- Conclusion Get the lowdown
- Features How they compare
- Performance Real world benchmarks
- Differences Technical showdown
- Reviews Word on the street
- Competition Others to consider
- Discussion Answers and opinions
Compare with...
- LG Nexus 4
- Nokia Lumia 920
- Samsung Galaxy S III
- Sony Xperia Z
- BlackBerry Q10
- Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
- 4G
- 5.5"
- Quad core 1.6 GHz
Released November, 2012
Rated 88% by by The Verge (Sep, 2012)In other areas, a new treatment has been utilized on the display which Apple claims produces brighter colors as well as deeper blacks while reducing display thickness.
Conclusion Which is better for you?
Features Key features of the Samsung Galaxy Note II compared to the Apple iPhone 5
GHz1.6
Android 4.1 Jelly Bean 4G
Rated 100% by by volsfan--volsfan (Nov, 2012)Thanks to quad core processing and plenty of RAM, it's a powerhouse device.
1.3 GHz
iOS 6 4G
Rated 87% by by c|net (Sep, 2012)The iPhone 5's 3.95-ounce weight is the lightest an iPhone's ever been.
screen size
5.5"
4"
Galaxy Note II by Christian-D.-Brown (Nov, 2012)As of the screen its not as big as everybody says it is and this is coming from a skinny ass boy lol it fits perfectly in my hand so its a big phone but its not TO big.
iPhone 5 by G.-Clough--Garrett (Nov, 2012)The 4" screen was a great move by Apple, its not too big like the Note, but its not too small, like some say the iPhone 4 was.
screen resolution
Galaxy Note II by Photo-King (Jan, 2013)Strong contrast, you'll lose a little detail in the shadows, but everything else looks wonderful.
iPhone 5 by Dwight (Apr, 2013)1080p resolution is going to be the minimum in the future (comparable to retina display) as will a quad-core processor and everyone else is offering more powerful battery life.
memory
| 0 GB | 2 GB | 2 GB |
processor
Galaxy Note II by Crysis-Complex (Oct, 2012)Its so smooth, I think this is where the Quad-core really shines.
iPhone 5 by G.-Clough--Garrett (Nov, 2012)I thought Apple would go all in with a quad-core, but they stuck with a Dual Core Processor, and I understand why.
camera resolution
| 0 MP | 8 MP | 8 MP |
Galaxy Note II by c|net (Sep, 2012)So far, the Galaxy Note 2 looks like it will carry on Samsung's legacy for high-performing 8-megapixel cameras.
iPhone 5 by SirStinky--Sirstinky (Dec, 2012)The 8-megapixel iSight camera is probably one of the best cameras out there now in terms of all-around performance.
Performance Real world tests of Samsung Galaxy Note II vs Apple iPhone 5
cpu speed
iPhone 5 by TrustedReviews (Oct, 2012)It’s slimmer, lighter and better looking than before, and yet it packs in a larger screen and faster processor.
