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iPhone 6 Plus specs versus Samsung Galaxy Note 4, LG G3: 'Phablets' compared

Apple's first attempt at a smartphone over 5 inches brings it to battle with the latest and greatest Android phones of about the same size.

Jessica Dolcourt Senior Director, Commerce & Content Operations
Jessica Dolcourt is a passionate content strategist and veteran leader of CNET coverage. As Senior Director of Commerce & Content Operations, she leads a number of teams, including Commerce, How-To and Performance Optimization. Her CNET career began in 2006, testing desktop and mobile software for Download.com and CNET, including the first iPhone and Android apps and operating systems. She continued to review, report on and write a wide range of commentary and analysis on all things phones, with an emphasis on iPhone and Samsung. Jessica was one of the first people in the world to test, review and report on foldable phones and 5G wireless speeds. Jessica began leading CNET's How-To section for tips and FAQs in 2019, guiding coverage of topics ranging from personal finance to phones and home. She holds an MA with Distinction from the University of Warwick (UK).
Expertise Content strategy, team leadership, audience engagement, iPhone, Samsung, Android, iOS, tips and FAQs.
Jessica Dolcourt
2 min read

Watch this: iPhone 6 Plus vs. Galaxy Note 4

The days of Android fanboys and fangirls mercilessly mocking the 4-inch Apple iPhone screen are over. The 5.5-inch Apple iPhone 6 Plus (and to a lesser extent the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 ) smash the iPhone screen record, and in doing so, start competing toe-to-toe with today's top big-screen phones.

The gold iPhone 6 Plus James Martin/CNET

LG's 5.5-inch G3 and Samsung's freshly unveiled Galaxy Note 4 (and kooky Note 4 Edge) rise to the top in terms of stature and specs. Here's how Apple's iPhone 6 Plus compares.

Apple iPhone 6 Plus specs versus Samsung Galaxy Note 4, LG G3

iPhone 6 PlusSamsung Galaxy Note 4LG G3
Display 5.5-inch 1080p LCD5.7-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED (2,560x1,440)5.5-inch Quad HD LCD (2,560x1,440)
Pixel density 401 ppi515 ppi538 ppi
Dimensions 6.2 x 3.1 x 0.28 inches (158.1 x 77.8 x 7.1 mm)6 x 3.1 x 0.34 inches (153.5 by 78.6 by 8.5 mm)5.76 x 2.94 x 0.35 inches (146.3 x 74.6 x 8.9 mm)
Weight 6.1 ounces (172 g)6.2 ounces (176 g)5.26 ounces (149 g)
OS iOS 8Android 4.4, TouchWizAndroid 4.4.2, custom UI
Camera, video 8-megapixel, 1080p HD video16-megapixel, 4K video (3,840x2,160)13-megapixel, 4K video (3,840x2,160)
Front-facing camera 1.2-megapixel, 720p HD3.7-megapixel; 1080p HD2.1-megapixel; 1080p HD
Processor A8 with M8 co-processor2.7GHz Snapdragon 805 or 1.9GHz octa-core chipset2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801
RAM N/A3GB3GB
Capacity 16GB, 64GB, 128 GB32GB32GB
Extra storage NoneUp to 64GBUp to 128GB
Battery Up to 12 hours (LTE); embedded3,300mAh; removable3,000mAh; removable
Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy4.0 Low Energy4.0 Low Energy
NFC YesYesYes
Waterproof NoNoNo
Colors Silver, gold, grayWhite, black, gold, pinkBlack, white, gold, violet, red
Extras Apple Pay, Touch ID fingerprint scannerHeart-rate monitor, fingerprint scanner, stylusRear controls, knock code, laser camera focus
US retail price $300, $400, $500 (contract)N/A$200 on-contract ($600 off)
UK retail price £620, £700, £790 (off-contract)N/A~£400 off-contract
AU retail price $1,000, $1,130, $1,350 (off-contract)N/A~$700 off-contract

Metal versus plastic

Apple's iPhone continues to favor aluminum craftsmanship, while the Note 4 adds a metal frame. The LG G3, meanwhile, sticks with a lighter plastic construction for its phone housing.

Screen resolution

One of the major differences among these phones comes down to the screen resolution. The iPhone 6 Plus has the same 5.5-inch display size as the LG G3, but is the only one of the three to use a 1080p resolution display instead of the more pixel-packed Quad HD resolution of 2,560 x 1,440 pixels.

As a result, the iPhone 6 Plus' pixel density is significantly lower than both those of the Note 4 and the G3. When we hold the screens side by side we expect to see that difference on content that supports ultrarich detail, like 4K videos and photos.

Camera

The megapixel war rages on among most handset makers, pushing up the number of pixels captured to 13 and 16 megapixels. Apple (and separately, HTC) takes a different tack, keeping megapixels steady at 8 for the rear camera and 1.2 for the front.

The Apple iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus have arrived (pictures)

See all photos

Any camera buff will tell you that megapixels don't matter nearly as much as other photo-processing elements, like how well a camera handles light, noise, and focus. Apple is certainly banking on this, though we'll have to analyze image quality in a full-blown camera test.

Optical image stabilization, rather than digital, is another big deal, one that makes smartphone cameras a lot more like dSLRs. All three supersize phones use it (but not the smaller 4.7-inch iPhone 6.)

Price

It's a little trickier to compare pricing without all the details (Samsung Galaxy Note 4), but it's safe to say that it should cost about the same as last year's Note 3 -- about $250 or $300 on-contract in the US and $600 off; about £400 in the UK, and AU$1,000 in Australia.

The LG G3 is likely the most affordable of the bunch, offering some pretty enviable specs in the process.

More to come

We haven't spent much time with the iPhone 6 Plus, and the Galaxy Note 4 is still weeks away from its own ship date, but check back with CNET for even more comparisons as we get our review units side by side.