Resolution galaxy s3. Description of Samsung Galaxy S III (GT-I9300)
It was announced on May 3, 2012. After which the smartphone passed several tests, which showed very mixed results. But still, everyone noted the good performance of the device, excellent screen, and good camera.
This Galaxy S III review will focus specifically on the technical characteristics of the device.
Note that the appearance of the new Galaxy S III smartphone does not stand out in any way.
Almost the entire front surface of the device is occupied by the display, above which there are sensors, a front camera and a logo.
On the back there is the main camera with flash and speaker.
The device body is made of special plastic. The phone's assembly is good: there are no creaks or backlashes during operation.
The dimensions of the Samsung Galaxy S III are 136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6 mm, and the weight is 133 g.
Performance and Software
Samsung Galaxy S III has at its disposal a 4-core Exynos 4 Quad processor with a clock frequency of 1.4 GHz, as well as 1 GB of RAM, which makes the smartphone very productive. Some consider the new product to be the leader in performance among all currently existing smartphones.
The device also has a Mali-400MP graphics processor, which makes working with graphics very comfortable.
The Samsung Galaxy S III has 16, 32 and 64 GB of permanent memory, depending on the modification. But at the same time, there is a slot for cards, which will significantly increase the amount of stored information in the phone.
We also note that the Galaxy S III supports Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, Wi-Fi, LTE networks and 3G networks.
The smartphone has audio and video players, integration programs with, and applications for comfortable browsing on the Internet.
The Samsung Galaxy S III runs on the Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system.
Screen
It is worth paying special attention to the screen of the device - it is a 4.8-inch HD Super with a resolution of 1280x720 pixels, protected by Gorilla Glass 2. Note that the smartphone uses a Pentile matrix, which caused dissatisfaction among some users, but Samsung representatives explained this by saying , that in this type of matrix there are more green subpixels than blue ones, so the screen will last much longer.
The image quality is very high. Viewing angles are wide, and image fading in the sun is negligible.
Camera
Samsung Galaxy S III is equipped with an 8-megapixel camera with LED flash and autofocus. The quality of the pictures made a good impression: the picture is clear, the colors are saturated, conveying all the beauty of the captured moment.
The camera is also capable of recording Full HD video at 30 frames per second.
There is a 1.9-megapixel front camera for video calling.
Battery
Price
The cost of the Samsung Galaxy S III in Russia will be approximately 30,000 rubles, which is quite acceptable for a smartphone of this level.
Samsung Galaxy S III video review:
2 years ago 0
1) fits comfortably in the hand 2) flies in the first months 3) built-in 16g is enough
2 years ago 0
Excellent Smart, cool screen, fast processor, everything suits you, and most importantly, a large battery. Suitable for geeks since the hardware is top-of-the-line and it’s easy to root. The case is monolithic, nothing crunches or creaks, the screen is protected by gorila glas 2.
2 years ago 0
Prologue: - If you mix ten kilograms of jam and a kilogram of feces, you will get eleven kilograms of feces... - We are considering this phone only with official software and firmware. And now more specifically. The advantages of this phone are rather a consequence of the fact that it was a Samsung flagship. Nevertheless: - the camera is excellent, the video it shoots is also excellent. - GPSGLONASS picks up satellites very quickly. - In the “out of the box” version it worked for almost three days without recharging. It even charged from a car cigarette lighter with working navigation! My happiness knew no bounds then!..)) - The display is bright, it’s very comfortable to watch movies on the road.
2 years ago 0
Excellent optimization of Android, no smartphone has worked for me for so long on a single charge! Display, beautiful rich colors, glass is not easily soiled, excellent oleophobic coating. Removable battery, it is possible to quickly replace it in case of discharge, if it is not possible to connect to an outlet. Expandable memory, I don’t understand why many manufacturers refuse a slot for a micro SD card, because using cloud services with low-quality Russian 3G is practically impossible, although 50 GB in the Dropbox cloud comes with a smartphone as a gift for 2 years, this is a plus. It holds the network perfectly, I have a second smartphone, Sony Expiria V, but it didn’t pick up a signal where Samsung receives calls! Excellent sound in headphones, got rid of players forever, Wolfson audio chip produces excellent sound! Loud conversation sound
2 years ago 0
Everything is great!
2 years ago 0
Very good phone! Camera, I like everything
2 years ago 0
Mechanical home button, by pressing which you can answer an incoming call (configurable in the settings), which is very convenient.
2 years ago 0
Excellent camera, screen with good color reproduction, good hardware
2 years ago 0
Screen, dimensions (for gaming and the Internet - class), speed of operation in general and with applications, camera, front camera 2MP. different features, a bunch of settings that you can customize for yourself.
2 years ago 0
High-quality assembly, appearance 5. Large and clear screen (I use auto brightness mode, very satisfied). When you look at the screen it does not turn off. I didn't notice any special brakes. As for charging, it lasts for a day, several calls (by the way, calls are not as bad as when the screen is on), two hours of play when on the subway, and a bunch of synchronizations in different social networks. When I’m in the car I don’t worry about charging at all, I’m always charging. I use a navigator, GPS turns on instantly. Cool feature with an NFC sensor (so far I’ve only played with a metro card))) The camera is fine (I don’t consider the phone as a replacement for a camera) Convenient direct call function (for example, when viewing a contact, reading an SMS - if you put the phone to your ear, a phone call is made to him) Regarding S Voice, it’s a pity that it doesn’t officially work on
2 years ago +1
The whole impression of the phone was spoiled by the fact that it dies very quickly and eats your nerves! It freezes, programs crash, does not hold a charge, turns off unexpectedly, etc. Until you manage to make an emergency call somewhere, for example, an ambulance, you will die a hundred times over. Reflashing and cleaning do not help! The phone is not even two years old, but it’s time for it to be scrapped.
