Which Top End Phone Is Better? The IPhone 5S Vs. The Samsung Galaxy Note 3

The decision about the best top end phone to buy is always a difficult one.  The cost makes you want to get as much as possible for your money and you cannot go wrong with a choice between the iPhone 5S and the Samsung Galaxy Note 3.

The devices offer some similar features, but they also offer very diverse features.

Design

The Galaxy Note 3 is known for its size.  It measures 8.33mm in thickness, 151.2mm in length and is 79.2mm in width.  This is a definite bonus if you like playing games or reading on your mobile device.  If you do not wish to use both your hands to operate your mobile device, you will probably have to opt for the iPhone 5S.

The iPhone 5S is much smaller than the note.  It measures 7.6mm in thickness, 123.8mm in length and is 58.6mm in width.  It only weights 112 grams, compared to the Note 3 which weights 168 grams.

Samsung dumped the standard plastic casing when it made the Galaxy Note.  This device comes with a faux leather back portion with fake stitching which gives it a leather-bound, soft look.  The colour options that are available include Classic White, Blush Pink and Jet Black.  This almost netbook style varies greatly from the iPhone 5S.

The 5S has remained very close to the traditional iPhone 5 construction.  It comes with an aluminium housing, although it is possible to obtain it in different colours.  It is available in Gold, Silver and Space Grey.

Both devices are quite stunning in the looks department and the choice is personal.

Display

Although the Note 3 is heavier than the iPhone 5S, it offers users a bigger display of 5.7 inches, with a resolution of 1920×1080 pixels.  This means an impressive 388 pixels per inch.  The screen is ideal for media viewing as it offers excellent screen resolution.

The iPhone 5S’s screen resolution may not be quite as sharp as that of the Note 3, but it is still impressive.  It offers users resolution of 1136×640 pixels, which calculates to 326 pixels per inch.

Interface

The Note 3 runs on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean and TouchWiz, which is the latest version of the Android software.  It offers users a range of applications and functionalities.

The iPhone 5S runs on the recently redesigned iOS7.

Processor

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 comes with a Snapdragon 800 2.3GHz quad-core processor, as well as Adreno 330 GPU.  The new chip has improved the performance of the device.

The Apple iPhone 5S comes with a 1.3GHz dual core chip which is fast enough.  The main difference between the two processors is the motion coprocessor in the Apple device.  The M7 coprocessor is the power behind the device’s motion sensors which is ideal for use of the fitness applications.  If you are a fitness fanatic, this may be a deciding factor between the two devices.

Both devices offer users adequate processors.

Storage

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 offers storage options of 32 and 64 gigabytes.  There is also a microSD slot which can expand the on-board storage capacity.  The Note 3 comes fully equipped with 3GB RAM.

The iPhone 5S offers storage options of 16, 32 and 64GB.  It comes with 1GB of RAM which means that based on the storage and RAM on the two devices, the Galaxy Note 3 is definitely the better option.

Battery

The iPhone 5S comes with a 1570mAh battery, whilst the Galaxy Note 3 has a 3200mAh battery.  The Note 3 offers a reported longer battery lifespan than the 5S.  According to retailers, the Note 3 offers users 24 hours of usage before it needs to be recharged, compared to the iPhone 5S which lasts for about 10 hours at most.  This is dependent on personal usage.

Camera

The iPhone 5S offers a 1.2 megapixel front facing camera, with an 8 megapixel rear facing shooter.  The iPhone offers a variety of camera modes, albeit a simple camera option.  Photographs taken with the 5S appear to be slightly sharper than those taken with the Note 3.

The Galaxy Note 3 offers a 2 megapixel front facing camera, with a rear shooter of 13 megapixels.  It offers a range of manual control and different modes.  The photo quality is excellent, although not as sharp as those taken with the iPhone 5S.

Other Features

The two devices are very different, both in size and functionality.  They also offer users some special features.  The Note 3 offers users the S Pen.  This handwriting recognition device adds a new world to users which is not available with the iPhone.  It offers users content scrapbooks, action memo features and annotated screenshots, among other facilities.

The other feature that Apple offers is its Touch ID fingerprint sensor.  It does not offer as many functions as the Samsung’s S Pen, but it is something the Samsung does not offer.  The ID button unlocks your iPhone 5S and it allows users to pay for any purchases made in the App Store.  This may appear to be a very basic application, but you can be sure that Apple will improve on it in future.

Finally

A comparison of these two devices indicates how much they differ. The main factor that choice will be based on is personal preference and usage requirements. If you are a gamer or love watching videos, the Samsung Note 3 would be the better option for your purposes. The larger screen provides you with ease of reading and watching clear videos with excellent colour. The stylus allows you to make notes which make it an ideal option for business persons and students. Although it is larger than the iPhone, it is not uncomfortable to hold and is most definitely the speedier option. Do not forget the expandable memory slot!  This is a massive advantage for all the music you wish to load.

The Apple iPhone 5S is your device if you are looking for a sleek, slim smartphone with good resolution and performance.

About Author: Phil Turner was updating his current phone. He found information on Samsung Galaxy Note 3 deals on this page of the uSwitch website http://www.uswitch.com/mobiles/deals/samsung_galaxy_note_3/