Samsung Galaxy Note 2 sizes. A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.
Smartphone or tablet? This question was asked by many owners of this first generation device. Let's review the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 N7100 this time, analyze it according to the standard scheme, and at the end answer the main question: what is the Galaxy Note II - a smartphone or a tablet.
Full Galaxy Note 2 review
For review, we were provided with a white Samsung Galaxy Note 2. The first impression I got when looking at this box was that it was significantly larger than the Samsung Galaxy S3. Well, let’s not keep you waiting and let’s immediately start unpacking the device, since I myself can’t wait to evaluate this sensational “flagship” from Samsung.
Unboxing Samsung Galaxy Note 2
We open the lid of the box and see the smartphone itself. Of course, its size is impressive, and you catch yourself thinking: is this really a smartphone, as it is written everywhere, or a new type of smartphone-tablet. Well, we’ll talk about the device itself a little later, but for now let’s analyze the contents of the box, that is, what comes with this gadget.
I’ll note right away that the “laying” inside the box itself somewhat disappointed me. At the very top is the smartphone itself, below it is a paper package with instructions and other contents. It would be more logical to do this using so-called tiers, or special compartments, as is implemented by some competitors. But, of course, the packaging is not the most important thing - the main thing is the device, but nevertheless...
So, the package includes: charger, USB-microUSB cable (to connect the device to the charger and to the computer), headphones and earbuds. The box also contains instructions in various languages, including Russian.
There is no point in dwelling in detail on the configuration of the box, since I personally didn’t see anything new, and it’s actually not here. Everything that is put into other Samsung gadgets migrates from device to device; there is no evolution, not to mention a revolution. In principle, there is nothing more to say about unboxing. Let's move on to the review of the smartphone.
Specifications Samsung Galaxy Note 2
Samsung Galaxy Note 2 has the following specifications:
- Screen
The device is equipped with an HD Super AMOLED screen with touch control. Touch screen type: multi-touch. Screen diagonal 5.55 inches. Screen resolution 720x1280 pixels. 16 million colors.
- Options
Inside, the smartphone has a 4-core processor with a clock frequency of 1.6 GHz and 2 GB of RAM. The volume of internal memory of the device is 16 GB. Supports microSD memory cards up to 64 GB. Operating system Android 4.1.
- Camera
The main rear camera is 8 megapixels. The device includes an LED flash, autofocus and face detection. The video camera shoots in 1080p format, 30 frames per second. The front camera has 1.9 megapixels.
- Interfaces
Supported interfaces: USB, Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0. Satellite navigation: GPS and GLONASS. Internet access can be provided via WAP, GPRS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+.
- Other Features
The smartphone supports one SIM card (Micro-SIM). Network standards: GSM 900/1800/1900, 3G. There is an FM radio with RDS support. Battery capacity 3100 mAh.
- Prices for Samsung Galaxy Note 2
Smartphone prices vary, so the average price in online stores for the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is 29,990 rubles. But, for example, I personally found one for 24,000 rubles.
Visual review of the Galaxy Note 2
Well, let’s now move on directly to the external review of the smartphone. The first impression did not leave me even after I picked up this smartphone for the second time. It’s really big, putting it to your ear and looking in the mirror - this situation made me laugh a lot, because it really reminded me of the late 90s - early 00s, when the first mobile phones appeared that barely fit in your hand. Where they left is where they came. If you are a serious person, then talking on such a smartphone without a Bluetooth headset is a comedy. It’s not for nothing that many people call it a “shovel.”
Of course, I couldn't help but compare the Note 2 to its predecessor, the first Note model. If you hold both devices in your hands, the second generation of the gadget is clearly visually larger. As for the dimensions, the Note 2 is slightly longer in height, and an increase in the display diagonal from 5.3 to 5.55 inches could not but affect this. But there is also a positive factor: Note 2 has become a little narrower and this is undoubtedly a plus. Compared to the first generation, the Note 2 has an aspect ratio of 16:9, instead of 16:10, which is the generally applicable standard.
Design... I saw it again somewhere!? Deja vu!? I have one question for Samsung: “Are you out of ideas!?” Samsung Galaxy S3, Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos, etc. – the same design, the same approaches, but different names. Every time I review Samsung devices, I ask myself this question and, to my great regret, I cannot find the answer. The design of all these three devices is absolutely the same, there are no design changes, and I’ve probably stopped waiting for them.
South Korean “luminaries” are not very concerned about introducing innovations until their North American competitors from Cupertino begin to do this first, introducing new design options into the iPhone. In the last 1.5 - 2 years, both major smartphone manufacturers Apple and Samsung have not revolutionized technology, but only evolved, and then only in size and parameters, but, alas, not in design.
The smartphone has a glossy plastic body, but nevertheless, our white device does not show fingerprints on the back cover too much, and this is of course a plus compared to the Galaxy S3. The device is held in the hand quite comfortably, but it is somewhat difficult to operate it with one hand; you must either constantly intercept the device with your hands, or help with the second hand; well, the manufacturer has inserted a stylus into its body to control the gadget.
Walking with such a device on the street is somewhat difficult, because not every pocket will fit it. But if girls can easily put it in their oversized bag, then for husbands it will be somewhat problematic.
On the front panel, in the center, there is a mechanical “Home” button, on either side of which there are 2 touch buttons: “Menu” and the “Back” button. On top there is a speaker for conversations, to the right of which two sensors are built in: light and proximity sensors. There is also a front camera on the side of the sensors. On the back panel, in the upper center, there is the main camera, to the right of which there is a flash. The main speaker is located at the bottom of the rear panel, and the stylus is neatly hidden in the lower left corner.