Differences What are the advantages of each
Advantages compared to the Apple iPhone 5
| Much more battery capacity | 3,100 mA·h | vs | 1,440 mA·h |
|---|---|---|---|
| More than 2x more battery capacity | |||
| Has expandable storage | microSD | vs | None |
| Use storage cards to increase your phone's capacity for apps and data | |||
| Has a removable battery | Yes | vs | No |
| Somewhat common; Old batteries can be replaced inexpensively | |||
| More cores | Quad core | vs | Dual core |
| Twice as many cores; each additional core lets your phone do more without visible UI slowdowns and jerkiness | |||
| Screen uses OLED technology | Yes | vs | No |
| About half of phones are OLED; OLED screens are typically higher contrast and use less power | |||
| Much better theoretical download speed | 168 Mb/s | vs | 20 Mb/s |
| Around 8.5x better theoretical download speed; enjoy lightning fast downloads on modern networks | |||
| Uses standard video out connectors | Yes (USB) | vs | No (Lightning) |
| Somewhat common; Standardized connectors are cheap, compatible and easy to find | |||
| Supports NFC | Yes | vs | No |
| Somewhat common; Enables payment by phone and other wireless communications | |||
| Much bigger screen | 5.5" | vs | 4" |
| Around 40% bigger screen | |||
| Supports FM radio | Yes | vs | No |
| Somewhat common; Listen to music and news from local radio stations | |||
| Faster processor | 1.6 GHz | vs | 1.3 GHz |
| More than 20% faster processor; run computation-intensive applications, such as photo editing, faster | |||
| Higher resolution screen | 1280 x 720 | vs | 1136 x 640 |
| Around 30% higher resolution screen | |||
| More highly reviewed by consumers | 88.12% | vs | 83.33% |
| Around 10% more highly reviewed by consumers | |||
Advantages compared to the Samsung Galaxy Note II
| Much smaller | 59 x 124 x 8 mm | vs | 81 x 151 x 9 mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.1x smaller | |||
| Much lighter | 112 g | vs | 180 g |
| Around 40% lighter | |||
| Store much more stuff | 64 GB | vs | 32 GB |
| 2x more storage capacity; free yourself from memory cards | |||
| Sharper screen | 325 ppi | vs | 267 ppi |
| More than 20% sharper PPI; enjoy photo-realistic, crisp images | |||
| Thinner | 8 mm | vs | 9 mm |
| Around 20% thinner | |||
Reviews Word on the street
Samsung Galaxy Note II | Apple iPhone 5 | ||
 |  
|
| |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
| 
| |
 | Rated by 257 users at amazon.com Rated 100% by by Crysis-Complex (Oct, 2012) Rated 100% by by Dallas (Jan, 2013) Rated 100% by by shan (Nov, 2012) | Rated by 302 users at amazon.com Rated 100% by by G.-Lee (Oct, 2012) Rated 80% by by Ayoub (Nov, 2012)  Rated 80% by by Sage-Wysocki (Mar, 2013) | |
Competition What else you should consider
 | 1 | LG Nexus 4 2-way tie: OK operating system |
 | 2 | Nokia Lumia 920 9-way tie: Records average resolution video |
 | 3 | Samsung Galaxy S III Long standby time |
 | 6 | BlackBerry Z10 2-way tie: Supports Flash |
 | 7 | HTC One Fastest processor |
 | 8 | Samsung Galaxy S4 Longest battery life during active use |
Popular Questions
November 23, 2012
Is the Note 2 the best Phone on the market right now?
I have been researching the difference / advantages between different smartphones. I have put together a hypothesis- if the Note 2 was the best phone out right now. I have seen my hypothesis many...
Beginner I
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Answers September 23, 2012
Creativity and studying
I am a student that needs a phone for studying and to create and i also need to take great photographs so whts should i take
Visitor
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Answers November 12, 2012
What is the best for me an iphone 5 or a galaxy note ii or lumia 920
I can, t decide what to buy and it is my first smartphone . p.s. : i have a windows 7 laptop .
Beginner II
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Answers Community What does Sortable's community think
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vs
2
Samsung Galaxy Note II
77% of users recommend the Samsung Galaxy Note II over the Apple iPhone 5
Samsung Galaxy Note II
Khaled-Akbik 
Beginner I
In a way you can't really compare them. They are very different in Size and form factor. The Note 2 has a stylus as well. That Said, the Note 2 does kick the iphone 5 ass any day when it comes to... View Khaled-Akbik's recommendation
- 0 comments
- November 23, 2012
- Reply to: Is the Note 2 the best Phone on the market right now?
Apple iPhone 5
KDarrsanaa-Murrti 
Intermediate I
I understand about the S pen and everything but, iPhone gives you more options and app for you to chose and use it from. Apple also sells special pen to use on Apple devices too. For example, if... View KDarrsanaa-Murrti's recommendation
- 0 comments
- January 4, 2013
- Reply to: Creativity and studying
theastromechdroid 
Expert I
Best software and hardware all inside one phone. Designed by Apple, made of quality materials (unlike Samsung), and running iOS. View theastromechdroid's recommendation
- 0 comments
- December 27, 2012
- Reply to: Is the Note 2 the best Phone on the market right now?
