Samsung Galaxy Note 4, Charcoal Black 32GB (AT&T)

I'll put in this disclaimer: I don't like Apple. I do enjoy Samsung but I'm not a fanboy by any stretch of the imagination. All of my applications are Google-based purchases and double purchases would be silly so I've stuck with Google-based products through the ages. Looks - 5/5. This phone is gorgeous. I don't care if it bends (according to Youtube.) Mine lives in my pocket with a case around it that DOESN'T bend. The design is pleasing, technical with elegance and gorgeous with a strong sense of simplicity and utility. It is there and gets the job done and well. The metal accents definitely add a nice touch. Feel - 5/5. It's light but strong. Feed rigid, like I'm not going to break it. The screen has been exposed to some harsh environments from me and come back without a scratch (I'll be getting a screen protector anyways.) Speed - 5/5. It's fast. Very fast. In fact, so fast, that when everything was downloaded on it I was able to do my usual tasks that I did on my Note 2 in less than half the time. This was mostly due to shorter load times and faster Internet utilization. Screen - 10/5. Even if there was a dead pixel on it, there's so many on here and the pixels are so small that I would never be able to see it. The screen is gorgeous. The resolution is incredible. For reference as to how clear it is, there was an entire article in a Google Play tile (roughly 1 inch by 1 inch in physical size) and you could still see EVERY letter clearly. You'll see what I'm talking about if you get one. The screen being an AMOLED has an interest effect in bright light. In sunlight, you can still see it clearly. The glass is not reflective so much. It blows the contrast way up so you can still see it and readjusts automatically when you enter a darker area. Definitely an interesting (and probably standard) touch but my Note 2 always had issues in sunlight. Battery Life - 5/5. It lasts. And lasts. And lasts. And... well let's just say the Energizer bunny probably has one in his pocket and runs out before it does. It's a 3220mAh battery which is just a bit more than than the old Note 2, but what it does with that battery is incredible. A lot of the usage comes from the screen and processing power, and I have both on full much of the day and the battery will only use 40-50% with a full day's use, no charges in between. Oh, speaking of charging. The included charger is QUICK. I have 2.1A chargers everywhere that charge things up nice and quick, but the one that comes with the phone is unique. I've only had the ability to use the fast charger once (since I never run out of enough power to give it a good test) but it DOES charge at a rate of roughly 1 3/4%-2% per minute. It's FAST. Signal acquisition - 5/5. This is most to do with the network you are on but it also has a lot to do with the phone. I haven't had a single dropped call on Verizon and even in places where it says 1 bar, I still get excellent 4G speeds. This is critical for my type of business when doing research or scouting. It's at least 5x as fast connecting and download as my old Note 2 on Sprint. The biggest issue on most networks is initiating the tunnel to download information for a particular website or app. This phone make that connection flawlessly. Camera - 5/5. Woo doggy this thing is good. It won't replace a true DSLR but it makes small point and shoot cameras almost a thing of the past. The many features available with the standard camera app are great. I've used the Panoramic view before it and it did an incredible job cropping the picture perfectly, even with non-smooth movements. Voice Calling - 5/5. Again, partly a network thing but much to do with the phone as well. Everyone is clear. Everyone. Everything. Every time. People hear me just fine (except for one situation I will explain later.) Never an issue with voice. MUCH better than on ol' Sprint. Sorry Sprint, I love ya... but no. So now for a few of the things I don't like but I didn't feel were enough of an issue to take away a star. Bloatware is on this device. The good thing about Android though, is that you don't have to use it and it doesn't really detract much. Some can be uninstalled but truth be told I don't really care for it being there. Speaker phone has a slight issue. While the speaker in the back of the phone is perfect, crisp and clear, apparently people have an issue with hearing me on speaker phone sometimes. I believe this to be a software issue that I might have to look into, but I haven't found it yet. I just figured it worth mentioning for those who use it in factory-fresh mode. It's a worthy phone. I don't know what the Note 3 was like to compare but for a person who needs a utility phone for work and personal, this is an excellent device. I base my reviews on how the device works for my use, not comparing them to previous generations of products or other competing products. For my use, which I can dare say surpass the industry standard for requirements, the phone keeps up and then some. If you're on the fence, this phone will blow you away.

