Samsung’s Galaxy Note 4 Is Just Around The Corner, Here’s What To Expect

Samsung is getting ready to release the latest version of its hot-selling Galaxy Note series, the Galaxy Note 4. We all know it’s going to be a beast of a machine, but just how beastly the Note 4 will be might surprise you.

The original Galaxy Note arguably kicked off the trend of bigger and better screens on smartphones. Prior to the Galaxy Note, everybody was doing their best to make a device like Apple’s iPhone, but the Galaxy Note inspired a range of devices that came to be known as “phablets,” phones so large that they approached the size of a small tablet.

Now, with the Galaxy Note 4 set to debut in the next two weeks, there are tons of large-screened phones in the mix. Even Apple is said to be prepping bigger versions of its iPhone. Until those new iPhones emerge, though, the Galaxy Note series is still king of the hill among large phones, with each iteration of the device shipping in excess of 10 million units.

For the fourth Galaxy Note, Samsung is looking to boost the specs on its stylus-enabled device even more. The Galaxy note 4 is expected to pack a Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 or Exynos 5 Octa processor. That’s a lot of numbers and made up words that make no sense, but the takeaway is this: the Galaxy Note 4 will be an absolute world beater when it comes to processing power. We’ve handled each of the previous Galaxy Note devices, and Samsung doesn’t skimp on power when it comes to these machines. Trust that the Galaxy Note 4 will be more than capable of handling anything you throw at it.

In addition to its chipset, the Note 4 may also come with a stunning 4GB of RAM. Essentially, this would guarantee that the Note 4, like its predecessors in the Galaxy Note line, will be future-proof for at least two years.

All that processing power is going to be driving a super powerful display, as well. Over at Android Police, they’re predicting a 5.7-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 2560×1440. That means eye-searing detail for the Note 4, ensuring that the Note series remains the best option for people that rely on their phones for the visual arts and other creative pursuits.

Another rumor has the Galaxy Note 4 coming in two variants, one of which with a curved OLED display. Samsung’s been working on curved displays for a while, and 2014 is supposed to be the year that the South Korean tech giant starts pushing out devices featuring the technology. We’re not totally sold on this one, though, as Samsung would probably need to introduce some killer app that relies on the curved display in order to justify splitting the Note lineup.

The camera on the Note 4 may stay the same, oddly enough. Samsung put a 13-megapixel camera into the Galaxy Note 3, and rumor has it that the Note 4 may keep that resolution. Samsung might also bump up the resolution to 16-megapixels, matching the Galaxy S5, but the truth is that the average user will be hard pressed to tell the difference between photos taken with a 13-megapixel and 16-megapixel sensor.

SamMobile is saying that the camera will have optical image stabilization and will be capable of shooting 30 FPS video at a blistering 3840×2160 resolution. It may also have a suite of features for selfie addicts, including four new camera modes just for taking selfies. Because we live in a fallen world.

You can also expect incredible battery life on the Galaxy Note 4. Some rumors have the device packing a 4,000 mAh battery. If you’ve ever used one of the previous Note handhelds, you’ll know that their batteries go on forever, and it looks like the fourth Note will be no different.

One of the biggest changes might be the design of the Note 4. Despite the constant calls from tech observers for Samsung to step its design game up, the Note 3 relied on a polycarbonate frame, as did the Galaxy S4 and Galaxy S5. This year might be different, though. Samsung has already introduced the Galaxy Alpha, bringing aluminum to its smartphone design language for the first time. We’re thinking this will carry on to the Galaxy Note 4 and to the Galaxy S5 as well when it is introduced next year.

That means we might be able to expect an aluminum frame for Samsung’s forthcoming superphone. We’re curious to see, though, whether Samsung sticks with aluminum for the S Pen as well. While we’ve loved every Galaxy Note device we’ve handled, the plastic S Pen definitely needs to go. An aluminum version would give the device an undeniably high quality feel, even if Samsung sticks with plastic for the handheld’s rear casing.

Other possible features include a heart rate monitor built into the Note 4. It may also pack the same fingerprint scanner that Samsung packed into the Galaxy S5.

And when can you expect to pick up your own Galaxy Note 4? Well, Samsung has already released teasers for a media event to introduce the next Note. It’s set for September 3, and the event might also showcase new wearable tech from Samsung as well. Samsung usually doesn’t take too much longer after introducing a device before it hits the stores, so you could be scribbling away with a new, metal S Pen by mid-October.