As for the sides of the gadget, there is a volume control key on the left, and a power key on the right. On the upper side there is a 3.5 headphone jack on the left side, and on the bottom panel in the center there is a microUSB input.
Under the back cover there is a battery, a memory card slot and a SIM card slot - standard architecture.
Device operation
After the first impression, let's turn on the device and test it. Despite all the shortcomings that I outlined, the device turned out to be quite interesting. First of all, I was pleased with the large screen; compared to other “smartphones” it is really impressive. The screen is bright enough, and it feels like you can fit absolutely anything on it. It is also worth noting the always beautiful Android interface, convenience and great options for fine-tuning, as well as animation. The smartphone works very quickly, and I would also like to note the quality of the sensor response.
When watching videos, the Note 2 works very quickly, without any lag. The video is loaded and processed by the device quite quickly, which is not very often the case with devices from other manufacturers. Watching a video on a smartphone in itself is not a particularly interesting activity, but with the Galaxy Note 2 it is much more interesting than on the same iPhone. In addition, the device reads popular video formats, making it unnecessary to convert.
I would like to separately note the graphics of the games and the games themselves. Thanks to this “shovel”, playing games is a pleasure, because the 5.55-inch screen is almost a mobile gaming console, which also makes calls and goes online. The graphics of the games are at a high level, but I repeat again - a large display plays a key role in this matter.
The video captured is of excellent quality, and in principle, for a home video archive, the video quality captured by the phone will be quite sufficient (1920×1080). As for the photo resolution, it has 3264×2448 pixels. The quality of such photographs is quite enough for amateur photography.
You can evaluate the operation of the smartphone in more detail in the video review below.
Intellectual expectation
Remember when we looked at how this function works in the Galaxy S3? This time I couldn't help but test it on the Note 2, since last time I was somewhat disappointed with its performance. To be honest, the function began to work quite normally and I’m not even afraid of this word – right. Therefore, we can say that the work on the bugs was done very well.
Smart screen rotation
I really liked this “trick”. Its essence lies in the fact that when the function is turned on, the sensor monitors your face, and when you are in a horizontal position, the picture on the screen does not rotate to landscape mode, which happens in many smartphones. Although this is not a significant function, it is very convenient, especially for those who do not part with their gadget even in bed.
Working with two applications at the same time
Very often there is a need to work in parallel with several applications on a smartphone. In this gadget, this issue has been resolved - to do this, you need to hold down the “Back” key and a menu with applications will appear on the left side of the screen, which we can drag onto the screen. We drag one application icon to the top, and the other to the bottom, and the screen is divided into 2 parts. The applications work independently of each other, each separately can be scrolled up and down - in a word, the idea and implementation are very good.
General impression of the device
The performance of the device can be rated 10 out of 10. Samsung has equipped the gadget with very powerful components that ensure fast and high-quality operation of the device. For several days of my use of the Galaxy Note 2, I did not notice a single freeze or slowdown, although I used the device very seriously, in general, as happens in everyday life. It's big, but you can get used to it, the large screen will quickly eliminate this drawback, but there is still some inconvenience in controlling it with one hand. Due to the large size of the gadget, it is very difficult to call it mobile, but again, it’s not for everyone.
Is the Note 2 worth buying? If you don’t want to carry both a smartphone and a tablet with you at the same time, or want to save money and buy one of these two devices, the Note 2 is what you need. In other cases, you can answer this question only after you have worked and tested this device yourself. It's better to wait for Note 3.
Despite the fact that the manufacturer called this device a smartphone, many had associative thoughts with a mini-tablet. The very dimensions of this gadget and the 5.5 screen are unusual for the average user. Perhaps this is a new trend that many manufacturers will adopt, but for now it is somewhat unusual, even though we are already accustomed to the first generation Samsung Galaxy Note. Personally, I have the opinion that the Galaxy Note II is more than a smartphone, but less than a small tablet, it is only missing some 1.5 inches, compared to the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0, in which the screen has a diagonal of 7 inches. Everyone will decide for themselves what this gadget means to them, but in my opinion, it’s a kind of smartphone tablet.
VideoreviewSamsung Galaxy Note 2
In order to learn more about the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, we present to your attention a video review of this gadget.
Positioning
With this product everything is quite simple and clear. The unexpected success of the first smartphone created an entire category, which even included tablets with a built-in stylus for drawing and taking notes. I have always believed that the Galaxy Note 10.1 is a fairly niche device, but the first information about retail sales contradicts my feelings; they cannot be called modest. Moreover, distributors are raising their purchasing forecasts as they believe demand will remain strong. But I don’t want to lump everything together and I’ll say this, after all, Note is the only one in its class. What caused its popularity? I think that this is a large screen, operating time, but the stylus and the ability to draw, write, and so on fade into the background. This device was liked by both geeks and those who prefer to buy the most expensive models.
In terms of positioning, nothing changes; this device comes with the same ideas - a stylus to draw and write down information. The screen and processor have been updated, the design is reminiscent of the Galaxy S3.
I am sure that many will call this device the flagship of the Android line from Samsung, in any case, the initial cost of 30 thousand rubles clearly indicates this. But I think that this device still stands somewhat apart, although it is built into the company’s price line.
I have no doubt that the Galaxy Note 2 will appeal to many people. My reasoning is based on two facts. The first model turned out to be a bestseller in its price segment, and this will support and increase sales of the update, the same story happened with each generation of Galaxy S. The second fact is that compared to the first model, this device is much more attractive. It looks more expensive and is more pleasant to work with. Although the dimensions are almost the same, the filling has undergone significant changes.