Overall this is a fabulous phone. I purchased it about a month ago because I wanted the best phone on the market and the overwhelming amount of features that this phone came with made it the top contender. Pros Camera - Oh lord the camera. This is probably hands down the most amazing thing about the phone. People have literally gasped at the pictures and videos that I have taken. The image stabilization is amazing for anyone with shaky hands and the phone comes with more picture touch up features than the average user would ever need. For video there is the option to up the FPS from 30 FPS to 60 FPS which makes watching fish swim a fun experience. IR Blaster - This is probably my second favorite thing about this phone. The app that the IR blaster uses has a few annoying things about it but it makes set up a breeze so I can't complain too much. The app also has a feature where it will show you what is on TV and then automatically change the channel to that show, way better than surfing through Direct TV's guide. Overall I will probably never use another remote again because of how easy setup is Screen Size - So the pros of this are that it makes using your phone WAY easier. Have you ever had that problem where you would just rather not use your phone because scrolling through a web browser with tiny text is annoying? Yea well so did I until this phone. I am able to use this phone one handed with my right hand only because the back button is on that side. And yes I am able to text without any difficulty with one hand. The only problems that I have with reach is if I go from the home button to the top of the screen Fast Charging - Amazing. With the right amount of settings turned off you can very easily hit the advertized 50% in 30 minutes that Samsung claims, maybe a tad longer if you have a bunch of background stuff running. Battery size - Can't imagine running out of juice in a day. Worst I got to was 20% in about 15 hours of use and I was using my phone a lot that day. But fast charging almost makes this point mute because it's that fast at charging. Phone itself - So far I have had almost zero lag or freezing issues. The UI is very customizable and I've learned that if you want to change something, you probably can. The phone comes with a one handed mode which is very useful I just need to remember to use it more but It allows me to eat food and browse Facebook at the same time so I'm happy. Cons Fingerprint sensor - Great idea except for one small detail, you need to swipe. This make it nearly impossible to unlock your phone with one hand, like ever. If I were able to place my finger on the sensor like the IPhone 6 Plus then I would definitely use it but the phone is just big enough were you can use most of it with one hand and just big enough where swiping your thumb is very difficult. However using two hands changes everything and I'm able to unlock my phone on the first try 99% of the time Heart rate sensor - So this is a minor thing, mainly because I don't know how heart rate sensors are supposed to work but this one is VERY sensitive to errors. I can usually get it to work but any slight disruption in just about anything and you need to restart. When I first got the phone it took me a solid 10 - 20 minutes to get one reading so keep trying new note owners. Screen Size - I know I put this in the pro section but that's just me. I value more of a computer like experience over a mobile one so the difficulties with one handed use are overshadowed by being more productive and having better hardware ( yes that is one of the perks of larger phones ). Speaker - Dear Samsung, never put your speaker on the back of a phone, ever again. It is very easy to cut the volume of the phone down to about half if it's laying down screen up. So if you listen to music a lot get used to flipping your phone the "right" way. Notification Icon - It's always blue. My old phone was green for messages, blue for Facebook, and yellow for Snapchat. Samsung fix this for the Note 5. Overall it's a great phone and the cons I mentioned aren't that annoying to me that would warrant a four star but they might be more important to some people than others. If I didn't mention something it's probably because it's not that big of an issue. Yes the S - pen is cool but I wouldn't say buy or don't buy because of it.

Upgraded from Note 3 after 3.5 years. Didn't need the latest and greatest expensive version, as I do not use all the bells and whistles. Highly functional for my everyday routine needs, internet, entertainment and main line communication. The price my be high for some folks relative to this versions release date, but I found it to be justified for a mint condition phone. Was less on eBay and guaranteed as well, but decided on Amazon as a trusted route, should there have been issues with quality or functionality. The only thing that held this rating back from a perfect 5 star, was that the battery it came with does Not hold a charge for more than a few hours and shuts the phone down at random times. It has shut down at random times, between 41% and 23% battery remaining charged and won't turn on until it's has power connected. I have since purchased an aftermarket battery and I can run the power down to 1% with no issue at all. Besides the battery I am not disappointed with the phone itself. I would recommend this phone from the supplier connected through Amazon. I also loved the Amazon Locker option for shipping, as I live in the crime ridden city of Philadelphia, and did not have to worry about theft from my building or dealing with the incompetent slowskis at the post office and their long lines.

