Screen resolution of Samsung Galaxy s 3. Characteristics of the Samsung I9300 phone: comparison with competitors and reviews. Top advantages of Samsung i9300 Galaxy S III
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:
Information about the make, model, and alternative names of the specific device, if available.
Design
Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Materials used, colors offered, certificates.
| Width Width information - refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 70.6 mm (millimeters) 7.06 cm (centimeters) 0.23 ft (feet) 2.78 in (inches) |
| Height Height information - refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 136.6 mm (millimeters) 13.66 cm (centimeters) 0.45 ft (feet) 5.38 in (inches) |
| Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units of measurement. | 8.6 mm (millimeters) 0.86 cm (centimeters) 0.03 ft (feet) 0.34 in (inches) |
| Weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement. | 133 g (grams) 0.29 lbs 4.69 oz (ounces) |
| Volume The approximate volume of the device, calculated based on the dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. | 82.94 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 5.04 in³ (cubic inches) |
| Colors Information about the colors in which this device is offered for sale. | White Blue Brown Red Black Grey |
| Materials for making the case Materials used to make the device body. | Plastic |
SIM card
The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.
Mobile networks
A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.
Mobile communication technologies and data transfer speeds
Communication between devices on mobile networks is carried out using technologies that provide different data transfer rates.
Operating system
An operating system is a system software that manages and coordinates the operation of hardware components in a device.
SoC (System on Chip)
A system on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device on one chip.
| SoC (System on Chip) A system on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components, such as a processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation. | Samsung Exynos 4 Quad 4412 |
| Technological process Information about the technological process by which the chip is manufactured. Nanometers measure half the distance between elements in the processor. | 32 nm (nanometers) |
| Processor (CPU) The primary function of a mobile device's processor (CPU) is to interpret and execute instructions contained in software applications. | ARM Cortex-A9 |
| Processor size The size (in bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of the registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have higher performance compared to 32-bit processors, which in turn are more powerful than 16-bit processors. | 32 bit |
| Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands with which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute. | ARMv7 |
| Level 1 cache (L1) Cache memory is used by the processor to reduce access time to more frequently used data and instructions. L1 (level 1) cache is small in size and works much faster than both system memory and other cache levels. If the processor does not find the requested data in L1, it continues to look for it in the L2 cache. On some processors, this search is performed simultaneously in L1 and L2. | 32 kB + 32 kB (kilobytes) |
| Level 2 cache (L2) L2 (level 2) cache is slower than L1 cache, but in return it has a higher capacity, allowing it to cache more data. It, like L1, is much faster than system memory (RAM). If the processor does not find the requested data in L2, it continues to look for it in the L3 cache (if available) or in RAM memory. | 1024 kB (kilobytes) 1 MB (megabytes) |
| Number of processor cores The processor core executes software instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing multiple instructions to be executed in parallel. | 4 |
| CPU clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). | 1400 MHz (megahertz) |
| Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) The Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphics applications. In mobile devices, it is most often used by games, consumer interfaces, video applications, etc. | ARM Mali-400 MP4 |
| Number of GPU cores Like a CPU, a GPU is made up of several working parts called cores. They handle graphics calculations for various applications. | 4 |
| GPU clock speed Running speed is the clock speed of the GPU, measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). | 440 MHz (megahertz) |
| Amount of random access memory (RAM) Random access memory (RAM) is used by the operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost after the device is turned off or restarted. | 1 GB (gigabytes) |
| Type of random access memory (RAM) Information about the type of random access memory (RAM) used by the device. | LPDDR2 |
| Number of RAM channels Information about the number of RAM channels that are integrated into the SoC. More channels mean higher data rates. | Dual channel |
| RAM frequency The frequency of RAM determines its operating speed, more specifically, the speed of reading/writing data. | 400 MHz (megahertz) |
Built-in memory
Each mobile device has built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed capacity.
Memory cards
Memory cards are used in mobile devices to increase the storage capacity for storing data.
Screen
The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.
| Type/technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the quality of the information image directly depends. | Super AMOLED |
| Diagonal For mobile devices, screen size is expressed by the length of its diagonal, measured in inches. | 4.8 in (inches) 121.92 mm (millimeters) 12.19 cm (centimeters) |
| Width Approximate screen width | 2.35 in (inches) 59.77 mm (millimeters) 5.98 cm (centimeters) |
| Height Approximate screen height | 4.18 in (inches) 106.26 mm (millimeters) 10.63 cm (centimeters) |
| Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side | 1.778:1 16:9 |
| Permission Screen resolution shows the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. Higher resolution means clearer image detail. | 720 x 1280 pixels |
| Pixel Density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be displayed on the screen with clearer detail. | 306 ppi (pixels per inch) 120ppcm (pixels per centimeter) |
| Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for color components in one pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors that the screen can display. | 24 bit 16777216 flowers |
| Screen area Approximate percentage of screen area occupied by the screen on the front of the device. | 66.07% (percent) |
| Other characteristics Information about other screen features and characteristics. | Capacitive Multi-touch Scratch resistance |
| Corning Gorilla Glass 2 |
Sensors
Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that a mobile device can recognize.
