Apple iPhone 6 Plus vs Samsung Galaxy Note 4
Hey what’s up everyone, this is Dom and today we're going to be comparing Apple's
iPhone 6 Plus to Samsung's Galaxy Note 4.
Yes, there is a limited range of "comparisons" that can happen between these two devices,
but we're going to touch on some of the most important factors: Design, Software, Features,
and Cameras.
So without wasting any time, let’s go ahead and get right into it!
I'm not going to make this a battle between iOS and Android as many people have their
own preferences which lead them to one platform or another.
Either way, these two devices are shaping up to be the most coveted large screen devices
in 2014 and it makes sense to compare them to help you make an informed decision.
First up, we have Apple's iPhone 6 Plus.
This is the company's first shot at a larger device or "phablet" and aside from a record
breaking opening weekend, it hasn't been an easy launch for the iPhone 6 Plus.
Controversy aside, let's find out what makes this thing tick.
iPhone 6 Plus vs Galaxy Note 4 specifications and build
Starting out with specifications, the iPhone 6 Plus features a 5.5-inch IPS display with
a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 (401 ppi), an Apple A8 chip clocked at 1.4GHz, a quad-core
PowerVR GX6450 GPU, 1GB of RAM, and a 2,915 mAh battery.
There's no denying the marginal update in specifications when compared to previous generation
iOS devices, but that doesn't mean there's a huge performance gap between the iPhone
6 Plus and Galaxy Note 4.
As for the Note 4's specifications, we have a 5.7-inch QHD Super AMOLED display with a
resolution of 2,560 x 1,440 (515 ppi), a quad-core 2.7GHz Snapdragon 805 processor (Exynos variant
in some models), Adreno 420 GPU, 3GB of RAM, and a 3,220 mAh battery.
On paper, it would seem that the Note 4 is miles faster than the iPhone 6 Plus.
Every single details on that spec sheet points to a better device, but as real world usage
will show you, that's not always the case.
Either way, your preference will probably be based on the overall ecosystem and each
device’s features/functionality.
This is one of the first premium built Samsung phones to hit the market.
Samsung has taken an entirely different design approach this time around.
The Galaxy Note 4's sleek metal frame feels great in the hand.
It's definitely a step up compared to the Galaxy Note 3, but we're still left with some
plastic elements such as the back cover which hides the battery, Micro SIM card, and MicroSD
card slot.
Design and layout
As far as layout goes, the front of the Note 4 features an earpiece, the appropriate sensors,
a 3.7-megapixel front-facing camera, updated capacitive navigation buttons, and a home
button with a built-in fingerprint scanner.
On the left side of the Note 4, you’ll find its color-matched volume rocker, while the
right side is home to the power button.
On the top we have a 3.5mm headphone jack, IR blaster, and a small microphone.
At the bottom we have a pair of microphones, Micro USB charging port, and the S Pen.
Finally, on the back side you’ll find a 16-megapixel camera with optical image stabilization,
LED flash, heart rate sensor, and a small speaker.
Moving over to Apple's iPhone 6 Plus, on the front you'll find an earpiece, the appropriate
sensors, 1.2-megapixel front facing camera (with 720p video), and the circular home button
with a built-in fingerprint scanner that Apple calls Touch ID.
On the right side we have the sleep/wake power button and its Nano SIM card tray, while the
left side features its volume buttons and a mute switch.
You won't find anything on the top of the iPhone 6 Plus, but the bottom features a microphone,
3.5mm headphone jack, Lightning port for charging, and a small speaker.
Lastly, on the back we have an 8-megapixel camera and dual-LED flash with optical image
stabilization capable of shooting up to 1080p video at 30/60 frames per second and up to
240 frames per second at 720p.
Both devices feature NFC, but Apple is rolling out a new mobile payment platform called Apple
Pay which may prove to be useful for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus users.
This isn't the first mobile payment platform to hit the market, but it may be the first
one to catch on.
Unfortunately, we won't know for sure until a couple of years have passed.
iOS vs Android
Obviously there's going to be a big difference between the use experience and features on
each device.
With the iPhone 6 we're running iOS 8 which is a very simplistic experience overall.
