Samsung Galaxy S4 mini- this is a logical continuation of the “Galaxy” line, which is distinguished by a large number of relatively cheap, but very functional smartphone models. In terms of functionality, the smartphone is fundamentally different from its Samsung “brothers”; the difference is noticeable only in the size of the body and display. Closest competitors Samsung Galaxy S4 mini are the LG G2 Mini, Asus PadFone mini and some others that are on the same price level.
Smartphone characteristics
Galaxy S4 mini equipped with a full screen with a diagonal of 4.27 inches. By modern standards, the display size is average, but this has a positive effect on the size of the smartphone - it fits easily in a pocket, unlike many modern “shovels” with 5-6-inch displays. The display has a protective glass that protects it from scratches. The dual-core Krait processor clocked at 1.7 GHz provides excellent performance. On a smartphone Samsung Galaxy S 4 Almost all modern 3D games for Android run smoothly.
The smartphone supports communication using GSM and 3G standards. There is support for the latest Wi-Fi standards, as well as Bluetooth and USB. Nowadays it sounds strange, but in Galaxy S4 mini There is an infrared port - a relic of the past. The gadget can work as a satellite navigator - it supports both the American GPS navigation system and the Russian GLONASS network.
A high-quality camera is one of the most significant advantages of this device. Photography resolution is 8 Mpx, video is HD quality 1080p, 30 frames/sec. The camera has automatic focusing. The camera resolution for video calls is 1.9 MP. There are graphic camera effects as well as a built-in image editor.
The device will please fans of multimedia functions. Firstly, a large screen that allows you to comfortably view HD video. Secondly - a multifunctional music player. Subtle sound correction will appeal to music lovers. There are built-in sound effects and a graphic equalizer. There is an FM receiver. The volume of the built-in speaker is quite high, but the sound quality is at a basic level. There can be no complaints about the sound quality in the headphones.
Once again I am glad to welcome you to my blog dedicated to Samsung technology. This time I want to focus my and your attention on a review of a rather interesting mobile gadget - the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini. In this review, as usual, we will touch upon the general issues of this smartphone model, its configuration, characteristics, and provide a visual and technical review of it.
Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini – who is he?
If you follow the life of the Samsung company, you probably guessed that the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini is the brainchild of the Samsung Galaxy S4, only in a smaller form. I admit honestly that when I saw the inscription “mini” next to the next Samsung smartphone model, I was very surprised, and if you are a regular reader of mine, you guessed why. For those who have just visited my blog, I will only say that recently Samsung has tended to increase the size of its gadgets, which makes them very bulky, but at the same time quite functional. Such a wonderful example is the Note 3 smartphone model; by the way, you can read a review of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 on my blog.
Now let's say a few words about the culprit of this post. The full name of this model: Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini i9190. There is also an option - Duos, which includes work with two SIM cards. As for this model, it is a smaller prototype of the Samsung Galaxy S4, one of the varieties of which has two SIM cards.
Let's get down to the review of the smartphone itself and start unpacking it.
Unboxing your smartphoneSamsungGalaxyS4Mini
For clarity, in the picture above, you can immediately compare the packaging of the new product - from the flagship. Oddly enough, the mini model has more attractive packaging than the flagship, although, based on the price and segment of the models, everything should be the other way around, in my opinion. Well, okay, we’ll throw away the packaging in a few minutes, but, nevertheless, they greet us based on our clothes...
According to the new Samsung trend, the packaging is made from environmentally friendly material, simply put, from recycled materials. I wonder if it’s really about the environment or if they’re saving on packaging – a mystery we’ll never know.
Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini package contents:
Instructions – a short guide to the smartphone and a warranty card;
DATA cable (USB to microUSB) for synchronizing the device with a PC and charging the battery;
Headphones with a set of additional attachments;
Charger;
The battery that will need to be inserted into the phone.
The package is standard and includes everything necessary for comfortable operation of the device. As for the first impressions of the phone, it’s difficult for me to judge this and highlight something, since the design of almost all the latest Samsung devices is very similar and practically does not bring any innovations, with the exception of some minor improvements.
Now let's look at one of the most interesting issues regarding the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini, namely its technical characteristics.
Specifications Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini
The smartphone has the following technical parameters:
Net: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, /GPRS/EDGE/HSDPA;
Communication: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n standards, Bluetooth 4.0, microUSB 2.0, infrared, FM radio;
CPU: Dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400, clocked at 1.7 GHz;
Display: 4.3 inches Super AMOLED qHD, with a resolution of 960 x 540;
operating system: Android 4.2.2, with Nature UX graphical shell;
Camera: 8 MP, 1080p video recording, flash, 1.9 MP front camera;
Memory: 8 GB, 1.5 GB RAM, support for microSD cards up to 64 GB;
Battery: 1900 mAh, removable;
Dimensions, weight: 124.6 x 61.3 x 8.9 mm, 107 g (dual SIM version - 108 g).
Model description
Having examined the characteristics of the model, we now describe it. On the front of the screen at the top there is a front camera, at the bottom there are buttons: mechanical - home, returning to the desktop, and two touch ones - menu and return back. On the back of the smartphone there is a camera with a flash at the top, and the main speaker is located at the bottom left side. On the left side of the device there is a volume rocker, on the right there is a button to turn the device on and off. On top there is a 3.5 headphone jack and an infrared port. At the bottom there is a microUSB port and a microphone.
As for the body, it is made entirely of plastic, but it is worth noting the build quality, there are no backlashes or creaks, which is very pleasing when purchasing such a model. The only thing I can’t help but note is the plastic back cover. Even though it is slightly corrugated, it will still be scratched, so you need to either carry your smartphone in a case, or glue a protective film and save it as a stash for a rainy day.
The phone sits very comfortably in the hand, and most importantly, it is convenient to operate, unlike its “grand” counterparts, since I like to operate the phone with one hand and my thumb.
The phone works quite quickly, the response is clear, and this is very pleasing. When running various applications and games that consume a fairly large amount of resources, it is worth noting
comfortable operation of the device, it copes with all tasks without the slightest freeze and does not even think about it.
The Android operating system and the new Nature UX graphics are quite welcoming and beautiful. We will not dwell on it in more detail, since it has not undergone any significant changes.
I would also like to mention the model with two SIM cards. In standby mode, the phone works with two operators; as soon as a voice call is received on one of the cards, the second one is switched off. This is, of course, inconvenient, but not so problematic.
