HTC One M9 Plus Full Spec-Sheet Revealed By Upleaks

Notorious leakster @upleaks is back with some new information regarding HTC’s plans for the year. This time the leaker has posted alleged full specifications of the company’s upcoming flagship One M9 Plus smartphone. The One M9 Plus was believed to be the phablet variant of the One M9 flagship with a 5.5-inch Quad HD display. However, the latest report from upleaks claims that the One M9 Plus will not arrive with a 5.5” Quad HD display but instead it will sport a smaller 5.2” Quad HD display.

The One M9 Plus is said to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 Octa-core 64-bit chipset, just like the regular One M9. However, upleaks claims that there will be two One M9 variants, one with the Snapdragon 810 chip and the other powered by a Mediatek chipset. It hasn’t been specified which exact Mediatek chipset the other variant will come with but apparently that version is going to be sold in the Chinese market. It will also include 3GB of RAM on both variants and 32GB of onboard storage. No mention of whether the memory will be expandable or not, but we do hope that the memory is expandable, just like the One M8 last year.

The major USP of the One M9 Plus and also one of the main differentiating factors between it and the regular One M9 is expected to be the fingerprint scanner. Unlike the HTC One Max, the One M9 Plus is said to include a touch based fingerprint scanner like the TouchID scanner used by Apple. This does seem pretty interesting and will mean that HTC will be on par with Samsung as the Galaxy S6 is also expected to use a more secure touch based fingerprint scanner. The fingerprint scanner will be integrated on a physical home button as seen in the leaked image of the smartphone recently. For those of you who were worried if the physical home button meant the One M9 Plus will miss out on HTC’s excellent BoomSound stereo speakers, the latest report brings great news as the One M9 Plus is reported to include BoomSound stereo speakers on the front and it will also support Hi-Fi audio. We’re not quite sure if that refers to High-Resolution Audio or something else though.

The camera on the back will be another difference between the One M9 and the One M9 Plus. The One M9 Plus will apparently come with a Duo Camera setup at the back, similar to the One M8. Instead of the 4MP UltraPixel and 2.1MP combination last time, the One M9 Plus will include a 20.7MP and 2.1 MP cameras at the back. At the front, the smartphone is rumored to include a 4MP UltraPixel or a 13MP Selfie shooter.

Finally, the smartphone is claimed to support VoLTE and LTE Cat.6 networks for maximum download speeds of up to 300Mbps. Bluetooth 4.1 will be onboard as well, thanks to the Snapdragon 810 chip. The only disappointing part is the battery capacity. According to upleaks, the One M9 Plus will include the same 2,840mAh battery as the regular One M9. This can be quite disappointing as the One M9 Plus comes with a higher Quad HD resolution display instead of 1080p on the One M9.

HTC One M9 Specs Detailed

We told you a couple of days ago that HTC sent out invitations for a press event that will be held March 1st in Barcelona. The Taiwanese phone maker is expected to introduce their next-gen flagship smartphone, the HTC One M9 (aka Hima), during the Barcelona-based event. According to a report coming from Bloomberg, HTC will also introduce a smartwatch during the same event.

The reputed publication also revealed that the yet-unannounced HTC smartwatch will come with Under Armor integration, which might be the reason behind the recently signed partnership between the Taiwanese company and the fitness service. For the time being there are no additional details about HTC’s smartwatch, but we are sure we will get to hear more about the device as we get closer to Mobile World Congress tech fair.

The same report also confirms what we have already known: that the HTC One M9 release date has been set for March 1st, also adding that the new terminal will get an upgrade in terms of camera. Bloomberg says, quoting a source that asked “not to be identified because the details aren’t public,” that the One M8 successor will boast a 20 MP primary shooter and an HTC UltraPixel camera in the front for your Selfie needs.

If the rumors are to be believed, HTC One M9 would arrive with an appealing hardware platform. The handset is expected to come with a 64-bit Snapdragon 810 chipset with Adreno 430 GPU, 3 GB of RAM, 5-inch display with 1080 x 1920 resolutions, and a 2,840 mAh battery. It looks like the device will run Android 5.0 Lollipop with Sense 7.0 out of the box.

Even though Bloomberg is a trustworthy source when it comes to reports of unreleased devices, we are advising you to take the information with a pinch of salt. After all nothing is official until HTC says so.

Samsung Galaxy A7 Goes Official; 6.3mm Thin Full Metal Body In Tow

The Samsung Galaxy A7 has finally been announced by Samsung and comes with a full metal body. The smartphone is the slimmest Galaxy smartphone yet with a very impressive 6.3mm thin profile. The device is the latest addition to the Galaxy A-series of smartphones and follows the previously launched Galaxy A5 and A3. The A7 is the most impressive A-series smartphone yet and comes with better specifications than the A5 and A3 smartphones that were launched earlier.

