Galaxy Note 5 vs Galaxy Note 4 | Pocketnow

[@LeoTakacs]

Note 4 all the way. Removable battery. microSD card support. Removable back. I could've gotten the Note 5 for the same price I just bough my T-Mobile Galaxy Note 4 (SM-N910T) at ($240).

[@Sergio-bg1zu]

+Allen Tom My unlocked LTE-A Note 4 is about $320...

[@rambhajgoswami9534]

Allen Tom from where bro?? I also want to buy unlocked one ...

[@zainabsalah]

5 months ago someone told me "don't get Note 4 and wait for Note5, it'll be awesome" Thank God I didn't listen to him! :)

[@madpistol]

I'm still out on the Note 5. I like the design, but that's about it. The Note 4 still seems like the more versatile device.

[@Masterincommander]

Mad Pistol thinking the same thing, looks like my new phone might be the LG G4 or the new "premium" phone LG teased

[@kadeneharvey7292]

Completely agree.

[@kathrynck]

Mad Pistol I'm thinking that the note 5's greatest feat will be making an older note 4 cheaper to buy.

[@son0fsocal]

I'm loving my note 4. not too much into the 5.

[@jakey20022]

+Al Briano Agreed if I upgrade I'll get the edge plus

[@ZachAnderson]

Great vid. The Note 5 is great. But I don't feel it makes the Note 4 obsolete.

[@kadeneharvey7292]

You're right. It doesn't at all.

[@Byronh1204]

Zachary Anderson (EzTech231) LOL the Note 5 is probably only going to boost Note 4 sales even more

[@madpistol]

Zachary Anderson (EzTech231) I'm in the same boat. I'm looking at my Note 4 thinking "I'm glad I didn't wait." As fast and snappy as the Note 5 may be, it cannot trump the versatility of the Note 4... and lets face it, the Note 4 is still stupidly fast for a phone.

[@kadeneharvey7292]

Mad Pistol In this day and age, pretty much every single high end smartphone is really fast but I agree with you the Note 5 really doesn't match the versatility that is the Note 4.

[@jakey20022]

Nope the Note 4 is a great phone plus has dropped in price.

[@GAMEBOIMARCUS]

Samsung needs to tighten the Note 4 software, but other than that, I'm good with the Note 4 for a few years. I had the Note 2 for almost 3. Upgrading every year is for the birds and is so 2008.

[@85corolla]

I agree. Most ppl who upgrade every year is for bragging rights.

[@ithehappy1]

***** Nah, you have to count the idiots like me, who just wants pure self-enjoyment (or whatever better English word is there), that's all.

[@85corolla]

+Saurav Ghosh If I have $1k extra left yearly after buying unnecessary parts for my cars, I would do the same, lol.

[@sergeigarcia186]

+GAMEBOIMARCUS running 5.1.1 Note 4 update. Pleased to say about 90% of lag is gone which I'm still mindblown on how Samsung did it, being able to match my old Moto X2 running pretty much stock android in speed, if not faster opening of the recents panel (yes...FASTER).

[@grownsimba8120]

" is for the birds" lol. For whatever reason this saying brought me back to my high school days.

[@servel2]

Here's the so called upgrades. Screen Size: Same 1-1 Screen Resolution: Same 1-1 Dimensions: Smaller (better) 1-2 Battery Capacity: Smaller 2-2 Main Camera Resolution: Same 3-3 Front Camera Resolution: Better 3-4 CPU-GPU: 20% Faster (Exynos Model) 3-5 RAM: 1GB Extra 3-6 Expandable Storage: None 4-6 Removable Battery: None 5-6 IR Blaster: None 6-6 Capacity: Same (32Gb & 64Gb) 7-7 Price : More Expensive 8-7 Winner: Note 4 So there you have it, Samsung took equal features to the ones they upgraded on the Note 5. So if you're upgrading, please do so it's your money after all, but do not kid yourself it's only because the Note 5 is nicer looking. Oh, and I didn't mention durability, drop that note 5 and you're out of luck so slap a case on it and have people not even know it's a Note 5.

[@randomaccount53793]

That is a very uniform approach to rating, everyone values things differently. I for one value design, longevity of specs, battery life (notice how I didn't say battery size), software (lighter in newer samsung phones, and the screen (amoled, big, high resolution). I also value the camera but most flagships do it well anyway. I've never used a flagship with a removable battery/SD card so I don't care about it that much (but understand why people do).

[@servel2]

The Camera is slightly better due to the aperture, that's it, it's the same damn Isocell sensor

[@randomaccount53793]

Sergio Velasco camera software is also important factor when determining picture quality, the note 4 does uber sharpening (relative to others) which isn't always desirable. They seemed to have toned it down on the s6 so probably the note 5 as well.

[@servel2]

Alex Rafe​ download other better camera applications if that's the problem. Remember you have an android phone.  All I'm saying is that the upgrade isn't significant at all.

[@servel2]

*****​ do you realize the jumps between camera quality between the Note 2, Note 3 and Note 4? This is a modified camera from last year and you're all buying into it. Samsung exec. "Let's do it like Apple, sell them the same camera with better aperture" 

[@EddyGraphic]

The Only problem with the note 4 is the software but imagine a note 4 with the software of the note 5! Perfection!

[@kadeneharvey7292]

Hopefully the Note 4 will get that software update then there's pretty much no reason to upgrade.