To summarize, I will say that this smartphone did not surprise me, but pleasantly pleased me. A good budget and compact version of the Samsung Galaxy S4 analogue. It is especially worth noting the presence of two SIM cards, which is very convenient in our time. If you are thinking about buying this device, then I personally would recommend it to you: good characteristics, reasonable price and good functionality thanks to the wonderful Android operating system.
We have added a new version of the popular “four” Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini, a review that summarizes all the most interesting information about this model.
Externally, as promised by Samsung representatives, this phone completely copies the base model, with the exception of dimensions. The reduced “copy” has dimensions of 12.4X6.13X0.89cm and weighs 107g.
Performance and Software
Tests conducted using specialized applications showed that in almost all the main parameters the mini version is inferior to the older S4 model.
Unlike the base model, it uses not an eight-core processor, but a dual-core processor and, moreover, with a clock frequency of 1.7 GHz less by a tenth. Manufacturers also considered it necessary to reduce the RAM by 500MB and leave only 1.5GB. Similarly with the base memory - it is at the level of entry-level budget devices - 8GB. The device runs on the Android 4.2 operating system. The smartphone has a GPS navigation module, a built-in geomagnetic compass, an accelerometer and a gyroscope.
Screen
The Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini has the following touchscreen specifications:
Pixels per inch: 256;
Diagonal: 4.3’.
The screen supports multitouch technology, which recognizes not only single touches on the screen, but also gestures of several fingers. The screen accepts up to eight simultaneous touches.
The presence of a proximity sensor allows you to block the sensor and dim the screen to save energy when the device approaches your head for a telephone conversation.
The screen is covered with anti-reflective and oleophobic coating. Automatic brightness adjustment in a dark room reduces the brightness, and in the sun, on the contrary, increases it for user convenience.
Camera
Traditionally for smartphones, the S4 mini has two cameras - main and front. The main camera is more powerful and, thanks to the 8 megapixel camera, allows you to take pictures with a resolution of 3264X1836. The camera has good sharpness, and the image digitization algorithms used in the device allow you to take good photographs. The 1.9MP selfie camera has a default resolution of 1280X720. The main camera allows you to shoot video at 1080p resolution. The video is saved in MP4 format. In low light conditions, an LED flash is used. It can be activated automatically if the light sensor shows an extremely low level. The flash can also be activated and deactivated manually.
Battery
The Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini review would have been somewhat disappointing if it weren't for the battery of this smartphone. A modest 1900 mAh battery by today's standards, with relatively low screen power consumption, allows you to watch videos for twelve and a half hours or enjoy 3D games for a little over four hours. In this regard, the phone outperforms even some flagship widescreen models.
Conclusion
Despite the proud S4 index in the name of the smartphone, it essentially has little in common with the base model; practically only one name remains. The characteristics eloquently tell us that this is a completely different smartphone model in terms of hardware and performance. Of course, marketers made every effort to ensure that the device was sold, even giving it a flagship name, but alas, not its capabilities.
Mini version of the flagship model: not only reduced, but also trimmed
The family of the top line of Samsung Galaxy S mobile devices is growing. In addition to the main smartphone, which itself, as is known, has two varieties based on different hardware platforms, the Korean company also produces a smaller version called the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini, and a protected version of the Galaxy S4 Active for people leading an active lifestyle. , and even the “pure” Google Phone Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Play Edition - a version of the same smartphone, only now with modified software. By the way, the Koreans are not unique in this: Taiwanese HTC is also going to release its “mini” and “maxi” models soon. In previous reviews, we have already reviewed almost all of the listed variations on the Galaxy S theme, and even managed to test the expanded 6.3-inch “monster” called Galaxy Mega. Now it comes to a smaller version of the company's top smartphone.
That’s right: according to the proprietary nomenclature, the model being considered today not only officially belongs to the Galaxy S line, but is also a smaller version of the Galaxy S4 model, as eloquently evidenced by all the branding and even the name itself. However, users looking for a modern smartphone with powerful flagship hardware, but with a small (normal) screen diagonal, will be disappointed: the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini is not only reduced in size, but also greatly reduced in functions and capabilities, completely different , a separate independent model. So, as before, such people still have no alternative (at least if we take the products of large manufacturers) Apple iPhone with its miniature, by today’s standards, dimensions and top-end hardware - well, or look at the “Chinese”, like Xiaomi Mi2S . As for the hero of today's review, the level of its filling turned out to be an order of magnitude lower than that of the company's flagship. There is a different SoC, a reduced set of proprietary user interface capabilities, a smaller battery, a simpler camera, and so on. Thus, the buyer should not be deceived: this is not a reduced-size Samsung Galaxy S4, but a completely different model in all respects, which only for marketing reasons (read: to increase sales) received from the creators a “foreign” name that it should bear , in general, not at the right time.
In the pictures: Samsung Galaxy Mega, Samsung Galaxy S4, Samsung Galaxy S4 mini
By the way, this is not the first attempt of this kind by the Koreans: during the triumphal march around the planet of the previous flagship model, the Galaxy S3, Samsung made exactly the same attempt to satisfy the diverse user tastes by releasing a smaller version of the Galaxy S3 - S3 mini. The model was not in great demand on the market, which is understandable: those who were looking for top-end hardware in a standard rather than spade-shaped case, having learned that there was a completely different, weaker platform inside, lost interest and turned away, and those who, in general - anyway, naturally, they chose according to the principle “the more, the better.” There are fears that exactly the same fate will befall the successor of this strange tradition, the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini, because nothing has changed in the manufacturer’s behavior this time either: the small body of the S4 mini does not contain the soul of the large S4, and that says it all.
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But our task is not market forecasts, but a scrupulous description of any device that comes into our test laboratory, which is what we will do. Let's make a reservation right away: we have come across a model that works with only one SIM card and does not have support for fourth generation networks (LTE). There are other modifications (for example, the model number that supports LTE is GT-I9195, but it will not be presented on the Russian market); in our case, the model number is designated as GT-I9190, and this is what our story will be about today.