A truly magnificent device. I had the Note 2, "back in the day", and a number of phones in between and I keep coming back to this phone. I ordered a LG G3 at the same time I ordered the Note 4, it was a tough call seeing how the G3 is a couple hundred dollars cheaper, but ultimately chose this, even in spite of the cost difference. Here's the simple explanation: the "Note" ecosystem is polished to a fine luster for large handheld devices and tablets... and the display is pretty great as well. I've save my thoughts on the G3 for that review but it's a great phone as well and had I not used the Note 4 I would have easily chosen it. On to the Note 4. The screen is amazing, the resolution is incredible, which you may not think you'll notice but it will eventually show itself and you'll smile when you realize it. The camera is solid, a nice quick shutter speed and it takes good pictures in most lighting situations and you can record up to 4K video - so you can FINALLY put that 4K TV that you just bought to good use :) The sound that comes out of the speaker is ok, nothing amazing but it's enough for the speakerphone to be solid and to hear music, if a little muffled. The front facing camera is actually impressive - I tend to take a lot of forward facing video so I can see myself with my son and the video always looks great. The S Pen functions at least as well as the Note 2 did, but with more thought put into it's usefulness - you get a small context window that pops up when removing the sylus, far more useful than the old "switch to this S Pen page and use stuff there", I like it but have yet to find a great use for it. The default Samsung keyboard, which is of course replaceable, is one of the better stock keyboards, I haven't switched it out for my beloved Swiftkey yet, and I don't think I will. If you're a storage buff then you'll be happy with the micro SD card slot, it adds so much functionality to a phone that it boggles my mind when a phone doesn't have it. To each their own though. I can't think of a reason not to recommend it, aside from cost of entry. Update 05-26-2015: The bluetooth audio has an intermittent issue where it cuts out, but the sound keeps playing, reminiscent of how a CD player would skip from time to time. This happens across multiple BT devices from headphones, a car and a sound box - I'm sure Samsung would fix it, but I had the same problem with the S5 I had before and the Note 2 previously, I think this is my last Samsung device and I'll be selling it once the LG G4 comes out. Caveat: a friend has the same device on Verizon and doesn't experience the issue, so it may not be a problem with the phone, but if you're curious then do a google search for it and you'll find that this is not the only Samsung phone that has the problem.

Not So Great. Got this phone about 2weeks ago and have had several issues Pros: -Big Screen -Camera takes great pictures -Lighter than other phones the same size -Great health features built in -Widgets are neat -Location based features are great Cons -As soon as I put a few apps on the device it has slowed down considerably (everything I have read on this leads me to believe this is normal problem on Android devices for some reason). Most fixes to this require you to figure out which app is causing the issue then delete it. Never had that issue on other phones. -For some reason with no apps running my phone is using a ton of ram (2.28GB out of 2.71GB, See Pic) This also appears to be normal when I read about issues people are having with Android. -If you like using Samsung's S Note its okay, (the stylus defaults cannot be changed to another note taking app). I use Onenote and there is no option to set that as the default note taker, and there is no option to sign in to any locked notebooks on Onenote. -Most of my contacts didn't sync from outlook and ITunes to google; also, what did transfer had a lot of duplicates show up, and about 3/4 of the contacts didn't transfer all information. None of my tasks or To Do have transferred from outlook to google. -I've tried running several different apps to "speed up" the device (never needed to do this on any other phones). These don't have any lasting effect and I have to run them 10-12times a day. (make sure nothing is running in the back ground too) All in all it has been a very frustrating experience. Good Luck From Samsung: In regard to the device using RAM even when apps are not working, we would like to inform you that even apps are closed on the device it will be running in device background and it uses the memory to run on the device. ---So once I "close all apps", then go to the ram and close apps, then go in and force close apps individually, you are saying the apps are still running? after I just spent half an hour closing them all in a three step process? What????????? We suggest you to force stop applications and check if the issue persists. From the home screen, tap on Apps>> Settings>> Applications>> Application manager>> Swipe screen right or left to all tab>> open the apps from the list and tap on force stop. -------I do this constantly all day long then the apps keep showing up again about 5-10 minutes later. In regard to the email notification issue, please check if you are using same email account on three accounts, if you are using same account you will receive notifications from three apps as it will synced with the device. ---I get notifications from: --Samsung Email handler (don't want, but checks emails) --Gmail Email Handler (Don't like, doesn't get all emails, but ties some calendar functions together but not dependable) --and Outlook which I installed (I use outlook and this was to only way to get my work emails, because nothing else would set it up, their app is not --good either as certain functionality is limited, no to do list or task manager updates etc.) ---Why isn't there a normal email handler like on every other device I have had that can handle tasks, contacts, calendars, etc. The normal things that every other phone does that this phone needs three email accounts to accomplish? ---I've actually had to download a different (fourth) calendar to handle tying them all together and Sunrise still can't pull it off. I've never had this be an issue on Windows or iPhone. In regard to the calendar/task issue, we would like to inform you that tasks will not sync which you receive from email account, however, if you have configured outlook account and if the events are saved in outlook only then it will be synced. -----See above. Also, why is this so