Samsung Galaxy S 4 Review: Still Android's Best?

[Julio Franco]

Read the full article at:
[newwindow=https://www.techspot.com/review/664-samsung-galaxy-s4/]https://www.techspot.com/review/664-samsung-galaxy-s4/[/newwindow]

Please leave your feedback here.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

Yeah it's very nice and the plastic shell doesn't bother me one iota, in fact I prefer it but that doesn't mean I'm running out to buy one. Once my contract is up on my S3 I'll 'downgrade' to a mid range phone. I can get just as good an experience from it and save money in the long run.

 

[Burty117]

Personally, from what I've read and seen, I prefer the HTC One.

But some of the software tweaks on the S4 just seem pointless? you can get 5 S4's and create a surround sound out of them? what the hell is the point?

Apart from that though, good work getting the screen bigger in pretty much the exact same amount of space, I'll give kudos to that

 

[MilwaukeeMike]

Personally, from what I've read and seen, I prefer the HTC One.

Me too, but the comparison to the HTC One is one of preferences and trade-offs, not really one of which phone is 'better'. S4 screen has better blacks, One is better in the sun. S4 has as SD slot but the One gives you 32GB standard and can host a USB drive with a cheap adapter. S4 has a removable battery but the One sacrifices one for it's beautiful aluminum case. The S4's camera is 13MP but requires more light to fill those 13MP, which makes it's pictures wonderful outdoors but the One has better dim light photos because it's lower 4MP camera is specifically designed for performance at dimmer light. The S4 can record with front and rear cameras together, while the One can pull pictures and video together in a highlight reel complete with music.
The One has (supposedly awesome) stereo front speakers while the S4 has the normal single mono back speaker.

And then there's the whole slew of software differences between HTC's Sense and Samsung's Touchwiz. Touchwiz has more features, Sense has been scaled back. Both have an IR blaster and NFC, but the S4 has Android 4.2.2 compared to the One's 4.1. the biggest visual difference is the S4 is plastic and the One is metal.

It's fun to debate the two because they're both going to be awesome and it'll be cool to see friends get each and try them out. Check out Anandtech for the most complete review of the One you'll find on the internet (http://www.anandtech.com/show/6747/htc-one-review) They have a review of the S4 too, but it's only half posted. (http://www.anandtech.com/show/6914/samsung-galaxy-s-4-review)

All we need now is a new phone from that fruit company to make the standoff complete.

 

[madduriaditya]

Anyway itz far away from budget smartphones

 

[yRaz]

It has some powerful hardware and runs well, but the build quality is cheap. Its plastic shell is thin and so is the digitizer. I've seen more broken screens on the sgs3 than I have on other phones. My only problem with the sgs3 is that it is not durable. Considering it's the flagship android phone I have no idea why Samsung made it that way.

 

[Guest]

I'm waiting for HTC one..

 

[hahahanoobs]

I don't mind the use of plastic. I just don't like how they use it. The back on the Galaxy S series of phones are always just flat, smooth, and boring. For example, Samsung does nothing to design the back so it protects the lens when you put it down, or do they think we put our phones face down when not in use?

*cringes*

I just thought of something... what if Samsung designed cars?

*more cringing*

The back is all I can complain about. The s4 is an amazing phone, but If I got one, I'd have to buy a case for it...

 

[Jad Chaar]

I dont really see a noticeable difference between the S3 and the S4s plastic shell despite the new forming method.

 

[veLa]

I hate to say it but after the Galaxy S2 came out back in 2011 I just haven't been impressed with any recent phones. It's just that the S2 set the bar so high, these generational spec bumps and pointless software features simply seem like gimmicks to me.

 

[Jad Chaar]

I hate to say it but after the Galaxy S2 came out back in 2011 I just haven't been impressed with any recent phones. It's just that the S2 set the bar so high, these generational spec bumps and pointless software features simply seem like gimmicks to me.

Wait till next year. That is when a lot of phones will begin their major redesigns (usually every 2 years).

 

[Archean]

Another plasticky phone, I believe a top end offering like S4 deserves better building materials. Apart from 'misleading' Octa core moniker (since only one of the two quad core SoC will be operating at any given time), and gimmicky features, there is nothing really exciting especially for those with S3.

I think HTC One is overall much better package, and somehow, Sense 5 seems to be whole lot less messier than TW. Add that to a much more practical size of 4.7", and 32GB storage out of the box, it is lot more compelling choice. But unfortunately, I ain't buying another android any time soon, since, I got a 920 to go with S3 (which admittedly I use a lot less these days, mostly for experimentation with custom ROMs).

 

[Jad Chaar]

I like the HTC One. The speakers that stretch along the whole width of the phone irk me though.

 

[Darth Shiv]

For those interested, a few articles just started popping up with Note III due mid June.

 

[Guest]

So where's the inductive charging gizmo???

 

[Det]

How disappointing is it to have a review of a device that is actually a review of all the other similar ones as well? It's not a "con" that some other device possesses similar quality.

As in like "this car is great in every way, but since this other car has a great engine too, we don't like it anymore".