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Main characteristics of Samsung Galaxy S4 mini (GT-I9190)
- SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 400, 1.7 GHz, 2 Krait 300 cores
- GPU Adreno 305
- Operating system Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
- Touch display S-AMOLED, 4.3″, 960×540, 256 ppi
- Random access memory (RAM) 1.5 GB, internal memory 8 GB
- MicroSD card support (up to 64 GB)
- Data transfer (3G) HSPA+ up to 42/5.7 Mbit/s (download and upload)
- Bluetooth 4.0
- Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n (2.4 + 5 GHz), Wi-Fi hotspot, Wi-Fi Direct
- DLNA, IR port
- GPS/Glonass
- Accelerometer, geomagnetic sensor, gyroscope, light sensor, proximity sensor
- Camera 8 MP, autofocus, LED flash
- Camera 1.9 MP (front)
- Battery 1900 mAh
- Dimensions 124.6 x 61.3 x 8.94 mm
- Weight 107 g
| Samsung Galaxy S4 mini | Samsung Galaxy S4 | Samsung Galaxy Mega | Sony Xperia V | |
| Screen | 4.3″, S-AMOLED | 4.99″, S-AMOLED | 6.3″, PLS | 4.3″, VA |
| Permission | 960×540, 256 ppi | 1920×1080, 441 ppi | 1280×720, 233 ppi | 1280×720, 342 ppi |
| SoC | Exynos [email protected] GHz (8 cores) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 @1.7 GHz (2 cores, Krait 300) | Qualcomm MSM8960 @1.5 GHz (2 cores, ARMv7 Krait) | |
| GPU | Adreno 305 | PowerVR SGX544MP3 | Adreno 305 | Adreno 225 |
| RAM | 1.5 GB | 2 GB | 1.5 GB | 1 GB |
| Flash memory | 8 GB | 16/32/64 GB | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| Memory card support | microSD | microSD | microSD | microSD |
| operating system | Google Android 4.2 | Google Android 4.2 | Google Android 4.2 | Google Android 4.0 |
| SIM format* | Micro-SIM | Micro-SIM | Micro-SIM | Micro-SIM |
| Battery | removable, 1900 mAh | removable, 2600 mAh | removable, 3200 mAh | removable, 1700 mAh |
| Cameras | rear (13 MP; video - 1080p), front (2 MP) | rear (8 MP; video - 1080p), front (1.9 MP) | rear (12 MP; video - 1080p), front (0.3 MP) | |
| Dimensions | 125×61×8.9 mm, 107 g | 137×70×7.9 mm, 130 g | 168×88×8 mm, 199 g | 129×65×10.7 mm, 120 g |
* The most common SIM card formats are described in a separate material.
Appearance and ease of use
Both the Galaxy S4 mini and the Galaxy Mega are externally exact copies of the “standard” Galaxy S4, only with changed dimensions. Apart from the size, then in detail, even in the smallest detail, all the new models in the series are absolutely identical in appearance and design of the cases. The same plastic back covers, metal-look rims along the side perimeter, a common front panel with a recognizable mechanical hardware middle key, and even the shape and location of the speaker grilles, buttons, camera windows, flashes and logos - everything matches perfectly.
And again, the developers from Samsung once again simply produced a clone of their own previous product, only changing its dimensions and inserting another board inside.
As for the dimensions, the smartphone has become noticeably smaller and lighter than the regular Samsung Galaxy S4, but in terms of thickness, it even surpasses the original.
- Samsung Galaxy S4 mini – 124.6×61.3×8.94 mm, 107 g
- Samsung Galaxy S4 - 137x70x7.9 mm, 130 g
- Samsung Galaxy Mega - 168x88x8 mm, 199 g
- Sony Xperia V - 129x65x10.7 mm, 120 g
The body materials of the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini are only plastic, there is no metal here. The metal-looking rim that runs along the entire side perimeter of the device is also made not of metal, but of plastic that mimics metal. The material is soft, it easily leaves dents after any impact; we saw such dents on the rims of the Galaxy S3, the Galaxy S4, and now the Galaxy S4 mini.
For obvious reasons, a smartphone of such small dimensions by today’s standards fits comfortably into the palm of any size, even a woman’s, and holds well there. It looks nice and quite stylish, the side bezel and speaker grille shine with chrome, in general the smartphone looks quite neat, although inexpensive and discreet.
The back cover is smooth, glossy, reflects in the sunlight and instantly attracts fingerprints. The stains instantly cover the entire back wall, so you have to wipe it on your knee all the time, fortunately the area is small. A network of small scratches quickly forms on a smooth surface, so those who are neat will have to think about purchasing a cover from the very first minutes.
The Samsung Galaxy S4 mini has a classic candy bar form factor. The back cover here is removable and is standardly secured with several plastic latches. Under this thin cover there is a battery compartment: the battery is also removable, and only by removing it you can get to the memory card and SIM card slots. The structure and location of these slots here differs from that of both the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mega: in the first, the connectors are laid out above the battery, and in the second, they are assembled one under the other. In the mini version of the smartphone, none of the slots are visible under the cover - both of them are hidden even deeper, under the battery, so there can be no talk of any hot swapping. Even to get the memory card, you will have to remove the battery, which is not very convenient, but this arrangement is due to a lack of space due to the small size of the device and the rather large battery, which occupies most of the internal space of the smartphone.
Both slots are simple in design and do not have spring-loaded gripping mechanisms, so inserting and removing both cards requires an awkward up-and-down pull. However, it is the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini connectors that have special open spaces, so you can always push a stuck card with something sharp from the other side. The SIM card here is used in Micro-SIM format, the memory card can expand the built-in memory by 64 GB.
The front panel is completely covered with protective glass, under which not only the display is hidden, but also the front camera window and sensor eyes. The auditory speaker is covered with a chrome grille. Below the screen there are three hardware buttons in a row: two touch-sensitive on the sides and one mechanical in the middle. All buttons are sensitive to touches and presses - there are no problems with this. The touch buttons have a white soft backlight, the duration of which can be adjusted at the discretion of the owner in the corresponding settings section.
The remaining elements and connectors are scattered as usual along the narrow edges of the device. Both connectors - 3.5 mm audio output to headset and Micro-USB - are located at the top and bottom, respectively. The outputs and connectors are not equipped with plugs - the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini model does not have protection from dust and moisture. The Micro-USB connector here, unfortunately, does not support the mode of connecting external devices using a USB host (OTG), so neither a flash drive nor a keyboard and mouse can be connected to the smartphone. All other members of the Galaxy S family, up to the Galaxy Mega, had excellent support for the OTG mode, and it’s strange why the Galaxy S4 mini was deprived - this is just one of those noticeable and significant differences between the mini version and a normal, full-fledged top-end flagship. Likewise, there is no way to display the image on a monitor or TV via MHL.