difficult? never had this problem on any other phone. only when I switched to Samsung. In regard to dial and enter code to get an email, please check if you are using any third party app, as the default email app does not ask for any code to open the email. ----Not third party it is what came on the phone. Why cant I see voicemail from the "phone button". I shouldn't have to open a different app to check my voice mail. In regard to using the Stylus with OneNote app, we would like to inform you that the stylus should work with the app, however, please check the compatible with the App developer. ----The stylus will work with the app. What I said was the default can't be changed for the stylus. For example: I don't use sNote. I use Onenote. When pulling the stylus out of the phone there is an option to have a note pop up. I want Onenote to pop up but the default options are sNote or off. I bought this phone to enhance my use of Onenote. Now this lack of features disables me. I would not have bought this phone had I known I could not change that feature. In a time where every default can be changed to suit your needs this phone is extremely limited In regard to the battery draining, device freezing, app shutting down and notification issue, please access the link below to follow the steps to troubleshoot the issue. -----Why should I have to do this? why should I have to do any of this? I just want a phone that works, the way I want it to and won't catch on fire in my pocket, freeze up whenever I want to use a map or open two apps, run out of battery as soon as I take it off the charger. I fixed the battery issue sort of. I bought the extra battery that Samsung provides. Great now I have to carry extra batteries because the battery will die if I decide to use any apps? Link: http://support-us.samsung.com/cyber/popup/iframe/pop_troubleshooting_fr.jsp?idx=527929&modelname=SM-N910V&modelcode=SM-N910VZWEVZW&session_id=V5VP4qhZN2QZTM5tvxkh1H3bKvJJyJMVTGhsDyjhlLMHWv4JTSfQ!-28248919!-1833246254!1438209295588&from_osc=&homeid=29189 Link: http://support-us.samsung.com/cyber/popup/iframe/pop_troubleshooting_fr.jsp?idx=527928&modelname=SM-N910V&modelcode=SM-N910VZWEVZW&session_id=V5VP4qhZN2QZTM5tvxkh1H3bKvJJyJMVTGhsDyjhlLMHWv4JTSfQ!-28248919!-1833246254!1438209295588&from_osc=&homeid=29189 1. Possible causes: This section will explain the causes that might trigger the device to cause issues. 2. Uninstall Applications: can cause issues with the system during power on. ------Why? no other manufacturer has told me to remove problem apps like outlook, waze, or facebook? these are not strange apps that I don't want on my phone. This is 2015 and the norm is apps on your phone. 3. Out of Memory: Device that is out of memory can cause delays and keep applications from opening. ----No I bought extra memory 4. Memory Card Issues: Old memory cards may cause issues with stored applications. ------It is brand new, ordered from Samsung, on Samsung's website 5. Factory Data Reset: Resolve device issues with a Factory Data Reset. -----on the phone I just bought? again why? no other manufacturer has asked me to do that. Why sell a phone that doesn't work and has to be reset? Waiting to hear back again...

I've owned major Samsung smartphone since the Samsung Droid Charge (Every Galaxy S phone, every Galaxy note phone) I've also owned several other devices from HTC, LG, Moto. I find myself always coming back to Samsung. The Galaxy Note 4 is the most powerful handheld device I've ever had my hands on. The phones UI is very smooth, despite what some "bloggers" who are HTC/Iphone/LG fanboys say. Applications open without any hesitation, there is absolutely no lag on either Touchwiz or anything else on the phone. I root every single phone I get and put custom roms/firmware on them the second I get the phone. This phone is the first phone I've gone more than a week (now two months) that I don't mind rooting and putting custom roms on; this phone is plenty fast. The Screen on the Note 4 is the best I've ever seen on any phone. Being a Best Buy Mobile employee, I get to play and compare every single phone. I've compared the screen of the Note 4 to the new Moto Droid Turbo and LG G3 which also have 2K or QHD (Quad HD) screens and the Super Amoled screen on the Note 4 is still sharper, better saturated, and just wows you each time you look at it! Battery life is what is expected of a phablet. I get anywhere from 4-6 hours of screen on time (always on 4G, screen on high brightness all the time, gps and bluetooth connected) with anywhere from 2-3 hours talk time, and after 20 hours usually. That's all in a days work I put this phone through. With normal usage, screen on auto-brightness 1-2 hours of screen on time, 1-2 hours of talk time, I can normally go a couple of days without having to recharge. The S-Pen is what sets the Galaxy Note apart from all other Phablets. There are lots of phones out there with large screens now, but what sets the Galaxy Note apart from all the other pretenders is the S-Pen. The all new Spen technology along with the wacom digitizer now has over 2000 levels of pressure sensitivity making writing, drawing, and taking notes feel more natural like writing with an actual pen on paper. Build quality has greatly improved over the previous Galaxy phones, the new metal trim on the sides makes the device feel more premium, although almost everyone will put a case on it anyways, it's still nice to see it and feel it whenever you take the case off. Also the back still has that faux leather feel, I don't know why so many bloggers always hate on this look and feel? I actually prefer this over the metal or aluminum back on the iphone or HTC One phones. They are slippery, slick, and don't have any grip. Also it's cold in the winter, and hot to touch in the summer. I prefer the leather back look and feel as it also helps with grip, especially for one handed usage and being a larger phone. As I mentioned, I've owned the Galaxy S2, S3, S4, S5, Note 2, Note 3, HTC One m7, M8, LG G2, Moto X, and the Note 4 is the king of all phones. you may have realized I didn't mention the fruit phone, I've also used and played with each one of them, I have not personally owned an iphone, but I am forced to use and know the ins and outs of it, I know more about the iphone and IOS than probably 99% of all iphone users who have owned iphones since the original iteration of the iphone. The Iphone 6 or 6 Plus is not even worth comparing to the Galaxy Note 4, the Note 4 is superior in every single category and aspect, it's not even close!

