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5 Ways the Galaxy Note 3 Beats the iPhone 5s

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The iPhone 5s and the Galaxy Note 3 are among the best smartphones available on any carrier in the U.S. each with distinct advantages. We’re going to look at five ways the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 beats the iPhone 5s, in a quick list that will help prospective buyers pick the best phone to fit their needs.

Side by side the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and the iPhone 5s deliver a dramatically different experience if only in size, but there is much more to the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 than a large screen. Samsung addressed many issues with earlier Note smartphones to deliver a large, yet usable smartphone that is more than good enough to convince some iPhone users to switch.

iPhone 5s Review | Galaxy Note 3 Review

The Galaxy Note 3 no longer enjoys the overall benefit of a better Google experience that Android smartphones used to carry as a badge of honor thanks to vastly improved Google apps for iPhone, so Samsung turned to specific features to deliver a better experience than the iPhone 5s for some users.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is better than the iPhone 5s in five key areas.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is better than the iPhone 5s in five key areas.

While the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 enjoys distinct areas of excellence over the iPhone 5s, there are also ways in which the iPhone 5s is a better smartphone, which we will explore in the near future.

There is no one perfect phone for every user, and with that in mind here are five areas the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 outperforms the iPhone 5s, which buyers should be aware of before signing a two-year contract.

Galaxy Note 3 S Pen & Software

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 packs a new and improved S Pen that slides inside the Note for travel. The S Pen is more than just a stylus that allows you to tap on the screen, it can work with specific apps to turn off the touch part of the screen for easier note taking.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 S Pen and software is an advantage over the iPhone 5s.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 S Pen and software is an advantage over the iPhone 5s.

When you remove the S Pen, Air Command opens up allowing users to pick between multiple apps that let them search, take a quick note, use the stylus to launch a command and draw a window to launch specific apps.

The iPhone does not include a stylus, and small ones that are available don’t offer the same level of support. Not every user needs this, but business users and contractors we talk to appreciate the ability to jot down notes or draw diagrams easily on the screen while talking on a Bluetooth headset.

Better Battery Life and Expandable Storage

Apple does a decent job of delivering good battery life, but the iPhone can’t complete with a battery that is almost as big as the iPhone. As an added bonus the Galaxy Note 3 allows users to add storage with a Micro SD card.

The Galaxy Note 3 battery is almost as big as the iPhone 5s.

The Galaxy Note 3 battery is almost as big as the iPhone 5s.

While using the iPhone 5s heavily I need to charge in the early evening, especially if I am talking on the phone a lot during the day. The Galaxy Note 3 lasts longer and occasionally nears the two-day mark with average use and easily goes through a full day of heavy use without the need for a recharge.

Galaxy Note 3’s Massive HD Display

The Note 3 is more than a big HD display, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a big feature. The Galaxy Note 3 brings a 5.9-inch 1080p display to the party, while the iPhone 5s only offers a 4-inch 1136 x 640 resolution.

Some users love the small display of the iPhone that is easy to use with one hand and allows Apple to keep a smaller overall size.

If you watch movies or TV on your phone, or even prefer your phone to owning a tablet, the Note 3 display is a big bonus.

If you watch movies or TV on your phone, or even prefer your phone to owning a tablet, the Note 3 display is a big bonus.

Other users appreciate the larger full HD display of the Galaxy Note 3 which offers a bigger canvas for reading, watching movies and surfing the web.

Personally the Galaxy Note 3 is better suited for watching TV episodes while at the gym than the iPhone 5s, thanks to the bigger screen. The Note 3 is big enough that it can be a phone and a tablet for some users.

Galaxy Note 3 Multitasking Beats the iPhone 5s

The iPhone 5s offers limited multitasking, but it is essentially for switching apps and allowing some apps to run in the background. This is handy, but as the image below shows it is not the same as using two apps at once on the same screen.

The Galaxy Note 3 delivers multitasking that actually lets you use two apps at once, compared to the iPhone 5s, which is about switching and some background processes.

The Galaxy Note 3 delivers multitasking that actually lets you use two apps at once, compared to the iPhone 5s, which is about switching and some background processes.

