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Business News/ Mint-lounge / Features/  The phablet face-off
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The phablet face-off

Following the success of the Galaxy Note, we look at the next generation of phablets

LG Optimus Vu (left) and Samsung Galaxy Note IIPremium
LG Optimus Vu (left) and Samsung Galaxy Note II

It’s been a full year since Samsung introduced the cringe-inducing term “phablet" to describe its new phone, the Galaxy Note. With a 5.3-inch screen, it was almost double the size of phones which were popular at the time, and was met with shock and disapproval from most critics.

The phone went on to sell really well, and today, though most smartphones are getting bigger, the 5-inch territory is still largely left alone. Two new contenders have launched this year though, the more recent LG Optimus Vu, and the Samsung Galaxy Note II, which launched in August.

Both phones are actually very impressive. The Vu, which is smaller and less powerful than the Note II, is still fast enough to handle all the tasks we were able to come up with. Games load quickly and play without any lag, and movies run without even a little stutter in the frame rate. The Galaxy Note II, on the other hand benefits from a year of refinement, with a more hand-friendly shape and new features that actually make good use of the giant screen.

Read on for our head-to-head comparison:

• • • • • • • • • •

LG Optimus Vu

View Full Image

Width: 90.4mm

Thickness: 8.5mm

Weight: 168g

Screen size: 5-inch HD-IPS LCD

Resolution: 768x1,024 pixels

Aspect ratio: 4:3

Android version: 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)

CPU: Quad-core 1.5GHz

GPU: Adreno 220

RAM: 1 GB

Camera: 8 MP

Battery size: 2080mAh

Special features

Dolby sound can dramatically improve video-watching

Price: 29,999

Our take: The Optimus Vu has a nice screen, but the 4:3 resolution is a bit odd. The pictures look squashed or stretched out, depending on the orientation of the screen, and the design of the phone makes it extremely wide, and hard to hold comfortably. The textured plastic along the sides does provide a better grip, but this really shouldn’t have to be necessary in the first place.

The design of the phone is very generic too—it lacks a visual flourish to give it a unique identity, beyond its squat, blocky shape. While it’s underpowered compared to the Samsung Galaxy Note II, we couldn’t find any apps that really slowed down the phone in comparison to the Note II.

The wider aspect ratio is very good, both for reading books and websites, though movies do look better on the Note. Games look good on the Vu as well, so unless you’re watching a lot of movies on your phone, the Vu is actually a pretty good option. The battery should last a full day between charges, which is definitely good and falls short only in comparison to the Note II. Overall, it’s a good buy, but there are st

• • • • • • • • • •

Samsung Galaxy Note II

Height: 151.1mm

Width: 80.5mm

Thickness: 9.4mm

Weight: 180g

Screen size: 5.55-inch

Super AMOLED

Resolution: 1280x720 pixels

Aspect ratio: 16:9

Android version: 4.1 (Jelly Bean)

CPU: Quad-core 1.6 GHz

GPU: Mali-400MP

RAM: 2 GB

Camera: 8 MP

Battery size: 3100mAh

Special features:

Split-screen multitasking for specific apps.

Price: 36,999

View Full Image

Reading books and checking websites on the Note is obviously good given the display size, though the slim design is a little inconvenient at times. Even with the redesign, the phone looks enormous, particularly when you hold it up to make a phone call. If you can get past that, it’s possibly the best Android phone right now. Just don’t try and keep it in your jeans pocket.

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Published: 23 Nov 2012, 04:57 PM IST
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