2 years ago 0
Gloss on the back cover
Built-in Launcher
2 years ago 0
Operation speed
The screen gets scratched if used fairly carefully. Compared to the same Nokia 5800, scratches are more severe.
2 years ago 0
1. There are quite a lot of defective screens. I came across defective ones with this model 3 times.
2. an explanation of why I didn’t like the assembly: there are jagged edges near the socket and charging, the palm seems to be scratching, not entirely bad, and maybe in my version it’s like that, but still not very pleasant. Vietnamese assembly
3. buggy - I had to take out the battery often
4. I didn’t like the touch-vis right away, it’s buggy, it’s dull, I loaded another launcher, which I advise you too, the touch also eats up the battery well)
5. there are 6-7 unnecessary applications, and they are very crazy, okay, at least they don’t eat up memory
6. It gets scratched quickly; you won’t have time to leave the store and by the evening the back will be scratched (for me this is the main disadvantage... but I bought it anyway)
2 years ago 0
The battery is weak. After 10 openings, the back cover of the case does not fit as tightly as at the beginning.
2 years ago 0
1) weak battery
2) after half a year the battery died and had to be replaced
3) it gets buggy over time, but after a year it lives its own life
2 years ago 0
A little big (but I'm fine with a big palm)
It gets warm in heavy applications.
Protect the charging socket from dirt.
2 years ago 0
No matter what they say, the plastic looks very cheap... And not only in appearance: the pleasant coolness of HTC metal is not the warm plastic of Samsung...
- After my good old HTC Desire HD, the official widgets are completely miserable, and there are very few of them at all. Additionally, they sometimes tend to freeze, such as the alarm clock widget.
- Inconvenient keyboard. It's been a year now and I can't get used to it. HTC was better.
- Lack of built-in offline navigation based on Locations type for HTC and car dashboard.
- Somewhere after the third official firmware update, it began to frantically consume the battery, almost within a day! At the same time, the main consumers of energy were the Android Platform and the Android OS. Now the situation is better, but for as long as in the out-of-the-box version, the phone no longer works...
- After above
2 years ago 0
The back cover gets scratched quickly, it’s good that buying it is not a problem and it costs about $10
2 years ago 0
Died six months later! It just won't turn on! like 2/3 of all Galaxy 3 boards burned out! repair price 12000r!
Today we are reviewing the Samsung Galaxy S3 i9300. This is not just a phone, but a super-sophisticated one. This smartphone is a descendant of two galaxies, dressed in a glossy look. Samsung Galaxy S3 The i9300 is a gadget doomed to success. How is it different from the standard Samsung S3?
As for the appearance, this multifunctional smartphone is unlikely to turn heads at a conventional device for making calls. Despite its size, the phone does not feel heavy in the hand.
There are a lot of rumors and jokes about its design. It seems that due to its huge size, it simply won’t be possible to operate with one hand, but in the situation with the GT i9300, this statement is absolutely false. It’s easy and simple to use, even with a lady’s pen, let alone a man.
The body of the device is made of plastic, although the company initially promised ceramics. The device looks very unusual in appearance, but it is still slippery plastic, which tends to jump out of your hand during operation. Corrugated surfaces are more practical in this regard. But if you purchase an additional case, this will not only save the C3 from scratches, but will also prevent it from slipping out. Although, regarding scratches, it is worth saying that even without an additional case, the gadget will not be scratched in your pocket.
The Samsung Galaxy S3 GT-i9300 has a removable back cover, which should be removed very carefully. The reason lies in the fact that it has a large number of latches, and plus plastic is plastic. Although you can replace the cover yourself, even without visiting a service center. Its prices are extremely low.
Under the cover you will find a slot for Micro-sim, but to be honest, there is enough space for a standard one. It is unclear what the company was guided by in this case. And also under the cover there is a slot for a MicroSD card, which will further expand the gadget’s memory.
Despite the material and its flexibility, the assembly of the device is excellent, as befits a device from an A-company. There are no backlashes, gaps, nothing moves or twitches. Available in two colors: white and dark blue.
There are several indicators on the front. The left one, for example, will blink if a call is missed or an email has arrived. It's also worth mentioning that the S3 GT-i9300 has an interesting feature. If the owner missed a call or SMS, then when he picks up the phone, it, in turn, will begin to vibrate.
In addition to the alert indicator, there is also a light indicator, which, depending on the amount of light in the room, sets the brightness of the screen for eye comfort and additional charge conservation. However, some users complain that it does it too smoothly.
The right indicator recognizes a face in front of the screen, which is poorly implemented. For example, if the owner is wearing regular glasses, the smartphone does not want to unlock, which creates problems.
