Samsung Note II or Apple’s Ipad 3?

Samsung and Apple’s long running dispute over patents means that competition between the two companies is at a peak, albeit with Apple still dominating the smartphone and tablet markets. Samsung’s new Note II tablet phone, or ‘phablet,’ is an important intervention in this market, resembling the shape and size of the iPad, and giving Apple a run for its money in some respects during the launch of the iPad 3. Weighing up the respective merits of the two devices, which one is best to go for in 2013?

The Note II

The Note II is an upgrade from the previous Note version, and shares many design and appearance features with the Samsung Galaxy III. The II has a larger screen, however, with a 5.5 inch HD Super Amoled resolution, and runs off a 1.6 MHz quad core processor. The larger size means that the tablet is bigger than the average smartphone, but still relatively light compared to the iPads that we’ve seen for the past few years. The S Pen, one of the bugbears of older models, has been particularly revamped, and now provides much slicker and more response handwriting. Business mobile users will appreciate the intuitive handwriting feature when using the Note II on the go.

Android fans will be able to use Jelly Bean on the Note II via Samsung’s Touchwiz adaptation, as well as Google Now, and the usual range of apps and features available for the OS. The more powerful hardware means that response times are much better, with Jelly Bean’s Project Butter running behind the scenes. The Note II runs at roughly the same speed as an iPad 3, but lacks the Retina Display sharpness of Apple, albeit while competing with the iPad through two megapixel cameras with LED flash technology. Unlike the iPad, the Note II is set up for multiple plug-ins, rather than the clean design of the Apple product. The ability to choose between native Samsung cloud apps and Dropbox, as well as the device’s significant built-in memory, also gives the Note II a lot to recommend it.

iPad 3

However, it’s still difficult not to be taken in by the iPad 3, which is much what you expect from Apple. The processing power and RAM of the tablet have been upgraded, and while iOS 5.1 is not significantly different from the iPad 2, there’s a little more kick to the iPad 3. The 9.7 inch Retina Display, which is ideally enjoyed when holding the iPad 3 at least 15 inches from your face, still offers the best HD quality outside of a smartphone or flatscreen television.

Much of what made the iPad 2 so exceptional is still there, from multitasking to intuitive swiping and Siri, so existing users won’t notice a major difference. As usual, decisions may come down to a preference for Android over iOS. Both tablets similarly offer LTE 4G, but with the caveat that UK users will still be restricted to HSPA+ until the new network standard is properly scaled out. The Note II is also much more of a smartphone and tablet hybrid than the iPad, meaning that someone who doesn’t want both devices can find an effective compromise. Samsung users that want a larger tablet can also go for the Galaxy Note 10.1, which is broadly similar to the Note II.

Featured images:

•  License: Creative Commons image source
•  License: Creative Commons image source

Rob James is self employed and recommends DCLMobile for great business mobile deals, for all your mobile needs.  Rob uses internet marketing to promote himself, and recommend you optimise your site for mobiles too.  He can usually be found blogging about mobile related topics, and loves checking out the latest gadgets.