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Samsung Galaxy Note 2 vs. iPad mini

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Today, Apple finally announced the brand new 7.9-inch iPad mini which it will be offering ahead of the holiday shopping season. And while the 7-inch tablet field is littered with competition including the Google Nexus 7 and Amazon Kindle Fire HD, there is another device called the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 that may pose a threat to the iPad mini this holiday season as well. Here is how the iPad mini stacks up against the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 phablet.

The iPad mini will be Apple’s first attempt at a sub 9.7-inch tablet device while the Samsung Galaxy Note has already proven to be a popular device. The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is the successor to the wildly popular Samsung Galaxy Note that hit AT&T’s 4G LTE network earlier this year. And while the device was met with skepticism after its initial announcement, the device went on to sell more than 10 million times worldwide spawning this year’s successor.

Read: 8 Ways the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Beats the iPhone 5.

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Apple’s new iPad mini was announced today.

Due to the size of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2’s display, it may not be considered by some to be a true iPad Mini competitor. However, the Samsung Galaxy Note 2’s display is large enough where it could potentially lure in consumers who want to marry the size of a small tablet with the power of a smartphone rather than purchasing just a tablet.

We already detailed a few of those reasons in our 5 Best iPad Mini Alternatives but now it’s time to take a deeper look at just how the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 phablet matches up against Apple’s new iPad Mini tablet.

Release Date

The release dates for both the iPad Mini and the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 here in the United States are both a jumbled mess. While both have confirmed dates, there are still some mysteries left for the companies and carriers to answer.

Starting with the iPad Mini, it will be go up for pre-order on October 26th and then, the Wi-Fi only version of the device will start shipping on November 2nd. Apple though, hasn’t said when the 4G LTE iPad Mini will arrive for AT&T, Sprint and Verizon. The company says that it will ship out a couple of weeks after the Wi-Fi version which means that it will likely be released sometime in mid-November.

Read: AT&T Galaxy Note II Release Date Confirmed, Pre-Orders Start Oct 25th.

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The Galaxy Note 2 U.S. release dates vary.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 release date situation is a little more complicated in that it features five launch carriers across several different dates, both announced and rumored.

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 2 will launch on all five major U.S. carriers including AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular and Verizon. And while all five might share a common price, they won’t share a common release date it seems.

Thus far, only two Galaxy Note 2 U.S. carriers have revealed their Galaxy Note 2 U.S. release dates. AT&T will start taking pre-orders on October 25th for a November 9th release date while Sprint will carry the Galaxy Note 2 starting on October 25th.

T-Mobile is currently rumored to be releasing the phone tomorrow while release dates on U.S. Cellular and Verizon remain unknown.

Design

This is an area where these devices will different greatly from each other because while one is a tablet, the other is a phablet which marries the features of a smaller tablet with those of a smartphone.

Samsung equipped the new Galaxy Note 2 with a design that is slimmer than the original Galaxy Note. Specifically, the measurements of the Galaxy Note 2 are 151.1 x 80.5 x 9.4mm thin with a weight of 6.35 oz. That translates to 180 grams.

The design also features the usual plastic design that we’ve come to expect from Samsung. Yet, Samsung did make at least one upgrade to the Galaxy Note 2 design as its overall design looks more like a large Galaxy S III with its rounded edges. It also features a single home button, with no additional navigation keys.

Samsung Galaxy Note II_HERO

The iPad mini , being the tablet that it is, is larger than the Galaxy Note 2. Its specific measurements including 200 x 134.7 x 7.2mm. That means that the iPad mini is actually thinner than the Galaxy Note 2 while being much taller and wider at the same time.

In terms of weight, it’s much heavier checking in at 308 grams. The 4G LTE is a little heavier, checking in at 312 grams in weight.

Instead of plastic, the iPad mini is made of anodized aluminum, just like the back of the iPhone 5, as well as glass up front which not only give it an industrial look but will also provide quite a bit of durability.

