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I Just Switched To A Really Big Phone And I'm Completely In Love With It

There's been a ton of debate swirling around the watercooler lately about big vs. small. I'm talking about phone size, and people are really divided on this topic. Particularly with Apple's new line of iPhones — the 6 and the 6 Plus.

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I'd already made my decision months ago that this next phone was going to be an Android (I'm the kind of guy who will switch the furniture around in his living room every couple of months just because I want to switch things up). So when my iPhone decided to completely kick the bucket and give me some version of the blue screen of death a couple weeks ago, I leaped at the Galaxy Note 3.

I love this phone. I love its size. And I am never turning back.

Look at this.

Big flies in phone
iPhone 5 and a Samsung Galaxy Note 5 Business Insider / Matt Johnston

Amazing. Sitting right next to the iPhone 5, the Samsung looks like a behemoth. A mammoth hunk of electronics that nobody could ever possibly want or need, right?

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Oh so wrong.

After about an hour of using one of these "phablets," you're going to wonder why you balked in the first place. Phones aren't phones anymore, it's as simple as that. They are multimedia juggernauts. All that stuff that developers work tirelessly to get in our app stores is meant to be watched, played with, and shown around.

Pizza on phones
Side-by-side comparison of an iPhone 5 and a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 playing the same video Business Insider / Matt Johnston

Sure we take the odd phone call and compose text messages, but mostly we're consuming and creating content. And, as I have learned, a 4-inch screen (or, I would argue, even a 4.7-inch screen like the iPhone 6) just isn't enough.

Let me answer your questions.

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Does it fit in your pocket? It looks completely unmanageable. It fits great, much better than you would think for most people.

Can you type on it easily? Yes, in fact, it's easier.

Does it use way more battery because the screen is so much larger? No. Battery life is better because the phone can house a larger power source.

Can you use it with one hand? Absolutely. And if you feel a little off, these phablets (including the new iPhone 6 Plus) come with a one-handed mode that shrinks the display and docks it to one side for easy tapping.

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Note 3 on iPhone 5
iPhone 5 on top of a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Business Insider / Matt Johnston

I couldn't even imagine moving to a smaller phone now. When I pick up my wife's iPhone 5 and stare at the screen I can hardly believe that I used to get by with it for all those years. It's almost adorable how tiny and unfortunately ill-equipped it is.

In fact, now that I have my 5.7-inch screen, I almost want one bigger! Of course, I won't be actually following through on that, but the point stands. Big-screen phones are fantastic, fun to use, more suitable for the actual functions of a smartphone in 2014, and most importantly, not a burden in any sense. Once you get it, you're almost immediately used to it and you will never even consider turning back.

So keep that in mind when you're looking for a new smartphone to be your life companion. Bigger is better, and you won't regret it for a single second.


NOW WATCH: We Did The Math— Which iPhone 6 Should You Buy?

 

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