The Samsung Galaxy Note is the cornerstone of Samsung's phablet line of mobile devices, and at this point, it won't be too far-fetched to say that the latter is the giant's best-received and critically-acclaimed device lineup. Though not as popular as the Galaxy flagship line of smartphones, each and every Galaxy Note has been generally accepted as the yardstick for phablets - they are usually the most power-laden and feature-packed Samsung devices. Their top-of-the-line hardware paired with the whole new level of functionality the S Pen stylus totes pave the way for the supremacy of the Galaxy Note lineup in the phablet segment.
As the latest addition to Samsung's phablet family, theGalaxy Note 4, is about to launch in most of the major markets across the globe, we decided to make a brief retrospection and explore the gradual evolution of the device lineup that kickstarted the phablet category.
Samsung Galaxy Note
The godfather of the Galaxy Note series
Ah, the original Samsung Galaxy Note and the many "firsts" it flaunted! Back in September 2011, the category-defining phablet was the first top-end Android device to sport a retractable stylus; the first with such a large and pixel-dense display - a gigantic (at the time) 5.3" Super AMOLED one with a resolution of 800 x 1280 pixels, a pentile matrix, and a pixel density of 285ppi, which was pretty impressive for a device with such a large display back in 2011. The Galaxy Note pioneer was powered by a dual-core Samsung Exynos 4 chipset, purring at 1.4GHz (or a 1.5 GHz Snapdragon S3 SoC in select models), and featured 1GB of RAM, which was more than sufficient at the time. It's 2,500mAh removable battery was also among the beefiest back in 2011.
The niche device was by no means flawless, mind you. It failed to deliver in both the call quality and camera departments. Still, let's not forget that Samsung only decided to test the waters with the original Galaxy Note and we have to give credit to the company for amping its game with the subsequent iterations of its phablet line.
Although the Samsung Galaxy Note was initially criticized for the large display and overall size, both considered to be an overkill back in 2011, the first phablet from South Korea quickly dissipated the pessimism that arose and became a hit on the market - Samsung had sold roughly 10 million units for less than a year. Undoubtedly, the wild success of the first Galaxy Note device cemented the lineup's spot in Samsung's portfolio.
Samsung Galaxy Note II
After the success of the original Galaxy Note, Samsung simply had to release a refined successor. The Samsung Galaxy Note II had grown in almost each and every aspect. Starting with the design, which was directly inspired from Samsung's 2012 flagship, the Galaxy S III, and moving on to the specs sheet, which was quite impressive on its own.
The device sported a 5.5-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels, which worked out a pixel density of 265ppi. The chipset of choice was a quad-core Samsung Exynos 4412, clocked at 1.6GHz, and the respectable at the time 2GB of RAM, which ensured that the Galaxy Note II is a multitasking beast. A 3,100mAh battery also kept the lights on and made sure that the Samsung Galaxy Note II had a mesmerizing battery life.
Samsung had kept an ear close to the ground and hadperfected the areas in which the first Galaxy Note was underperforming. The S Pen in the Galaxy Note II was further improved, the camera produced outstanding images, and the call quality was commendable. All in all, what the Galaxy Note started, the Galaxy Note II pushed to great extent
Samsung Galaxy Note 3
Even by today's standards, 2013's Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is by no means long in the tooth. Last year's powerhouse of a phablet showcased the manufacturer's newest design language at the time, with the faux leather stitching of the rear cover imitating the real deal with the hope of an additional premiumness. Many firsts are associated with this phablet, too. Similar to the original Galaxy Note, it came in two variations - the LTE-enabled one made use of a quad-core, 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800 SoC, whereas the 3G-only version was powered by a octa-core Samsung Exynos 5 Octa, humming at 1.9GHz.
Once again, the flagship phablet had grown up in size, as it featured a 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels (another first for the Galaxy Note series), ensuring a high pixel density of 386ppi. The 13MP camera at the rear could shoot 4K video, another first for Samsung. The 3,200mAh beneath the removable back cover, however, failed to put the Galaxy Note 3 near the top of our battery life chart.