We are once again getting a combination of two devices – the Galaxy S3 and the Galaxy Note 2. Some will choose the first, while others will think that they are more interested in the second. Still, the screen diagonal plays a big role. The expectations of operators and distributors from the Galaxy Note 2 are very optimistic - the volume of orders is already 3 times higher than that for the first model. Everyone believes that the device will sell successfully. But you need to understand that at a fairly low cost, the Galaxy S3 remains the preferred choice and the most popular smartphone in most countries of the world, except the USA.
If you look at Samsung's marketing communications, you will see that the Note 2 is positioned not only at people in creative professions, but also at a business audience and, oddly enough, students. The last thing this smartphone might be interesting about is its ability to quickly enter notes.
Design, dimensions, control elements
The main disadvantage of the Note, which follows from the advantage of a large diagonal, is the size of the phone; it is too big for most people. Dimensions of the device - 151.1 x 80.5 x 9.4 mm, weight 180 grams. For comparison, the Galaxy S3 measures 136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6 mm and weighs 133 grams. If in the first Note the large screen diagonal was practically not reflected in the menu, settings, and Android capabilities, then in Note II a lot of work was done; the company tried to make it possible to work with one hand. How successful this was is a separate question, but many of the shortcomings of the previous model have been removed, which can be considered a plus.
The model is initially available in two colors, white and dark gray. Later, according to good tradition, some more flowers will appear.
From the first days of sales, it will be possible to purchase leather book covers, as well as protective covers in different colors.
The layout of the device is traditional: there is a mechanical key on the front panel, and two touch ones around it. Above the screen you can see the front camera, as well as a proximity and light sensor. On the left side there is a paired volume key, on the right there is an on/off button. At the top end there is a 3.5 jack for headphones or a headset, and there are also microphones at two ends. The main camera is located on the back surface, next to it there is an LED flash. Finally, at the bottom end there is a standard microUSB connector, and you can also see a socket for the S-Pen stylus.
The build quality of the device is excellent, there are no backlashes, the parts fit tightly together. Opening the back cover, you will see an NFC antenna on it; there is also a microSD connector and a slot for a microSIM card inside.
Display
The screen has a diagonal of 5.5 inches, is made using Super AMOLED HD technology, but its resolution remains unchanged compared to its predecessor - 1280x720 pixels (16 million colors). The screen is capacitive and supports up to 10 simultaneous clicks. The screen quality is excellent, ppi value 265 (in the first Note ppi 285, with a resolution of 1280x800 pixels and a diagonal of 5.3 inches).
The hysteria that has arisen around PenTile technology, thanks to those who supposedly see it and cannot bear it, has taken root in the minds of many people. Such users without a microscope perceive a smaller number of subdots that form the picture, and this negatively affects their work with screens. In real life, I had to make fun of them and their prejudices by showing them the Galaxy Note and Note 2. I asked how they felt about using PenTile. Not a single person could really distinguish a display with PenTile technology from one without it. The Note 2 uses an RGB matrix, which allowed me to conduct such an experiment.
Unfortunately, I don't see much difference in screen quality between the Galaxy Note 2 and Galaxy S3, other than the diagonal, font size and the like. The picture quality is quite comparable, although psychologically, knowing about the presence of an RGB matrix, many will say that this screen is better. Perhaps so, but I do not consider it necessary to participate in this game, since for me personally such a difference is invisible.
Comparison with Samsung Galaxy S3:
Comparison with Samsung Galaxy Note:
One of the advantages of a large diagonal is large fonts, but they can be made even larger. Even people with very low vision will be able to read from the huge screen without any difficulty.
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Other screen sharing features came with the Galaxy S3, such as Smart Stay. The front camera captures your gaze and automatically adjusts the screen backlight, for example, when reading. In my opinion, this is an additional feature that does not work perfectly and is not very necessary, it is convenient in real life. But such an option is present. The ability to fix the screen orientation depending on the position of the head has also been added; it was not present in the S3. It works strangely, and it’s not very clear when such an option is needed. It is possible that when you are lying in bed, but even here it does not work very well.
The screen brightness has a margin; an intermediate value is comfortable. In the sun the screen is easy to read and there is almost no glare.
Battery
The phone uses a 3100 mAh lithium-ion battery (2100 mAh in Galaxy S3, 2500 mAh in Galaxy Note). According to the manufacturer, the battery can provide up to 16 hours of talk time and up to 890 hours of standby time (3G mode). In Moscow networks, the device works on average for about two full days under very high load (the difference with the first Note is noticeable and depends on both the hardware and Android 4.1). The time to fully charge the battery is about 3 hours.
When examining battery life, we found that it lasts 20 percent longer on average in each mode than the Galaxy S3. I won’t describe each of the modes, you can look and add that same 20 percent.
There are not many models on the market that have batteries with a capacity of more than 3000 mAh, this is still a rarity, although next year a number of flagships will receive such batteries, today these are a couple of models from Motorola. In terms of operating time, the Galaxy Note 2 is a record holder among Android smartphones, which makes the device stand out and make it attractive to everyone for whom this particular parameter is important, and size does not play a decisive role.
USB, Bluetooth, communication capabilities
Bluetooth. Bluetooth version 4.0 (LE). When transferring files to other devices that support this technology, Wi-Fi 802.11 n is used, and the theoretical transfer speed is about 24 Mbit/s. Testing the transfer of a 1 GB file showed a maximum speed of about 12 Mbit/s within three meters between devices.
The model supports various profiles, in particular Headset, Handsfree, Serial Port, Dial Up Networking, File Transfer, Object Push, Basic Printing, SIM Access, A2DP. Working with headsets does not raise any questions, everything is ordinary.
USB connection. In Android 4, for some reason, they abandoned the USB Mass Storage mode, leaving only MTP (there is also a PTP mode).
