Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Rumors: Device Beats Galaxy S4 on AnTuTu Benchmark Running Android 4.3 Jelly Bean [PHOTOS]

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 rumors have been heating up lately, and the most recent reports suggest that the upcoming device has been spotted on Antutu benchmarks running Android 4.3 as its native operating system and garnering a benchmark score higher than the recently released processing powerhouse, the Samsung Galaxy S4.

The screen-captured image, notably devoid of any Antutu or Samsung branding, features a device with model number GT-N7200, which has been connected to the Galaxy Note 3 for many months now. It details that the device has scored 27,914 on the benchmark test running a 1600MHz or 1.6Ghz processor, deeming it faster and more powerful than even the Samsung Galaxy S4, the device that has been topping Antutu benchmark charts since its prerelease. The Galaxy S4 scored 27,417 on the Antutu benchmark.

If true, this benchmark could be a clue to specs of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3. As Galaxy Note series devices often take after their most recent Galaxy S series cousins, the Galaxy Note 3 could contain the same Exynos 5 Octa processor seen in some variants of the Galaxy S4, which is already a heavily considered rumor. The international Galaxy S4 variant sporting the Exynos processor clocks in at 1.6Ghz. The Galaxy Note 3 is scoring higher on benchmarks than the S4, while running the same processor could mean the device is optimized in some way to be more powerful and efficient.

But this benchmark leak appears shady at best, especially with the many ominous benchmarks that have surfaced as of late. Last month, rumors circled around a supposed Antutu benchmark of the infamous Motorola/Google X Phone running Android 5.0.1. However, the rudimentary image has largely been dismissed as a fake. We’ve seen legitimate Antutu benchmarks, and they don’t look like that; they don’t look like this “benchmark” either.

We also note some other small details about this benchmark that lead us to believe it may not be legitimate. The screenshot shows a sideways battery gauge while most recent Samsung phones, including the Galaxy S4, Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2, all have upright battery gauges. For the sake of nitpicking, we also note that alarm icon doesn’t have legs, like the icon on more recent devices. Many have considered that the benchmark could come from a prototype device, purposely outfitted with outdated designs in order to throw off snoopy enthusiasts. However, the basic design of this image could just as easily be created by image editing software.

Currently, there is no concrete information about Android’s upcoming operating system and whether it is Android 4.3 Jelly Bean or Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie. Google’s Key Lime Pie teasers at the I/O conference last week have left enthusiasts thoroughly confused as to its release plans for new system names. It appears the rumor mill is sticking with Android 4.3 for the time being in lieu of any confirmation from the Mountain View, Calif., company.

Most recent rumors suggest that Android 4.3 could release in June or July, which could mean the system would have available in time for the Galaxy Note 3 launch. Most expect the device to be unveiled in September at the IFA Expo in Berlin. Some consider that the Galaxy Note 3 may be the first device to run Android 4.3 despite Google’s tradition of introducing new operating systems on Nexus brand devices. The introduction of the Samsung Galaxy S4 “Nexus” running stock Android 4.2.2 at Google I/O has many thinking that Samsung and Google may have come to some kind of understanding in order to break Nexus release exclusivity.

Other recent speculations suggest the Galaxy Note 3 will sport a design similar to that of the Galaxy S4 and will not feature a flexible display, a rumor that has been losing traction ever since Samsung announced that its development of flexible displays had been delayed.

At this point, however, widely accepted rumors about the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 are few.