Phone arrived Oct 28, 20 days after I ordered it. Phone would not activate either automatically or when I called VerizonWireless. I spent 2 1/2 hours on another phone with amazon and VerizonWireless before it got activated. I signed up for the Verizon Wireless MORE Everything Plans with the 250 MB option. Someone at Verizon commited fraud and changed the plan to 500 MB at a cost of an extra $5 a month. Verizon online has no way to correct this. I got an email from [email protected] but when I answered the email the mail got rejected by the amazon mail system. Actual email from amazon-csc%[email protected]. I already reported the fraud to verizon. This is my first bad experience with amazon, but I have had many problems with verizon billing. Updated Oct 30, 2013: VerizonWireless finally contacted me and corrected the problem with the 250 MB plan. They currently do NOT anymore have a 250 MB plan but let me keep the 500 MB plan at the old price. I updated my rating from 2 to 3 stars because I am very disappointed in the speaker sound quality. I am retired, 74 years old and spend most of my time sitting in an easy chair. My old cell phone was 10 years old and I could not text with it. I also will be using this phone on the internet a lot, but the display does not handle internet sites very well. I did install Lastpass app to manage all my passwords since I log onto 85 different sites with different and complex passwords. My debit card info was hacked on Home Depot and Target sites. Also someone somehow got a copy of all my email contacts and sent email to all my contacts. This information was only stored on google.

best smartphone ever! and also the best deal on planet. Better than the newer generation phones! I did a lot research, and when i saw the screen, I was still amazed at the gorgeous screen. It is totally unbelievable. I was using galaxy s4 and the screen in note 4 is so much better. It is much better than samsung note 5, galaxy s6, s7 etc. because it has replaceable battery and micro sd card. You can buy 128G with less than 40 dollars and put it in. And the advantage of inserting sd card is beyond that. If you take a short trip, you may simply take more sd cards and swap them when they are full and no worry or need to transfer to a pc. I don't like the direction that samsung is taking with the newer generation phones. Much better than iphone for the same reason. This is the best phone available on market. note 3 is also good, but note 4 is so much better in screen and in camera. The camera quality is awesome. Although nowhere near dslr quality, it can beats a lot of point and shoot digital cameras easily. For taking casual shots, it is definitely more than adequate. The OIS is great as well for low light condition. Add review after two weeks' use, I still think this is the best phone ever on market. I personally like the back cover matt fish better. It is not slippery. Some people say it is cheap plastic like, but I consider it to be extremely practical. I had some slippery phones before and I always broke them by accident. This one is good. The edge is more "boxy" than the slippery round edge in new galaxy note 5 or s7 phones. I think "boxy" is good. It gives good holding point to hand as it is a very big phone. I compared this phone screen to all my friends' phone screen and I haven't see any phone has a better screen. Of course the other phones like 6s plus are not visually worse than note 4 in terms of screen. I still think this is the best phone samsung ever made. Only feature I would like it to have is the waterproof. Well, not really waterproof like dropping it in the pool, but splash proof so that I won't worry much about rain, drink, etc. Galaxy s5 does that wonderfully with a removable back cover. I hope the future note 7 can do that. I think Samsung should really get back to where it excels, while not trying to follow the iphone direction. What is the shining glass back cover in note 5 good for? Some say it feels expensive, flawless craftsmanship, blah blah. I call it "impractical" - easy to slip and break, no expandable sd card, no exchangeable battery. Probably note 4 is the last of its kind of the best samsung phones.