Display

The displays on both are going to be the key selling points for both Apple and Samsung.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 features a 5.5-inch Super AMOLED HD, which is a bump up over the 5.3-inch display of the original Galaxy Note. The display comes with 1280 x 720  resolution and features a 265 pixels-per-inch which down from the original. The screen allows for stylus input as well as the device’s S-Pen allows for users to draw and write directly on the screen.

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The iPad mini display is larger than the Galaxy Note 2’s.

Its display also offers 16:9 resolution which means it will provide true widescreen content, perfect for watching movies and TV.

The iPad mini comes with a 7.9-inch LED-backlit Multi-Touch display with IPS technology, a size that is much smaller than the 9.7-inch iPad’s Retina Display. No, this is not a Retina Display. Instead, it will feature 1024 x 768 resolution with 163 pixels-per-inch.

It will feature 4:3 aspect ratio which means that it won’t support true widescreen content.

Specs

Beyond the display and design, the Galaxy Note 2 and iPad mini both feature some pretty enticing hardware. The Galaxy Note 2 is much more powerful than its predecessor while the iPad mini takes bits and pieces from Apple’s other hardware.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=hOX3HYDwTCY

First, here is the rundown of the major features of the Galaxy Note 2.

  • 5.5-inch display with 1280×720 resolution
  • 1.6GHz Quad-core Exynos Processor
  • 16GB/32GB/64GB Storage
  • 8MP Camera/1.9MP front-facing
  • 3100mAh battery
  • 2GB of RAM
  • S-Pen
  • NFC

And, here is how the iPad mini stacks up.

  • 7.9-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit Multi-Touch display with IPS technology
  • Apple dual-core A5 processor
  • 16GB/32GB/64GB Storage
  • 5MP iSight camera/FaceTime HD Camera
  • 16.3-watt battery
  • 512MB of RAM (Likely)

Key differences here include the processors, though both should run the operating system with minimal lag. The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 also comes standard with an ergonomic S-Pen stylus that allows users to write and draw directly on the screen. It’s also equipped with unique software like S-Note, which is a simple note taking app designed for the S-Pen in particular.

The iPad mini will also likely offer stylus support but it won’t feature the unique apps that the Galaxy Note 2 does.

Additionally, we should point out that the Galaxy Note 2 will be able to be used like a phone whereas the iPad mini will not come with native phone capabilities.

Camera

With the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, the company didn’t make any improvements to the cameras over the original Galaxy Note. It will feature a 1.9MP front-facing camera for video chatting and it will feature an 8MP rear camera, same as the previous model. That being said, the Galaxy Note 2 camera, while not top of the line, will certainly work for most people as it shoots good quality images and 1080p video.

A sample taken with the Galaxy Note 2 camera can be see below.

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A Galaxy Note 2 camera sample.

The iPad mini , unlike some of its competitors, will also feature two cameras. The first, a FaceTime HD front-facing camera for use with FaceTime. If the quality is the same as the iPhone 5’s, iPad mini users are in for a treat.

As for the rear, the iPad mini will feature a 5MP iSight camera, same as the third-generation iPad, that should shoot quality images. It will also be able to shoot 1080p video as well.

We can’t say how good yet because we haven’t been able to go hands-on but expect it to shoot images similar to the iPod touch.

Software – Jelly Bean vs. iOS 6

The iPad mini will of course be launching with iOS 6, Apple’s latest mobile operating system, but it will do so without any unique features, Like the fourth-generation iPad, it will come with the new Maps application, Siri, Facebook integration and more. It will also, unlike the iPhone 5, not have access to any official YouTube application which was taken away with iOS 6.

Some of the main features of iOS 6 can be seen in the video below.

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 2 will fortunately be running the latest version of Android, right out of the box. That version of course is the new Android 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system that Google rolled out in July but hasn’t come to many devices. It will also have Samsung’s TouchWiz UI over the top and will come with some unique, powerful software as well.

The Galaxy Note 2 will feature software that takes advantage of the device’s S-Pen stylus including a new split-screen multitasking mode where users can take advantage of the massive screen by opening two apps on screen at once.

