Samsung's smaller Galaxy S4 Mini is lighter on features than the original flagship.
If Samsung's Galaxy S4 is more phone than you think you need, the electronics giant has just offered up the smaller, more midrange -- and surely cheaper -- Galaxy S4 Mini.
Like a decaffeinated beverage, Samsung is hoping to give its lighter smartphone much of the same GS4 taste with just a little less oomph. Although the Mini has stepped-down specs compared to its flagship family, like a lower-resolution screen and an 8-megapixel camera instead of a 13-megapixel shooter, it's no slouch when it comes to the Galaxy S4's core features, like a built-in TV remote control.
As with the Galaxy S3 Mini that came before, this version is aimed more toward the mass market than the high-end sector. Here in the middle, the Mini plays the role of the lower price option compared to the marquee Galaxy S4, without sacrificing too many of the superphone's more defining features.
The CNET crew will first get our hands on the smaller smartphone in London at the June 20 launch event, and we'll have more thoughts to share when we do. Until then, here's what we know about the phone, and how it should stack up against the original Galaxy S4.
Design and build Samsung's modest Mini is a wee bit shorter, thicker, and wider than the svelte Galaxy S4 but clearly cut from the same cloth. Like the round-shouldered original, the Mini retains its curved perimeter, metallic rim, and rectangular home button, and also comes in black and white versions.
Specifically, the global GS4 Mini stands 124.6 millimeters tall (4.9 inches) by 61.3 millimeters wide (2.4 inches) by 8.9 millimeters thick (0.35-inch) and weighs a lighter 107 grams (3.7 ounces, compared to the GS4's 4.6-ounce weight.) A 3G-only, dual SIM version will weigh a hair more at 108 grams.
The Galaxy S4 Mini has a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED screen. Inside is a 1.7GHz dual-core processor.
(Credit: Samsung)
The phone's screen quality is perhaps the first place you'll really notice the hardware differences between the Galaxy S4 and its little cousin. Don't expect the S4 Mini's 4.3-inch qHD Super AMOLED display to look as sharp at 960x540 pixels as does the Galaxy S4's 1,920x1,080-pixel resolution on its 5-inch screen. For all you pixel-hounds, that's a 441 pixel density on the Galaxy S4 compared with 256ppi for the S4 Mini.
Both Galaxy screens support the same color gamut and OLED display technology, though the Mini won't have the Galaxy S4's ultrasensitive, glove-friendly capabilities.
From the looks of it, the S4 Mini shares most of the S4 family's other physical attributes, including the location and shape of the camera, flash, sensors, buttons, and ports. It seems that the Mini sports the same subtle patterning as the GS4's finish.
OS and features Importantly, the Galaxy S4 Mini runs Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean underneath its TouchWiz layer. Custom interfaces like TouchWiz are notorious for stalling Android update efforts, so starting at such a current OS build is crucial for keeping a phone like the GS4 Mini from falling behind the times.
With TouchWiz comes a mountain of software embellishments, like more one-touch system settings in the notifications pull-down and options like Air View, which produces an onscreen cursor when you wag your finger close to the screen.
Samsung hasn't told us exactly which extras will take root in the Mini, but it's safe to assume that it's an almost identical software build as the Galaxy S4. Transporting its signature Galaxy-only abilities across devices is absolutely Samsung's style.
If software enhancements are your thing, the presence of these bonus features is one reason to pick the Mini over any other midtier device: you won't have the most powerful hardware, but you'll still hold onto features like Group Play, and Samsung's built-in apps. (For more on all these, check out this full Samsung Galaxy S4 review.)
I'm most gratified to see the GS4's IR blaster make its way onto the Mini. This little hardware bauble turns your phone into a TV remote control when paired with the WatchOn app. Top phones like the HTC One and LG Optimus G Pro share this soon-to-be living room staple, but the Galaxy S4 Mini will be the first of its class to also bail you out when your TV remote falls behind the couch.
As for connections and communications, Bluetooth 4.0 keeps the Mini current. NFC, which makes content-sharing possible with a tap, will make it onto LTE-enabled versions of the Mini. I'm not sure why Samsung isn't including NFC in non-LTE Mini handsets, but it likely has something to do with cost control for different markets worldwide.
Cameras and video Although the Galaxy S4 Mini may not deliver quite the rich detail of the S4's 13-megapixel camera, Samsung is still gifting the "decaf" device with an 8-megapixel shooter, which is no resolution to sneeze at, especially the way Samsung typically outfits its camera modules. Expect high-fidelity images and smooth 1080p HD video.
The Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini's ports and fixtures show up in the same place as on the original S4.
(Credit: Samsung)
The 1.9-megapixel front-facing camera should also pull its weight for casual self-portraits and video chats.
Shutterbugs will also get a nice, large helping of Samsung's photo software, including panorama and HDR modes (that's high-dynamic range), night mode, burst shot, and several others that help pick the best of the bunch.
While the new Sound & Shot mode makes an appearance (that records an audio clip to narrate the still, but plays back only on GS4 phones,) the new dual-shot mode -- which uses both front and rear camera captures in a single picture -- does not.
Performance While it's tough to guess how well the Galaxy S4 Mini will perform all around the world, the specs do tell a promising story. First up, there are up to six bands for global LTE support, plus HSPA+ 42 speeds, and 3G and 2G fail-safes.
LTE-ready builds of the Mini won't come to every market, but if you've got LTE phones where you live, that's the version you should expect to see when and if the handset lands in a store near you. Otherwise, you'll get a 3G version of the phone, and, in some markets, even a dual-SIM device. The double-barrel configuration has its benefits, but don't hold your breath for a dual-SIM Mini to hit every country (sorry, U.S.).
Now what about raw computing power? Unlike the superpowered quad-core or octa-core Galaxy S4, the GS4 Mini will pack a 1.7GHz dual-core processor under its hood. That's completely respectable, depending on the chipset's make and model, and I'll guess that most people won't miss the Galaxy S4's high-octane gaming speeds.
The phone's smaller screen size is one explanation for the Mini's 1,900mAh battery, which should still keep the phone charged during the peak hours of the day. Unsurprisingly, there's a smaller bank of storage on this lighter device -- 8GB, with closer to 5GB for the phone owner's content. However, a microSD slot holds up to 64GB extra.
In terms of RAM, The Galaxy S4 Mini splits the difference between the GS4's 2GB quotient and midrange device's 1GB capacity with 1.5GB RAM.
Which to buy: Galaxy S4 or Galaxy S4 Mini? Without pricing or availability details from Samsung and its global partners, it's hard to make a value judgment about which is the better deal. (I'll update this Galaxy S4 Mini first take with that information as soon as Samsung loosens its lips.)
From the looks of it, the Galaxy S4 Mini has the ingredients to deliver a very solid smartphone experience at a more affordable price, though the screen quality and battery life could flag compared with the real S4 deal. More serious mobile gamers and camera snobs should stick with the fully loaded Galaxy S4.
That advice also goes for anyone who consumes a large amount of reading and viewing material from their phone screen. The GS4's, while fairly reflective, will still trump the Mini's lower-res display.
Still, if you like the sound of a surely less expensive device that keeps most of its key features, and you don't mind some toned-down specs, hold off for the moment until more information about the Mini pours in.
The Nokia Lumia 925 is the second flagship phone Nokia has added to its Lumia lineup in a week. While the Lumia 925 shares many key specs with the Lumia 928 -- screen size, processor, and camera resolution -- it sports a metal design and, crucially, will be available outside of the U.S.
It's due to go on sale in the U.K., Europe, and China starting in June, with an estimated price of 470 euros before taxes -- expect that number to vary wildly once local taxes are applied.
Design Rumors have been circling for months now that Nokia has been toying with the idea of using metal in its phones. The chassis on which all the crucial components are mounted is metal, with thick metal banding present around the edges of the handset.
Rather than opt for an all-metal design though, the 925 has a poly-carbonate back plate. It's a shame not to see a single-piece metal construction. We've already seen this on the HTC One and iPhone 5, both of which are unquestionably stunning phones.
