Samsung Galaxy Note 2 vs LG Optimus Vu 2 - Things are going to get a little rough as two giants square off with the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 taking on LG's Optimus Vu 2
Form
Samsung Galaxy Note 2 - 151.1x80.5x9.4mm, 183g
LG Optimus Vu 2 - 132.2x85.6x9.4mm, 159g
The Galaxy Note 2 follows Samsung’s current aesthetic convention which it started with the Galaxy S3. Indeed, for the most part you could accurately describe the Note 2 as an inflated Galaxy S3 and to put the two devices side-by-side that’s pretty much exactly how it looks.
There are a few subtle differences, of course, in terms of overall proportions with the Galaxy Note 2 being slightly broader, meaning the curvature on the corners is a bit less pronounced.
Apart from this it has the same slightly curved back panel, a large chrome surround on the outer edge and plenty of silvery trim throughout the design.
Currently the Note 2 is available in white or grey, though we expect that, as with the original Note and the Galaxy S3, more colours will become available over time.
As with the other recent Galaxy models, the aesthetics are good and the construction is solid, but the build materials are lousy. Tacky, slippery plastics don’t compliment the rest of the handset’s otherwise premium build and certainly drop it down a notch or two on the satisfaction scale.
While the overall concept of a large, stylus-capable smartphone is a key similarity between the Optimus Vu 2 and the Galaxy Note 2, it’s one of the few things they actually have in common.
In most other respects (apart from the smattering of chrome trim) the Optimus Vu 2 is the antithesis to Samsung’s phablet.
The most obvious difference is that the Vu 2 is a stark rectangular shape compared to Samsung’s more rounded silhouette. In fact, owing to that 4:3 screen aspect ratio it’s almost a square.
The bezel on either side of the touch display is extremely thin and the top and bottom sections of bodywork are evenly proportioned, contributing to a neat appearance overall.
The back panel is also nicely contoured and highly minimalist, press shots also show it with a textured surface.
Admittedly we haven’t had hands-on time with the Vu 2, but we have with its predecessor and a selection of other premium LG models and as a result we’ve every reason to believe it’ll be a well-constructed and robust piece of kit made from decent quality materials.
Purely on looks we think the Galaxy Note 2 is the more attractive option. However, looks alone don't win the day - the LG still has an appealing design and should combine this with a more satisfying build quality.
Winner – LG Optimus Vu 2
Storage
The Optimus Vu 2 will feature 16GB of onboard storage along with MicroSD capability for cards up to 32GB.
Samsung’s Galaxy Note 2 is much better equipped. It has options for 16GB, 32GB and 64GB of internal space plus a MicroSD slot capable of taking cards up to 32GB and high-capacity cards up to 64GB.
The Galaxy Note 2 wins this round.
Winner – Samsung Galaxy Note 2
Display
Samsung has enlarged the Galaxy Note 2’s screen to be even bigger than its predecessor and it now stands at 5.55-inches.
It’s a Super AMOLED multitouch capacitive display with a 1280x720 pixel resolution, Corning Gorilla Glass 2 reinforcement and a pixel density of 267 pixels-per-inch (ppi).
While the visual clarity is not quite as crisp as either the original Galaxy Note’s or the Galaxy S3’s displays it’s still extremely good by contemporary standards and exceptionally good when you consider Samsung has managed to squeeze very sharp picture quality from such a large swathe of glass. No mean feat, it must be said.
It also helps that the brightness, colour depth, contrast and saturation are all top notch and easily on a par with the Galaxy S3, producing a result that is pretty much equally satisfactory.
The Optimus Vu 2 uses exactly the same display technology as its predecessor, which means a 5-inch IPS LCD with a 1280x768 pixel HD resolution.
The pixel density comes in a little lower than its opponent at 256ppi. However, display tech is something LG, like Samsung, does very well indeed, and there’s little to complain about here.
It’d likely be hard to tell that there’s a difference of 11ppi here and the Vu 2 puts on a good performance with regards to colour, contrast and brightness.
That said, the Galaxy Note 2 squeezes out a higher pixel density from a display that’s 0.55-inches larger, a factor we feel is quite significant.
Winner – Samsung Galaxy Note 2
