Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini
Does the significantly smaller
version of the Galaxy S3 live up to the expectations its bigger brother set?
Familiar design
Samsung like to encase all its devices in a
plastic shell and that's what you get in the S3 Mini. It's incredibly
lightweight, but we can't fault how the phone feels in hand
Using Touchwiz
Touchwiz has its critics, but this
iteration is probably the best yet. It's quick and easy to use, but is nowhere
near as useable as the pure Android experience
No extra ports
One of the unusual features on the S3 Mini
is the lack of ports. You'll find the usual volume rocker, power button, 3.5mm
audio jack and micro USB port, but nothing else of note
Samsung suite
By taking a look at the app drawer of the
S3 Mini, you'll be able to use some of the official Samsung apps, including S,
Planner, S Voice and S Suggest
Samsung
Galaxy S3 Mini
Does the significantly smaller
version of the Galaxy S3 live up to the expectations its bigger brother set?
The Galaxy S3 Mini is a carbon copy, albeit
smaller, of the much bigger Galaxy S3 and for the most part it works well.
Samsung has adopted its usual plastic chassis onto the Mini, and although the
device may look metallic in parts, it isn't. The plastic build isn't as premium
a finish when compared to some of the other devices in this group test, but it
does feel well put together. Fortunately, the backplate is removable meaning
you can switch the 1500mAh battery at any point - a definite thumbs up over the
fitted backplate of the Xperia T.
Samsung tends to have decent, if
unspectacular screens, and it follows suit here with a four-inch Super AMOLED
offering. Colors look deep and vivid, but there's slight pixelation if you look
closely. For a device of its size, the 1GHz dual-core processor blitzes through
all tasks we set it, and with the Mini shipping with Android 4.1, you'll have
your hands on nearly the latest operating system update.
It's
small enough not to impact on your everyday use, the processor is superfast and
the selection of pre-installed apps is impressive. But, it does lack any
breakthrough features that make it a must have
As with all its Galaxy devices, Samsung has
implemented its TouchWiz skin and it offers a mixed bag. The latest version of
the skin is the best yet, but clearly lacks behind Sony's version and the pure
Android experience. A positive of TouchWiz, however, is that you do get full
access to the Samsung suite of apps, with S Planner being a particular
highlight.
One of the limitations of a device this
small is the impact it has on the camera and the S3 Mini produces distinctly
average photos. However, there are plenty of filters and options available for
you to customize, and video recording is generally of decent quality.
One
of the limitations of a device this small is the impact it has on the camera
and the S3 Mini produces distinctly average photos.
Samsung has done a terrific job in bringing
a smaller version of the gigantic Galaxy S3 to the market, and for the most
part, it's a great little device. It's small enough not to impact on your
everyday use, the processor is superfast and the selection of pre-installed
apps is impressive. But, it does lack any breakthrough features that make it a
must have.
Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini
Information
·
Price $430
·
More information www.samsung.com
Technical Specs
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Operating system: Android 4.1
·
Processor: Cortex-A9 1GHz dual-core
·
Storage: 1GB RAM, 8/16GB storage (expandable
to 32GB with micro SD)
·
Dimensions: 121.6 x 63 x 9.9mm
·
Weight: 111.5g
·
Display size: Four-inch Super AMOLED
·
Display resolution: 480 x 800 pixels
·
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth
4.0, GPS, HSDPA 14.4 Mbps, HSUPA 5.76, micro USB
·
Camera: 5-MP rear, VGA front, 720p video
recording
Head-To-Head
·
Design and build: The familiar plastic chassis
is in full force here, but it isn't as ‘high-end' as we'd like. It's very
well put together, however, so kudos to Samsung for that.
·
Features: There isn't an overwhelming
selection of pre-installed apps on offer, but the included Flipboard and
Samsung suite of apps are great additions.
·
Value for money: With the Galaxy S4 recently
hitting the shelves, expect the S3 Mini to lower in price considerably over
the next few months. Look out for a bargain!
·
Connectivity: Having a removable backplate is
a big plus for heavy users on the go, and means swapping the fairly basic
1500mAh battery is an easy process.
Verdict: 3/5
·
The S3 Mini is a much smaller device, and it
certainly has some nice touches but there’s nothing to make it stand out
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