Apple keeps iOS fine-tuned and under control for the most part, but that's not always a
good thing for everyone.
Without modifying the software or jailbreaking the device, you're going to miss out on some
of the customization options that Android offers.
To make it simple, iOS is going to offer the same software experience on the iPhone 6 Plus
as it does on the iPhone 6 and for the most part, iPhone 5s.
I'm not going to get in-depth with the features that iOS 8 brings to the table, but if you'd
like to find out more about them check out the video I've linked below.
With the Samsung Galaxy Note 4, you're getting a very specific set of features that will
only apply to the Note line of smartphones.
While these features won't be for everyone, Samsung's S Pen will provide an experience
like no other smartphone out there, but only if you're going to take advantage of it.
I've detailed all of the S Pen features in my Galaxy Note 4 vs Note 3 video and if you'd
like to find out more, I'll link that down below.
The main advantage to having a Galaxy Note is going to be the S Pen and its large display.
Of course, Samsung's Android overlay TouchWiz will provide a wide variety of software features
that you won't find on iOS, but some users may find the interface a bit cluttered.
As I've mentioned before, Samsung tends to offer something for everyone within TouchWiz
and the Galaxy Note 4 is no different.
At the end of the day, the S Pen, new metal frame design, and its 5.7-inch QHD display
will be the deciding factors when purchasing a Galaxy Note 4.
Do you care about these features?
If you'd like to find out more about what the S Pen offers, be sure to check out the
comparison video linked below.
One handed use
It's almost expected that you'll use the Note 4 with two hands.
It's a very large device that comes with essentially a stylus.
If you're looking for a smartphone that can be easily used with one hand, you won't enjoy
the Note 4.
At the same time, you may experience this same issue with the iPhone 6 Plus.
Apple would like you to believe that everything can be done on the iPhone 6 Plus with the
combination of one hand and its Reachability feature, though that's not always true.
With a double tap of the home button, iOS will slide the user interface down to the
middle of the screen to make the top half of its elements accessible.
It's a handy feature in some cases, but you're usually better off just using two hands with
the device.
Also because of their larger sizes, the iPhone 6 Plus and Galaxy Note 4 may be difficult
to use if you have smaller hands.
Camera quality
More megapixels doesn't equal superior picture quality.
Both cameras feature optical image stabilization, but Samsung's Note 4 has a 16-megapixel sensor,
while the iPhone 6 Plus comes in with half the specs at just 8-megapixels.
Both cameras take excellent pictures.
It'll be hard for most consumers to tell the difference between each camera in acceptable
lighting.
The optical image stabilization on both devices help keep pictures crisp and clean, but you
may find that the colors slightly vary between the two.
For video, the iPhone 6 Plus shoots 1080p at 30 or 60 frames per second and as we've
demonstrated in a cinematic camera test, it's capable of some fantastic quality.
With the Galaxy Note 4, you're getting up to UHD quality video.
If you care about resolution, the Galaxy Note 4 is going to be a clear choice when it comes
to the camera, but both devices capture excellent photos and video overall.
Which one should you buy?
As I've mentioned, this isn't really a battle between iOS and Android, it's a battle between
what fits your needs best.
With the Galaxy Note 4, you're getting a good amount of very specific software features
along with S Pen functionality, but not everyone will take advantage of them.
However, if you need a high quality device with a large 5.7-inch QHD display, it'll be
hard to find that combination at the moment.
Samsung is leading the pack with the Note 4's metal frame and beautiful massive display.
If you're looking for simplicity, the iPhone 6 Plus may be the route to go.
Apple has a strong grip on its software and services and like to keep them under a very
manageable umbrella.
This isn't a bad thing in any way, but if you're familiar with other iOS devices you
won't have any trouble figuring out the iPhone 6 Plus.
With Samsung and other Android devices, there will be a wide variety of software features
that you'll discover over the course of ownership.
Both Apple and Samsung have made excellent devices here.
This decision will come down to which mobile OS you're invested in the most and whether
or not you'll take advantage of the features that Samsung brings to the table with the
Galaxy Note 4.
Hopefully we've provided enough detail to help you make an informed purchase.
It's obvious that these two devices are designed for completely different personalities, but
which one is right for you?
Let us know what you think with a comment below.