

Samsung's been opposed to using metal of any kind in its phones for years, and building a device with aluminum on the sides and plastic on the back is a solid compromise that makes it plenty durable. Only the sides and edges of the Note 4 are aluminum, while the remainder of the phone is built with polycarbonate. The Note 4 resolves those problems with aluminum sides, chamfered edges and smooth curves, and has a much more elegant appearance as a result. The ribbed chrome sides, the pointless stitches and the larger-than-life connector port at the bottom made it look cheaper than it needed to be. Its predecessor, last year's Note 3, was a big step in the right direction, featuring a bigger screen and fashionable leather-like back. Thanks to the company's love of consistency, the Note 4 uses the same overall design and is just as aesthetically appealing as its smaller sibling. In my review of the Galaxy Alpha, I declared it was the most beautiful Samsung phone I'd ever seen.
