Galaxy Note vs HTC Sensation XL: Giant Screen Battle

Galaxy Note by Samsung will debut in the UK soon but in October, HTC debuted another large smartphone, the 4.7-inch HTC Sensation XL. It's not as big as the forthcoming Note's 5.3-inch screen but even 4.7-inches could be too large for some. Samsung is having none of that talk, though. Galaxy Note is one of several Samsung devices that are in a category all their own as Samsung searches for the screen-size sweet-spot with its array of tablet and smartphone sizes.

Both of these devices share the large screen theme with the forthcoming HTC Titan, but where they differ is Titan runs on the Microsoft system. Samsung and HTC are two of the biggest smartphone makers in the world, and because both the Note and Sensation XL are running Google's Android system, it's a good time to see how they compare.

Sensation XL joins about six other devices HTC has launched in the last few weeks as they get ready for the shopping season, and this one marks the newest entry into the Sensation line, joining the Sensation and Sensation XE. The XL is available in an unlocked version that is compatible with the AT&T network, but costs around $700 without the carrier subsidy, and the same applies to Galaxy Note. If you want the largest smartphone screen in the world, the Samsung Galaxy Note is a good choice. It has the 5.3-inch screen and it's in Samsung's patented Super AMOLED HD format. That means sharp colors and bright contrasts at various angles or even in sunlight.

There's no word on if and when these devices might get the Android 4.0 update, but they are likely prime candidates because of how new they are. Galaxy Note, true to its hybrid phone/tablet design even comes with a stylus for writing on (hence the name). Both devices have eight megapixel cameras on the back, but the Super AMOLED screen on the Galaxy Note is the clincher here. It also has a better resolution than Sensation's LCD screen.

Let us know in the comments if you would object to such large screen sizes on your mobile devices.