USB version – 2, data transfer speed – about 25 Mb/s.
When connecting to a PC, simultaneous operation of USB and Bluetooth is unacceptable; the device requires you to turn off Bluetooth regardless of the current state (whether there is a connection and transmission or not), this is extremely inconvenient. When connected via USB, the device is recharged.
The microUSB connector also supports the MHL standard, which means that using a special cable (available at electronics stores), you can connect the phone to the TV (to the HDMI output). In fact, the standard describes the ability to connect via microUSB to HDMI. This solution looks preferable to a separate miniHDMI connector on the case. However, if you still have an adapter from previous models, then it will not fit the Galaxy S3 - the connectors have been swapped here.
For GSM networks, EDGE class 12 is provided.
WiFi. The 802.11 a/b/g/n standard is supported (2.4 and 5 GHz, dual-band Wi-Fi), the operation wizard is similar to that for Bluetooth. You can remember selected networks and automatically connect to them. It is possible to set up a connection to the router in one touch; to do this, you need to press a key on the router, and also activate a similar button in the device menu (WPA SecureEasySetup). Among the additional options, it is worth noting the setup wizard; it appears when the signal is weak or disappearing.
802.11n also supports HT40 mode, which doubles Wi-Fi throughput (requires support from another device).
Wi-Fi Direct. A new protocol that is intended to replace Bluetooth or begin to compete with its third version (which also uses Wi-Fi version n to transfer large files). In the Wi-Fi settings menu, select the Wi-Fi Direct section, the phone begins to search for devices around. We select the desired device, activate the connection on it, and voila. Now in the file manager you can view files on another device, as well as transfer them. Another option is to simply find devices connected to your router and transfer the necessary files to them; this can be done from the gallery or other sections of the phone. The main thing is that the device supports Wi-Fi Direct.
NFC. The device has NFC technology, it can be used with various additional applications.
S Beam. Samsung's proprietary technology, which allows you to transfer a file of several gigabytes in size to another phone in a few minutes, is currently presented only in the Galaxy S3. In fact, we see in S Beam a combination of two technologies - NFC and Wi-Fi Direct. The first technology is used to bring up and authorize phones, but the second is already used to transfer the files themselves. The creatively redesigned way to use Wi-Fi Direct is much simpler than using a connection on two devices, selecting files and so on. At the same time, for non-Samsung phones, using S Beam is impossible; you can only be content with Wi-Fi Direct, which is understandable and understandable.
Memory, memory cards
The phone has 16 GB of internal memory (there is a 32 and 64 GB version, the latter will appear later), initially about 14 GB is available to the user. Memory cards up to 64 GB are also supported.
The amount of RAM is 2 GB, after downloading about 1.2 GB is free. This is sufficient for all applications.
Performance
This is the second device from Samsung to use its own quad-core Exynos processor, the frequency of each core is up to 1.6 GHz (in the Galaxy S3 up to 1.4 GHz). In all synthetic tests, the Galaxy Note 2 shows an advantage compared to other devices on the market, but you definitely shouldn’t rely on these tests, since in real use scenarios you may encounter real problems. Another thing is that on Note 2 the number of such problems is minimal compared to other smartphones; this device is characterized by high performance.
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Camera
Despite the fact that the Galaxy Note 2 uses the same camera module as the Galaxy S3, it has improved low-light photography and has a corresponding mode in the menu. The company believes that it is possible to automatically detect low-light conditions, but this may affect the quality of photographs, so the mode is left at the discretion of the shooter - it must be activated. Let me take a few pictures taken in a dimly lit room to show the difference with the Galaxy S3; it seems to me that everything is quite obvious.
| Samsung Galaxy Note 2 | Samsung Galaxy S3 |
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Best Shots mode allows you to select the faces of the people in the photo, as well as various variations of them. Very convenient for getting photos where you can select people's smiles.
There are no other differences in the camera (a Slow Motion mode has appeared when recording video), so we will list the main functions and provide a number of pictures, as well as a comparison with the Galaxy S3. Let me remind you that the camera in the Galaxy S3 is a reference for the market, however, the same quality is on the Note 2.
| Samsung Galaxy Note 2 | Samsung Galaxy S3 |
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Samsung Galaxy Note 2:
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If we talk about focusing modes, then this is traditionally autofocus. For my taste, the macro mode is more of a tribute to tradition than a necessity, since the camera’s automation perfectly handles all distances, including close ones (12 centimeters is the minimum distance, guaranteed - about 15 centimeters).
The flash is LED, it can be constantly on or work in automatic mode. I was not able to see any big differences in the quality of the flash from the previous device. It does its job well, we can’t talk about any special results. It is optimal to use a combination of a xenon flash and an LED flash; only this option can achieve good shooting in various conditions. Everything else is a compromise option, which, on the other hand, suits the vast majority of people (this is the reason why manufacturers abandoned the use of xenon flashes, and even turned away from photographic models - their sales volume is very modest).
Shooting modes. The default is one shot, this is a normal shot, there are no special features here.
Continuous shooting is more interesting, here you can get up to 20 shots in a few seconds; in this mode, all additional settings (exposure adjustment, etc.) are disabled. You can also enable the Best Shot function, the number of shots will be limited to eight, and you can choose the best one.
HDR – the camera suggests not shaking your hands so that the picture turns out to be of the highest quality. I admit honestly that I didn’t notice any special differences in the pictures with and without this function. It is possible that I needed to find very contrasting objects, then the difference would be noticeable.
Smile – we press the camera button, and it takes pictures only at the moment when the person smiles. A trick to catch a smile. Few people use such tricks, but perhaps it is important for you.
