Samsung Galaxy S4 Pro Reviews

Pricing is one of those things that become deal breakers for some, and if we’re to look at these two flagships, there’s going to be some concern when people look at the $300 on-contract price of the Nokia Lumia 1020. Considering that it’s packing 32GB of storage and that immense 41-megapixel PureView camera, it’s pretty much justified, but some will still find comfort in the $200 on-contract pricing of the Samsung Galaxy S4. Yet again, if photo and video quality is most paramount to you, then there’s no denying that the Lumia 1020 is the choice to go with. It basically adheres to the needs of those who are quite particular in this specific category. Now if we look at the bigger picture, the overall performance and experience, we’ll mention that it’s the Samsung Galaxy S4 that takes the checkered flag. Sure, it might not have an imposing camera and all, but when you factor in the depth of its TouchWiz experience, combined with its high performing qualities in all categories, it’s still one flagship that you'll want to keep in the back of your mind.

Not everyone is going to run with open arms to pick up the Google Play Edition of the Samsung Galaxy S4, especially when they find out that it’s only available in outright form. At $650, it’s sure to concern those individuals who are used to carrier-subsidy pricing, which is what the TouchWiz model is sporting through the various domestic carriers. Despite that, we’re certain that this newer model will attract those hardcore Android users who don’t want to tinker with what Samsung believes to be the superior experience. Heck, if you’re the impatient type, you’ll surely appreciate how it’ll more than likely get major Android updates faster than most devices. On the flip side, savings is something you’ll absolutely be exposed to if you side with the original TouchWiz model. Not only that, but TouchWiz has some cool (or gimmicky) features that truly sets it apart from everything else out there – with some being more useful than others, obviously. Needless to say, you can’t go wrong going with either device, seeing that they share the same design and hardware. Ultimately, it all simply boils down to what you can afford, and whether you’re adamant about getting those new Android software updates as soon as they’re announced.

Should you go out and buy this, especially when this unlocked model is flaunting an outright price point of $649? Well, if you’re a diehard Android user, one who takes pride in getting that untouched experience, this is arguably a device that’ll appeal to you – even more when it’ll more than likely receive updates faster than its TouchWiz sibling. Indeed, the price point will scare anyone who hasn’t dabbled in anything except carrier-subsidized phones, but we’re certain that these specific people would easily fork over the money to pick it up. In addition to packing the same design and hardware as the original, the stock experience graces it with a snappier performance and improved battery life. On the flip side, some will be saddened to see all of the S4’s notable features gone with the new experience – the things that gave the S4 its classy identity in the first place. Obviously, there’s a totally different intent when you’re regarded as a ‘Google Play Edition’ device, so it shouldn’t be a shocker going forward.

The Google Edition Galaxy S4 is a smartphone made for a particular type of Android lover. The kind of person who likes the core operating system and doesn’t want companies messing with the look or the functionality or adding a bunch of apps. This kind of Android fan will do all of that themselves, thank you. For this crowd, this GS4 model offers a great alternative to the Nexus 4. The biggest drawback is price. Unlocked and unsubsidized, this phone costs $649 to own. That price buys you freedom from contracts as well as from TouchWiz. Just know that you’re also giving up access to many of the Galaxy S4′s best features while still paying for the hardware that makes them possible. That trade-off may not appeal to average consumers. Still, we are glad that Google and Samsung now offer everyone the choice.

For those looking at the photographic abilities of the S4, there is clearly an increase in the image quality from the S3. You can now also shoot at a higher fps rate and the screen is now full 1080p HD and 5.0 inches in size. As we found with the S3, portrait shots aren't great, although for better skin tones there is the beauty face mode. With the addition of the Android operating system, Wi-Fi, 3G and 4G capabilities, the Samsung Galaxy S4 is great for shooting on the move and sharing with friends and family.

The Galaxy S4 is a great phone with outstanding hardware and performance, but it's not flawless. We're disappointed with the build quality considering the handset costs a fair bit more than its rivals and while the S4 is packed with features we find a lot of them to be gimmicky.