The Galaxy A7 comes with a 5.5” HD Super AMOLED display and will be offered with two different chipsets depending on the market. The dual-SIM LTE/3G model will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 Octa-core 64-bit chipset while the single-SIM variant will be powered by the Samsung Exynos 5430 Octa-core chipset. Both variants come with 2GB RAM and offer 16GB of internal storage. The memory is expandable, unlike the Galaxy Alpha. At the back, you will find a 13MP rear camera with LED flash and support for 1080p video recording. On the front there is a 5MP camera for selfies, with unique features like Wide Selfie, Rear-cam Selfie, and Beauty Face Features. You might think Samsung may have compromised with the battery capacity on the A7 like the Alpha for the ultra-thin body, but you would be surprised to know that the A7 actually comes with a higher than average 2,600mAh battery. The dimensions of the devices are 151 x 76.2 x 6.3mm and weighs in at 141 grams.

Samsung has included a number of software features as well to round off the excellent hardware package. The Ultra Power Saving Mode and Private Mode from the more recent Galaxy high-end devices is present on the Galaxy A7 as well. The smartphone runs on Android 4.4 KitKat but it is expected that Samsung will release an official update to Android 5.0 Lollipop soon after launch. The device will be arriving in select markets around the world by the end of this quarter in three color options – White, Dark Blue and Gold. No pricing information has been revealed yet but Samsung does mention that the A7 will be priced very competitively. More details about availability in various markets and pricing can be expected soon.

ASUS to Launch Three New Wearable This Year, Says ASUS CEO

A few months ago, the Taiwan-based company released their first Android Wear-powered smartwatch, the ZenWatch, but according to Jerry Shen, ASUS CEO, a successor to the ZenWatch is already in the works. Besides the 2nd gen ZenWatch, the ASUS exec also mentioned two new wearable which are focused on health and fitness tracking.

Jerry Shen also talked ASUS ZenWatch 2 release date. According to him, the new device might see the light of day in the third quarter of the year. I remind you that the original ZenWatch was introduced to the public early September at IFA 2014 Berlin tech fair and it was made available for purchase in the US sometime early November. It seems that ASUS is planning to stick to this release pattern.

For the time being, the ASUS ZenWatch is up for grabs at Best Buy at a price of $199 and, without a doubt, it’s one of the classiest looking Android Wear-powered smartwatches currently on the market. Hardware-wise, the ZenWatch arrives with a 1.6-inch AMOLED screen, quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor, 512 MB of RAM, and 4 GB of internal storage, while being water-resistant with an IP55 rating.

Besides talking ASUS ZenWatch 2 release date, Shen also mentioned that the new wearable might not be so heavily reliant on being paired to a smartphone. The ASUS CEO also said that their next-gen smartwatch might also be phone calling-capable without being tethered to a smartphone. For what it’s worth, Samsung already has a smartwatch capable of doing that, the Gear S. It’s yet unknown whether the ZenWatch follow-up will be powered by Google’s Android Wear, or whether ASUS will have a similar approach as Samsung and attempt a departure from Android in terms of wearable.

As for the two new fitness bands the ASUS official talked about, there was no mention of their release date. Anyway, rumor has it that the Taiwan-based company might introduce them both this week at CES 2015 tech fair in Las Vegas.

HTC Hima Pays Antutu A Visit; Previous Rumored Specs Confirmed

This past month we have heard a lot about HTC’s upcoming flagship smartphone for 2015 – Hima, mainly from reliable HTC leaker upleaks. Upleaks is back again with some fresh new rumors about the Hima, and this time they have an Antutu benchmark screenshot to back up their claims. The Antutu benchmark screenshot lists the model number of the device as HTC6535LVW with the codename Hima.

The benchmark screenshot doesn’t reveal much new apart from confirming what upleaks had revealed about the upcoming device few weeks back. The device sports a 5-inch display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 and comes with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 chipset clocked at 1.96GHz. The 3GB of RAM has been confirmed as well and the device tested seems to be running on Android 5.0.1 Lollipop version. The device packs a 20.7MP rear camera while the front-facing camera comes with a resolution of 13MP. That is great news as it looks like HTC has finally decided to move ahead and ditch its 4MP UltraPixel sensor with the Hima. This is pretty much all the screenshot reveals about the device, although since the upleaks leak from earlier proved to be accurate, we can be almost certain that the other rumored specs of the device will also turn out to be accurate.