A beautiful face is simply an effect that removes skin defects and colors it in one tone. Sometimes the result is good, sometimes the face becomes not very natural. It depends on your luck. There is no particular point in using this filter.
Panorama is a regular panoramic shot, you move the camera slowly, and it already captures the picture. You won't be able to get a full 360-degree panorama, but what you get looks very interesting.
Caricature is a filter that distorts colors and makes everything grotesque. I'm not sure anyone will need it.
Photo sharing – the function uses Wi-Fi Direct, you can send your photos to another device by first selecting the ones you need.
Sharing photos with a user - you take a photo of your friend, and then the camera itself finds all his pictures in your album and sends them using Wi-Fi Direct. If necessary? I don’t know, but this option looks interesting, although most likely it will not be used in practice by the majority. As a rule, we share not only photos with friends’ faces, but also other photos from one or another event.
Face tagging is a fashionable feature these days, and here it is implemented on a grand scale. You can enable face detection, then if you click on a face, a menu will appear with the ability to write a message or make a call. Is this needed in the gallery? I’m sure not, especially since yellow squares on faces are more of a minus than a plus.
In the settings you can select a shooting scene; these are preset settings that help achieve maximum quality in certain conditions. There are the following subjects - portrait, landscape, night, sports, indoors, beach/snow, sunset, dawn, autumn colors, fireworks, text, twilight, backlight.
The exposure value can be set from -2 to +2, this is the standard setting.
Timer – 2, 5, 10 seconds, if you suddenly want to take a photo with a delay.
Effects – negative, black and white, sepia and a number of others.
Resolution – maximum 3264x2448 pixels, you can shoot in widescreen mode – 3264x1836 pixels.
White balance - auto, daylight, cloudy, incandescent, fluorescent light.
ISO – auto, 100, 200, 400, 800.
Exposure metering – weighted average, spot, matrix.
Stabilization – enabled or not.
Image quality (JPEG compression ratio) – best, excellent, normal.
GPS tag – disabled by default.
It remains to add that you can add any icon to the main screen of the camera and make it more convenient for your needs.
Video. Maximum resolution - 1920x1080 pixels (1080p). At the same time, up to 30 frames per second is indicated in the file properties (there is a slow or fast motion mode, it was not in S3). Constant autofocus is supported, but in difficult conditions the camera cannot always quickly focus on the subject or subject of shooting. But, in general, the shooting quality is quite at the level of other solutions, and even better. You can take photos while shooting video. One of the disadvantages is the location of the second microphone (stereo sound recording is supported), you often cover it with your hand. This requires you to get used to holding the device correctly.
Note 2 Software Features
Basic and standard Android applications are described in a separate article; below we will focus only on those features of the Galaxy Note 2 that distinguish it from other devices.
S-Pen capabilities - updated version
If in the first Note the stylus was an important part, but created by analogy with many devices of the past, a kind of experiment, then after the success of this concept it was given the closest attention. Firstly, the stylus itself has changed and has become much more convenient; it looks like a small pen and is comfortable to hold. Secondly, the advantage of using a stylus has been made clear - for example, when you take out the stylus, you automatically launch notes and can instantly write or draw. Another point is that during a conversation you can take out the stylus, and a note will also appear that will allow you to instantly enter the necessary data. It seems like a small thing, but it is very attractive, and once you start using it, it is almost impossible to stop.
The phone has become seriously wiser; for example, when using the S-Pen, it is not the keyboard that is automatically called up, but the handwriting input window (the quality of recognition has increased). You can disable handwriting input in the settings, leave the regular keyboard and press buttons with a stylus, in case someone needs this type of text input. English versions of the device have text recognition using the camera; Russian devices do not have this function.
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The stylus has become more precise (1024 pressure points), while a huge number of programs have been added in which it can be used. For example, in S Planner you can start writing right on a specific day. Draw something.
In the gallery, you can highlight a photo with a stylus, then it will increase in size. When watching a video, you can use the stylus to rewind the video. There are a lot of such small improvements in the device, and they are noticeable. Shortcuts are supported, you need to press the button on the stylus and swipe up, a menu will immediately appear in which you can enter words and commands. You can also customize additional features, shortcuts, and programs.
What I liked and is very convenient is cutting out a piece of any screen, text and the ability to instantly paste it into almost any program. A pen is indispensable in such a situation.
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In mail, messages and a number of other applications, you can highlight lines, and then additional information will be shown, for example, in mail this is the header of the letter. I recommend watching the video in which we describe in detail the functionality of the S-Pen; this pen has no analogues today.
It's also worth looking at how you can work with formulas and draw. These features are similar to the Galaxy Note, they have not changed.
Impression
In terms of voice transmission quality, the device is very different from the previous model; the call volume has increased and the sound is clearer. The ringer volume is above average, but the vibration alert is felt poorly, due to the massiveness of the case.
The only complaint I have about this device is the size. It's not small, and the screen is too large for it to be comfortable to work with one hand, despite all the settings and nice little things. On the other hand, the large screen diagonal provides excellent viewing of videos, photos, and good opportunities to draw with a stylus and enter information. At the moment, there are no alternatives to this device if you are looking for a smartphone not just with a large screen, but also with the ability to draw well and use handwriting input. The new features of the S-Pen are very rich, and if you use them, the device is perceived completely differently. From the experience of the first Note, I can say that many people do not use a stylus, but buy a smartphone with a large screen and a long operating time. And that's okay. In principle, such buyers also get what they want. In my opinion, the model turned out to be successful and iconic. Considering the popularity of the first Note, its sequel will also be in demand and will not be a niche device. The device has no serious disadvantages; you just need to understand why you need it before purchasing. It is possible that if there is no need for a stylus, then the Galaxy S3 is suitable, which can do everything except this. At a price of 22,500 rubles for the Galaxy S3 and 29,990 rubles for the Galaxy Note2, choosing the second one becomes justified if you are going to use a stylus. But, in any case, the device turned out to be unique and iconic; it has no analogues on the market.
