We, the Galaxy S4 , perhaps the most famous of this Android phone, 2013, passed under our magnifying glass. Samsung had the difficult task of producing a smartphone better than its predecessor, the Galaxy S3, trying to please everyone, from his fans to new users who might find this smartphone in their new “partner life. “
The competition, however, has not been watching, with HTC and Sony at the forefront with their top of the range device, which offer alternatives completely worthless. So what’s with this smartphone in South Korea more than the other?
course, the name that brings helps him and help him to do well on the market, but in the next lines we will discover even if the substance of the hardware and software is above average.
PACK – [VOTE 8.5]
Samsung has decided to change their packaging to use boxes, manuals and other materials completely recycled . Appreciable effort that still gives us a stylish package even if atypical.
Within it, as well as the manual mentioned above, we find the travel charger with low power consumption, USB cable / micro usb and headphones in ear earphones, with several interchangeable rubber seals that fit to the lobe of the ear. The headset in addition to the answer key is also provided with barbell + – to change track.
DESIGN – [VOTE 9]
do not hide that the first time we saw the alleged pictures of the Galaxy S4 we tried some disappointment. Our first thought was, “but it is the same as above?!” But then in the end we changed their minds due to several aspects.
The Galaxy S4 fact, at first glance may seem the same as the Galaxy S3, but if it looks good, and especially if you hold it in your hand, you find out how the work of South Korean engineers have been excellent .
In practice managed to incorporate a larger display in a body smaller and lighter , a task is certainly not easy.
It measures 136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9 mm thick while the weight has been reduced to 130 grams.
Much has been discussed on the adoption of plastic materials for the plates, which in a sense depletes the overall aesthetic importance of the terminal, but on the other hand, only thanks to them we can enjoy a really light device, which is a pleasure to hold in hand.
Samsung has not yet decided to use the physical key central system below the display, questionable decision even if it seems to be appreciated by many users.
The multi-color LED is located on the top left of the display, while the rear bodywork has not raised a texture that enhances the aesthetics of the Galaxy S4, although the pattern is less obvious.
Under the shell removable rear we find the battery compartment, the slot for the microSD (up to 64GB) and for the microSIM.
PHOTO GALLERY
HARDWARE – [VOTE 9]
- Snapdragon CPU 1.9 GHz 600
- RAM 2 GB
- DISPLAY 5 inch Super Amoled FullHD
- MEMORY 16 – 32 – 64GB expandable inner
Let’s start from the most vexed question concerning the hardware of this device, or the distribution of two distinct versions , that Qualcomm subject to our judgment and the Exynos Octa. We specify this aspect because this time Samsung has failed to manage in the best way the marketing of its top of the range, almost never failing to propose a single model for the whole world. That said the Snapdragon 600 shows, however, a great SoC, perhaps currently the best on the market, so the choice of Samsung in the end affects us that much.
Into When turned on, the device will discover the most obvious of this product, the 5-inch display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels . The improvements made in relation to the technology on the Galaxy S3 are evident, even if the matrix has remained pentyl. The pixels in fact now have a diamond shape, which improves readability. The display is slightly brighter th an its predecessor but still far from the IPS LG and outdoors prove to be even better.The color palette but now it is much more realistic, with less pastel colors and a calibration continues depending on the external light.
Into Now let’s talk about the internal storage of the phone, which in the standard version, for now the only one present in Italy, has a total of 16 GB of ROM. Unfortunately, almost half, about 45% are occupied by the firmware, testifying how Samsung has perhaps slightly exaggerated inserting content within this smartphone. To the rescue, however, we have the slot for microSD (supported those of a maximum capacity of 64 GB), unfortunately not included in the package.
As mentioned at the beginning of the paragraph, the Snapdragon 600 behaves in a perfect way, the lag are very rare and are almost all due to the interface of the giant South Korean more than the power of the Qualcomm SoC, worn, thanks to a controlled overclocking, 1.9 GHz
Into The touchscreen of the Galaxy S4 has a special feature, can be used even with gloves on and is sensitive even at a distance, without touching the screen directly. This allows us to take advantage of the little goodies at the software level, as a preview of the video. The system works well even though many times the more we will use to show it to friends who like real comfort.
SOFTWARE – [VOTE 8]
We are facing the most difficult to assess. Samsung has many proprietary features in this new device, many of which later will find also in the old smartphone and phablet Galaxy series will be updated soon.
Let’s start with the talk of UI , cross and delight of the South Korean giant.
The speaker has never enjoyed the confusing and too rich interface Samsung, with hundreds of items offered continuously to the user, which makes the smartphone messy and chaotic.
Enough already
only lower the curtain to realize the many shortcuts included. Useful for charity, but also the eye wants its part, and if in a UI you put too many shortcuts they lose their usefulness.