It’s good that they left the infrared port - it is embedded in the upper end of the device and serves, first of all, for working with household appliances as a remote control. Among the smartphone software there is a convenient program called WatchOn - it recognizes almost any, even quite old equipment, easily managing, for example, the domestic Beeline TV set-top box or a Phillips TV from ten years ago. All settings are already included in the program; there is no need to train it, so even if the remote control is lost long ago, any smartphone from the Galaxy S family equipped with an infrared port can restore its former comfort.
The Samsung Galaxy S4 mini also has mechanical keys on the sides of the device: on the left is the volume rocker, on the right is the power/lock button. The keys are made in the same style as the rim of the case - it looks like matte, roughly sanded metal. The keys are small, but have a fairly soft stroke and are easy to touch.
The device comes to the market in two colors, each of which, traditionally, is given a romantic name: in this case it is “White Frost” and “Black Mist”. In our “black” version, the smartphone’s coating is actually not that black—it’s rather a silver metallic with a fine black mesh applied to it. The front part of the case under the glass is also not black, but dark gray, and it also has a barely noticeable dotted texture that enhances the overall appearance of the device. The same applies to the white color version of the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini.
Screen
Samsung Galaxy S4 mini is equipped with a touch screen made using Super AMOLED technology. In numbers, the physical parameters of the smartphone screen are as follows: screen dimensions - 53x95 mm, diagonal - 109 mm (4.3 inches), resolution - qHD (960x540 pixels), pixel density is 256 ppi.
The display brightness has both manual and automatic adjustment, the latter based on the operation of the light sensor. Multi-touch technology allows you to simultaneously process up to eight touches - at least that’s what we were able to measure with the AnTuTu Tester program. The first five are easily identified, but a larger number of simultaneous touches causes difficulties on the screen and a delay in perception. The smartphone also has a proximity sensor that blocks the screen when you bring the smartphone to your ear.
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A detailed examination using measuring instruments was carried out by the editor of the “Monitors” and “Projectors and TV” sections, Alexey Kudryavtsev. Here is his expert opinion on the screen of the sample under study.
The smartphone screen is covered with a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface and, judging by the reflection of bright light sources in it, has a very effective anti-glare filter. On the outer surface of the screen there is a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating (in this case very effective), so fingerprints are removed much easier and appear at a lower speed than in the case of regular glass.
When manually controlling the brightness, its maximum value was about 240 cd/m², the minimum was 12 cd/m². Despite the not-so-high brightness value, the smartphone can be used even in bright daylight, since OLED screens have less reflection from dark areas compared to a typical LCD screen. You also need to take into account the fact that in this case, the smaller the white area on the screen, the brighter it is, that is, the actual maximum brightness of the white areas will almost always be higher than the specified value. Low brightness mode allows you to use your smartphone even in complete darkness without any problems. There is automatic brightness adjustment based on the light sensor (it is located to the right of the front speaker). You can make adjustments to the operation of this function by moving the adjustment slider from −5 to +5 units. Below, for three conditions, we present the screen brightness values at three values of this setting - at −5, 0 and +5. In complete darkness, in automatic mode, the brightness is reduced to 12, 20 and 30 cd/m², respectively; in an artificially lit office, the brightness is set to 85, 140 and 225 cd/m², in a brightly lit environment (corresponding to daytime lighting outdoors, but without direct sunlight) - increases to 290 cd/m² for all three correction values. In principle, the result of this function is as expected. When brightness decreases, modulation appears at a frequency of 240 Hz. The figure below shows the brightness versus time for a brightness setting value of 50% (blue curve) and average brightness at 100% (red straight line):
It can be seen that the modulation has a large amplitude, so at medium brightness values the flicker can be seen - hardly just by looking at the screen, but with rapid eye movement or in typical tests for the presence of a strobe effect, the flicker is visible to the naked eye. How this affects the comfort of work depends on the individual characteristics of the user.
This smartphone uses a sAMOLED matrix - an active matrix based on organic light-emitting diodes. A full-color image is created using subpixels of three colors - red, green and blue in equal quantities, which is confirmed by a fragment of a microphotograph:
The screen has very good viewing angles - the white color noticeably changes hue only when deviated at large angles, the black color remains just black at any angle. It is so black that the contrast setting is simply not applicable in this case. When viewed perpendicularly, the uniformity of the white field is very good. Switching the state of the matrix elements is actually carried out instantly, so the response time can be equated to 0. The gamma curve constructed using 32 points did not reveal any blockage in either highlights or shadows, and the index of the approximating power function is from 2.27 to 2.33 V depending on the selected profile, which is slightly higher than the standard value of 2.2:
On a separate page in the screen settings section, you can select one of four color correction profiles: Dynamic, Standard, Professional photography And Movie. In addition to this, there is an "Optimize display" mode in which manual profile selection is locked and the phone apparently selects the profile itself by analyzing the current image. In case of profile Dynamic The gamma curve has a slightly S-shaped character; for the three remaining profiles it practically does not deviate from the power law dependence. Note that the brightness of image fragments changes dynamically in accordance with the nature of the displayed image - it decreases for generally light images and increases for dark ones. When selecting a profile Dynamic this effect is slightly more pronounced, and when the mode is turned on Auto tuning screen brightness The dependence of brightness on the lightness of the image becomes even stronger. For example, let’s compare the dependence of brightness (vertical axis) on time (horizontal axis) during the transition between shades of 25% and 75% (by the numerical value of the color) when turned off (green graph) and on (red graph) Auto tuning screen brightness:
It can be seen that the brightness of the dark shade (25% or (64, 64, 64) in the 8-bit RGB representation) practically does not change, while the brightness of the light shade noticeably decreases when this mode is turned on. As a result, the dependences of brightness on hue (gamma curves) that we obtained may not correspond to the gamma curves of a static image, since the measurements were carried out with sequential display of shades of gray on the entire screen.
Color gamut for profiles Dynamic And Standard very wide:
When selecting a profile Professional photography(for the uninitiated it sounds more solid than Adobe RGB in the case of the Samsung Galaxy S4), the coverage is slightly tightened (here the black line is the Adobe RGB space coverage, the white line is the measured coverage):
When selecting a profile Movie The coverage is tightened even more, but still remains wider than sRGB:
Without correction, the spectra of the components are very well separated:
In case of profile Movie with maximum correction, the color components are already slightly mixed together:
Note that on wide-gamut screens, the colors of regular images optimized for sRGB devices appear unnaturally saturated. However, a visual assessment showed that when choosing a profile Movie saturation is noticeably reduced, and colors become close to natural. Without correction, in profiles Dynamic And Standard the colors are unnatural - for example, the faces of white-skinned people have a pronounced carrot tint.