P.S. The Russian firmware does not have a number of functions that are present in European devices. For example, trying to record what is happening on the screen (the home button and the volume up key) does not give any result. Likewise, there is no MultiView, when the screen can be divided into two parts and work in two different programs, as on the Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet. There is no explanation for the absence of this key function except that it was accidentally forgotten to be added to the firmware. The company promises to release a software update by the end of the year, which will be received by all users - it will include the MultiView function. But for now it is not there, and those who want to use all the capabilities of the phone will have to install European firmware (it has Russian language).
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Eldar Murtazin ()
IFA 2012 in Berlin at the end of August 2012. This gadget is a continuation of the Galaxy Note line, but only now it has an even larger screen and improved hardware. In this review we will talk about the main characteristics and capabilities of the new Samsung device.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is a fairly large device that blurs the distinction between the concepts of smartphone and tablet. The design of the gadget is classic for hi-end equipment: almost the entire front surface is occupied by a 5.55-inch display, above which there are sensors, a speaker and a front camera, and below it is a control key. On the back of the device we will see the following elements: a camera with LED flash, slots for the speaker and the company logo.
The assembly of the device is done just fine: there are no creaks or backlashes during operation. In general, it is worth noting the ergonomics of the case, which is made of materials that are pleasant to the touch, and the smartphone itself is comfortable to hold and work with, although the dimensions are quite large - 151.1 x 80.5 x 9.4 mm, and weight - 180 g.
The device, of course, includes an S-Pen.
Performance and Software
The new Samsung Galaxy Note 2 has a powerful 4-core Exynos 4 Quad processor with a clock frequency of 1.6 GHz and 2 GB of RAM, which allows you to easily work with any existing applications, as well as having at its disposal a Mali-400MP graphics processor , excellent graphics processing.
Below we present some benchmark tests of the Galaxy Note 2:
The photo above shows the Quadrant test, where the tablet scored 6043 points and beat the flagship Galaxy S 3 device.
In the next AnTuTu benchmark, the gadget again beats Samsung's flagship model, scoring 13,500 points:
And in the third NenaMark 2 test, thanks to the presence of the Mali-400MP graphics chip, the Galaxy Note 2 also shows excellent results – 55.8 fps:
The new product will be available with 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB of permanent memory, which can be expanded using microSD cards (max. up to 64 GB).
The device runs on the latest Android 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system, which also contributes to good performance.
Of course, it’s worth talking specifically about working with the S-Pen:
- Now, using a stylus, you can make a virtual cursor on the tablet screen, which will appear when you touch the screen and works like a laser pointer;
- If you move the stylus to a photo or video file without touching the screen, you can open a window with information about this file or start playing it;
- Ability to write on the back of photos using the S-Pen;
- Popup Note function, which allows you to view a preview or display it in a separate window with one tap of the stylus on the video icon;
- New features using the Quick Command gesture bar to quickly activate the S-Pen's most essential apps;
- The Easy Clip function allows you to quickly select and crop the desired area of the screen, save the resulting image and use it later at your discretion;
- The Idea Visualizer feature will help you add images to notes in the S-Note application;
- Other services for the S-Pen are also available: S-Planner, e-mail with handwriting integration, S-Pen Keeper, Paper Artist, Shape Match and Formula Match.
There is also a new Screen Recorder feature for capturing video from the screen and recording it.
Samsung Galaxy Note 2 supports Wi-Fi + Direct, A-GPS, GLONASS, Bluetooth 4.0, 3G and 4G LTE networks.
Screen
Samsung Galaxy Note 2 has a 5.55-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1280x720 pixels and a color rendition of 16 million shades. The image on the screen looks just great: rich colors (including deep blacks), good clarity and naturalness. The gadget has good viewing angles.
Camera
The tablet is equipped with an 8-megapixel camera that allows you to take photographs with a maximum resolution of 3264x2448 pixels, with an LED flash and autofocus functions, Best Photo, Best Faces and Low light shot.
Photos taken with the gadget turn out to be of very high quality: good sharpness, natural and bright colors.
The camera allows you to record video in Full HD format at 30 frames per second.
The Galaxy Note 2 also has a front-facing 1.9-megapixel camera for video calling.
Battery
The device is equipped with a lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 3100 mAh. The battery charge lasts for a day of battery life with average use of the device (a couple of hours of gaming, watching videos, surfing the Internet, listening to music, and a little talking).
Price
Samsung Galaxy Note 2 video review:
A large display diagonal, a powerful processor, an impressive amount of memory and a fairly capacious battery - the Note 2 has all this. Characteristics of its hardware and software components will be given within the framework of this material.
Set
This device is positioned by the manufacturer itself as a premium gadget. Accordingly, it must have the proper equipment. But still, there are certain comments about it. In addition to the mobile device itself, the boxed version of the device includes the following components and accessories: battery, interface cable for connecting to a personal computer, charger, stylus and instruction manual. This list clearly lacks headphones, a protective film, a case and a memory card. In the first case, there is even a corresponding port, but there is no stereo headset included in the package. Although the front panel of the device is protected by 2nd generation Gorilla Eye glass, additional film to preserve its original condition would clearly not be superfluous. The situation is similar with the sides and back cover - they are also best protected, but only with the help of a cover. Although the capacity of the built-in storage is an impressive 16 GB, it can be expanded by installing an external flash card. This will allow you to more rationally use the memory subsystem in the Samsung Galaxy Note 2. The characteristics (the instructions indicate this nuance) of the external drive are as follows: micro-SD card type, and its maximum capacity is 32 GB. This will definitely be enough to place the user’s personal files here (photos, videos, books, music).
