Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs iPhone 6S Plus

Design, display, specs and storage

Well folks, it’s here. After months of speculation, Samsung has finally taken the wraps off of the long-awaited Galaxy Note 7, the company’s flagship phablet offering. The device acts as a successor to the highly successful Galaxy Note 5 and Note 4. Yes, Samsung skipped the Note 6 — supposedly to bring the Note series in line with the flagship S series. The name, however, doesn’t really matter — what’s important is how well it performs.

Of course, Samsung isn’t the only phablet maker. Perhaps the only phablet more famous than the Galaxy Note is the iPhone — specifically the Plus series of iPhones. Apple’s iPhone 6S Plus may have been out for almost a year now, but it’s still an excellent phone with top-of-the-line specs.

So which one’s better? The newer Galaxy Note 7 or the iPhone 6S Plus? We put the two devices head to head to find out.

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs iPhone 6S Plus: design

Apple has long been hailed as the king of design, but that doesn’t mean that no one else has anything to offer. In fact, with the Galaxy Note 7, Samsung proves quite the opposite. The device takes a number of design cues from other Samsung phones, but looks somewhat sleeker and a little more stylish. Of course, that’s not to say it’s overly small – it’s still a phablet.

In terms of hard dimensions, the Galaxy Note 7 comes in at 153.5 x 73.9 x 7.9mm (6.0 x 2.9 x 0.3 inches), while the iPhone 6S Plus sits at 158.2 x 77.9 x 7.3 mm (6.2 x 3.1 x 2.9 inches). In other words, while the iPhone is certainly a little larger, it’s also thinner than the new Note 7.

In this case, it seems like smaller equals lighter — while the iPhone 6S Plus sits at 192g (6.8oz), the Galaxy Note 7 weighs in at 169g (6.0oz).

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs iPhone 6S Plus: display

When it comes to the display, the Galaxy Note 7 seems to be better all around. Samsung’s gives it a 2,560 x 1,440 resolution, which ends up at around 518 pixels per inch (ppi) on the 5.7-inch screen. The iPhone, however, has a 1,920 x 1,080 pixel resolution, which sits at 401ppi on the iPhone’s 5.5-inch display. In other words, not only is the Galaxy Note 7 display sharper, but it’s also larger and on a smaller device.

There’s another metric to consider with display – display type. Apple has been criticized of late for being a little behind the curve in adopting OLED displays, and that shows in comparing the Galaxy Note 7 and iPhone 6S Plus. While the iPhone has an LED display, the Galaxy Note 7 has a Super AMOLED screen, which should not only boast deeper and clearer colors, but should also be better on the battery.

Basically, if you’re concerned about display, the Galaxy Note 7 is the clear winner. Apple is rumored to be readying an OLED screen for the iPhone in 2017, but that’s over a year away.

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs iPhone 6S Plus: specs

It’s sometimes a little difficult to compare Apple processors with those in other devices because of the fact that Apple keeps the specifications for its processors pretty secret. The iPhone 6S Plus features an A9 64-bit processor coupled with an M9 motion coprocessor. The Galaxy Note 7, on the other hand, features a Snapdragon 820 in the U.S. and in China, and a Samsung-built Exynos 8890 internationally — both top of the line processors.

According to Antutu’s rankings, the Snapdragon performs slightly better than the Apple A9, however the Apple A9 performs slightly better than the Exynos 8890, so we’re going to give this one a tie. All three processors are in the same ballpark when it comes to power, and they’re all absolutely top-of-the-line processors that should be able to handle almost anything you can throw at them, at least for the next year or so.

Coupled with the processor on the Galaxy Note 7 is 4GB of RAM, while the iPhone 6S Plus features a somewhat lacking 2GB. So, while the processor itself might be a tie, the processor and RAM goes squarely to the Note 7.

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs iPhone 6S Plus: storage

Interestingly enough, it seems like the iPhone 6S Plus has the Note 7 beat when it comes to the storage capacity on the phones. While the Galaxy Note 7 boasts a one big size: 64GB of storage, while iPhone offers it in three tiers: 16GB, 64GB or 128GB of storage, but it gets expensive at those levels.

While the iPhone doesn’t offer expandable storage – never has, never will – the Note 7 sees the return of the microSD card slot that was missing from the Note 5. It supports up to 256GB of storage (the maximum card capacity currently being made), just in case the 64GB of space isn’t enough for you.

Battery, camera and input methods

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs iPhone 6S Plus: battery

The battery is another area in which the Galaxy Note 7 really dwarves the iPhone 6S Plus. While the iPhone offers a 2,750 mAh battery, the Galaxy Note 7 takes things to the next level with a hefty 3,500mAh battery.

Coupled with the OLED display, the Galaxy Note 7 really should last much longer than the iPhone — which isn’t all that surprising considering the fact that the iPhone has long been criticized for its lack of battery life. It seems like that criticism is only going to continue, at least until the next iPhone lineup is revealed.

