The Evolution of Samsung Galaxy Note

Samsung pretty much started the “phablet” category by initially offering the Galaxy Note a few years back. Throughout the years the company has been releasing successors with bigger displays and better performing internals. With the fourth generation Note just announced yesterday, let’s take a quick trip down memory lane and look back at how the Galaxy Note started and developed their participation in the phone-tablet hybrid scene.

Display

One of the prominent changes in the Note’s lineup is the display. The first Galaxy Note started with just 5.3 inches with HD graphics and 1280 x 800 resolution with 285 pixels per inch (ppi). It was then partnered with Corning’s first-ever Gorilla Glass to reinforce its Super AMOLED display.

The next iteration, the Galaxy Note II, got bigger display at 5.5-inch with the second version of Gorilla Glass. The Note 3 then went bigger and stretched it to 5.7-inch and was protected by Gorilla Glass 3. The company also gave it a Full HD display for the first time.

The very first Samsung Galaxy Note.

Finally, with the Note 4, we get the same 5.7-inch screen but it’s now equipped with Quad HD resolution of 2560 x 1440. It still got the latest protection from Corning while keeping the same Super AMOLED technology. From the first Note with 285ppi, the Note 4 now has 513ppi – almost double the pixel density!

Processor

A good display is certainly nothing without good processing power. The Note family has been known to provide more than one version of CPU varying from their own Exynos system and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chip.

Samsung Galaxy Note 2

For the first iteration there was the dual-core Snapdragon CPU clocked only at 1.5GHz and a 1.4GHz Exynos dual-core variant. Fast forward to three years later and we now have the latest Snapdragon quad-core processor at a blazing 2.7GHz and a 1.9GHz octa-core Exynos CPU.

Features

One feature that sets apart the Notes from other phablets is their S Pen functionality that makes working easier. It has been one of the selling points that remained unchanged throughout all versions. With the Note 4, the company claims that it is now more responsive and precise than ever before. Additional functions that appeared first on the Note 4 are its fingerprint scanner and heart rate monitor as fitness trackers are slowly gaining popularity in the market.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 during its IFA launch last year.

Below is a detailed specs comparison between four generations of Galaxy Note in a span of three years.

Galaxy Note	Galaxy Note II	Galaxy Note 3	Galaxy Note 4
5.3-inch HD Super AMOLED display (1280 x 800)	5.5-inch HD Super AMOLED display (1280 x 720)	5.7-inch Full HD Super AMOLED display (1920 x 1080)	5.7-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED display (2560 x 1440)
285ppi	267ppi	386ppi	513ppi
Corning Gorilla Glass	Corning Gorilla Glass 2	Corning Gorilla Glass 3	Corning Gorilla Glass 3
1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 8255T dual-core processor		2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor	2.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 quad-core processor
1.4GHz Exynos 4210 dual-core processor	1.6GHz Exynos 4412 quad-core processor	1.9GHz Exynos 5420 octa-core (1.9GHz quad + 1.3GHz quad-core) processor	1.9GHz Exynos 5433 octa-core (1.9GHz quad + 1.3GHz quad-core) processor
Adreno 220 / Mali-400MP GPU	Mali-400MP GPU	Adreno 330 GPU / Mali-T628 MP6 GPU	Adreno 420 GPU / Mali-T760 GPU
1GB RAM	2GB RAM	3GB RAM	3GB RAM
16/32GB internal storage	16/32/64GB internal storage	16/32/64GB internal storage	32GB internal storage
up to 64GB via microSD	up to 64GB via microSD	up to 64GB via microSD	up to 64GB via microSD
8-megapixel rear camera w/ LED flash	8-megapixel rear camera w/ LED flash	13-megapixel rear camera w/ LED flash	16-megapixel rear camera w/ OIS & LED flash
2-megapixel front camera	1.9-megapixel front camera	2-megapixel front camera	3.7-megapixel front camera, f/1.9 aperture
HSPA+	HSPA+	4G LTE, HSPA+	4G LTE, HSPA+
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
	NFC	NFC	NFC
Bluetooth v3.0, A2DP, EDR	Bluetooth 4.0, A2DP, EDR, LE	Bluetooth 4.0, A2DP, EDR, LE	Bluetooth 4.1, A2DP, EDR, LE
		IR LED	IR LED
GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS	GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS	GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS	GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
USB 2.0, MHL	USB 2.0, MHL	USB 3.0, MHL 2	USB 2.0, MHL 2
S Pen stylus	S Pen stylus	S Pen stylus	S Pen stylus
			Fingerprint sensor, Heart rate monitor
2,500mAh battery	3,100mAh battery	3,200mAh battery	3,220mAh battery
Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread	Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean	Android 4.3 Jelly Bean	Android 4.4.4 KitKat
146.85 x 82.95 x 9.65mm	151.1 x 80.5 x 9.4 mm	151.2 x 79.2 x 8.3 mm	153.5 x 78.6 x 8.5 mm
178	183 grams	168 grams	176 grams
Released October 2011	Released September 2012	Released September 2013	Released September 2014

Each of the Galaxy Note has somehow led the pack in its category during their respective times. Providing their users with speedy performance, efficiency at work-related tasks, and a battery life that lasts, the Note just keeps on improving after every version making them one of the most preferred phablets today.