The Galaxy Note 3 allows users to run two apps on-screen at the same time, including two versions of the same app if need be. This allows me to use two Google Hangouts windows at once to chat with multiple coworkers or to use a note taking app and a web browser at the same time.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Camera Features

The iPhone offers a magnificent camera, but if you want to do many functions available on point and shoot cameras you cannot use the built-in camera app that is easy to open when the iPhone is locked.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 includes a full featured camera app that let’s users pick a mode to deliver a better photo based on the situation.

Simply put, the Galaxy Note 3 offers more camera features and modes, many of which we wish Apple would incorporate into the iPhone.

Simply put, the Galaxy Note 3 offers more camera features and modes, many of which we wish Apple would incorporate into the iPhone.

The Galaxy Note 3 camera includes a lot of features including an eraser mode that will remove unwanted people from a photo and many others that we actually use on the Note 3.

47 Comments

47 Comments

  1. blaze

    12/21/2013 at 3:57 pm

    Gn3 great phone, the note 2 I had was even good,but the seed is just a step up on the 3..sorry apple your just too small for me.

    • You Mom

      12/23/2013 at 7:28 am

      Like a dwarf chicken……… #YouMom4lyf

  2. Kauri

    12/21/2013 at 4:56 pm

    Small? You are wrong. Android is small. I haven’t used an Android for a while but what I know is that everytime I sell my iPhone it goes like water. I sell it for almost the same price I bought. Android, however, doesn’t get even closer. You loose money ! Besides, Android is slow, buggy and ugly !

    • FUCHIPHONE

      12/21/2013 at 6:46 pm

      “Besides, Android is slow, buggy and ugly” – Just like your MOTHER !

      • Tikorex

        08/01/2014 at 9:20 pm

        Slow ? GN3 has 3 GBM of RAM !!!! Iphone sucks

    • 10SecondCar

      12/22/2013 at 9:00 am

      @Kauri your comment may have been relevant 4 years ago. Had an iPhone 5… Its limited, buggy (apps force close, random shutdowns and reboots), battery life is horrible (on screen time), its slower than most Androids running JB. Snapdragon 800 with JB absolutely crushes iPhone. Also, you obviously have not been on Kijiji or Craigslist either because decent Android phones like Note 2/3, HTC One etc are listed at good resale value.

    • You Mom

      12/23/2013 at 7:19 am

      Q: If your iPhones are so great, why are you selling all of them?
      A: because iPhones suck.

    • blaze

      12/24/2013 at 10:07 am

      Dude..where have you been?? The iPhone sucks ass. .. even w the screen it looses. Stop fooling yourself, and wake up.its over and has always been..The only way apple can catch up on this one is come out w a big screen phone. And I believe the 5s had major problems.

    • derric

      01/12/2014 at 11:46 pm

      That’s the thing you don’t have 2 trade in your android cause the note 3 is the bomb iPhone comes out with the same phone over & over nothing changes oh while is can scan your thumb

    • jojnyffd

      01/13/2014 at 3:18 pm

      Wow. Another baised apple user. Sorry but Every review says note 3 beats iPhone. I came from a iPhone and was so jealous every time I saw the note 3 . So I dumped my midget apple phone for a real phone. The note 3 ranks better for a reason people. It’s like comparing a lexus to a lambo. Apple is played out and way behind they had their time to shine years ago ok . Wake up man the note 3 is way more advanced and I worked for Apple and owned a apple for years. I still work for Apple even though I get a free iPhone and heavy discounts I still own a note 3. He’ll I’d take a galaxy s3 with a custom Rom rooted over a iPhone there s just a lot more things you can do with a galaxy phone that isn’t allowed with iPhone. I do admit I’d rather take a mac over pc but when it comes to phones I’m note 3 all day. We didn’t designed the iphone to be customized and as a developer that bugs me and a lot of people . If your some bubbly female that doesn’t care about custom roms and developing awesome kernels and roms and modems then yes the iPhone is for you. But of your a serious and smart gamer or developer movie producer music producer etc. Than the galaxy phones are for you . Look at this way. My kids have I phones and us adults have note 3.

