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Don’t Buy the Galaxy Note 3 Right Now

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The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is no longer the company’s top Galaxy Note option but thanks to a solid price point and an upcoming Android 5.0 Lollipop, it remains an option for those in the hunt for a new device. That said, right now is a terrible time to buy the Samsung Galaxy Note 3.

Back in 2013, Samsung took the stage at IFA 2013 in Berlin, Germany to announce its third-generation Galaxy Note. The device, more commonly known as the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, took over for the Galaxy Note 2 and improved on Samsung’s big screen smartphone series in a number of ways. For a year, the Galaxy Note 3 reigned as one of Samsung’s top smartphone options and one of the best Android phones available. And while it’s now older, it’s still a goodie and a device consumers need to take a look at.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is no longer $299.99 on-contract. And with an Android 5.0 Lollipop update set to roll out in the United States, the Galaxy Note 3 is still a device that we’d recommend to people unwilling to pay top dollar for a flagship smartphone. We just can’t recommend buying the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 right now.

LG G3 vs Galaxy Note 3 - 4

Right now, in our opinion, is perhaps the worst time to invest in the Samsung Galaxy Note 3. There are several reasons for this and if you’re able to wait a few weeks before buying your new phone, we recommend holding out for just a little while longer.

If you’re in the hunt for a new smartphone or if you will be in the next couple of weeks, here’s why you shouldn’t buy the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 today or anytime in the next three weeks.

Galaxy S6 Launch Date

If you can wait a few weeks, you’re going to be in a much better position to buy your next smartphone. Be it the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 or something else. Here’s the deal.

If you haven’t already heard, Samsung’s got an Unpacked event scheduled for March 1st. The company uses its Unpacked events for massive product launches and it’s pretty clear that the company has a massive product launch up its sleeve for the first day of March. That product? The Samsung Galaxy S6, a successor to the Galaxy S5 and a companion to the Galaxy Note 4.

There is a Samsung event on March 1st.

There is a Samsung event on March 1st.

Those of you looking at the Galaxy Note 3 are probably interested in the device’s massive display and the S Pen. Those are two things that the Galaxy S6 probably won’t have. That said, we think it would be a huge mistake to buy the Galaxy Note 3 without at least knowing what the Samsung Galaxy S6 brings to the table.

Samsung’s Galaxy S6 launch is less than a month away. That’s nothing in the smartphone world where device’s are released yearly rather than monthly. If you can wait three and a half weeks to buy a new smartphone, wait three and a half weeks. Who knows, you may come away from Samsung’s Unpacked event impressed by what you see. If you don’t, the Galaxy Note 3 will still be on shelves.

Galaxy S6 Specs: Big Time Device

Now here’s the other piece of the puzzle. If you’re looking at the Galaxy Note 3, you probably want a phone that’s going to deliver a ton of firepower. The Galaxy S6 is going to come with some big time upgrades and it’s rumored spec sheet is looking something like this:

  • 5.1-inch QHD display
  • Curved display on one model
  • Premium design (metal and glass rumored)
  • 16MP-20MP camera with OIS
  • Exynos 64-bit Octo-core Processor
  • 32GB / 64GB / 128GB storage
  • Touch-based fingerprint sensor
  • Four color options
  • Release on all five major U.S. carriers
  • Tons of Galaxy S6 accessories
  • Android 5.0 Lollipop with trimmed down TouchWiz

There are a few things to take away. First, the design. The Galaxy Note 3 design is comprised of a faux leather plastic that we found to be pretty disappointing. The Galaxy Note 3 does not come with a QHD display. It doesn’t have a fingerprint sensor. It doesn’t have Optical Image Stabilization. And it’s only available on five carriers in the U.S.

The Samsung Galaxy S6 is going to be a pretty significant release, maybe Samsung’s biggest since the arrival of the Galaxy S3 in 2012. If that’s not enough of an incentive to wait a few weeks before buying your next device, we don’t know what is.

HTC One M9

If the imminent Galaxy S6 launch and the rumored Galaxy S6 specs aren’t enough, consider the fact that HTC will be announcing its new HTC One M9 flagship on March 1st as well. It’s supposedly going to come in two sizes in the United States with one variant expected to be a big screen Samsung Galaxy Note competitor.

HTC One M9 (left) vs HTC One Max/Plus (right)

HTC One M9 (left) vs HTC One Max/Plus (right)

While nothing is official just yet, what we have seen from HTC’s new One M9 makes it look like a solid Galaxy S6 contender. Like the Galaxy S6, it’s expected to come with a number of improvements over last year’s flagship model. Again, these two launches are happening on the same day and it’s not like you have to wait long to hear about these new options. Stick around. You’ll be happy that you did.

Galaxy Note 3

While nothing is confirmed, we wouldn’t be surprised if the Galaxy S6 launch had a domino effect on smartphone pricing. Flagship devices typically drive the price of older devices down as retailers, and carriers, try to make them more appealing.

What this means is that we could see someone, Amazon for example, drop the Galaxy Note 3 price to an all-time low in the wake of the Samsung Galaxy S6 launch. We may even see carriers get it on the action.

Samsung Galaxy S5 vs Galaxy Note 3 -  006-X2

Even if they don’t, the Galaxy Note 3 will still be there once the smoke from March 1st has settled. Maybe it’ll be cheaper, maybe it’ll still slot in at $199.99 on-contract. We can’t say for sure. What we can tell you though is that it’s in your best interest to wait a few weeks for Samsung and HTC to deliver their brand new flagships.

You may not wind up with one but that’s perfectly fine.

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