Samsung Galaxy S4 mini, in-depth analysis

It's called the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini and it's an affordable, yet powerful version of the original Samsung Galaxy S4 . After many rumors and speculations earlier, the Korean firm Samsung Electronics Co . has unveiled another of the most anticipated phones of the year. The Samsung Galaxy S4 mini is presented as an alternative to the most powerful phone on the market, although in this case the technical sheet is not far behind. The new  smartphone from Samsung comes with a stylish and innovative design, but also equipped with a data sheet to the maximum with the latest features, and integrated standard on the Samsung Galaxy S4. It is, in short, a new way to enjoy Samsung's most equipped device , but at a cost that is supposed to be considerably lower.

It equips a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED screen that combines the advantage of size with its excellent capacity for the reproduction of multimedia contents. Inside it has an integrated 1.7 GHz dual-core processor , in addition to 1.5 GB of RAM and 8 GB of capacity so that the user can store content of all kinds. It is fully prepared for connectivity and has an 8 megapixel camera, with intelligent functions that we have already seen in other high-end smartphones. Logically, it works through the latest version of Google's operating system (Android 4.2.2) and combines its potential with softwarestate-of-the-art, which will help us make the most of the device for our daily tasks. Next, we thoroughly analyze the technical sheet of the new Samsung Galaxy S4 min i, a device that will go on sale from June of this year 2013 , for a price that has not yet been specified.

Design and display

The new smartphone from Samsung saves a design very similar to his older brother, the Samsung Galaxy S4 . In the words of the technical data, it has measurements of 124.6 x 61.3 x 8.94 mm and weighing 107 grams , with battery included. The 3G version with Dual SIM weighs 108 grams . As you can see in the images, this is a terminal with a practical design, comfortable to hold and with slightly rounded edges, to make it more pleasant to the touch. The distribution of each of the elements follows the usual patterns in Samsung . You will see that the screen occupies part of the front surface, although there is still room for the frame and for a lower strip that houses the central physical button and the two touch buttons (one on each side) that allow us to access the user menu or back. At the top of the screen we find the speaker, the sensors and the front camera .

Leads mounted, as mentioned, one Super AMOLED multi of 4.3 inches , with a QHD resolution of 540 x 960 pixels that will allow us to enjoy the maximum multimedia content in high definition, even at a discrete 720p . The panel has a resulting density of 256 ppi . We will notice the efficiency of AMOLED technology when it comes to playing videos and video games. To handle all kinds of applications that require entering text, the user can have a virtual QWERTY keyboard on the screen.

Camera

The Samsung Galaxy S4 mini features a camera of 8 megapixels that will allow us to capture images at a resolution of 3,264 x 2,448 pixels . The user can enjoy better images thanks to tools such as autofocus , LED flash , geotagging , touch focus or the face and smile detector . Of course, they can also record video in high definition (1080p @ 30fps). However, we must talk about some extra functions that were already integrated in the Samsung Galaxy S4 and in part of the smartphones.of high-end that Samsung has recently presented . It is Beauty Face , Best Photo , Best Face , Drama or Rich Tone (High Dynamic Range) , all of them to easily select the best snapshots; in addition to the Sports , Panorama , Continuous Shot and Sound & Shot functions, an innovative function that allows us to add sound to images.

Like most phones, this one also incorporates a secondary camera that we will find installed on the front of the device. It is a sensor of 1.9 megapixels that will help us make self - portraits and video calls .

Memory and power

In the memory section, we have to indicate that the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini is properly equipped, although we are not facing the large capacities of devices located in a higher range of the catalog. The user can enjoy 8 GB of internal memory , although the truth is that only 5 GB are operational. These will be used to save images, music, videos and files of various kinds. It is clear that this internal memory can be expanded with microSD cards of up to 64 GB , at most. The phone also has a 1.5 GB RAM , enough to give the device a performance to match the circumstances.

It should also be kept in mind that the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini has an integrated dual-core Qualcomm MSM8930 Snapdragon 400 processor , prepared to operate at a clock frequency of 1.7 GHz . This feature is combined with an Adreno 305 GPU to handle the graphics, whose potential will be revealed when running large applications, but also when we want to try any of the video games that we want to download through Google Play or from the application store itself. from Samsung .

Operating system and applications

Like virtually all smartphones from Samsung , the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini runs through icons Google. Its official data sheet tells us that the chosen operating system is, indeed, Android version 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean) , the latest that we have on the market for now. It is an edition that presents multiple improvements in the field of security , important corrections in performance and some residual bugs, in addition to renovations in the interface, the notification bar, the camera systemand in the different functions that usually make up this ecosystem. We are referring, logically, to the improved version of Google Now , a tool that offers personalized search results automatically. This platform, it must be said, comes with the Samsung TouchWiz interface , a classic in Samsung devices . It is a layer that identifies the terminal as part of the Korean catalog, with its own functions and tools that we will only find through this brand.

