In this review I will not go into the hardware specifications, price nor the market policy of Samsung, as it is this enough items and here everyone has their own opinion.
I'll only features I've tried and describe my impression.
Why I bought the cell phone?
Previously I had a Samsung Galaxy S2 and Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1. And was with two very well to peace. Now I had a plan to lay the phone and tablet together, so I do not have time to take a bag for each tablet. The display of the S2 was too small for me to watch videos. I would also like to wait even one unit in the future and keep up-to-date.
The device is to be used for work and private.
Overall experience
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The device comes with many features make a very thoughtful impression, more about that later. The haptics can look very sophisticated but somewhat edgy. The display is rounded off to the edge. The grade 4 is now again a USB 2.0 interface Unlike its predecessor, USB 3.0. I think that this is sufficient. The male is smaller than the standard USB 3.0 connector and so less dirt in the connector can collect. Speed is not an argument, because with USB 2.0 already 480Mb can be achieved and that can not, most SD cards. And even if they could, so can be a 64GB card is still in under 20 minutes filling, but I copy not every day again full 64GB on the SD card.
Was the acclaimed metal frame is not a complete metal frame at the hole for the pin and the headphone jack can see the white plastic dyed black superficial and I suspect that only the edges of metal used, if necessary, it to be a thin laminated layer acts. Nichsdestotrotz the unit feels valuable and looks very high.
Update:
- Meanwhile, the metal coating is scratched by the frame around the USB connector. Does not seem to be very scratch resistant.
- I have for some time now the Android Update 5 (Lollipop) installed, it runs very smoothly and stable. The notifications I like much better than 4.4 because you can view them and delete on the lockscreen. Only the battery life has unfortunately deteriorated considerably! (See battery life)
Delivery
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- Samsung Galaxy Note 4 in black
- S-Pen with replacement tips
- White headphones (how about a black device?), I am not a sound fetishist but the quality of the headphones is very bad. In addition, the Micro is defective.
- A white charger and a white USB 2.0 cable
Display
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The colors are saturated and the display is very sharp. In direct sunlight the screen, most things can still recognize, but darker videos could be problematic. In addition, the display reflects heavily. That applies to almost any device like this. In very bright light (the sun and the unit is in the shade), the image quality again very good.
The display is large enough to watch videos about Amazon Prime Instant Watch or Ever, this function I had previously used intensively on my Tablet. In addition, the Watch Ever smartphone app is much more mature than the tablet app.
Working speed
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The entire surface runs very smoothly. One or two stuttering I had distributed over one day. The Apps open quickly, often in significantly less than one second. All 3D games run smoothly, but draw a lot of battery and one notices a heat when unit.
Battery life and charging time
--------------------------------
A new feature of the mark 4 is the quick charge function. For me the whole store has taken with 18% battery about 1.5 hours hours, which is a peak time. Very useful is this, if you have ever forgotten to charge his cell phone and going must quickly upload a few more minutes and going.
Battery Life: Prolonged exposure to surfing, install apps, videos and 3D games, the useful life was approximately 7 hours. If I accept my normal usage, the battery should easily hold longer than a day. In an emergency, you can activate the ultra-Save function.
Update:
-. A total of 1.5-hour visit during commuting (video and surfing) and occasional use while working including calls, I have most evenings still over 50% battery left!
- Today I had 75% battery left in the evening, I habs hardly used, but with the phone 40 minutes.
- Meanwhile, the residual battery has jurisdiction in the evening between 70% and 80% stabilized (at about 1.5 hours use).
- Update Android 5 (Lollipop): The update seems to have a negative impact on the battery life, according to the same usage pattern I have now in the evening 'only' 40% to 50% battery left.
Network coverage
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The 1und1 Treaty provides only UMTS to 42.2 Mbit so I can not comment on the LTE connection. The connections are in the Vodafone network.
In my apartment the UMTS connection is relatively poor and frequently it switches to GSM. Where did I receive only from 0 to 1 strokes UMTS, my girlfriend with her favorable Alcatel 997D 3 to 4 strokes reception on the same network. Nevertheless, the phone quality is good even with a line receiver.
Update:
- In the moving train to build pages very quickly (route Olching - Munich), partly in less than one second (Vodafone network)
Camera
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The camera lens protrudes from the housing and if one does not use this case is almost directly on the table on. I do not like it. The S View Cover the lens is recessed slightly, making it more protected and is no longer directly.
The camera takes very clear, high-contrast and crisp images, even in dark conditions. Very good I think the integrated Bildstabilitsator which avoids blurred images. The camera can record easily with other compact cameras. Images are recorded with 16 megapixels. The photos can be taken in different modes. The modes can be expanded in the you download more easily. It can also record HDR photos.
Furthermore, the camera offers a Selfie function which can be coupled with a kind of panorama function (I need not personally).
Videos can be recorded in full HD. Here is possible to activate the image stabilizer. This video work thus no longer so 'extreme' blurred. When recording Full HD videos, only a very low heat is noticeable. The HD recording ran with me for 10 minutes until I had then canceled himself. For other devices I have read here from overheating.