[@EzMackinCheez]

+Kadene Harvey I love my note 4 but I doubt we'll get any of the features from the note 5 I hope so but I doubt it

[@Byronh1204]

Eddy Nelson Lopez The only drawback of the note 4 is the lesser specs paired with a heavier version of touchwiz

[@LIVEWIREMEDIAENT]

Eddy Nelson Lopez I have an international Note 4 SM-N910H , Running SimplRom from Xda ..... Rooted, No hiccups, No force closes , NO PROBLEMS .... I also found workarounds for the problems caused from tripping KNOX with root...

[@Trident_Euclid]

Troll Rasta I use that rom too, with googy max kernel. But my model is N910C

[@Tiltasauras]

It's funny that people keep saying previous Notes were defined by their removable battery and SD card slot. This is totally incorrect. The S series also had removable batteries and SD card slots as well, so these features certainly didn't "define" what it was to be a "Note." The Note series is defined by and has always been defined by a very large screen and an S pen.

[@saewms2616]

Agreed.

[@blkrse22]

So true.

[@EzMackinCheez]

no ir blaster either. I'm sticking with my note 4

[@kadeneharvey7292]

I agree.

[@JCNOAOU]

Mackin Cheez my Note 4 aint going no where.. if I wanted a apple phone I would have brought one.. I need my Sd Slot I don't want my personal pics or vids on nobody dam Cloud Storage.. I love having the option of back up battery (*uck fast charging) I could easily get a bigger battery from a 3rd party that last for days.. If Samsung don't switch it back Im a change Brands anyway... I bet they lose money this time lol and they deserve too.... Lol Samsung trying to keep that spy chip they be putting in they batteries undercover.. these guys lol smh... and I own the Note 4 & 3.. but now Im done with them

[@EzMackinCheez]

***** I'm with tmoble so no update yet but it can't come soon enough

[@EzMackinCheez]

JCNOAOU​ I have a spare battery aswell and I love it. I haven't plugged my phone in since the first day

[@ksojoel]

Mackin Cheez if you don't plug your phone, how do you charge the batteries?

[@feffrey81]

Not much of a reason to upgrade to the Note 5 from the Note 4. Maybe if you have the Note 2 or 3.

[@kadeneharvey7292]

If you have a Note 2, absolutely. If you have a Note 3, sure. If you have a Note 4, I wouldn't.

[@MySavageDynasty]

+Kadene Harvey yep I have a note 4 and this thing got at least 2-3 more years worth, if the battery starts to go out I can replace it lol, but I'm looking forward to this new note design stuff, I can do without the SD, I'll just have to get use to it, and also the IR blaster could have been there, hopefully they'll rethink that in the note 6

[@VQ_matt]

I have a 3 I think I'm gonna get a 4 there only 345$ one ebay so that's a perfect reason all together

[@AeroPrimeOG]

jbuggieee Next year is not really Note 6. It's more like note 5 "S"

[@MySavageDynasty]

***** no, its the note 6 it would be a better upgrade of the note 5 that's why I'm waiting for it

[@ned_yah]

Am I the only one who thinks the Note 4 looks better too?

[@Iamdharris12]

same

[@E.B.K]

yeah

[@matthewpolifka7319]

note 4 looks way better

[@reyperez3424]

note 4 is better

[@zachcline7555]

+Rey Perez No its not

[@matthewmspace]

While I haven't had a Galaxy Note in the past, I feel that Samsung kinda shot themselves in the foot by getting rid of the removable battery and external storage. I can see a lot of people going for the LG G4 instead, since it has those features.

[@jonesnj07]

***** UFS 2.0 memory controller isn't compatible with sd cards so to have an sd card slot it would then have crap performance, to have a removeable back it would nmeed to be plastic and would be considered cheap and wouldn't sell, samsung makes phones for the masses not the 05.% of nerds bitching about the omission of these mainly pointless to most people features.

[@gmu3134]

+Nathan Jones agree 👍

[@DoctorWhoNow01]

Exactly, I don't exactly like Samsung phones at all, but this years phones looked okay. I like the S6, but none of the phones are worth it. The G4 looks like the almost perfect phone atm, and I plan to run HTC Sense on it.

[@danielrBIB]

Does anyone really thinks that the masses do not use an SD card and removable battery? Lol! What a dumb thing to say! And what does people need a glass back for? And did not Note 4 sell well? And Note 4 have an SD card slot and it has a great performance. What a lame excuse!

[@jonesnj07]

Daniel Rodrigues the note 5 is selling much better than the note 4.

[@jayzzzz6679]

at 5:25 "If you're watching this video odds are you're a note fan." ..... I'm hit yep that's me 100% dead on accuracy.

[@Del-Canada]

Screen write is also available on the Note 4 if you root it and use the mod. Such a handy feature. If someone gives you a number simply pull your pen, write on the screen and save the note.

[@ItsMeRhaine]

I still have my Note 4 and it's still a great phone!

[@KM-lc6hj]

Do you still have it?

[@jake313ify]

@@KM-lc6hj I do its still a great phone. I've had (and broke) lots of newer devices and keep coming back to this one. Nothing Compares even til this day

[@mlulekibb]

@@jake313ify Surprise. My only daily use phone since. Upgraded but let go of the upgrades along the way. Amazing phone.

[@DarkDennis1961]

I bought the S4 2 years ago. for the last year or so I have been waiting for the Note 5 with plans to buy it. The battery on the note 5 has made me rethink this and get a Huawei Mate 7

[@YusufWagih]

Am i the only one who thinks Michael Fisher is a better reviewer than Marques Brownlee

[@gmu3134]

No

[@YusufWagih]

G MU No i am not alone or No MKBHD is better

[@gmu3134]

You are not the only one who thinks that Michael Fischer is better.