Let us instead to new software you like. The unlock screen does not have great options, even though we are in the presence of Android 4.2.2 . Cute animation of unlocking with the finger, which simulates the passage of a reflection of a ray of sun on the display, whether we touch the glass directly is that we spend a few mm away.
The default home page offers us right now some new options, including the optical drive , useful for identifying text, QR or contacts to quickly save in the phonebook.
‘s Health is another app very welcome in the landscape of software dedicated to lifestyle and health.
In practice, the South Korean giant has integrated a real personal assistant, who will monitor our workouts, our movements and even our diet. This app also interfaces with some external devices, such as training zones, etc..
Group Play instead allows us to share our multimedia content with other Galaxy S4, by listening to our friends a piece of music or sharing photos and streaming video. Unfortunately, the major limitation of this technology lies in the fact that for now is limited to only Galaxy S4, then in most cases it will be impossible to use it.
Photo Album allows us to create a digital photo album automatically, going to the library to draw on the same device. Samsung in this case has thought of everything, even allowing us to customize this work and to order it online to get the physical copy of the product.
Let’s talk about the gallery of images, which can synchronize with various services, including Facebook or Dropbox. Unfortunately, this synchronization significantly slows the initial opening of the gallery, going to lead us quickly to remove this function.
Inside the firmware are S Voice , the interpreter voice Samsung proprietary, most accurate and intelligent than before, but still immature in some respects.
S Translator instead is the app dedicated to the translation, its operation is similar to Google translator, even if the interface is more focused on simultaneous translation of the text dictated by two parties of different nationalities.
To access the multitasking simply hold down the key physical system centrally. The UI of multitasking does not deviate too much from the standard stock Android, although there are three additional buttons: one that closes all amenities, a shortcut to Google Now and management of RAM.
functions, however, the most interesting of this Galaxy S4 are to be found in Air gesture and smart sliding.
fact Samsung has introduced these two new systems to manage the scroll of some applications, such as email clients or the browser. In practice with smart sliding active, we could scroll down and up the page looking up or down. Unfortunately, this system is not very convenient and accurate, and it seems to draw more facial movements that the direction of gaze. Things are different with air gesture, which allows us to make some gesture, such as scroll through the pictures, passing his hand over the display but does not touch, or also allows us to respond quickly to a call.
InGalaxy S4 features are also derived from old products, such as multi view, which is managed in a manner identical to the Galaxy Note.
Flipboard, good appetite and LunAPPark are only so many of the other apps present by default in the system.
QUALITY: AUDIO [VOTE 9] – CALLS [VOTE 9] – SIGNAL [VOTE 9]
The Galaxy S4 is an excellent phone, the sound from the speaker is that the capsule atrial appendage is always clean and clear, while the signal, WiFi and 3G, is higher than to direct competition failing to get network unreachable for other smartphones and tablets.
If used as a standard MP3 player, the Galaxy S4 turns out to be a good alternative, although you will have to deal with the battery consumption. The speaker has a very high volume, shallow but that does not distort the sound.
CAMERA / VIDEO CAMERA – [VOTE 8]
The top of the range Samsung has a 13-megapixel camera . As we have already seen in our dedicated test, the pictures are beautiful with lots of light, have no noise and are rich in detail. Things are different with the photos taken in low light situation, with the limitations of the Galaxy S4 that show immediately.
the rescue, however, to a photographic hardware sector not possibly live up to expectations, they come many software features fun and functional. We have the audio photos, photos dynamics and a whole host of ways that will make us do even shoot extreme detail.
For example, we may also use simultaneously both cameras, so you can see our face in a square, while we frame to another subject.
Videos benefit from some of the features of the photos, but they bring with them the faults, with an electronic stabilizer insufficient to attenuate jitter. The videos are recorded in Full HD at 30 frames per second
AUTONOMY – [VOTE 7.5]
The 2600 mAh battery enables us with difficulties get through the day with a fairly intense use of the device. The higher resolution and brightness of the display can be felt even when the battery is larger.
Our typical day starting at 06:00 and the smartphone has left us at about 17 in the late afternoon. With a more moderate instead we managed to arrive also at 21:00, also activating energy saving.
helps to mitigate autonomy is not the optimal fast charging available to the device, which in a few minutes be able to bring the battery charge over 50%
video review
The video review will be published in a few hours at this link.
FINAL COMMENT – [VOTE (not an average) 8.5]
The Galaxy S4 is the right successor to the Galaxy S3? The answer is yes. Samsung has many interesting features in its new device, improving the hardware, adjusting the display as well as reducing the size. So far so perfect, but then why do not we have given 9? Simple, the interface of the giant South Korean needs a net rejuvenation, too eastern, confusing and chaotic, with shortcuts that together constitute real new menu where you lose if a normal user does not use the simplified display. Smartphone promoted but that does not reach excellence.
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