Samsung Galaxy S IV review

List Price : $700.00
Price : $623.99
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Product Description

The Galaxy S4 does what you want and what you didn't know was even possible. Erase a photo's background distractions with just a touch, catch every part of your child's somersault, or capture your view of the city skyline. Preview photos and files or read a news article without ever touching the screen. Use one screen to check Facebook as you catch up on email. Offering a highly crafted design with a larger screen and improved battery life, the sleek and innovative Galaxy S4 is slimmer yet stronger, with less to hold yet more to see. The Galaxy S4 features a 5-inch Full HD 1080p Super AMOLED touch-enabled display, a 1.6 GHz quad-core processor, a 13-megapixel rear camera with Full HD 1080p video recording capabilities, 2-megapixel front camera, 16 GB of storage plus microSD memory expansion up to 64 GB (via optional card), 2 GB of RAM for excellent multitasking, a full complement of wireless connectivity (including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and NFC), and enterprise-ready security features.


The Reviews :

One of the most impressive things about the phone is the fact the size hasn't changed from its predecessor - the Galaxy S4 comes in at 5.38 x 2.75 x 0.31 inches, meaning there's no extra heft to try and work with in your palm.

However, despite this fact, the screen on the S4 has been increased once more, to a whopping 5-inch display with Full HD resolution. This means the same amount of pixels you'd have seen on a TV that cost well over $1500 four years ago is now riding around in your pocket.

Let's not pretend that Samsung is a pioneer in this area though: like a great many features of the Galaxy S4, the phone borrows a lot from the other top smartphones of the moment. Both the Sony Xperia Z and the HTC One have screens that rock the same resolution, but neither of them have the jaw-dropping clout of the Super AMOLED HD screen on display here.

On top of that, there's a much faster processor packed under the hood, ample storage space for media thanks to an expandable memory card slot, and the likes of 4G LTE, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC and pretty much any other connection you care to mention on board.

One thing that isn't mentioned in most literature is that the Galaxy S4 boasts OTG compatibility. Use an OTG cable like this: Micro USB OTG Cable - LIFETIME WARRANTY and you can connect a myriad of devices (USB thumb drive, game pad, mouse/keyboard, DSLR camera and a lot more). Why don't more phone manufactures promote this hardware tech?!?

Samsung has tried to supplement this with a load of software upgrades too, meaning a more powerful camera, a better way to communicate with your friends and consume media, and, interestingly, a big push into personal health through dedicated apps.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 costs a little more than the HTC One, well, it does for memory. Same price for the 16GB S4 as the 32GB HTC (pay a $40 premium to get a 32GB Galaxy, when they're released). Of course, the S4's removable storage option, which the One lacks, levels the playing field some, as SD cards aren't too pricey.

The other notable addition to the design of the Galaxy S4 is the infra-red blaster on the top of the phone. This allows you to control your TV, satellite box, DVD player, amp and even air conditioner, according to the reviewer notes. Again, this isn't a new feature, but it works well in practice, and despite being small it's powerful enough indeed.

I do implore you to get the phone in your hand before making a judgment though - while it doesn't have the best design on the market when it comes to materials, it's a big step forward compared to the Galaxy S3 and allows for a grippy and easy-to-hold phone, with a whopping screen inside.

To just dismiss it for being plastic would be doing the S4 a disservice as it has so much more going for it than that, but it's worth remembering that to a lot of people, the way a phone looks is as important as how much RAM it's got on board and how fast the CPU is - if not more so.

All in all, this is a phone worth reviewing. It may not be for all users, but for the power users among us, there simply may be no equal. See more reviews.....

Description: Samsung Galaxy S IV review
Rating: 4.5
Reviewer: dex
ItemReviewed: Samsung Galaxy S IV review