[@YusufWagih]

Md. Abdul Ahad Chowdhury Marques is definitely my second choice i also like Josh from Android Authority

[@YusufWagih]

Md. Abdul Ahad Chowdhury i don't remember did he leave or something

[@BackyardSpaceProgram]

Here I am, still using my Note 4 I bought in December 2014. I have the unlocked international version (SM-N910F), got a new battery for it just a few days ago, the best phone I ever had.

[@SIPEROTH]

I really do not like the whole glass thing style they are going with. I prefer the leather style. More classy and less fingerprints etc.

[@ElJefe2025]

Glass or metal is better than Note 4-1.

[@mimakeo_]

Anon ymous yeah

[@varadtiwari760]

advantage of having a removable back is when the battery finally completes it's life cycly and is due for a change, one can easily go to a mobile accessories market and buy either original or an OEM (for at least half the price), the same is not possible now + it needs to be done at samsung stores only thereby paying additional service charges & tax. "affording a costly mobile = affording an original battery and service charge" is not a justified counter.

[@drmedborn]

no removable battery, no hdmi, no external storage, no thank you.

[@Isaax]

HDMI?

[@RoughhEnd]

+FrootLoop HDMI? Bruh?

[@aimerylmat2486]

Lmao, he doesn't even know what he's talking about. Lol he's complaining just to complain. Wtf

[@johnriddle9478]

HDMI?? thats the future lol...

[@Isaax]

+GOD Wyeil Nega Its not the cores that make the difference, its the whole SoC CPU that makes the difference in the Note 4 versions. I recommend the 8-Core Exynos Version, because the Snapdragon 4-Core Version looses Power after time & Multitasking and everything is just a little bit better on the Exynos Version. Not to mention AT&T or other branded phones are not as good as the original...

[@mikemagalong3161]

I hope Mike Fisher does more of the video presentations again - makes it easier to comprehend the technobabble and the shots and editing are always amazing. Anyway, note edge user here. I think you wont feel much diff in performance if youre comin from the note 4 series, aside from aesthetics. Will know for sure once my significant other gets her note 5 in a month or so. Happy phableting, everyone!

[@sonypsp66]

The note 5 is just a blow up s6 with a s pen. This is good and bad. The note has always been more powerful then the S series. My only complaint is it had the same processor as the s6. Not any faster just a extra GB of ram! In my eyes the no SD card is a bummer but I could live with not having one. An SD can't be used for apps usually but the biggest thing is it amazing for multi media. I keep all my pics and videos and music and moves on it. Witch is great because then I done need to go spend extra money for extra storage since I already have a 64gb SD card . A SD card is something a multi media junkie like me loves and hates to see go!

[@kadeneharvey7292]

Yeah the Note 4 in my opinion is more versatile than the Note 5.

[@randomaccount53793]

To be fair, the processor is already a beast and the extra gig of ram is a worthy upgrade. Personally with my 32gb s6 I use a Corsair Voyager usb to store movies and photos, it's no real hassle (and you can use it on most devices eg. tablet) unless you need heaps storage for music streaming. Understandable though, I've only used an SD card on a phone with 4gb rom because it was needed.

[@BubyBurr]

+Ben Dover actually Android M (Marshmallow, or the Android 6.0 update) devices will be able to use external storage as if it was the internal storage built in to a smartphone. Bringing SD cards back to life.

[@VR46champion]

+Ben Dover I agree. I just got my Note 4 3 weeks ago and I'm in love with it :) I believe Samsung made a wrong move with their Note 5. I know everyone is hoping for Samsung to bring back the detachable battery and expandable SD Card in the future Notes. I believe they will go back. Because that 2 simple features defines what Note really is.

[@VR46champion]

+Gerard Andre True but do you want a micro sd card with an adapter hanging at the bottom of your phone externally? No right? That just looks ghetto hehe

[@isaacj6212]

There are ways of getting around the absence of the SD card with the note 5 and yes, the ability to swap out the battery on my note 4 is nice but I never got around to buying the extra battery, nor have I really had the need with fast charging. For me, the IR blaster, believe it or not, has proven extremely useful and I would really miss having it. Also, in my humble opinion, I think the 4 actually looks better than the 5 and feels more durable. I prefer the combination of materials on the 4 and I've dropped it a couple of times (no case) in the year and 3 months I've owned it and theres barely a scratch on it. Sticking with my 4 for now.

[@mnminnmn]

dang! i was going to upgrade to note5 from the 3. but no swappable battery!!! blasphemy!! even if new battery would be a whopping 20% better, it doesnt compare to 100% better with a 15second battery change. i think i'll get a note4 or note edge if they are still around. dumb samsung, dumb!!! the lack of sd card is ok with all the could storage avail, but the battery/removable cover is a deal breaker!

[@npasam]

mnminnmn why you want a removable Battery ?????

[@cdangers]

Najeeb Puthiyallam It's quite easy to understand if you thought about it for even a second. While you tether your phone to a charger, I just drop a new battery in and be on my way. If you keep your phone for a long time, battery life starts to fade. You'll just have to accept it while we'd just buy a new battery and continue on our way.

[@DavidNabinger]

+Najeeb Puthiyallam being able to replace the battery on the go is 100 times faster than recharging plus if you have a faulty battery it's easy to replace. not to mention all the 3rd party batteries with higher capacity

[@Omar00L]

Najeeb Puthiyallam 1st of all the samsung battery always decreases with heavy users my note 3 and note 2 batteries didn't last me more than 8 months so you need to replace the battery with a new one...