The balance of shades on the gray scale is not ideal, but, in general, acceptable. Color temperature in profiles Dynamic And Standard significantly higher than 6500 K, in the remaining two - closer to 6500 K, while in the region of the gray scale from white to dark gray this parameter does not change very much. (Dark areas of the gray scale can be ignored, since color balance there is not of great importance, and the error in measuring color characteristics at low brightness is large.) The deviation from the blackbody spectrum (delta E), despite the pandemonium of values, remains below 10 units, which is considered a good indicator for a consumer device:
In total, we have the best screen in its class, the quality of which has no complaints.
Sound
We liked the sound of both speakers of the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini. Surprisingly, this little thing turned out to be equipped with very high-quality speakers that produce loud, clear and smooth sound over the entire range - although high frequencies still predominate. However, why be surprised: after all, the dimensions of this “mini” are almost similar to the dimensions of a “normal” iPhone, and the sound of that one is excellent. “Baby” now has to be called a device that is quite normal in size only in comparison with the now fashionable “shovels” - we hope our readers will forgive us for this.
As for the auditory speaker, the timbre and intonation in the voice of a familiar interlocutor are quite recognizable, the sound is pleasant to the ear and saturated with the entire spectrum of frequencies. Simply put, making telephone conversations using the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini smartphone is comfortable and nothing causes irritation.
All sound effects when playing melodies with a standard player are combined with a technology called SoundAlive - however, some of them, such as the expansion of the virtual stereo base, are only available with connected headphones. The same applies to the sound optimization function.
The external speaker grille located on the back of the smartphone has one rod bent outward to raise the body above the surface, but the sound is still half-muffled when the device is lying on a table with the screen facing up.
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Camera
Samsung Galaxy S4 mini is equipped, like most modern smartphones, with two digital camera modules. The front camera here has a 1.9-megapixel matrix and shoots at a default resolution of 1280x720. The quality of the resulting photos can be judged by the test image below.
The main rear camera is equipped with an 8 megapixel sensor, just like the Galaxy Mega. By default, the camera shoots in widescreen mode, and the maximum resolution that can be set is 6 megapixels with an aspect ratio of 16:9, then the photos are 3264x1836 in size. Users of the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini will receive such pictures with out-of-the-box settings. Below are several test shots taken in various conditions with factory settings.
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The sharpness is decent. The work of the sharp on wires and poles is noticeable. |
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Good sharpness at a fairly long distance. |
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The backgrounds are quite sharp, the trees are well detailed. |
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In artificial light, the camera shows good results. |
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Simulation of low light and flash operation. |
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Same conditions, but flash disabled. It can be seen that the flash performs its task quite well. |
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In very low light the flash also copes so far. And it does a great job of correcting color rendition. |
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The camera is not suitable for shooting in almost complete absence of light. |
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Under the same conditions, flash significantly improves the result. |
Despite its 8 megapixels, the camera is quite sharp. It also copes quite well with noise. The camera performs software processing very moderately and competently, although sometimes traces of it can be seen. Judging by the test pictures taken (although they may not be enough), there is, perhaps, almost nothing to complain about. The only unpleasant thing was filming the test bench in the dark. Here, of course, manufacturers are faced with the question of how best to ruin the picture in such a situation: with noise or severe underexposure. Probably, the second one is still better, but, as can be seen from the test image, in almost complete darkness the camera cannot even really focus. It looks like the camera has a software limit on light sensitivity - ISO 1000, and I think that makes some sense. Although such restrictions are not always necessary at all.
Overall the camera is quite good. Sharpness combined with reasonable software processing gives a very decent result for 8 megapixels.
The camera can shoot video; by default, it does so in its maximum resolution - 1080p. Below are a couple of test videos filmed stationary and in motion. Videos are saved in an MP4 container (video - AVC [email protected], sound - AAC LC, 128 Kbps, 48 kHz, 2 channels).
- Video No. 1 (31.7 MB, 1920×1080)
- Video No. 2 (44.5 MB, 1920×1080)
The set of camera control settings is standard for modern Samsung smartphones. There are quite a lot of them, all of them are divided into three columns: for photography, for videography and general. The icons are drawn clearly and large, and are quite visible in the bright sun. Various options for preset values in the settings are combined into ready-made shooting modes that should be used in a given situation.
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In the general settings, you can control the volume button during shooting: it can operate zooming, releasing the camera shutter, or controlling video shooting. That is, if you wish, you can control shooting without touching the screen if you set all the necessary settings in advance and use the hardware volume button. It is also worth noting the ability to take photos while recording video.
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Software
Samsung Galaxy S4 mini runs on the Google Android software platform version 4.2.2. On top of the standard OS interface, the company installed its own user interface, called TouchWiz 5.0 (Nature UX). Everything here is arranged exactly the same as in the older models of the family, with the exception of some of the functions - the “Smart Screen” section, for example. From the list of features included in the “Smart Screen” set of the original Galaxy S4 (smart wait, smart rotation, smart pause, smart scroll), only one has been left here - smart wait. True, in the case of the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini, for some reason they even gave this function a different name - “Smart Shutdown”. Although the idea is the same: the screen remains on while you look at it (your eye movements are tracked by the front camera). “Multi-window” has also disappeared - this smartphone cannot simultaneously use two applications on one screen. But the set of control capabilities using movements and gestures (for example, calling the current number is carried out automatically when you bring the device to your ear) remained practically untouched: most of the functions of the “big brother” were preserved in the mini version.
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The notification panel traditionally has a navigation bar at the top that allows you to instantly jump to the most popular functions. The icon strip can be customized to the user's taste. In general, Samsung’s implementation of the menu in the notification panel is one of the best on the market: just look at the brightness slider that is brought here, with which you can quickly and smoothly adjust the brightness to the changing environment, without delving into the depths of the main settings.
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A lot of additional applications are initially pre-installed. Most of Samsung's own proprietary applications are combined into a separate account from Google services, so to use them you will also have to create an account in the company's services. The S Travel (Trip Advisor) application provides the user with information about the locality in which he is located and recommendations designed to help the smartphone owner get an even more vivid experience. The S Translator app provides voice translation of the text of emails and SMS messages. Samsung ChatOn Messenger allows multiple users to chat and transfer media files to each other. Samsung Link also allows you to share files between different Samsung devices. The Group Play application has been implemented, which allows you to play one track on several mobile devices or play multiplayer games. The program is available on a number of Samsung smartphones, including Samsung Galaxy S4, S4 mini, Galaxy Mega 6.3 and 5.8. The convenient WatchOn program mentioned above has now also become standard on all Galaxy smartphones equipped with an infrared port.