In a detailed post last week, upleaks revealed that the device will come with a 2840mAh battery, HTC Sense 7.0 UI and support VoLTE and LTE Cat.6 download speeds. The device reportedly measured 144.3 x 69.4 x 9.56mm and will be made available in three color options – Gray, Silver, Gold and Gunmetal Gold. Interestingly, upleaks also mentioned that HTC will be selling a number of accessories along with the smartphone like an Active Headset, DotView cover, DecoStand Case, Clear Case, Active Case and a premium screen protector.

Sony Xperia Z4 Picture Leaks Courtesy of Leaked Email

After weeks of spec-sheet rumors and speculations on design, we finally have the first leaked image of the Sony Xperia Z4. The leaked image was found in the leaked inbox of Sony Pictures CEO Michael Lynton that was hacked recently. It isn’t clear if the design shown in the picture will be the final design for the Xperia Z4, but it does seem pretty convincing to us. The overall design doesn’t seem to be vastly different from what we have seen earlier and looks similar to the Xperia Z3 in many ways.

The images of the Xperia Z4 were reportedly emailed to Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO for discussing product placement in the upcoming James Bond flick Spectre. Apart from the one clear render of the device, there are a few other images as well that show off the design of the device. The Xperia Z4 will apparently feature a 1.2mm thin glass panel, mirror front and back finish and resin bezel. There is also an image that seems to show the new UI changes with a unique clock design. A new yellow color option is seen as well, likely to be offered when the device launches next year. However, since it is not clear if this is indeed the final design and when exactly the email was sent, we cannot be sure just yet. What is certain is the fact that these images are definitely the real deal and come directly from Sony Mobile. Overall, it does feel a little disappointing to see that Sony isn’t yet ready to give up its obsession with the Omni-balance design theme and continues to use it for their 2015 flagship as well. The Xperia Z4 will be the fourth flagship device to continue with the same design that we have been seeing since the Xperia Z1 launched last year. Even though the Sony flagship devices are well built and do look quite good, the design is getting long in the tooth now.

The Xperia Z4 isn’t the only unannounced Sony product that can be seen in the leaked images. There is also an image of a smart wearable product. From its appearance, it doesn’t quite seem to be a smartwatch as there doesn’t seem to be a display on it. It could perhaps be a fitness tracker of sorts, similar to the Sony Smartband Talk that was launched recently.

If Sony does market the Xperia Z4 in the next Bond flick, it could be a great opportunity for the company to make a splash in the US market. The company had made a similar effort in the past when it launched the Xperia T in the US market with AT&T with a prominent placement in the movie Skyfall. That didn’t exactly pay off the Xperia T didn’t quite manage to catch the attention of US buyers due to its lackluster hardware. Things might be a little different with the Z4 as it is expected to be a beast with a Quad-HD display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 chipset, 3GB RAM, 20.7MP camera, and bring a few other major improvements over the Xperia Z3 according to recent rumors.

Samsung Galaxy Note Edge vs. Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Specs Head to Head

Early September, Samsung announced two new flagship smartphones, both members of the Galaxy Note family. We are talking about the highly anticipated Galaxy Note 4 and the new Galaxy Note Edge with its bent display. Since they are two of the most powerful smartphones on the market we are going to put them head to head in the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge vs. Samsung Galaxy Note 4 specs battle.

There will be ten rounds where we will be judging the performance of the two devices in terms of Display, Dimensions, Connectivity, Memory, Camera, Design, Battery Life, Operating System, and Price. Each round is worth one point and, of course, the smartphone that manages to score most points wins the battle.

Display

Without a doubt, the screen is the main selling point of the two devices. Both phablets come with Quad HD screens.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 features a 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display with Quad HD (1440 x 2560) resolution and a pixel density of 515 ppi. The screen is protected by a Gorilla Glass 4 layer.

On the other hand, Galaxy Edge has a curved edge screen measuring 5.6 inches diagonally and having a total resolution of 1600 x 2560. It has a protective Gorilla Glass 3 layer and a pixel density of 524 ppi.

Even though they are both similar when it comes to resolution and size, Galaxy Note 4’s screen is more appropriate for basic tasks such as web browsing or watching videos. Furthermore, it’s less prone to scratching courtesy of the Gorilla Glass 4 layer. Note 4 win the display round.

Dimensions

We are dealing with two phablets here, so don’t expect anything decent when it comes to dimensions. Both come with 5.5+ inch displays, therefore the body needs to be large enough to accommodate them.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is 153.5 mm tall, 78.6 mm wide, and only 8.3 mm thin, while weighing in at 176 grams. Galaxy Note Edge is 151.3 mm tall, 82.4 mm wide, 8.3 mm thin and weighs in at 174 grams.