Rear camera
The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on its back panel and may be combined with one or more secondary cameras.
| Sensor type Information about the camera sensor type. Some of the most widely used types of sensors in mobile device cameras are CMOS, BSI, ISOCELL, etc. | CMOS BSI (backside illumination) |
| Sensor size Information about the dimensions of the photosensor used in the device. Typically, cameras with larger sensors and lower pixel densities offer higher image quality despite the lower resolution. | 4.6 x 3.45 mm (millimeters) 0.23 in (inches) |
| Pixel size Pixels are usually measured in microns. Larger pixels are able to capture more light and therefore provide better low-light photography and wider dynamic range than smaller pixels. On the other hand, smaller pixels allow for higher resolution while maintaining the same sensor size. | 1.409 µm (micrometers) 0.001409 mm (millimeters) |
| Crop factor The crop factor is the ratio between the dimensions of the full-frame sensor (36 x 24 mm, equivalent to a frame of standard 35 mm film) and the dimensions of the device's photosensor. The indicated number represents the ratio of the diagonals of the full-frame sensor (43.3 mm) and the photosensor of a particular device. | 7.52 |
| Svetlosila F-stop (also known as aperture, aperture, or f-number) is a measure of the size of a lens's aperture, which determines the amount of light entering the sensor. The lower the f-number, the larger the aperture and the more light reaches the sensor. Typically the f-number is specified to correspond to the maximum possible aperture of the aperture. | f/2.6 |
| Flash type The rear (rear) cameras of mobile devices mainly use LED flashes. They can be configured with one, two or more light sources and vary in shape. | LED |
| Image Resolution One of the main characteristics of cameras is resolution. It represents the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in an image. For convenience, smartphone manufacturers often list resolution in megapixels, indicating the approximate number of pixels in millions. | 3264 x 2448 pixels 7.99 MP (megapixels) |
| Video resolution Information about the maximum video resolution that the camera can record. | 1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels) |
| Video recording speed (frame rate) Information about the maximum recording speed (frames per second, fps) supported by the camera at maximum resolution. Some of the most basic video recording speeds are 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, 60 fps. | 30fps (frames per second) |
| Characteristics Information about additional software and hardware features of the rear (rear) camera. | Autofocus Continuous shooting Digital zoom Geographical tags Panoramic photography HDR shooting Touch Focus Face recognition White Balance Adjustment ISO Setting Exposure compensation Self-timer Scene Selection Mode |
Front-camera
Smartphones have one or more front cameras of various designs - a pop-up camera, a rotating camera, a cutout or hole in the display, an under-display camera.
Audio
Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.
Radio
The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.
Location determination
Information about the navigation and location technologies supported by your device.
WiFi
Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for transmitting data over close distances between various devices.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between various devices of different types over short distances.
| Version There are several versions of Bluetooth, with each subsequent one improving communication speed, coverage, and making devices easier to discover and connect. Information about the Bluetooth version of the device. | 4.0 |
| Characteristics Bluetooth uses different profiles and protocols that provide faster data transfer, energy savings, improved device discovery, etc. Some of these profiles and protocols that the device supports are shown here. | A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) AVCTP (Audio/Video Control Transport Protocol) AVDTP (Audio/Video Distribution Transport Protocol) AVRCP (Audio/Visual Remote Control Profile) BNEP (Bluetooth Network Encapsulation Protocol) DIP (Device ID Profile) EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) GAVDP (Generic Audio/Video Distribution Profile) GAP (Generic Access Profile) HFP (Hands-Free Profile) HID (Human Interface Profile) HSP (Headset Profile) MAP (Message Access Profile) OPP (Object Push Profile) PAN (Personal Area Networking Profile) PBAP/PAB (Phone Book Access Profile) SPP (Serial Port Protocol) SDP (Service Discovery Protocol) |
USB
USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to exchange data.
HDMI
HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is a digital audio/video interface that replaces older analog audio/video standards.
Headphone jack
This is an audio connector, also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.
Connecting devices
Information about other important connection technologies supported by your device.
Browser
A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.
| Browser Information about some of the main characteristics and standards supported by the device's browser. | HTML HTML5 Flash |
Audio file formats/codecs
Mobile devices support different audio file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital audio data.
Video file formats/codecs
Mobile devices support different video file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital video data.
Battery
Mobile device batteries differ from each other in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge necessary for their functioning.
| Capacity A battery's capacity indicates the maximum charge it can hold, measured in milliamp-hours. | 2100 mAh (milliamp-hours) |
| Type The type of battery is determined by its structure and, more precisely, the chemicals used. There are different types of batteries, with lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries being the most commonly used batteries in mobile devices. | Li-Ion (Lithium-ion) |
| 2G talk time 2G talk time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged during a continuous conversation on a 2G network. | 18 h (hours) 1080 min (minutes) 0.8 days |
| 2G latency 2G standby time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 2G network. | 330 h (hours) 19800 min (minutes) 13.8 days |
| 3G talk time 3G talk time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged during a continuous conversation on a 3G network. | 14 h (hours) 840 min (minutes) 0.6 days |
| 3G latency 3G standby time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 3G network. | 330 h (hours) 19800 min (minutes) 13.8 days |
| Characteristics Information about some additional characteristics of the device's battery. | Wireless charger Removable |
| Wireless charging - optional |
Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)
The SAR level refers to the amount of electromagnetic radiation absorbed by the human body while using a mobile device.