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Telephone and communications
The smartphone works as standard in modern 2G GSM and 3G WCDMA networks, supports the 5 GHz Wi-Fi band, but for some reason the use of NFC technology is not provided here. There is also no support for fourth-generation LTE networks - recall that this is a limitation of the specific modification of the GT-I9190 that we tested. The radio part of the tested smartphone is stable; no spontaneous signal losses or dropouts from the telecom operator’s network were noticed. The virtual keyboard interface is, of course, a bit small compared to models with larger screens—you'll have to get used to typing. The additional top numeric row, which is now present by default in the virtual keyboard of top-end Samsung devices, is also missing here - it allows you to avoid switching to get to the numeric keys on the Samsung Galaxy S4.
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There were no freezes or spontaneous reboots/shutdowns observed during testing. You can restart your smartphone yourself by long-pressing the power key and selecting the appropriate item in the pop-up menu. When you bring it to your ear, the screen is blocked by the proximity sensor. The light sensor controls the screen brightness level automatically. But for some reason the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini did not provide any kind of light sensor for incoming events - it’s a shame.
Performance
The hardware platform of the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini is based on a single-chip system (SoC) Qualcomm Snapdragon 400. The central processor here has two Krait 300 cores operating at a frequency of 1.7 GHz. It is assisted in processing graphics by the Adreno 305 video processor - everything is exactly the same as the Galaxy Mega, only it has a larger screen and a different resolution. The device has 1.5 GB of RAM, and the storage available to the user for uploading their own files is initially approximately 5 GB of the nominally designated 8 GB of internal memory. There is also the possibility of expanding memory using microSD cards, but connecting external devices via OTG (USB host) is not provided here.
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To get an idea of the performance of the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini platform, let's move on to the tests. To begin with, we present comparative results obtained using the AnTuTu database itself. The performance turned out to be almost two times lower than that of the company’s own flagship - that’s the difference between the regular Galaxy S4 and its mini version. Even one of last season's oversized crowd favorites, the Google Nexus 4, easily outperformed the new product in terms of performance.
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A noticeable lag behind the top models of the market can be seen not only in the AnTuTu benchmark, but also in other tests. This result is absolutely expected, because while flagships have long been based on 4-core processors, in the mini-flagship we have a 2-core one (albeit with very fast cores). It is logical that in terms of performance, the hardware system of the new product turned out to be closest to the already forgotten hero of the past - the Sony Xperia V, which was popular in its time (since it is also based on a dual-core processor). For convenience, we have summarized all the results we obtained when testing the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini smartphone in popular tests into tables; details are below.
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What is curious: all the results turned out to be almost identical to the results of the Samsung Galaxy Mega - another model in the family, built on exactly the same platform, but with a completely different screen (in size, resolution and even production technology).
As for testing the graphics subsystem in the cross-platform 3DMark test, the test subject also showed a not very high result - 5726 points.
In the Epic Citadel gaming test, the results of the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini's graphics subsystem are quite good - this is due to the power of the Adreno video core coupled with the low screen resolution. However, the results here do not reach the flagship of the S4 family.
| Samsung Galaxy S4 mini (Qualcomm Snapdragon 400) |
Samsung Galaxy S4 (Exynos 5410 Octa) |
Samsung Galaxy Mega (Qualcomm Snapdragon 400) |
Sony Xperia V (Qualcomm MSM8960) |
Google Nexus 4 (Qualcomm APQ8064) |
LG Optimus G (Qualcomm APQ8064) |
|
| Epic Citadel, High Performance (more is better) |
55.2 fps | 59.9 fps | 58.1 fps | 47.7 fps | 54.8 fps | 56.7 fps |
| Epic Citadel, High Quality | 53.1 fps | 59.3 fps | 56.9 fps | 43.5 fps | 52.9 fps | 56.3 fps |
| Epic Citadel, Ultra High Quality | 49.0 fps | 46.5 fps | 33.3 fps | 28.4 fps | 37.4 fps | 50.6 fps |
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As for benchmarks for assessing the speed of the javascript engine, the results depend significantly on the browser in which the tests are run, so the comparison can only be truly accurate on the same OS and browsers, and this is not always possible. In the case of devices running the latest Android operating system, we always try to use Google Chrome, although the results of the same tests in the standard browser (if the manufacturer leaves it in the firmware) are often better than in Chrome. In browser tests, the results of the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini, by the way, are very good - almost twice as good as last year’s Google Nexus 4.
In the screenshots: test results in a standard browser
Playing video
To test the omnivorous nature of video playback (including support for various codecs, containers and special features, such as subtitles), we used the most common formats, which make up the bulk of the content available on the Internet. Note that for mobile devices it is important to have support for hardware video decoding at the chip level, since it is most often impossible to process modern options using processor cores alone. Also, you shouldn’t expect a mobile device to decode everything, since the leadership in flexibility belongs to the PC, and no one is going to challenge it.
According to the testing results, the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini, unlike its top-end compatriots Galaxy S4 or Galaxy S4 Active, was not equipped with all the necessary decoders, in this case audio decoders, which are necessary for full playback of most of the most common files on the network. To successfully play them, you will have to resort to the help of a third-party player - for example, MX Player. True, even in it you will first have to change the settings, switching from hardware decoding to software or to a new mode called Hardware+(not supported by all smartphones), only then will sound appear. All results are summarized in a single table.