As you can see the Galaxy Note Edge is more compact than its cousin. The curved device wins this round.

Connectivity

The connectivity features are fairly similar for the modern smartphones. Let’s see what hides under the hood of Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge.

Connectivity-wise Samsung Galaxy Note 4 arrives with LTE Cat 6 or Cat 4, HSPA, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot, Bluetooth 4.1 Low Energy, NFC, IR blaster, and microUSB 2.0. On the other hand, Galaxy Edge comes with LTE Cat 6 or Cat 4, HSPA, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot, Bluetooth 4.1 Low Energy, NFC, IR blaster, and microUSB 2.0.

Can you spot the difference? No? Well, it’s probably because there’s no difference between the two in terms of connectivity. This round ends as tie.

Memory

Games, apps, your music collection, your favorite TV shows, and lots of photos. All these require a lot of storage, so let’s see how Note Edge and Note 4 perform.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 integrates 32 GB of internal storage and has support for 128 GB microSD cards. Believe it or not, Note Edge also comes with 32 GB storage and a microSD cards that accepts up to 128 GB of external storage.

Android is famous for its multitasking and Samsung took it to another level with Multi Window. Both devices arrive with 3 GB of RAM, so the multitasking experience will be flawless.

As you can see for yourself Samsung Galaxy Note Edge and Galaxy Note 4 are identical when it comes to Memory. The round ends as tie.

Processor

The high-end smartphone market is currently dominated by Qualcomm’s chipsets. Even though Samsung has their proprietary Exynos SoC, the South Koreans are using Qualcomm’s solutions for many of their phones.

Both Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge are underpinned by the exact same chipset. We are talking about a Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor that is based on four Krait 450 cores clocked at 2.5 GHz and an Adreno 420 GPU.

There’s no way to differentiate the two devices when it comes to Processor. Another round ends as tie.

Camera

Samsung’s flagship smartphones have always boasted about great cameras. Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Edge make no exception.

Just like Note 4 and Note Edge have the same processor, they also arrive with the same cameras. They pack 16 MP primary shooters with optical image stabilization, autofocus, and LED flash. They also integrate Dual Shot, Simultaneous HD video and image recording, geo-tagging, touch focus, face/smile detection, panorama, HDR, and support for 4K video recording. The fort-facing units of the two smartphones have 3.7 MP sensors with Wide Selfie feature.

Yes, you are right. The Camera round also ends as tie.

Design

In the past, Samsung received a lot of criticism for the design of their phones, many customers and journalists complaining that their devices aren’t premium-enough. We are glad to see that Samsung is taking huge steps forward towards a premium design.

Starting with Galaxy Alpha, Samsung’s smartphones started using premium materials. Both Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge are building using premium materials and they are fairly similar in design. They both have a metal flame around the body, a faux leather back that feels soft and high-quality, and they both have a slot for the S Pen stylus in the lower left corner. The main camera is placed in the higher end of the phone, centered, and right below it there’s a heart rate monitor. Both have a fingerprint sensor embedded in the Home button.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 continues the design philosophy introduced by its predecessor, the Note 3. It has sharp edges and less rounded corners. Note Edge follows the same design guidelines, but its display is bent over one of the edges. It’s a bit wider than Note 4, but in the same time it’s shorter and slimmer.

Both devices look and feel premium and there’s no way to tell which one looks better. This round is a tie.

Battery Life

Besides sporting big displays, the phablets are also known for having above-average battery life. Let’s see how Note Edge and Note 4 perform when it comes to autonomy.

Samsung Galaxy Note Edge is powered by a Li-Ion 3,000 mAh battery. In our tests the device managed to get through about two days of normal usage on a single charge.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is kept alive by a 3,220 mAh battery using the same Li-Ion technology. We’ve tested the Note 4 and we can say that it’s battery is large enough to keep it awake through about two days of normal usage.

Even though Note 4 has a slightly bigger battery, the two smartphones are similar when it comes to battery life. It’s a tie!

Operating System

Samsung is the largest Android OEM in the world and both Note 4 and Note Edge are underpinned by Google’s mobile OS. They both come pre-loaded with Android 4.4 KitKat.

Both phones have Samsung’s proprietary TouchWiz UI installed on top of Android 4.4.4 KitKat, bringing some neat software features. Just to name a few Smart Select (allows the user to easily select content using the S Pen and share it right away), Photo Note (you can take photos and convert analog text to digital), enhanced Multi Window (you can now resize the windows), Fast Charging (go from 0% to 50% in about 30 minutes), and Ultra Power Saving Mode (shuts down unnecessary processes to dramatically increase battery life).

