[dropcaps]The Samsung Note 4 and Samsung Note Edge are two spectacular devices that came to life out of the belief that yes, people do like larger phones with cool stylus pens. So they decided to come up with the Note series of smartphones, which proved to be a great financial decision. Â What do you do after you make a great smartphone though, just keep making it bigger and adding more software and hardware features? Well, to Samsung, the answer was to make the screen curved and make software revisions to take advantage of that design change, so out came the Samsung Note Edge. Now we stand at crossroads as to which device is better, The Samsung Note 4 or the Samsung Note Edge. The two latest iterations of the Note line.[/dropcaps]
[df-subtitle]Design[/df-subtitle]
The design of the Samsung Note 4 and Samsung Note Edge can be better described as modern, sleek and business like. Both phones have the speaker grill centered on the top of the screen with the Samsung brand right below it. Moving to the right you get the light sensor, LED indicator and front facing the camera. On the bottom, you are greeted with the capacitive recent apps and return keys and the physical home button right in between them. The only real difference between the phones is the curved edge that the Samsung Note Edge has on the right side of the screen. The Samsung Note Edge and Samsung Note 4 are both surrounded by a metallic ring on the sides that makes them true premium phones and a pleasure to hold.
The backsides of the two titan phones are both covered in Samsung’s faux leather material. This made the Samsung Note Edge and Samsung Note 4 easy to hold use. Both their cameras, which we will address in more detail later on, are centered at the upper hand corner of the phones with the LED flash right beneath it. Right below that you get the carrier branding which in my case are the AT&T logo for the Samsung Note Edge and the Verizon Wireless logo on the Samsung Note 4. The speakers are located on the bottom left-hand corner and I found that both phones provided clear and pleasurable sound. You won’t be using them as your go to music setup but if are alone somewhere and just need to hear your class notes you recorded, these speakers will get the job done.
[df-subtitle]Internal Specifications [/df-subtitle]
Both the Samsung Note 4 and Samsung Note Edge have a 2.7 GHz quad-core processor, have 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal storage. If you feel like 32 GB is a measly amount then fortunately for you both phones offer microsd card support up to 128 GB of additional storage. The Samsung Note 4 does have a slight upper hand depending on your country and carrier as it also has a 1.9 octa-core processor model. Both phones are monsters when it comes down to internal hardware. With so much power, it was a slight surprise to see a minimal amount of lag but that can be attributed to the TouchWiz skinned launcher that comes on both phones. That was quickly fixed though by going into the developer setting and lowering the animation speeds to .5.
Moving on to what makes Samsung’s Note line so interesting, the S Pen. Both phones have the iconic stylus pen sheathed on the bottom right of the phone where it is safely secured so you don’t accidentally lose it. Taking out the S Pen requires a small amount of effort which just reinforced the fact that the stylus is secured in place with no intentions of coming out when you go for a run or are talking on the phone. Both pens are almost identical except for the color. The Samsung Note 4 sticks with a dark gray color scheme and the Samsung Note Edge a white color scheme.
[df-subtitle]Display[/df-subtitle]
The Samsung Note 4 and Samsung Note Edge differ only slightly where the display is concerned. The Samsung Note 4 comes with a 5.7 QHD Super AMOLED display while the Samsung Note Edge has a 5.6 QHD Super AMOLED screen. As you can see the only difference is that the Samsung Note 4 has a .1 bigger screen size compared to that of the Samsung Note Edge. Both phones utilize Samsung’s famous Super AMOLED display technology which made the displays stunning to look at. Colors were vibrant and blacks were rich and deep. Stepping outside I was able to keep using my phone with the sun shining down without having to turn up the brightness all the way up. This is a great plus for me as I tend to run around a lot and having to mess around with the brightness settings is always a hassle.
