The Android Market Heats Up With Revitalized High-End
Filed under Editorials by Kenneth Pennington on October 16, 2012 at 11:25 AM
Google Android
If this year’s phones from HTC and Samsung weren’t enough to feed your Android addiction, then LG and ASUS’s new offerings might just do the trick. LG officially announced their Optimus G flagship phone back in September, and it boasts a significant specifications bump over the previous Android throne-holders. Today, ASUS doubled down on that specifications bump with their PadFone 2, which offers plenty of juice on top of a convert-to-tablet option.
Android
High-End
Samsung Galaxy Note II
Samsung announced their Galaxy Note II at the end of August in Berlin. Its quad-core Exynos processor, 2GB of RAM, up to 64 GB of storage, 720p HD Super AMOLED display, NFC connectivity, Bluetooth 4.0 support, and 4G LTE modem place it firmly in the new high-end category.
Of course, the Note II brings something unique to the table— the S Pen. Once a commonplace tool in the smartphone industry, the stylus has fallen out of favor with the increasing prevalence of capacitive displays. The S Pen is powered by WACOM, a company that’s been in the industry since the 1980s. There are a number of specialized pen-ready applications built-in to the Note II.
The Note II will launch on all of the major United States carriers. With a quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM, it should blaze through Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.
LG Optimus G
LG’s Optimus G flagship device boasts Qualcomm’s brand new Snapdragon S4 Pro, which is the centerpiece of the flagship platform. The processor is a quad-core Krait-based CPU clocked at 1.5 GHz, and it’s paired with a more powerful Adreno 320 GPU. If you think your Galaxy S III or One X processor is fast, then you’re in for a shock with the upgraded S4 Pro. A brand new GPU gives the Optimus G an edge when transitioning through applications, playing games, or snapping photos. An integrated 4G LTE modem brings high speed connectivity without the same battery sacrifice of earlier LTE modems.
But, the Optimus G’s winning specifications aren’t just centered on its beastly processor. The device has 2GB of RAM, a 13-megapixel camera, a 720p True HD IPS+ display, and a 2100 mAh battery. Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, and Android 4.0 are along for the ride as well.
ASUS PadFone 2
Last but not least, we have the ASUS PadFone 2. Announced in October for a November release window, the PadFone 2 is a unique smartphone-tablet convertible device. The smartphone comes with a 4.7-inch Super IPS+ HD display, while the tablet frame comes with a 10.1-inch 1280 x 800 HD IPS display. When plugged in to the frame, the smartphone powers the full tablet experience. Apart from the frame, it operates as a standard Android smartphone.
What sets the PadFone 2 apart from its competitors? This radical device offers the best specs across the board. It’s powered by 2GB of RAM and the new Snapdragon S4 Pro. The display is comparable to the best in the market. A 2140 mAh battery powers the device through an impressive sixteen hours of 3G talk time. The PadFone 2 runs a slightly customized Android 4.0.3 build.
Around back, it offers a 13-megapixel Sony backside-illuminated camera lens with an f/2.4 aperture. It can snap six frames per second for up to one hundred total shots. 1080p video can be recorded at 30 frames-per-second, while 720p can be recorded at an impressive 60 frames-per-second.
Would you rank the One X+ a notch below these? Is the S4 Pro / Adreno 320 a big step above the Tegra 3?
Sprint wants $300 for the Note II. I assume it will be priced similarly on the other carriers. The PadFone 2 may never come to any American carriers. :-(
Overall, it is an awesome time to be in the market for a new phone! Thanks for keeping us up to date.
The regular S4 is more or less a match for the Tegra 3, and the HOX+’s T3+ really only adds a LTE Radio. There’s really not much of a performance boost to speak of. The HOX+ is a match for the mid-2012 flagships, not a late-2012, early 2013 Flagships.
Thanks!
I would rank the One X+ a notch below. The S4 Pro and Exynos 4 Quad remain better than the Tegra 3, even when it’s upclocked. I’m inclined to say the S4 Pro will be the best Android phone processor on the market for a while.The Exynos 4 Quad is a close second.
The Note II pricing is certainly a major barrier. Will US carriers get the PadFone 2? I doubt it, because they’re G-R-E-E-D-Y. A two-in-one device takes away a potential tablet revenue stream. The Optimus G is a great buy, though. And, it’s available soon for just $200 at Sprint.
Thanks for commenting!
I’m actually on AT&T. It’s just that Sprint is the only one that has announced a price yet.
The Optimus G is tempting, and I could pre-order now. I think I’ll bide my time at least until the end of the month though. I want to see final specs and pricing on the Nexus, since I don’t have LTE coverage yet anyway. I want to see the Note II price on AT&T. And maybe, just maybe AT&T will bite on the Padfone. :-P