Besides all the aforementioned features, Galaxy Note Edge has a couple of aces up its sleeve. You can move all the notifications to the Edge screen (side screen) and you can enable it to be always on while sleeping and transform your phone in some sort of alarm clock. You can also customize the information shown on the side screen, place shortcuts there, or have a different background.

The Edge-specific software features are quite intuitive and quite useful and the phone definitely outmatches its cousin when it comes to OS. Galaxy Note Edge wins the operating system round.

Price

We will try to keep it simple in the Price round. The cheaper smartphone wins. And because high-end phones are usually sold on-contract, we will be comparing the on-contract prices of the two devices.

In the US, AT&T and Sprint are the biggest carriers to have the Galaxy Note Edge in their portfolio. AT&T is selling the 32 GB Galaxy Note Edge at a price of $399.99 with a two year-contract, while Sprint is asking $429.99 for the 32 GB model after you sign a two-year agreement with them.

The price of the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is the same whether you purchase it from AT&T or Sprint. The 32 GB variant costs $299.99 with a two-year contract.

Without a doubt, Galaxy Note 4 is the cheaper device. That’s why it wins the Price round.

Conclusions

Here we are at the end of the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge vs. Samsung Galaxy Note 4 specs battle. It’s about time to start counting points and to see which smartphone is the winner.

I will start by saying that not less than six rounds ended as tie. The two devices where equally matched in terms of Memory, Camera, Processor, Connectivity and Design.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 has won the Display and Price rounds. It’s because its screen is more appropriate for basic tasks such as web browsing or watching videos and because it’s cheaper than Galaxy Note Edge.

Samsung Galaxy Note Edge outmatched Galaxy Note 4 in two rounds. It scored two points for winning in Dimensions and Operating System rounds, because it’s more compact and because of the Edge screen-specific software features.

In our opinion, Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge are equally matched, so you can choose any of them without failing. In fact, it’s all about finding the smartphone that fits your needs. Of course, you are entitled to have a different opinion, that’s why we are inviting you to comment in the section below.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Rumor Roundup: Specs, Release Date and Other Details

The Samsung Galaxy S6 is getting closer as we near the beginning of 2015, and with an approaching release date comes more rumors and more information to be released regarding the device. There are quite a few rumors going around already, which means it’s time to do another Samsung Galaxy S6 rumor roundup.

Rumors crop up about Samsung’s “Project Zero” aka Galaxy S6

Samsung has supposedly given the Galaxy S6 project a nickname already, and it has been going by “Project Zero”. This will be Samsung’s next flagship Galaxy S device, replacing the Galaxy S5. You can expect quite a few changes to come in this smartphone compared to the Galaxy S5, due to the fact that Samsung didn’t gain too many sales from the latest device, and the S range is clearly in need of some shaking up.

Previously, it was difficult to find any information that was even slighlty tenable, but as previously stated, we’re drawing closer to release, so more reliable sources are beginning to come forward with information. Here’s everything that you need to know about the Samsung Galaxy S6, from the design to the internal specs.

Release Date

Samsung has previously unveiled new additions to the Galaxy S line at some point around the Mobile World Conference, which takes place in early March. However, the Galaxy S5 was announced back in February and had an April release, whereas the Galaxy S4 was unveiled in March and released in April. Either way, you can definitely expect to see the device unveiled and in stores ready for purchase by April 2015.

Design

SamMobile has previously stated that the Samsung Galaxy S6 will likely be unlike any Galaxy S device ever seen before, due to the poor Galaxy S5 sales and the fact that Samsung has recently replaced the head of its mobile division, which means that changes are in store for the Galaxy S line.

You can definitely expect the Galaxy S6 to follow in the Galaxy Note 4 and the Galaxy Alpha’s footsteps, using an actual metal mid-frame instead of a metallic plastic one, as well as a new rear that will still be removable. It may be the leather material that’s featured on the back of the Galaxy Note 4, but sadly, design rumors have been few and far between, so much of the device’s design is still unknown.

Supposedly, another Galaxy S6 model is currently being developed as well, but we’re not sure exactly what it could be, as it will definitely not be an “Edge” model. Many have speculated that this second development may be for a device with a curved or flexible display, but the technology may not be there currently, so we’ll likely have to wait a few more weeks until we know more.

Display

Many have begun to speculate that the Samsung Galaxy S6 will feature a display with a quad-HD resolution, much like that of the Galaxy Note 4. Plenty of devices currently feature the high resolution display, which allows you to have crisper images and more high quality videos.