[blockquote author=””]The display on both the Note 4 and Note Edge was one of the best ones that we have tested on a smartphone to date[/blockquote]
Now let’s take a look at the frame of the display itself. Samsung took a very different approach when it came to designing the screen of the Samsung Note Edge. Instead of keeping with the flat square look of modern smartphones they opted instead to form a slight curve on the right side of the screen. I was a bit surprised when it was announced and now having used it I can say that it is, different. Not bad per se, but neither good. During my review period, I found that it was basically a place to place the bottom dock. So now instead of all your icons being on the bottom they are on the curved side. I must say that I did not care for it in the beginning, but I began to warm up to it as time went on. It really is one of those things that you are either going to like or hate.
[df-subtitle]Battery Performance [/df-subtitle]
The Samsung Note 4 has a 3220 mAh battery while the Samsung Note Edge has a slightly smaller 3000 mAh battery. Both phones are going to last you through the day with moderate usage, but I was able to get some more life out of the Samsung Note Edge by an hour or so. The difference is not enough to really be enough to sway you one way or the other but still worth noting.
[df-subtitle]Camera[/df-subtitle]
Camera wise, both smartphones performed as a smartphone camera should. For the rear shooter, you are given a 16 MP camera with OIS on both phones and on the front a 3.7 MP camera. The Samsung Note 4 and Samsung Note Edge were both able to take some great stills both indoors and out. The video came out clear and crisp with just a bit of grain noticeable when taking videos in darker settings. As the old adage goes, the best camera is the one you have on you. Both cameras took great stills and videos are going to be able to satisfy all but the most hardcore photographers.
[df-subtitle]Special Features[/df-subtitle]
The Samsung Note Edge and Samsung Note 4 run Android 4.4 Kitkat with the TouchWiz interface on top. Samsung is known for the various amounts of software that it includes with its smartphones and most of it is quite nice. Starting off with the most noticeable apps you are given S Health, S Voice, and S Note. S Health is for all of you health junkies out there that like to keep all of your health goals under one app. Here you will find the ability to track your steps, running speed and health rate among other things. The S Note is of course for use with the S Pen. I really like the fact that you can bring up the S Note app to make quick memos by pulling out the Pen and pressing the button on the side. That way you are always able to take quick notes when inspiration hits or you need to jot down your grocery list really fast. The S Note app has many other little abilities that are there to help you stay organized though I can’t really say you are likely to use them all. It is nice to have options though. Then you have the S Voice app. It is basically a voice-activated assistant that can take various voice commands to complete simple tasks. You can bring up apps, play music, send a text message and make phone calls. Basically Google voice, with a Samsung twist to it.
You also have the multi-window ability that became one of the staples of owning a Samsung Android smartphone. That way you can watch that funny YouTube video everyone is talking about while at the same time letting everyone know you are watching it so you remain in the loop and cool. Motion Gestures are still present and allow you to answer your phone, silence it and other neat things just by moving the device.
[df-subtitle]Final Thoughts[/df-subtitle]
As you have probably noticed by now, the Samsung Note Edge and Samsung Note 4 are very similar devices with only minute differences keeping them apart. One can even argue that the only real difference between the Samsung Note 4 and the Samsung Note Edge is the fact that the Note Edge has a curved screen, while the Note 4 does not. Other than that, there is really nothing else that can truly stand out in either smartphones favor. So which one is better? Well, that is really a difficult question to answer, as we all have different preferences when it comes to smartphones. If you want a phone with a large screen and great battery life, then the Samsung Note 4 is the way to go. For those of you that are willing to sacrifice battery life (by only a little bit) for a more interesting take on smartphones screens, then you might be more satisfied with the Samsung Note Edge. So, which one do you prefer? Make sure to let us know in the comment section below and remember to follow the links below to get some more information regarding the Samunsung Note 4 and the Samsung Note Edge.
Samsung Galaxy Note and Samsung Galaxy Note Edge
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I will take a note 4 before I buy the note edge I just don’t like the model of it I love my note 3
I’ll take the Note 4 over the Note Edge…. I love my Note 3 but thinking of upgrading to the Note 4….
