[Galaxy Note II General] Mister_Mxyzptlk:
Okay. As I was reading through this thread, I started becoming more and more irritated at the number of people claiming they were right and others were wrong about some random device's specs. However, I then considered the absurd number of variants Samsung will release for any given model of handset and/or tablet; and that can be rather confusing. That being said, there are 6 main variants of the Samsung Galaxy S III. These variants and some limited information about them is listed below.

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Galaxy S III - International GSM Model

Model No.: GT-I9300

SOC: Quad-Core Samsung Exynos 4412 @ 1.4 GHz

RAM: 1 GB

Storage: 16/32/64 GB

Radio: WiFi, BT, GSM/GPRS/EDGE/HSPA+

Galaxy S III - International LTE Model

Model No.: GT-I9305

SOC: Quad-Core Samsung Exynos 4412 @ 1.4 GHz

RAM: 2 GB

Storage: 16/32/64 GB

Radio: WiFi, BT, GSM/GPRS/EDGE/HSPA+/LTE

Galaxy S III - North American LTE Model

Model No.: SGH-I747 & SGH-I747R

SOC: Dual-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 @ 1.5 GHz

RAM: 2 GB

Storage: 16 GB

Radio: WiFi, BT, GSM/EDGE/HSPA+/LTE

Galaxy S III - North American AWS Model

Model No.: SGH-T999

SOC: Dual-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 @ 1.5 GHz

RAM: 2 GB

Storage: 16 GB

Radio: WiFi, BT, GSM/EDGE/DC-HSPA+ via AWS

Galaxy S III - North American CDMA/LTE Model

Model No.: SPH-L710

SOC: Dual-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 @ 1.5 GHz

RAM: 2 GB

Storage: 16 GB

Radio: WiFi, BT, CDMA, EV-DO, LTE

Galaxy S III - North American CDMA/LTE Model

Model No.: SCH-I535

SOC: Dual-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 @ 1.5 GHz

RAM: 2 GB

Storage: 16 GB

Radio: WiFi, BT, CDMA, EV-DO, LTE

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Now, considering that I posted all six of the above GS3 variants by memory, there's bound to be an error or two. Additionally, that list does not account for ALL GS3 variants currently out there. The list simply represents the six most popular GS3 variants in the english-speaking world. So feel free to correct me. However, the RAM I listed for each device is not an error. The original, international Galaxy S III (GT-I9300) was blessed with only one gigabyte of RAM. Up until recently, the GT-I9300 was my daily driver. Now that I own an international Galaxy Note II (GT-N7100), I can say that the extra gig of RAM absolutely makes a difference. While there are those who would argue that 2 GB is unnecessary, the fact is that Android devices, and mobile devices in general, have always emphasized the importance of other components within the device; pushing the limit on the number of CPU cores that can efficiently run on a mobile platform, while ignoring the escalating need for RAM is just the pinnacle of stupidity. Each day more and more memory-hungry apps are finding their way into the Google Play Store, the Apple App Store, and the Microsoft.... whatever it's called. The bottom line is that if you were/are a GT-I9300 owner, then the 2 GB of RAM is only one of many reasons why the Note II is a solid upgrade. On the other hand, if you purchased one of the Galaxy S III variants that come with 2 GB of RAM, then there are other reasons why the Note II is a solid upgrade, starting with the S-Pen. As a matter of fact, I can only think of one scenario where the Galaxy Note II is not a significant upgrade from the Galaxy S III. If you happen to be one of the few people who waited and purchased the GT-I9305 instead of the GT-I9300, then there really isn't a long list of advantages to using the Note II instead of your current GS3. Really, the only advantage is the bigger screen and the S-Pen. Truthfully, the GT-I9305 is an almost perfectly built handset, and it'll be a while before a compelling arguement can be made for upgrading from it.

So, if you haven't put it together yet, I most certainly do think that the Galaxy Note II is a good upgrade from the Galaxy S III; and it is definitely not too big for a phone. It grows on you... quickly. That being said, I habitually switch handsets and almost never keep a phone longer than 8-12 months. So, weighing the advantages, disadvantages, and ultimately making the decision to stick with your handset or upgrade will be up to you. I hope this post has been informative.