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Samsung Galaxy Note 5 vs. LG G3: What We Know So Far

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As we push further into 2015, we continue to see Samsung Galaxy Note 5 rumors tease consumers in the United States and around the world. With those Galaxy Note 5 rumors in mind, we want to take an early look at how the device is stacking up against the LG G3. This is our way too early Galaxy Note 5 vs. LG G3 comparison.

Last May, LG announced its all new LG G3, a device that replaced the widely popular LG G2 as the company’s flagship smartphone. As expected, the LG G3 arrived with a number of bells and whistles including a high-resolution display, solid battery life, impressive processor, quality camera, and more.

We’re now a year from the LG G3 release and some LG G3 users are probably thinking about ditching the phone for something new. Others are probably weighing the device as their next phone now that the price has dropped into bargain bin territory. The LG G3 isn’t new but it’s still a solid phone. We don’t blame you.

Learn how the LG G3 vs Galaxy S6 comparison shakes out based on rumors.

LG G3 users and those thinking about picking one up probably have their eyes on a number of potential suitors including the rumored Samsung Galaxy Note 5, a rumored follow up to last year’s Galaxy Note 4.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 isn’t official but Galaxy Note 5 rumors continue to heat up. As the year’s progressed, we’ve started to hear whispers about the Galaxy Note 5 specs, Galaxy Note 5 release date and Galaxy Note 5 carriers. There are still plenty of details that remain shrouded in mystery but we have enough to make an early comparison to the LG G3.

This early Galaxy Note 5 vs. LG G3 comparison will run down the latest Galaxy Note 5 rumors and show you how they currently compare to the LG G3. Here’s what current LG G3 users and prospective LG G3 buyers need to know as we push into May.

Galaxy Note 5 Release Date

If you’re a current LG G3 user or if you’re weighing the device (it’s now free on-contract at a lot of places) as your next device, you’re going to have to wait awhile before you’re able to compare it to the Galaxy Note 5. You should also expect to have to endure several months of Galaxy Note 5 rumors before you’re able to physically compare the two.

Samsung hasn’t sent out any press invites for a launch event but we already have a solid lead on the company’s plans for the Galaxy Note 5 launch date. Samsung always announces its new Galaxy Note models at IFA, a trade show that takes place every year in Berlin, Germany.

Galaxy Note 5 concept.

Galaxy Note 5 concept.

Unsurprisingly, the Galaxy Note 5 launch date is rumored for IFA alongside a new Apple Watch competitor dubbed Gear A. IFA 2015 kicks off on September 4th which means that that’s the date prospective buyers will want to circle on the calendar.

As for the Galaxy Note 5 release date, it has been rumored for August though that rumor lost steam after the launch date rumor emerged last week. If Samsung announces at IFA then a Galaxy Note 5 release date will probably come in September or October, right around the time Apple is expected to release its iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus and months after the arrival of the LG G4.

If you’re looking to replace the LG G3 with a Galaxy Note 5, be prepared to wait. And if you’re trying to weigh the two next to each other, you’re going to be staring down the LG G3 (and a host of other options) for quite awhile. The Galaxy Note 5 won’t arrive anytime soon.

Carriers

The LG G3 is a flagship phone which means that it’s available on a number of major carriers in the United States including AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, Verizon, and C Spire.

Thus far, Samsung Galaxy Note 5 rumors have failed to establish a full list of Galaxy Note 5 carriers though we have seen signs of what to expect.

A recent report from SamMobile outlines some potential Galaxy Note 5 release details. The site says that Samsung will use model number SM-N920F for the international version of the Galaxy Note 5. The international Galaxy Note 4 model number is SM-N910x so the change is logical.

Verizon Galaxy Note 4 Lollipop Update Review - 1

The leak also outlines several other model numbers including those for the AT&T Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and Verizon Galaxy Note 5.

  • Galaxy Note 5 – SM-N920F EUR XX (Europe)
  • Galaxy Note 5 – SM-N920S KOR SKC (Korea)
  • Galaxy Note 5 – SM-N920K KOR KTC (Korea)
  • Galaxy Note 5 – SM-N920A NA ATT (AT&T)
  • Galaxy Note 5 – SM-N920V NA VZW (Verizon)

This all but confirms a Galaxy Note 5 release for the top two carriers in the United States and it also suggests that the Galaxy Note 5 will be coming to at least two other key markets, Europe and Korea.

One thing to note. The Galaxy Note series has always been limited to the top carriers in the United States. Unless a miracle occurs, the Galaxy Note 5 probably won’t come to smaller pre-paid or regional carriers, at least not here in the US.

Display

The LG G3 comes with a large 5.5-inch Quad HD display that’s beautiful and perfectly sized. It’s just a shade smaller than the Galaxy Note 4’s 5.7-inch display but the overall size of the phone is in line with 5-inch devices. What this means is that you get the screen real estate without the massive footprint. It’s one of the reasons we loved, and still love, the LG G3.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy S6 both matched the LG G3 with Quad HD resolution but we could see the Galaxy Note 5 make a jump later this year.

Galaxy Note 5 rumors suggest that Samsung is currently testing a couple different displays on the next Galaxy Note. One is a Quad HD display (1440 x 2560 pixel resolution) while the other is a Ultra HD display.

UHD resolution would bring 2160 x 3840 resolution at 700+ pixels-per-inch to the Galaxy Note series. While the technology is in development, it’s not clear if it will win out over Quad HD. Samsung may not decide until much later this year and we should see rumors out one or the other before Samsung makes its announcement.