| Head SAR level (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device close to the ear in a conversation position. In Europe, the maximum permissible SAR value for mobile devices is limited to 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by CENELEC in accordance with IEC standards, subject to the guidelines of ICNIRP 1998. | 0.342 W/kg (Watt per kilogram) |
| Body SAR level (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation to which the human body is exposed when holding a mobile device at hip level. The maximum permissible SAR value for mobile devices in Europe is 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by the CENELEC Committee in compliance with the ICNIRP 1998 guidelines and IEC standards. | 0.547 W/kg (Watt per kilogram) |
| Head SAR level (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device near the ear. The maximum value used in the USA is 1.6 W/kg per 1 gram of human tissue. Mobile devices in the US are regulated by the CTIA, and the FCC conducts tests and sets their SAR values. | 0.628 W/kg (Watt per kilogram) |
| Body SAR level (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation to which the human body is exposed when holding a mobile device at hip level. The highest permissible SAR value in the USA is 1.6 W/kg per 1 gram of human tissue. This value is set by the FCC, and the CTIA monitors mobile devices' compliance with this standard. | 1.584 W/kg (Watt per kilogram) |
The history of the product line called “Galaxy”, which belongs to the South Korean manufacturer “Samsung”, is very interesting. In fact, we can say that this line was built on models that were developed and produced successfully, and implemented quickly and competently, with maximum efficiency, gaining popularity and increasing the company's sales. The line also includes the subject of our today's review - the Samsung I9300.
general characteristics
As mentioned earlier, the corresponding product range of the South Korean manufacturer is a sequence built on the principle of improving each subsequent model compared to the previous one. A very interesting fact associated with the first flagship of the line. Of course, its release into the mobile technology market was a very important step for the company. We explain why: the first device set the minimum performance bar. It was impossible to go below it next time, which set a trend that was quite definite in direction, which consisted precisely in raising this bar.
If we imagine that the moment of release was something like a turning point or a very important battle, then the competitors of the South Korean manufacturer simply lost the battle miserably. Again, we’ll explain why, so that everything falls into place: the debut flagship, compared to similar devices from competing manufacturers, had the same (and in some cases lower) cost, but, of course, better hardware, as a result - better performance, and also with a more original and attractive design.
If you carefully analyze the relevant data, you will notice that it is not even the “Samsung Galaxy S 3 i9300” that is popular, but the “first design” of the model range. So much time has passed, and the phone’s rating has hardly dropped. In general, we note that this device appeared on the smartphone market back in 2010, in June. But the device is still relevant today, and the South Korean manufacturer seems to be counting on maximum profit from its sales.
Probably the reason lies in the fact that the model perfectly demonstrates its commitment to the price-quality ratio. The South Korean company, by the way, uses this principle as a basic one. Which is noticeable. But the main thing is that the company’s products (specifically the mobile plan in this situation) have one important property. It lies in the fact that devices have a life cycle of two years or more. Well, of course, you shouldn’t throw your phone everywhere, throw it at walls, walk on it with your feet, and so on. However, if treated with care, the device will last a very long time. In this regard, only devices from Apple can compete with the company’s brainchild, which includes the Samsung C 3 I9300.
Positioning
On the mobile device market, the Samsung Galaxy I9300 phone is declared as a logical continuation of the first and second devices of the corresponding product line. And of course, it is sold along with them. In this regard, absolutely no changes are visible. It is understood that the flagship will be purchased by users who focus on functionality. There is also a focus on those who love the latest smartphone market products. This is the second time that fans of the South Korean manufacturer’s proprietary technologies have been mentioned. Well, “bronze” is awarded to people who want the device to work not just without failures, but for several years. “Samsung I9300”, a photo of which you can find in this article, is just such, along with this, demonstrating adherence to the “price-quality” ratio as the basic principle of creation.
Problems
But if a year before the release of the model everything was still clear, the situation within the line was optimal, but now everything has changed somewhat. Yes, a new flagship has been released - C3. But the release of such a model in the product range justified internal competition. The opponent of the subject of our review today is the Galaxy Note. He dominates his opponent due to the larger screen diagonal. Another important difference is the ability to use special devices for drawing on the screen or entering text. We are, of course, talking about the pen. In general, the model automatically becomes more attractive because it has a different positioning, a different level, and a completely different price. How did the South Korean developer try to solve this problem? Quite simply: the device was stopped updating to the new version of the operating system. And it’s time for us to move from positioning to analyzing technical issues.
“Samsung I9300”. Characteristics. Connection
What can you say about the characteristics of the model? The Samsung I9300 phone supports GSM cellular networks. Access to the international network can be achieved through several technologies. The best option is to use EDGE and 3G standards. However, technologies such as GPRS and WAP are also supported. The standards have long been outdated, going out of fashion along with push-button telephones, but right?
