iPhone 5 vs Samsung Galaxy Note 2: spec comparison
Size & Weight
The 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6mm iPhone 5 may be taller than any of its predecessors, but it will look positively dwarf-like against the jumbo Galaxy Note 2. Samsung’s model measures up at 151.1 x 80.5 x 9.4mm, making you far more aware of its pocket-presence than the iPhone. Its 180g weight is 68g more than Apple’s new phone, a gap that could easily have been larger given the size of the Note, so credit to Samsung for keeping such a large device fairly nimble.
Display
With a giant 5.5in screen, the Note 2 plays more heavily on the visual element, even if the iPhone’s new 4in display will be deemed ample by most. The latter’s resolution should appear tighter to the trained eye, with its 1136 x 640 pixels and density of 326 PPI, going against the Note’s 1280 x 720 pixels and 267 PPI. The HD Super AMOLED Plus technology used on the Note’s face has been heralded for its quality, but expect the iPhone 5’s IPS LCD to produce images and words that little bit crisper.
Storage & Memory
Both of these high-spec devices come in 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB models. But, crucially, for those who want to go to town on the file storage, the Galaxy Note 2 has a microSD card slot unlike the iPhone 5, allowing expansion by a further 64GB for a whopping 128GB in total. Samsung’s oversize phone also has an impressive 2GB of RAM; a stat that hasn’t been confirmed for the iPhone 5. Will it match up to its rival in this department?
Processor
Among the gaps left in Apple’s launch presentation were the real nitty-gritty details of the iPhone 5’s A6 processor. The consensus seems to point to a dual-core engine, which would put it in the shade of the Note 2’s powerful quad-core Exynos 4412, which clocks in a highly commendable 1.6GHz.
Software
Here, we are faced with the crème-de-la-crème in mobile software battling it out for supremacy. The latest iteration of Apple and Android’s market-leading operating systems sees iOS 6 face up to 4.1 Jelly Bean. Both list a wealth of features; both have pulled in strong reviews. Usually, operating systems come down to personal preference, but perhaps Apple’s slightly more extensive app store to Google Play, just gives the iPhone software victory by a whisker.
Camera
We’re splitting hairs in this category. The rear camera on both devices are 8-megapixel affairs, with 3264×2448 pixel resolution, recording video in 1080p at 30 frames per second. But just giving the Galaxy Note 2 the edge is its 1.9-megapixel front-facing camera, that will be slightly superior to the iPhone 5’s 1.2-megapixel front cam when it comes to video calls and the like.
Specification Table
| iPhone 5 | Galaxy Note 2 | |
| Display | ||
| Screen size | 4in | 5.5in |
| Resolution | 1136 x 640 pixels | 1280 x 720 pixels |
| Pixel density | 326 PPI | 267 PPI |
| Type | IPS LCD | HD Super AMOLED Plus |
| Processor and battery | ||
| Family | Apple A6 | Samsung Exynos 4412 |
| Cores | TBC | Quad core |
| Clock speed | TBC | 1.6GHz |
| Battery | TBC | 3100 -mAh |
| Claimed 3G talk time | 8h | TBC |
| Storage and memory | ||
| RAM | TBC | 2GB |
| Internal storage | 16 / 32 / 64GB | 16 / 32 / 64GB |
| microSD | No | Yes, up to 32GB |
| Camera | ||
| Megapixels | 8MP | 8MP |
| Resolution | 3264 x 2448 pixels | 3264×2448 pixels |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Front-facing camera | 1.2MP | 1.9MP |
| Wireless | ||
| Network | 4G LTE | 4G LTE |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11 a/b/g/n | 802.11 a/b/g/n |
| NFC | No | Yes |
| Bluetooth | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Dimensions | ||
| Size | 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6mm | 151 x 80.5 x 9.4mm |
| Weight | 112g | 180g |
| Operating System | iOS 6 | Android 4.1 Jelly Bean |