The greatest part is that there’s a clear difference in devices with Full HD versus devices with Quad HD, so if you’re upgrading from a Galaxy S4 or a Galaxy S5, you’ll really notice the difference in a device such as the upcoming Galaxy S6. This combined with the Super AMOLED display-type that the Samsung Galaxy S6 will likely use, will create beautiful images on the display that are crisp and vibrant.

Some have also suggested that the Galaxy S6 will have a 5.5-inch display, the same size as the one on the iPhone 6 Plus, or just 0.2 inches smaller than the Galaxy Note 4. Considering the fact that previous Galaxy devices haven’t increased all that much past 5 inches, this would be interesting to see if it does end up being true.

Camera

In terms of the rear camera, many have rumored that the Galaxy S6 will feature a 20MP camera, but recently, rumors coming from AnTuTu’s benchmark testing have suggested that the Galaxy S6 may possibly sport a 16MP camera, like the Galaxy S5. At this point in time, it could go either way, so we’ll have to wait and see.

On top of a possible increase in megapixels, we can also expect to see the Galaxy S6 come with optical image stabilization, phase auto detection, and possibly even a 5MP camera on the front of the device.

Tech Specs

On top of everything else, you can expect to see an upgrade in processors, RAM, and storage sizes. Qualcomm recently unveiled their latest processor, the Snapdragon 810, and this is the processor we’re likely to see thrown inside the Galaxy S6 in certain regions. For other regions, we’ll likely see the newly released 64-bit Octa-core Exynos 7 processor. Both of these models will also probably feature 3GB of RAM.

Storage-wise, you can expect to see the Samsung Galaxy S6 bump up its storage options, much like Apple recently did with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. We’ll likely see a 32GB model, a 64GB model, and a 128GB model offered, as well as a microSD slot for further expansion of storage that will likely allow you to insert a microSD card of at least 128GB in size.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 vs Google Nexus 6: Specs Comparison

The Phablet market has really heated up this year with Apple, Samsung, and Google launching their phablet devices to gain the attention of consumers worldwide. Unlike last year, when the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 had virtually no direct competition, the Galaxy Note 4 has more than one major rival to take on. And interestingly both its rivals are from companies that have no prior experience in the phablet market – Apple and Google. We’ve already seen how the Galaxy Note 4 fared against the iPhone 6 Plus in our previous versus article, this time we’re going to see if the Galaxy Note 4 will be able to dominate its Android rival the Google Nexus 6 in the same way as it did with the Apple iPhone 6 Plus.

Samsung has a long experience in the phablet segment. The Korean tech giant literally created the phablet segment with the Galaxy Note three years back. Google on the other hand has no experience in the phablet market and the Nexus 6 is the first phablet product from Google as well as the manufacturer of the device – Motorola.

Display

The display is one of the most important criteria when buying a new phablet. Both the Google Nexus 6 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 have very impressive displays with Quad-HD 2560 x 1440 resolution. The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 has a 5.7-inch display while the Google Nexus 6 has a slightly bigger 5.96-inch display. That translates to a pixel density of 515PPI on the Galaxy Note 4 and 493 PPI on the Google Nexus 6. Both feature Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection on the front.

Even though there is a slight difference in the pixel density, in real world you won’t really notice much difference in sharpness between the two. In fact even compared to a smartphone with 1080p resolution display, the difference in sharpness will not be very apparent. As far as the actual quality is concerned, the Galaxy Note 4 display is definitely superior, but not by much. The main advantage of the Galaxy Note 4 display is the significantly higher brightness, which means outdoor visibility is much better on the Note 4. Color accuracy is largely similar on both.

This round could have been a draw but the low peak brightness means the round has to go to the Galaxy Note 4.

Dimensions

Being phablet, both of these devices are definitely not going to be comfortable to hold for people with small hands. And even for those with large hands, single-handed usage is only going to be barely manageable at best.

The Galaxy Note 4 has overall dimensions of 153.5 x 78.6 x 8.5mm while the Google Nexus 6 measures 159.3 x 83 x 10.1mm. Not only is the Google Nexus 6 taller and wider, but it is also thicker. So for a lot of people out there, the Nexus 6 is going to be simply too big to handle easily.

As far as the weight is concerned, both are roughly the same. The Google Nexus 6 only weighs around 8 grams more than the Galaxy Note 4.