As person who must add about 85-90 apps (mostly games that never are played), because I go through the list, opening, gather mPoints, close the app) & I do that in order to get gift cards I use for Amazon. I understand that game apps tend to be large, (the reason this is worth my time to type), I want either a Note or Note Edge but because I can’t get higher memory (something that’s available on iPhone-could get 128GB-I tried my first iPhone, 6Plus 128BG but it was defective & that allowed me out of that contract, phew! as I didn’t like it AT ALL!). I want the larger screen but I’ve pushed this S4 to the limit. It’s on its last hour so I must make decision, can’t make another error so, which should I get & which do you recommend?
Thanks in advance for your help, Bye!
I would never get the 6+ as well. I would save some moneyband get the Note 4. For you I would recomend getting an expandable memory sd card that will get you to the iphone’s memory. Similar storage, better coast, and the 4 is still stylish enough
As a Galaxy Note Series fan my suggestion is to go with the Note 4. I had every Note device that Tmobile carried. Started with the White Note 2 and fell in love with it, the look, the size, the features. Once the White Note 3 came out quickly switch to it but not because my Note 2 was missing in any way, I’m just a freak with new technology and like to have all the newest gadgets. The Note 3 is an awesome phone/phablet and if it wasn’t for my obsession I would still be the happy owner of it, at this point I still think the Note 3 is a great buy even though it’s 2 generations old it’ll provide a great experience to anyone getting into the Note series and can’t or don’t want to spend the high price of the newer ones. For me the Note 3 was a flawless execution of the perfect phone, so much so that I went and got the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 which looks and perform just the Note 3 but in tablet form but then I meet the Note 4. I loved the Note 3 metal look frame, the faux leather back, the gorgeous screen and the S pen and the Note 4 improved all of those features adding real metal frame, deleted the fake stitching upgraded to 4k resolution & adding more sensitivity to the S pen. You can’t go wrong with the Note 4. I just “upgraded” to the Note Edge (Hate the fact that Tmobile is the only carrier the don’t have the white version) on my obsession with the latest but I really miss my Note 4. Don’t get me wrong, The Edge is a great phone (as stated in the comparison above they’re basically the same phone) with the novelty of having the first curved side screen. But once I got over the novelty, started noticing the inconvenience of the sidescreen when you’re on a call and press the mute button or the speakerphone button as they are where your fingers naturally rest when you grab the phone. Also, I take 80-90% of my pictures on landscape and the camera shutter button on the edge screen on top is awkward and pretty inconvenient. Lots of people don’t like phablet sized phone as they’re harder to handle with one hand and the Note Edge it’s even wider than the Note 4 making it even worse. I’m glad Samsung is bold enough to try new things (Gear S is awesome) but in this case I regret spending $120 more on top of an already expensive $750 Note 4.
The Note 4 either of them would be good but as you said you need more memory storage. Now the Android phones do have sdcard features but that may not work for you due to Android itself. Google has saw it fit to block access to the sdcard like that. So technically you cannot move apps to the sdcard anymore. (On a stock phone) So for your purposes getting a note 4 would work if you root the phone afterwards. Rooting any Android phone with version 4.3 (I think 4.3 is when they started this.) or newer will allow you to move apps over to the sdcard. I have the Note 3 and have run into this issue But rooting it and installing the Xposed app (wanam xposed is an option for Samsung phones ) allowed me to get this back. There is also the issue that I ran into with apps not being able to save to the sdcard due to this Google decision. So yes it is possible but not without a lil research and effort from you. To get you started Xda-developers is a good place to start your research.
“Per say”?!?! Please find yourself a copy editor to run over these pieces before you publish!
I Love my Note 4!
Excellent
Shouldn’t you have covered the edge screen capabilities? It’s the only major difference between phones besides the battery size. Seems like you’ve actually never held our used the edge before.
this is one of the dumbest things I’ve read today they’re supposed to give you differences yet they only talk about the battery and screen size which is really nothing different . even talks about the cameras like they’re different its the same camera and the same sensor in both phones the main difference between these two phones is that the note for has a cat 4 and the note edge has a cat 6.. what that means.? internet speed which doesn’t really matter because a cat4 I believe runs at 150 mps ,,cat 6 is 300 mps.. but no US carrier currently runs fast enough for that to matter! Plz let me know if I’m wrong I don’t like lying to people:)
you are right but not 100% The Note 4 in general has different models by country that may have Cat4 with and without aggregation AND some that have Cat6 with and without aggregation. Most US models have Cat4.
