Galaxy Note Edge vs Note 3: 5 Things Buyers Need to Know

With a Galaxy Note Edge release confirmed for later this year, consumers are starting to compare it with top devices like the Samsung Galaxy Note 3. While we can’t make that decision for you, we can provide you with details that could help to make you come to a quicker and perhaps, a better decision. This Galaxy Note 3 vs Galaxy Note Edge comparison addresses the most important differences, and similarities, that buyers need to know.

Earlier this month, Samsung took to the stage in Berlin, Germany to announce several new products for the fall. First, we saw another intro for the Samsung Gear S, an Apple Watch competitor and a device that appears to be a solid alternative to current Android smartwatches. We also saw the Gear VR virtual reality headset make its first appearance.

The stars of the show though were arguably the new Samsung Galaxy Note 4, Samsung’s Galaxy Note 3 successor, and the Galaxy Note Edge. The Samsung Galaxy Note Edge is an ambitious new smartphone and one that is set to do battle with the high-end smartphones later this year devices that include Samsung’s current models.

Samsung’s all new Galaxy Note Edge is a high-end smartphone that shares some features with the Galaxy Note 4 but offers some unique ones of its own. And with a release slated for later this year, the Galaxy Note Edge will almost certainly be compared to the Galaxy Note 3, last year’s Galaxy Note that’s now cheaper much cheaper than it once was. It’s also a device that remains in the hands of thousands around the globe.

While we can’t tell you what to do, we can push you in the right direction. Ahead of the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge release, we take a look at the five most important things buyers need to know about the Galaxy Note 3 vs Galaxy Note Edge.

Galaxy Note Edge Release Date

Despite being official, the Galaxy Note Edge release date is still unclear. Samsung confirmed it for later this year though it has not offered any specifics to customers in the U.S. or around the world. We have seen it make some progress behind the scenes and Samsung’s new sign up page says that it’s “coming soon” but exact details remain in the shadows as we approach the fall and move further into the fall.

What we do have though are a few clues. The UK says that it will not have the Galaxy Note Edge in stock during the initial release. It’s not clear what kind of delay it will be dealing with. One retailer claims that the delay will impact other European countries as well, not just the United Kingdom.

Samsung Canada recently confirmed that it won’t be getting the Galaxy Note Edge until 2015. It says that its release will come after the U.S. though it made no distinction between dates. In other words, those looking into the Galaxy Note 3 vs Galaxy Note Edge are going to have to wait a little longer to compare these two physically.

Two other release items of note. First, the Galaxy Note Edge is confirmed for AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile and no one else. And while we could see a carrier like U.S. Cellular pop up in the future, that’s far from guaranteed. What this means is that the Galaxy Note 3 could hold a small advantage over the Galaxy Note Edge. It’s featured on U.S. Cellular.

When the Galaxy Note Edge does arrive, it will almost certainly be more expensive than the Galaxy Note 3. Samsung’s Galaxy Note 3 price has been in a free fall in the last few weeks as carriers and retailers attempt to offload it in the buildup to the Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge release dates.

Galaxy Note Edge Size vs. Galaxy Note 3 Size

Both Samsung Galaxy Note Edge and Galaxy Note 3 are large phones though there are some slight differences that consumers need to know about. Here is how the two devices will stack up, size wise, when the Galaxy Note Edge arrives later this year.

Here’s how the size difference breaks down from a numbers standpoint:

• Galaxy Note 3 -151.2 x 79.2 x 8.3 mm – 168 grams
• Galaxy Note Edge – 151.3 x 82.4 x 8.3 mm – 174 grams

The Samsung Galaxy Note Edge is just as tall as the Galaxy Note 3  though it’s a tad wider and a little bit heavier. These differences are not going to be game changing at all and for many, they’ll probably go unnoticed. Both devices are massive and could be unwieldy for some users, especially those with smaller hands.

Galaxy Note Edge Specs vs. Galaxy Note 3 Specs

Not all of you will want or need to compare specs, but if you do, you’re going to find that both of these phones offer some powerful features that will help to make your decision that much harder. We’ll point out some of the key differences and some things that you probably shouldn’t dwell on in the buildup to their release.

Galaxy Note Edge Specs

• 5.6-inch Quad HD display with bent side
• Snapdragon 805 processor (U.S.)
• 3GB RAM
• 16MP camera with Optical Image Stabilization
• 3.7MP front-facing camera
• 32GB / 64GB storage with support for 128GB microSD cards
• Android 4.4.4 KitKat
• Fingerprint sensor
• UV sensor
• Heart rate sensor
• NFC
• Fast charging
• 3000 mah battery
• S Pen

Galaxy Note 3 Specs

• 5.7-inch Full HD display
• Snapdragon 800 processor (U.S.)
• 2GB RAM
• 13MP camera
• 2MP front-facing camera
• 32GB storage with support for 128GB microSD cards
• Android 4.4 KitKat
• NFC
• 3200 mAh battery
• S Pen

Both displays are big and provide tons of screen real estate for gaming, browsing the web, and more. Again, that comes with a cost which is their overall size. There are also two more things to keep in mind when it comes to these displays.