At the bottom of the front part there is a familiar mechanical button in the center, with which you can return to the main menu or unlock the smartphone. For the latter case, there is also a special “Mode” button, which is located on the right side. Next to the mechanical button there are touch-sensitive “fountain” buttons for returning and returning to the context menu.
On the back of the device there is an 8 MP camera, LED flash and a very powerful external speaker.
The S3 GT-i9300 is sold in a beautiful blue box, which in addition to the phone itself also contains:
- MicroUSB cable;
- socket adapter;
- instructions, inserts and warranty card;
- white headphones with a set of three different ear pads - larger, smaller and elliptical.
Screen
The characteristics of the C3 screen are as follows: diagonal - 4.8 inches; resolution - 1280 by 720 pixels. Super Amolled display, which is based on an active matrix of organic light-emitting diodes. These screens have a lot of different advantages. The most important of them is a full viewing angle in all directions while maintaining color, brightness and contrast.
Second generation Gorilla Glass will protect the screen from scratches and abrasions, but will not always protect it from cracks and bruises.
The flickering frequency of the picture is 60 Hz. The display supports multi-touch up to 10 simultaneous touches. Grain is not noticeable either when viewing pictures or when reading text.
Processor and operating system
The device has a quad-core Exynos 4412 processor, which operates at a frequency of 1.4 GHz. Video accelerator - Mali 400 MP. RAM 1 GB, built-in 16 GB. There are competitors who provide more opportunities in this regard, but at the same time ask for less in price. If this memory is not enough for you, then you can choose 32 and 64 GB versions or expand it using cards.
Samsung Galaxy S3 GT i9300 runs Android 4.0.4. The gadget's interface is represented by a proprietary “touchwiz”. Square icons look great on an oval smartphone display. Locking and unlocking the device is accompanied by pleasant sounds.
Playing on this device is a real pleasure. Not a single game causes the i9300 to lag, unless, of course, you try to run super-heavy games, so you'll have to lower the settings.
The gadget is equipped with a small 2100 mAh battery by modern standards.
With Wi-Fi turned on and under full load, the phone works all day. A very good result for a smartphone of this class.
Curious features
The S3 i 9300 has a number of interesting features:
- Smart Stay or intelligent waiting. Thanks to this function, the device controls whether the owner is looking at the display at that second. If not, it turns it off to save power.
- SVoice is an analogue of Apple's Siri. Unfortunately, if you do not know English, then this function is not of particular value.
- “Remember Everything” is an app specifically for those who don’t like text reminders. To use it, you just need to press the microphone and say, for example, “I want to call my mom back today in 15 minutes.” After this, you must click “Save”. You will not have to perform any further actions, neither set the date nor time. The gadget will do everything itself.
- To take a screenshot, just swipe your palm across the screen. You can also configure your phone to recognize touches. Each movement has its own function.
- A set of different vibration signals, where for each of them you can, for example, have your own contact number.
- If the contact book is open and a certain person is selected, then you can simply bring the gadget to your ear, and C3 immediately starts calling him. True, for the very first time you need to select a communication option - via Skype or a regular call, so that the device remembers.
- Voice dialing SMS.
Camera
U Samsung Galaxy S3 The i9300 has two cameras as standard: the main one is 8 MP and the front one is 1.9 MP. Let's deal with both in order.
The main camera is simply excellent. With it you can get good panoramic photos. In the functionality you can find an interesting function, like a series of pictures. The device takes 8 photos, and then you can choose the best one in your opinion. Very convenient when shooting moving objects.
The main camera is equipped with a Sony module, which is similar in quality to the module for IPhone 4S. The decision is controversial, especially if we recall Samsung's success in developing its own matrices.
The flash here is simple, LED. There is no separate button to launch the camera. It is activated by an icon from the desktop or lock screen. The shooting speed is 3.5 frames per second. Improved image processing algorithm. There is image stabilization. Focusing on a given point and face recognition are possible. The emphasis is on the convenience of the software component and its versatility.
The only thing I can say about the front camera is that it’s simple, but you can take a selfie.
The video camera shoots in 1080p resolution. While shooting, you can also take photos along the way. The quality of pictures and videos is decent.
Results
Samsung Galaxy S3 GT-i9300 is a stylish and laconic smartphone from an A-class company that is easy and convenient to operate. By purchasing it, the owner receives good quality, a good camera, excellent sound, both with and without headphones, and a variety of features that make life easier.
Video
Many experts consider the S III to be a premium mobile device designed to compete with products produced by brands such as Apple. And this despite the fact that the gadget runs on the Android platform, traditionally perceived as “budget”. Many users are interested in what characteristics and functions devices running on open-source platforms can withstand competition with the most commercially engaged brands that use expensive proprietary software. Or perhaps it's a hardware issue?
In our article today, we will try to understand due to what characteristics and functions the Galaxy smartphone in its third version is considered so prestigious and desirable, as is commonly believed in the Russian user and expert environment. Let's identify its strongest points and study the specifics of the technologies used in the production of the device.
We will answer simple but important questions. What are the features of the device? What opportunities does it open to users? What do experts say about him? What are the reviews that characterize the Samsung Galaxy S 3?
Standard delivery set
Inside the box, the user will find the device itself, a spare 2100 mAh battery, a cable for connecting to a USB port, a headset, and a charger. Additional accessories for the S 3 - a case, for example - will have to be purchased separately. But there are no problems with finding all this in almost any of the modern online stores where electronics are sold.