| Format | Container, video, sound | MX Video Player | Standard video player |
| DVDRip | AVI, XviD 720×400 2200 Kbps, MP3+AC3 | plays normally | plays normally |
| Web-DL SD | AVI, XviD 720×400 1400 Kbps, MP3+AC3 | plays normally | plays normally |
| Web-DL HD | MKV, H.264 1280×720 3000 Kbps, AC3 | Hardware+ | |
| BDRip 720p | MKV, H.264 1280×720 4000 Kbps, AC3 | plays fine with decoder Hardware+ | The video plays fine, but there is no sound¹ |
| BDRip 1080p | MKV, H.264 1920×1080 8000 Kbps, AC3 | plays fine with decoder Hardware+ | The video plays fine, but there is no sound¹ |
¹ MX Video Player only played sound after switching to software decoding or a new mode Hardware+; The standard player does not have this setting
We didn’t find an MHL interface in this smartphone (in fact, the MHL adapter in the Samsung version couldn’t even be connected to this smartphone due to incompatible connectors), so we had to limit ourselves to testing video output on the device’s own screen using the standard player. To do this, we used a set of test files with an arrow and a rectangle moving one division per frame (see Methodology for testing video playback and display devices. Version 1). Screenshots with a shutter speed of 1 s helped determine the nature of the output of frames of video files with various parameters: the resolution varied (1280 by 720 (720p) and 1920 by 1080 (1080p) pixels) and frame rate (24, 25, 30, 50 and 60 frames/ With). The results of this test are summarized in the table:
| File | Uniformity | Passes |
| Screen | ||
| watch-1920x1080-60p.mp4 | not playable | |
| watch-1920x1080-50p.mp4 | Badly | a lot of |
| watch-1920x1080-30p.mp4 | Great | No |
| watch-1920x1080-25p.mp4 | Great | No |
| watch-1920x1080-24p.mp4 | Great | No |
| watch-1280x720-60p.mp4 | Fine | few |
| watch-1280x720-50p.mp4 | Fine | few |
| watch-1280x720-30p.mp4 | Great | No |
| watch-1280x720-25p.mp4 | Fine | No |
| watch-1280x720-24p.mp4 | Great | No |
Note: If both the Uniformity and Dropout columns are rated green, this means that when watching movies, there will most likely be no or no amount of artifacts caused by frame spacing or dropouts visible. will not affect viewing comfort. “Red” marks indicate possible problems associated with the playback of the corresponding files.
In terms of frame output, the playback quality of video files is very good, with the exception of “heavy” Full HD files with 50 and 60 fps. However, in any case, uniform alternation of frames is a relatively unstable state, since some external and internal background processes lead to periodic failure of the correct alternation of intervals between frames and even to the skipping of single frames. The brightness range displayed on the screen slightly does not correspond to the original one: in the shadows, a couple of shades of gray are indistinguishable from black, but in the highlights all gradations of shades are displayed (for video in the range 16-235). In general, if anyone wants to watch videos on such a small screen, they can do it without any problems.
Battery life
The capacity of the battery installed in the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini is small by today's standards - 1900 mAh. But one should, of course, take into account the relatively small screen in size and resolution, as well as the size of the case itself, into which it would be difficult to fit a larger battery. As a result, the smartphone demonstrated very good battery life in popular modes of use: reading books, watching YouTube videos and playing 3D video games.
Continuous reading in the FBReader program (with a standard, light theme) at a minimum comfortable brightness level (brightness was set to 100 cd/m²) lasted 16 hours 35 minutes until the battery was completely discharged, and continuous viewing of YouTube videos in high quality (HQ) with the same brightness level via a home Wi-Fi network, the device spent 12 hours 30 minutes - excellent indicators of a true long-liver. To a large extent, this was probably due to the small size of the screen compared to modern “shovels”. In game mode, the smartphone lasted a decent 4 hours and 25 minutes.
Bottom line
The Samsung Galaxy S4 mini smartphone has occupied an unusual and rather narrow niche in the mobile device market. On the one hand, he is burdened with the responsibility of his family affiliation with the highest, top family of the popular Korean brand. And the abbreviation S4 in its name, so to speak, obliges... On the other hand, given its modest performance and a lot of restrictive differences from a truly top-end model (lack of OTG, MHL, indicator light, stripped-down software, etc.), and besides If the external data is not too outstanding, you can easily find dozens of less famous devices on the mobile market with similar performance, more attractive appearance and rich functionality, but at a much lower price.
Currently, the official price for the Galaxy S4 mini has been set at 19,990 rubles - at least that’s what they are now asking in Svyaznoy stores for a model with support for two SIM cards. The “single-carrier” version of the smartphone, which we reviewed in today’s review, is not yet officially sold, and it can only be found from “gray”, uncertified supplies. However, the purchase price in this version will not be much lower: for the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini (GT-I9190) model they are now asking about 17 thousand rubles. Perhaps the official price of the model with support for one SIM card will drop a little when the device passes certification and officially reaches our market. But still the price will be around 15 thousand - no less. Is this device worth the price? Of course, this is a very inflated price. And 15 thousand is a bit much for a device with such characteristics, and I don’t even want to seriously think about 20 thousand. For that kind of money, the “mini” model can only be bought by an ardent fan of this brand, and even then by someone looking for something unusual. It seems that Samsung's price appetite has begun to grow faster than the popularity of its products. This brings to mind the sad thoughts that increasingly, not everyone, but only wealthy segments of the population, can consider purchasing products from this company for themselves. Did we think a couple of years ago that we would soon be talking about Samsung products like this?
More recently, in public pages and on forums one could see caricatures of one of the models of the Samsung concern - the Samsung Galaxy S4. And the point here is not in the technical characteristics, but in the unimaginably large size of the device. Indeed, a “smart” phone should be convenient for work. But how to use a device that doesn’t even fit in your hand... There’s a problem. Many users were delighted with this model. The only thing that bothered me was the size. And in order to fully please its customers, the Samsung engineering team designed a similar, but smaller model, the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini. Customer reviews immediately made the company's management understand: this was a great move. To launch a model on the market that fully satisfies many customer requirements - this is a manufacturer’s dream! What shortcomings were identified after using the device? What is improved in the new Samsung Galaxy S4 mini? Instructions, price and much more - all these and various other points are covered in this article.
General information
On May 31, 2013, a presentation of a new cell phone model produced by a famous Korean concern took place. A smaller copy of its progenitor, the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini, equipped with one SIM card, and the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini duo, but with two active SIM card slots, have characteristics that are quite competitive compared to their analogues. At the same time, the rational price also inspires positivity. All features of this mobile phone, including the size, are a high-quality smaller copy of the current Korean flagship. A dual-core processor instead of four, a lower screen resolution, and the amount of RAM reduced by 500 MB - these features distinguish the small Samsung Galaxy S4 mini from the “great” S4. Let's start the review of the model with the configuration.
