For those who like a larger screen with their smartphone, Verizon Wireless now offers both of the best options available on the market. Well, all three if you consider the LG Intuition. Yesterday Samsung’s popular Galaxy Note II finally arrived at Verizon stores nationwide and online so today we’ve decided to compare it to the impressive HTC DROID DNA. Below you’ll find a quick hands-on with the Note II, followed by a DROID DNA comparison and a few pictures for fun.
Both of these new smartphones are nearly as high end as it gets. We have HD displays, quad-core processors, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and more so lets run down the specs so you know what we’re working with, then let you enjoy the video. The Galaxy Note II features Samsung’s 5.5-inch 720p HD Super AMOLED display, a 1.6 GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, and an 8 megapixel camera. The HTC DROID DNA is only 5-inches and increases that resolution to 1920 x 1080p — making it the highest to date with 441 pixels-per-inch — and it’s gorgeous. It rocks a 1.5 GHz quad-core from Qualcomm, 2GB of RAM, as well as its own impressive 8 megapixel camera too.
Both new flagship smartphones run on the nearly latest version of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, but have their own respective skins over the top. Sense 4+ for HTC and TouchWiz for Samsung, but you guys probably already knew that. The important difference here between these two phones comes down to 3 things. The Galaxy Note II has a massive 3,100 mAh battery that lasts plenty long, while the DNA only has a measly 2,020 mAh battery. No matter how you spin in, the Note II wins. Then the Note II has a replaceable battery and micro-SD slot for expanding storage. The DROID DNA offers neither of those things. Enjoy the quick Note II unboxing and comparison video below.
Above I mentioned there was three main differences with these two phones. The battery and removable storage, but the other biggie is price. The DROID DNA will be $199 with a new 2-year contract, while the Galaxy Note II will run you $299. That extra hundred gets you tons of additional features, a bigger display, better battery life, and a Samsung. While everyone is different the winner here probably should go to Samsung and their Note II, but it is pretty big. Most likely you’ll want to run into your nearest Verizon store and try them both out in your own hands. See if you can handle the size of these phones. Which would you rather have? Let us know in the comments!
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Stylus functionality is a major difference between as well
HTC DNA is just another great phone that would be pulled down from the top in coming weeks. SAMSUNG NOTE II is a niche phone with some additional functionalities that would be useful only to those that need them.
Personally, I prefer the Note because I want to experience something new.
does the dna have bluetooth?
umm yea. Of course it has bluetooth 😉
Really man?
The review does not describe a primary difference between the two phones which gives an unmistakable advantage to the Droid DNA. The Droid DNA has Text Reflow, an amazing HTC feature which enables truly rapid and readable browsing of any webpage with text (such as this article) or any blog or news site (like the NY TImes or any online newspaper). With Text Reflow, when you “pinch and zoom” to a size that you are comfortable with reading, the text instantly, automatically rearranges itself so it can be properly read (now fitting the screen with proper line breaks, but displaying at the size text you personally selected) without having to move the page around repeatedly left and right (as you do on the Galaxy Note II, iphone and most all other phones except the HTC).
Anyone who has used the HTC for just a little while is addicted to it and can’t go back to the other method. Some of the Motorola phones will do a Text Reflow if after the pinch and zoom enlargement you tilt the phone back and forth from landscape view to portrait (or vice versa), but that’s a poor alternative to what HTC provides (automatic Text Reflow). Samsung doesn’t do either.
Some people theorize that the HTC patent for Text Reflow is one of the primary reasons Apple did the recent cross licensing deal with HTC, so that they will now be able to offer Text Reflow on subsequent iPhones and keep Samsung from being able to offer this remarkable feature for many years to come.
Edited to add – I saw that the Maxthon browser for Android (listed on Google Play) offers Text Reflow. If this is true (and if this feature perfoms well on the Galaxy), then the Galaxy note II would be the better choice.
wow.. you make an excellent point
DNA is perfect for what I use it for. Its very well designed and has everything I wanted. I thought I might need the battery and sd but I’m thinking its actually not going to be a problem. Its smaller and lighter and perfect as a phone. If you want to carry something big id rather have a iPad size screen.
The DNA is perfect for what I need it for, i don’t have huge hands and yet I can still text one handed and I have had no problem with storage or the battery, which I can get from 10 to 15 hours of use out ofa full charge. Great design and not to large in the picket either. Good job HTC and great overallphoneoverallphone
I chose to get a Droid DNA over the Galaxy Note 2 mainly because of the
screen. After looking at one, I was sold. The 1080p display is perfect for
watching my shows on. Using the DISH Remote Access app on my phone, I can
stream live TV through the Sling Adapter I have connected to my receiver. Since
it works anywhere, this app is useful when I can’t be home to watch my shows.
One of my DISH coworkers also has a Droid DNA, and we can both agree that it is
the best phone to watch TV on. I would not trade it for any other phone.
I picked the DNA because the note 2 must be rooted to use data overseas (or on AT&T) and i could not get the delayed lock functionality to work correctly on the Samsung. I also thought that the stylus was cute but not practical in every day usage for me. The DNA had its own problems such as battery and loss of options in sense, but for me those are things i can better live with.
I picked the DNA because it had the most bang for the buck. I paid $49.99 on LetsTalk.com. For that price, there was no question which one I was going with. I have small hands and the Note was just too big.