Who buys a smartphone
According to marketing experts, the main groups of smartphone users are enthusiasts of expensive and feature-filled mobile equipment, technology lovers, as well as buyers who are inclined to purchase devices with a view to long-term use (over several years).
Samsung Galaxy phones are devices that are distinguished by high quality in terms of assembly, design, and problem solving using mobile applications. Owners of smartphones in this series can be sure that the device will perform its functions flawlessly and correctly.
Market position
Marketing experts call the smartphone one of the leading models of 2012. Direct competitors of the device are products manufactured under the Apple and HTC brands. Experts call the Samsung device a flagship that will remain relevant for quite a long time. A user who bought a Samsung Galaxy S 3 emphasizes his good taste and involvement in the most current market trends by owning the device.
Design
The smartphone is available in several colors. It has a thin body that fits comfortably in the hand.
The dimensions of the device are as follows:
Length: 13.66 cm;
Width: 7.06 cm;
Thickness: 0.86 cm.
The smartphone weighs 133 grams.
At the top of the case there is an audio jack, at the bottom there is a slot for micro-USB. The device's power button is located on the right side of the case. On the left is a key responsible for adjusting the sound volume level. On the front of the case there is the main control button. There is a front video camera and two sensors: lighting and motion (proximity).
Build quality
Experts who tested the phone note that the body parts are made of very high quality. There are no backlashes or gaps. The lid is fixed to the body very securely. The surface of the phone resists scratches quite well. In accordance with how reviews describe the Samsung Galaxy S 3, this thesis of experts is generally confirmed.
Screen
The smartphone display diagonal is 4.8 inches. Screen manufacturing technology - AMOLED. The display resolution is 1280 by 720 pixels. The maximum number of displayed colors is 16 million. The screen belongs to the capacitive class. Experts who tested the device describe the quality of the display as excellent.
Communication options
The smartphone is equipped with several communication modules. Among them is Bluetooth version 4. You can also use Wi-Fi. Experts who tested the wireless data transfer speed were able to record a figure of 12 megabits/sec. You can also connect external devices via the USB port (using it simultaneously charges your smartphone). Using a mini-USB connector and a special cable, you can connect your phone to the HDMI port of your TV. The smartphone supports near-field communication technology (which, in particular, is used in modern cash payment terminals) - NFC.
Using branded S Beam technology developed by Samsung, you can transfer files between this phone and another similar one at very high speed.
Smartphone memory
The smartphone has 16 GB of its own memory, of which about 14 are actually available. Additional memory cards are supported (up to 64 GB).
The phone's RAM is 1 GB. If no applications are running, then its available volume is about 800 MB. Some experts note that smartphones with 2 GB of RAM are supplied to the markets of certain countries.
Performance
The phone has an Exynos processor with four cores (the frequency of each of them is about 1.4 GHz). According to many experts, the firmware installed in the Samsung Galaxy S III in the form of Android 4 is quite productive.
Performance tests have shown that the smartphone is more powerful than many competing solutions. Almost all users who wrote reviews about the Samsung Galaxy S 3 confirm the high speed of the phone.
Voice control
Specialists who tested the phone identified a number of interesting functions. These include the ability of a smartphone to recognize the user’s intention to call the person to whom the SMS message is being written. Once you start typing an SMS, you can bring the device to your ear, after which the recipient’s number will be dialed.
Another notable feature of the phone is called Smart Alert. It is designed to inform the user about the presence of missed calls. As soon as the owner of the phone picks up the device, there are missed calls, causing the device to vibrate.
Other interesting features of the device are facial recognition in photographs, as well as sending images to the phone of the person who is in the frame. There is another interesting option - manually setting the vibration alert rhythm.
The presence of these and many other useful functions, as many experts believe, fully justifies the fact that a device such as the Samsung Galaxy S 3 has a fairly high price. Experts believe that a phone with such a set of options cannot be cheap.
Playing music and radio
The smartphone has the function of recording live radio broadcasts (however, as experts note, it will be available for a limited number of countries). Experts who tested the phone note that the quality of its radio signal reception is higher than that of many analogues.
Melodies can be played by the phone at high volume levels without loss of sound quality. The device has several software equalizers, which allows you to add various effects to the reproduced sound.
Internet
The smartphone has a good, according to experts, built-in browser. It is comfortable to browse websites on it. The browser has support for Flash technology (subject to installation of a separate plugin), which is necessary for correctly viewing a large number of web pages.
If the user wants to install another browser (for example, Google Chrome), then the comfort level of working with the Internet will not decrease. In addition, without any problems, bookmarks from a standard browser are imported into the installed one.
Working with Images
The built-in gallery in your smartphone allows you to display images not only from the storage devices built into the phone, but also from devices on the network. Viewing pictures, as experts note, is very comfortable. There are image editing functions.
GPS navigator
Like many other smartphones, the Samsung Galaxy S3 has a built-in module for navigation using GPS technology. Experts note that the cards fit on the screen without any problems. The phone supports caching. This function allows popular map services (Google.Maps or Yandex) to save images in the device’s memory, so that they can then be used offline, if necessary.
The phone has excellent compatibility with popular navigation applications (such as Navigon or Sygic).
