When the Samsung Galaxy S 2 and the Motorola Atrix go toe-to-toe in mortal combat, only one can come out on top. Is Samsung’s dual-core super-phone capable of outsmarting Motorola’s Bond-like business handset? Read on to see the official Electricpig verdict.
Further reading:
Screen
Everyone knows that Samsung’s amazing Super AMOLED Plus screens are simply the best in the business. No other screen tech gets close when it comes to colours, brightness and contrast. With a 4.3-inch variant encapsulating a 480×800 pixel resolution, the Samsung Galaxy S 2 is well equipped.
The Motorola Atrix is packing a less impressive 4-inch display, but it has a pixel resolution of 540×960 which puts it on par with the iPhone 4′s razor-sharp Retina Display. The loss of a third of an inch and the gain of those lovely additional pixels would be enough for us to crown the Atrix the victor in this opening round, but sadly its TFT display isn’t up to the standard of the Galaxy S 2′s Super AMOLED Plus screen.
Operating System
Both the Samsung Galaxy S 2 and the Motorola Atrix are running Google’s Android operating system, although the former is packing Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) and the latter Android 2.2 (Froyo). Motorola apologists could rightly argue that there’s little tangible difference between the two, but when you’re looking to purchase a kick-ass smartphone you don’t really want last-year’s software running on it.
To compound matters further, the Motorola Atrix is lumbered with the company’s accursed MotoBlur skin, which adds in pointless applications and bloatware, slowing down the performance of the phone. Samsung’s TouchWiz UI is hardly a million times better, but it is at least a little less obnoxious than Motorola’s equivalent.
Under the hood
The Motorola Atrix was one of the first dual-core handsets and comes with a powerful 1GHz processor. That is backed up by 1GB of RAM, which allows the phone to manage tasks like a juggler manages rubber balls.
In addition to this, the Atrix comes with 16GB of internal storage and a MicroSD card slot. It has a 5 megapixel camera with 720p video recording, too. However, by far the most impressive aspect of the phone’s functionality is the fingerprint sensor located on the back of the device. Once you’ve matched your print, the phone will only unlock for you. It’s an impressive feature which makes the Atrix feel more like a James Bond gadget than a smartphone.
We also like fact that you can plug the Atrix into a dock – complete with keyboard and screen – which effectively transforms it into a fully-fledged laptop. Naturally, this equipment doesn’t come cheap, but it’s worth bearing in mind if you love your tech.
After all that, one might expect the Samsung Galaxy S 2 to be something of an anti-climax, but with a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU, it out-paces the Atrix in terms of raw processing power. It comes in 16 and 32GB flavours, and its camera can shoot gorgeous 1080p HD video. If you’re not bothered about superfluous gadgets, it’s arguably the one to go for. See for yourself with our video shooting comparison clips below.
Samsung Galaxy S 2 1080p sample video:
Motorola Atrix 720p sample video:
Verdict
The Motorola Atrix might be the ideal phone for a secret agent thanks to its fingerprint security and laptop docking capability, but its handicapped by the abysmal MotoBlur skin, a dull TFT screen and a conservative case design that makes it blend in rather than stand out.
The Samsung Galaxy S 2 may lack the Bond-style gizmos but its stronger where it counts – a more powerful CPU, a better screen and a less obtrusive manufacturer-installed UI skin.
