I started drafting the first review shortly after the release of the Note7 in Singapore. By the time I was almost done with the first draft, the sales were stopped, and the global exchange announced.
In anticipation for the relaunch, and after spending some time with the exchanged unit, I started drafting the second review. A few things has happened since then that would change my opinion of the Note7. There are now newer phones like the iPhone 7 Plus, Google Pixel XL, and LG V20 to contend with. There are now risks, and inconveniences involved with the ownership of the Note7. Well, what do you know, after a few reports of replacement Note7 deemed safe starting burning up again, sales and production was halted. This time for good.
While investigations are underway, the Note7 is now dead. The results of the investigation is moot. Samsung Singapore has announced (as of 12th October 2016) that, "Singapore customers will be able to exchange their Galaxy Note7 for a Galaxy S7 edge, a Galaxy S7, or another device, with a refund of the price difference between devices. Alternatively, they may return their Galaxy Note7 for a refund."
I still maintain that the Note7 is a damn good phone, and one of Samsung’s best yet. It’s just one that no one should buy, even if Samsung ever starts producing them again. So in this blog post, let’s take a quick look at what the Note7 could have been.
-----
Design wise, this is the one of the best looking phone alongside the S7 Edge. You get the same IP68 water and dust resistance despite a silo for the S-Pen.
The Note7 has the best looking display I have seen on a phone thus far, besting even the S7 Edge. In fact for the past few years, each Samsung phone's display looks better than its predecessor, a mightily impressive feat. Testament to Samsung's hardware chops.
Other than a fast fingerprint sensor, Note7 has an Iris scanner as well. Might not be useful for locking the phone, but great for locking stuff up in Secure Folder. I can keep my personal data safe from prying eyes, and even have another instance of an app in there (like a different WhatsApp account).
Probably one of the best chipset in the market for Android smartphones, the Exynos processor has proven to be a powerhouse. It's the same processor as on the S7 Edge, so in short, it's good.
TouchWiz is still TouchWiz though. Software is both the phone's best, and worst trait. Best in the sense of the S-Pen, and some useful software features like Always on Display. Worst in the sense that it is filled with a lot of Samsung's own bloat still.
Pretty much the only thing I use the S-Pen for despite its numerous features. Samsung's own ArtCanvas app is pretty dope too, and a must-have for the Note7.
The smaller battery of 3,500mAh expectedly yields a slightly shorter battery life compared to the S7 Edge, but it's decent enough to last a day of use easily for me.
The Note7 has one of, if not the best camera experience on a phone at this point in time (yet to test Google's Pixel, but it's said to be really good). Quick to launch, insanely fast to focus, smooth viewfinder even in lowlight, responsive UI, quick to save and capture, and great image quality.
Auto mode takes care of everything, and Auto-HDR is superb and natural looking. Images tend to be a bit on the saturated side, but it does make the colours "pop" a bit more.
Great lowlight performance, albeit with the similar tendencies for slight over-saturation. Focusing is fast and accurate. Apple upped their camera game with the iPhone 7, and while I think Samsung still has the upper hand here, Apple is not far behind. In areas like colour accuracy and white balance, Apple is still king.
Full resolution images here for anyone interested.
-----
To sum it up, the Note7 does pretty much every thing well, and is at the top of its game in a number of areas. Display, camera, functionality, and design. If you're just comparing Android devices, it has arguably the best processor as well in my opinion. Its only downside would be TouchWiz, which still isn't as polished as I would have liked, but definitely something I can live with.
If not for its battery issues, the Note7 would be an easy recommend for anyone looking for a great Android device. But alas, the Note7 was not meant to be. On the bright side for Samsung, for users looking for a large screen device and don't need the S-Pen, the S7 Edge is still a damn good phone (and one of the best Android phone still) that offers 90% of what the Note7 does without all the fireworks.
There are a few other options if your faith in Samsung is wearing a bit thin. The iPhone 7 Plus would be the obvious choice if you need a replacement phone urgently. If you want to stick with Android, you are going to have to wait a little longer. Google's own Pixel XL looks promising but hasn't had any reviews out there yet, and probably won't be sold in Singapore anytime soon. LG's V20 will be sold here in Singapore soon, but there aren't any reputable reviews out there just yet too.
This battery debacle will likely piss a lot of people off. Trust in the brand will drop. While the whole ordeal could have been handled better, respect to Samsung for pulling the Note7 and taking the hit. This will be the first step towards restoring their brand image.
No comments:
Post a Comment