[@mnminnmn]

Najeeb Puthiyallam for note3 I got 2 extra batteries and external charger for under 20 dollars. thin batteries easy to keep in pocket with you. never tethered to an outlet. once you do that you wonder why every phone doesn't have it. it takes 15 seconds or less to power down, pop off back, switch batts and turn back on. it was perfect. even if the note5 has 20% better batt life, it can't compete with 100% better with batt swap. Especially for those on the go and busy travelers.

[@zaka2630]

I've always liked the Note 4 for being a high end phablet with removable battery and an expandable storage. I own a Note 3 at the moment, and boy I'm extremely excited to upgrade to the Note 4 next year! :D

[@KennyBsGaming]

Good luck with finding one. A lot of stores discontinued the note 4. I was lucky enough to finally find a store (even though the only had it pre-owned). You might want to upgrade sooner than that, when next year comes they might be completely distinct

[@JOman1002]

+mik013567 ebay from bidallies 185 b+ refurbished

[@vilvoxanimations9327]

Zack El Youncha same

[@escaragami]

I'm so disappointed with SAMSUNG decision to do away with exchangeable battery and extra memory card options, which is te reason I got rid of my iphone and all for what? To get a shinny back that collects finger prints just to make it more like the iphone?

[@luispachecom1333]

Yo abandoné Samsung, ni un producto más (teléfono, televisión), mala calidad, las peores pilas del mercado, precio alto, bajo desempeño. Cambié a Windows Phone 640LTE, fantástico y de mucho mejor calidad que samsung, y precio muy por debajo que Samsung

[@TheGreatestDaneEver]

I've been a Note owner since #3. I have never seen the need to switch my battery out or use a Micro SD card with either my 3 or current 4 (or any of the many, many devices I've owned). With that said, I am stoked to be getting my 64GB Note 5 tomorrow!

[@hemrajsinghgheeseewan3550]

actually disappointed with this note5.... the best note is note4

[@ElJefe2025]

Happy when I got Note 5. Can't wait for the 7.

[@blessredy]

G kev I agree...I had a Note 4 before but now I have the Note 5. I'm about ready to sell my Note 5 and go back to the Note 4 again though. The Note 4 is just all around better in my opinion.

[@hemrajsinghgheeseewan3550]

Buckeyeboi whats the problem with the note5

[@blessredy]

There's no upgradeable memory in the Note 5. I keep running out of memories for apps and media because I'm limited to 32 Gigs of memory now. The battery is now internal and there's no way to perform a hard reset by taking your battery out. Not only that the battery is smaller therefore it drains a lot faster than the Note 4 does.

[@hemrajsinghgheeseewan3550]

Buckeyeboi yeah ...the note 4 is a very good phone but its also an old phone...you must chek out some of the new phones out there but note4 is still good but a little bit outdated

[@dannysmartdannysmart1560]

Mr Fisher, u give one of the best reviews. Excellent straight to the point..Keep it up 👍👍👍

[@Faby246]

I'm staying with my note 4, I am not convinced I need to switch, the note 4 is still one the most powerful and capable phones out there, the note 5 lost me by excluding the expandable storage and removable storage, the notes were different and should always stand out from the s line, Samsung just didn't include enough to encourage ppl to switch.

[@Faby246]

That should say "removable battery

[@DaddyIvo]

Great video as always! Nice choice of background music as well. I just purchased my Note 4 about three or four months ago. Don't know if the N5 is worth the upgrade...just yet! ; )

[@servel2]

And this is what it comes down to, the update not only took features away, it also didn't upgrade enough to justify any upgrade from any Note 4 user. The only compelling offer is the fingerprint sensor, other than that EVERYTHING is comparable to the Note 4.

[@KUzZ911]

Note 5 has no IR Blaster. Which is the biggest downgrade for me. Other than that its perfect. I wont be upgrading to Note 5 and wait for Note 6 and hoping it to have an IR Blaster. I will be dissapointed if not.

[@SungHyunKim1]

better battery life, much smoother and faster software, 4gb ram, etc. its an upgrade if u ask me

[@servel2]

Andrew Kim Allegedly better battery life, lol Smooth? Just like the S6 which is already showing heavy signs of lag? This is touchwiz, I was the biggest fan of Samsung until this year. I put up with all the garbage software just to get the best feature set.

[@SungHyunKim1]

Sergio Velasco No not allegedly, it's PROVEN. I have yet to see a galaxy s6 lag while I saw a galaxy note edge suffering from a huge lag spike.

[@thejunkiereviewer1542]

+Sergio Velasco what lag?

[@VR46champion]

I feel great that I got a Note 4 when I renewed my contract 3 weeks ago. SD and battery is big for me

[@larryschlutt7211]

note 4 is my weapon of choice. n5 is awful imo.. n6 will be better bc of the return of the SD card but still no changeable battery.. they got rid of the back cover for wireless charging. hmm.. no thanks again. just heats the phone up to much. I have 2 n4s. plan on waiting it out until the n7 or n8 or whenever the changeable battery feature returns.

[@johnnyjohnson8928]

It won't return though...

[@larryschlutt7211]

+Joni Johnson yeah I drew that conclusion shortly after my first post.. my next phone will be a nexus. I'm fed up with Samsung. new updates are out and we get the modified ugly version every time. the pull down menu since lollipop has been to small. color is ugly as well. I like the Google look of the android os. the touch wiz stuff can fly a kite. if I can't change the battery with any new phone takes the only reason I stuck with Samsung all these years away..

[@johnnyjohnson8928]

Larry Schlutt yeah, but the Nexus doesn't have a removable battery either. Also, the new TouchWiz is actually a great UI.