Verizon Galaxy Note 4 Lollipop Update Review - 4

Samsung’s Galaxy Note series has always been about the big screen and the S Pen stylus and rumors point to a screen that’s around 5.7-inches in size. If true, the size of the display will only be a little bit larger than the LG G3’s.

The latest Galaxy Note 5 rumors suggest that it will feature a flat display, like the LG G3. The company is reportedly developing a new curved Galaxy Note Edge 2 that won’t feature the same specs as the Galaxy Note 5. The device is expected to come with mid-range specs and rumors point to the use of a dual-edge screen, similar to the one found on the Galaxy S6 Edge.

So, in summary, here’s how the display specs could stack up:

  • Galaxy Note 5: 5.7-inch to 5.9-inch UHD/Quad HD display.
  • LG G3: 5.5-inch Quad HD display

To get familiar with Samsung’s Quad HD panels, take a look at our Galaxy S6 Edge and Galaxy Note 4 reviews. To get familiar with the size and resolution of the LG G3 display, take a look at our review.

Design

The LG G3 design looks like it was crafted out of metal but it’s actually plastic that features a faux metal pattern. While it’s plastic, we liked the design more than the Galaxy S5’s dimpled back plate. It’s also worth mentioning that the back plate is curved, making it easier to hold in hand. It also comes with a microSD card slot for expandable storage and a removable battery.

LG G3 Review from iPhone User - 7

We’re not entirely sure how the Galaxy Note 5 will matchup but we do have some clues.

This year, Samsung switched things up and delivered a brand new design language on its Samsung’s Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge. Instead of plastic, the designs utilize glass and metal. The designs are absolutely beautiful, arguably the best that Samsung’s ever released, though they do come with some tradeoffs. Namely, they lack a MicroSD card slot and come with a non-removable battery.

Samsung’s well known for keeping its Galaxy S and Galaxy Note designs under lock and key ahead of launch so we haven’t seen any big Galaxy Note 5 design leaks. That said, it sounds like Samsung likes the direction it took with its new flagships.

The Galaxy S6 Edge sports a premium design that delivers a great tactile feel.

The Galaxy S6 Edge sports a premium design that delivers a great tactile feel.

In recent comments made to Pocket-lint, Samsung UK’s vice president for mobile and IT Conor Pierce offered up some interesting quotes that hint at what we could see from Samsung down the road:

The company realised that it needed to do something different. We asked questions of people, what do they want? They want premium design, tick that box. They want the best camera, there you go. They want to solve battery issues. And they want choice. So I’m very confident that [the S6 and edge] materialised from what people want.

We’ve learned that bringing beautiful, premium innovations in design is what people want. I think the market needs this as well because the market has been very saturated.

I think it’s about us breaking new ground. It was a bold move to try to do something different, but if you go back to last year, we had the Note edge and you could see how well that was received. So we understand that this is what people want. They are looking for some inspiration, so yes you will see that across our portfolio.

Pierce goes on to say that future products, like the Galaxy Note 5 perhaps, could take a similar route as Samsung tries to compete with the iPhone:

What we have noticed is that typically the upgrade cycle is every 24 months because of the contracts, and people are generally offered an upgrade around six months before that.

That’s when they start to look at the phones on the market. So it’s very important that we don’t just do our best work in this current quarter. People don’t just turn up in this quarter, or July, August or September, looking for a new phone, it’s all year round.

I think the fact that we managed to deliver a new form factor with the Note, create a new category, shows the ambition to keep changing and keep innovating. Samsung puts $40 million a day into research and development, which is a massive injection of money into R&D.

In other words, we’d be very surprised if Samsung used a plastic design on the Galaxy Note 5. Those days appear to be over.

Camera

As we noted in our review, the LG G3’s rear 13MP camera is extremely solid and it comes with a ton of software options that help to enhance photos and videos. And while the LG G3 camera is still excellent a year later, camera technology moves quickly and 2015 should play host to a number of upgrades. Just look at the LG G4’s camera specs.

Samsung is reportedly working on new camera features in its upcoming Android 5.1.1 update. The features are unclear though rumors suggest they might have something to do with Google’s camera API.

Samsung delivers an impressive Galaxy S6 Edge camera experience.

Samsung delivers an impressive Galaxy S6 Edge camera experience.

If Google adds the full API, we could see some changes to the camera including RAW and better control over the shutter speed. With the iPhone 6s camera rumored to be coming with some massive changes, Samsung probably won’t be sitting around twiddling its thumbs.

Pierce’s comments above also hint at upgrades to the camera though the exact specifications of the Galaxy Note 5’s camera haven’t leaked out just yet. At the very least, we’d expect it to boast a 16MP camera sensor that’s on par with the sensor found in the Galaxy S6.

Processor

The LG G3 sports a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 Quad-Core Processor 2.5 GHz. It delivers enough horsepower for most people and it helps the device deliver quality battery life.

We wouldn’t worry much about how the Galaxy Note 5 processor will compare to the LG G3. Samsung always swaps its processors out with something new and powerful.

LG-G3-review-i53

A new report claims that Samsung will be using a Exynos 7422 processor inside the Galaxy Note 5. This new processor will supposedly “be the company’s first ever all-in-one solution (ePoP) as it will combine the CPU, GPU, RAM, storage, and modem on a single chip.”

Samsung’s also said to be testing another chip, a new Exynos 7430 chipset, but the CPU is still only an engineering sample and it likely won’t be ready in time for the Galaxy Note 5’s release. Samsung reportedly hasn’t decided on a final chipset but all signs point to the Exynos 7422 and not the Exynos 7430.

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