Text and SMS input
The smartphone has a function for entering text from a virtual keyboard, which supports a large number of languages. There is a convenient option in which words are entered by continuously pressing on the screen (on each letter sequentially).
Only Samsung managed to oust the iPhone. The Apple phone, like a guerrilla, appeared suddenly, immediately and for good. Only a couple of years later more or less adequate answers began to be issued. And the first Galaxy S appeared a couple of months before the announcement of the iPhone 4 in 2010. But the Samsung smartphone turned out to be very successful and popular. He was able to “prepare the clearing” for, released a year later.
Samsung's new flagship has become a noticeably louder event in the mobile market. Despite the rather high cost, its sales were noticeably higher than those of its predecessor, and also higher than those of its direct competitors. Except that he never caught up with the iPhone, but he came close to it. Galaxy S II has become a real threat for him, as well as a headache for other manufacturers. In light of such a successful smartphone, it was difficult to think of what the Galaxy S III would please us with. Now we can find out.
In fact, the general features of the Samsung Galaxy S III smartphone could be imagined from earlier products. For example, for the South Korean market there is a modification of the Galaxy S II with an HD screen. The first device with Android 4.0 featured not only a new version of the OS, but also a 4.65-inch Super AMOLED display. In addition, its model looks like the i9250, so the Galaxy S III, designated i9300, is not very far away. Obviously, the “nexus” was taken as the basis.
But, of course, the new flagship will have a new design that is more pleasing to the eye, certain unique features, and it was announced with much more fanfare. Samsung even refused to show it at MWC 2012, where its main competitor, HTC One X, was released. The South Korean company made it clear that it is above this, that it is not like everyone else and its new product deserves a presentation no less loud than the next iPhone. And so it happened in May of this year, the pompous release of the Galaxy S III. What's so special about it? Was the device a success? Let's get a look. This is why this review was written.
Design
The approach to the design of modern phones is completely different from what it was 6-7 years ago. The large touch screen left almost no space on the front panel, not only for various kinds of “decorations”, but even the controls had very little “space” left. At the same time, phones have changed a lot at the software level. Previously, when taking this or that device in your hand, it was not difficult to guess what the screen would show. Now we are interested not so much in “touching”, but in studying the installed software.
All this fully applies to the Samsung Galaxy S III. The smartphone is quite large due to its 4.8-inch screen. It's not very comfortable to wear - it won't fit into every pocket. But, despite its impressive dimensions, the S III does not weigh very much - 133 grams. It's not a record-breaking light weight, but the device doesn't weigh on your hand and you don't get tired of wearing it. In any case, men should not have problems.
Unlike the Galaxy Nexus, Samsung's new flagship has a smoother, rounded body. Its upper and lower ends are noticeably rounded, and the transition to the back cover is made noticeably smoother - the side edges do not cut into the palm at all. The phone fits perfectly in the hand and does not slip out, even though it has a lacquered back cover. By the way, it gets tangled very quickly, but does not lose its presentation due to its white color. By the way, it is also covered with scratches, although not very actively. We also note that thanks to its small thickness of 8.6 mm, the smartphone is very comfortable to carry, clasping it with your index and middle fingers.
Galaxy S III is currently available in two colors: white (Marble White) and dark blue (Pebble Blue). The latter is quite atypical for the modern market, but still it is white that is more noticeable. Along the end it has a light gray edging, made to look like “scratched metal”. However, the similarity with this material is very slight - you don’t have to look closely to recognize it as plastic. Moreover, you need to look closely to see its “scratched” texture.
The entire body is made of plastic. The plastic is clearly of high quality, although not very thick. However, we have no doubt about its strength. Another thing is that the main competitor of the Galaxy S III, HTC One X, has a stronger body that looks and feels, and is also solid. In general, there were previously rumors that Samsung would present the Galaxy S III in a partly ceramic body. But, apparently, the cost of the product turned out to be very high. It is possible that image ceramic versions of the South Korean flagship will appear in the future.
The build quality turned out to be at a good level, but not ideal. In particular, we noticed noticeable play at the top and bottom ends in the area of the connectors located there. However, this can only apply to our test sample, which passed through many hands before us, which squeezed this smartphone, squeezed it, rubbed it on different surfaces and did many different good and not so good things.
But in general, the appearance of the Galaxy S III does not cause a wow effect. Yes, it looks good, modern and even new, but, in our opinion, the HTC One X is a better solution in this regard. However, not everything is measured by design, right?
Connectors and controls
Remembering the Galaxy Nexus, as well as any lack of any controls on its front panel, the same could be expected from the Galaxy S III. But no, it didn’t work out, as they say. Samsung has clearly decided to transfer its proprietary solutions to the new flagship.
On the front panel at the top of the elements are more usual. In addition to the already standard speaker, camera, light sensor and proximity sensor, there is an LED. It is located to the left of the speaker and is not visible until it lights up. Its color can be red, green or blue depending on the operating mode of the phone. It mainly lights up while charging.