[@larryschlutt7211]

+Joni Johnson that's what I said. if nobody has removable batteries, I'll go with the phone with the best os. that's nexus. touch wiz is a joke. your one of the very few the like it. I liked 4.4.4 touchwiz but 5.x.x and 6.x.x? Hate it. if they could shrink the screen to little dots they would. color is to vibrant and metro for my taste. almost like you have to own a tophat to own a Samsung phone these days. no thanks

[@menjivarTv]

Is it true that it has become slower with the 5.0 lollipop update?

[@Aztezq]

Nice review Michael! Is that nfc ring on your finger? :D

[@TheDark-Knut]

Nope. The note 4 looks much more premium and practical than the note 5! Note 4 users.. we're still using the best phone out there! 😎😎😎

[@MiguelGonzalez-ok9jt]

I was thinking about upgrading from my Note 4, but I don't think I should, it still works pretty good. The option to swap out the battery, and SD memory is enough to hold on to it until a better alternative comes along.

[@danyo_win]

stop slimming down already thin phones at the expense of battery life, especially if it's qhd

[@687donny]

I'm actually using the note 5 and man the the note 4 and the note 5 are worth getting in my opinion yea the note 5 has fixed storage but so does my nexus 6p and I love that phone too I can work with 32 gigs but some people can't witch is understandable literally the one thing I miss is the IR blaster that's it

[@dwaynemusik]

ima keep my note 4 until i cant use it anymore lol

[@ghostwriter2669]

Good Video but like most of the Note 5 reviews they missed pointing out the most important feature left out of the newer Samsungs, the IR blaster. If you work in TV tech or are a Home Theater enthusiast this is a must and the reason I purchased a used Note 4 then rooted it and loaded a custom ROM. Basically without the IR, removable battery, and SD slot and with custom ROMs to port Note 4 with Note7 features the Note 5 nowadays is considered a serious downgrade.

[@F3ARL388]

Why would you exclude SD support and battery swapping on a device targeting hardcore *power users*? A mystery.

[@hasan_z]

F3ARL388 because a note 4 is for life, a note 5+ is for 2 or 3 yrs. from a business point of view its more profitable to make a shittier product

[@MrKockabilly]

You forgot one of the advantages of Note 4: IR blaster - that one feature I find so handy and no longer available to newer models.

[@ricardoanorga5281]

can you take notes on the note 4's lock screen?

[@sanaaaaa4412]

yes with marshmallow update

[@TonyAmstaff2012]

yes

[@xFreshKicks08]

Damn where would pocketnow be without Michael. Great comparison 10/10

[@mimakeo_]

FOR ME NOTE 4 IS BETTER BECAUSE OF THE SYTLE ON THE BACK.

[@mimakeo_]

style

[@mimakeo_]

and also the battery

[@Macsk8ing]

Yeah, got a Note 5, doesn't feel like a note, feels like hmmm I don't know too fancy?

[@massivegamer7553]

EElectric_M yeah

[@-Muhammad_Ali-]

2020 Note 4 still kicking ass. 1 spare batteries inside the charging kit and phone works NON-STOP. 6 years in service

[@Realme-eb4xj]

I used note 7 ported custom rom on note 4 and it's very fast!!!!!!

[@juliusparkkinen9023]

to be honest, i think that the note 4 is better than the note 5. the note lineup was designed for the power users, the people who are willing to sacrifice design for functionality. now the note 5 takes 2 big things away, the removable battery and SD card slot. now the note 5 is just a larger s6 with a stylus. very dissapointed with it, and i hope that samsung's note 6 will be the true power user phone, with a huge removable battery, 2 sim cards, sd card slot, stylus and more things for power users. if the note 6 is a thick, heavy hunk of power, with a 5000mAh battery, and all those other power user features, it will be THE phone of choice for power users, even more than it already is.

[@E.B.K]

i agree

[@inside1976]

Julius Parkkinen I also agree

[@GaryKetchum808]

So much people complain about the unremovable back, when they were the ones asking for "premium" materials and "premium" looks. Although, i think they could've just added an sd card slot on the side.

[@madpistol]

Yes No Samsung gave us a premium look with the Note 4.

[@jonesnj07]

Yes No no they couldnt even if they wanted, UFS 2.0.isn't compatible with slow SD cards.

[@GaryKetchum808]

***** nah. im okay with the premium i dont need freakin 64gb and i already have a power bank soooo yeah.

[@GaryKetchum808]

***** thats true... wait nano sd?

[@x3merx3mer]

Let's sum it up: *Note2 -> Note3* +bigger screen +higher screen resolution +higher camera resolution +higher video recording resolution +faster cpu +more ram +bigger battery +usb3.0 +Infra red +bottom speaker +a ton of new spen features *Note3 -> Note4* +fingerprint sensor +higher screen resolution +faster cpu +higher camera resolution +higher front camera resolution +curved screen version available -usb 2.0 -back speaker *Note4 -> Note5* +faster cpu +more ram +bottom speaker +higher front camera resolution -no infra red -no removable battery -no sd card As a note3 user who was waiting for a note5, i am heavily disappointed. Im probably gonna take Note Edge now or something new if anyone seriously steps up their phablet game soon.. now is their best chance.

[@YananoBere]

nemanja milosevic Hold out for the LG G4 pro. It might be really good. The Lumia 950 XL is also out next month and had a 2k 5.7 Amoled, 3300mah removable battery, micro SD card expansion,20mp Carl Zeiss Camera with 4k, SD810 and a 3D, infrared iris scanner & Windows 10. That's the beauty of competition.