There’s no doubt that the Samsung Galaxy S4 arrived on the market facing huge expectations and anticipation. After using for a week, I like what I am seeing. The Samsung Galaxy S4 improves on nearly every single aspect of its Galaxy S3 predecessor and by timing launch around this time of the year, Samsung has set itself up to keep the performance crown for a while. In terms of industrial design, things have progressed and the S4 improves noticeably upon the Galaxy S3 design. It’s not obvious in the photos, but it is quite visible in your hand, so don’t hesitate to check one in a store. If you have seen a Galaxy S3 and liked it, then this is a no-brainer. We really like the Easy Mode for those who are taking their first step with a smartphone, and this is definitely a good move that other manufacturers should copy. Finally, the refinements made to previous apps or activities are paying off: Watch On, the TV EPG+remote is now much more usable thanks to a better integration and the infrared emitter. The translator is very cool for the traveler and Knox may be the difference between using your Galaxy S4 at work or getting some random phone that your company feels comfortable with.

At the end of the day, the Galaxy S 4 is an evolution of the Galaxy S 3 in pretty much all of the areas you'd expect it to be. Whether or not that's what you wanted in a new Android smartphone is going to vary from one person to the next. The good news is that you at least have a choice.

I ended my HTC One review by saying there were two Android phones worth buying, the One and the Nexus 4. That number is now very clearly three, but I had hoped against hope that Samsung would emerge the undisputed winner. The Galaxy S4 is a very good phone in most respects — it has a stellar camera and solid battery life, blistering performance and an impressively useful complement of software features. It's a technological achievement — there's no question about that. But part of what has me so excited about the smartphone market is that manufacturers are finally starting to step back from the relentless forward march of Moore's Law and spec races, and seek quality in other places. We’ve seen it in laptops, as companies like Toshiba finally turn away from racing to the pricing bottom and begin to build truly excellent ultrabooks; we're also seeing it in cellphones, from the HTC One and a small selection of other devices.

At the end of the day, the Samsung Galaxy S 4 is exactly what you would expect from Samsung after the S III. Each and every aspect has been improved, if only marginally. And the result is a much more refined overall product. That’s not to say it isn’t still a little rough around the edges. And despite the fact that the specifications and software insist this is a premium phone, there is still a disconnect between the term “premium” and the lightweight plastic hardware. The massive amount of features and heavy interface cause some problems, such as lag and taking up a good bit of user storage space. But that’s a small price to pay if you’re a fan of removable batteries, expandable storage and a smartphone that, overall, exceeds most expectations. Point blank, it’s not perfect. But it’s one of the best and most well-rounded smartphones money can currently buy, for both first time smartphone offenders, the power users obsessed with modding, and most in between.

The Samsung Galaxy S IV isn't perfect, but it's still an excellent phone. Though it was disappointing to see that some of the software kinks were not worked out prior to its launch -- though, admittedly, some were -- the hardware is still top-notch and there's a big enough helping of software to differentiate it from the competition. Yes, much of that software is an acquired taste and won't be for everybody, but at least the phone has a defining element to it. And there are some undeniably great aspects of the GSIV, including the battery life, the super-fast processor, and the dazzling display. That said, despite how good of a job Samsung did with shrinking the bezel around the screen, the phone is simply still too big for us. It may be nice to have such a roomy display (especially when it looks this good), but it just isn't worth the massive footprint and how clumsy that makes the GSIV to use. There's also the fact that Galaxy S III users may not find enough reasons here to upgrade, especially if they aren't interested in the software offerings, many of which are said to be on their way to the Galaxy S III anyway. But if you don't fall into that category and you don't mind the size of the phone, then the GSIV should definitely be on your radar for your next Android flagship.

The Samsung Galaxy S 4 includes everything and the kitchen sink. The term "feature creep" was probably invented for devices such as the GS4, which has a dizzying array of apps, services, tools, and features. But did I like it, and would I recommend it? Though the GS4 doesn't match the high-quality feel of the HTC One or Apple iPhone 5, Samsung did a good job improving upon the quality of the GS4 compared to previous Galaxy S devices. It is thin, light, easy to use, and has an incredible display. The removable battery and memory card might be selling points for some. Our test unit performed perfectly on Verizon's network and offered good signal/voice performance. What's more, the Verizon version offered superior battery life. The GS4 really shines when it comes to the software. Samsung has crammed tons of new features into TouchWiz, though only about half of them are as useful as Samsung claims they are. Standouts include WatchOn, Smart Stay, and Air Gesture, while duds include S Health, Smart Scroll, and Air View. The camera, in particular, adds some fun-to-use shooting modes that produce new and interesting types of images. I only wish the camera itself took slightly better pictures. The GS4 offers a completely different experience from the HTC One in terms of both hardware and software. At the end of the day, I like the HTC's hardware much more than Samsung's, but Samsung's software only slightly more HTC's. It's a really, really tough call between these two handsets.