    • Shenal frank

      02/03/2014 at 8:52 pm

      how can u tell that Android is slow, buggy and ugly ! when u havent use a android for a while dont talk about past …. step in to relity dude even i used iphone after 4s i change it to note 2 and now note 3 best phone i have ever used note 3 UR awesome

    • rjk48446

      05/01/2014 at 10:53 pm

      believe me I’ve been a hardcore Apple fan for years but the note 3 is an amazing phone. it blows away anything I’ve ever owned especially iPhone 5s. I was stubborn not to switch over sooner. Sorry apple. You lost another dedicated user.

  3. Christopher Munton

    12/21/2013 at 5:20 pm

    Always a ifan in room. As the article eludes to each user should pick their phone for the use. I sell phones. The contractors and Realtors love the Note3. Big screen to read emails. The ability to use the pen to edit and cut pictures out. I have them buzzing for this phone. I.seel more iphones, but that is because most people are guided by their friends or lead by fashion.. Personally I need a phone I can read with squinting, and one I can watch movies on during my lunch break. Hands down the Note 3 has a bigger and cleaner viewing for video. I’ll let the isheep keep their small phones. Bigger is better!

    • You Mom

      12/23/2013 at 7:21 am

      Bigger is better… Like your face!

  4. Jim

    12/21/2013 at 7:08 pm

    And 6 months later the android gets no more updates and iPhone 2 years later still gets every new update

    • Michael Graybill

      12/21/2013 at 8:42 pm

      Android 4.1.2 to 4.2.2 to 4.3 to 4.4 KitKat. (that’s just 1 year btw, Android updates far more regularly than iOS.) If you check your older updated iphone capabilities against the newer iphones with the “same” OS version, you will find many features missing, and most of them are the defining features of the updated OS. So yay for you, over two years you basically get glorified security updates. Android is far and away the better experience and much more powerful. I’m on a Note 2 fyi, and recommend iphones often for certain folks. The moment someone decides they want a different experience on their iPhone they find this is not possible without using hacked versions of iOS. Android is so wonderfully easy to make work and look just the way you want. My phone looks and operates radically different from another N2 simply because the other has over time become what that user wanted. Android adapts to your preferred ways of interacting with it, almost nothing is stuck as is. Apple devices have only one way of operating, forcing the user to adapt themselves to how Apple has decided is the best way to use it. Either way is fine, everyone wants what they want and I don’t look down on iPhone users or any nonsense like that, once folks get used to doing things the Apple way I totally understand wanting to use what you know. Android is flexible and best when it’s running vanilla because manufactures are still superimposing their own spin on the OS. Sometimes that is great, mostly I find it more harmful than good because it delays updates for devices that require special treatment to work with what the manufacturer has done to the OS. However, all that said, even the craziest launchers can be replaced with ones like Nova Launcher which provide much more features but can remain just as transparent as vanilla. It just takes minutes to have the device looking and operating vanilla. Each to their own, but I can’t abide the spread of misinformation claiming iOS updates for last gen phones are really getting updated fully. Cuz they don’t! :-D

      • Stephen Austin

        12/21/2013 at 9:41 pm

        Couldn’t have said it better myself!! Very great unbiased comment explaining the huge advantages android has over IOS. Apple does minor updates to older iphone models and that coupled with no way to change the user interface unless rooting which the average joe can’t do or aren’t aware of will be stuck!!!!! Android has made huge leaps and bounds to create an as smooth or smoother experience with Android Jelly Bean 4.3-4.4 KIT KAT than IOS!!!

        • Vince Moretto

          12/22/2013 at 8:47 am

          I love this thread. I work for Samsung as an Experience Consultant and let me tell you. Apple has simply lost their edge that everyone loved about them. I used to be a HUGE Apple FanBoy but those dark days are over. I love my Note 3, Note 2014, and Galaxy gear for that matter. Samsung is in the works for Galaxy Gear 2 and it’s going to rock Apple’s socks off. 2014 is the year of wearable technology weather Apple likes it or not. But they’re being innovative, right? They must perfect the iWatch before they release it instead of getting feedback from the consumer? Makes since I guess. Let me know how that works out. Although Apple could slap a wristband on their iPod nano and call it “innovative”. Apple FanBoys everywhere would flip their lid and think nothing of spending $399 on it for that shiny Apple logo.