Some of these are directly related to applications. And it is that as extra functions, the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini comes equipped with Story Album , S Translator, S Travel (TripAdvisor), S Health, S Voice, Samsung Adapt Display, Samsung Adapt Sound, Safety Assistance, Samsung Link, Screen Mirroring, HomeSync or Smart Switch . But if there is an important feature, that is Samsung KNOX . This is a feature of Samsung smartphones since the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S4 that allows users to enjoy an extreme level of security to be able to make personal and professional use compatible and keep any highly confidential file, communication or program safe.

As a good Android terminal , in addition, the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini comes with the following applications installed as standard, part of the Google ecosystem : Google Search, Google Maps, Gmail, Google Messenger, Google Play Store, Google Plus, YouTube, Google Talk, Google Local, Google Navigation, Voice Search, Chrome, Play Books, Play Movies, Play Music and even direct access to Google Play , the application store, video games and utilities that Google makes available to its users.

Connectivity

The Samsung Galaxy S4 mini is perfectly prepared for connectivity. To begin with, we will say that it operates on 2.5G networks (GSM / GPRS / EDGE): 850/900/1800/1900 MHz and 3G (HSPA + 21 Mbps: 850/900/1900/2100 MHz. This phone will be able to connect to 3G networks , accessing HSDPA 42 Mbps and HSUPA 5.76 Mbps transfer rates . In some markets, in addition, users will be able to enjoy the so-called LTE technology to access the Internet at a higher speed. But this does not That's all. Logically, the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini is planted in the market equipped with WiFi 5.0GHz a / b / g / n networks, which will help us to enjoy any wireless network available at home, at work or in places with WiFi enabled . In addition, it is compatible with WiFi Hotspot , a tool that allows us to anchor other devices to our 3G connection ; WiFi Direct , a much more agile transfer protocol or DLNA, a technology that allows us to transfer content more easily between our home devices.

Additionally, the phone has Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP, LE and EDR , in addition to NFC (only in the GT-I9195 model ) and GPS with GLONASS , a feature that will allow us to use the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini as if it were a GPS navigator for the car.

In the field of physical connections, it is necessary to mention its microUSB 2.0 connection , the output 3.5 mm headphone or microSD card slot that will allow us to expand the memory of the device.

Music, photos and multimedia

Like any mobile phone in its class, the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini is perfectly suited to play multimedia content. Here are included images, videos and photographs in the main most used formats . For now, we can indicate that the supported formats are the following: MP4, M4V, 3GP, 3G2, WMV, ASF, AVI, FLV, MKV, WEBM, MP3, M4A, AAC, OGG, OGA, WAV, WMA, AMR, AWB , FLAC, MID, MIDI, XMF,

MXMF, IMY, RTTTL, RTX and OTA. Additionally, users will be able to use Samsung's own playback tools , in addition to the Group Play functions : Share Music, Share Picture, Share Document and Play Games , installed as standard on the device. Those who wish will be able to connect to FM Radio and enjoy streaming content from online platforms such as YouTube .

Autonomy and availability

The Samsung Galaxy S4 mini has a built- in lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 1,900 milliamps . Its autonomy should be sufficient to supply the operation of a whole day of intense use and with the main functions activated: Internet (3G) , search for wireless networks or GPS . In any case, it must be taken into account that the final autonomy will always depend on the use that each person makes of the phone, as well as the state of the networks and the options that they keep active or operative.

We know that the phone could be made available to users from next June , although the truth is that a specific launch date for our country has not yet been specified. Its price is still unknown, but it is expected to be considerably cheaper than the original Samsung Galaxy S4.

Feedback

Samsung renews the S4 family with one of the most anticipated terminals of the year, after the presentation of the Samsung Galaxy S4 . Its main objective is to offer a large majority of people the possibility of getting a high-end smartphone , similar to its new flagship, but at a much more affordable price. The Samsung Galaxy S4 mini has, therefore, a high-end technical sheet: with a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED screen , a 1.7 GHz dual-core processor, LTE, 3G, WiFi and an eight megapixel camera, in addition of all those functions that we have been able to test for the first time in theSamsung Galaxy S4 . To this must be added great features such as S Travel , S Health or S Voice , in addition to Samsung KNOX , a tool that brings the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini closer to a more professional audience. And although the price has not yet been revealed, it seems that this will be one of its main advantages. Best of all, we will discover this information soon, because the terminal could begin to be commercialized in June 2013 .

Data sheet