That's not to say the 925 doesn't look good though. Far from it. The metal edging feels firm and curves nicely to join the rounded edge of the screen. The back panel doesn't give much flex when you press on it, making it feel much more solid and secure than the plastic body of the Samsung Galaxy S4.
Display: The GSM radio supports 850/900/1800/1900 bands. There's also WCDMA support for 850/900/1900/2100, and LTE support for 800/900/1800/2100/2600 MHz.
The 925 packs a 4.5-inch display, which is physically the same size you'll get on both the 920 and 928. The 925 and 928 however use OLED screens, rather than standard LCD which promise richer colors and deeper black levels as they don't need to be back lit as do cheaper screens.
Nokia already has good form for squeezing vibrant screens into its phones though -- its "ClearBlack" technology on the 920 and other phones is excellent. In my demo with the 925, the screen certainly looked impressively bright and bold, but I was seeing it in a dimly lit office -- in those conditions, even a poor screen would shine like a supernova.
It has a resolution of 1280x768 pixels, which again is the same as you'll find on the 920 and 928. It's a shame not to see a push for a few more pixels -- it would help the 925 stand out as a clear flagship against its brothers -- but it did make the Windows Phone 8 interface look extremely crisp, so it would be wrong to suggest it's lacking pixels.
Camera Nokia has given the 925's camera a couple of small tweaks, too. It uses the same 8.7-megapixel sensor as its predecessor, but Nokia explained that it's improved the optics in front of the sensor. As well as the lightweight plastic lenses -- low weight is needed for the optical image stabilization -- the 925 uses a sixth glass lens which Nokia reckons gives better clarity, especially in daylight.
Nokia has also apparently improved its camera firmware to give better noise reduction in low-light situations. Until I can give the camera a thorough test, I can't comment on whether these tweaks are worthwhile. The Lumia 920 was already an excellent low-light performer, so let's hope Nokia hasn't messed around with that too much.
You will find some new camera software on board, chief among which is called SmartCam. This app (also integrated as a camera lens) takes a burst of 10 images that you can then edit into an action sequence, change the faces, or choose the best image from the bunch to save. We've seen these functions already on the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4. Unlike the Galaxy S4 though, you choose how to edit the images after you've taken them, rather than choose a setting to shoot in beforehand.
I've played around with the action sequence modes on other phones and found them to be a lot of fun -- so long as you have a particularly exciting scene to capture. Nokia's effort seems to work in much the same way, but with what seems to be a more stripped down, easier to use interface.
You can set the camera to automatically load in SmartCam mode, or you can pin the icon to your home screen to get access to it quickly.
One thing you will need to bear in mind though is that the Windows Phone 8 app store is still very understocked. You can find the odd jewel -- Netflix, Spotify, and Skype are all available -- but many big titles are missing, and WP8 devices are generally at the end of the queue for receiving new apps.
The 925 is powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core processor which -- surprise, surprise -- is the same engine that's inside the 920 and 928. It's easy to argue that Nokia needs to ramp up its processor if it wants to properly compete with the quad-core phones, but given that there's very little you can find in the Windows Phone store to tax a phone, it probably doesn't need to. I found swiping around the interface to be perfectly swift, but I'll reserve judgement for the final review.
Verdict:
With its new metal parts, the Nokia Lumia 925 is a sleek and attractive addition to the Windows Phone 8 range. Does it excite, though? No. It shares most of its key specs with the older Lumia 920 which doesn't really stack up well against the elite competition such as the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4.
We'll have to wait and see if the slight tweaks to the camera and the more sturdy build will make the 925 a serious smart phone contender.
The Sony Xperia L was launched back in March, and the handset is now available in some European countries through Sony’s official Sony Mobile Store, the device is now available in Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands.
The Sony Xperia L is powered by Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and processing comes in the form of a dual core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor with a clock speed of 1GHz, there is also 1GB of RAM.
Other specifications on the Sony Xperia L include 8GB of built in storage, plus a microSD card slot that can take up to 32GB cards, the device also comes with a 4.3 inch FWVGA display with a resolution of 854 x 480 pixel.
The Sony Xperia L features an 8 megapixel camera with Sony’s Exmor RS sensor, and it also comes with 8GB of built in storage, plus NFC and it will be available in a choice of black, white or red.
The Sony Xperia L will also be available in the UK from tomorrow from a number of online retailers, the SIM free version of the Xperia L will retail for around £228 including taxes, you can find out more details over at Clove.
Sony's Xperia series of Android smartphones is slowly but surely gaining momentum as newer models in all price brackets are beginning to flood the market. The latest is the Xperia L handset that’s all set to replace the Neo L, the successor to the Neo V. A lot has changed since then and specifications and features that were once considered brilliant for this price segment does not hold any ground today. Let’s hope Sony has kept that in mind when designing the Xperia L.
OS – Android 4.1 with Sony’s custom skin The Xperia L will ship with Jelly Bean 4.1 out of the box along with Sony’s custom skin. The handset should also be easily upgradable to 4.2 down the road. The UI should be very similar to the one’s we’ve seen on the Xperia Z and ZL.
Cellular connectivity – 3G but no LTE There really aren't any smartphones available today in this price bracket or lower that don't support 3G. The lack of LTE isn’t much of a downer as many of the high-end phones launched in India lack LTE support too.
Slim and sleek design
Display – 4.3-inch TFT LCD Here's where Sony would have to really fight for its right to be taken seriously. With devices like the Micromax Canavs HD and the XOLO X1000, both of which have HD displays, the Xperia L falls a bit short in this respect. There's nothing wrong with the size of the screen as larger screen devices are more cumbersome to handle, but the lack of BRAVIA Mobile Engine could be an issue.
Form factor – Definitely an upgrade from the Neo L Taking its cue from the Arc, the concave back of the handset should make it easy to grip. While Sony seemed to think that a completely flat rear surface would be ideal (see Xperia Z), the curved nature also adds a little finesse to the overall design of the handset. The protruding power/sleep button is all chromed out and adds a touch of class and ease of accessibility to the form of this slim handset. The subtle light indicator at the bottom of the device is also a good idea. Overall, we feel it’s a big step up from the down right plasticky Neo L.
Connectivity – Fully loaded The Xperia L features dual-band Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Hotspot creation, Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP, NFC and USB 2.0. GLONASS for navigation will be sorely missed though.
SoC – Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 400 Loaded up with a dual-core processor clocked at 1GHz, 1GB of RAM and an Adreno 305 GPU, speed shouldn't be a problem. However, once again, lower priced options with quad-core processors like the Canvas HD are available. We'll have more to say once we've run benchmarks on the Xperia L and compared them to those of the lower priced devices.
Internal storage – 8GB, further expandable You're provisioned with 8GB of internal storage on the Xperia L, out of which about 5.8GB is available for users. This can be further enhanced with the use of microSD cards going up to 32GB in capacity. That's quite a bit for all intents and purposes.
The camera is the main USP of the L
Cameras – 8MP shooter with HDR video The Xperia L’s main selling point is the camera. The 8MP shooter supports HDR for stills as well as video, just like the Xperia Z. While this is all fine and dandy, we don’t understand why Sony has limited the video recording to just 720p. Most phones in this price range can easily manage 1080p video, so why cap it knowing the SoC can handle it? This is one area which could be a make or break for most buyers. The front-facing camera is also a disappointment. The Xperia L still uses a VGA sensor when the rest of the world has moved onto 1.3MP and above.
Sensors – Only proximity, compass and accelerometer The Xperia L is missing a Gyroscope, but everything else is present.
Battery – 1750 mAh Li-ion battery The battery has been bumped up to 1750 mAh capacity, which, given the resolution, should easily last you for an entire day.
The bottom line Sony’s new Xperia L is definitely not as exciting as its higher-end cousin, the SP. If phones like the Canvas HD, Galaxy Grand and the XOLO X1000 didn’t exist, then yes, the L would have been a very good option. But sadly, that’s not the case. The L certainly has better aesthetics as compared to its predecessor, but it’s far from perfect. At its expected launch price, there are not one but several gaping holes in the specifications list that stick out like a sore thumb. The screen is the most disappointing part. Not only is it not HD, it also lacks the BRAVIA treatment. The lack of full HD recording will also be missed and we could have done without NFC and taken GLONASS instead. We just hope that Sony soon drops the price of the L like it did with the SP, else it’s going to be a tough sell.
