After having Android devices for the last 4 years I decided to get a iPhone 5s. That lasted about 6 months as now I have a Note 3 and I'm back on Android 😀
For some reason I got tempted back to ios but soon realised it's limitations even after jailbreaking the device.
The Note 3 is the first Android device I've had which isn't pure Android and so far I actually really like touchwiz and the features it has.
The speed of the device is awesome and the screen is lovely.
So far I've resisted the urge to root and install a custom rom but that may change in the future lol
I rooted mine about 2 months after I got it...probably wouldn't have had I known about this knox garbage.
Samsung has really been packing a lot of garbage with their phones and it has gotten much worse with the Note 3/S4/S5 series. The amount of built in apps that were uninstalled (while retaining s-pen functionality) were in the range of about 30 to 40. Ridiculous.
The Note 3 is bogged down by Samsung's garbage that comes with the phone and there is a big difference in performance once you get rid of some of these apps.
The Note 3 has become an essential part of my life (I really hate to say it because I don't like the idea of being dependent on a device) for organizing, note taking, scanning, art and scheduling. For this reason I personally don't find switching to an aftermarket android build as a good option.
----------
Is there a ROM for the Note 3 that is similar to ARHD for the HTC One, where the stock ROM (in this case TW) is enhanced by stripping down unecessary processes to save on RAM usage and ultimately cut down on battery drain?
Don't need a ROM for that, just root your phone, use android tuner and remove components you don't want or need.
Obviously do your homework to determine which services you'll need and which ones are fluff to you. I think its better than putting an entirely different rom on the device.
You can also root your phone and use a CPU speed modifier (android tuner can do this too) program to cut the power draw of the processor when the screen is off. This saves battery.
Get a task manager that supports auto clear and ignore function (add your favorite apps to the ignore list so they don't get closed).
Last but definitely not least; there are aftermarket batteries out there that offer double the capacity (does make it heavier and restricts certain cases) and even triple the capacity (makes the phone a brick). This is the best option of you prefer function over beauty.