India Gadget Reviews

9The modern mobile smartphone consumer tends to favour a device with a large screen which is perfect for web browsing, mobile gaming and video playback. Two devices that fall into this category are the Samsung Galaxy Note and the Nokia Lumia 900. These handsets are produced by two of the real heavyweights of the smartphone world but how do they compare for design and screen technology? We take a closer look and see which model comes out on top.

When it comes to design we tend to favour the very modern Nokia Lumia 900 device as it boasts styling which is superior to the majority of handsets currently on the market. The handset measures 127.8 x 68.5 x 11.5mm which makes it the largest Lumia device in the range. The handset is still considerably smaller than the Galaxy Note however which measures 146.9 x 83 x 9.7mm although this model does offer a screen which is one inch larger. Because of its more compact dimensions the Nokia generally feels more comfortable when in use and is also 19 grammes less in weight than its rival. The Lumia is a very well designed phone which sports an angular design similar to other Lumia devices and also the popular N9 handset. The model boasts a uni body chassis which adds to the aesthetic appeal and this is constructed from a high quality polycarbonate material. The model is also available in a range of colours which helps to make it one of the very best phones for consumers who rate looks as highly as performance. The Samsung Galaxy Note is best described as an enlarged version of the Galaxy S2 model. The device sports a minimalist design with neatly rounded corners and a textured back panel. The design of the model is actually more attractive than the majority of phones available but the device loses points for its sheer size which many would suggest makes the phone look like a small tablet device rather than a smartphone. A new white version of the Note has been launched which will please consumers who like to steer clear of the more common black and dark grey devices.

Although the size of the screen on the Samsung Galaxy Note may deter some consumers, the quality that it offers is superb. The models uses a Super AMOLED display which measures 5.3 inches which makes it the largest phone screen currently available. An impressive pixel density of 285 pixels per inch can be displayed thanks to the very high resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels. What is also very pleasing about this display is the natural depth of colour that it can can show. Black colours genuinely look black unlike the dark greys that can often be found on many inferior screens. This is thanks to the Super AMOLED technology which is undoubtedly the best type of screen for providing dark tones. The Nokia Lumia 900 uses a smaller 4.3 inch display which runs on AMOLED technology. This model can display a lower resolution than the Samsung of 800 x 480 pixels but despite the smaller screen size the pixel density if considerably lower at 217PPI which is slightly disappointing for a flagship device. The clarity of picture is very good and like the Galaxy Note there is a good depth of colour but the Samsung certainly offers more in the way of quality in this area.

The Samsung Galaxy Note and the Nokia Lumia 900 are two impressive new devices which benefit from high quality displays. We prefer the Nokia handset for design as it is a more manageable size than its rival but when it comes to screen quality the Galaxy Note definitely holds the upper hand.