With Sony getting out of the blocks early, it's one of the first companies in 2013 to reveal its wider portfolio of devices. The Sony Xperia SP technically slips into what we'd traditionally call the mid-range, but with specs matching 2012's flagship devices, the Sony Xperia SP doesn't lack power.
That's a huge positive, because it means you get a great experience from a device that's now perhaps £200 cheaper than it might have been 12 months ago. But is there really any space for this sort of device, lacking the glory of the top spot and falling well into the long shadow of the excellent Sony Xperia Z?
Design
The Sony Xperia SP mashes together the S and P names and in theory brings together elements of those forebears, mainly with the specs of the S and the aluminium design of the P, together with the translucent strip design common to the S, P and U Xperia devices of early-2012. However, the design has taken something of a departure, because although this phone carries an aluminium frame, the back is a conventional clip-on plastic shell which can be removed to give you access to the important SD and SIM card slots, but that's all.
In reality, the contrast is rather nice. You have the solidity of that metal frame, cool to the touch around the sides, then the warmth and tactile feel of the plastic back, providing some grip against your fingers to make it a little more secure in the hand. The angles of the sides provide plenty of grip too, the high points fitting into the joints of your digits to ensure that this handset isn't going to go flying from your grasp. Measuring 130.6 x 67.1 x 9.98mm, it isn't too large, but the 155g weight is pushing up towards the top end: it weighs more than the larger Xperia Z or HTC One, for example.
But the biggest design feature isn't the choice of materials, it's the inclusion of the illuminated bar across the bottom of the phone. This replaces the notification LED, giving you coloured flashes when you have a message, as well as changing colours when viewing photos - rather like Philips' Ambilight TV technology. It brings a dash of colour to what you're doing and it is a bit of fun, although we found that flashing can be a bit too much, especially at night, when an email alert may well end up illuminating your whole bedroom. We're sure it will appeal to some; for us, a simple LED notification will do, but that's personal choice. The physical controls are placed around the device in typical Sony fashion, with a central power/standby button on the right-hand side, along with the volume rocker and a dedicated camera button, which can be used to launch the camera directly from locked.
All on display
Encased within the somewhat quirky design are a set of display specs that are altogether more solid. There's a 4.6-inch display on the front, with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels, giving you an impressive 319ppi pixel density. The result is a nice sharp display and plenty of space for Android to show off its talents. Of course the resolution has now been bettered by those Full HD displays, with the likes of the HTC One being fractionally larger, but plenty sharper. Considering that the price is a step down though, the Xperia SP serves you well, although you will need to accept that the viewing angles aren't brilliant.
The display itself is good, but not the best out there. The auto-brightness seems to be a little reluctant to react, often needing a prompt to get a perfect level. You've also got Sony's Mobile Bravia Engine 2 included, that will boost colours to give you more-vibrant images. It works, but can result in the photos you take looking a little better on your device than they do when you share them with friends. But our biggest gripe about the device is that we've spent our time constantly trying to clean smears off it. The Xperia SP is topped with Corning Gorilla Glass, but it seems to spend more time being smeary than any other device we've used recently.
Hardware and performance
Driving the Xperia SP is a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor, clocked at 1.7GHz, and backed by 1GB of RAM. It isn't the latest generation of processor, nor is it the most powerful and that's somewhat reflected in the experience. Although the SP is pretty fast, it lacks the snap that the latest devices give you, but given the device's positioning, we're happy with that, and it will set about your Android tasks with relative ease. There's 8GB of internal storage, of which 5.37GB is available, although you can add up to 32GB via microSD card. In terms of physical connections, the Xperia SP has a 3.5mm headphone socket on the top and a Micro-USB supporting MHL on the left-hand side. On the wireless front, this is available as a 4G LTE handset in some markets, and you have all the wireless wizardry you'd expect, including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC, GPS, DLNA support and so on.
The whole thing is powered by a 2300mAh battery, which is pretty impressive considering the level of this device. We're pleased to see that Sony Mobile didn't opt for a lesser capacity, as the SP really needs that to power this hardware. Typically, the phone will make it through the day and we found that we'd get through 12 hours fairly easily. On light days we had no problems at all. It used to be the case that "mid-range" devices did well when it came to battery performance because of the lower specs. In the case of the Xperia SP, that's not really the case. However, there are also a lot of smart options for managing the battery. As we found with the Sony Xperia Z, you can customise how the phone behaves with a stamina mode. This will let you say exactly what elements of the device are shut off when the level dips below a certain figure - 30 per cent by default. You can turn off background data, but cleverly you can nominate those apps you want to stay connected. That means, for example, you could keep WhatsApp active for your social connections, but let all your Google syncing go quiet when the battery gets low. You also get hardware controls, so you can easily manage the endurance of your device when the battery level gets critical. The result is that the Sony Xperia SP is a good performer on the battery. Sure, push it hard and the battery will drain itself in 6 hours or so, but with sensible use, the SP will see you through the day easily enough and Sony's smart battery management options really work well, with all the flexibility we want. The call quality of the Sony Xperia SP is good and there were no complaints from callers when using the phone. We also found the reception to be pretty good, with a good strong signal in places that some phone struggle with on our test network. The external speaker is located on the back of the phone and isn't great. It sounds rather tinny and there are certainly phones that give a much better account of themselves when being used for music and movies with the external speaker.
The Sony Xperiance
Sony's customisation of Android is now at a level where it doesn't inhibit much of what you love about Android. Some of the distractions of Xperia devices of old have been moved aside, so there's no longer any Timescape or Mediascape, but there's still a fair quantity of bundled apps and services. But thanks to support for folders in the apps tray on this Android 4.1.2 (at launch) device, you can easily move any number of apps you don't want into a folder. While we'd much prefer to be able to remove them, at least you can hide them away easily. There are some superficial changes to the calendar that we don't think really add anything over the stock Android offering and although Sony has added a great deal to its keyboard, we still don't think it stands up against Swiftkey or the new Swype, which we used predominantly on this phone. But Sony is sticking to some core Android elements. Chrome is the browser you're supplied with out of the box, rather than having some other customised browser getting in the way. We like that approach, just as we like that Sony follows the Nexus line and eschews capacitive buttons in favour of on-screen icons for device control, which can be dimmed when you dive into things like movies, making for a nice, clean experience.
Perhaps the integration of your social networks - Facebook and Twitter - could be a little better, as it's all too easy to lose an update you share via Twitter for Xperia for example, but as we found with the Xperia Z, Sony's user interface has reached a point where it feels right. We did find a few quirks however. The camera seems to slow things down a lot. Launching the camera takes longer than expected, moving into previews feels slow, and returning to the camera once you've viewed a shot takes even longer. It's almost as though there's too much going on, which may well be the case. We also found the returning to the home screen sometimes left us with lots of blank spaces where there should be app shortcuts or folders, as though the SP was lagging behind what you were asking it to do. With the power on offer, this shouldn't be the case, so perhaps points to something in the software that needs fixing. Not a deal breaker, by any means, but it detracts slightly from the package.
Photos, movies and music
Sony being Sony, it wants to own the entertainment space. Where you really feel the impact of its tinkering is in the entertainment apps. That means that visually, as well as operationally, things like the Gallery, here called Album, change dramatically. One of the things we like about Sony's Album is the zooming to change the view of photos, a feature Sony has offered over a couple of generations of Android smartphones. It's great to be able to zoom in and out of the whole album view and watch everything rearrange itself.
You also get in-built editing options, so you can add common effects like Lomo, change the saturation of a picture, crop, rotate, change highlights, shadows and a whole host of other things, so if the picture you snap isn't looking its best, you can easily make some changes. The Movies app is something of an oddball as it doesn't give you all your movies, like those from the camera, which are accessed through the normal album. Movies will, however, pull together those videos you sideload, as well as those you might buy through Sony's Movies Unlimited, but not those you download from Google Play. Movie playback looks good head-on, although the display's viewing angles will see the colour drop out if you lie it down flat. There's good native support for a range of different file formats, however, as well as integrated support to share content or access content on a media server. We're still not totally sold on the music app. Even though it sports the Walkman branding, the home page for the music app feels a little antiquated with the top section given over to the depiction of a record player. When it comes to finding and playing your music we don't have a problem with it, and the sound quality is pretty good through a decent set of headphones, with various enhancements available to tweak the sound to your liking.