[@camlwatts]

Same boat as you. Really wanted the Note 5 to be good, but looking at my Note 3 it almost feels like a huge downgrade. I swap batteries often because I'm a heavy user and i also use the IR blaster quite a bit. I'm extremely disappointed.

[@JediWigSplitta]

I'd say give it a couple of months to see how it plays out ... I'm still running a note 3

[@tmanning4usa]

+camlwatts the note 3 is a better phone than the note 5 don't waste your money on the note 5 it is not worth it a friend of mind has the note 5 and the battery life sucks he wants his note 4 back.

[@NoobsUnited]

My first Note was / and still is/ Note 4. After latest software update there is nothing on the market right now that might make me change it. Good review.

[@Omfcody1]

Other than the fingerprint scanner, I'd rather the Note 4 in almost every way.

[@zahealhusky5756]

I have Note 4, will wait untill note 7-8 something. I love Note 4 so much i bought 2 extra batteries so I can live with it for a minimum of 5 years.

[@QuinchGaming]

Pfft! after having "Notes" since they came out...this is just crap. Guess I'll be looking for another manufacturer :(

[@SC36DC]

I was a Note 1 and Note 3 owner, now I'm most excited about the Huawei Ascend Mate 8 announcement. Samsung has disappointed me in so many ways with the Note 5, and the biggest for me, and the reason why I won't be getting one, is because they stuck to the same screen size. After 2 years of dealing with a 5.7 inch screen, I now want more. Mate 8 at 6 inches will be a great phone. If all the rumors come true.

[@lilmario0]

by 2018 the note might have 7gbs of ram and still start to slow down 6 months after...

[@Jim-sf9qh]

From the future, nah

[@kurdistan790]

SAMSUNG galaxy note 5❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@fargeeks]

My note 9 does not have the dual camera feature on it nor the action memo. Which sucks.

[@ECDT1089-EtheLamborghini]

You're better off with the Note 4.

[@TheArmazia]

Thanks Michael, I like the way Pocketnow takes a realistic look on this phone. Its great and it will be enough for the normal user, yet the poweruser might think about this different. By the way, you forgot to mention that the Note 5 doesn't offer an IR blaster like the Note 4 did. Michael, as a personal fan of your reviews; I hope you keep up this great work as I love to see your reviews. Thanks!

[@michaelsamuel4815]

i prefer the note 4 over the note 5 any day because of its bigger battery , removable battery expandable memory etc

[@TommyCrosby]

Well, the biggest improvement in the Note 4 for me (other than the upgraded specs and software) is the new DPI which allow for more stuff on the screen. I was so bummed when I discovered that my Note 4 had nearly the same content as my old Nexus 4 so yeah, that's huge for me.

[@jonesnj07]

*UFS 2.0 memory controller isn't compatible with sd cards so to have an sd card slot it would then have crap performance, to have a removeable back it would need to be plastic and would be considered cheap and wouldn't sell, samsung makes phones for the masses not the 05.% of nerds bitching about the omission of these mainly pointless to most people features.*

[@siam9914]

Nathan Jones or the removable back can be made of leather. htc got sd cards , htc one m8 or m9 is considerably fast

[@minhhuyle43]

u burn them but ugh i hate samsung

[@johntuck77]

Nathan Jones If they can't give us SD cards there should at least have been a 128GB storage option - that thing can take Raw photos and shoot 4k videos. Do you have any idea how big these get? Without enough storage it is like driving a Ferrari only in 1st gear.

[@jonesnj07]

John Davison i completly agree with you on that, i have a feeling they will release a bigger one later on, i think they may not have enough stock because of the early release, asus just released a phone with 256Gb of storage so samsung needs to get their shit together.

[@LyftLivin]

What's up PocketNow... I'm surprised no one has mentioned the issue of laggy apps on the Galaxy Note 5 when connected to wifi. I had the Note 5 on T-Mobile for only 1 week and returned it for that reason. Took forever for apps to launch on wifi.

[@pieinthesky163]

Note 7 is still a disappointment. No removable battery again! :(

[@mohamedabdalmohsin6091]

I wish that was the only disappointment about the battery :(

[@meagen1342]

No battery= fancier, sleeker, non-plastic phone

[@manegrindshard]

Most people who talk bad about the note 5 do so because they haven't spent a week with one, they just take what they perceive to be bad changes and rip it up without experiencing it for themselves first. But as a former doubter, I must admit I was wrong its way better then the note 4 and 3 before it and is well worth the upgrade.

[@darrellcarter4143]

I have a note 4 , and I hate the note 5

[@I_am_kxng_rod]

Still inlove with my Note4.... Not moved my the Note 5. looking forward to the Note 6 already

[@iowaadventures4701]

I will not get the note 5 for these reasons. 1 no removable battery. Sure you could carry an power pack I suppose and accomplish the same thing. But having no removal battery reduces the life of the device. When the battery dies in the note 5 you will have to upgrade not so in the note 4. 2 no SD support. I use my SD card to save music and movies so I don't have to use my dater to retrieve it. I also store my pictures on it. Sure you can use cloud storage for these features however the clouds is not always safe. 3 built quality. Sure the Galaxy Note 5 is a beautiful glass sandwich phone. But I have to feel it's a fragile phone and you would have to use a case. Who to use a case on such a big phone? I will concede there are features on the phone that are great like being able to push the home button twice to activate the camera and taken the S Pen out and taking a note without turn on the device. However in my opinion these features do not makeup for what Samsung has taken away. In my open the note 5 is a downgrade from the note 4. So my advice to you is if you have to have a note Go buy the note 4 or go get the LG G4 or wait until the LG pro comes out. Hopefully Samsung will return the SD card and removable battery in the note 6 until that happens LG is the new king for the power user.

