The Samsung Galaxy S6 edge, which arrived short of a month ago, is already aiming at the topmost tier of Samsung's portfolio, as it's a pretty well-spec'd phone that is the most serious embodiment of Samsung's design and engineering prowess to date. Currently, the throne is occupied by the Galaxy Note 4, a feature-packed phablet that won't give up its place that easy.
The Note 4 is the perfect embodiment of everything that made Samsung a leading manufacturer years ago, employing features that can't be found in its latest phones, like a microSD card slot and a user-replaceable battery. Indeed, change is in the air. Don't get us wrong, both of these Samsung phones are top-notch devices, but we were quite torn between the two here at the office and had a hard time ruling out which is the better one.
This is why we decided to ask you, our dear readers, to vote and help us distinguish the better phone, be it the Galaxy Note 4 or the new S6 edge. We'll be comparing them in a few different categories and you can vote for one of the two contestants in each one. Let the comparison begin!
Design
Flaunting sleek and head-turning design, the Galaxy S6 edge is a phone that definitely stands out from the rest of Samsung's lineup. Gone is the plasticky feel of Samsung's previous offerings - we have two sheets of Gorilla Glass 4 at the front and the rear, held together by an "aircraft-grade" aluminum chassis. Yes, the glass at the rear is a fingerprint magnet, but that's a price that those who value exterior design lovers will most likely be quite willing to pay, especially if such an interesting display is a part of the equation.
In the meantime, the Galaxy Note 4 is a bridge to Samsung's past - don't get us wrong, it's also a premium-feeling device, but the plastic elements at the front and the faux leather rear cover are no match for the Galaxy S6 edge's exterior. At least, it comes sans the hate-it-or-love-it fake stitching that was present in the Note 3. Just like the S6 edge, the an aluminum chassis is gracing the innards of the phablet, greatly adding up to t the premium feel. It's worth mentioning that the rear cover of the Galaxy Note 4 is removable and provides access to the battery of the handset, a feature that the S6 edge is devoid of. The Note 4 also comes with an S Pen stylus.
We can find Super AMOLED displays on both devices, both of which are employing a resolution of 1440 x 2560 pixels. Size-wise, we have a 5.1-inch display in the Galaxy S6 edge, whereas the Note 4 sports a 5.7-inch display. This translates to a better pixel density for the Galaxy S6 edge - 577ppi, while the Galaxy Note 4 boasts a slightly lower display density of 515ppi.
The Note 4 had the most accurate display when it came around last year, but the S6 edge undoubtedly boasts an even better one. It's brighter, sharper, and its color accuracy is on par with the one of the phablet. Still, the Note 4 is definitely not trailing in this regard, as the differences between the two are not that easy to distinguish with the naked eye. Additionally, the larger screen of the Note 4 makes it a better option for multimedia viewing.
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Which one is the better one, all things considered? Cast a vote below!
The numbers below represent the amount of deviation in the respective property,observed when a display is viewed from a 45-degree angle as opposed to direct viewing.
The CIE 1931 xy color gamut chart represents the set(area)of colors that a display can reproduce,with the sRGB colorspace(the highlighted triangle)serving as reference.The chart also provides a visual representation of a display's color accuracy. The small squares across the boundaries of the triangle are the reference points for the various colors, while the small dots are the actual measurements. Ideally, each dot should be positioned on top of its respective square. The 'x:CIE31' and 'y:CIE31' values in the table below the chart indicate the position of each measurement on the chart. 'Y' shows the luminance (in nits) of each measured color, while 'Target Y' is the desired luminance level for that color. Finally, 'ΔE 2000' is the Delta E value of the measured color. Delta E values of below 2 are ideal.
The Color accuracy chart gives an idea of how close a display's measured colors are to their referential values. The first line holds the measured (actual) colors, while the second line holds the reference (target) colors. The closer the actual colors are to the target ones, the better.
The Grayscale accuracy chart shows whether a display has a correct white balance(balance between red,green and blue)across different levels of grey(from dark to bright).The closer the Actual colors are to the Target ones,the better.
Android 5.0 Lollipop with TouchWiz is what you'd find on both Samsung top-tier beasts. As we already mentioned in our hands-on of the Galaxy S6 edge, it's tough to say whether it's the best iteration of TouchWiz ever, though it certainly feels faster. Moreover, we can certainly agree that it’s vying for a cleaner looking interface, one that also goes back to a simpler set of software features. It's still among the most feature-packed UIs out there, but more streamlined and toned-down.
Similar to the TouchWiz variation on the Galaxy S6 flagman, the Galaxy Note 4 is home to a number of additional spic and span features that further complement the S Pen functionality of the phablet. Functionality-wise, both phones have their strong and weak points - S Pen with a larger silhouette for the Galaxy Note 4, and a dual-curved display for the Galaxy S6 edge, which provides you with additional information and lights up in configurable colors if you have a missed call or other event vying for your immediate attention.
Which one has the better user interface?
Samsung Galaxy S6 edge
61.83%
Samsung Galaxy Note 4
38.17%
Camera
Both devices employ have 16MP cameras at the back that employ one and the same sensor, a Sony Exmor IMX240. That being said, we expected the S6 edge and the Note 4 to perform similarly in terms of camera performance and image quality. However, the S6 edge has scored several new neat features, one of which is the much wider f/1.9 aperture of the lens (larger than the f/2.2 one on the phablet), as well as real-time HDR, infrared white balance, and tracking auto-focus when in video-recording mode.
The Galaxy Note 4 is certainly one of the best-performing Samsung devices in terms of camera performance, so we naturally expected the S6 edge to be on par or even better in this regard given that it hosts the features that made the phablet a worthy contender and adds up a few neat traits to the mix.
How do the Note 4 and the S6 edge fare against one another? Check out yourselves by comparing a few camera samples in the gallery below and vote for the better performer!
Which one has the better camera?
Samsung Galaxy S6 edge
60.51%
Samsung Galaxy Note 4
39.49%
Whoa, what a heated battle! Indeed, it's quite hard to distinguish which is the better overall device, as both are among the very best Samsung has ever churned out of its factories. Regardless, you will discern a winner with your votes. Have in mind that the polls above will be open until April 5, so don't miss your chance to take part in this intergalactic clash of titans!
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Peter, an experienced tech enthusiast at PhoneArena, is captivated by all things mobile. His impartial reviews and proficiency in Android systems offer readers valuable insights. Off-duty, he delves into the latest cryptocurrency trends and enjoys sci-fi and video games.
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