Design
The Note 2 has a typical design, like a Galaxy device. Most of the front panel is occupied by the display. In this case, its diagonal is 5.55 inches. Above it is a speaker and “windows” of sensors. At the bottom, strictly in the middle, is the main mechanical key for returning to the main desktop. Along the edges of it are the touch keys “Back” and “Menu”. As noted earlier, the front panel is completely protected by Gorilla Eye glass in the Samsung Galaxy Note 2. The characteristics given by the manufacturer in the technical specifications indicate that it is in its second generation. There is a device lock button on the right edge, and a swing for adjusting the volume of the gadget is located on the left edge. There is a micro-USB port on the back of the smart phone. There is also a hole for storing the stylus. And on the top edge there is a 3.5 mm audio port. On the back cover of the smartphone, in addition to the manufacturer’s logo, there is also a hole for the main camera with backlight based on a single LED and a loud speaker.
The computing heart of the gadget
A very powerful processor solution is used in the Samsung Galaxy Note 2. The characteristics of the Exynos 4412 are as follows: 4 computing modules based on the “A9” architecture, which can accelerate to 1.6 GHz at maximum load. Its semiconductor crystal is manufactured according to the standards of a 32 nm technological process, and its maximum level of power consumption can reach 4 W. This is Samsung’s own development and it was this chip that was used in the flagship device of 2012 - Galaxy S3. And although 3 years is an impressive period by the standards of the mobile gadget industry, even now this processor can cope with almost any task. For example, the same “Asphalt 8” will run on this device, even if not at maximum settings. For other tasks (browsing Internet portals, playing videos, listening to music), its performance level is excessive, and it can cope with them without problems.
Display and graphics solution
One of the main features of the device is the display diagonal, which, as stated earlier, is an impressive 5.55 inches. It is made using Super AMOLED technology. Color rendering, contrast and brightness are at an acceptable level. The second important component of the graphics subsystem is the Mali-400MP4 video accelerator in the Samsung Galaxy Note 2. The characteristics (it is thanks to them that the phone can solve most problems today) of this adapter are truly impressive. Its computing performance is 15.8 GFLOPS at a chip operating frequency of 440 MHz.
Cameras: what they can do
Two high-quality cameras are installed in the Samsung Galaxy Note 2. The characteristics and photos of the main one are truly impressive. It has an 8 megapixel sensor element. At the same time, there is an autofocus system and LED backlight. Also, a face recognition algorithm is implemented at the software level. As a result, the quality of photographs taken using the main camera of this device is not satisfactory. The video on it is recorded in 1080p quality. There are also no questions about the quality of her videos: the color rendition is excellent, the picture is legible. The front camera is based on a more modest 1.9 megapixel sensor element. This is clearly not enough at the moment to obtain high-quality images. But for selfies and video calls this is quite enough, and it is precisely for solving these problems that it is intended.
Device memory
Samsung Galaxy Note 2 N7100 boasts a well-organized memory subsystem. The amount of installed RAM in it is 2 GB. The size of the integrated internal storage is 16 GB. At the same time, the user can use only 11 GB to install his programs and store. This is quite enough for comfortable and normal work. The rest of the space is occupied by system software. If 11 GB of free internal storage space is not enough for the user, you can install an external 32 GB flash card. There is a corresponding slot in this device. This will certainly solve the problem of lack of free space in the device. Well, the most valuable information is best stored on some cloud service. This will allow you to restore it in the event of a breakdown or theft of the device without problems.
Autonomy
The dimensions of the device are impressive (the display diagonal alone is worth it - 5.55 inches) and with a small battery it could not boast of an impressive degree of autonomy. As a result, the battery capacity is 3100 mAh in the Samsung Galaxy Note 2. The characteristic, of course, is far from outstanding today. But this value is quite enough for the device to last 2-3 days on a single battery charge at an average load level. Taking into account the diagonal of the device’s screen and hardware, it will not be possible to significantly increase this value. If you run some resource-intensive application (for example, Asphalt 8), then the battery life will be reduced to 6-8 hours.
Data exchange
An impressive list of ways to exchange data with the outside world is implemented in the Samsung Galaxy Note 2. Its characteristics in this regard are as follows:
- Supports GSM and 3G mobile networks. True, the device has only one slot for installing a SIM card, and it cannot work in “DUOS” mode. In the first case, you will only be able to browse simple sites on the Internet and exchange messages on social networks. But with the help of 3G technology, all these restrictions are lifted, it will even be possible to watch online videos.
- Korean developers have not forgotten about Bluetooth. It is indispensable in cases where you need to connect wireless headphones to a smartphone or exchange small personal files with a similar mobile device.
- The device also has a Wi-Fi module. Just like 3G, it allows you to receive and send data to the global web in any quantity and at good speed. At the same time, the most “heavy” sites will load quite quickly.
- For navigation, the device has two systems. One of them is tied to satellites and can work with both JPS and GLONASS. Well, the second is based on using the location of mobile communication towers and is called A-JPS.
- Among the wired interfaces, we can highlight the presence of the previously mentioned micro-USB and audio port. The first is for charging the battery or connecting to a PC. The second is used in cases where you need to output it to an external speaker system.
System software
The software base is Android in the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 N7100. The characteristics of the system software component indicate version 4.1. Additionally, a proprietary TouchViz shell is installed on top of the system software. With its help, you can easily and simply customize the smartphone software interface to suit your needs. The smoothness and reliability of the system software does not cause any complaints.