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is, by far, Google’s best mobile operating system yet and the main features of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean can be seen below.

The company is rumored to be introducing Android 4.2 on October 29th and because the Galaxy Note 2 is so new, we expect that it will be getting that upgrade should it become available.

Carriers

The iPad mini will, along with the new fourth-generation iPad, be available on three carriers in the United States. Fortunately, it’s the biggest three. AT&T, Sprint and Verizon will be playing host to the iPad mini which means that for the first time, the iPad will be available on Sprint’s network.

All four will offer the device on their 4G LTE networks which allow for users to pull down data speeds that can reach up to 10 times faster than 3G. An example of those speeds can be seen in the video below.

However, this doesn’t mean that the networks are equal. While Verizon offers over 400 LTE markets in the U.S., both AT&T and Sprint offer less than 100 though both should eclipse the century mark by the end of the year.

We aren’t sure about data pricing yet but we imagine we will hear about that when the device goes up for pre-order this Friday.

As for the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, it will feature 4G LTE access on at least four of the five carriers. That means AT&T, Sprint, Verizon and U.S. Cellular. T-Mobile won’t have a 4G LTE network up until next year and as of yet, it’s unclear if T-Mobile will be future proofing the device. We imagine that it will, thanks to an FCC filing, but that’s still not confirmed.

Price

Despite not having all of their release date information available, the iPad mini price and Samsung Galaxy Note 2 price here in the U.S. are both available, for the most part.

Apple will be selling the iPad mini in six different ways, meaning, three storage options for the Wi-Fi version and three for the 4G LTE model. All six, like the iPhone 5, will feature different pricing options.

Those options will likely remain consistent across the board at AT&T, Sprint and Verizon. Here is how the iPad mini pricing breaks down.

  • iPad mini 16GB Wi-Fi Only -$329
  • iPad mini 32GB Wi-Fi Only – $429
  • iPad mini 64GB Wi-Fi Only – $529

And, the 4G LTE models.

  • iPad mini 16GB 4G LTE – $459
  • iPad mini 32GB 4G LTE – $559
  • iPad mini 64GB 4G LTE – $659

The iPad mini 16GB Wi-Fi only is actually only $30 more expensive than the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and it doesn’t require the need for a contract. All five U.S. carriers will likely be offering the Galaxy Note 2 starting at $299.99 for the 16GB Galaxy Note 2. AT&T, Sprint and U.S. Cellular revealed that pricing and it’s likely that T-Mobile and Verizon will follow suit.

In fact, T-Mobile is currently rumored to cost exactly that, $299.99.

There is currently no word on whether U.S. carriers will launch 32GB and 64GB models but if they do, expect steep price tags.

29 Comments

29 Comments

  1. Picasol

    10/23/2012 at 2:42 pm

    iPad mini’s spec is outdated.. way over priced and barely can hold with one hand. Does not fit in the pocket and last but not least, it does not make phone calls.
    Steve Jobs said, iPad mini would never happen,,, but looks who’s getting desperate now..

  2. mrclean

    10/23/2012 at 2:55 pm

    You know I’ve heard several times in different reviews about how silly people will look talking on a phone that big up beside your face (SGN2). Well in my opininion, I believe if you can walk around and see people holding up a tablet in the air and take photos? And not think that looks a little unusual in itself.. my point is this: as new devices and technology are forever changing day by day? I say not to worry about How you look Because these unusual looking devices will soon become the normal and everybody will be walking Around with one.. bring it on Samsung I can’t hardly wait.!!!!!