Cameras
Sony packs a huge amount of functionality into the camera of an Xperia handset. The Xperia SP has an 8-megapixel camera on the back and a 0.3-megapixel camera on the front. The rear is supported by an LED flash and as we've mentioned, there's a dedicated camera button. This button will let you launch the camera to get into snapping straight away. There are various options for its function, but we suspect that to launch the camera will be the most popular. It launches in a fast capture mode, basically in fully automatic, and seems blighted by inaccurate focusing. The majority of pictures we took via this method didn't come out well, so its use is limited.
We also don't like the "superior auto" mode. It limits your options and doesn't seem to give you the superior return you might expect given the name, so it's best to head into the normal shooting mode and tweak things to your liking to get the best results. But the Sony Xperia SP suffers with noise, both in low light conditions and in good conditions, with blue skies turning speckled on a fine day, even with a reported ISO of 50. These shots are fine for sharing where the viewing size will probably hide those imperfections, but it's not the best performer out there.
The slightly misleading thing about the Xperia SP, as with the Xperia Z, is that the Mobile Bravia 2 option often makes these pictures look better on screen than they actually are. That's fine for showing to your friends on the phone, but fire them to your TV and they lack some of the punch you might be expecting. The front-facing camera isn't great either. Its low resolution shows, and although it's not bad at giving nice colourful shots, they're mostly mushy and lack detail. Full HD video capture is offered and the results from video are pretty good, with continuous autofocus.
The Sony Xperia SP is a good mid-range phone. There's power and flexibility on board and there's the performance to back it up, aside from a few minor quirks. The design of the handset is good too with the metal frame giving the SP a nice solid feel. We're not sold on the flashing bar however, it just seems a little too much at times, especially when you're lying awake at night, watching it illuminate your bedroom. The camera performance isn't great. Although there's a lot on offer, it just doesn't seem to all come together and give you the good shots you'd sometimes expect, with focusing being the thing that frustrated us the most. However, the Sony Xperia SP is reasonably priced and for that you get a good display and a device that will showcase the fun of Android nicely, with a battery that will get you through the day.
KOREAN PHONE MAKER Samsung's Galaxy S4 smartphone has arrived, and while it faces serious competition in the Android arena from the HTC One and the Sony Xperia Z, it also has another competitor, Apple's iPhone 5.
Admittedly the iPhone 5 is a few months older than the Galaxy S4, but with its high-end specifications and its continued ability to attract smartphone buyers, the latest iPhone is arguably one of the Galaxy S4's fiercest rivals.
DesignAs we pointed out in our Samsung Galaxy S4 review, Samsung's latest flagship smartphone failed to win us over when it comes to design.
The firm hasn't budged from the design strategy it introduced with last year's Samsung Galaxy S3, encasing the Galaxy S4 in a fully plastic casing that feels pretty cheap in the hand. We got our hands on the black model, and we found that its flimsy battery cover proved to be a nightmare for picking up fingerprints and grease, and its lack of grip often saw us losing hold of the Galaxy S4.
Although it feels cheap, the Galaxy S4 casing is pretty tough and has protected the phone from a fair few drops and near death experiences during our time with the phone. Another bonus is the handset's size, with the phone measuring a neat 137x71x8.6mm despite the handset's large 5in screen.
The iPhone 5, on the other hand, boasts an aluminum backplace that feels much more luxurious and expensive than that of the Galaxy S4, despite Samsung's flagship smartphone actually costing around £50 more. It's also impressively small, weighing just 112g compared to the Galaxy S4's weight of 133g. The Samsung Galaxy S4 doesn't feel hefty, but the iPhone 5 will sit a bit more comfortably in your jeans pocket.
While the iPhone 5 is the clear winner when it comes to aesthetics, its aluminum casing can be prone to picking up scratches, although our phone has remained pretty much unscathed thus far.
Screen
The display on the Samsung Galaxy S4 is undoubtedly one of the smartphone's highlights. The handset features a 5in 1080x1920 Super AMOLED screen with a pixel density of 441 pixels per inch (ppi), which translates to excellent vibrancy, good colour balance and decent viewing angles, although the display did often struggle in bright sunlight. We also found the display wasn't quite as bright as those of some competing devices such as the HTC One.
The iPhone 5's 4in 640x1136 Retina display with 326ppi sounds pale in comparison to the full HD screen found on the Samsung Galaxy S4. However, although the iPhone is older than the Galaxy S4, it's hard to criticise the handset's screen, which also offers good viewing angles, crisp text and great colour clarity.
However, thanks to Samsung's Super AMOLED technology, we think the Galaxy S4 might edge out the Iphone 5 with its deep blacks and impressive colour reproduction.
In terms of size, we found ourselves more comfortable operating the 4in screen of the iPhone 5, with our fingers and thumbs able to easily reach all corners of the screen. However, as smartphone screens are becoming bigger, the Galaxy S4's larger 5in screen is likely to appeal to media hungry buyers.
Winner: Galaxy S4.
Performance The Samsung Galaxy S4 breezes through the performance category too, featuring a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 1.9GHz processor. In addition to performing well in benchmarking tests, the Galaxy S4 was a pleasure to use. We noticed no lag when opening apps, the phone handled multitasking well and, overall, it proved to be one of the fastest smartphones we've ever used.
The iPhone 5's dual-core 1.2GHz processor might sound measly in comparison, but six months after the handset's release we still haven't encountered any issues with the its performance. That's probably because all iOS apps are optimised to work on the iPhone, whereas Android applications are designed to work on hundreds of different smartphones.
This is the story of a little smartphone series that grows up and, three years later, positions itself to take over the world. The device in question, the newest addition to that lineup, doesn't really need much of an introduction thanks to some of the most successful marketing campaigns in the world. We'll be happy to give it anyway: pictured atop this very text sits the Samsung Galaxy S 4, the latest and greatest flagship out of Korea. This is the hero, the device chosen to lead the charge for Samsung as it ventures deeper into 2013, and it's fitted with the best of everything: a 1080p Super AMOLED display, 1.9GHz quad-core (or 1.6GHz Exynos 5 Octa 5410, depending on market) chipset, Android 4.2, 13MP camera and a wide assortment of brand-new firmware amenities, to name just a few.
Despite the fact that its predecessor sold millions upon millions of units in the past year, the Galaxy S 4 isn't alone in its quest for global Android domination this time. HTC, the underdog of the fight, has launched the One, a flagship that rivals the GS4 in almost every way and does so in a physically attractive package complete with a solid aluminum build. Where do these two devices stand in comparison to each other? Does the GS4 reign supreme? Will its onslaught of new software features send the phone to the top of the pack? These answers and more await you after the break.
Samsung Galaxy S 4 review
HARDWARE
If your first impression of the Galaxy S 4 was like ours, we're guessing you had a hard time differentiating it from last year's flagship model. Take a closer look, however, and it becomes more apparent that Samsung's design team didn't actually use the past year to catch up on the sleep it lost crafting the GS3. The phone maker kept to the same overall style, but it made a few crucial tweaks along the way to improve its fit and finish.
Samsung's choice of build material wasn't one of them. If you were a critic of the GS3's plastic construction, you'll be disappointed with its successor -- the company's continuing its long-standing tradition of keeping metal out of the assembly lines, building the frame, back cover and faux-chrome edges with polycarbonate. It's similar -- though lower-grade and not machined -- to the type of plastic you'd enjoy on flagships like the Nokia Lumia 920 or even the HTC One X+, so it's nothing out of the ordinary for Samsung. The biggest benefit in using this type of material is that it offers a little more give when you drop the phone. It's still plenty sturdy, and it feels like it's just as durable as the GS3 or Galaxy Note II. This may be ideal for a large number of potential buyers, but we still prefer the HTC One's premium build quality and visual appeal, thanks to its use of high-grade aluminum through its entire unibody chassis.
The GS4 uses polycarbonate and is pretty sturdy, but the HTC One still has a more premium build quality and visual appeal.