So picking a winner here is a pretty easy task. The Galaxy Note 4 is easily the more compact device of the two

Processor

2014 hasn’t seen a major jump in CPU performance for mobile devices. In the beginning of the year we saw Qualcomm release the Snapdragon 801 chipset, which was barely any faster than the Snapdragon 800 that launched last year. The Snapdragon 805 is a bigger upgrade over the Snapdragon 800 though, and that’s what you will find inside both the Galaxy Note 4 and the Google Nexus 6.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon’s four CPU cores are clocked at 2.7GHz and it comes with the new Adreno 420 GPU. The Adreno 420 GPU is the biggest improvement the chipset brings as the new GPU is significantly more powerful than the Adreno 330 GPU on the Snapdragon 801 chipset. The Adreno 420 GPU has been designed to deliver high-performance graphics on displays with Quad-HD resolution, so performance with high-resolution screens does not bog it down much like the Adreno 330.

Between the two phablet, performance is largely similar as the two have identical CPU and GPU. So this round is a tie.

Camera

Cameras on our smartphones have seen a big upgrade this year in the sensor size as well as overall performance. The Optical Image Stabilization feature has also become more popular and most high-end flagships currently come with OIS equipped rear camera. The Galaxy Note 4 and the Google Nexus 6 are no exceptions either.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 has a 16MP rear camera with a 1/2.6” size Sony Exmor RS IMX240 sensor with f2.2 aperture wide-angle lens, dual-LED flash, Fast AF, Live HDR, and support for 4K video recording at 30 fps.

Google Nexus 6 has a slightly lower resolution 13MP Sony Exmor RS rear camera that also has a lower sensor size of 1/3.06”. The Nexus 6 features a slightly brighter f2.0 aperture lens, dual-LED flash, HDR+, photo sphere, and records 4K videos at 30 fps.

As far as the front-facing cameras are concerned, the Note 4 has a 3.7MP unit with a wide-angle f1.9 aperture lens while the Nexus 6 has a 2MP front-facing camera.

When it comes to the overall quality, the Galaxy Note 4 is superior thanks to the bigger sensor and higher resolution. But the difference between the two isn’t huge though. The Galaxy Note 4 thus wins this round.

Memory

Over the past 2-3 years, smartphones have seen major upgrades in many areas but the one thing that hasn’t seen much of an upgrade is the internal storage size. The amount of internal storage on the latest flagship devices isn’t any higher than smartphones from 2-3 years back.

Samsung has in fact dropped the 64GB internal memory option from the Galaxy Note 3 with the Galaxy Note 4. The Note 4 only comes with 32GB of internal memory in all markets. Thankfully the memory is expandable, so you can get a microSD card and expand the memory by up to 128GB.

Like the earlier Nexus devices, the Nexus 6 doesn’t come with expandable memory. You have the option of 32 or 64GB internal memory with the Google phablet. While the higher 64GB option is certainly welcome, it still might not be sufficient for some users.

The amount of RAM on both devices is identical at 3GB.

Since 64GB memory should be sufficient for a lot of smartphone users, we are going to declare this round a tie.

Connectivity

Connectivity features largely depend on the chipset that has been used on a device. Since both the Galaxy Note 4 and the Google Nexus 6 are using the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 chipset, you would expect them to have similar connectivity options. And that is actually the case, almost.

Both devices come with Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac dual-band, Bluetooth 4.1, LTE Cat.6, NFC, microUSB v2.0, and USB host connectivity options. The Galaxy Note 4 does have one advantage over the Google Nexus 6 though – it comes with a built-in IR blaster. So you can use it to control all your home entertainment devices as well.

LTE Cat.6 is the biggest upgrade connectivity wise that Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 chipset brings. The previous LTE Cat.4 standard came with support for maximum download speeds of up to 150Mbps, but the new LTE Cat.6 standard can support download speeds of up to 300Mbps.Upload speeds remain the same at 50Mbps though.

This round could have been a tie but thanks to the IR blaster, the Galaxy Note 4 edges out the Nexus 6 in this round.

Operating System

The hardware of a device doesn’t give you the complete picture of the performance of a device. Software optimization is also a key factor.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 comes with Android 4.4.4 KitKat out of the box with Samsung’s TouchWiz UI layer on top. Unlike the previous generations of TouchWiz, the latest version on the Galaxy Note 4 is leaner than earlier and isn’t as resource intensive as earlier. Even on the Galaxy S5, TouchWiz negatively affects the performance. So it is good to see that Samsung has decided to bring positive change with the Galaxy Note 4’s software. What hasn’t changed is the amount of features added on by Samsung. Apart from the hugely popular and functional Multi-Window feature, there are other great S-Pen related features like Smart Select, Air Command, Photo Note, Action Memo, Image Clip and a few others. The usual Samsung S Voice, S Health, S Note, Motion Gestures are all there too.