    • trob6969

      12/22/2013 at 11:54 am

      …and even with its new updates the iPhone STILL doesn’t have the capabilities of the Android running an old version

    • Paul

      01/09/2014 at 1:50 am

      Galaxy s3 launched almost two years back :) it is still receiving the latest of Updates without any Lag! Ios 7 on iPhone 4s is laggy as shit!

  5. Eric Gladney

    12/21/2013 at 10:44 pm

    I am a retired iPhone user and all I can say is now I have the note 2 and a lot of my friends that have I phones want to switch to android to get a note or s4. I showed one of my friends that I can do multi window plus multitask with multi window, watch a video and so much more at the same time. It literally made him want to take his iPhone and throw it in the trash. Also not to mention the battery, they put a great battery in the note devices as well. On normal use I can go 2 days on one charge. My friend knew about that too. His upgrade is coming soon so he is switching to the note.

    • Dog

      12/21/2013 at 11:05 pm

      If you want a bigger screen get a tablet. If you want a phone get a iPhone. There’s way more better apps and music setup with iOS devices than android devices will ever have. Plus those big screen android devices won’t fit in your pocket easily and are more prone to break when dropped. I mean who really likes walking around talking on the phone with that big freaking phone next to your ear haha. It looks goofy. Also those bigger screen androids have bigger batteries because the screen is so much bigger that It needs more power so the battery doesn’t last any longer than the iPhone. So as far as best phone then iPhone wins. Those big screen androids are on a category on its own. Phablet

      • Chad Williams

        12/22/2013 at 3:00 am

        Hi Dog,
        I can’t afford both a new phone and a new tablet, and don’t want to carry both around, so I went with the Note 3. It is enough of what I need when I’m away from a computer. It looks goofy? According to who? You? I don’t think it looks goofy. And I don’t need a phone to compensate for any insecurities I have about how I look when I’m out.
        Battery life? It’s better on the Samsung – even with the larger screen, so I’m not sure what your point is.
        “Way more better apps [on iOS] … than android will ever have”? Really? Is that a fact? Where’d you get your crystal ball? I want one too. I will concede that Apple seems to offer more high quality apps, but what I need is satisfactorily available on Android.
        Anyway, I hope you don’t justify all your conclusions in life on such flimsy reasoning.
        They may target different markets, but both of these devices are mobile phones and I, like many others, I assume, had to decide between the 5s and the Note 3 when getting a new phone this season. I chose the Note 3 because it meets my needs. A tablet would not meet my mobile phone needs like the Note 3 does, but the Note 3 offers me what I would need from a tablet, albeit at a smaller display size. For anything requiring significant visual real estate I have plenty of time to spend in front of a 24″ computer monitor.
        Thanks.

      • james

        12/22/2013 at 8:30 am

        Sorry but iphone is for someone who doesnt know what a good device is.

      • 10SecondCar

        12/22/2013 at 9:12 am

        @Dog with all due respect your comment is hilarious. The amount of “better apps” is negligible….. I have an ipad and it sits around like a coaster 99 percent of the “apps” you’d actually want to use are on Google Play or release very soon afterwards. IOS devices are also trapped on their app store. Galaxy Note 2/3 and Xperia Z Ultra also fit easily in your pocket you obviously have not tried this and if you have you must wear tight pants! Iphone’s battery life sucks… End of story!! Note 3 with on screen time runs all day and has removable battery as well.

      • OLof

        12/22/2013 at 8:08 pm

        I just finished converting an 2gb HD avi file to mp4 format in my Note3, inserted an OTG usb device and transfered an 8gb movie file list in a zap from my device to thumbdrive. If i have iphone, id rely on dropbox or icloud for that and it’ll take hours for it to finish uploading and downloading. Why? Because iphone is merely for childs play.. Note3 isn’t.