The software and hardware make it possible to use the smartphone as a modem if you have a SIM card. Thus, the owner of the device can create an access point, as they say, distribute Wi-Fi to other similar devices. To exchange data wirelessly with mobile devices, a Bluetooth module version 4.0 is provided. The signal quality is good, there should be no problems with it. The same can be said about Wi-Fi. It operates in the b, g and n bands. The signal reception quality does not suffer. By the way, the cellular network also does not disappear, which cannot but be considered an advantage of the phone.
For business people, as well as for those who simply use e-mail to exchange messages, there is a built-in E-mail client. It is possible to synchronize your smartphone with a personal computer or laptop using the MicroUSB standard port.
Display
The screen diagonal is 4.8 inches. The matrix is made using Super AMOLED technology. Screen resolution - 1280 by 720 pixels. This means that the picture is displayed on the display in so-called HD quality. Color rendition is normal - up to 16 million colors are transmitted. The display is touch-sensitive, capacitive type. As expected (tradition of touch screens), there is support for the Multi-Touch function, which allows you to process several touches simultaneously.
Cameras
This phone model has two cameras. The main one produces images of good quality. Well, this is understandable - its resolution is about eight megapixels. The function of automatic focusing on the subject is supported. To the side of the main camera there is an LED flash that allows you to take pictures in low light. Video on it is shot in a resolution of 3248 by 2448 pixels, which is not bad at all. The front camera will be worse: its resolution is only 2 megapixels (or, to be more precise, 1.9).
Hardware filling
The phone is powered by an Exynos 4412 Quad processor. This is the South Korean manufacturer's own development. From the name of the chipset it is clear that the processor has four cores. Their maximum clock frequency is 1400 megahertz. This is enough to launch and use games that fall into the category of “above average” demands. Yes, of course, rare freezes and freezes are also possible, but only from time to time, at certain moments when the chipset is loaded, as they say, headlong. The video chip is Mali 400 MP.
Memory
The user is allocated 16 gigabytes for data storage. However, let's not forget that part of it is crushed by the operating system and software. It is possible to expand the volume by using a MicroSD card. The device supports a maximum of 64 gigabytes. Moreover, the amount of RAM is 1 GB. Not much, but not little either. Not golden, but still in the middle.
Multimedia indicators
From this category I would like to note the presence of a TV output. Otherwise, everything is standard: a player for playing audio files, as well as video clips and films. There is also FM radio. To use it, you will need to connect a wired stereo headset to your phone. For this purpose, the device has a 3.5 mm standard socket. Among the software based on this criterion, you can also select a voice recorder. The recording quality is good.
OS
The operating system of the Android family is installed on board the subject of our today's review. Its version is 4.0.
Navigation and SIM
GPS technology is provided to use satellite maps. There is no GLONASS. The smartphone only has space for one SIM card, so you will need to decide on the choice of operator. Before installation, it will have to be processed according to the MicroSIM standard.
The well-known company Samsung has long since launched its new development around the world, which became the third in the Galaxy S line. This stylish, attractive gadget instantly filled the world market with its capabilities. It's no secret that mobile phones today can be said to be one of the important elements of the life of modern society. It is hardly possible to imagine a person who does not have his own mobile phone. However, if a Samsung Galaxy S3 falls into the hands of a user, it is unlikely that it will be so easy to part with it.
Why this particular model, you ask. It's no secret that Samsung has been fighting for dominance in the advanced technology market for many years. It seems to me that the proof of this is their new devices, which every day are increasingly beginning to penetrate the gadget market, where their developments take pride of place.
We should not forget that the top companies of modern society fight among themselves every day, some borrow the ideas of others, while others simply copy. However, some manage to combine all the indicators into one single one and get an almost perfect device, but we all know that the race for technology does not allow new products to last long on the sales market, because after the release of one device, literally following it to conquer open spaces, a new miracle creation is released from the “hangar”, and therefore it turns out that companies are simply forced to fight with each other.
It should be noted that the Samsung Galaxy S3 became something similar, which still managed to reach the very top, where respect and popularity awaited it. The gadget has received under its control all new technologies and capabilities that only make work easier for a person: powerful, convenient, stylish. We dedicated this review to him - after all, the new product from Samsung was among those who were most expected - this is the third model in the Galaxy S family. We can talk a lot about it, but let's move on to the device itself and study its capabilities and technical characteristics in more detail .
Samsung's flagship – Galaxy S3
Actually, let's start from the very beginning. The developers were not even too lazy to pack their miracle in a rather attractive box that does not take up much space.We open it and here it is - a device that can charm many. Let's open it, and there: a communicator, a battery, a Micro-USB-USB cord, a wall charger with a USB-compatible connector, a wired stereo headset with a set of spare tips, documentation. There is one more highlight - if you turn the box over, you can see all the necessary information about the Galaxy S3. In other words, the developers did everything to ensure that the user received everything necessary for work.
