The Galaxy Note 2 and the iPhone 5 are two of the best smartphones on the market. Both have similarities but also distinct differences. The most noticeable difference is screen size.

The Galaxy Note 2 boasts the larger screen at 5.5-inch HD Super AMOLED displace, with 1,280 x 720 pixel resolution. The iPhone 5 comes in at a functional, yet inferior 4-inch screen with 1136 x 640 resolution.

Depending on personal functionality, the Note 2's bigger display can be an asset or a hindrance.

Both the iPhone 5 and Galaxy Note 2 offer the same storage options: 16, 32 and 64 GBs.

Both phones also carry an 8-megapixel camera back camera. The front facing camera for the Note 2 is 1.9 megapixels while only 1.3 for the Apple iPhone 5.

While all of the before mentioned features are important, I think smartphone loyalty comes from operating system compatibility.

Being an Apple fan, I prefer i0S 6.1 intuition. The Android Jelly Bean on the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 feels to clunky, and a little too "limitless." The App store offers more apps, while Android offers a little more customization with those apps.

For any consumer, price is a big deal. The iPhone 5 is priced, relative to storage, $199 for 16GB, $299 for 32GB, and $399 for 64GB. The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is priced at $299.99. Both require two-year contracts.

The iPhone 5 also boast an approximate 8 hours of talking on 3G. Internet lasts the same amount on 3G, and 10 hours on Wi-Fi. The Galaxy Note 2 has a reported 16 hours of voice battery.

In the end, any potential buyer needs to find a friend with the phone already and play around with it. If you want a multi-media work-station with a bigger keyboard go with the Samsung Galaxy Note 2. If you want something more portable and hand-friendly the Apple iPhone 5 is for you. Either way they're the best two smartphones on the market.