The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is set to be launched on all major carriers in the United States on Aug. 19. The upcoming flagship smartphone for the South Korean electronics conglomerate is surrounded by a lot of hype, pushed forward by its top-end features and specifications and an aggressive marketing campaign by Samsung.
It should be remembered, however, that the Galaxy Note 7 is actually the successor to the Galaxy Note 5. Samsung decided to skip a number in the series to eliminate inconsistencies in its product line, as it released the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge earlier this year. However, the bigger reason is that Samsung thought naming the device as the Galaxy Note 6 will make customers think that it is inferior to Apple's upcoming flagship smartphones, the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.
The iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus are expected to be released by September or October, with the larger model expected to go head-to-head with the Galaxy Note 7 in the cutthroat smartphone market. For customers looking to purchase a high-end, large-display smartphone, should they grab the Galaxy Note 7 this month, or wait a month or two for the iPhone 7 Plus?
A quick comparison of the specifications and features of the two smartphones should give customers a better idea on which device they should purchase. It should be noted, however, that with no official announcement yet for the iPhone 7, the details presented below are only rumored ones, though coming from reliable sources.
Display
The Galaxy Note 7 packs a 5.7-inch dual-curved Super AMOLED display with high QHD resolution, a display that has been tagged as the best smartphone display ever.
The 5.5-inch Retina display of the iPhone 7 Plus, meanwhile, is expected to largely be the same as the iPhone 6s Plus, though possibly with an upgraded sharpness to 1,080p.
Processor And RAM
Powering the Galaxy Note 7 are the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 or Samsung Exynos 8890 processors that were used for the Galaxy S7 line, with the chipset used depending on the region of the smartphone. The Galaxy Note 7 also has the same 4 GB of RAM as the Galaxy S7 line.
The iPhone 7 Plus is expected to come with 3 GB of RAM, compared with only 2 GB of RAM of the iPhone 7 and its predecessors iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. The device will be powered by Apple's A10 processor, which is the successor to the A9 chipset used for the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.
Camera
The Galaxy Note 7 also features the same camera as the Galaxy S7 line, with a 12-megapixel rear-facing camera. The iPhone 7, meanwhile, is said to be featuring a dual-lens rear camera system, which is the reason for the RAM upgrade.
Storage
The internal storage of the Galaxy Note 7 starts at 64 GB, compared with the native storage of 32 GB for the Galaxy S7. The Samsung smartphone, however, also features expandable memory through a microSD card slot that will add up to 256 GB in storage.
The iPhone 7, for the first time in the history of Apple's smartphone line, will drop the 16 GB storage option, making the 32 GB option the lowest option in addition to 64 GB and 256 GB models. The iPhone 7, like all other iPhones, will not feature expandable memory.
Other Features
Other important features for the Galaxy Note 7 include the trademark S Pen stylus, which has been upgraded to make it water-resistant and more accurate, a USB Type-C connector and an iris scanner for added security.
The iPhone 7 Plus, on the other hand, is said to be coming with a redesigned Force Touch Home button, with the 3.5mm headphone jack replaced by a Lightning connector. The antenna lines of the smartphone are also said to have been redesigned to give the device a cleaner look.
Price
The Galaxy Note 7 will come with a price tag of $849 once it launches in the United States, while the 32 GB iPhone 7 Plus is rumored to be coming with a price tag of around $900.
Verdict
As always, the final decision comes down to the consumer. The good thing about the decision is that whichever smartphone you decide to purchase, you will surely end up with a high-quality premium smartphone with powerful specifications and the latest features.
