Android
Don’t Buy the Galaxy Note 4 Right Now
The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is one of the best smartphones on the market and a device that we think consumers should certainly have on their radar. That said, we think right now is probably the worst time to buy the Samsung Galaxy Note 4.
In September, Samsung took to the stage in Berlin, Germany to announce its brand new Galaxy Note. The device, the Samsung Galaxy Note 4, arrived on stage alongside a new wearable and a curved Galaxy Note 4 variant dubbed Samsung Galaxy Note Edge. Both devices went on sale at the tail end of last year and both devices are among the best that Samsung offers right now.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is one of the very best Android phones that you can buy. The Galaxy Note 4 features a gorgeous display, a design that features a combination of plastic and metal, a very good camera, a fast processor, new TouchWiz software, an improved fingerprint sensor, and a presence on the United States’ top five carriers. It’s one of our favorite smartphones and it’s a device that we highly recommend. Just not right now.
Right now, in our opinion, is a terrible time to buy the Samsung Galaxy Note 4. 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 4 right now.
Galaxy S6 Launch Date
The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is a tempting prospect, we know, but if you have the ability to wait a few weeks you should go ahead and do that. In case you haven’t 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 follow up to the Galaxy S5, and a device that’s expected to come with a ton of upgrades. Now, if you’re looking at the Galaxy Note 4, you’re probably interested in the massive display and the S Pen, two things that the Galaxy S6 may not have. That said, we think it would be a huge mistake to buy the Galaxy Note 4 without at least knowing what the Galaxy S6 offers. It will almost certainly offer a whole lot as we’ll point out here in a second.
The Galaxy S6 launch is less than four weeks away. That’s nothing in the smartphone world where device’s are on year cycles. 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 4 will still be there waiting.
Galaxy S6 Specs
Now we mentioned that the Galaxy S6 is supposedly coming with some big time upgrades. There are obviously a number of components to a smartphone but we’ll rundown all of the major ones here.
- 5.1-5.5-inch QHD display
- 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
It’s enough to cause one major publication to claim that the Galaxy S6 will “will bring change to the entire mobile industry.” The 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, we don’t know what is. The Galaxy S6 will have a ton of horsepower and you’d be wise to wait so that you can compare it to the Galaxy Note 4.
Count on a Galaxy S6 edge with a curved display lie the Note Edge shown here.
If you’re looking at the Galaxy Note Edge, the curved Galaxy Note 4 variant, you’re definitely going to want to hold out. Galaxy S6 rumors all point to the arrival of a Galaxy S6 Edge variant with one curved edge instead of two. It’s not yet clear how Samsung will utilize the bent display but it’s probably worth sticking around to find out.
Two Birds, One Stone
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 4 competitor.
HTC One M9 (left) vs HTC One Max/Plus (right)
From what we’ve seen, HTC’s new One M9 is looking very sleek. And like the Galaxy S6, it’s expected to come with a number of improvements over last year’s HTC One M8. Again, these two launches are happening on the same day and it’s not like you have to wait long for these companies to spill the beans.
Unless something or someone is forcing your hand, you’d be wise to stick around so you can have a look at what should be four of the top smartphones of the year.
Galaxy Note 4 Deals
In our eyes, the wait is a win-win situation. Not only do you open up new doors (Galaxy S6, HTC One M9) but there’s a very good chance that we’ll see retailers and maybe some carriers offer Galaxy Note 4 deals in response to these arrivals. We’ve started to see Galaxy Note 4 deals emerge a little more regularly though we still haven’t seen any blockbusters. The arrival of a new Galaxy flagship could certainly be the catalyst that a retailer like Amazon needs to make a significant price cut.
If the Galaxy S6 and HTC One M9 don’t impress you, you can still roll with the Galaxy Note 4. And who knows, maybe it’ll be a little bit cheaper than it is right now. If you do decide to go that route in a few weeks, we won’t blame you. The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is a fantastic smartphone.
