Samsung Galaxy Note 3: Benchmarks and camera performance
We take a look at the benchmark scores and the camera performance of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3.
Samsung’s third generation Note device is with us. We have the Note 3 for review and the device is everything we thought it would be. Before we give you our final verdict in the review of the smartphone, we thought we’d share the benchmark scores and some preliminary performance points of the device along with the performance of the camera.
Starting with the specifications of the Note 3, it has a 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display with 1920×1080 pixels resolution. It is powered by Exynos Octa 5420 processor coupled with 3GB of RAM and runs on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean OS. It has 32GB built-in storage expandable via a microSD card slot, a 13MP rear camera with BSI sensor and LED flash as well as a 2MP front camera for video calling.
At the launch event, we had some hands on time with the Note 3. You can read bout the design, usability, display and more of the phablet in our first impressions.
Now, Samsung has launched the Note 3 with two hardware configurations. The version launched in the international market where LTE is available runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset with the quad-core CPU clocked at 2.3GHz. The one that has launched in non-LTE markets such as India has the Exynos 5 Octa 5420 with the quad-core CPU clocked at 1.9GHz. The GPU in the version launched in India is Mali-T628 MP6. The rest of the specifications such as the RAM, etc. are the same.
In the above benchmark comparison we have devices running on the Snapdragon 800 chipset such as the LG G2, Xperia Z1 and the Z Ultra. So rather than being a comparison of devices, it is a comparison of the SoC’s powering the device i.e., Snapdragon 800 vs the Exynos Octa 5420. As you can see, smartphones running the Snapdragon 800 do have an edge when it comes to the benchmark scores when compared to the Exynos Octa 5420. The Exynos Octa 5420 doesn’t score badly by any means, not at all. But its scores are a tad lower that the Snapdragon 800 powered devices. In the 3DMark Ice Storm benchmark score, except for the Z Ultra, all the other smartphones received a “Maxed Out” score.
Camera performance
The rear of the Note 3 houses a 13MP camera. The version of the Note 3 that has launched internationally (running on the Snapdragon 800) has the ability to shoot video in 4K. The one launched in India however only has the ability to shoot video in 1080p. The camera brings with it a slew of shooting modes such as auto, Beauty Face (enhances the facial features while taking a pic), Best Photo (takes a series of photos and picks the best one for the user), Best Face (takes 5 pictures of a group and merges the best faces for the final image), Sound and Shot (enriches the picture by adding a few seconds of background sound), Drama (takes multiple exposure pictures of a moving subject and merges them in one dramatic picture), Animated photo (Creates a picture containing selected moving objects by animating certain parts of the picture), and more.
You also have the ability to shoot burst photos along with the ability to click pictures from both the cameras (front and rear) at the same time. You also have access to a bunch of settings such as face detection, ISO, timer, white balance and more.
We shot a bunch of pictures in the auto mode (flash off) in a variety of settings such as outdoor, indoor, low-lit, well lit and close up.
From the above camera samples, it is clear that the quality of pictures taken from the Note 3 look good. Even in low-lit conditions, the images that you get stand out. In outdoor conditions the images are very good. There is good reproduction of colours and the overall the camera is suited not only to upload pictures on social networking websites but also to click and keep for your collection.
Looking at the benchmark scores and the performance of the camera, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 seems to be an impressive device. Stay tuned as we will bring you our in-depth review and find out if the device is indeed worthy of the Rs. 49,900 price tag!
Sameer Mitha
Sameer Mitha lives for gaming and technology is his muse. When he isn’t busy playing with gadgets or video games he delves into the world of fantasy novels. View Full Profile