I got my Note 4 almost a year ago but it was my first smartphone ever so I've nothing to compare it to! I installed Nova launcher too, having been persuaded by some knowledgeable people online that if I had to start with just one, that should be it, but I only did that last week. I'm with Verizon, the only company that even tries to serve my (very) rural area and they told me about the Note 4 when it was time for me to upgrade. I wanted the biggest one they had. Then I did what many beginners do: sought it out on youtube for reviews; after that nothing else would do. For a first Android ever, the Note 4 has been a delightful experience. It does everything but the dishes. I used to be mystified by how so many people can spend so much time just messing about with their phones: now I've joined them.
The battery is good! I was afraid it wouldn't be since there's so much running on this phone, though I've been careful about what apps I install and run on it. I too will learn how to replace the battery myself, because it's the kind of thing I should learn, just in case, but I'll also buy one of those charger stations with case and extra battery included that I've seen online. By the time I manage to learn how to get the best out of all this phone can do, Verizon will be offering me an upgrade, but this clearly isn't the kind of device that one trades in as one does an old flip phone. I am, by the way, wondering why Samsung doesn't intend to give Marshmallow to these models and why they're even putting out that update on other devices when Lollipop hasn't been out that long either.