Three million units sold so far and counting - that's the measure of success attached with the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, which later on this month will be challenged by HTC's Droid DNA and other phablets in the months and quarters ahead.

So will the tech world witness an epic phablet showdown pitting new kid in the block against the refreshed gadget introduced earlier by the very company that boldly a hybrid of smartphone and tablet computer?

Revisiting the earlier reviews detailing in-depth assessment of the Note 2 seemed to show that Samsung remains comfortably leading with a winner device, which BGR said effectively tamed doubts "that that there is a market for supersized smartphones."

Writing for BGR, Zach Epstein said the Note 2 is a solid proof why Samsung "still sells more smartphones than any other vendor on the planet."

"(The) Galaxy Note 2 picks up where the original Note smartphone left off, and it's better in almost every way. It's faster, it's thinner, the screen is bigger, the battery lasts longer, and the stylus support is significantly improved," Mr Epstein observed.

He warned though that one downside noticeable with this new Note is its far from solid build quality, which he added seems to afflict all Galaxy smartphones, including the S3 that essentially can be considered as the smaller cousin of this phablet.

Notwithstanding this misstep, the Note 2, according to The Verge, can now be regarded as the crowning glory of Samsung "and is likely to cement the Korean company's position as the premier Android device maker."

Everything that was packed with the phablet only proved that "the Galaxy Note 2 is a clear and unequivocal upgrade. It's now more powerful, lasts even longer, and ships with the best software that Samsung has yet put on an Android device," The Verge said.

It may be that Samsung got lucky with the first Note edition when it became a hit but such is not the case with its replacement, the tech blog site added.

Engadget affirmed. The Note 2, according to the site's reviewer Brad Molen, is hands-down very good.

He argued that "there's a reason for all of the buzz circulating around this new flagship device," pointing to its "incredibly fast quad-core processor, the latest version of Android, the high-end camera and the litany of other top-notch features that have helped the device become worthy of our praise."

CNET echoed this verdict and highlighted too the Note 2's "oodles of screen real estate make it terrific for videos, games, and reading.

But it is not yet a tablet alternative, as Samsung would want consumers to take the gadget, CNET said, blaming some issues with S-Pen stylus and the apps that its maker decided to bundle with the phablet plus its premium price.

Beyond these shortfalls, the Note 2, according to Matthew Miller of ZDNet, is a shell of a smartphone that wows users with "better hardware and software (making it) the best Android available," out there.

For Mr Miller, users looking for "the most powerful and capable phone available today ... should seriously consider the Note 2," adding that if not for its size, he would choose the Galaxy phablet over the iPhone 5.

The core strength of the device is its software package, Mr Miller said, stressing that "I love that I can customize and optimize the Note II to my heart's desire."

It is quite very sure that many users will share such infatuation for the Note 2, which analysts said is destined to play a key role in again powering up Samsung's efforts to retain the lead in the smartphone arena and keep Apple and its Android rivals at bay.