Samsung Galaxy Note 2 vs Apple iPhone 5 Comparison and Differences

Smartphone 1

Samsung Galaxy Note 2

Samsung Galaxy Note 2

Smartphone 2

Apple iPhone 5

Apple iPhone 5

Smartphone 3

Differences between Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and Apple iPhone 5 - Which to Choose?

Reasons to consider the Samsung Galaxy Note 2:

  • Larger display size: 5.5 inches compared to the iPhone 5's 4 inches, which can be better for multimedia consumption and productivity.
  • Higher battery capacity: 3100 mAh compared to 1440 mAh in the iPhone 5, which may result in longer battery life depending on usage.
  • Expandable storage: Supports microSD card up to 64 GB which is not an option on the iPhone 5.
  • Higher resolution front-facing camera: 1.9 MP compared to the iPhone 5's 1.2 MP, which might provide slightly clearer video calls or selfies.
  • Removable battery, allowing for replacement or use of a spare battery.
  • Stylus support with the S Pen for note-taking and drawing.

Reasons to consider the Apple iPhone 5:

  • Higher pixel density (PPI) screen: 326 PPI compared to 267 PPI on the Galaxy Note 2, leading to a sharper image.
  • Lighter weight: 112 grams compared to 183 grams for the Galaxy Note 2, making it easier to carry around.
  • A more compact form factor for those who prefer a smaller device.
  • Later software version out of the box: iOS 6, upgradable to iOS 10.3.3, whereas the Galaxy Note 2 started with Android 4.1.1.
  • Support for EV-DO networks in addition to GSM/CDMA, which might be beneficial for certain carriers.
  • Higher AnTuTu benchmark score (though this might not translate to noticeable performance differences in day-to-day use).
  • Aluminum body which could be considered more premium compared to the plastic build of the Galaxy Note 2.

Samsung Galaxy Note 2 or Apple iPhone 5 Specs Comparison

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Common specs

Brand and model Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Apple iPhone 5
Rating (+0) (+0)
Release date 2012, August 2012, September
Dimensions (HxWxD) 151.1 x 80.5 x 9.4 mm | 5.95 x 5.95 x 3.17 in 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm | 4.87 x 4.87 x 2.31 in
Weight 183 g | 6.46 oz 112 g | 3.95 oz
Body Build Plastic body Front glass, aluminum body
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Colors Titanium Gray, Marble White, Amber Brown, Ruby Wine, Pink, Blue Black/Slate, White/Silver
Battery 3100 mAh,  Removable Li-Ion 1440 mAh,  Non-removable Li-Po
Battery life Stand by time - Up to 980 h (2G) / Up to 890 h (3G)
Talking time - Up to 35 h (2G) / Up to 16 h (3G)
Stand by time - Up to 225 h (2G) / Up to 225 h (3G)
Talking time - Up to 8 h (2G) / Up to 8 h (3G)
Music play - Up to 40 h
Approximate price 300 EUR 340 EUR
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Screen

Technology Super AMOLED LED-backlit IPS LCD
Touchscreen capacitive touchscreen capacitive touchscreen
Display colors 16M 16M
Screen size 5.5" in 4" in
Screen area 83.4 cm2 44.1 cm2
Screen format 16:9 (height:width) 16:9 (height:width)
Screen to body ratio 68.6% 60.8%
Screen resolution 720 x 1280 px 640 x 1136 px
Screen PPI /points per inch/ 267 PPI 326 PPI
Screen protection Corning Gorilla Glass, oleophobic coating
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Camera and Video

Rear camera, main 8 MP, Single 8 MP, Single
Camera specs -8 MP, AF, f/2.6 -8 MP, f/2.4, 33mm (standard), 1/3.2'', 1.4µm, AF
Functions LED flash LED flash, panorama, HDR
Video 1080p@30fps 1080p@30fps
Front camera, selfie 1.9 MP, Single 1.2 MP, Single
Specifications 1.9 MP 1.2 MP, f/2.4, 35mm (standard)
Functions face detection, FaceTime over Wi-Fi or Cellular
Video 720p@30fps

Performance

Operating system - OS Android 4.1.1 (Jelly Bean), upgradable to 4.4.2 (KitKat); TouchWiz UI iOS 6, upgradable to iOS 10.3.3
Chipset - Exynos 4412 Quad (32 nm) - Apple A6 (32 nm)
CPU - Quad-core 1.6 GHz Cortex-A9 - Dual-core 1.3 GHz Swift (ARM v7-based)
GPU Mali-400MP4 PowerVR SGX 543MP3 (triple-core graphics)
External memory microSD, up to 64 GB (dedicated slot) No
Internal memory 16/32/64 GB, 2 GB RAM 16/32/64 GB, 1 GB RAM DDR2

Benchmark

Antutu 7 Total
GeekBench 4 Single Core 490
GeekBench 4 Multi-Core 1519

Communication and Connectivity

SIM card Micro-SIM Nano-SIM
Network GSM / HSPA / LTE GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE
Bands -2G - GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
-3G - HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100  
HSDPA 850 / 900 / 2100 - N7105
-4G - LTE band 3(1800), 7(2600), 8(900), 20(800) - N7105
-2G - GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - GSM A1428 
CDMA 800 / 1900 / 2100 - CDMA A1429
-3G - HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100 - GSM A1428 
CDMA2000 1xEV-DO - CDMA A1429
-4G - LTE band 4(1700/2100), 17(700) - GSM A1428 
LTE 700 / 850 / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 - CDMA A1429 
LTE 850 / 1800 / 2100 - GSM A1429
Speed HSPA 42.2(LTE)/21.1(3G)/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat3 100/50 Mbps HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat3 100/50 Mbps, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps
GPRS Yes Yes
Edge Yes Yes
Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, hotspot
GPS Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS
NFC Yes
USB microUSB 2.0 (MHL TV-out), USB Host 2.0, proprietary reversible connector
Bluetooth 4.0, A2DP, EDR, LE 4.0, A2DP, LE
Harmful irradiation SAR - 0.23 W/kg (head)     0.95 W/kg (body)    
SAR EU - 0.17 W/kg (head)    
SAR - 1.18 W/kg (head)     1.18 W/kg (body)    
SAR EU - 0.95 W/kg (head)     0.90 W/kg (body)    

Music and Audio

Radio Stereo FM radio, RDS - N7100 m No
Headphone jack Yes Yes
Others - Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic - 16-bit/44.1kHz audio
-Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic

Other features

Sensors - Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer - Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
Other extras
- ANT+
-S-Voice natural language commands and dictation
--Stylus

- Siri natural language commands and dictation
Versions
- Supported LTE Networks

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