[@CJBorCHARLES2]

Marty Anderson may i suggest lg g4?

[@iowaadventures4701]

CJBorCHARLES2 I think I suggested that in my post

[@jonesnj07]

Marty Anderson UFS 2.0 memory controller isn't compatible with sd cards so to have an sd card slot it would then have crap performance, to have a removeable back it would nmeed to be plastic and would be considered cheap and wouldn't sell, samsung makes phones for the masses not the 05.% of nerds bitching about the omission of these mainly pointless to most people features.

[@iowaadventures4701]

+Nathan Jones to your first point SD not having compatibility with the memory controls you are the first one I ever heard this from. I would have to do more research to be honest to know if your correct or not. as far as the second point is I believe the HTC One max has a metal frame and it was removable. also the lg g4 has leather back and its removal. my point is you don't have to have a plastic back to have a removable battery and even if you did its better off being plastic then being removable then glass and being non-removable!

[@jonesnj07]

Marty Anderson most people don't like plastic anymore, so samsung doesn't use it, simple.

[@satyabanerji1982]

Personally I have seen Samsung after-sales service in India is very Expensive, even when there is a software issue the sales service manager writes in a Motherboard failure and mandates a new Motherboard. The same applies to Batteries and other parts. Considering the Battery is not removable if there is a problem with the battery it would be very expensive to replace. I think Note 5 is more of a option to Note 4 for the ones who use Data Storage (like me who has a huge Music and Video Stash) Note 4 > Note 5. I still think Samsung should go back to the Basics and put in the features like FM, expandable storage, removable battery back into their future models as it would bring the Edge to the iPhone, Nexus and OnePLus(X) in the future.

[@agenbola8233]

i better stay with note 4, damn note 5 no sdcard and no infrared dafuk samsung what do u do???

[@nishanthananth9668]

As a person using the note 3 neo I was thinking of upgrading to a note 5 but after finding out the best features (removable battery and sd card) have been removed and the battery has been downsized I'm sticking to my note 3 neo until they release a note with those features Besides my neo has 3100 mAh battery against 3100mah battery in the note 5

[@AmmarAlboss]

Note 4 is the best

[@richardfila]

Michael Fisher, you make the best tech videos ever. I'm always happy when I hear your voice after clicking on to a Pocket Now video. Keep it up!

[@CurlyAndCurvy]

Thanks so much for this video comparison! My Note 3 has decided that it no longer wants to work properly and it appears I'll have to replace it. Like other commenters, I'm a HUGE fan of removable storage. I hope Samsung keeps supporting the Note 4 for a couple more years... *crosses fingers*

[@saqibijaz9465]

Excellent effort and elaborated very well... Keep it up.....

[@TheDeahtlyNoob1]

Coming from a college student who still has his outdated htc sensation 4g from like 2011, I will finally be buying the note 4 tomorrow. Both devices are spectacular in their own ways, but, the note 4 suits me better in every aspect as a student. The note 4 has a removable battery, sd card slot, ir blaster, good battery life, amazing display, amazing build, kick ass camera, and not to mention it's a lot cheaper. I'm not the heaviest of users, compared to business men who constantly get updates on their phone around the clock, but I do use my phone for school, video recording lectures, Facebook, snapchat, kik, youtube, etc. I think the note 4 will do way better, battery life wise, for my lifestyle. And since I do video record my lectures, I can easily swap sd cards and never worry about space. I went to Best Buy and got to fiddle with both phones, and I have to say that the note 5 did feel 100x better in the hand, (i felt like i could even use it with one hand) but it didn't really feel like it was worth 200 bucks extra for that feel. (the note 4 is now $550 and the note 5 is almost $700) (Not to mention, after a while, looking at the note 5's front, I felt like i was looking at the note 4, idk how to explain this, but to be plain, the fronts looked similar and it didn't feel like anything spectacular) I think Sammy didn't really take that much of a leap forward this year with the note 5. Although I do like that they are cleaning up touchwiz and improving their fingerprint scanner and s pen, I don't think that's much of a deal maker. I doubt I will ever use that new s pen feature, I've heard the sliding fingerprint scanner on the note 4 has improved greatly, the cameras are so similar, even the displays are still on par. I am not fully amazed at the note 5, and I do not like the direction sammy is going with their non-removeable back phones. Hopefully Samsung will learn from their mistakes, like they did with the Galaxy s5 and do a complete and awesome revamp next year with the Note 6. (Fingers crossed)

[@ChodaBoyUSA]

A couple of other things the Note 5 lacks that the Note 4 has: 1. IR blaster, cannot use the Note 5 as a remote control 2. MHL (Mobile High-Definition Link) support, cannot use a micro-HDMI cable to connect the Note 5 to a TV or projector to share the screen with others

[@mylesmartin6377]

Trying to decide between the two. I want the Note 4 solely for its expandable storage. I go to a lot of concerts and could use it. However, is it worth giving up all the new features and improvements the Note 5 brings to the table? This is my dilemma.

[@alphabeta3593]

Well Note 4 is my definite choice... i use it to video record up to 4 hours of lectures at my university (each day). The note 5 won't be able to handle it since it's battery is less than the note 4. Plus not to mention the fact it does not have removable sd cards (same for the battery). They messed up the note line (for me) by making it more like an iphone and less like a samsung note.