One of the subtlest tweaks to the design in the GS4 may also be one of the most effective: the Gorilla Glass 3rests just a hair below the edge of the screen. This tiny move makes the screen a tad less vulnerable than the GS3, which features glass that sits slightly above the edge. This won't guarantee your screen's safety when you drop your phone, but it at least increases the likelihood of it surviving an impact at an angle.
Another design shift is in Samsung's choice of decor. At launch, the GS4 will be offered in Frost White and Black Mist, and both colors feature a cross-stitching pattern across the front and back. This style is sufficiently subtle on our white review unit and adds a little extra personality to an otherwise plain and glossy device. It stands out more on the black model, however, to the point where it's a bit of an eyesore. When it comes to comparing the darker-hued versions, we much prefer the brushed-metal look on the blue GS3. (In full disclosure, we've spent far more time with the white unit, so our views of the black version are based on first impressions we had prior to our review.)
Although it technically has a larger display than its 4.8-inch predecessor, the 5-inch GS4 is actually narrower (69.8mm wide, versus 70.6mm on the GS3) because it only adds vertical screen space and has skinnier bezels on each side. The GS4 loses most of the well-polished curves prominently featured in the past-gen flagship, as it's designed with broader corners and a filled-out back, both of which are signs that Samsung has veered away from its "inspired by nature" mantra. Fortunately, this means we finally get to say goodbye to the pebble look and feel: the edges are straighter from top to bottom, giving our fingers more surface to grasp onto, and the back cover fits flat on the faux-chrome edge instead of curving around it like waves of the ocean. The entire surface is still slick and glossy, but even so, it's still easier to wrap your hands around this device. Measuring 7.9mm (0.31 inch) thick, the Galaxy S 4 is 0.7mm (0.027 inch) thinner than its older sibling. It's also a mere three grams (0.11 ounce) lighter. All that said, the difference between the two devices isn't noticeable unless you're closely inspecting the pair side by side.
Whereas the home button was almost completely flush with the rest of the body on the GS3, the S 4's is raised a fair amount. On one hand, physical buttons are much easier to press this way; on the other, it stands out above the rest of the screen so much that our fingers catch on it as we swipe down on the display. It's an aspect of the phone we can get used to, although it's unfortunate that its placement interrupts the design flow. As for the rest of the front side, the menu and back keys flank the home button on the left and right, respectively, which is completely opposite of the layout used on a large number of OEM Android devices. Along the top of the screen, you'll see the 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera, earpiece grille and an assortment of sensors.
Flip the phone over and you're presented with a slightly raised camera module on the top with an LED flash just below, and a pair of slits over the mono speaker sitting near the bottom; the plastic between them is raised to prevent sound from being muffled when the phone is lying face-up. The obligatory logos are here as well: "Galaxy S 4," located just above the speakers in traditional fashion, and the carrier logo (T-Mobile in this case) underneath the flash.
Samsung prefers to make the back cover removable, meaning you have easy access to the 2,600mAh battery (which doubles as the NFC antenna), along with the microSDXC and micro-SIM slots -- as well as contacts for inductive charging -- just above it. We expect to hear more about the phone's wireless charging options from Samsung eventually, but all we know for now is that the company plans to sell an optional back cover with this capability built-in. (Given Verizon's interest in Qi, we won't be surprised if its version of the GS4 launches with the option.)
Going around the faux-chrome edges, you'll find the volume rocker on the left, power button on the right, micro-USB / MHL 2.0 connection port on the bottom and the 3.5mm headphone jack, mic and infrared transceiver on the top. It's refreshing to see infrared resurging in popularity, as we're now seeing it in several flagship devices, though it's used in a completely different way now than in the days of the Palm Treo and other IrDA-clad devices. Which is to say, the primary reason for the tech used to be focused on data transfers and "beaming," and now it's simply offered as a universal remote.
Samsung Galaxy S 4
Dimensions
136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9mm (5.38 x 2.75 x 0.31 inches)
Weight
4.59 oz. (130g)
Screen size
5.0 inches
Screen resolution
1,920 x 1,080 (441 ppi)
Screen type
Full HD Super AMOLED
Battery
2,600mAh Li-Polymer (removable)
Internal storage
16 or 32GB
External storage
MicroSDXC (up to 64GB)
Rear camera
13MP, BIS
Front-facing cam
2.0MP, BIS
Video capture
1080p / 30 fps (rear); 1080p (front)
NFC
Yes
Radios
Varies by region and operator
Bluetooth
v4.0 LE
SoC
Qualcomm Snapdragon 600
CPU
1.9GHz quad-core
GPU
Adreno 320
RAM
2GB
Entertainment
MHL 2.0, IR transceiver, DLNA, WiFi Direct
WiFi
Dual-band, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac,
Wireless Charging
No
Operating system
Android 4.2.2 (TouchWiz)
DISPLAY
In the last two months, Sony and HTC have both released flagship phones, each with a spec sheet-topping 1080p display. Although both looked great on their own, the HTC One bested the Xperia Z in nearly every possible way. But now that Samsung is finally tossing its hat into the ring, will its 5-inch, 1080p Super AMOLED screen top the LCD used on its bitter rival?
In short, the two are incredibly close, and you'd probably be happy with either one. But let's dive into more detail about how they differ. AMOLED panels are generally more saturated in color than their LCD counterparts, but we were a little surprised to see the level of color toned down from the GS3; so much, in fact, that most images we viewed matched the natural color reproduction we enjoyed on the One. The blacks were still darker on the GS4, while the whites were brighter -- and viewing angles better -- on the One. Blues looked the best on the GS4, but the reds were a little too saturated for our taste. Yes, the world of 1080p smartphone displays is a nitpicker's heaven, but unless you have an aversion to AMOLED panels, you'll be amazingly happy with the crisp text and vibrant visuals. Lastly, to make sure we avoid any confusion, it is indeed a clear improvement over the 720p display on the GS3.
The new Synaptics ClearPad in the GS4 is capable of detecting your finger from 2cm away.
Additionally, the GS4 uses an advanced capacitive touchscreen powered bySynaptics, also known as ClearPad. This particular screen features a new tech dubbed "3D-Touch" which gives the phone the ability to detect your finger from up to 2cm away. Not only does this make it possible to use Air View without an S Pen, it also allows cold-weather folk to touch the screen while wearing gloves if you've activated the "extra sensitivity mode" in the settings. (In case you're wondering, an S Pen won't work on the GS4 due to the lack of Wacom digitizer, but we're told that the C-Pen and other capacitive styli should function perfectly fine.)
SOFTWARE
Despite the fact that Android received nary a mention in Samsung's GS4 launch event last month, the device is actually one of the first smartphones (outside the Nexus 4, of course) to run Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, the most recent version of Google's mobile OS. Considering it was introduced nearly six months ago, this is a pretty huge deal -- not to mention yet another scathing reminder of the lengthy waiting period Android fans endure between updates.
The GS4 runs Android 4.2, which is still rarely used in brand new devices.
Since the GS4 uses Android 4.2, it offers many of the same additions introduced with the refresh -- but not all. One feature that didn't make the cut is Photo Sphere, a clever camera option which lets you stitch together panorama photos aligned both horizontally and vertically. You also can't use the stock Android keyboard, though Samsung's collaboration with SwiftKey is definitely an acceptable alternative. What you can do, however, is take advantage of expanded Google Now features, use the Daydream screen saver and pull down the notification bar with two fingers to access the quick settings notification bar. (In fact, Samsung's TouchWiz version boasts even more toggles to choose from in this menu, and you can customize the order in which they appear.) Lock screen widgets will also be at your disposal every time you wake your phone up -- and Samsung has even developed a few of its own, such as widgets for WatchON, Samsung Music and a customizable grid of your favorite apps.