      • Tommy Scott (GALAXY NOTE3)

        12/22/2013 at 9:50 pm

        Screw the I phone. You have to pay for every thing and then they want a credit card on file. Samsung doesn’t do that mess. And the note 3 is much faster and the colors are more vibrant. I had an I phone 5 and the note 2. Even the note 2 was better. Now I have the note 3 and the battery is awsome. I stay on the Internet for hours and hours and still don’t run out of juice. And I am someone that swore apple was better till I owned both phones at the same time. I would use the I phone for a few days then switch back to the note. There’s no comparison. I also had the galaxy s4 and that 30 en blows the I phone away. Even though the s4 is older then the note e the pixels are 440 and the note 3 has 396. But both phone colors and clarity are far more better then the I phone. I’m sorry. I gave my I phone s away to my nephews and he doesn’t even like it. He can’t get free stuff like u can.

      • You Mom

        12/23/2013 at 7:23 am

        Sup Dog I’m You Mom

      • Colin

        01/20/2014 at 5:50 pm

        Utter rubbish, just statements that are simply not true. Android has great music apps as good if not better than the iPhone. The Note fits in a normal pocket and hand very well and because of its shape feels more balanced! I have no problem with taking phone calls on my Note and never have any comments, nor do the 100’s of people I see using larger phones every day. The iphone has a tiny screen running at a lower resolution than the Note so should have a much better battery life. In truth in heavy use the iPhone wont last half a day whereas the Note will do more than twice that. How do I know …. Well I used both iphone and Note for six months together and the Note did all the above and more. The Iphone should not even be called a smart phone as it is too small for the “Smart” functions to be used properly.

  6. CoralJennermad

    12/22/2013 at 3:31 pm

    My Uncle Isaac just got a new yellow MINI Cooper Countryman just by some parttime working online with a computer… have a peek at this site………. https://alturl.com/yinpj

    • You Mom

      12/23/2013 at 7:26 am

      You can’t tell me what to do. I’m You Mom.

  7. Rick

    12/26/2013 at 9:04 am

    Iphones are beautiful devices however the note 3 is a far superior device. I was an avid iPhone fan boy for years because back then Android was garbage. It was laggy and buggy and had horrible battery life and limited apps in comparison to the iphone. All that has changed and Apple has stopped innovating. Every year it’s the same phone with a few minor changes. Samsung is making so many amazing products. I do miss I message because I liked the feature of being able to see when the other person was texting back but that’s not enough to keep me on board apple. Listen apple it simple, clean and it will do a few things really well. Make phone calls, text and has a decent camera. Now with ios 7 you have a pretty good not great features that have just now caught up to android. But the list could go on for days when it comes to android and Samsung. If you want an amazing media experience, if you want a phone that can take the place of a tablet if you want a battery that last all day, if you love the freedom to customize your phone to your needs and preferences than try the note 3.

    • Jamil

      01/09/2014 at 3:16 am

      Hangouts is gonna be the standard messaging app soon. It groups sms/whatsapp imessage style messaging/facetime or skype style video calls with free support for multiple people conferencing at the same time, so don’t worry, you won’t miss imessage for long.

  8. Ali

    01/11/2014 at 10:09 pm

    Guys i dont know wich phone i should buy
    Note 3 or Iphone 5s ? I like android because we can customize it. But i also like iphone 5s. Help

  9. Paul

    01/23/2014 at 4:23 pm

    Big screen beats Squinting like all the schoolgirls at bus stops i see craneing there necks and squinting so hard at the screen. By the way Android surpassed apple for apps in there store didnt you read! on the net. Also apps crash less on Android than on iphone didnt you read. Android has more downloads than apple didnt you read. Note 3 all the way! stick with the 3.5 inch ideal screen apple says you should use LOL

  10. Chris

    01/23/2014 at 4:35 pm

    Well jim i dont know where you bought your phone or how cheap it was, but flagship androids like iphone gets updates. I bought my galaxy note 1 with gingerbread an update later on to icecream then after that an update to jellybean and i live in Australia. So your comment dosent make sense if you bought a quality Android you get updates buy rubbish you get rubbish!