    • mrclean

      10/23/2012 at 3:11 pm

      PS on a funny note.. I collect antiques and I have an old timey payphone. I considered having a buddy video record me (youtube) and I bring this 35 pound payphone to a grocery store and put it in a grocery buggy and start talking on it real loud and draw attention to me in a comedic way. put change in it for extra minutes and talk about moving over to the meat department to get a better signal. Adlib the whole thing drawing attention to me. I THINK THAT WOULD BE HILARIOUS CAN U IMAGINE? HAJAHAHA

    • Allen Crenshaw

      10/23/2012 at 7:30 pm

      What was humorous to me was seeing a parent at my son’s track meet with an I-Pad mounted on a tripod.. Yes a TRIPOD… taking pictures and videos. My wife purchased the latest I-Pad about 3 months ago. I was amazed at how clear the videos were, even those shot indoors at a wedding we attended.

  3. TDubya

    10/23/2012 at 2:56 pm

    My samsung galaxy tab 7.7 is way more of a device than the iPad mini and i have had it for over 6 months already. Why not try comparing the mini to the Samsung galaxy tab 7.7? Yes I am getting the note 2.

    • Karen Murray (@KarenLynx)

      10/23/2012 at 4:59 pm

      I also have the tab 7.7 and I agree!!! Also getting the note 2. I give workshops for teachers and so I have an iPad 3. In my opinion, it’s only good because my teachers insist on it. However, I only use the 7.7 personally.

  4. Luther Cale (@luthercale)

    10/23/2012 at 3:00 pm

    I myself considered this dilemma (dumb phone + iPad mini LTE) vs Galaxy Note 2, so I was glad to see someone comparing the two (especially since most people wouldn’t consider them competitors).

    I ended up going with the Galaxy Note 2 as my ONE carry everywhere device. It has been brilliant in this regard. I am using the international unlocked one on a StraightTalk plan with everything for $45/month. The Note 2 screen is great and for reading, browsing, etc. Call quality and audio quality good. I put in a 64 GB memory card, no problem. I can see everything perfectly. It also has some seriously cool (& useful to me) features not available on the Apple products. No doubt, reading and surfing would be even better on a slightly bigger screen, but the Note 2 just nails in terms of the perfect size for a pocketable, carry everywhere device.

    • Jerry

      10/23/2012 at 4:05 pm

      So how is your surfing experience on the Note II with StraightTalk? Any throttling? Just curious. Thanks.

  5. Can'twaitmoreforGN2

    10/23/2012 at 3:27 pm

    This has to stop now!!!! The whole universe already knows that the GN2 the crown for note and that’s that! theirs no competitors! Ps everyone enjoy your note 2 tomorrow I still have to wait for the 32gb, oh that goes for former isheeps too!

  6. Peter

    10/23/2012 at 3:36 pm

    That’s a cute iPad for the same people who buy miniature purse dogs because they can store it away easily. I don’t get why it’s priced so high when the Nexus 7 is already out for a fraction of the price.
    Oh well, I made some memes to celebrate the announcement.
    https://cmemes.com/ipad-mini-release-memes/

  7. Josh Thompson

    10/23/2012 at 4:16 pm

    Let me get this straight, a comparison between the GN2 and the iPad Mini. Seeing that the Mini is basically the same as my iPad 2, I ‘d have to give it to the GN2. My wife has the iPad 3, to be honest the “iPads” get boring very quickly. I saw a demo unit of GN2 at work, it will be replacing my iPad and iPhone.

  8. Ivor Thomas

    10/23/2012 at 6:50 pm

    The reviewer lost a lot of credibility with that comment “the mini will support stylus too” as if there is any comparison at all. I’m writing this post via the Samsung “Daddy Note’s” handwriting recognition–something that would probably give an Apple Fanboy an aneurysm! And I bet it will be even more brilliant on the new Baby Note 2 running buttery JB. Valid comparison topic though, so kudos for that!

  9. Allen Crenshaw

    10/23/2012 at 7:36 pm

    I picked up one of the new Samsung Galaxy GS3 phones for my son the other day. It’s a lovely, fast and sophisitcated device, yet it’s big brother, the Galaxy Note-II is even better from what I’m reading. I’m going to get a Note-II for myself after the initial batch has cleared the stores. Don’t want any of the first batch workmanship glitches that plagued the I-Phone5 when it was first sold last month.