Another key feature was the amount of RAM - the 3GB of operational memory on board further-improved the multitasking capabilities of the device and ensured that it sat among the most power-laden representatives of its category. Samsung had also perfected its TouchWiz interface and implemented a slew of improvements to the S Pen stylus, the signature feature of the family. In fact, Samsung had thrown everything it got inside theGalaxy Note 3 feature-wise and hardly anything was missing.
Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo
Announced in the beginning of 2014, the Galaxy Note 3 Neo was, by all means, a toned-down version of the Galaxy Note 3 and discerned from the latter in several key areas. First of all, the featured Super AMOLED display had shrunk to 5.5 inches and the resolution was now 720 x 1280 pixels, meaning that the Note 3 Neo's display had a not-so-high pixel density of 267ppi.
A hexa-core Samsung Exynos 5 Hexa SoC that hummed at 1.7GHz kept the whole shebang running. The amount of on-board RAM was also less than the Note 3 - 2GB of RAM, while the rear camera was a more modest 8MP one. The battery compartment also received a jab under the belt - the juicer's capacity got downsized to 3,100mAh, but that was actually a winning move, as the Galaxy Note 3 Neo ran circles around the Note 3 in terms of battery endurance.
Hardware-wise, the Note 3 Neo was somewhat closer to the Galaxy Note II, but the remainder of the toned-down phablet remained generally the same. It also employed the faux leather design language, though slightly altered at the rear. Although it was marketed as being an affordable version of the Note 3, the Note 3 Neo was still priced a little bit higher.
Samsung Galaxy Note 4
Unveiled more than a month ago, Samsung's newest phablet flagship is the same old Galaxy Note winning formula perfected as much as it gets. Although most of the novel key features of the Galaxy Note 4 are not exclusive, the device will be the first globally available Samsung phablet to employ them. We are talking about the super pixel-rich 5.7" Quad HD display at the front (the Samsung Galaxy S5 LTE-A had one first) and the metal frame (which debuted alongside the Galaxy Alphamid-ranger), though neither of the two devices we mentioned will be as successful as the Note 4.
The Note 4 got it right in the hardware department, though - it is destined to be the first globally available handset with a power-laden Snapdragon 805 SoC inside (in certain versions, that is). Running at 2.7GHz, this quad-core SoC ensures for a hassle-free user experience through almost any task you might through at the Note 4. The other variations of the device are powered by a 1.9GHz octa-core Exynos 5433 chipset.
Similar to the Galaxy Note 3, the Galaxy Note 4 comes with 3GB of RAM, which means that its multi-tasking abilities are top notch once again. All in all, the Galaxy Note 4 once again set new standards in the phablet category, similar to its predecessors over the years. The phablet already proved that it is a pretty capable cameraphone, too, as it topped our most recent blind camera
Samsung Galaxy Note Edge
For the first this year, Samsung introduced a duo of Galaxy Note members at the same time. The compellingGalaxy Note Edge and its curious stretching-to-the-side screen came out of the blue, as hardly anyone expected Samsung to unveil device with such an intricate form factor. Apart from the noticeable differences in the display (which has been also downsized to 5.6 inches), the Galaxy Note Edge is similar to the Galaxy Note 4 hardware- and design-wise.
Although the Note Edge is a niche puppy from the Galaxy Note litter, it is yet another water-testing device that reveals what's Samsung's roadmap for its successful phablet family. It's pretty early to discuss and speculate about 2015's Galaxy Note device, but it's good to see that Samsung has not lost its desire to innovate and constantly redefine the boundaries of the smartphone market, which is something that it has been constantly accused of over the past few years.
Yes, the overlapping display of the Note Edge might be interesting and head-turning, but it is yet to be seen if the ordinary Joe will find it useful and providing a whole new level of functionality or it will be eventually deemed as yet another gimmick that nobody asked for. Don't get us wrong, we love innovations as much as the next guy, so we are definitely looking forward to the future members of the Galaxy Note series.
