We love the Samsung Galaxy S. It runs an excellent version of Android 2.1 and sports one of the best screens in the business. But if there’s one aspect letting down the whole experience, it’s the plastic shell. Do the top notch internals and clever camera make up for it? Read on and find out in this part of our Samsung Galaxy S review.
Read the rest of our Samsung Galaxy S review
Samsung Galaxy S review
Samsung Galaxy S review: Android 2.1
Samsung Galaxy S review: Super AMOLED screen
Samsung Galaxy S review: Ultimate buyer’s guide
We’ll get the good stuff out of the way first: you can read more about the Samsung Galaxy S’ display in the Super AMOLED screen section of our review, but it’s backed up by top of the line hardware under the bonnet too. Samsung’s 1GHz processor and 512MB of RAM ensure this is one of the snappiest phones on sale right now, across all smartphone platforms. We struggled to ever overload it, no matter how many tasks we threw at it.
We didn’t have any struggles with Wi-Fi (b/g/n, if you’re asking) on the Samsung Galaxy S, and a microSD card slot is present as ever – but the big surprise is a huge amount of internal storage, up to 16GB. If you’re prepared to splash out, that’ll give you 48GB in total to keep all your media on, which should put the iPhone 4 to shame. The speaker is loud and surprisingly clear too: there’s always a danger of calls being muffled on such large phones, but the Samsung Galaxy S is just fine for lengthy conversations, and speakerphone chats.
The camera on the Samsung Galaxy S is excellent too, other than the lack of flash. It’s a five megapixel sensor, so it won’t take pictures with the same resolution as the 8MP Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Android phone, but they’re sharp enough for online in daylight, and there are plenty of shooting modes, face detection and the option to adjust exposure. There’s also a front facing video camera: we couldn’t get Fring to download on our review unit, but it’s a one off issue, and there shouldn’t be any hitches having video chats with Dell Streak owners.
Just as impressive is the 720p video recording – here’s a sample shot in 720 3GP and uploaded to YouTube.
By comparison, footage we shot with a Sony Ericsson Vivaz was mottled and equally bad at capturing motion: this is one of the best 720p mobile phone video recorders we’ve tested so far (Though we’re reviewing the iPhone 4 right now so that could change).
The only complaint we have about the internals is that the GPS reception, as some forum posters have claimed, is a bit flaky. When Google Maps works, it’s as fast as it gets (Frighteningly so, in fact), but on a drive across London we’ve made on other Google Maps Navigation phones without interruption, the signal on the Samsung Galaxy S dropped off a few times.
We do have two major grumbles though, which lop a whole star each off the Samsung Galaxy S’ score in this section.
Firstly, the battery. Android phones have never exactly been known for their power sipping eco credentials, but ever since we tested the Dell Streak and its phenomenal two day staying power despite its epic specs, we’ve had our expectations lifted accordingly. Sadly, the Samsung Galaxy S doesn’t deliver, and its 1500mAh battery is only just good for a day of normal use. It’s no worse than the HTC Desire, but it’s no better either – the chances are you will find yourself topping up at work to be on the safe side.
Secondly, the casing of the Samsung Galaxy S is a crushing disappointment. We don’t object to the lip at one end that makes the phone a tad thicker than Samsung’s claimed 9.9mm, and it’s barely noticeable in use. Nor do we object to the lack of a physical camera button, or the touch sensitive buttons on the bottom. But why Samsung resorted to the cheap plastic casing found on all its 2009 smartphones, we’re not sure.
We thought the company had made a break with the slick metallic feel of the Samsung Wave, but instead, it’s back to its tacky piano black roots. As such, the Samsung Galaxy S just feels like a laminated toy, not helped by the central home button, which pops, clacks and vibrates after being pushed. When rivals are using teflon (HTC) or glass (Apple) to coat their phones, we expect more when we’re paying for a top dollar smartphone. During our testing, more than one friend remarked that the Samsung Galaxy S looked like a cheap iPhone knock off, which is a shame since it’s every bit as powerful as Apple’s new blower.
These really are the only things we can hold against the Samsung Galaxy S however. Its Android 2.1 OS, extra features and stunning screen make this one of the best smartphones ever made for someone who doesn’t want to play in Apple’s walled garden.
Read the rest of our Samsung Galaxy S review
Samsung Galaxy S review
Samsung Galaxy S review: Android 2.1
Samsung Galaxy S review: Super AMOLED screen
Samsung Galaxy S review: Ultimate buyer’s guide