  10. David

    10/24/2012 at 3:03 pm

    The ipad mini nails it as far as being a perfect size, the 7″ tablets are just a touch too small, been using the Kindle Fire and it sucks. The Samsung 7.7 is way overpriced, plus you can’t get them anywhere, people at the Samsung display booth that had all their new products on display didn’t even know anything about it. I’ll be getting the Note2 also, that phone is amazing, web browsing is great and it’s a perfect size for a phone.

  11. John

    10/24/2012 at 5:11 pm

    I have the iPhone 5 and I am verry disappointed about the battery life. But when the note 2 32GB comes out for sale, I will be a buyer. If I like it. I never be an Appel buyer again. The iPod, iPad, and I phone have so many restrictions, that it’s no fun anymore. Samsung listen to their cliënts, and that’s the way it should be. Appel becomes to arrogant.

  12. Best iphone5 Case

    10/25/2012 at 1:24 am

    There are some fundamental difference between two galaxy Note2 and ipad mini Note2 is fablet where ipad mini is a tablet. so comparing them would be tough as per spec is concern note2 is miles ahead

  13. Min Myanmar

    10/26/2012 at 10:40 am

    Node my head for Note 2!
    Bye iPad mini.

  14. Min Myanmar

    10/26/2012 at 10:47 am

    Note 2 for my 2morrow !! :p

  15. Arrow to Apple

    10/26/2012 at 9:45 pm

    I agree to note 2 fan. I am a die hard apple geek. I have almost every gen of iPads, iPhones, iPods, ya da… The new iPhone 5 and mini is just a diss appointment! ESP the iPhone specs… What were they thinking putting mediocre parts and try to market it prestigious???

  16. Leo

    10/26/2012 at 10:20 pm

    Jailbreak iPad mini, and a whole new world of limitless possibilities open up…including the capability of using it as a phone!!

  17. Zobair

    11/05/2012 at 10:25 pm

    I am so excited, I have had the note 2 for a week and a half now, and it is as good as everyone says. Thank you Samsung for an amazing product.

  18. White Fire 2012

    11/06/2012 at 1:11 am

    God can not believe that any one would even try to compare the two?
    Bad news for Apple all round, not a fandroid or I sheep users to date.

    First time into the premium smart phone market which note 2 is not being a Fablet.
    Fablets are the way of the future for those who want it.
    This market will only grow and get better more bad news for any one ales out their including of course apple.

    It is my personal choice informed as it can be with out actually using one to date.
    The note 2 is simple the best all round device on the market right now, as two tomorrow well teck keeps moving forward as it should good bad terrible or other wise.

    Good luck out their to any one ales getting into the market but have made my choice time will tell if its the right one for me.

  19. Partsguy

    11/08/2012 at 3:40 am

    Jobs said they would never make a 7inch ipad and yet they now have a ipad mini.! He also said that Apple would never make an iphone with a 4inch screen, then the iphone5 comes out with a 4inch display.! As for specs apple is currently playing catch up to android also. The only reason why people buy iphones is because it’s trendy. I’m a former iphone 4s owner and tried a android phone when my upgrade was up, I can honestly say that I don’t miss my iphone and that Apple would have to do a lot of improvements to get me to purchase another iphone.

    • Ivor Thomas

      11/10/2012 at 9:39 am

      Apple’s Jobs also famously said stylus = fail. Boy was he ever wrong! Apple needs to seriously rethink that. I would buy a Mini sized tablet IF it had a pressure sensitive stylus and a sunlight capable non-glare screen. That would be an outstanding gadget for students, business folks, artists, writers, book readers, etc. Who ever does this first (and best) gets my money for a long time!

  20. Wendy

    11/08/2012 at 5:17 pm

    Should i stay with the original or upgrade to the 2?

  21. tim smith

    11/12/2012 at 10:40 am

    what is this tablets getting smaller but phones getting bigger were going back in time not forward.

  22. n7000

    11/14/2012 at 12:27 am

    I’m upgrading from sweet Rom gn1 to gn2 jb…Aww yeah!

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