Samsung Galaxy S 4 screenshots
As is the mantra of every Galaxy device, the GS4 uses Samsung's TouchWiz skin atop nearly every possible aspect of the firmware. And whether you love the proprietary UI or not, its overall layout is nearly identical to what you'll find on the GS3. You can still use up to seven home pages, and you're treated to the same app menu, options and gestures. Even the standard notification bar looks exactly alike. Samsung is a fan of consistency, and many TouchWiz enthusiasts will appreciate the minimal learning curve required to make the jump to this device. Simply put: if you enjoyed the firmware on the GS3, your experience with its successor will be just as rapturous, if not more so. If you're hoping to run custom ROMs in place of TouchWiz, you may have to wait for a little while since Samsung has confirmed to us that the bootloader is locked.
NEW FEATURES
With another flagship Galaxy device comes yet another wave of brand-new software gimmicks perks. This shouldn't stun anyone who's already familiar with Samsung; the company's been cranking out onslaughts of new gesture- and motion-based features -- alongside a variety of other apps and services -- with each new version. Some are useful, but even more are simply party tricks that seem to be designed for their wow factor.
The feature that has arguably received the most attention is Smart Scroll. The front-facing camera detects your eyes and then tracks the movement of your head, in much the same manner as most other Smart features. If you tilt your head down, the page you're looking at scrolls down; tilt your head up and the screen scrolls up as well. It's a great idea, in theory, but we ultimately found it frustrating for several reasons. First, it only works in specific apps. For instance, the stock internet browser supports it, but Chrome does not, and we couldn't scroll through Samsung's menus using this method, either. (There's no word on whether this feature will be incorporated into an SDK eventually for third-party developers, but we're optimistic about it.)
Smart Scroll is a fun idea in theory, but our neck got tired more quickly than our fingers when doing the same task.
Second, it won't work in a dimly lit area since it has to pick up your eyes. Third, your face can't be too close or too far away -- you'll get the best results from between two and three feet away. We also grew quickly tired of bobbing our head up and down to do an activity we can easily do with a flick of a finger. Lastly, it doesn't always work as promised. In some cases, tilting your head up offers no results, regardless of how smooth or jerky your facial movements are. Other times, the screen scrolls down even when your face is out of the camera's line of sight. On several occasions, even, the screen simply stopped scrolling mid-page, despite the fact that we hadn't moved or blinked. (In full disclosure, we have only reviewed the T-Mobile model, so it's possible that the experience may vary on the unbranded GS4. We will update this review if we find differing experiences with other models.)
Right up there amongst the highly touted GS4 services is a feature called Group Play, a P2P networking tool that expands on the features introduced in Group Cast last year. In this mode, your phone establishes an ad-hoc WiFi hotspot. When one or more GS4 devices are within range, all of them can be connected to each other, giving them the ability to share music, photos, docs and even games with each other. While sharing photos and docs in this fashion are par for the course, Group Play adds some interesting twists to the music and games arena. Instead of simply sharing the song with a friend, this feature lets each phone act as a different surround sound speaker, with the master unit in charge of which songs to play. For games, the feature gives you and a friend the chance to go head-to-head against each other, though this isn't anything we haven't seen already.
Since GS4 units are a bit of a rarity these days, we didn't get to test this particular feature much aside from a few minutes when we first received our device at a press briefing. During that experience, everything functioned exactly as advertised and we had no trouble sharing music. Given that you probably won't have a lot of friends picking up GS4 units right away, Group Play is a difficult feature to recommend; once the flood of excited consumers start pouring in -- not to mention devices like the Note III that seem like locks to receive the service when it launches -- it will become infinitely more functional. Until that happens, however, it's no better than vaporware.
The next "smart" feature Samsung boasts on the GS4 is Smart Pause. The phone pauses the video or movie you're watching any time your eyes look away from the screen. This is another feature that doesn't appear to be universal: it worked well in the pre-loaded YouTube and Samsung Video apps, but it didn't register in Play Movies and third-party players downloaded from the Play Store. This feature performed fine in regular light, but if you want to (or have to) watch a full-length movie in the dark -- you know, the preferred setting for watching movies -- it's probably not going to work out so well. Of course, we aren't smitten by the idea of having the video stop anytime we close our eyes or briefly take our gaze away from the screen, so it's nice that the feature is turned off by default.
Lastly, an app called S Translator could be the most useful of the bunch. Speak a phrase in one language and the phone is able to translate it and rattle off the translated phrase in a completely different language. If the app is having trouble understanding what you're saying, you can choose to type it in text to get the same outcome. If that doesn't work either, the program has a large library of preset phrases already stored. Pick the category you're interested in -- say, you need to get to the airport -- and the app can teach you how to ask for a taxi (or you can just have it do the asking for you, if you're lazy that's your preferred style). Have a specific question or phrase you ask a lot throughout your travels? Why go through the trouble of learning it when you can just favorite it for quick access later?
OTHER NOTABLE FEATURES
We're not done yet: there are still a few more special features worth highlighting. IR appears to be making a huge comeback, and the included transmitter found in the top of the GS4 transforms the smartphone into a remote control. The HTC One and LG Optimus G Pro do the same thing, and just like the former, Samsung is partnering with Peel -- not a huge surprise, as the two companies have teamed up before on products like the Galaxy Tab 7.7. The app they've created is WatchON, which acts as a universal remote, entertainment guide and Netflix portal all wrapped up into one. Those last two features will vary in usefulness depending on cable provider and equipment (hint: Netflix doesn't seem to do much good if you don't have Google TV). We were able to use the remote function to connect to multiple entertainment systems without our fingers breaking into a sweat; in fact, we got a family member's system set up and working faster than it would've taken us to figure out their own mess of remotes.
Safety Assistance may be one of the cleverest features on the GS4, but the US models won't offer it.
We'll make brief mention of the next feature purely on account of its cleverness, despite the fact that it won't be available in any US models at launch (meaning, we couldn't test it). The app we're referring to is called Safety Assistance, a tool that you can break out if you find yourself in an emergency and need to broadcast your whereabouts (without using GPS, of course). Activating the service, which is done by holding down volume up and down for three seconds, will prompt the phone to take a picture from both cameras and automatically send them to a pre-determined contact. This will allow that person to see exactly where you're at. Hopefully it'll never have to be used, but something like this should be included on a large number of phones.
The Galaxy S 4 has another unique capability that we've yet to see elsewhere: compatibility with Mobeam. Never heard of it? No sweat. The startup makes it possible for any standard bar code scanner -- grocery stores are the most popular examples, but this could extend to any scenario -- to scan digital coupons stored on your smartphone. How is this done? It utilizes the proximity sensor built into the handset to bounce light into the scanner, mimicking the pattern of your coupon in the process. It's quite possible that we'll begin seeing this capability show up in more new devices (legacy phones can't be programmed with this feature), but the GS4 is the first to offer this particular functionality.
Finally, the GS4 includes a pair of features called Adapt Display and Adapt Sound which function exactly as the names imply: Display is a fancy auto brightness tool that figures out what you're viewing, as well as the environment you're in, and adjusts the screen brightness to fit your needs. Naturally, Adapt Sound is the audio equivalent of this feature and is capable of adjusting your music or audiobook volume as you change songs or videos, making the sound consistently optimized to your preferences.
LOOK MA, NO S PEN!
One of the unique aspects of Samsung's Galaxy Note series is the S Pen, a stylus-like device that gives you new ways to interact with the screen. Thanks to the GS4's ultra-sensitive display, however, S Pen features are beginning to trickle down to more devices without actually needing to use the pen at all. The best example of this is Air View, which does many of the same things already accomplished on the Note 2, but with your finger acting as the S Pen. Hold one of your digits above the calendar to get a pop-up screen of the day's appointments, above your emails to see the first few lines of text (Gmail not included, sadly), above the browser to make the text larger and above the progress bar when watching movies to preview a scene.
Samsung's been adding fancy gesture- and motion-based tricks to its flagships for several years now, thanks to the large array of sensors made available to Android devices. In the case of the GS4, the company has incorporated a set of features called Air Gesture. We first saw a glimpse of this in the Note 2 with Quick Glance, but it's been greatly expanded this time around. Air Jump lets you do page-up and page-down scrolls by waving your hand up or down, while Air Browse will switch you from one browser tab to another when you wave your hand from side to side. And Air Move helps you relocate icons (namely, apps and calendar appointments) to other pages by holding them with one finger and waving your free hand left or right.