At the bottom there are three buttons that have already become the hallmark of Samsung - one large one in the center, a physical one, and two touch-sensitive ones on the sides. Their functions have not changed in any way: menu, “Home”, back. Another thing is that the central button has become quite narrow, although this did not affect the ease of use. But with the side buttons everything is less rosy. While their backlight is off, they are completely invisible. In principle, this is not critical, but it is still good to see where you are going to press with your finger. However, in the sun the backlighting of the buttons is of no use at all - they are simply not visible. The situation may be different with the blue Galaxy S III, but this is exactly the case with the white one.
Along the side ends there is a usual set of connectors and buttons. On the left are well-protruding volume rockers.
On the right side there is a power button for the smartphone. It’s small and not particularly protruding, and also not very tight – when you press the Galaxy S III case with your palm, you can accidentally press it.
The top end is crowned with an audio connector.
The bottom end has an undisguised microUSB port and a microphone.
There are not very many elements on the back cover. In the center at the top is the camera eye, to the left of it is the LED flash, and to the right is the speaker. Below is an embossed logo of the manufacturer's name.
Under the easily removable cover there is a capacious 2100 mAh battery, as well as slots for microSD and microSIM cards. The memory card is inserted without removing the battery, but the SIM will require it. In addition, we cannot explain the use of microSIM as anything other than a fashion trend. Yes, this format saves space, but only a little. And it’s just ridiculous when it is saved in such minute quantities in such a massive smartphone as the Galaxy S III.
Overall, from an ergonomic point of view, the Galaxy S III is very good. This generally applies to all devices with a large screen. However, it’s worth mentioning here that the Samsung flagship is perceived and used like a phone, which means you often have to pick it up with one hand. And this is where certain difficulties may arise. So it’s not always convenient to reach for one or another control element with your finger. “On the way” to the desired drawn button, you can easily click on something unnecessary, including the shutdown button. An attempt to answer a call while driving while driving perfectly confirmed this in practice.
Accessories for Samsung Galaxy S III
Usually, after a description of the design and controls, we have a small section about the configuration, if the device came to us with one. But this time we decided to move away from our format and talk a little about accessories for the Samsung Galaxy S III. This smartphone is sold in huge quantities, and therefore accessory manufacturers are already paying almost as much attention to it as the iPhone.
But first, a few words about the package. We didn't actually receive it, but we know that the phone comes in a small box that also contains a user manual, a USB cable, a charger and a good headset with a volume control on the wire.
The most important accessory for a phone is a case. In this case, both plastic covers for the back panel and clamshell cases are offered.
There are also leather cases with a strap and cases that snap on like a wallet. Their price varies on average from 450 to 1800 rubles.
A protective film with a thickness of only 0.2 mm costs around 600-650 rubles.
Samsung has also made a docking station specifically for the Galaxy S III, making it easier to charge and connect to a computer. However, a special device for wirelessly charging a smartphone would be much more useful. It will come out later and will require replacing the phone cover, but sounds good, right?
Taking into account the successful experience with the Galaxy Note for S III, the C Pen stylus is also being sold. In addition, there is an All Share Cast Dongle media hub that allows you to stream audio and video to any TV using the AllShare Cast feature introduced with the Galaxy S III.
You can see the full set of branded accessories in a special video made by Samsung:
Screen
The screen of Samsung devices is their strongest component. This is understandable - the South Korean company even makes displays for the iPhone, not to mention the leadership in the field of OLED screens. It is precisely the latter that is used in the Galaxy S III, and in particular Super AMOLED HD. We have already encountered something similar in the Galaxy Nexus, and the Galaxy Note with the Galaxy Tab 7.7 can offer a display with similar characteristics.
The resolution of the 4.8-inch screen of the new Samsung flagship is 1280x720 pixels. This is 306 ppi, which is slightly less than the notorious Retina, but the S III still has more space on the desktop. In general, it is very convenient to work with such a large display. It fits a lot of elements, and the smallest font can be read without zooming in, although you have to look really closely.
Now about the bad. Let's start with brightness. Remember, above we mentioned the faded backlight of the touch buttons, almost invisible in the sun? So the screen surprised us like this. In direct sunlight, he behaved extremely badly - the image became almost invisible. Moreover, the Galaxy S Plus with a Super AMOLED screen lying in the other hand did not have such problems - the picture was visible much better. So what's the deal? The first assumption about the low brightness of the display turned out to be correct. Judging by our measurements, it is only 167 cd/m2. Somehow it’s completely frivolous for such an expensive smartphone, and even from a market leader. It even showed twice the brightness - 332 cd/m2.
Of course, there are no problems with contrast. The brightness level of the black point turned out to be expected - 0 cd/m2. This is the main feature of OLED technology and it is fully implemented here. So the contrast level can be considered infinite.
Next came the color temperature measurement. Here we were also disappointed. In the first position, brightness 10%, the white color had a temperature of 6264 degrees Kelvin, which is just slightly below normal and can be considered an excellent result. But, consistently increasing the brightness, we got values in the range of 8200-8400K, which indicates a violation of the white balance towards blue. Although the graph is smooth and generally better than that of budget phones, it cannot be called acceptable. We are talking about a flagship with the most advanced display, and therefore it’s strange to see such “excesses”.
And the gamma curves remain. The resulting graph amazed us even more than the color temperature. The gamma curve of the Galaxy S III turned out to be much higher than the reference curve 2.2, which indicates that the image is overexposed across the entire tonal range. Apparently, due to this, visually greater brightness is achieved, and not at all due to the greater glow of the LEDs. As a result, in the dark the picture looks bright, rich and saturated, but in the sun everything becomes much worse. In truth, this is the worst graph we have ever seen.