Let's move on to the characteristics of the device:
- Samsung Exynos 4412 processor (quad-core ARM Cortex A9, 1.4 GHz) with ARM Mali-400 MP4 video core
- Operating system Android 4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
- SuperAMOLED HD display, 4.8″ diagonal, 720×1280 pixels, PenTile, capacitive, with multitouch
- 1 GB RAM, 2 GB main flash memory (512 MB available), 16 GB additional flash memory (11.3 GB available)
- Communication GSM EDGE/GPRS (850/900/1800/1900 MHz)
- Communication 3G HSDPA (850/900/1900/2100 MHz)
- HSDPA 21 Mbps, HSUPA 5.76 Mbps
- Bluetooth v4.0 + EDR
- Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n
- NFC, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA
- FM radio with RDS
- Glonass, GPS + A-GPS
- Position sensor, accelerometer, magnetometer, barometer, RGB sensor
- MHL 1.0, USB Host
- 8 megapixel CMOS camera, autofocus, LED flash, 1.9 megapixel secondary camera
- Lithium polymer battery, capacity 2100 mAh
- Dimensions 137×71×8.6 mm
- Weight 133 g.
Elegant and individual Samsung Galaxy S3
Samsung's new flagship has become something new when compared with its peers. If the previous versions, one might say, took on the features of the well-known iPhone, then the third generation in the Galaxy S line has become a kind of individual personality, which hardly anyone can find fault with, it has become itself.
The appearance is very attractive, once you pick up the device you forget about all the problems, you just want to turn it on. The slightly curved body only adds to its external beauty, but let's not dwell on the appearance of the device. Of course, this is a rather important factor for some users and the convenience of using the gadget depends on it, but it is unlikely that Samsung has placed any strong emphasis on this; everything important is stored inside and not outside.
The device screen occupies almost the entire front part of the device, where you can find only three buttons: to the left of the central key there is a button to call up the program menu, to the right - to return to the previous screen. I found it very convenient to work with one hand. But it is worth noting that people with short fingers are unlikely to be able to freely press their thumb across the entire screen area, but I do not think that this will be such a big problem for users. It should be noted that the third generation in the Galaxy S line has most likely become a full-fledged communicator, which should be operated not with one, but with two hands, which makes working with the device much easier.
There is also no unnecessary stuff on the sides: an on/off button and a volume control.
At the top of the Samsung Galaxy S 3 there is a headphone jack and an additional microphone. The main microphone and Micro-USB-compatible connector are located at the bottom end of the case.
The device is also equipped with two cameras. Sensors are located next to the additional camera. To the left of it there is now an information LED, which can be noted as a huge step forward by the company in terms of ergonomics.
Our gadget has a very attractive color - blue metallic, but there is one small drawback: the communicator should buy a case, because the back panel of the device quickly receives scratches that are invisible at first glance. But you shouldn’t miss one point: the assembly of the device is very professional, there are no protruding or loose parts, the assembly was taken very seriously.
We open the back cover of the device and see a very interesting picture, the battery is located there, but the place for the microSIM card and memory cards are no longer located under it, which greatly simplifies their replacement, now you do not need to remove the battery.
Once you gain access to the battery compartment, it becomes possible to replace the memory card without disconnecting the battery. By the way, if you look at the location of the battery and microSIM card, the question arises: what actually caused the need to use a SIM card slot of this particular format? There is so much space that a regular-sized SIM card could easily fit. However, as I think, microSIM is quite inconvenient, it is not clear why the developers came to such a decision to install it in their device, because there is enough space. What’s most interesting is that it’s not so easy to get the SIM out; it feels like once you put it in, it’s simply impossible to get it out again.
If we sum up the appearance of the Galaxy S 3, we can say that the new product has become quite convenient and has received new forms that should be of interest to many users. Of course, there are disadvantages, but you shouldn’t focus your attention on these little things. Overall everything is great.
Samsung Galaxy S3 software
So, let's move on to the main question - what is hidden in the new flagship phone Samsung Galaxy S3? The device received the latest version of the Android OS, version 4.0.4. Also, you should not miss another important fact: the company has installed the TouchWiz shell on its offspring.The screen is unlocked by moving your finger. We immediately have access to: ChatON, Camera, Samsung Apps, Play Store, phone, contacts, messages, browser. Also, do not forget that the developers have added quite interesting “goodies” to the screen lock security methods - a face and a voice.
As for the shell of the main screen itself, there have been no special changes, so you don’t have to dwell on this point and not go into details (the weather widget has been combined with a clock, a denser placement of icons has made it possible to place another icon in the list of main applications). Also notable are the applications that received the S prefix: S Memo, S Planner, S Suggest, S Voice. As for the latter, you should not lose sight of it. We all know the famous electronic assistant Siri, which has become a kind of basis for building a new type of user interaction with a computer, and so, Samsung, in response to this application, released its own - S Voice. A very convenient function for a communicator, voice recognition is very good, but do not forget that it is especially convenient for people who know English. It should also be noted that with the help of this program you can perform literally any action and your actions are not limited to just calling a subscriber or, for example, typing a message.
Note that S Voice strives to be user-friendly and replicates much of Siri's functionality. It wouldn't be surprising if both applications use the same knowledge bases. However, both systems still need to be improved. Today, in my opinion, they are not ideal.
However, you shouldn’t stop at just one program, because Samsung developers have invested enormous efforts in creating such a flagship model and managed to stuff the device with a huge number of different applications. Some are responsible for messaging (Chat ON), others allow you to remotely connect to the content of media servers via an Internet connection (various games, books, music, programs and much more).
