Review of Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini: what's in my name. Review of Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini: what's in my name Galaxy S4 mini screen resolution

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 protective glass, protecting 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 via GSM standards and 3G. 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 - there is support for both the American system GPS navigation, 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 - big screen, allowing you to comfortably view HD video. Secondly - a multifunctional music player. Subtle sound correction will appeal to music lovers. Built-in sound effects, 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.

Flagship from Korean manufacturer Samsung – Samsung Galaxy S4 mini LTE GT-I9195, which was released in 2013.

Appearance of Samsung Galaxy S4 mini

The phone is made of plastic. The front panel is made of scratch-resistant glass.
Screen with a diagonal of 4.3 inches and a resolution of 540×960, 256 ppi.
Dimensions – 61.3×124.6×8.94 mm, weight – 107 g.

Specifications Samsung Galaxy S4 mini

Processor – eight-core Exynos 5410, 1700 MHz.
RAM– 2 GB. Built-in memory – 8GB. The phone also supports memory cards.
Operating system – Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean), which is updated to new versions.
The battery is removable, 1900 mAh. This is enough for 12 hours of talk time and 300 hours of standby time.
Main camera good quality– 8 MP. And the front one is only 2 megapixels.

You can buy Samsung Galaxy S4 mini in our online store by placing an order through the website shopping cart or by calling us at. Delivery in Moscow is possible on the day of order. The cost of delivery within the Moscow Ring Road is 400 rubles. Delivery to the Moscow region is calculated individually. Pickup from a retail store two minutes from Savelovskaya metro station.

Contents of delivery:

  • Samsung i9190
  • Battery
  • Wired stereo headset
  • Network adapter and USB cable
  • User guide
  • Warranty card

Introduction

After the announcement of the Galaxy S4, it became clear that Samsung, by tradition, will begin to produce a huge number of seemingly identical (as they have recently begun to be called) “pieces of soap”: the only difference is that some are smaller, others are larger. The filling, as is correct, is much weaker than the flagship model, but significant investment is not required. However, the cost still remains around the 20 thousand rubles mark.

Obviously, if there is a version of S3 mini, then there must be an S4 mini. Unfortunately, both gadgets received from their older brothers, perhaps, only part of the name and appearance, although people have long been demanding powerful devices with small dimensions. Alas, the manufacturers don’t hear us and continue to reason logically in their own way: since the phone is small, it means the hardware can be cut down.

The review will focus only on the main points, since this is a typical example of the South Korean giant's products.

Design, dimensions, control elements

As was already said at the beginning of the text, as soon as a new creation sees the light Samsung– expect offspring in the form of dozens of identical-looking smartphones and phones. Therefore, naturally, S4 mini almost completely copies original Galaxy S4. Nevertheless, from my point of view, the appearance of the current flagship is quite successful: thin, light, despite the plastic, durable, although glossy. The S4 mini evokes absolutely the same emotions. It is worth adding that the device, due to its even smaller size (124.6 x 61.3 x 8.9 mm) and weight (107 grams), fits nicely in the hand! Really convenient, you don't want to let it go out of your hands. In fact, the experience of “communicating” with the S4 mini is very interesting: similar appearance, functions and menus, but operating with one hand is more comfortable. I think this will be appreciated by those who clearly dislike spade-shaped phones.


The front side, as always, is protected by glass. It’s unlikely to be Gorilla Glass (although perhaps the first generation), but not a single scratch appeared during a month of active use. Under the glass there is dark gray plastic (there is also a white color), on which small black diamonds are applied. Back panel also made of plastic, but here the pattern is slightly different, i.e. light gray diamonds on a black background. I think it looks cool, at least previous version The S3 mini did not evoke any emotions in me.

The assembly is excellent, as if the case is not dismountable: nothing plays, does not creak.

A thin edging along the perimeter of the front part forms a small side, the sides of the device are semi-gloss plastic, painted to resemble metal.

