Galaxy Note 2 or Galaxy Note 8 - Which Samsung Android device should you buy? The "new" always carries with it a sense of excitement. The "old" is associated with replacement. But when it comes to electronic devices these days, the line is getting thin on what's old and what's new. The question, really, is which gadget do you need?

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Samsung Galaxy S3 and Note 2: Is bigger always better? (Image: anandtech.com)

Galaxy Note 2 or Galaxy Note 8: On the matter of size

Galaxy Note 2 was first released in September last year. It is the upgraded version of the Samsung Galaxy Note, which first came out in 2011. Before the Note phablet was introduced, skeptics laughingly asked: Who's going to use a smartphone with a above-5-inch screen? Now the joke's on former skeptics scouring the web for Galaxy Note 3 updates.

Big screen size does not automatically mean quality smartphone. But when the display is matched to a powerful brain and some brilliant features, as in the Note 2, you get your money's worth. With a powerful phablet, entrepreneurs on the go can leave their homes without carrying multiple devices.

The 5.5-inch HD Super AMOLED display in the Note 2 is matched to a robust Samsung Exynos 4412 Quad chipset, with 2GB of RAM. It is fed by a user-replaceable 3,100 mAh. You've got a stunning display that is backed up by competent brain which does not drain your battery fast. On top of that, you have an 8MP camera that takes 1080p 30 fps videos. Now, why will you be thinking of getting a Galaxy Note 8? The Note 2 is light (180 g), great for browsing, managing correspondences, and enjoying media entertainment. It is a smartphone, a tablet, and a point-and-shoot camera in one.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8: Do you really need this device?

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is an attractive idea if you're thinking of dropping a full-sized tablet (i.e. Galaxy Tab 10.1) for the equivalent of (or something better than) an Apple iPad mini. Early reports indicate this latest 335 g offering from the Korean tech giant will also work as a super phablet outside the U.S.

In its hands-on review, T3.com noted the Note 8's "bright, competent screen (and) large but manageable size." The smaller Android tablet also impressed T3 with its brainpower. "The processor here - a 1.6GHz quad-core beast - is powerful and keeps the Note 8.0 running at top speed," the review said. But the Note 2 also has a powerful quad-core processor. To compare better, you'll need to wait for stress test reports.

You need a Galaxy Note 8 if you are seriously having difficulty with browsing the internet with a screen that is a bit bigger for a smartphone and much smaller than a tablet. At the end of the day, if you're an Android user who has enjoyed positive Samsung performance, you'd only be making a shopping decision based on display quality and screen size.

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