Google’s Nexus 6 is the launch device for the latest Android 5.0 Lollipop version. Android 5.0 brings new changes like the Material Design UI, new Notifications view, redesigned recent apps menu, switch to the Android Runtime (ART) for improved performance, multi-user support, new battery saving mode with Project Volta, smart lock and more. As the earlier Nexus devices, the Nexus 6 is free from bloatware. There aren’t any apps that you would feel shouldn’t have been on it. It does get the always on voice command feature that is seen on Motorola devices, with the same Ti C55 hotword processor as on the Moto X.

Thanks to all the new improvements with Android Lollipop and a much cleaner UI, the Google Nexus 6 wins this round. Samsung is making good progress with TouchWiz but there is still some more work to be done to get it to perform as good as stock Android.

Design

One of the biggest changes with the Galaxy Note 4 is the improvement in design and build of the device. If there has been one consistent complaint with Galaxy devices, it has been the poor design and build. The Galaxy S5 for instance looks virtually similar to the two year old Galaxy S3. And the traditional plastic build only made matters worse. With the Galaxy Alpha, Samsung decided that it had enough and needed to step up in terms of design and build on its Galaxy smartphones.

The Galaxy Note 4 actually draws a lot from the Galaxy Alpha. It has a similar aluminum frame as the Alpha and has a much more premium feeling back that finally gets rid of the visible stitching pattern that nobody found appealing on the Galaxy Note 3. The front glass is also 2.5D curved, adding to the visual appeal of the design. The leather used on the back is also a lot more premium feeling this time, so finally we have a Galaxy device that looks and feels worthy of its high price.

Made by Motorola, the Google Nexus 6 is a charmer when it comes to design. It looks very similar to the 2^nd gen Moto X, with the same curved back and shiny aluminum frame on the side. There is no doubt that it is the best looking Nexus device yet and one of the better looking flagship devices launched this year. Thanks to the use of metal and high-quality polycarbonate, the device feels solid in the hand and is every bit as good as the Note 4 in terms of build quality, if not better. It also has a water resistance coating, so that’s another advantage over the Note 4.

The Galaxy Note 4 is an improvement over previous Galaxy devices, but the Nexus 6 simply looks better. That makes Nexus 6 the winner of this round.

Battery Life

Apart from the large display, phablet are also popular for their impressive battery life. The Galaxy Note 4 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 do not disappoint in this area.

It is quite interesting that both the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and the Google Nexus 6 have the exact same 3220mAh capacity battery. Since the two phablet have the same battery, chipset, and screen resolution, you might be thinking battery life on both would be very similar too. Right? Well unfortunately that is not the case.

According to the battery life tests, the Google Nexus 6 actually has significantly lower battery life than the Samsung Galaxy Note 4. The reasons behind this aren’t clear but it could be due to various reasons. But it does have one advantage over the Note 4. Thanks to the Quick Charge feature, the Nexus 6 can deliver 6 hours of usage with just 15 minutes of charging. It comes with support for Wireless charging as well.

The winner is quite clear in this round, the Galaxy Note 4 it is.

Price

When it comes to flagship devices, the prices don’t play a major role in the decision-making process for most buyers, but it is still important to be sure if the device is worth the price or not.

The Google Nexus 6 is available on the Play Store at $649 for the 32GB variant and $699 for the 64GB variant. But since this time the Nexus 6 is available through carriers as well, you can get it through the major US carriers such as AT&T, Sprint or T-Mobile on a 2-year contract. AT&T and Sprint are selling the phablet for $249 down, while T-Mobile will sell it to you for $0 down.

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 4 is available unlocked at around $750 if you purchase it outright or you can get it on a 2-year contract from the carriers at $299. That’s the price you would need to pay upfront from AT&T, Sprint, or Verizon Wireless. T-Mobile is selling it at $0 upfront payment, just like the Nexus 6.

Clearly, this round goes to the Nexus 6.

Conclusions

Now that we’re done with the comparison. Let’s see which smartphone managed to win most categories. The Nexus 6 managed to win in three categories – Operating System, Price, and Design. Two rounds were a tie – Memory and Processor. The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 won 5 rounds – Display, Dimensions, Camera, Battery Life, and Connectivity.

So does that mean the Galaxy Note 4 is the better phablet here? Well if you were to consider how good each of these devices are as a phablet, then the Galaxy Note 4 would obviously be the winner as it comes with the S-Pen. The Nexus 6 doesn’t come with stylus support and that limits its appeal to customers who are looking for a phablet that can do more than the average smartphone.