Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Review

Next to the iPhone 6, the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is easily one of the most eagerly anticipated handsets of 2014. Here are our thoughts

If you're a fan of Samsung's Galaxy Note series (or just phablets in general) and you're in Europe then the Galaxy Note 4 is still as good as it gets right now - because the Galaxy Note 5 is a no-show. Yes, sadly, Samsung decided to just launch the handset in North America and Asia in September 2015 and although there were rumours it would arrive in Europe and the UK by the end of January 2016, we're now in mid-February and there's been no word whatsoever. Not a peep. So it seems that was all a load of poppycock, and until we hear otherwise it seems the Galaxy Note 5 is not UK-bound.

Not that this is the end of the world. The Galaxy Note 4 is still a fantastic device, and in fact, from what we've seen of the Galaxy Note 5 so far it doesn't seem like the newer model is a huge update this time round. Let's take a look at what the Note 4 can do...

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Review: Design & Build

The Galaxy Note 4 clearly presented Samsung with something of a problem – the company had already honed its phablet concept into something optimal and refined with the Galaxy Note 3; what then, could be changed on the successor model? Well, on the outside not a great deal, it must be said.

The corners have been rounded off a wee bit more and the front glass panel is slightly raised and curved, while being embedded into the fascia for a unique look. Samsung’s usual silver surround design has been split into two ultra-thin bands with a slight contour to them and which sit between where the edges meet both front and back panels. The end result is that the sides are extremely flat, which helps with grip, and the edges are fashioned from a quality-feel matte aluminium. Not only is it practical but it looks pretty sharp too.

The back panel is removable and uses Samsung’s faux leather finish, although this doesn’t seem like a good implementation compared to its predecessor – the soft finish isn’t as plush, feeling more plasticky and tacky than it did before. The fake stitching is gone though, which is a plus. One neat change is the positioning of the power key and volume rocker, with the former being on the right-hand edge and the latter on the left – this means you’re able to have a finger or thumb over each control when holding the handset regardless of which hand you hold it in. The controls have a satisfying feedback level and are solidly contained in the chassis with no hint of wobble.

Samsung’s kept other details similar to its existing model; there’s a microUSB data and charging port in the base alongside the S-Pen stylus’ cubby hole, while along the top edge is a 3.5mm headphone jack. Removable cards are housed near the battery under the removable back cover. Lastly, Samsung continues to use its physical Home key flanked by a pair of capacitive Android controls (“Back” on the right, “Multitasking” on the left).

In terms of handling, Samsung has maintained the positive traits of the Note 3, that is to say; it has a large display with a narrow bezel, and while the bodywork is sized to accommodate this it is by no means an unwieldy device. It is a little heavier and thicker than its predecessor, but the balance still makes it easy to operate and one-handed use is not entirely out of the question, though can be a bit tricky and is certainly task specific with regards to whether it’s practical or not.

It's also worth pointing out that the waterproofing Samsung added to its Galaxy S5 flagship has not made its way across to the Galaxy Note series just yet, with this latest model being as sensitive to the wet stuff as any previous device and with no port covers in sight - avoid taking it in the bath!

Personally I am none too keen on the Note 4’s back panel implementation, but everything else here is solid.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Review: Display

Samsung’s display tech has come under fire in the past over issues of colour accuracy and tinting, however, the 5.7in Super AMOLED panel has been upgraded with a 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution at 515 pixels-per-inch (ppi), making it extremely sharp.  The colour issue has been improved though, you still get a very vivid and saturated image as per Samsung’s apparently preferred style, but you’re not getting colours completely missed and swapped for bluish or greenish tones this time around.

The Super AMOLED tech offers excellent contrast, as well as deep blacks and dark hues, and very wide viewing angles – making it suitable for over-the-shoulder multimedia sharing.

It is a great display for multimedia consumption generally, and particularly excellent for films and games, or showing off your photos.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Review: Processor & Performance

The Galaxy Note 4 packs Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon chip, the Snapdragon 805. It’s a quad-core setup based on the updated Krait 450 architecture clocked at 2.7GHz, with an Adreno 420 graphics processor (GPU) and 3GB of RAM. Naturally this is a supercharged monster of a chip and easily capable of running even the most badass games, apps, and content from Google’s Play store. But then of course, so could the Snapdragon 801, and the Snapdragon 800.

In general operation it is pretty darn smooth, I had previously read reports of some juddering but can’t say I’ve encountered this myself; TouchWiz seems to slither effortlessly from one screen to the next.

In short, the Note 4 never felt lacking when it comes to sheer processing muscle. You’re unlikely to find it falling short for some time to come, or at least until app content becomes much more advanced and demanding.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Review: Storage, Connectivity & Other Hardware

You’ve only got one option with the Note 4 and that’s 32GB of onboard storage with support for microSD cards up to 128GB. Still, that’s a fair bit of space all in, so most users needs should be catered for.  The phone supports 4G LTE 800/850/900/1800/2100/2600 and 3G including HSPA+, then there’s also dual-band Wi-Fi with Hotspot and Wi-Fi Direct. Bluetooth 4.1 is supported along with NFC, GPS, microUSB with MHL3 TV-Out, and there’s an infrared blaster for TV control. I know some of you still like FM Radios onboard your phones but you’re out of luck here as the Note 4 doesn’t pack one in.

The phone has a decent speaker on the rear panel, the quality is fine for watching films and the like and volume levels can be plenty loud. However, being a solo setup and rear-facing it’s not the best situation for multimedia. Methinks this could be a big area of improvement for Sammy on future devices.

Samsung’s heart-rate sensor and fingerprint scanner have both made the trip across from the Galaxy S5 and work in pretty much exactly the same way. Thus, they also both have pretty much the same usability and usefulness – the latter being dependent on what you want your phone to do of course, personally, I’m not too bothered about phone-based health tracking, but I can see it being advantageous to those who do. Once again though, the fingerprint scanner is not as elegantly implemented as it could be – I didn’t feel particularly compelled to use it over conventional unlocking methods.

Then of course, there’s the S-Pen stylus. A lot of the good stuff here is software based and I’ll talk about it in more detail in the next section. However, Samsung has ramped up the pressure sensitivity on the Note 4 which means the pointing, drawing and writing experience is considerably enhanced for much smoother and more accurate operation. Another cool feature is that the cursor dot appears and can be moved with pinpoint accuracy even when the pen is a little over a centimetre from the display.