Consumers are going to have some great choices when it comes to choosing a new phablet. Let's take a look at how Google's Nexus 6, Samsung's Galaxy Note Edge and Apple's iPhone 6 Plus compare.
Ever since Samsung released the original Galaxy Note in 2011 the company has reigned supreme in the phablet world. Fast forward to 2014 and the company is facing huge competition from both Apple and Google's first entry into the phablet game with the iPhone 6 Plus and Nexus 6. While all three devices share large displays and powerful internals, they each bring something different to the table. It's time to take a look at how these three flagship phablets stack up.
For years Apple ignored the trend Android smartphones began in terms of shipping handsets with displays larger than the 3.5-inch display Steve Jobs and Apple deemed as being the perfect size. As it became clear that consumers wanted larger smartphones, Apple caved and released the 4-inch iPhone 5 in 2012 and upped the ante in September when it released the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus.
Samsung also unveiled its latest Galaxy Note phablets in September with the Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge. Google quickly followed with its own oversized smartphone when it launched the Motorola built Nexus 6 and now consumers have more choices than ever to find the perfect phablet.
Apple's iPhone 6 Plus features a 5.5-inch Retina HD display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 and a pixel density of 401 pixels per inch (ppi). Apple offers the iPhone 6 Plus in three storage configurations; 16 GB, 64 GB, and 128 GB of internal storage. The phablet packs in an 8-megapixel rear camera with OIS (optical image stabilization) and a 1.2-megapixel front-facing FaceTime HD camera. It's powered by Apple's new A8 processor and runs iOS 8.1.1. The iPhone 6 Plus features a non-removable 2,915 mAh battery that will provide up to 24 hours of talk time and its dimensions come in at 158.1 x 77.8 x 7.1mm and it weighs 6.07 oz. Apple's iPhone 6 Plus can be purchased from AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile and starts at $299 when signing a new 2-year contract.
The Samsung Galaxy Note Edge features a 5.6-inch Quad HD curved display that essentially provides a second screen for notifications, media controls and more, without interfering with the main display. The Galaxy Note Edge has a jaw-dropping resolution of 2560 x 1440 and a pixel density of 524 pixels per inch (ppi). Samsung has included 32 GB of internal storage and a microSD expansion slot that will allow users to expand its memory by using up to a 128 GB microSD card (iPhone 6 Plus and Nexus 6 don't offer an expansion slot). When it comes to on-board cameras, the Note Edge is packing a 16-megapixel rear camera with OIS (optical image stabilization) and a 3.7-megapixel front-facing camera for video chat and selfies.
Samsung is using a powerful 2.7GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor and it ships with Android 4.4.4 KitKat and Samsung's TouchWiz UI. The Galaxy Note Edge's dimensions are 151.3 x 82.4 x 8.3 mm and it weighs 6.14 oz. Its removable 3,000 mAh battery will provide up to 20 hours of talk time. The Samsung Galaxy Note Edge can be purchased from AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile and starts at $399 when signing a new 2-year contract.
The Google Nexus 6 matches Samsung's Quad HD display resolution but comes in at a larger 5.96-inches, which lowers its pixel density to 493 pixels per inch (ppi). One of the Nexus 6's standout features is that it's the first smartphone to ship with Android 5.0 Lollipop, which brings with it a redesigned UI called Material Design. The Nexus 6 is offered in choice of 32 GB or 64 GB of internal storage (64 GB only offered unlocked through Google Play Store).
The Nexus 6 is powered by the same 2.7 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor found in the Galaxy Note Edge and the phablet recently outperformed many flagship smartphones in benchmark tests. Its camera capabilities consist of a 13-megapixel rear camera with OIS (optical image stabilization) and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera for selfies and video chat. Google has included a large non-removable 3,220 mAh battery that will provide up to 20 hours of talk time. The Nexus 6's dimensions come in at 159.3 x 83 x 10.1 mm and it weighs 6.49 oz. Google sells the unlocked 32 GB Nexus 6 for $649 and 64 GB for $699. AT&T and Sprint are offering the 32 GB phablet for $249 and $299 when signing a new 2-year contract.
So which is the best phablet for you? If you're an iOS fan, there's no better choice than Apple's iPhone 6 Plus. Android fans will have a tougher decision when choosing between the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge and Google Nexus 6. If you want the latest and greatest version of Android and timely updates, the Nexus 6 is the obvious choice. If you want to be on the cutting edge with two displays and the added convenience of Samsung's S Pen, the Galaxy Note Edge is definitely worth a look.