Application software
A typical set of pre-installed software is found in the Samsung Galaxy Note 2. The characteristics (reviews indicate this) allow significantly more software to be pre-installed on it. Programmers on it pre-installed a standard set of mini-applications from Google, social network clients and built-in operating system programs. The device owner will have to download everything else from the application store. But, on the other hand, you can more precisely customize the device to suit your needs.
Users' opinions
Samsung Galaxy Note 2 N7100 is a premium device. Hence the increased demands placed on it, which is entirely a gadget. He has no weaknesses. The only thing that raises certain comments is the configuration of the device. But, on the other hand, the owner of such an expensive device can definitely afford to purchase a case, protective film and external storage separately. Moreover, choose any of these accessories exactly what he really needs. This smartphone has no other shortcomings.
Results
Although this gadget was released in 2012, the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 can handle any modern software. The characteristics of its hardware and software components indicate this. At the same time, the price of this phone has dropped to $200. This is an impeccable ratio of price, performance and quality.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is much larger in size than other smartphones, this is due to the large screen diagonal - 5.5 inches. Compared to the first Galaxy Note, the second one has become a little narrower and taller. The Galaxy Note II is not suitable for one-handed use; it is better to hold it in one hand while operating it with the other. The back cover is made of glossy plastic, it is easily soiled and quickly becomes covered with scratches.
Screen - 4.0
Samsung Galaxy Note 2 uses a high-quality 5.5-inch screen. Matrix type - Super AMOLED HD, screen resolution - 1280x720 pixels, PPI value - 267, protective coating - Gorilla Glass. The advantages of the display are its large diagonal and high resolution, excellent brightness and contrast. The screen will appeal to lovers of bright colors. Cons: Super AMOLED technology, due to which the image is overly contrasty and the colors on the screen are not natural. Not everyone will like this. The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 screen has another annoying feature called “Colortile”. This is a barely noticeable red and green rim on the letters. Most users do not see it, but some people experience eye fatigue from this effect. An indirect advantage of using Super AMOLED is that the screen is energy-intensive, which is why the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 lasts longer on a single charge than many competitors. Compared to the first Galaxy Note, the resolution has decreased (1280x800 versus 1280x720) and the diagonal has increased, the screen has become slightly narrower and taller.
Camera
The smartphone has an 8 MP camera with LED flash. The maximum resolution for video recording is 1920×1080 pixels, recording speed is 30 frames per second, sound is recorded in stereo mode.
Working with text - 5.0
The standard keyboard on the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is comfortable, with Swype text input and a separate row of numbers so you don't have to switch to extra character mode when dialing numbers. In addition, there is an adaptation of the keyboard for one-handed input: the keyboard shrinks and fits to the right or left edge of the screen, thanks to this, despite the size of the screen, you can enter text with one hand (although when this option is enabled, the letters become too small). Disadvantages - an inconvenient language switching system: you need to hold your finger on the space bar and swipe left or right. To enter most additional characters, including the comma, you need to call up an additional menu.
Internet - 3.0
The browser in the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is great for browsing the Internet: it has the ability to repeatedly scale the page with text fitting to the width of the screen and a reading mode that adapts the text on the page for more convenient reading (when you turn on the reading mode, you only have text and pictures from the article) This mode is convenient to use when reading a large amount of text on the Internet. On the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, you can use the browser in a pop-up window or place it only on half the screen (multi-view mode).
Interfaces
The smartphone supports all common wireless interfaces: dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and NFC. The device has an S Beam function, with which you can quickly transfer files, such as photos, music or videos, from one Note II to another using Wi-FI or NFC, placing them back to back. An important feature of the Note II is the included S-Pen stylus, which allows you to take notes, drawings and various drawings. There is a special hole in the smartphone to accommodate the S-Pen. Special software is provided to work with the stylus. There is no support for Russian LTE frequencies.
Multimedia - 4.6
Samsung Samsung Galaxy Note 2 plays almost any video without preliminary conversion - the device has support for rare audio formats and video containers. In the player you can select audio tracks, as well as subtitles, both built-in and external. The audio player plays most common as well as rare formats, including uncompressed audio in FLAC format. Thanks to its large screen diagonal, the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is the best option among smartphones for watching videos in terms of size/compactness ratio.
Battery - 3.7
In terms of operating time, Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is one of the leaders: the device is capable of playing HD video at maximum brightness for up to 10 and a half hours, while listening to music, the smartphone works for approximately 50 hours.
Performance - 1.7
On the device you can play any games available on Google Play and watch videos in high quality, up to 1080p. The device uses the Samsung Exynos 4412 platform with a 1.6 GHz quad-core processor, Mali-400 graphics subsystem and 2 GB of RAM. The smartphone showed excellent results in synthetic tests, but during everyday use there are stutters, especially when interacting with desktops.
Memory - 4.0
The smartphone has 16 GB of internal memory, supports microSD memory cards up to 64 GB, and hot-swappable cards are also supported.
Peculiarities
The device has a separate settings item that optimizes the device for one-handed operation. So, the on-screen keyboard, dialer, and calculator can be “pinned” to the right or left edge of the screen to make them easier to use. An important feature of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is the built-in stylus, which significantly expands the capabilities of the device. The smartphone recognizes handwritten text made with a stylus, and it also has several programs designed specifically for its use. The device runs under Samsung's proprietary shell - TouchWiz. In this shell, the manufacturer added its own browser, dialer, SMS client, music and video players, its own weather application and many other programs. The built-in video player supports most third-party video codecs and video formats, making it convenient to watch even unconverted video from your phone. The audio player allows you to listen to music not only by artist, but also by folder. S Memo app is a great note taking app with handwriting support.