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs iPhone 6S Plus: camera

Let’s be honest – the iPhone camera isn’t the most amazing on paper, but in practice it’s a hard one to beat. It’s very straightforward and easy to use. Still, Samsung has really been proving itself in the camera department of late. The Galaxy S7 got fantastic reviews for its camera, and for good reason.

The Galaxy Note 7 features the same camera as the S7, boasting a 12MP rear-facing camera with optical image stabilization and an f/1.7 aperture, which should let in plenty of light for low-light situations. The iPhone 6S Plus camera also has a 12MP sensor, however the smaller f/2.2 aperture doesn’t always perform as well in low-light situations.

When it comes to the front-facing shooter, the Note 7 offers a 5MP sensor with the same f/1.7 aperture, while the iPhone offers a 5MP sensor with the same f/2.2 aperture. On paper, the Galaxy wins, however we would recommend comparing actual photos if possible.

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs iPhone 6S Plus: input methods

Both the iPhone and the Note 7 offer some pretty unique input methods which, while totally different, could seriously augment use of the devices.

The iPhone, for example, makes use of Apple’s new 3D Touch technology – press down on the screen and you’ll get access to more controls, especially through things like home screen icons.

Samsung has taken a more conventional approach with the S Pen, a stylus that, when coupled with the software on the phone, can convert handwriting to text, among other things. In our testing of the S Pen, we found the screen off memos to be super helpful. Some of the other features, such as the magnifying glass and underwater S Pen capabilities are interesting additions, but seem more gimmicky than useful.

Obviously there’s no real winner here – it’s entirely a matter of opinion.

OS, price, release date and verdict

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs iPhone 6S Plus: operating system

Ah, the age old Android vs iOS debate. We’re going to refrain from giving either one the win and starting World War 3, but there are a few things to keep in mind. Generally, iOS is aimed at being super easy to use, and while Android has focused a little more on ease-of-use lately, the OS is often more targeted at giving users control over personalization.

It’s also important to note that the Note 7 features Samsung’s TouchWiz over the top of Android. Some argue that TouchWiz is a little too bloated with Samsung’s services, however Samsung has been a little better about allowing users to hide those extra services of late.

The basic gist of things is this – unless you’re willing to majorly overhaul your data, stick to what you already have. Previous iPhone owner? Stick with the iPhone 6S Plus. Android lover? The Note 7 is a great choice for you.

Note 7 vs iPhone 6S Plus: price

These big phones come with the biggest prices you’ll find. The Note 7 costs £749 in the UK and in the US, the full retail price is $849.99, at least through T-Mobile. It’s a little more on Verizon at $864.

T-Mobile is trying to lure everyone in by breaking up the price into monthly payments: $32.50 a month for 24 months after an initial $69.99 down. Verizon has it for $36 a month over the same two years, but that more expensive price forgues the upfront fee. AT&T has it for $36.

and Sprint have yet to announce the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 price.

Apple sells the iPhone 6S Plus more and less vs the Note 7 depending on how you slice it. The iPhone 6S Plus costs £619 in the UK at 16GB and £699 for the 32GB tier. It’s £789 for the big 128GB configuration.

In the US, the entry-level iPhone 6S Plus costs $749 when bought outright, but that’s not the 16GB model. The real equivalent is the 64GB iPhone that costs $849. So they’re technically the same price in the US.

Note 7 vs iPhone 6S Plus: release date

While the launch was on August 2, that’s not actually when you can get this phone in your hand. Pre-orders start on August 3 in the US, and the delivery date is August 19.

In the UK, the release date is a little later: September 2, with an August 16 release date. But at least the UK is getting this phone (the Note 5 didn’t come to many countries outside of North America).

The iPhone 6S Plus launched almost 11 months ago. Simple and done analysis, right? Well, not really, because you have to consider that the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are right around the corner. You may want to wait until mid-September to get the latest and greatest Apple specs.

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs iPhone 6S Plus: verdict

Let’s make something very clear – both of these phones are excellent devices, and while the Note 7 is the newer device, the iPhone 6S Plus most certainly holds its own against the Note 7. As mentioned, you’ll probably want to stick with the operating system you already have, however, if you’re willing to make the switch, then all of the aforementioned specs should be considered.

In terms of hard specs, the Galaxy Note 7 wins. It has a better display, more RAM, the S Pen, and the best camera in a smartphone. The rest is generally down to personal preference: operating system, design, and so on.

In reality, you can’t go wrong with either of these phones — they’re both top of the line. If you’re a specs person, however, then the new Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is the perfect new phablet for you. It has a bigger screen without feeling any bigger in the hand, and it has an awesome camera. Those are all big wins.

Source: techradar.com

Top Brands