Finally, one last feature that's gained popularity in the Note series is Multi Window, and it's fully functional in the GS4. Press and hold the back button and a tab will magically appear. Tap on it to behold a sidebar of apps that support the feature. Since third-party developers have been doing an amazing job of hopping on board, plenty of applications are already compatible.
CAMERA
Samsung has been mass-producing 8-megapixel camera modules for its flagships ever since the Galaxy S 2, so it almost comes as a shock that the company is ready to push ahead with a 13-megapixel model. As our experience with the HTC One confirmed, megapixel count does not a great camera make, but it certainly can't hurt (in theory). And let's face it: potential buyers are more likely to see 13 megapixels as favorable to Samsung's previous 8MP modules -- especially when you compare it to the One's 4MP count, Ultrapixels or not.
Additionally, the GS4 rear camera lens uses an f/2.2 aperture, 4.235mm focal length and a 69-degree angular field of view; the 1/3.06-inch sensor offers a pixel size of 1.12 microns (compared to 2.0 microns on the One). Its 13MP resolution is set at an aspect ratio of 4:3, so 16:9 fans will need to go down to 9.6 megapixels for a widescreen option. On paper, the specs indicate a pretty solid setup for a flagship, but performance doesn't always match up with the specs -- especially now that we've used the One extensively and found it to be a bar-raiser in terms of its low-light results.
Samsung Galaxy S 4 camera samples
Samsung took one step forward and one step back with its camera UI. Mainstream users won't have any problem adjusting to the interface, a lot of which has been carried over from the Galaxy Camera: it consists of dual shutter buttons (one for stills and one for video, just like HTC's Sense UI), gallery access above and a button underneath that lets you choose from nine different modes, most of which we'll discuss in more detail shortly. Where it regresses from previous phones, however, is in the confusing settings menu, which is found on the top-left corner of the viewfinder. Press it once and you have a small list of shortcut options, as well as another gear icon indicating you have more settings to pick from (you can also access this menu a little more easily by hitting the menu key from the main viewfinder).
Some camera modes also include a downward arrow near the bottom of the viewfinder that features even more options to choose from. Since these menus are different with each corresponding mode -- and absent in some modes altogether -- it may take some getting used to. Speaking of which, let's dive into the new features Samsung has cooked up for the GS4.
NEW CAMERA MODES
As you can see, Samsung has built a reputation for offering a wide variety of lavish settings that give you an opportunity to tweak your images in a plethora of ways. With the GS4, it's actually expanding its efforts even more, as several new camera modes have been added to the mix. Many of them are great for showing off at parties with little usefulness elsewhere, but we found ourselves using a few of them on a more regular basis. We'll discuss each one in order of importance.
Dual-shot takes advantage of both cameras on the phone simultaneously. You now have the opportunity to shoot pictures or videos with the front and rear cameras at the same exact time, effectively creating a picture-in-picture effect similar to what we've already seen on the Optimus G Pro, as well as many televisions. The smaller frame -- which is the front camera view by default, though you can switch views easily at any time -- is resizable, can be moved to any part of the viewfinder and can take the form of a box, heart, stamp or Wizard of Oz-style floating cloud, amongst others. The GS4 even lets you do a split-screen effect, with half of the screen showing the front and the other half displaying the back. We know it's gimmicky, but it's one of our favorite features and we imagine plenty of people will find good use for it.
The GS4 also offers what we like to call "photobomb mode," officially known as Eraser. It takes a series of images for five seconds and gives you the ability to remove any objects that are moving in the background. Sound familiar? That's because it does exactly the same thing as Scalado Remove -- heck, we wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Samsung partnered with the company to make it happen. Regardless, this is a useful feature, but there are a couple drawbacks. First, you have to actually be in this mode for it to work; if you're in the standard camera mode and a photobomber decides to ruin your kids' only picture with Goofy at the happiest place on Earth, you're out of luck. Second, it occasionally acts finicky, which means that it doesn't always pick up every moving object.
Samsung Galaxy S 4 camera screenshots
Sound and Shot is a spiffy feature to show off to your friends, but we found no use for it otherwise. In this mode, the phone takes the picture and then records nine seconds of audio immediately following it; then, that recording will play back any time you view the image. The point of this is to capture memories of the event as it unfolds, but we had a difficult time figuring out many good use case scenarios for it.
Then there's Drama Shot, which also seems to have been designed specifically to bedazzle onlookers. It takes a series of burst shots -- ideally of a subject that's moving from one side of the viewfinder to the other -- and combines them into one image. Think of those old-fashioned "action shots" of sports stars like Michael Jordan going up for a slam dunk, and you'll get the idea. In fact, those frankly are the best use cases for this particular feature.
Most of Samsung's new camera modes are fun to use a few times, but offer little practical use.
The last mode we'll discuss is Animated Photo. With this, the camera takes a five-second video clip and lets you decide which parts of the screen to freeze and which ones to animate. You can choose to have the end result go in a forward or backward loop, or go crazy and have the clip go back and forth. In other words, this is your chance to make a really fancy GIF and have certain sections of the screen frozen in time. Something you'd use regularly? Probably not. A cool feature to have? Absolutely. If we're being honest, we had difficulty making anything look particularly artistic, but it's fun to try, at least. Sadly, though, there appears to be no way to go back and redo your masterpiece after it's been saved.
On top of this list of unique camera modes, the GS4 also offers HDR, Beauty Face, Best Face, Best Photo, Panorama, Sports and Night modes. Most of the scene modes we were accustomed to seeing in older Samsung phones are no longer present -- the autumn colors, backlight, candlelight, sunset and several others are now incorporated into the camera's auto mode, which means it's smart enough to select the best scene based on each individual situation.
CAMERA PERFORMANCE
We've covered Samsung's fancy feast of features ad nauseam, but as any photographer can attest to, those kinds of things don't guarantee high-quality and great-looking images. But on the GS4, can you have your cake and eat it too? Are its snazzy modes and settings compensating for a greater problem, or do they simply complement a solid imaging module?
The camera is very impressive in daylight use, but the One still wins in low light performance.
Fortunately, it appears to be option number two, though performance still isn't perfect. Let's get the bad out of the way: although Samsung advertises zero shutter lag, this only applies to objects that are already in focus. We had difficulty capturing moving objects (children, for instance) without those shots coming out blurry; we didn't experience this quite as frequently on the One.
Samsung Galaxy S 4 HDR samples
One of the most important aspects of having a 13MP camera is the amount of detail it's capable of capturing, and the GS4 appears to grab just a little more of it than the same images taken by the One or the GS3. But the extra pixels do their best work when the shots are zoomed in; not only can the GS4 zoom in further than the One and GS3, it also allows for more cropping and presents more definition than the other aforementioned devices. Color reproduction is slightly oversaturated; dynamic range is noticeably better; and the images aren't as oversharpened as the One. When it comes to daylight imagery, Samsung's latest and greatest is pretty impressive, and bests the HTC One, which has been our favorite shooter on an Android device so far and still offers superb colors and natural light. For examples of low-light performance, we've included galleries of samples from both phones below so you can compare.
Samsung Galaxy S 4 lowlight samples
HTC One lowlight sample shots
There's one missing puzzle piece, however, and that's low-light performance. Can Samsung's latest and greatest hold a candle to a device that doesn't actually needany candles to pick up light? The good news is that the GS4 is better in this regard than any Samsung phone camera we've seen before, but it still can't outdo the One. In fact, HTC's Ultrapixel sensor picks up more errant light in its standard setting than the GS4 does in dedicated Night mode. That said, we noticed that the GS4 does a better job with what little amount of light it can grab, using its higher resolution to smooth out noise. Lastly, despite the fact that the One has an amazing LED flash, the GS4's is even brighter.
Video is captured at a maximum resolution of 1080p at 30 fps, and offers a bit rate of 17 Mbps. It's not a terrible camcorder replacement, but there's nothing about it that really stands out either. Ultimately, it's just your run-of-the-mill phone video capture. That said, the mic picked up excellent audio while filtering out most of the wind and other unwanted noise. The GS4 also has a stabilization feature that, much like you would see in post-production software, trims off the outer edges of the viewfinder, so those of you with shaky hands (this includes us, too) should consider at least giving it a chance. You'll also be able to play with fast-motion (2, 4 and 8x) and slow-motion (1/2, 1/4 and 1/8) settings for quality entertainment purposes.
