Introduction

Do we have an interesting comparison for you today – the new Samsung Galaxy Note Edge goes up against the HTC Desire Eye.  This is another comparison that many will say is not fair, but life is not fair and neither are comparisons.  While these devices were certainly made for different audiences, we have to throw all of the specifications, including dollar value into our decision…and sometimes that can make all of the difference in the world.

While there is not a whole lot in common between these two devices, we can shout out a couple of items.  Both the Galaxy Note Edge and HTC Desire Eye have room for internal storage via a microSD card.  They are rather close to the same dimensions, with the Desire Eye just a little narrower.  They both have Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC capabilities, and a microUSB connector for charging and data transfer.  Both are running Android 4.4.4 KitKat and both are available on AT&T – the Desire Eye is an AT&T exclusive, while the Galaxy Note Edge is available on all major US carriers.

Please look at the detailed Specification chart below and see exactly where these two devices stand in terms of hardware and features.  Then we will look at each smartphone in detail and list their pros and cons in order to determine a winner to this comparison.

Specifications

Samsung Galaxy Note Edge

The Samsung Galaxy Note Edge is Samsung’s attempt to use the popularity and features of their Galaxy Note 4 series and add a little innovation with a curved display on the right hand side of the device.  Some say it’s beautiful, some say it’s functional, some say it’s a gimmick – but all say it has a certain “WOW” factor when you look at it…especially strangers that have never seen such a thing.  Samsung finally got it right with the Galaxy Note devices after the Galaxy S5 disappointment – a full metal body, sculptured metal frame and a faux leather backing give it a premium look and feel.

The Galaxy Note Edge sports a 5.6-inch QHD Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 x 160 (curve) pixels and 524 pixels-per-inch (PPI)…quite an advantage over the respectable 423 PPI of the FHD display on the Desire Eye.  The US version of the Galaxy Note Edge uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 805 quad-core processor clocked at 2.7GHz – the ‘big brother,’ if you will, of the Snapdragon 801 in the Desire Eye.  The Note Edge has 3GB of RAM versus the 2GB found in the Desire Eye – the Note Edge also packs 32GB versus the 16GB of internal storage found on the Desire Eye, although they both have room for expansion via a microSD Card.

The camera area is where these two devices really part ways – their respective cameras are for different purposes and it shows in their specifications.  The Galaxy Note Edge is designed to take great photos with 16MP sensor, autofocus, LED flash, Samsung’s ISOCELL technology for low-light shots, live HDR photos and OIS.  The 3.7MP, 120-degree wide-angle front-facing camera (FFC) will take great group selfies and a group video chatting.  Although the cameras in the Desire Eye are nowhere near the quality found in the Note Edge, they are great for fun shots in a social setting – but more about those when we discuss the Desire Eye.

The Galaxy Note Edge packs a 3000mAh battery and it will last you throughout the day.  It also offers VoLTE and Wi-Fi Calling, an IR Blaster, LTE Cat-6 capable, three microphones for better noise reduction and sound, download booster, fingerprint scanner, heart rate sensor, UV and Oxygen saturation sensor and of course the curved display and S-Pen with its software and features.  Multitasking and multi-window operation is quick and useful, and it should be getting its Android 5.0.1 Lollipop update very soon.

All of these features come with a hefty price tag of $400 on a two-year contract or about $850 off-contract.  It is available on all major US networks.

HTC Desire Eye

When the new HTC Desire Eye was released, there were quite a few people shaking their heads, wondering, “What is HTC thinking?”  The Desire line was always a low-midrange device, usually destined for the prepaid section on a carrier’s website.  The Desire Eye was anything but midrange – it sported high-end specs and a low-end price.  It kept the distinctive HTC look, although in plastic, with a rather tall body to accommodate its dual front-facing speakers, complete with HTC’s BoomSound trademark, as well as the ‘Eye.’.

The HTC Desire Eye uses a 5.2-inch Super LCD3 Full HD (FHD) display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 and 423 PPI – a great display, but not quite as sharp as the QHD and 524 PPI found on the Note Edge.  The Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 quad-core processor clocked at 2.3GHz performs admirably in the device, but is not quite up to the tasks of the newer Snapdragon 805 found in the Note Edge with better battery management and a better GPU.  The Desire Eye comes with 2GB of RAM versus the 3GB found in the Note Edge, although TouchWiz probably needs that extra 1GB.  It also has one storage memory option of only 16GB and the Note Edge has 32GB, but it does offer a microSD card slot to add up to an additional 128GB.

Rather than using the HTC One’s UltraPixel set up, the Desire Eye goes back to the more traditional 13MP camera with autofocus, a dual-tone LED flash and a wide-angle lens to fit more into the photo.  Then, HTC turned around and did something unconventional again – they used the exact same main camera as the FFC on the Desire Eye – giving you unheard of group selfies and video chatting capabilities…it is like a social media junkie’s best friend. There are plenty of software options included with the use of the camera. Whether this idea will catch on with the masses, we will have to see.

As far as other features, the HTC Desire Eye has a small battery by today’s standards – 2400mAH – but in our full review, we found to actually last the entire day.  HTC threw in an FM Radio, HD Voice, IPX7 Waterproof rating and it comes in Blue or Red trim.  It is also running 4.4.4 KitKat via an upgrade and uses HTC’s popular Sense 6.0 UI on top.  As we said, it is an AT&T exclusive and runs $149.99 on a two-year contract and $549.99 off-contract.

…And The Winner Is…

Summary

At first I thought I was crazy for picking the HTC Desire Eye as the winner of this comparison, as the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge clearly has it beat in every specification category…sans the 13MP FFC…but for only $150, you can save yourself $250 and still have a great smartphone.

Obviously, these devices are made for different audiences and if you are into a six figure income, boardroom meetings, and want a premium looking device with many features and high-end specs, then the Galaxy Note Edge is the device for you.  However, for the masses, the HTC Desire Eye packs a lot of great features into a $150 device – it’s fun looking with a nice design and is a perfect device for those into the social media scene.

The Desire Eye offers an FHD display, Snapdragon 801 processor, plenty of RAM and storage, thanks to a microSD card slot, two 13MP cameras with dual-tone LED flash, autofocus and wide-angle shooting, dual stereo front-facing speakers, an FM Radio, HD Voice and IPX7 waterproof rating.

Please hit us up on our Google+ Page and let us know which one of these devices wins the comparison for you…as always, we would love to hear from you.