Of course, all these shortcomings can be attributed to the test sample of the smartphone. It is possible that the retail version will be devoid of them at least partially. We even count on it.
And a little about the other characteristics of the screen. It recognizes up to 10 simultaneous touches, which is the norm for displays of this class. For protection, what has already become almost a standard is used. It is 20% thinner than the previous one and even stronger. By the way, it is “wrapped” in a very interesting way - slightly rounded at the edges, which looks unusual. But we don’t see any practical benefit in this. Samsung did not make the screen curved, like the Galaxy Nexus or.
Camera
Many new Galaxy S III owners praise its camera. In fact, the camera of the new flagship is not much different from that of the Galaxy S II. This is if we talk about the sensor, the resolution of which remains the same - 8 MP, as well as the quality of taking photographs.
Another thing is that the software part responsible for the camera has undergone certain changes. One of the most pleasant innovations is the startup speed of the camera interface. It starts up in a second or two. After this, focusing immediately begins on the central point, unlike the S II, which clearly had to be told where to focus.
The phone is equipped with an LED flash, which can fire automatically depending on the lighting, or be always on or off.
There are also more shooting modes. For example, the HDR mode, which is fashionable and relevant today, has appeared.
There are three standard modes for autofocus: autofocus, macro and face search.
An interesting feature in the settings is the possibility of continuous shooting, when up to 20 frames are taken in a row. And also the Best Shot function that appeared in the Galaxy S III, when 8 pictures are taken at once, and then you can choose the best one from them.
And now some example pictures.
As for shooting video, there are no more settings here than in the previous version of the smartphone.
The shooting resolution can be 1920x1080 pixels, and you can adjust the white balance.
Various effects are available: negative, black and white, sepia tones. You can adjust the exposure and set the shooting mode for an MMS message. An example of video shooting can be seen here:
The front camera has the same resolution – 2 MP.
But, in our subjective opinion, she has become somewhat better at shooting. Here are the photos she took:
Another change related to the front camera is the video resolution increased to 1280x720 pixels. We don’t know who might need such a high resolution for a front camera.
But in general, the video quality from the front camera is relatively good.
Specifications Samsung Galaxy S 3
The Samsung Galaxy S III cannot be called the most advanced smartphone on the market. Competitors presented their analogues even before its announcement. Its main competitor is the HTC One X. However, below we will provide a comparison table with the Galaxy S II, since it is with this that we will compare performance. In addition, it is interesting to see how flagships evolve.
There are plenty of differences between the flagships of this and last years. First of all, they lie in the processor. Samsung still uses its own SoC, but it’s more advanced. Exynos 4212 has four cores and runs at 1.4 GHz. The Galaxy S II has a lower CPU frequency and half as many cores. However, this is not a guarantee of a multiple speed increase, especially on smartphones - even desktop computers often make do with a dual-core processor.
Despite the noticeable upgrade of the processor in terms of the graphics chip, the Galaxy S III has not changed at all. The same Mali-400MP is used, which Samsung licenses from ARM. The newly unveiled may appear in the updated S III variant. But the fact remains that the new flagship is a good solution for games, but not the best. HTC One X with its Tegra 3 looks better in this regard.
The amount of RAM did not increase, which was also a bit of a disappointment. Rumors spoke of its growth to 2 GB. While we had the phone, we often saw that it used up to 700-800 MB of RAM - it’s difficult to call this a small value. Another gigabyte will really not be superfluous.
The amount of built-in flash memory has also been increased. The minimum remained the same - 16 GB, and the maximum increased to 64 GB. Also for the first time, support for microSDXC memory cards appeared, the capacity of which can reach 2 TB. However, Samsung is currently talking about compatibility only with 64 GB cards.
Communication interfaces have been updated, but not very significantly. This is how LTE support appeared, but only for certain markets. This will not be supplied to Russia yet. Yes, there is also an LTE version of the Galaxy S II, but it is very rare. Bluetooth has expectedly grown to version 4.0, which should theoretically save more energy.
NFC support is included in every Galaxy S III, although it was optional in the S II. This is required not only by support from Google, but also by the new S Beam function, which allows you to quickly exchange files between smartphones. It works via NFC and Wi-Fi Direct. Using the first, authorization occurs, and through the second interface, data is transferred. But for the function to work, you will need a smartphone with S Beam support.
Of particular note is the almost unchanged size of the device. It is just a centimeter taller and 4.5 mm wider compared to the Galaxy S II. The thickness increased by 0.1 mm. But the weight increased more - as much as 133 grams. However, this is compensated by a noticeably more capacious 2100 mAh battery.
Samsung Galaxy S III vs Samsung Galaxy S II - performance comparison
Note that the Galaxy S II was tested with Android 2.3 OS, and not with the new 4.0 firmware.
In the Smartbench 2011 test, the Galaxy S III has a clear advantage. It may not “tear” its predecessor, but it is clearly ahead of it in all respects.
The AnTuTu test showed an even more interesting result. In it, the new S III pulled out very far ahead. Definitely, this benchmark takes advantage of all the advantages provided by multi-core chips, and therefore the Exynos 4212 came out on top. But let's pay attention to the 2D and 3D Graphics tests - they show almost complete parity. This once again proves that the graphics core of the new Samsung flagship is not the fastest on the market and is not superior to last year’s flagship.