On the top of the front side there is a camera for video calls, two sensors (lighting and proximity), a speech speaker covered with a metal mesh. The speaker volume is very high, in a quiet environment it is worth turning it down. The interlocutor can be heard clearly and intelligibly, the timbre is pleasant, and the mid frequencies are mainly heard. During a call, you can adjust the level not only standard means, but also activate special function"Additional volume." Almost all new Samsung devices have a similar function.


Below the screen there are two touch buttons “Back” and “Menu”, and between them is the unforgettable mechanical “Home” button. The tactile sensations regarding the Galaxy S4 are approximately the same: the travel is minimal, the pressure is firm. The touch buttons have a backlight; it is white, dim, but quite noticeable during the day.


At the bottom there is a microUSB and the main microphone, at the top there is an IR port (inherited from the flagship), a second microphone (used for recording sound in stereo and noise reduction), and a 3.5 mm audio output.



On the left is the volume control, and on the right is the power key.



At the back is a camera that rises slightly above the body, a flash, and a speaker. speakerphone.



To open the cover, you need to pry it at the notch at the top left. Under the battery are slots for a microSIM card and microSDHC.





Samsung S4 mini and Samsung S4


Samsung S4 mini and HTC One


Display

Unlike the previous model, this one has a 4.3-inch diagonal screen (physical size - 53x94 mm). If earlier 4 inches was considered a “shovel”, now even a slightly larger size evokes affection: they say, what a small and cute phone it is. In S3 mini the resolution was 480x800 pixels, in S4 mini it was slightly increased - 540x960 pixels (qHD). In both cases the matrix is ​​SuperAMOLED. Let's not argue how good or bad it is, since all this relates to taste. Personally, I love bright colors and maximum “depth” of black, and even though the SA matrix fades more than IPS in the sun, but, for example, my work does not involve constantly being under the direct rays of the sun. By the way, in the previous material (S4 Active test), I experimentally found out that the SA matrix on the S4 in sunny weather displays even a little best picture than the PLS matrix on the S4 Active. Below is a comparison of the screens of S4 mini (left), S4 Active and S4 (right):

Matrices under a microscope:



In the “Display” settings, the “Screen mode” item is preserved:

  • optimize display
  • dynamic
  • standard
  • professional photography
  • movie

Battery

A removable lithium-ion (Li-Ion) battery with a capacity of 1900 mAh, 3.8 V, 7.22 Wh is installed. Despite the seemingly not the largest battery capacity, the operating time was generally pleasing!


The developers claim that the device will operate for 300 hours in standby mode, and up to 12 hours in talk mode.

With 15-20 minutes of calls a day, 4-5 hours of 3G, a couple of hours of Wi-Fi, an hour of watching videos and the same amount of listening to music, the Galaxy S4 mini managed to squeeze out a little more than 10 hours of work from a single charge.

More numbers:

  • Only in talk mode the device works up to 8 hours
  • Only when playing video (720p) at maximum volume in headphones and maximum screen brightness - just over 5 hours
  • Only playing music in headphones at maximum volume – about 45 hours
  • Games only – just over 3 hours

Communication capabilities

The smartphone works in cellular networks 2G (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) and 3G (850/900/1900/2100 MHz), LTE is present only in the i9195 model. Speed ​​HSDPA – up to 42 Mbit/s, HSUPA – up to 5.76 Mbit/s. Available Bluetooth version 4.0 HS (A2DP, LE, EDR).

Present wireless connection Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n (Dual band). The device can be used as an access point (Wi-Fi Hotspot) and file transfer (Wi-Fi Direct).

High-speed USB 2.0 is also used for file transfer and data synchronization. When connected to a PC, the mini is defined as a USB Flash device (MTP) or camera (PTP).

SAR value

Your phone is manufactured to comply with EU Council guidelines for exposure to radio frequency (RF) energy. These standards prohibit the sale of mobile phones whose radiation levels (called specific absorption rate, SAR) exceed 2.0 watts per kilogram of body weight. During testing (information provided by Samsung), the maximum SAR for this model was: 0.298 W/kg near the head, 0.361 W/kg near the body.

