Samsung's much-awaited Galaxy Note 2 will be released in the UK on Oct. 1, a month before the U.S. Along with Samsung brand stores, UK carriers and retailers will offer the "phablet".

"We were delighted by the hugely positive response we received when we first announced the Galaxy Note II at IFA back in August. The Galaxy Note II is a whole new level of innovation and we are confident users are going to enjoy the updated features and design of our latest Galaxy device when it hits the shelves on the 1st of October," stated a press release sent to Web site Hexus.

The UK customers will get a 1.6GHz quad-core processor and HSPA+ connectivity, unlike the LTE connectivity supported by the U.S. Galaxy Note 2 version. The original Galaxy Note included a 5.3-inch display, but the Note 2 will sport a slightly bigger 5.5-inch HD Super AMOLED display with 1280 x 720 pixels resolution.

The handset will house 2GB of RAM, and the device will be available in 16/32/64GB versions. Users can also expand the storage a further 64GB with the use of a microSD card.

The Galaxy Note 2 will sport an 8-megapixel front-facing camera with autofocus and LED flash. The device will also include a 1.9-megapixel front-facing camera. A heavy duty 3100mAh battery will power the phablet.

Samsung focuses greatly on the phablet's stylus, the S Pen, and describes it as "An Everyday Creativity Enabler." The S Pen also provides "superb viewing experience, enhanced S Pen functionality and fine-tuned multi-tasking capabilities." The S Pen features the S Note, S Planner, e-mail with hand-writing integration, S Pen Keeper, Shape Match, Formula Match, and more.

The device will also pack the latest Android 4.1 Jelly Bean out of the box. Keeping abreast with the latest technology, the Galaxy Note 2 will be Wi Fi, Bluetooth, and Near Field Communication (NFC) enabled. The device will be available in Marble White and Titanium Gray color options.

Clove.co.uk is offering the SIM free version of Galaxy Note 2 for £528 (approximately $857). U.S. customers will have to wait till November to lay their hands on the phablet and to get pricing details.