All applications work quite quickly, you even have the opportunity to use your imagination and customize the phone to suit your personal character, you can even install an application with which you can take measurements of rooms and take notes there, install a flashlight and much more. In a word, the developers have given enormous opportunities to their users; all that remains is to learn how to use it wisely.
Don't miss another point - the device has received another interesting application - Dropbox - a cloud storage and file synchronization service. Users of the third generation Galaxy S can use up to 50 GB of virtual disk space, and this is already quite serious.
If we draw a small conclusion, we can say that Samsung is not looking for easy ways and offers its users more and more advanced technologies. Everyone can make a choice about how and what they will use; all that remains is to wait and think - which of the proposed ones will be of more interest to modern society, and which will not receive special attention, after which you can create something new.
Display capabilities and sound
DisplayIf we compare the device’s display with other devices, we can say that it is somewhat reminiscent of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus screen:
- Matrix sizes 4.65 and 4.8 inches
- Matrix type - HD SuperAMOLED
- Resolution 720 by 1280 pixels
The built-in video player works quite nicely and can even play Full HD. Of course, you can install third-party players that will work better, but I didn’t really need it. The factory video player is capable of minimizing into a window that hangs on top of other programs and continuing playback while the user goes about his business. There is also an opinion that standard video and audio players now have the ability to stream to any DLNA device on the network (connect to a Samsung Smart TV, etc.), but I did not have this option.
Sound
As for the sound, almost everything is decent and there is enough of it. However, I wasn’t particularly pleased with the headset that came with the device; at maximum volume it starts to “hurt” my ears, but this moment only happens when you turn on the radio, which is a very interesting fact, but when playing tunes from the player everything is fine decently. You can listen to calm music with great pleasure, but the bass, in my personal opinion, is not enough. As for the radio receiver itself, it has the ability to support RDS and can record a signal in the form of 3GA files (very convenient, you can record your favorite music, an interview or a radio program into the device). Quite convenient to use and does not cause much trouble.
Connection
Samsung's flagship communicator has received under its control everything that was possible, a full set of wireless communication modules, the only thing missing is 4G support. I didn’t find any particular problems with cellular communications; surfing the Internet is a pleasure, especially if you connect to a high-speed connection via Wi-Fi.Bluetooth and Wi-Fi module versions:
- Bluetooth 4.0
- Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n (Support: Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot, DLNA, Kies Air).
Camera
Galaxy S3 received the same camera as its predecessor - 8 Megapixels. You can record video at Fukk HD 1080p resolution at 30 frames per second. (MP4 (H.264, AAC)). The camera also received an autofocus system and an LED flash, which can be used as a flashlight using the application. In a second you can take several photos at once that are of good quality.You should not lose sight of the fact that the camera has the ability to recognize faces when shooting, plus all this - taking pictures directly during video recording and an image stabilization system. The quality of photos and videos is very decent, here are a few options:
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
Speed and performance
Samsung's flagship Galaxy S3 is powered by a chip developed by the company itself - Exynos 4412, which includes four ARM Cortex-A9 computing cores operating at 1.4 GHz and an ARM Mali-400 MP4 video processor. The amount of DDR2 RAM is 1 GB.
Performance tests:
Softweg Benchmark 1.03
Quadrant Standard Test
Test in AnTuTu Benchmark 2.8
Calculating pi in Super Pi:
From the tests conducted above, we can safely say that the Samsung Galaxy S3 is undoubtedly at the very top.
Conclusion
If you look at the overall current situation, we can safely say that the Samsung Galaxy S3 managed to get its gold and rise to the very top of fame. This is a powerful communicator that few will be able to compete with in 2012. Its main rival will most likely remain the iPhone 5, which has also exploded into the sales market. Of course, after some time something new and more modern will be released, but today this Samsung flagship has still managed to conquer a huge number of users. Perhaps many will say that the price for it is greatly inflated; one can hardly disagree with this. However, this is better than the numerous clones that have been roaming around the world for many years; the price and quality speak volumes.
Every year, Samsung traditionally holds one or more events called Samsung Unpacked, at which key new products in the mobile phone segment are announced for the company. Usually, for a couple of months before these events, the public is systematically warmed up with “random” leaks and non-random teasers. However, this year, before the presentation of the Galaxy S III, the Koreans managed to create a real stir for the first time: for almost six months the Internet was filled with the most incredible rumors about the new device, and the pique vests of the gadget world discussed the yet unannounced new product with such enthusiasm, as if Samsung were going to introduce a new iPhone. A significant role in this was played by the fact that last year's flagship - Galaxy S II - was so good that everyone wanted to look at its successor.
However, the more long-awaited the device, the greater the disappointment after its announcement. Like the iPhone 4S, the Galaxy S III was immediately dubbed a “disappointment”: they say, its design is not the same, the body materials are not the same, and the camera is not the same... Let's together try to separate the wheat from the chaff and objectively understand the advantages and disadvantages of the new flagship of Samsung's line of Android smartphones.
- Samsung Galaxy SIII in person: Galaxy Nexus on marketing steroids
- New benchmark: comparison of cameras in Apple iPhone 4S, HTC One X and Samsung Galaxy S III smartphones
Specifications Samsung Galaxy S III
- Ranges: GPRS/GSM/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900, UMTS/HSPA 850/900/1900/2100.