When in use, the actual SAR values ​​of the device are significantly lower than the values ​​stated above. This is due to the fact that for efficient work systems and reduce the impact on the network operating power mobile device is automatically reduced if the call does not require full power. The lower the device's power output, the lower the SAR value.

Memory and memory card

The developers decided not to skimp on RAM, so they installed the most optimal amount for such a device - 1.5 GB. Therefore, the device does not slow down at all and has no difficulties launching applications. On average, about 900 MB are free - a huge amount for such a smartphone.

Flash memory – 8 GB. A little more than 4 GB is allocated for application installations and data storage. Of course, there is a card slot microSD memory HC, the maximum volume of which can be 64 GB.

Camera

Two cameras are used here: the main 8 MP (F2.6, 33 mm) with autofocus and the front 1.9 MP without autofocus. There is a single-section LED flash. The maximum photo resolution is 3264x1836 pixels, video - 1920x1080 pixels at 30 frames per second.

The quality of photographs is similar to those taken on the S4 Active, i.e. a little better than Galaxy S2, but a little worse than Galaxy S3. I don’t understand what prevented me from using the same module as in the Galaxy S3.

Video and sound are recorded clearly, there is no pixelation.

Video file characteristics:

  • File Format: MP4
  • Video codec: AVC, 17 Mbit/s
  • Resolution: 1920 x 1080, 30 fps
  • Audio codec: AAC, 128 Kbps
  • Channels: 2 channels, 48 ​​KHz

Sample photos:

Effects:

Panorama:


Performance

The Samsung Galaxy S4 mini smartphone has a chipset Qualcomm Snapdragon 400, dual-core Krait 1.7 GHz processor (28 nm, ARMv7). Adreno 305 is used as a graphics accelerator.

The device operates smoothly, there are no interface slowdowns or glitches, and there are no lags. Almost all toys are suitable.

Below - brief information and performance tests (CPU-Z, Quadrant Standard, Antutu Benchmark, 3D Mark):

So, in this article we will figure out how much worse or better the younger brother of the Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone is.

The first thing to consider is the appearance of the device called Galaxy S4 Mini. As we already mentioned, it is practically no different from its larger version. The same materials were used in its production, the design contains lines characteristic of the Galaxy line. Except that its display has shrunk to 4.3 inches, the weight has become 107 grams, and the overall dimensions are: 124.6 x 61.3 x 8.9 mm. Thanks to this, it is much more comfortable to hold in your hand than the Galaxy S4, and it is more popular with users who prefer small smartphones to huge phones that sometimes don’t even fit into a pocket.




The Galaxy S4 Mini is made entirely of plastic, and there is still a physical Home button and touch-sensitive Back and Menu keys at the bottom of the device. Both the front panel and the back are painted black, plus diamonds are applied to the metal, which slightly dilute the boring design.

Also at the bottom you can find a microUSB port and a microphone. And at the top there is an infrared port, a second microphone and a 3.5 mm audio jack. Traditionally, on the left side we see the volume keys, and on the opposite side there is a power off/on key.





On the back panel, as usual, there is a camera, and immediately below it is a flash and an additional speaker for speakerphone.

As we already said, the Galaxy S4 Mini has a 4.3-inch display with a resolution of 540 x 960 pixels. Its quality is slightly better than that of the Galaxy S3, which has a screen resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels. The display of the mini-smartphone itself received a Super AMOLED matrix. Some say that such displays are worse, while others, on the contrary, only like these screens. The fact is that these screens display black colors very realistically, but white is the opposite, with an admixture of green or even purple. But all other colors are very bright and saturated.

However, than brighter screen, the more battery it consumes. The Galaxy S4 Mini has a 1900 mAh lithium-ion battery. It would seem why this battery has such a small volume, because it reduces the time battery life devices. In fact, it turned out that 1900 mAh provides sufficient operating time for the phone without additional charging.