If the endless buffet of fabulous camera features isn't enough of an indication, we'll clue you in: Samsung's no stranger to imagery extravagance, especially when it comes to producing the actual masterpiece. The exception to this rule, however, is in its post-production features. Aside from the usual set of editing tools, Sammy hasn't done much to stand out from the crowd. As a method of changing that, the GS4 comes with a new app called Story Album, which is a lovechild of a partnership Samsung created with self-publishing outfit Blurb. The service does exactly what the name implies; in short, you bundle a bunch of pictures together, create a photo album out of them and then use your phone to order a physical, professional-style version of that collection -- whether it be in hardcover, softcover or magazine format. Pick one of five layout designs, add your own captions and select which images you want to include in the album. Blurb claims that these photo books will be offered in up to 75 countries, so pricing may vary -- in the US, you're looking at a minimum of $9 for a 20-page 5 x 5-inch book. We enjoyed slapping together a bunch of albums, though sadly we haven't had enough time to order one yet.
PERFORMANCE AND BATTERY LIFE
Generally speaking, flagships feature the latest and greatest components available at the time of their release. As you may have guessed, the Galaxy S 4 continues that tradition, as evidenced by both everyday performance and synthetic benchmarks. This particular smartphone comes in two distinct flavors: one that uses a 1.9GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 chipset and one that debuts Samsung's octa-core Exynos 5 chip clocked at 1.6GHz, the latter of which takes four Cortex-A15 processors and pairs them up with four A7s. Despite the fact that the Exynos chip offers LTE compatibility in all 20 frequencies, the US carriers have all gone with the Snapdragon model.
As a result, our conclusions on the phone's performance are based on tests with theSnapdragon 600, which is paired with an Adreno 320 GPU and 2GB RAM. This is the same chip the HTC One and LG Optimus G Pro use, though the GS4 is clocked at a faster speed than both of them. The CPU features Krait 300 -- a bump from the S4 Pro's Krait 200, which results in a 15 percent improvement in instructions per clock (IPC) and a "speed-enhanced" Adreno 320 GPU. The 600 is also built using a 28nm process, just like the S4 Pro, and offers 802.11ac support (in addition to the standard suite of a/b/g/n). How does it hold up against the One, and what kind of improvement does the GS4 have over the GS3? The table below holds the answers, so let's take a quick look.
Samsung Galaxy S 4
HTC One
Samsung Galaxy S III
Quadrant 2.0
12,684
12,495
5,875
Vellamo 2.0
1,903
2,429
1,626
AnTuTu 3.x
26,143
25,140
10,944
SunSpider 0.9.1 (ms)
772
991
1,194
GLBenchmark Egypt 2.5 HD Offscreen (fps)
39
34
15
CF-Bench
28,111
25,140
12,922
SunSpider: lower scores are better. Samsung Galaxy S III was benchmarked on Android 4.1.
Although it's only been one year since the Galaxy S III was launched, the smartphone industry has been the proud recipient of some hefty improvements in processing power -- and it's not over yet. The once-dominating force of a Snapdragon S4 chipset is now eclipsed by the Snapdragon 600, and we have a feeling history will repeat itself later this year as soon as the 800 is unleashed into the world. Think about it: out of the six benchmarks above, the GS4 managed to set records in five of them, with the One (the previous record-breaker) not too far behind.
The GS4 holds the record in five of our six benchmark tests.
In our review of the HTC One, we witnessed one of the most powerful smartphones we've ever used -- and since it uses the same chipset clocked at a higher frequency, the Galaxy S 4 is in similar territory. In general, the GS4 performs amazingly well, but there's a catch: when Air View and Air Gestures were enabled, we noticed the phone acting a little sluggish even in the most basic of tasks. It would complete those tasks every time, but we couldn't help but notice some stuttering. This seems to indicate that Sammy's razzle-dazzle features are processor hogs and aren't worth enabling unless you use them on a frequent basis (as unlikely as that may seem). On the gaming side, the Adreno 320 works just as well here as it did on the One; while GLBenchmark ranks the GS4 higher, you likely won't be able to tell a large difference when playing more graphic-intense titles likeRiptide or Asphalt 7.
Samsung's bumped its battery capacity to 2,600mAh (up from 2,100mAh on the GS3), but its more elaborate componentry (higher-res screen, better camera and more powerful processor) tend to suck down more energy. With this balance in mind, we weren't surprised to find that battery life measured by our rundown test (video looping with 50 percent brightness and other standardized settings) was only marginally better. All told, it made it through one complete cycle in nine hours and 15 minutes. If we're comparing T-Mobile versions, this means the GS4 bested the GS3 by 17 minutes. This is also above average for an early-2013 flagship phone; since we're in the habit of comparing to HTC's pride and joy, the One snagged six and a half hours on the same test. In full disclosure, we weren't able to test out the GS4 in an LTE area, though the phone had a full HSPA+ signal. As for real life, we typically got around 14 or 15 hours of regular usage before it was time to recharge. This means that power users should be able to make it through a full workday with a little extra to spare for the commute, and nearly everyone else will likely get pretty close to bedtime before the phone gets in the red.
On a full day of regular use, the GS4 managed to last for around 14-15 hours.
When we used the GS4 for making calls, the volume was loud, though still slightly quieter than on the One and iPhone 5. We could hear the person on the other fine, and they in turn couldn't tell when we were walking down a busy street, thanks to the phone's noise-cancellation capabilities. The external speakers used are louder than the GS3, but not as loud as the One's BoomSound stereo offerings.
When a device has several variants, network performance is tricky to define, at least with one review unit. Samsung offers up to six possible sets of radio frequencies, so it's ultimately up to individual operators to decide which one works best for their network. For example, T-Mobile and AT&T both have quad-band LTE (bands 2, 4, 5 and 17) and quad-band GSM / EDGE, but T-Mo offers 850 / AWS / 1900 / 2100 DC-HSPA+ up to 42 Mbps while AT&T's HSPA+ bands cover 850 / 1900 / 2100. (As an aside, T-Mobile confirmed to us that its LTE antenna operates with 5-20MHz bandwidth.) Verizon and Sprint both use 850 / 1900 CDMA / EVDO as well as 850 / 1900 GSM / EDGE / UMTS / HSPA+, though Big Red's option offers LTE in bands 4 and 13 (700 / AWS) while Sprint uses band 25 (1900). The Now Network uses a removable SIM and will unlock global GSM roaming after the first 90 days of service; we expect Verizon to offer international roaming as well, but we've yet to receive confirmation. The mainstream global models, the Snapdragon 600-powered I9505 and Exynos-powered I9500, offer quad-band GSM / EDGE, quad-band HSPA+ (850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100) and up to six LTE bands. All of this is a long way of saying that data performance will vary on which particular model you use, although our T-Mobile unit got speeds that were in line with the GS3 and other comparable flagship phones using the same network.
WRAP-UP
In drawing our conclusion of the Samsung Galaxy S 4, we find ourselves at an interesting junction: while our geek senses keep tingling at the thought of so many market-topping specs contained within the same chassis, we also aren't overjoyed, per se, with excitement. The design doesn't feel fresh, especially not next to the HTC One, but we can't deny that it's an improvement over the GS3. On the plus side, it has better battery life, the same smooth performance and a beautiful display, and a few diehards will like its inclusion of microSDXC and a removable battery cell. Software-wise, Samsung's brand-new features are innovative and clever, yet most of them don't solve any actual UX problems; they seem impractical and are (in some cases) less convenient than tried-and-true methods we've used in the past.
If you're considering a move from an older Samsung device, the GS4 is absolutely the handset you want. Your learning curve will be minimal thanks to TouchWiz's consistent UI, and besides, it's generally a great smartphone -- heck, the phone itself is the best Samsung handset we've used to date, and it'll definitely give the One a run for its money. All told, both phones have different strengths and weaknesses, so one handset unfortunately won't fit all. But when we compare it to the eye-catching look and feel of the One, we can't help but think of one word to describe Samsung's particular flagship entry: predictable.