- Form factor: keyboardless monoblock.
- Operating system: Google Android 4.0.4 with TouchWiz UX interface.
- Display: 4.8 inches, Super AMOLED HD, 1280x720 pixels (pixel density 306 ppi), 16 million colors, touchscreen (capacitive matrix).
- Camera: 8 MP, autofocus, geotagging, video recording (1920x1080/30p), LED backlight.
- CPU: Samsung Exynos 4212, four ARM Cortex A9 cores, clock frequency 1.4 GHz; integrated Mali 400MP video accelerator.
- RAM: 1 GB.
- Flash memory: 16, 32 or 64 GB + microSDHC cards.
- Multimedia capabilities: MP3 player, FM receiver, video player (supports MPEG-4, Divx, Xvid, H.264), video editor, integration with YouTube, Find Music service (analogous to Track ID in Sony Ericsson phones).
- Wireless technologies: Wi-Fi a/b/g/n with support for Wi-Fi Direct and mobile hotspot, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC.
- Specific absorption rate of electromagnetic energy (SAR): 0.21 W/kg.
- Battery: lithium-ion, replaceable, capacity 2100 mAh (7.8 Wh).
- Interface connector: microUSB, 3.5 mm headphone output.
- GPS: yes, A-GPS support, Google Maps support.
- Dimensions and weight: 137x71x9 mm, 133 grams.
Video review of Samsung Galaxy S III
Appearance and design features
I'll be honest: I didn't really like the appearance of the Galaxy S III in the promotional photos. Some vague rounded shapes, glossy plastic... in general, three times ugh. However, in real life the phone looks much better than in photographs and renders: its shape almost completely replicates the Galaxy Nexus (including the slight bend of the protective glass on the front panel), and the plastic is of very good quality. In the gray-blue version of the device, under the top transparent layer there is a “striped” texture that imitates scratched metal. The white phone is made of the most ordinary white plastic without any visual effects. In general, I understand the desire of a certain part of buyers to have an “iron phone,” but given the rather large size of the Galaxy S III, we can confidently say that the use of metal would significantly increase the weight of the device. By the way, about the sizes. If the Galaxy S III had been introduced a couple of years ago, it would have been considered obscenely large. However, the average smartphone screen size is growing every year, so today a 4.8-inch display seems completely normal and less objectionable than a 3.5-inch one. Thanks to the minimal thickness of the frame around the screen, the dimensions of the smartphone can be called “reasonable” - unlike the Galaxy Note, the SGS III easily fits into a jeans pocket.
The controls on the Galaxy S III are exactly the same as those on the Galaxy S II. Below the screen there is a mechanical Home key, as well as touch-sensitive “Menu” and “Back” buttons (their disadvantages include a very dim backlight). The volume rocker is located on the left side, and the lock button on the right.
There are no surprises under the hood: a battery with a pleasant capacity of 2100 mAh, a slot for a SIM card and a slot for a memory card. It is worth noting that if in SGS II hot-swapping memory cards was impossible, then in SGS III this drawback was eliminated.
Screen
The screen in the Galaxy S III is made using Super AMOLED technology and has a diagonal of 4.8 inches with a resolution of 1280x720 pixels. Subpixels are arranged according to the PenTile scheme, but with such a pixel density (306 ppi), the main drawback of such screens - poor rendering of small fonts - is invisible. Unfortunately, all other disadvantages of SAMOLED screens exist. I will list them briefly:
- increased minimum brightness;
- high contrast and “screaming”, too saturated colors;
- dependence of color rendering on screen brightness and white balance;
- thin parallel lines and dark spots visible on light gray and dark gray backgrounds;
- relatively coarse gradients.
None of these flaws are critical, since they are only visible if you look closely. However, I should note that the Galaxy S III's main competitor, the HTC One X, has a higher quality screen. If you're interested in learning more about the features of AMOLED screens, I recommend reading my Galaxy S II review.
Sound
I hasten to report that the quality of the headphone output of the Galaxy S III has surpassed its predecessor. If you use high-quality headphones (preferably reinforced ones), you can and should enjoy listening to music on this device, although it still does not live up to the iPhone 4S. As for the call speaker, in my opinion, nothing has changed: it is still not too loud and is still very easily muffled by the fabric when the phone is in a jeans pocket. Use a vibration alert, it helps not to miss calls.
Software and interface
Samsung Galaxy S III runs on the Android 4.0.4 operating system, on top of which the proprietary TouchWiz UX shell is installed. Unlike TouchWiz 4, used in SGS II and SGN, the interface here is closer to the “native” Android 4 shell. There is no permanent dock with icons for the most frequently used applications in SGS III, which, in my opinion, is a minus. But the preservation of many of the “tricks” of ICS (in particular, the interface for switching between applications and dividing the main menu into applications and widgets) can be called a plus. At the same time, Samsung has added a lot of its own useful widgets and additions to the phone, for example, all sorts of buttons and switches in the drop-down status panel in TouchWiz UX are much more convenient than in bare ICS. The SGS III's music player and FM receiver with broadcast recording capabilities continue to be one of the most convenient on the market. The built-in browser deserves a separate discussion. According to the old, but not at all good “Samsung” tradition, it is equipped with its own screen brightness adjustment, which is also hidden in the second-level menu (!). Calling such a solution ergonomic simply boggles the mind. As a result, during testing I installed Dolphin on my smartphone and used it only.