This detail is neither here nor there right now and not even worth mentioning unless you happen to be on a carrier that can service you at that speed. Probably not……
The difference with the Note Edge with grow as developers find more uses for the curved edge. If they care enough to do so. Personally a call of duty type game that uses the edge would be cool.
So, in reference to Gary’s comment, I ask how long the Edge has been available? I thought in Fall. I prefer the white option for every phone.
I wasn’t aware that apps can’t be put on SD card, in fact at the Verizon store, they said with SD card as large as 128GB, I’d have no problem with memory-someone has it wrong. I have no experience with rooting but doesn’t that void the warranty? Considering I have spent 3 days getting reset for online services & still not finished-I need to be free to call customer service!
Ronan H- your comments were very helpful-using whatever phone I decide on, i look forward to being crazy about it! I typically customize mine to a great degree and found it challenging to like the iPhone for that short period as it was very much it their state that couldn’t be alltered. I’ll never try that again! After calling 3 Verizon (Corporate) locations and finding that they would have to order the Edge-I cannot checkout the necessary details but the Note 4 is at all stores. Hopefully I’ll locate a place with Edge in stock-thanks for all the helpful info as it is my most important accessory and it needs to be a perfectly thought through decision. I need to be happy with it for years!
Personally, I like the look of both but I hadn’t considered the aspect of convenience or lack of having the buttons on the side & I’ll need to try out the Edge as well as Note 4 to get its ‘feel’ & decide if my hands fit one better than the other. Thanks for all the feedback-each of you brought a different aspect to my mind & since all this trouble with my Comcast equipment, I’m seeing that my S4 is really struggling-I MUST make this change!
The book reply is yes rooting will void your warranty. I grey area here is that I see stories all over the web of guys having rooted and still being able to use the warranty. Some say they just flash their phones back to stock before taking it into the store while others keep it as is depending on the ROM (basically the whole operating system) they were using. See on certain sites you can download custom ROMS where someone has tweaked things and change the look. In most cases for the better but all with the goal to improve areas where the Stock carrier ROM lacks. Anything from better battery life, overclocking the phone’s processor, allowing use of WiFi tethering, to changing the overall look like having a 6 or 7 icon grid instead of the default 5. My Note 3 is Stock but rooted which I use for being able to move to SDcard and being able to backup my apps and their respective data (saved game data). This alone saves me mad time if something bad were to happen and I need to switch phones. (broken phone)
As for cellphone reps…… Most are just that. Someone who just works there. At best just a customer service person. When I go to the stores I ask questions to see who can keep up and whoever knows what the heck I’m talking about gets my attention and possibly the sale. Walk or call them and ask about Google’s limiting access to SDCARDs and see if any of them can answer your question without referring to some other person or boss. If they do then you should talk to that person instead….lol. but any rep is gonna try to discourage you from rooting a phone. But I know some have done it on their phones. There is usually at least 1 person at each store that knows.
I had the Note 2 it was rooted and I replaced it using warranty. Even then rooting voiding warranty was true. My friend on my account also did it for his Note 2 that he still has now running Andriod 5.0 (I still have 4.4.4) due to a ROM he flashed from the site I mentioned. He says the ROM like gave new life to his Note 2.
Eitherway Android is still a better way to go than iOS. An android with more memory…..
Motorola Moto X
Nexus 6
OnePlus One
Xiaomi Mi3
Amazon Fire Phone
feel free to add anyone….
ya haiii ……if we compare with them the idiots IOS users ….
Expensive,1 point haha GHz,8 and 1 cameras
do you IOZZZZ huhu
I have been going back and forth trying to decide between the Note 4 and the Note Edge, trying to figure out the difference between the two besides the look. I appreciate the help thank you
Only difference is the side panel and it’s pretty good, different I like it
Also at this point the note edge doesn’t work with the gear vr but the note 4 does.
Love my note edge, the note 4 is kool as well