Samsung Galaxy Note 4 review: Still an amazing phablet

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 review: Android and Touchwiz

Samsung has now upgraded the Note 4 to Android 5 Lollipop. So you get all the features of Google’s current operating system, albeit with Samsung’s own Touchwiz take. The company has integrated some of Google’s Material-style effects into its launcher, but it doesn’t go nearly far enough for us.

If you really care about how Android looks, with swizzy animations and the like, then the Note 4 isn’t really for you. However, given all the extra functions that Samsung has built into its phablet, it’s not like you’re not getting something in return.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 review: Camera

On the back is the Note 4’s 16-megapixel camera, which produced excellent photos regardless of lighting conditions. Outdoors, our shots showed plenty of detail and the colours were brighter and richer than those we took on the Galaxy S5 at the same time.

Street signs were also noticeably sharper on the Note 4, and we also felt it exposed the sky much more accurately than the S5, showing fewer over-exposed areas in the bright clouds. HDR mode helped brighten our images further, but the decrease in contrast meant we also lost some of the detail.

^ The Note 4’s camera produced noticeably brighter, more detailed shots than the Galaxy S5

^ Colours were bright and vibrant despite the cloudy weather, but the sky was noticeably overexposed in a few places

^ HDR mode didn’t make a huge difference to the appearance of our photos, but we were pleased with how it improved the exposure of the sky

The Note 4 also proved to be the superior camera indoors, as there was much more detail on show in our still life arrangement than the S5. The soft fur of our plush toys was much more prevalent on the Note 4 and each object looked much sharper round the edges. Colours were also a touch warmer, but not so much that they looked oversaturated.

^ Indoors, our photos showed plenty of detail and we saw hardly any noise

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 review: Verdict

At £390 SIM-free, the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is still the reigning champion of phablet phones. The screen and its stylus, smart design and excellent camera help make it a very attractive alternative to the Galaxy S5. Even its size is no longer an obstacle thanks to Samsung’s one-handed mode.

It offers better value for money over the iPhone 6 Plus, and we prefer the Note 4’s AMOLED screen and better battery life. This makes it a better all-round companion for watching videos, TV or films on the go. For now, the Galaxy Note 4 is the best phablet you can buy