Samsung assures that Galaxy smartphone The S4 Mini will last about 10 hours if you talk on the phone for 15 or 20 minutes a day, 3G Internet will last about 4-5 hours and Wi-Fi will last about the same. As for listening to music and watching videos, you should spend an hour on each.













In constant conversation mode, the Galaxy S4 Mini will last about 8 hours; if you listen to music with headphones at full volume and with maximum display brightness, the smartphone will last for 5 hours. If the brightness is minimal, then you can listen to music for 45 hours without recharging the device. Well, when you play, the smartphone will only last 3 hours of battery life.

In addition, the Galaxy S4 Mini supports 2G, 3G, HSDPA, LTE is present only in i9195 models, and, of course, there is also Bluetooth 4.0 HS, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n and a microUSB 2.0 port.

Let's move on to something more serious - this is a consideration of the RAM and internal memory of the smartphone, camera, processor, operating system, etc.

The mini-phone received 1.5GB of RAM from Samsung. In principle, for not particularly powerful device this is quite enough - it will not slow down, and all programs and applications suitable for it will be able to work perfectly. 900MB of RAM remains for running applications, programs and games; the rest goes to running the processor and operating system.

Inner memory The phone has 8GB, but only 4GB is allocated for storing applications and similar data. If desired, the user can expand the flash memory using removable media, namely a microSD memory card with a capacity of up to 64GB.

Galaxy S4 Mini received two cameras: a front camera with a resolution of 1.9 megapixels, and a rear view camera with a resolution of 8 megapixels and autofocus. The phone also has a single-section LED flash for shooting at night or in low light conditions. Photos can be produced with a maximum resolution of 3264 x 1836 pixels, and videos – 1920 x 1080 pixels. Video recording is possible at 30 frames per second.

Samsung smartphone Galaxy S4 Mini received dual-core Qualcomm processor Snapdragon 400 clocked at 1.7 GHz and GPU Adreno 305. Although the processor is not the most powerful, it supports almost all modern toys and programs.

So far, the smartphone runs on the Android 4.2.2 operating system. It implements all the usual functions characteristic of this firmware. Perhaps there will be an update soon with operating system Android 4.3 Jelly Bean.

The music is played by a standard player from Samsung, which is installed on many devices from this company. The sound quality is excellent, suitable for listening with or without headphones.

The speaker itself is not the loudest, and the sound from it comes out slightly bassy, ​​but clear.

It is noteworthy that the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini supports FM radio, but the Galaxy S4 Active does not.

To watch videos, of course, there is a video player that reads the following codecs: H264, Xvid, DivX and video formats such as AVI, MP4, MKV, WMV. Well, if you prefer to watch movies in other formats, then it is better to download any video player suitable for you from Google Play market.

The cost of this device is 16,000 rubles. A little expensive for such an average device. However, if you prefer small 4-inch displays and are happy with its power and design, then the Galaxy S4 Mini is worth a look.

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 that's not the point technical specifications, but in unimaginably large dimensions of the apparatus. 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 with the goal of completely satisfying our customers engineering team Samsung has 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 the thirty-first of May 2013, a presentation of the new model took place cell phone, produced by a famous Korean concern. 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 an adapter, a cable for connecting to a laptop and a 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 speaker, front and rear cameras, on/off button, also known as lock, connector for charger, headphone jack, volume control 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 touch buttons"Back" and "Menu". 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 general characteristics two Korean-made options: 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 We have long been accustomed to the fact that throughout the day, a phone with the Internet turned on and continuous calls needs recharge. 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, clock frequency 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 for 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 amount of memory by installing additional card Micro SD. The device operates under the guidance of the current Android versions 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 film 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 too quiet sound call. 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 using 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 current versions 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. For this problem there is perfect solution: 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 drawbacks users highlight is the low-power battery. However, I would like to note that almost all Cell 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. Variety of colors, good technical support 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.