Samsung launched the Galaxy Note 5 in mid-August and retailers such as Best Buy and Amazon reduced the price of the predecessor - the Galaxy Note 4 - by $170. Now the big question for smartphone customers is: Should they buy the Galaxy Note 4 or opt for the latest Galaxy Note 5?

The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 was one of the most popular smartphones till late 2014 and early 2015. However, even after the launch of the Galaxy Note 5 and other flagship devices of 2015, the specs of Galaxy Note 4 can still impress many customers.

With the arrival of the Galaxy Note 5, Amazon and Best Buy slashed the prices of the Galaxy Note 4. Best Buy is now selling the 32GB version of the Galaxy Note 4 for $599, which is a discount of $170. Amazon is also offering the phone for as low as $539.29.

Just like the latest Galaxy Note 5, the Galaxy Note 4 also sports a 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display with 2,560 x 1,440 pixels resolution. The Galaxy Note 4 has 515ppi while the Galaxy Note 5 has 518ppi.

Both the smartphones are equipped with a 16MP rear-facing camera. However, the Galaxy Note 5 has a better 5MP front-facing camera in comparison to the 3.7-inch front camera found on the Galaxy Note 4.

The Galaxy Note 5 comes running on an 8-core Exynos processor clocked at 2.1GHz, but the Galaxy Note 4 has a slightly slower 8-core Exynos processor clocked at 1.9GHz. The memory of the current gen phablet also gets a boost as the Galaxy Note 4 has 3GB of RAM, whereas the Galaxy Note 5 comes with 4GB of RAM.

The Galaxy Note 5 is available in 32GB/64GB on-board storage models without the option to expand the memory with a microSD card. However, the Galaxy Note 4 is available with 32GB internal storage and allows customers to use a microSD card to expand the memory to up to an additional 128GB.

Both the Galaxy Note 4 and the Galaxy Note 5 have Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and USB 2.0 connectivity. Both the smartphones also have a stylus - the S Pen.

AT&T is selling the 32GB version of the Galaxy Note 5 for $739.99.

Samsung has undoubtedly included improved hardware in the Galaxy Note 5 in comparison to the Galaxy Note 4. An improved front-camera, faster processor and more RAM may attract customers to the Galaxy Note 5.

Nevertheless, customers searching for a handset with expandable memory who do not require latest top-end specs may be enticed to buy the Galaxy Note 4 at a reduced price.