First, the Samsung’s Galaxy Edge sports a higher resolution. This doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s going to blow the Galaxy Note 3’s display out of the water but it does mean that it will likely deliver crisper, better looking content. DisplayMate, one of the leading voices on display technology, calls the Galaxy Note 4 display the best they’ve ever seen.

The other is the Galaxy Note Edge’s bent display. The Galaxy Note Edge comes with a screen that curves down over the edge of the device. Thus the name. The Galaxy Note Edge and its screen can be seen in the video below.

The Galaxy Note Edge screen isn’t going to be for everyone but it does come with some distinct advantages. The bent part of the Galaxy Note Edge’s display not only offers better viewing angles for content, it also provides users with an extremely quick way to access their most used applications, settings and more. All it takes is the swipe of a thumb.

Samsung’s Galaxy Note Edge bent display can also display notifications on the side without pausing or interrupting content that’s running on the main screen. So if you’re watching a movie and you get a text or an email, it will appear on the side as opposed to on the main screen. This is only the beginning as Samsung will deliver a Galaxy Note Edge SDK that will allow developers to take full advantage of the new display type.

The Galaxy Note Edge will feature Optical Image Stabilization with its camera, technology that minimizes shakiness to deliver better looking photos and video. The Galaxy Note 3’s 13MP rear camera does not come with Optical Image Stabilization.

We should point out that Samsung has added a ton of new features to its popular camera application including new models for selfies. These features could come to the Galaxy Note 3 at some point in the future though it’s not clear when that might happen. Samsung is well known for delivering new software features to older devices.

The Galaxy Note 3 comes in one size in the United States, 32GB. And while the Galaxy Note Edge comes in two, we only expect one variant in the U.S., likely the 32GB model. Both come with expandable storage and both come with removable back plates.

Galaxy Note Edge Features vs. Galaxy Note 3 Features

Samsung’s new smartphones always come with brand new features and the Galaxy Note Edge is no different. Samsung has loaded it up with powerful features that will make it an attractive alternative to the Galaxy Note 3. Here are some of the key features that Galaxy Note Edge and Galaxy Note 3 buyers will want to pay attention to.

• UV Sensor – Allows you to measure UV radiation with your phone. This is something that could help to prevent health issues and it’s something that isn’t found on the Galaxy Note 3.
• S Pen – The Galaxy Note Edge will come with a brand new S Pen that can take advantage of unique apps. It’s improved over the Galaxy Note 3’s and it’s going to be one of the big reasons to consider the Galaxy Note Edge over the Galaxy Note 3.
• Heart rate sensor – This Galaxy Note Edge feature will allow you to measure your pulse. It ties into the S Health 3.5 app that Samsung is releasing alongside the Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge.
• Fast charging – The Galaxy Note Edge comes with fast charging capabilities that will allow users to charge at a much faster rate than usual. The company says a full charge will take approximately 30 minutes or so.
• Fingerprint sensor – The Galaxy Note 3 doesn’t come with one, the Galaxy Note Edge does.

Galaxy Note 3 vs. Galaxy Note Edge Software & Updates

The Galaxy Note 3 comes stock with the Android 4.4 KitKat update. However, its version of Android 4.4 KitKat is going to be a whole lot different than the version found on the Galaxy Note Edge. At least for now.

Samsung’s Galaxy Note Edge runs Google’s Android 4.4.4 KitKat operating system as a base though the software has been modified with Samsung’s new TouchWiz user interface.

Samsung’s made some significant improvements to this year’s S Pen including increased sensitivity on the Note Edge screen to make the note taking experience on the Galaxy Note Edge feel more like writing on paper. More sensitivity also leads to better looking text from handwriting. Samsung’s also made some significant improvements to the S Pen’s applications including, Air Command, S Note and Voice Memo, and more.

More importantly, the company has improved the Galaxy Note Edge’s multitasking, multitasking that the Galaxy Note 3, at least for the moment, cannot match. That’s because it boasts a new version of Multi-Window View. It can be seen in action on the Galaxy Note 4 in the video below.

Multi-Window View, at its most basic level, allows users to run multiple applications on screen at the same time. With the Galaxy Note Edge, Samsung has made some admirable changes including the ability to access applications in full, split or pop-up screens. Galaxy Note Edge users will now also be able to reposition apps on the screen with just one swipe.

The Galaxy Note 3 could pick up some of these features but it won’t get them all. Samsung tends to offer bits and pieces in an effort to lure people into an upgrade.

It’s also worth pointing out that the Galaxy Note 3 has a year of software support down the drain. The Galaxy Note Edge should get at least two years, or, a year more than the Galaxy Note 3.