Screw falls of inside after a year of use. Microphone jack attached to motherboard is loose. Lot of junk apps. Even the Samsung stock apps are of poor quality and hardly updated.

Good look

Poor quality hardware and junk apps

Think the iPhone 5 is a weakling of a mobile, and that even the Samsung Galaxy S3 could do with gaining a few curves? The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 may be what you're after. Thanks to its 5.5in screen, it's a phone so large that some people can't decide whether it's a phone or a tablet.

S Pen stylus feels accurate and comfortable; Fast processor and loads of RAM; Great screen

Will be too large for some; A bit plasticky

Sci-fi films from the 70s have us speaking into phones the size of thimbles by the 21 st Century, but recent trends amongst high-end mobiles have swung well the other way. Samsung's Galaxy Note II is one of the biggest around, rocking a massive 5.5-inch screen, but we love its S-Pen stylus and wide...

Spacious, vibrant screen; Smart pen and tools; Quad-core power; Fantastic battery life; Great 8MP camera

Bulky and heavy; Niche target audience

Generally technology is getting smaller – but some of the high-end smartphones are taking things the other way – take a look at the Samsung Galaxy Note II for example. Here's one of the biggest phones on the market, with a huge 5.5-in display, as well as a whole host of features and an S-Pen stylus.

Large bright screen; S Pen stylus and other tools; Quad-core processor; Impressive battery life; Great eight-megapixel snapper

Big and weighty

Still a little too large for some, it's still a great device to help users enter the phablet market at a reduced cost.

The second of Samsung's big phones to be released, the Galaxy Note 2 is one massive device. Featuring a 5.5 inch screen, you'll never call the 4.8 inch Galaxy S3 a big phone again, and while that huge display is one of the reasons to draw you to the Note II, it's the little things and performance...

Strong performance in the operating system; Fantastically fast 4G connection; Just over a day's battery life on 4G; more if you use your phone less; One handed operation mode makes it possible to use the phone's core functions with one hand; Split-screen multitasking works a treat; Homescreens that...

Screen resolution isn't as high as last Note; Not every app can go to split-screen; Android exhibits the same bugs in the 4G S3; so you can't switch out your dock shortcuts

King of smart phone

Infinity display; Processor; Camera; S pen; Samsung pay; Without lag OS; RAM management better than other chinese phones (one plus 5

3300 MAH battery ; It should be 4000 MAH

The Note 8 is the pinnacle of smartphone technology right now. There is no better processor, no better screen, no better sound quality, no better reception, and no better camera. It costs a lot of money, but you're getting what you pay for. Will the new iPhone upend our recommendation of the Note 8?

High-quality, waterproof build; Improved S Pen stylus; Dual cameras; Modem supports emerging networks

Expensive; Too big to work with current Gear VR headset

You can't say Samsung's Galaxy Note brand isn't resilient: even explosions and costly recalls couldn't dampen enthusiasm for the new Note 8. Phablet fans are dedicated, though, especially those who demand stylus support too, which means the Note 8 arrives with an audience of eager buyers waiting to...

Huge; beautiful display; Genuinely useful stylus; Excellent camera; Solid battery life

Prodigious price; Fingerprint scanner is awkwardly-placed; Bixby button is annoying

Is all of that worth about $80 to $100 more than the already large-and-in-charge Galaxy S8+ ? After living with the Note 8 for more than a week, I would say "yes."

Gorgeous 6.3-inch Infinity Display; Fantastic dual cameras; Fun and useful S Pen enhancements; Handy App Pair feature; Strong overall performance; Very good battery life

Awkward placement of fingerprint sensor; A couple of early bugs; Very pricey