Gadgetory

let's be real deciding between a Galaxy S and a Galaxy Note is actually pretty easy the S line might be the best of mainstream Samsung but it's the note that's always brought something a little more and this year the choice is even easier I'm Michael Fisher with PocketNow here to show you why in Galaxy s6 vs. galaxy note 4 brought to you by squarespace these smartphones aren't just from different classes even though they're only separated by about six months they're essentially from different eras in Samsung Design the s6 is glass on rounded metal and it's extremely smooth in the hand while the note 4 blends chamfered aluminum with textured polycarbonate for a much sharper much brawny ER feel the structural distinctions make for more than just a different feel the note 4 seems inherently more rugged thanks to its plastic backing if you're planning on routinely roughing up the s6 you'll probably want to invest in a case or a skin like this one from D brand to protect the gorilla glass because it's non removable by contrast if you mess up the note 4's backside you can just replace the battery door the pop off back cover also grants access to the notes larger user swappable battery and microSD slot for expandable storage the former means you can carry a spare battery for long trips and the latter means you can bump the notes onboard storage up to 128 gigs while saving a bit of money in the process the s6 doesn't pack any of that extensibility in this department about the only things it's got built in that the note 4 doesn't are the Samsung pay hardware for wireless transactions and wireless charging you can add the latter to the note 4 with an aftermarket solution but not all of those are created equal flip around to the front and the thumb scanners are the next big thing you'll notice if you're like me and can't stand unlock codes the s6 is new press and hold scanner is much more convenient and less cumbersome than the note fours awkward swipe pad once those displays come to life though the note 4 starts impressing again 5.7 inches versus 5.1 doesn't sound like that big a boost but the note really does feel much more spacious which makes the slight decrease in pixel density more than worth it the note 4 display also incorporates the Wacom digitizer that the s6 doesn't have because it enables the most visible accessory that makes the note the note the s-pen is much more than a stylus it's a tool that unlocks a whole host of additional features on the note some are total gimmicks like action memo that turns your chicken-scratch to actionable data when it works but for adding flair to photos or drawing something from scratch it can't be beat it's also a handy highlighter for scripts or study guides it's good for calling out a particular route on a map or a particular detail on a schematic and as a precision tool for maneuvering and scrolling around the software it's remarkably handy combined with the added screen size the s-pen acts as a kind of mouse to give the note a much more handheld computer feel than the smaller sleeker s6 and even if you only use the s-pen once a month it's still worth it because it slides into its Snug silo on the phone's bottom edge when you don't need it essentially disappearing until the next time you do there's more to Samsung's super stylus so much that we even created an entire s-pen lesson video teaching you how to use it but the important takeaway for this comparison is that the note 4 has it in the s6 doesn't when we reviewed it in the fall the note for impressed us with its 16 megapixel optically stabilized camera and the galaxy s6 built on that by bringing a wider aperture and substantially improved software the results are incredibly close in most settings Samsung might have turned down the saturation just a Titch on the s6 compared to the note 4 but in broad daylight that's about as much of a difference as I can see even in low-light the slight improvements to the s6 aren't immediately apparent it's only when you look closer that you start to see the added detail and reduce noise of the newer phones output and its superior focus abilities when faced with bright lights in dark rooms the bigger gulf between the two is in the interface even though our note 4 is running lollipop it's not running the new Samsung software the s6 is sporting so its viewfinder is the older clunkier version the s6 streamlines everything about the camera experience and couples that with a quick launch ability you just double-click the home button and it starts up very quickly that plus the improved night shots and the upgraded front-facing camera make the Galaxy s6 the superior shooter by a narrow margin though and then there's everyday performance software responsiveness is quite good on both phones out of the box though I'll stress that that's only true if you're using the default look on the s6 running a custom theme can slow down performance quite a bit you can't yet download themes for the note 4 at least not for our snapdragon powered version here so we'll have to wait to see whether that problem carries over which seems likely but the note 4 isn't immune to slowdowns like most Android lollipop devices and Samsung phones in particular it gets less and less smooth the longer you go between restarts in our particular example the s6 is much more responsive but it's also the newer phone time may prove these to be tied we'll see if what you want is a phone that last you through the day it's a lot less muddy by a note I've seen some claims of exceptional battery life on the s6 but based on my own experience with two t-mobile units and a verizon model and our editor-in-chief's experience with his own unit in romania i can't recommend the s6 to a road warrior about three and a half hours of screen on time between charges is the max I've been able to hit which is a far cry from the five hour screen on time I can get from the note plus there's that removable battery on the ladder if you want to carry a spare the remaining points of comparison are very minor I tend to prefer the note 4 for playing games both because of its larger screen and its rear mounted speaker which isn't as easy to accidentally block with a thumb but as a daily carry particularly with summer coming I tend to prefer the s6 because it doesn't take up nearly as much space in a pocket it is more comfortable thanks to its rounded corners I said this wasn't easier than ever comparison and I meant it that's because this year the Galaxy S and the Galaxy Note are more different than they've ever been if your priorities dictate a smartphone that's a sidekick rather than the center of your computing life you'll probably prefer the s6 it's more conventional it's simpler it's easier to use one-handed and it's software is much more modern even after applying the latest updates to both the s6 is the phone you get if all you want is something modern that works well and you don't care about anything else if on the other hand you're shopping for a smart phone that can do more one that can take over for a tablet or even occasionally a notebook something that you can expand and tweak and carry a spare battery for if you need to the note 4 remains champion standing you get a lot more for your dollar in fact you get the best phablet money can buy something that'll handle almost anything you can throw at it if that still sounds tough well take solace from the fact that either way you go here you'll be getting a terrific smartphone which is the better fit for you is entirely a question of how you plan to use it this comparison was brought to you by Squarespace and its new version 7 drag-and-drop UI Squarespace is the all-in-one solution that makes it fast and easy to create a beautiful website blog or online store for you and your ideas visit squarespace.com slash pocket now for your free trial and up to 10% off you'll be getting a good deal and showing your support for pocket now while you do Squarespace start here go anywhere our full reviews of each of these phones are available they're huge and they're linked in the description below folks click away or see their video counterparts linked here on YouTube please subscribe and give this video a thumbs up if you did enjoy it till next time this has been michael fisher with pocket now captain to phones on twitter reminding you that there's not a note of mine that's worth denoting extra credit if you get that one thanks for watching everyone we'll see you next time