the details.

A new selection of items (photos, emails, files …) drawing a selection with the S-Pen by one, the possibility hang notes on the Home screen by that, even more flexible use of 2 simultaneous display applications … The Note 4 makes only a few extra touches to this rather unique approach to Android, and receiving enough weight to cause some third-party software like Evernote to develop an integration with the system.

The extra precision Wacom layer makes use of the way more enjoyable than ever stylus, and Handwriting recognition continues to satisfy overall. How many buyers Galaxy Note regularly use these features? Hard to say, but not essential, some are significant, such as different views on the fly pen messages, calendars or picture galleries.

The introduction of a fingerprint reader brings its share of additions related to security. Unlocking the smartphone is obviously the game, but especially the “private” mode, which allows you to hide certain contents of the phone, which is fly. It would however be much more effective if the player himself was not so improved. Need to drag your finger along the center button, it requires a two-handed use, and its error rate is not negligible.

In general, we continue to find the interface Touchwiz too loaded with options and features not always easy to find. And if we understand the preinstallation certain applications like Evernote because of its integration, “bloatware” are still plentiful and not necessarily désinstallables

Part telephony seemed quite satisfactory. The conversations are clearly audible on one side or the other, and no interference is coming disrupt. Nothing to report either the network side grip or GPS fix: it is reactive steady visibly and

The 5.7-inch screen is obviously a feast for the eyes.. Honestly, we can not say that the passage of Full HD QHD provides much: that of Note 3 already offers perfect readability. Fortunately, the gain definition does not result in a decrease in the flow in the navigation or in the performance of 3D games. Snapdragon 805 seems to compensate effectively

And of course, the Galaxy Note is a built for the game, with its large screen and immersive swift graphics chip. device Overall, all the “big” 3D games run smoothly, but we regret that colon Samsung strives not correct: a small mono speaker which makes the ridiculous mandatory helmet, and virtual keys misplaced as always conducive to uncontrolled pressing the Back button in the heat of the action.

Unsurprisingly, the Galaxy Note 4 snaps to the photo of the Galaxy S5 features: it finds his 16-megapixel sensor to the 1 / 2.6 inches, and won passage optical stabilization … but loses the phase detection autofocus S5! A note, as the S5, the maximum resolution produces images 16 / 9th and non 4/3

The results are logically the same level as the S5. With good lighting conditions, images produced are extremely clean and detailed, true colors … You really have to go around the edges to see a loss in accuracy.

In low light situation, things go wrong with this very sound. However, Note 4 is still a little more than the S5 in the same conditions: the scene is better informed, and the details do not suffer too

The videos are very good there. still consistent with perfect fluidity and generally responsive autofocus although it seemed to take his time in some cases. As the Note 3, it can shoot in 4K, with a limited 5-minute period and a satisfactory quality, which seemed a little cleaner than the Note 3.

Galaxy Note 4 is equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 805, a guarantee of performance. But it also features a qHD screen and a chip that tends to heat, hence some concerns about the fluidity of 3D games. In general, we have not seen any particular problem, but not a significant deviation from a smartphone equipped with a Snapdragon 801 as the Sony Xperia Z3.

With games like Dead Trigger 2 or Asphalt 8 peaks between 40 and 50 FPS, and passages that cling a little more like its direct competitors is obtained. However, as often rendering depends on the optimization or not the game for the graphics chip: while the Z3 displays all the effects of puddles in Asphalt 8, for example, they are absent, even with the level the highest on the rating 4.

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Galaxy Note is deemed to be monsters stamina. The Galaxy Note 4 does not contradict, but during our use, we still felt a battery that goes a little faster than its predecessor. Most of the time, we were able to take twenty hours before needing to recharge the smartphone: that’s a lot, and Note 4 resistant to fairly intense scenarios like train travel, where disconnections / reconnections are frequent or extended photo shoots. Nevertheless, the Note 3 seemed to us more often exceed 24 hours. In all cases, not to fear: the battery does not leave you stranded before the end of your work day, and as the S5, the Ultra Eco mode reduces the functionality to their simplest expression for reached even if only a few percent of battery

hard to be surprised by the Galaxy Note 4:. it complies in all respects with that was expected, that is to say an update a little more powerful than its predecessor level, with some new features and a better screen. The most visible change was the result of design, which finally removes the most “cheap” aspects of previous models. It also results in a slightly higher weight, but we did not find the annoying difference.

The management of the stylus is the only really unique feature of the Galaxy Note 4 compared to a competition that has more increasingly shifted towards larger sizes. Everyone do not find useful, it is recognized that Samsung has managed to make it complete enough for it to be a real asset for the regulars to handwritten notes or designers.

For the rest, if not surprise, the Note 4 still convinced that: tough, powerful, strong, fluid, it simply remains one of the best smartphones “large” even if he is no longer alone in this segment. The main obstacle to its purchase price will actually still quite high, although below that of the iPhone 6 Plus. Is it really justifiable compared to a G3 or LG Galaxy S5 whose ease of use has already much more to envy “phablettes”? Clearly not a smartphone to impulse buying, the Galaxy Note 4 is still a satisfactory update a mature product.