In the already distant 2011, Samsung took a risk and released a device of a new format - Galaxy Note. The fashion for "smart phones" at that time was set by Apple, and a screen size of 4.2 inches was the standard. Of course, against this backdrop, the 5.3-inch Note looked pretty impressive. Contrary to the predictions of critics, the device not only did not fail - the users liked the new format, and the model was sold in huge numbers around the world. Since then, the company has been updating the line every year, and one of its representatives is Samsung Note 3, the review of which is brought to your attention.
Design and ergonomics
Each new generation of the Galaxy Note family has clear improvements. The third model in a row received not only improved technical characteristics, but also underwent changes in appearance. A huge 5.7-inch display took up most of the front panel. Remarkable is the fact that the size of the case is almostchanged, and the increase in screen area was made possible by reducing the thickness of the frames by 1.5 mm.
The reason for the controversy was the design of the back cover of Samsung Note 3: the new design received a wide variety of reviews, from enthusiastic to frankly hostile. The “back” of the device looks like it is made from a piece of leather stitched around the edges. Of course, taking the Note in your hands, you will never confuse plastic with leather, but in the photos the design looks stylish and interesting. The chrome-plated plastic edging with a corrugated texture helps to create the complete illusion of a "notebook".
In general, the appearance of the device has become more strict - Samsung Note 3 is easy to imagine in the hand of a businessman or on a table during negotiations.
Those who don't like the "young polycarbonate skin" cover can easily replace it with another one or buy a case for Samsung Note 3 with any design they like.
Connectors, interfaces and their placement
The front panel contains a display, a speaker, sensors, a front camera, an indicator and a mechanical Home key - a proprietary feature of all models of the Galaxy series, as well as touch buttons "Menu" and "Back".
Under the back cover are hidden micro-SD and micro-SIM slots, a removable battery with a capacity of 3200 mAh. On the back, you can also find a 13 MP camera and a flash LED.
On the top side there is an infrared port (a novelty that managed to win the love of many users), a microphone and a headphone jack, and on the bottom -microUSB connector, external speaker, additional microphone and S-Pen.
Communication
Of course, the Samsung Note 3 phone is stuffed with all kinds of communication modules and sensors: light sensors, proximity, pressure, temperature, humidity, accelerometer/gyroscope and magnetometer; a wireless communication module that provides wi-fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac and bluetooth 4.0; not without GPS and GLONASS chips, there is an NFC module. Work in LTE networks is possible only on a modification of a phone with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800, a proprietary Samsung Exynos 5 Octa chip, alas, does not support this function.
Display and picture quality
So, the physical size of the display, as we have already found out, has grown from 5.55 inches on the Note 2 to 5.7 inches on the Samsung Note 3. The resolution has also increased - from regular HD (1280 x 720) to Full HD - 1920 x 1080, the density is now 386 dpi, so the picture looks very smooth, like on paper, and you will not be able to distinguish pixels with all your desire.
The Super Amoled matrix with PenTile technology (how many copies were broken in the discussion of its advantages and disadvantages!) looks great, no color halos are observed, the picture is contrasting and juicy. By the way, about juiciness. Color saturation can be adjusted by selecting the display color profile in the settings: in case you need more natural colors, you should select the "Professional Photo" or "Film" mode.
The display is equipped with all the "chips" necessary for a flagship: a polarizing filter, an oleophobic coating, an airless layer is used. use itpleasant: the image remains readable even in bright light, touches are recognized accurately (you can also work with gloves), prints are collected to a minimum and are easily removed. Of course, multi-touch up to 10 simultaneous touches is supported.
Camera
The camera of Samsung Note 3 has been significantly improved both from a technical point of view and in the software part. The 13-megapixel main camera sensor has f / 2.2 aperture, the front camera capabilities are more modest - only 2 megapixels. However, the front camera is needed only for Skype conversations and for selfie photos, and it copes with these tasks perfectly.
There are many shooting modes and interesting effects.
In general, we can say that compared to the previous generation, photos are brighter and sharper, and the image is more natural. The camera has become better at shooting in low light conditions, although, of course, in this case, there is still a high probability of digital noise.
With the main camera, you can shoot video in Full HD 30 frames / sec, which is saved in mp4 format. A minute of video takes about 130-140 MB.
By the way, interesting is the fact that the "younger brother" of the model - Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo - has an 8-megapixel camera, as in Note 2.
S-Pen
S-Pen is the "trick" that makes people fall in love with the Note once and for all. In the third generation, the pen has become even more functional, a number of possibilities and scenarios have been developedusing the S-Pen when using a smartphone.
How do you like the "Open in Window" function: you draw a rectangle of any size, and you are prompted to choose to run the application within it? And support for working in two windows at once? And the “Active note”, with which you can link a note to an action, for example, write a phone number and start searching for it in contacts? You can list the features and benefits of the Samsung Note 3 pen for a long time, the review of which is endless, but you certainly have the general idea.
And, of course, drawing lovers and professional artists prefer the Galaxy Note series phones precisely because of the stylus.
Proprietary preinstalled software
As befits every flagship device, the Samsung Note 3 is just stuffed with all sorts of branded software. The most useful programs, perhaps, are WatchON for using SGN3 as a universal remote control for technology (the IR port is not installed for beauty) and S He alth, which can work with different devices and collects statistics of your sleep, activity, calorie consumption, etc..
Results: for whom and why
So what do we end up with? A top-end device with a giant screen, which has collected almost all possible interfaces and means of communication - a kind of "combine" among smartphones. And, of course, don't forget the S-Pen.
Of course, first of all, the flagship of 2013 will appeal to geeks and those who like to tinker with the device itself - a variety of interfaces and a largethe superb quality screen contributes to this.
Those who use the phone more for reading books, surfing and other smart functions than for calls will appreciate the SGN3: nevertheless, its dimensions are rather big, and with one hand, despite all the software tricks, the smartphone can be controlled not very convenient, and the device constantly strives to slip out of the small female hands. But web pages and apps for reading books look great, and watching videos on the big screen is much nicer.
And, of course, the Galaxy Note 3 will appeal to artists and drawing enthusiasts alike – the S-Pen lets you quickly sketch anywhere, anytime. Boring lecture? A long queue? Cork? Take out your phone and draw! And no papers, which are then so easy to lose. In addition, the drawing is easy to share on social networks (and not only - the "send" list includes sending by mail, to dropbox, etc.) in just a second.
In general, the device turned out to be interesting and functional, so it will surely find its buyer.
