The grandest matchup to involve the two biggest rivals in the smartphone showground may very well entail their flagships, the Apple iPhone 6 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 4. These phones have powerful specs housed in their outsized builds, which all the more invites a full-blown showdown that is sure to be all too fiery.
Apple's trademark is a prepossessing aluminum body. This is of course exhibited in the spanking new iPhone 6. It is also made more refined with its 6.9-mm thick body. It's basically one of the few slim-bodied handsets out there. The Samsung Galaxy Note 4, on the other hand, is of soft plastic but its band is made of metal. When measured up to the iPhone 6, it would look too bulky with its 8.5-mm body. For those that are all for classiness, Apple undoubtedly hitches the win.
The iPhone 6 may be Apple's first attempt to establish a full-sized handset line-up, but when put side by side by the Note 4, it turns into an undersized block. Note 4's 5.7-inch display is an inch larger than iPhone 6's 4.7-inch screen. But the difference is set aside when resolution comes into the picture. The former's Quad HD screen generates a 1440 x 2560 resolution and a 515 ppi pixel density, which delivers sharp and unspoiled details. The latter's Retina HD display renders a 750 x 1334 pixels and a 326 ppi pixel density, which as Gizmag assured, give off crisp visuals.
The iPhone 6 is loaded with a 1.2 GHz 64-bit dual-core A8 processor—an Apple feat. It is coupled with 1 GB of RAM. The Note 4 is powered by a 2.7 GHz 32-bit quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 complemented with a 3 GB RAM. Regardless of the differing anatomies (with the iPhone 6 looking inferior), performance is equally smooth and speedy.
Gizmag also discovered on their hands-on session with the phones how their imaging capabilities 'are among the best you'll find in smartphones'. The Samsung flagship sports a 16-megapixel rear-facing shooter and is especially better when used in low-lit conditions. Albeit the iPhone 6's 8-megapixel main camera, colorful snaps are guaranteed. The Note 4 also has a 3.7-megapixel front-facing camera, with modes tailored to capture great-looking selfies. The iPhone 6 has a comparable 1.2-megapixel FaceTime camera.
The Apple iPhone 6 is guaranteed a 14-hour battery life. This is outlasted by Samsung Note 4's 20-hour usage time. The Samsung device is also integrated with fast charging technology, allowing it to juice up to 50 percent in just 37 minutes. It can also switch to Ultra Power Saving Mode, protracting its remaining 10 percent to 24 hours of use.
Both phones have fingerprint sensors. The Note 4 requires a swipe, while the iPhone 6 needs a user's finger to rest on the home button for a short second to gain access. These scanners go together with the assimilation of the Apple Pay and the Google Wallet. The Note 4 also has a heart sensor sitting at the back of it. Lastly, it has a micro SD slot, which it probably needs, as it only offers 32 GB and 64 GB models. The Apple iPhone comes in 16 GB, 32 GB and 128 GB. The former comes in four color variants— Frosted White, Charcoal Black, Bronze Gold and Blossom Pink. Users who opt for the latter can pick among Space Gray, Silver and Gold.
The Apple iPhone 6 is attached to a $650 price tag and can be purchased from carriers for $200. The Note 4 costs $50 more but costs go down when bundled with a 2-year contract with any major carrier in the U.S.
