Galaxy Note 3 by Samsung: What’s to Love?

The version of the Galaxy Note 3 I have tested here runs on the AT&T network so prices styles and availability stated may vary. #ATTSeattle

Today I have some very nice gear to talk about. The first is the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 which is gorgeous. It has a large 5.7-in screen with 1080p display, a Stylus Pen for easy note taking, a 13MP camera for taking awesome pictures and videos, and has long battery life. It runs on the AT&T’s LTE network allowing for crystal clear calls and lightning fast downloads.

As the third generation of the Note series smartphones, the Note 3 represents a noticeable upgrade over its predecessors and counterparts, namely the Note 2 and the Galaxy S4. Put simply, the Note 3 has a bigger 5.7-inch screen; Stylus Pen with revamped S Pen features and S Note app to complement it; a thinner, lighter body, better processor, huge memory capacity plus expansion slot; comes standard with access to AT&T LTE network for easy data downloading and management, and clear calls, and a plethora of built-in apps all neatly organized and packed together for easy finding and sorting.

One of the cool things I really enjoyed with the Note 3 in particular was the Stylus Pen. This is the first phone I have used with a stylus, but I have used them before on tablets and older PDAs.  One of the things that made it interesting and really spruce up was when you pull the Stylus Pen out of its sheath, a little fan-shaped menu called the Air Command menu appears, which you can also activate from any screen or app by holding the pen close to the display and pressing the Stylus’ Pen button. The response and ease of use of the Pen made it a very compelling new feature to have and use on the phone, and I actually found myself using it more and more for note taking, games even browsing, the precision and stability was superb, and really made this particular accessory shine.

Read my companion review: Galaxy Gear SM-v700: Samsung Smartphone Companion 

Feature, looks and functionality on the Galaxy Note 3 are very similar to the S4, which for me made it very appealing since the S4 I tested several months ago has been my favorite phone to date, so making the transition to the Note 3 was incredibly easy. Now having tested both the Galaxy S4 and the Lumia 1520, I found great comfort that the Galaxy Note 3 combined both things that I loved about those phones. The simplicity and ease of use of the S4 and the Android OS and the size of the Lumia 1520.

As I mentioned earlier the Galaxy Note 3 has a 5.7-inch screen which is slightly smaller than the Lumia’s 6-inch screen. I have heard a lot of people commenting that the size is too big, making it uncomfortable to carry and hold, but i feel that this is just the right size. Not too big, but big enough to let me view everything I want without any problem.

Galaxy Note 3: Features & Apps

I do think the Galaxy Note 3 has some unique features to it. The Advanced Multi-Window feature is very useful since it allowed me to use multiple apps at once (splitting the screen between the two apps) and dragging and dropping content between them. With the added screen size you have plenty of area to work with on both apps without the screen feeling too cluttered. It was actually pretty useful and once I learned to use it for taking notes straight from emails or highlighting information on messages and searching for it on the web, I realized there is a lot I can do with this feature, I’ve just got to figure them out.

As for the apps in the Note 3, Samsung has organized certain apps in the application tray and put them into their own folder freeing the main windows for customization by the user. Some of the apps I found interesting which came pre-installed and used often include the S Health Pedometer, Action Memo, S Voice for voice commands, Group Play (it allows you to share video and photos with other Galaxy devices), plus utilities such as My Files and Voice Recorder, Scrap, Gmail, Google Search, Google+ social networking.

I downloaded some additional apps which you may find useful. hey include Teamviewer for remotely connecting your computer to your phone, Dropbox, OneDrive, ES file explorer, which all help to save and move files one place to place.

Galaxy Note 3: Camera

Now if you liked the Galaxy S4’s digital camera, then you’ll have no complaints about the Galaxy Note 3’s camera. The device is equipped with the same 13MP camera you find in the Galaxy S4. While it isn’t really an upgrade, the Galaxy S4’s camera was already capable of capturing some incredible shots, the Galaxy Note 3 is capable of the doing the same. The camera app includes a ton of shooting modes, identical to the ones you’ll find on the Galaxy S4. Some of which are Burst, Panorama, Beauty Face, Golf and Eraser, which removes people and moving objects in the background.

Galaxy Note 3: Our Recommendation

I will admit that I simply loved the Galaxy Note 3 and although some of its features will not appeal to everyone, it is still a solid phone with a promising future. Its sheer size might be one of those things you don’t like but I feel that the 5.7-inch screen hits that Goldilocks spot of just the right size. The handset’s textured imitation leather backing and retro styling is something a lot of people complain about saying that it cheapens the phone or makes it look tacky, but I find it pretty cool. Most phones use full metal, or plastic cases, so this particular back cover makes it unique in my eyes.

The Stylus Pen is easy and fun to use, not to mention convenient. The Galaxy Note 3 is an amazing device in its own right and partnered with the Galaxy Gear, it makes it even more imposing that its predecessors. Exterior aesthetic, slim design, great processor, huge memory, massive screen, and access to the AT&T LTE network make the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and the Galaxy gear a great buy.

Priced at $299.99 with a two-year contract, the Note 3 is one of the most expensive mobile phones on the market, but it is well worth it.

Both the Galaxy Note 3 and the Galaxy gear are available now at AT&T. For more information you can go to http://www.att.com/shop/wireless/devices/samsung/galaxy-note-3-jet-black.html#fbid=WUWu_7WTRAg and get further details on this wonderful phone.