Batten down the hatches, grab some tinned food and stay indoors -- the enormous Samsung Galaxy Note 2 has risen from the ocean depths and is stomping its way through Britain.
On sale as of today, Samsung's lab-grown monstrosity is equipped with a palm-destroying 5.5-inch display, a heart-stopping 1.6GHz quad-core processor and a huge 3,100mAh battery. Oh, and a stylus.
The Note 2 comes in either 16GB or 32GB flavours, with the option to bump up the storage using a microSD card. Nifty. The software is on the cutting edge too -- this smart phone comes bearing Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.
If you want to acquire the Note 2, then expect to throw down over £500 -- Amazon lists this monster mobile with a £530 price tag for the 16GB option, although it won't start shipping the Note 2 until 16 October. Boo!
Meanwhile if you want to get the Note 2 on contract without paying anything upfront, expect to shell out at least £30 per month on a 24-month contract. Three is offering the phone for £500 on Pay As You Go plus a top-up, expect other networks' offerings to be similar.
Don't spend a single penny until you've read the definitive CNET UK review, which will be live shortly -- until then sit on your hands and distract yourself by reading our in-depth preview, and observing the hands-on video below.
Are you planning on buying the Note 2? Do you embrace enormo-phones or would you rather stow something a little more compact in your jeans pocket? Fire some thoughts into the comments, or onto our Facebook wall.
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Comments 23
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anonymous 1 October, 2012 12:25
i actually waited for so long to buy iphone 5, turned it it didnt fancy me anymore so very much inclined to buy this monster. the only thing i didnt like about this phone is that like apple iphone, this is also overly priced
grandcruclasse 1 October, 2012 12:37
Existing contract running out at the end of the year. Perfect timing, it's the Franken-note for me all the way.
anonymous 1 October, 2012 12:42
They should of called it the Samsungzilla....Coming to your town soon. A enormous, radioactively mutated smart phone runs rampant on erghhh Swansea lol
anonymous 1 October, 2012 12:59
I bought this as of this morning and it is awsome! The screen is bigger than my whole iPhone 4s phone, yet fits comfortably in my pocket. I think the move to bigger screens is only a matter of time. You get so much more for just an extra 6% on top of the iPhone 5 price. Worth it.
anonymous 1 October, 2012 13:04
this is not "palm-destroying" it`s a mini computer that makes calls....oh and the bigger screen makes for easier viewing, apple fanboy!
Meleagru 1 October, 2012 13:12
Big does seem to be better. At least until we move on to another form factor. I think the Nexus did it best with no physical buttons on the front of the phone. I'm still looking forward to the next iteration from Google. The new Note looks interesting but just isn't for me.
anonymous 1 October, 2012 13:35
I really want this beast but slightly disappointingly, from what I can gather, the uk version is 3G only. Whilst this isn't a problem for most right now, give it a year by which time 4G networks will be more established then there will be some disgruntled customers jealous of their mates 4G speeds. Also, I can't figure out if the UK version has the snazzy split screen mode accessed by long pressing the menu button.
I may wait and buy the international version, but then again, I'm weak!
anonymous 1 October, 2012 13:40
Having owned a Note1 for 10 months with no probs at all, it fits comfortable in all my clothes pockets, I really want this baby ! I also have the Note 10.1 which is its best companion.
But I am an architect by job and an artist by hobby so reap full benefits of the S pen :)
marchaddad 1 October, 2012 13:45
I have GS3 i think am exchanging it for this one
Any advice ??
anonymous 1 October, 2012 14:28
Multi-window is accessed by long pressing the 'back' button, and is present on all of the Note 2's apparently. I really can't wait 'till mine's delivered! (though I obviously will wait... just struggling to be patient about it!).
There are starting to be some unboxing/review videos on youtube - I thoroughly recommend looking these up. It might not be a big enough difference from an S3 to warrant the upgrade, though if you can sell the S3 for a good price it might be worth it. I'm getting mine as an upgrade to a Desire HD, which will certainly be noticable!
On the subject of 4G, it'll be 2 years before there's any widespread coverage with 4G in the UK, and those areas with it until then are so densley populated with wifi spots I don't see it's a major problem.
anonymous 1 October, 2012 15:00
I've had a Note for a year now and love it to death. I'm getting a Note 2 and giving my old one to my teenaged son who has nagged me to death for it. It's never been too big for my pockets so I don't think the new one will be too big. My hubby got a Nexus 7 pad last week on Jelly Bean which is **** hot at processing speeds and the Note 2 I tried today is just as fast (with the added extra of the call facility). I'm not bothred about 4g as this is fast anyway. Can't wait to get mine.
anonymous 1 October, 2012 15:06
it's only £470 at pixmania.
anonymous 1 October, 2012 16:07
I just got to have a quick play with the uk version of this phone and can confirm that the multi window, multi tasking feature is not present on the uk version of this device
A Non Mouse 1 October, 2012 18:02
@ anon 16:07. I have to admit i'm a bit disapointed by this if indeed true but i still cannt wait to have mine on wednesday.
billfred 1 October, 2012 19:56
@ marchaddad, yeah don't. You have a SIII ...
Seeing the Note out and about it does look cool until the person holding it puts it to their face, then it looks completely ridiculous!
anonymous 1 October, 2012 20:10
Come on O2 when are you going to stock this beast?
anonymous 1 October, 2012 20:50
Cnet can youplease confirm if the multi window feature is available on the uk version because for me its the most impressive feature. Why would they not include it in the uk version i dont get it but if they really have done it then im not getting the phone, ecspecially for this price
anonymous 2 October, 2012 00:00
@ anon 20.50, there's a larger thread started about the multi tasking feature, or rather lack of it, over at xda developers in the note 2 forums. Some people have it (Koreans mostly )but most don't. I didn't even realize this feature existed until a few days ago and now I'm upset because I may not get it! Anyway, I and others are confident that at some point some bright spark within the android community will work it out and develop a custom rom and make it widely available. I sure hope so.
anonymous 2 October, 2012 07:49
does the uk version have 4g on it or not? the gs3 does not have it as of now and EE said a new version of the s3 will have it.
anonymous 2 October, 2012 12:54
enormo-phones
monster mobile
palm-destroying
the enormous
is stomping
lab-grown monstrosity
so are you saying you think it`s big or something, oh and very impartial article `not`
anonymous 2 October, 2012 19:17
Am getting mine tomorrow :) I've been stuck with an Xperia Mini Pro and Adroid 2.0 for 18 months! Can't wait to chow down on Jelly Bean.
Andy Kirkman 3 October, 2012 22:31
Have had my Samsung Galaxy Note since it's release here in the UK and I'm still loving it. Took a bit of getting used to having made the jump from Apple to Android but I'm not thinking of looking back at all. My contract doesn't finnish until next year but I might get this, or hang on until the Note 3.
anonymous 6 November, 2012 05:34
I bought mine yesterday (5/11/12) still awaiting to be delivered. I am an Iphone 4 owner and been fed up with my Iphone Ipad it's getting too familiar now. so for a change since I have done my research right, 98% compliments 2%Negative maybe those 2%who did not like it are been paid by Apple to write something silly lol kidding aside: whatever!!! I can't wait to play my new Biggy phablet...Iphone 5 owners eat your heart out Samsung is the underdog but reigns in so many ways!