Many applications that debuted on the Galaxy Note migrated to SGS III, in particular, S Planner And S Memo. The phone also has its own analogue of Siri from iOS 5: in the English interface it is called S Voice, in Russian - “Voice conversation” (obviously to distinguish it from conversations using sign language). But if Siri understands my “mixture of English with Nizhny Novgorod” without any problems, then S Voice has a problem with this, so our conversations were most reminiscent of a conversation between a mute and a deaf person. Perhaps if Samsung still gave preference to sign language, it would have turned out better.
The phone has an interesting feature called Pop Up Play. It allows you to play a video file in a separate small window and place it anywhere on the screen. It looks great and causes admiration at first, but in practice, again, it is not entirely clear in what situations this feature can be really useful.
Pay attention to the Pop Up Play widget
It is worth mentioning such an interesting function as SmartStay. When activated, the Galaxy S III begins to follow the user's gaze using the front camera and, if the user is looking somewhere in the wrong direction, turns off the screen backlight. In my sample phone, this function worked through a stump, but in any case it can be called an innovation of dubious usefulness. Another proprietary feature of the Galaxy S III is called S Beam. This is a technology that allows you to quickly share files between compatible phones. Files are transferred via Wi-Fi Direct, but the initial pairing of phones occurs via NFC. Of course, phones from other manufacturers do not support S Beam. By the way, taking this opportunity, I would like to ask Samsung a question: gentlemen, when will you add Russian/Ukrainian T9 when dialing a number? In general, it should be a shame, after all, it’s 2012.
Performance, autonomy, heating
As befits a top-end smartphone of 2012, the Galaxy S III is equipped with a 4-core processor. Samsung abandoned the use of Tegra 3 (and did the right thing, in my opinion) and chose its own Exynos 4212 chipset, built on ARM Cortex-A9 cores clocked at 1.4 GHz and a Mali 400MP graphics accelerator. The device's RAM capacity is 1 GB.
I think it goes without saying that the Galaxy S III absolutely flies and delivers excellent performance both in benchmarks and in real life. Even scrolling text in the very problematic official Twitter client does not slow down at all. Apparently, there are still benefits from four egg cores. At the same time, unlike the Galaxy S II, the device hardly heats up. If SGS II individual games (in particular, the popular Robo Defense) were simply red-hot, then the third “galaxy” remains a little warm. The back cover only gets noticeably warm when the battery is charging. Finally, I must say that the new flagship differs from the previous one in its significantly increased battery life. Who is to blame for this - a more capacious battery, a new processor or Android 4.0 - I don’t care, but the result is pleasant. Galaxy S III confidently survives until the evening, and if it is not tormented with special frenzy, then you can count on two days of work.
Camera
SGS III is equipped with an 8-megapixel camera with autofocus, LED backlight and video recording in Full HD resolution. The diagonal of the matrix is 1/3.2 inches, the matrix is made using BSI (back illuminated) technology. The lens aperture is f/2.6. The main innovations compared to the SGS II were the burst shooting mode (3.5 fps, maximum 20 frames per burst) and the HDR mode. In addition to photos, the Samsung Galaxy S III can also shoot video with continuous autofocus. The maximum resolution is 1920x1080 pixels with a refresh rate of 30 fps and stereo sound (the AAC codec with a bitrate of 134 Kbps is used for the audio track). The camera interface in the SGS III remains virtually unchanged from the SGS II. However, you can judge this for yourself based on the following screenshots:
Examples of photos and videos
Samsung Galaxy S III
Bottom line
Personally, I have no doubt that the Galaxy S III is destined to become a bestseller. Already, pre-orders for the device worldwide have exceeded 9 million units, so it will most likely not only repeat the success of the Galaxy S II, but even surpass it. And this, in my opinion, will be completely fair, because the Galaxy S III is exceptionally good. It offers the user all the best that is on the market: the best performance, the best camera, an excellent screen and good battery life. The TouchWiz shell in its current incarnation has almost completely gotten rid of childhood diseases (except for the absence of the Russian T9 when dialing a number), so you can safely use the device out of the box. The only disadvantages of the Galaxy S III include the body, which does not quite correspond to the status of a flagship and the estimated price of $900 for the 16-gigabyte version. In general, in my opinion, the main competitors of the Galaxy S III will be its own “stable neighbors” - the Galaxy Nexus and the Galaxy Note already mentioned above. Both have weaker hardware, but offer comparable equipment, and their cost is currently much lower than the cost of the SGS III, and will decrease in the future. 5 reasons to buy Samsung Galaxy S III:
- large screen with HD resolution;
- high-quality camera (possibly the best among 8-megapixel camera phones);
- excellent performance;
- long battery life;
- memory card slot (not found in many competing models).
2 reasons not to buy Samsung Galaxy S III:
- the design of the case does not correspond to the status of the device;
- lack of Russian T9 when dialing a number.