What's included in the price
The new smartphone is delivered to the consumer in a small box. The inscription “Samsung Galaxy S4 mini” is engraved on it. Instructions, battery, headphones with various pads, charger with adapter, cable for connecting to a laptop and computer - all this is also in the box. It is noteworthy that the Korean concern has been using accessories in shades different from the color of the phone for quite some time. So, in the package with a black smartphone you can find white headphones. And vice versa. All components fit perfectly into the device and are easy to use. In addition, the price is also attractive: “Samsung Galaxy S4 mini” can be purchased from 13 thousand rubles. The option with two slots will cost several hundred more.
Appearance and characteristics of the case
At first glance, the model in question does not have any special differences from any other smartphones from this company. The exterior design is not unique. There are no bright colors or contrasting details. The polycarbonate back panel flows smoothly into a frame made of the same material, but painted in metal color. The front side of the model with the display is smooth and glossy. It is precisely because of the latter characteristic that any touch to the device leaves a mark. To protect your screen, you can use ScreenGuard, a thin film that prevents unwanted scratches. The advanced Gorilla Glass V2 also helps preserve the display. In general, the phone body is the same: no chips, no dents, no gaps of any kind. As already mentioned, the dimensions of this model are much smaller than its progenitor. But they are not so “mini” either: 12.46 cm in length, 6.13 cm in width, 0.89 cm in thickness. At the same time, the weight of the device is 107 g. In terms of its size, the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini will compete with the notorious iPhone 5 device.
Location of keys and buttons
Various control elements are located on the body of the model. These include a speaker, front and rear cameras, an on/off button, also known as a lock, a connector for a charger, a headphone jack, a volume sensor, which also adjusts contrast and lighting, and some other functions. Like all Samsung smartphones, this “smart” device has a traditional “Home” key under the screen, which is adjacent to the “Back” and “Menu” touch buttons. In principle, the appearance of the device is quite nice. The manufacturer offers several body color options to choose from: black, purple, white, brown, blue, orange, red, pink and yellow.
Display and communication with the progenitor
The Samsung Galaxy S4 mini is equipped with a screen with a diagonal of 10.9 cm (equal to 4.3 inches) and a resolution of 540 x 960 pixels - approximately 256 ppi. Feedback from owners about this feature of the model is twofold: some are satisfied with the size. Others are not happy with the low resolution. Unlike the flagship Samsung Galaxy S4, the screen of this version is slightly elongated in length. The number of colors in both models is the same and amounts to 16 million shades. Another noteworthy characteristic of the two Korean-made variants is the SuperAMOLED display. Brightness, saturation, and color contrast can be adjusted in the menu.
Battery and its characteristics
The back panel “grows together” with the phone due to sixteen fasteners. The battery is located under it. A small Li-ion with a capacity of 1900 mAh - these are the characteristics of the battery of the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini smartphone. Consumer feedback on battery capacity and lifespan is mostly positive. Of course, Android users have long been accustomed to the fact that a phone with the Internet on and continuous calls needs recharge throughout the day. Those who encounter a device on such a platform for the first time slightly blame the weak battery. The phone is active for 12 hours in talk mode (according to the manufacturer). If you switch to the “Standby/Airplane” function, the device remains on for twelve days more.
System platform, memory and other “internals”
Under the battery there are slots for a SIM card (depending on the model there may be two) and a memory card. Inside the smaller copy of the S4 is a dual-core processor called Qualcomm Snapdragon 400, the clock frequency of which is overclocked to 1700 MHz. RAM 1.5 GB may seem insufficient for the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini. User reviews about this characteristic also highlight the latter fact. However, it is convenient to be able to transfer data and programs from system memory to additional gigabytes of storage. A graphics accelerator called a graphics accelerator is responsible for the quality of images. Inside the device there is an 8 GB drive. You can increase the memory capacity by installing an additional Micro SD card. The device runs on the current version of Android 4.2.2, equipped with the proprietary TouchWiz shell.
We shoot video and take photos
Of course, many users are interested in the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini camera. Photos and videos can be taken using either the front- or rear-mounted device. Moreover, in the latter the number of matrix points is 8 megapixels, and in the first - 1.9 megapixels. When shooting video, the frame capture rate is 30 pictures per second. The maximum resolution for the resulting movie is 1920 x 1080 pixels, and for photos - 3264 x 2448 pixels. At the same time, in night shooting conditions, you can use an LED flash.
Setting up ringtones and other characteristics
Some users note that the ringing sound is too quiet. In addition, vibration, according to a small part of users, is a negative point: being in a noisy place, it is difficult to feel the phone working. It is noteworthy that in the model with two SIM cards it became possible to set ringtones for each operator separately. Data transmission can be carried out through digital technologies such as EDGE, high-speed packet data HSPA and its improved version HSPA+. Essential attributes of a modern smartphone are the presence of such wireless means of transmitting and receiving information as Bluetooth, infrared interface (IR) and Wi-Fi. All this is present in the model under consideration. It is noteworthy that you can control your TV using the infrared port. Samsung Galaxy S4 mini is equipped with the latest versions of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. There is also a 3.5 mm Jack audio output.
New additional features
It is noteworthy that in this smartphone the settings are divided into categories. Now, instead of a list, you can select the parameters you are looking for from tabs in a submenu. It should be noted that the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini also has some functions inherited from the Samsung Galaxy S4. For example, “tracking mode”: the device’s display will not go dark while your eyes are directed at it. In addition, after reading a received message, there is no need to press the call key to connect with the sender: now you just need to bring the device to your ear and the device itself will perform the necessary operation.
Some users note that the new smaller model is not very convenient for typing messages using the keyboard. There is an excellent solution for this problem: an application from GooglePlay called TouchPal X. This program implements the “Swipe-a” technology. What does "sliding through the alphabet" mean? Now there is no need to enter terms via T9 or by letter - just swipe across the keyboard from the first to the last element of the word and the program itself will prompt you with the required concept.
Finally
As a conclusion, I would like to say that the smartphone in question is quite convenient. It has well-developed functionality. The phone is easy to set up. One of the main disadvantages users highlight is the low-power battery. However, I would like to note that almost all mobile phones on the Android platform suffer from this problem. The second disadvantage for many potential consumers is the price. The Samsung Galaxy S4 mini is a little expensive compared to similar models. Although, in accordance with the declared functions, the cost is very justified. Everything is decided by a matter of taste and, of course, the wallet. A variety of colors, good technical support from service centers, the presence of all possible functions, ease of use, application support and the ability to install two SIM cards at the same time make the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini and Samsung Galaxy S4 mini duo a desirable purchase for many.