The raw Linpack CPU performance test shows some very impressive numbers. However, they are visible only under multi-threaded load. In single-threaded mode, the difference between smartphones is minimal. But when all the cores of the new Galaxy S III are working, it is simply out of reach - 2.5 times faster than the Galaxy S II.
In browser tests, there is also a huge advantage of the Galaxy S III over its predecessor. But here we’ll make a reservation that testing was carried out in standard browsers of the Android system, and in version 4.0 its speed was noticeably increased. So it is possible that we would have gotten better results with the new firmware for the S II.
We will not present the results of tests in 3D applications, since the new Samsung smartphone did not pass the electopia test common with the S II, and we did not run the other two on the previous generation device. But in general the FPS level for NeoCore was 59.9, and for Nenamark2 – 58.8. This is a lot, but not a record high.
And let’s compare it with, since when testing the Galaxy S II, this technique had not yet been developed.
As you can see, the new Galaxy S III provides autonomy at the level of the Galaxy Mini 2, our record holder. It’s worth mentioning right away that the Mini 2 is equipped with a noticeably smaller screen, a weaker processor, and a graphics core. In a word, worse in all respects. So the new Samsung flagship has truly outstanding autonomy for its performance, size and weight.
Software
Samsung Galaxy S III comes with Android 4.0 (4.0.4 in our case). This OS has already become the standard for modern mid- and high-range devices. At the same time, the new flagship is also equipped with the TouchWIZ shell, which is present on all Samsung devices. It is slightly different from the one that comes with Android 4.0 firmware for the Galaxy S II.
First of all, attention is drawn to the screensaver, made in the form of water - when touched by a finger, small waves scatter. You can immediately open one of the applications by pulling the corresponding icon: phone, Chat-On, browser and camera.
There are seven work tables. Same as before. But at the bottom there are five, not four, icons: phone, contacts, messages, internet and menu. In addition, you can now set the main desktop by placing a turquoise mark on it.
The Menu icon opens a list of installed applications. There are 20 of them on the screen, not 16 as before. It is possible that our Galaxy S III sample did not have the retail version of the firmware, and therefore a couple of applications in our screenshots may be missing.
All widgets are grouped on a separate tab. This feature came from Android 3.
Compared to Android 2.3 and the old TouchWIZ, the notification screen looks more advanced. Indicators of enabled modes and devices (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, etc.) now scroll horizontally. When you connect headphones, a list of applications that work with them is displayed.
The application for making calls has large buttons, which, without relief, are still not always convenient to press. The call log and contacts have not changed very significantly.
The same goes for messages. Their design has changed, and the Direct Call function has appeared. If, while typing a message, you suddenly want to call the subscriber, then just put the phone to your ear.
The on-screen keyboard has also been slightly updated. The 4.8-inch screen is a pleasure to work with, although there are too many buttons at the bottom. Getting into the gap can sometimes be extremely difficult.
The S Voice application (“Voice conversation” in Russian firmware) is presented as an analogue of Apple Siri. With its help, you can ask your smartphone questions and open other applications. An Internet connection is required to operate. Currently supported languages are English, German, Spanish, French, Italian and Korean. They promise to add Russian soon. We tried asking S Voice a couple of questions, but not all of them were recognized correctly. Perhaps it's the accent and pronunciation. But even if everything works correctly, we still classify S Voice, like Siri, as one of the means of entertainment.
The previous AllShare application was modernized and called AllShare Play. Now it allows you not only to play audio and video on various compatible devices via Wi-Fi, but also store data in the Sugar Sync cloud. After registration, 5 GB of space becomes available to the smartphone owner. At the same time, working with AllShare Play is not yet very convenient - the program does not behave very stable.
The universal messenger Chat-On has migrated to the Galaxy S III. Moreover, his company brought it to the screensaver. But we still don’t see much sense in it.
For communication, Google also offers its own client, Google Talk, as well as Google+.
The Dropbox client is also pre-installed out of the box. Moreover, the owner of a Galaxy S III can get 50 GB of disk space there. The program will immediately offer to synchronize pictures from the camera.
There are two email clients. Standard from Samsung.
And the standard one from Google.
The Flipboard app allows you to organize your news feeds. It is made very stylishly.
The radio and voice recorder have undergone almost no changes.
The Play Books app allows you to purchase and read books. This is precisely the essence of the recent rebranding of the Android Market - now it not only offers applications, but also books and films.
The system of “hubs” has also been preserved, through which you can purchase this or that content: music, games.
The Samsung Apps application store has not gone away either.
The note-taking app S Memo still allows you to leave notes in both text and handwritten graphics. Finger or branded stylus pen.
The calendar looks very nice. Viewing the year, month, week and day is clear and convenient. In addition, its settings are replete with preset accounts for various programs.
The application for watching YouTube videos is still convenient and standard.
The mapping service is provided by Google Maps. Its main advantage is provided by the diagonal of the screen - working with maps on such a display is a pleasure.
The video player plays almost any video out of the box. Moreover, it allows you to do this in a window floating on top of all applications. Associations with the desktop immediately arise.
