The S3 and Note 2 have a Samsung-tweaked version of Android. These amount to some different apps, slightly altered UI and in the case of the Note 2 some tweaks

The S3 and Note 2 have a Samsung-tweaked version of Android. These amount to some different apps, slightly altered UI and in the case of the Note 2 some tweaks to accommodate the stylus. It's not bad, but most prefer stock Android for the crispness of the UI, lack of bloat and fastest OS upgrades (they come direct from Google without delay while Samsung/another third party adapts their stuff). I had the Note 2 briefly - it's a powerhouse but ultimately decided it was too big for my taste (5.5" screen vs 4.7" on the S3/Nexus 4). It needs two hands to operate most of the time and the screen is the same resolution as the S3 so you're only gaining in size, not detail. In the end I was happy to come back to my Galaxy Nexus. The Nexus 4 runs stock Android and is the same size as the S3. It's also cheaper and faster. I'd say it's the clear choice right now.