  11. Tommy Scott

    02/15/2014 at 2:15 pm

    Tommy Scott now having the note 3 for 4 months once again hands down the note 3 is the winner. The battery life is freaking awesome. I never have to recharge twice in one day. It’s amazing. The camera is excelkent awesome and picture quality. . I own now a note 3 and a I compare the two devices all the time. The note 3 blows away the iPhone in every aspect all these people make these ridiculous comments if they had both phones at the same time and compare them then they would realize that Samsung has it going on more than Apple. Some people don’t like because the note three is much too big but it out-performs every time it’s so much faster than the iPhone. And the battery life like I said is out of this world. So anyone trying to decide definitely go with the note 3 Apple is in cannot keep up with Samsung devices they are much too fast now the ass 5 is coming out in the iPhone 6 is coming out I’m sure that ass 5 will be better than the iPhone as well then when the note 4 comes out forget it they probably will not have a iPhone 7 for another 2 years so once again Samsung will win in that area.

  12. Note3_4ever

    02/18/2014 at 8:01 am

    iphone 5s sucks like other iOS devices. Note 3 has lots more smart features than iphone 5s. iphone will never be had though parts of these features of note 3. The only clever feature in the iphone 5s, is the sensor that still is not as good as one of so much features of note 3.
    So.. if you have an iOS device, sell it and buy an android device! PS. I do not care about your ugly comments about me :) NOTE 3 forever!!!!

  13. Note3_4ever

    02/18/2014 at 8:03 am

    PS.2. sorry for my bad english

  14. Robert J Smith

    03/02/2014 at 9:04 pm

    Josh,
    There is a typo in your article. You put the Note 3 has a 5.9 inch display…it is actually 5.7 inch.

  15. Mike

    04/05/2014 at 9:23 pm

    Everyone is biased here , most of comments are a big die hard fan of either apple or android.to make it simple both are great phone , when it comes to simplicity iphone is great on that , they dont need super mega fast processor to sell thier phone, it does what you need a phone to do , call , text , listen to music , watch and play . Nothing serious no lagging no crash no battery problem , and then come galaxy note 3 best phone to do whatever you want free download of movies. , audio book free apps customize everythin , and it does more than what iphone can do . But the same problem with android after a couple of years or months is the battery always seems to die and and crashes app all the time . Ive had 4 androids and 2 iphone in my life time , htc google , htc one , gs4 , note 3 and iphone 3 and iphone 5s , the only thing i hate on iphone is screen size, hopefully they manage to make it a little bigger this time

  16. Goodman2014

    04/08/2014 at 2:41 pm

    Despite all the reviews above (and eventually below), The iPhone is by far the superior device. The Note is a good product, don’t get me wrong, but it can’t compare. Ive owned both and without question, Call quality alone, the iPhone beats the Note 3. If its about screen size, then my 70in Flatscreen TV beats them both..but its not.

  17. bigworm

    06/10/2014 at 11:25 am

    Steve Jobs is dead, apple is done for.

  18. willsonmorre

    06/13/2014 at 4:57 am

    It seems that, here the matter goes to brand. if you wanna hold Apple’s product then go for iPhone 5, otherwise the features of Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is really best and awesome with low price.

    To know more about the both products go through the given link:

    https://www.smartphonesale.in/samsung-galaxy-note-3-vs-apple-iphone-5s-comparison-between-specifications

  19. chase

    07/01/2014 at 4:43 pm

    It is amazing how iphone users still try to argue how their kids toy is better. Remember the piece of shit plastic iphone 3g and how terribly slow it was. I had jailbroken an iPhone 3g and the max available ram it ever had was 40-50 mb. Absolutely terrible. And on an ipod touch 4th gen jailbroken only 100mb free ram. Terrible. Even jailbroken iphone 5s only has about 300-350 mb free. This is simply not enough ram. My note 3 has 3gb of ram compared to iphones puny 1gb. My note three always has tons of free ram and never becomes slow or unresponsive like a piece of shit iphone.

  20. Jennifer

    09/22/2014 at 5:26 pm

    All I have to say is that I love my Note III and it rocks! Great job on Galaxy!

  21. homer sarma

    10/22/2014 at 1:56 pm

    Hahaha, funny comments. But apple phones are just to show off.Note 3 is better interms of almost every aspects. Display camera processor usability multitasking everything is better than iphone.Apple fans have money.But we note 3 fans have money plus brain.

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