[@shaikhhar6911]

Most phone start losing battery longevity after around a year or even less. Thats when the comfort of replacing the battery comes in handy. SD card is also very useful when you change device for instance and also sharing films or series from friends. SD card are also way cheaper than buying phone with larger memory. These 2 feature makes the note 4 a greater device for me. BTW, last week I changed the battery on my note 3 which had aged and now the phone lasts like a new phone. :)

[@peppaboy9]

they should've kept the pleather back for all of the notes helps from it slipping out of your hand like glass would besides it look better to me than a bunch of finger prints on that glass

[@blkrse22]

What made the Note the Note was the big screen and the S-Pen.And of course cause of the bigger screen a bigger battery(battery life).Removable battery and sd cards were features available in the Galaxy S series. Up until the Galaxy S6, so those features weren't anything special the Note only had. Same thing goes for the design of the Note, which has always been based off of the Galaxy S series. Up untill the Note 4, which was Samsung entry into using metal in their flagship devices.

[@kyokushinkuma]

I bought my Note 4, 2 days after it came out, it's been nothing but great, I don't see any point in upgrading to a 5, unless you just want to have the "latest and greatest" device.

[@Hunmbre]

watching from my note 5!!😊 i'm obsessed with my phone

[@MaxVargas72]

Excellent comparison Michael. But I can't still decide if I should get the Note 5 or the Edge 6+... or may be stick with my Note 4...

[@monsterthekid1081]

I was thinking about getting the Note 5, but I'll stick with the Note 4. The Note 5 is still a nice phone, but they lost me with no SD card slot. I knew about everything else except the smaller sim card, I guess I'll stick around and see if they bring back my SD card slot.

[@meals24u]

Being new to the Android World, specially when it comes to the note lineup, at first glance, I like the Note 4 more, by looks and features. Eye candy to me. But I trust Sammy knows where they are going with this.

[@JC-rm6pm]

hello from April 2017, Note 4 still rocking here

[@XMNN]

I'll stick with my Note 4 then. Nice phone though. I have my Note 4 running custom Rom based on Note 5 and S6 Edge Plus Framework.

[@princewednesday5988]

Hey Pocketnow by any change do you sell your merchandise? if so, I am looking forward of buying that galaxy note 5 from you. Thanks in advance.

[@ichigouzumaki324]

Very good comparison, I still think that +Samsung butchered the poor Note line by eliminating the microSD card slot and the removable battery. I can deal with out the removable battery but not with the lack of memory expansion. I know there's plenty of cloud services but I don't like using the cloud. I prefer my content to be in my phone. I just hope that Samsung comes to their senses and bring back at least the microSD slot for their 2016 cellphone line up. This time around I'll be looking at another OEM to replace my Note 3.

[@6644pmr]

I have an issue always feeling like I need to upgrade to the latest phones, usually going through 4-5 a year, however I just can't bring myself up 'upgrade' to the note 5 even though the smaller, more comfortable hardware is really tempting. My note 4 gets great battery, I have 2 extra I can swap in at a moments notice and I use the IR blaster quite a bit. Looks like I'm going to be saving myself $800.

[@D0nie11]

Good video.. Do you know what is the difference between note 4 verizon and the normal.?

[@MartinSh429]

Good old days with micheal ...

[@demyhr]

I upgraded (downgraded) to Note 5 last week and after five days returned it, a somewhat costly in time and money process. No SDCard and Changeable battery is just the tip of the iceberg. Also lacking are the IR Blaster and compatibility with multimedia dock or MHL dongles. HDMI output requires Chromecaster or Firestick but only some capability. Microsoft display adapter also doesn't work. Bought all three and returned them. Battery life appears to be an issue if heavily used, down to 40% after two hours of loading apps. And then there is the notorious S-Pen inserted backwards issue. This will, IMO, become a costly design error for Samsung, especially when the SEALED IN THE BOX unit I received was already broken, which was the primary reason for my returning the Note 5. Given all the other issues I decided to go back to the Note 4. After watching a video on the S-Pen problem it is abundantly clear the design is destined to be problematic. It most likely is carried over from previous Note designs where the pen can't be inserted backwards. My view of the design is that it will be an issue even if the pen is inserted properly after see close up photos of the switch mechanism. So it seems my due diligence was somewhat lacking as the reviewers didn't mention or glossed over all the issues other than the S-Pen, battery and SDCard. Frankly, I think Samsung lost their focus when designing the Note 5 and it will cost them. The S-Pen design will result in many returns. Removing capabilities and charging more money is NOT what I consider an upgrade!

[@blaquenoise]

@Pocketnow Yeah Michael Fisher getting that Boston Ale in the shot. I just finished a 6pk of Oktoberfest.

[@davesecx]

I don't mind the lack of SD card slot because I have no need to swap out SD cards. But not being able to remove the battery is a complete deal breaker. No wireless charger, fast charger, or external battery pack can replace the ability to go from 0% to 100% in seconds with multiple batteries.

[@chocpch]

Great review! I upgraded to the Note 5 from the horrible Galaxy S4 & I'm happy with my upgrade so far. With that being said, I do wish I had experienced at least 1 earlier version of the Note since people miss the old features. Looking at these reviews I guess I could have gotten the S6+ or perhaps gotten the same satisfaction from even purchasing the Note 4. All the Galaxy phones are looking like iPhones now & I hate that Samsung made that move, if I wanted an iPhone I'd get one.

[@russelshouse2224]

ive had the note 5 since release day. its a great phone but i disagree about the new form. they could have still kept the same footprint and also kept the fake leather back. i must be the only one who thinks the note4 was and probably still is the best looking smartphone made. both are great phones but the note4 looks better on the outside, and allowed for power users to be happy too. it would have been about as close to perfect as you could get.