Software / bloatware
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The Galaxy Note 4 comes with quite a lot of pre-installed software. This can not be uninstalled. Some pre-installed applications can be but hide the default launcher:
Dictaphone, Galaxy Apps, S-Note, S Planner, S-Health (hidden), Scrapbook, S-Voice (hidden), Smart Remote, Video, Music,
Flipboard, Evernote, HRS Hotels (hidden), Messenger (hidden), PEN-Up (hidden), pizza.de (hidden), Whatsapp (hidden), Facebook (hidden), Dropbox (hidden)
Others
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In addition, I use a 64GB SD card (Sandisk) that I have inherited from my old tablet. However, this is min. 1 to 2 times a day as removed and mounted directly on again. I'm not sure whether it is a contact or software problem.
'Gap-Gate': With me is a very small gap at the top, you can actually poke a sheet of paper, some dirt has already collected.
Functions and Features
====================
Ultra-saving
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With the Ultra Saving function allows the battery life to extend significantly. The display changes in the gray mode, the processor is throttled and all unnecessary services are disabled.
Apps that are can be started in this mode yet: phone messages, internet browser, Whatsapp, Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus.
At 70% battery for a period of almost 11 days is shown me.
Multi-Window
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The Grade 4 supports multiple open windows and a split mode for a few applications. I personally do not need it.
Pulse sensor
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The Grade 4 comes with a fitness app 'S Health', this allows a counting his steps, among others, to measure the pulse and oxygen content.
For me, this works only partially (in every 5th trial), I suspect that it is up to me. A colleague recently had while his Galaxy S5 and we tried this feature in several people. It went on every straightaway, just not with me.
Fingerprint Sensor
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The fingerprint sensor works surprisingly well. I had read some reports that there are problems with the recognition, which I can not agree. The registered finger can scan even at different angles, so both vertically and horizontally.
If the finger not yet be recognized as a fallback password defined with which you can log on.
S-Note
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The last S-grade version that I knew was that the Galaxy Note 10.1 of the first generation. However, they have almost nothing in common.
It is possible to record notes directly with the pen, which can be converted into real text later. Furthermore, you can create S-Notes by text speaks into the microphone (which is not the keyboard voice input). Pauses are filled with dots in the text .....
But I like most that you can photograph documents or whiteboards, and these are broken down into their components, so you can edit it. So graphics of White boards are broken down into their lines and vectors and reworked. Images and text modules from scanned documents can be moved easily and possibly reprocess. A pity, however, I find that there is no way to perform a character recognition for scanned documents, or at least I have not found the feature.
For the people who love Evernote (like me): The entire S-grade documents can now be automatically synchronized to Evernote, which increases the value significantly. The Note 10.1 of the first generation, this was only possible via detours. Very sad I find, however, that can no longer be synchronized this Evernote edit documents on the PC, this limits the usefulness of a turn significantly.
Update:
- The recognition of whiteboards works only partially, it is only a chaotic jumble of which half are recognized as text and lines on my whiteboard and the other half as a photo.
- Now I've got it hinbekommen slow, you should make sure that the pen color has Hoche contrasts on the whiteboard and, if necessary, activate the manual field selection, then it works quite well.
S-Pen
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The S-Pen integration is hardly comparable to that of the Note 10.1 of the first generation. The functions are quasi available everywhere. The accuracy and responsiveness of the pen are very good!
As soon as one is the pen away opens the 'S-Pen Commands' menu. The choices are: Aktionmemo, intelligent selection, image clip and screen capture note.
Aktionsmemo: A feature that I really like, you can enter a note with his own signature, which are then attached to the screen. Later may be generated from the handwritten note a message or a contact in the address book. It can even be directly start a call from the handwritten note.
Smart choices: Creates screenshots or text selections (with text-recognition?) That you can insert into documents, Messenger, emails, etc later.
Image Clip: Generates just a screenshot, which you can later add somewhere.
Screenshot Note: Creates a screen shot to the one then can paint around.
This whole clipping functions generate a small icon on the screen, which is displayed on all applications as an overlay and can then draw via Drag'n Drop into the desired application.
In each text box, regardless of the application, there is a small 'T' icon which appears when approaching the stylus, you click on this, the input mode for the integrated handwriting recognition will change in a way. For this, you need not switch the keyboard on handwriting recognition.
Personally, I find that a very good addition, because I have the opportunity spontaneously per text box to decide how I data Enter H without any time to reconfigure everything. If the swipe / wiper function of the keyboard is activated can also use this super with the stylus.
As a final feature, the mouse function is mentioned. Here, the pin can be used as a kind of mouse you can display information can be where you move the pen, for example. On a link or picture. However, these features are more of Samsung's own software reserved as browser, email, etc. Evernote, this special feature also images, for example, highlighted in notes when approaching the pin.
Conference function
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The conference function is a very interesting feature, but whether it is in practice really useful to be seen.
One has the possibility to put the cell phone during a meeting in the middle of the room and record the meeting. When playing, you can see where one has sat talking straight, in addition can also hide individual participants by simply clicking on the box which lights up during one speaks.
Tenderness
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This is a feature which will allow an even with gloves etc. to operate the display. With my suede gloves it works quite acceptable, but not at any pressure is detected.
Conclusion
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The Galaxy Note 4 is an ingenious gadget, which can hardly be desired. Actually, I would give 4.5 stars, since there are a few little niggles. Improvement points are: The S-grade software could be improved with which text recognition of scanned documents. A white charger cable and white headphones should actually not be delivered with a black device. The sporadic eject the SD card is a bit annoying and the UMTS reception could be a bit better.
Hint
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Who wants to use the display times and Adventures like should try out Broken Sword 5.
