Samsung Galaxy S4 vs Samsung Galaxy Note 3

For many people the battle of the Samsung Galaxy S4 vs Note 3 will be more relevant than ever. While the original Galaxy Note occupied a very different niche to Samsung’s flagship handset back in 2011, the Galaxy S4 has arguably been created in such a way that it encroaches on the so-called ‘phablet’ form factor. The Galaxy Note 3 is set to make its debut in the autumn and although Samsung has not confirmed any official details about this handset, there are already plenty of reliable rumours pointing to the various features it will possess.

So should you bite the bullet and buy a Samsung Galaxy S4, or will it actually be worth waiting a few months and nabbing the Galaxy Note 3 when it hits the streets?

Design & Screen

Samsung has been fairly consistent with its handset designs in recent generations, so it seems pretty likely that the Galaxy Note 3 will resemble the Galaxy S4, albeit on a larger scale. There have been some reports that claim the Galaxy Note 3 will use a metal chassis rather than a polycarbon shell, but these could just be wishful thinking from Samsung fans who are jealous of the alloy beauty that is the HTC One.

Leaked images published by MyDrivers back in April back up this theory, while also hinting at the fact that the Galaxy Note 3 will come with a whopping 5.9 inch display. This is a good deal larger not only than the five inch screen of the Galaxy S4, but also the 5.5 inch panel found on last year’s Galaxy Note 2.

The Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 3 are likely to share the same screen resolution of 1080p HD, which gives them both the edge over the 720p Galaxy Note 2.

Of course the pixel density of the Galaxy S4 will be superior because everything is packed into a smaller area, but clarity and crispness on the Galaxy Note 3 should still be impressive.

Hardware Specs

There was promise that the Galaxy S4 would come with an octo-core processor during its launch, although UK buyers have had to make do with a 1.9GHz quad core CPU in order to allow the handset to support 4G networking. A similar scenario may play out once the Galaxy Note 3 is on the streets. Rumours suggest that it will also be made available with an octo-core chip, although the same quad core adaptation could be come to the UK if Samsung wants to keep up its preference for 4G capabilities over raw processing power.

A boosted 3GB of RAM should help the Galaxy Note 3 outdo the Galaxy S4 on paper, although whether or not this will actually make much difference in general usage remains to be seen. Last year’s Galaxy Note 2 will definitely feel a little bit sluggish by comparison, if only in a minor way.

A 13 megapixel camera will be present on the Galaxy Note 3, once more keeping pace with the S4 and exceeding the capabilities of the eight megapixel snapper found on the Galaxy Note 2.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 should be revealed during September’s IFA conference in Berlin.

S4 vs Note 3 round-up

When it comes to the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 vs Samsung Galaxy S4, picking a winner is relatively difficult. These are the best Samsung smartphones to grace the market in 2013 and although the S4 is arguably the superior choice when compared with the Galaxy Note 2, it might have a tough time topping its sequel.