Samsung's next Galaxy Note device has been revealed at an event in New York, adding another smartphone to the company's 2016 flagship portfolio.

By default, the next Note should be called the Note 6 but Samsung skipped a digit and headed straight for 7 in order for the new device to fall in line with the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge and minimise confusion.

The Note 7 might take its design cues from the S7 edge, but it still has Note features at its heart. Here is how the Galaxy Note 7 compares to the Note 5 and the Note 4.

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs Note 5 vs Note 4: Design

The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 measures 153.2 x 76.2 x 7.6mm and hits the scales at 171g. Although it still very much looks like a Note device, the Note 5 is more refined than its predecessors, falling more in line with the 2015's Galaxy S6 devices and tying the flagships together.

The Note 4 measures 153.5 x 78.6 x 8.5mm and weighs 176g, making it slightly larger and heavier than the Note 5. Both devices offer the S Pen Stylus and they both have a similar rectangular builds that distinguishes them as a Note device.

The Note 7 measures 153.5mm x 73.9mm x 7.9mm and weighs 169g, which puts it at a similar size and weight to the Note 5, albeit a little narrower. Samsung has added IP68 water and dust resistance and the new Note very much follows in the path of the Galaxy S7 edge in terms of design, featuring a curved glass on both the front and rear. It is squarer though, retaining elements of that signature Note shape.

There is no flat model available for the Note 7, meaning Samsung has stepped away slightly from the traditional Note design, but there is a new and improved S Pen on board, further distinguishing the new device as a Note.

The Note 4, Note 5 and Note 7 all have fingerprint sensors on board, positioned at the front within the main button. The Note 7 also offers an iris scanner though.

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs Note 5 vs Note 4: Display

The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 features a 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display with a 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution for a pixel density of 515ppi. The screen is protected by Gorilla Glass 4.

The Note 4 also features a 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display with a Quad HD resolution for the same pixel density of 515ppi. Gorilla Glass 3 is on board for protection against scratches.

The Note 7 too opts for a 5.7-inch display and the same Super AMOLED technology is present, although as mentioned, it is curved in the Note 7's case, compared to flat as in the Note 4 and Note 5. The Note 7 also sports a Quad HD resolution, meaning a pixel density of 515ppi once again.

Like the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge, the Note 7 has Samsung's Always-on display technology, which in the case of this device, means users can make notes on the dark screen with the S-Pen without unlocking the device. You'll also get the same benefits of the technology as offered on the S7 and S7 edge. 

Other differences include the addition of Mobile HDR on the Note 7. This means when mobile HDR content becomes available, the Note 7 will be capable of playing it, which the Note 5 and Note 4 won't be. The Note 7 also has a display twice as responsive as the Note 5, according to Samsung, with 4,096 levels of pressure.

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs Note 5 vs Note 4: Cameras

The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 features a 16-megapixel rear camera coupled with a 5-megapixel front snapper, both of which have an aperture of f/1.9. The main camera offers auto focus, 8x digital optic zoom and it is capable of 4K video recording.

The Note 4 also has a 16-megapixel rear camera that is also capable of 4K video recording and auto focus is also on board again. The front camera has a slightly lower resolution of 3.7-megapixels compared to the Note 5.

The Note 7 arrives with the same cameras as the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge. That means a Dual Pixel 12-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel front-facing snapper, both of which have an aperture of f/1.7. The rear camera is also capable of 4K video recording like the Note 5, and it has auto HDR, along with phase detection auto focus on board.

The S7 and S7 edge have been highly praised when it comes to smartphone camera performance so it's worth remembering that while the Note 7 might have a lower resolution than both the Note 4 and the Note 5, it isn't all about megapixels when it comes to smartphone camera performance.

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs Note 5 vs Note 4: Hardware specs

The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 comes in 32GB and 64GB models, both of which have 4GB of RAM. Neither offers microSD storage expansion. An octa-core Exynos processor or Qualcomm SD820 chip runs the show, depending on the region, both of which have a 3000mAh battery.

The Note 4 has 32GB of internal memory but there is microSD support on board for storage expansion up to 128GB. A quad-core chip is under the hood, coupled with 3GB of RAM and a battery capacity of 3220mAh.

The Note 7 will have a octa-core Exynos chipset in some regions, while other territories may have a different processor, but both will be supported by 4GB of RAM.

Storage options for the Note 7 have not yet been detailed, but microSD has made a comeback, as it did for the S7 and S7 edge. There is a 3500mAh battery on board the Note 7 and fast charging and wireless charging are both supported.

USB Type-C is also featured on the Note 7, something that the S7 and S7 edge both missed off their spec sheets. The Note 5 and Note 4 both have Micro-USB.

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs Note 5 vs Note 4: Software

The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 launched on Android Lollipop, while the Note 4 launched on KitKat. Both have since been updated to Android Marshmallow however, which is what the Note 7 arrives on.

The TouchWiz user interface is overlaid across the top of Android so the user experience will be familiar across the board. The Note 7 will offer a few differences however, including the Edge UX software found on the Galaxy S7 edge, which utilises the curved screen as an access point.

The Note 7 also sees a more streamlined GUI, with a minimised number of colours used in icons for a more subtle, cleaner look. There will also be the addition of the Samsung Notes app, as well as several changes in the Air Command feature.

Air Command on the Note 7 will include the introduction of Google Translate as a live tool, magnification from 150 per cent to 300 per cent and a function called Smart Select that allows users to create and share a GIF.

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs Note 5 vs Note 4: Conclusion

The Samsung Note 7 arrives not only with more exciting curved design, but with the addition of waterproofing, a redesigned S-Pen with extra features, and what should be improvements in the camera department.

There is also a larger battery capacity on board the Note 7, USB Type-C, microSD, as well as more powerful hardware and some exciting software features and functions.

Based on the numbers, the Galaxy Note 7 looks like it will be ab enticing upgrade for those with the Note 4, as well as those who managed to get their hands on a Note 5.