In the end, it's best if you don't just count number of victories to know which smartphone is better than this other. Instead, you should use this article as a reference - focus on the features you care about and ignore the rest. While each category has a winner and a loser, the "loser" in this shootout will be envied by most other premium phones on the market for quite some time to come. The winner? How about the one with your name on it.

So, if you chose the Sony Xperia Z for the looks and the water resistance, you don't need us telling you it's money well spent. By the way, we are certain that many bought the Xperia Z because there was nothing better on the market at the time. This will be the reasoning of future Galaxy S4 owners too. To be fair though, that's easier said about the Xperia Z then, than it is for the Galaxy S4 now. Oh well, it's a compliment that goes both ways. And rightfully so.

As if you are only now considering purchasing one of those smartphones - the choice couldn't be easier. The Galaxy S4 is easily worth the extra cost over its predecessor and as long as you can afford it, that's the only one you should be looking at.

While the Samsung Galaxy S4's exterior might be its Achilles' heel, we can't blame Samsung for sticking with the Galaxy S brand image it spent so much resources trying to build (that phone sold over 50 million units too, so being associated with it cannot be too bad). With the sheer number of excellent flagships to choose from, if you are looking for the best smartphone, you had it better than ever. There's no need for choice anxiety either, as the Samsung Galaxy S4 is a safe bet as long as you can get past its increasingly dated design or you need that IP57 certification.

As evident from our head-to-head so far, for most practical purposes the two Galaxy S4 variants are almost identical - and that's especially true for their looks. You would be hard-pressed to find a visual difference between the two. The single biggest difference between these S4 versions is the chipset used - an octa-core Exynos in the i9500 and a quad-core Snapdragon 600 in the I9505. Performance-wise, the octa-core Exynos has a slight advantage, but that's not because of the higher number of cores. You have got to remember that only a single set of four cores is active at a any single time - either the power-sipping Cortex A7's or the number-crunching Cortex A15's. It is evident from our tests however, that the Exynos version of the Galaxy S4 is not much more powerful than the Snapdragon 600. Furthermore, the battery life performance of the Exynos-touting variant is consistently worse than the one by the Snapdragon 600 version.

In this three way battle, there is no clear winner; each smartphone has its strengths and weaknesses. We like the Galaxy S4's hardware and some of the software features but dislike its plastic build quality. The HTC One has great design and arguably the best screen on the market but the interface is an acquired taste and the camera isn't the best. Meanwhile, the iPhone 5 remains a desirable handset despite its relative old age, delivering well across the board.

The Samsung Galaxy S 4 is the ultimate kitchen-sink Android phone for 2013, with features you'll still be discovering months after you buy it.

Provided the Galaxy S4 mini doesn't offer poor performance (we'll let you know as soon as we benchmark it), then the main reasons to opt for it over the full-size S4 are that you want a physically smaller smartphone or you can't afford the flagship.

What Samsung has done here is taken the Galaxy S III and made everything bigger and better; except the device itself, which – impressively – is both smaller and lighter. As a technical tour de force, the S4 is hard to criticise and, thanks to the increasingly rare features of a removable battery and a micro SD slot, it will be the default choice for many canny smartphone users. That said, the styling leaves me cold, the plastic body looks and feels a bit cheap when compared to the opposition, and TouchWiz really is a bit of an aesthetic shambles compared to Jelly Bean’s stock UI. I’ve no doubt all those extra features will attract buyers but I’d be lying to you if I said I thought many of them were essential to the smartphone user experience.

For their respective platforms, it’s a no-brainer that the two are at the head of their class, but when pitted against one another, it all boils down to personal preference. As we’ve seen, they deliver the goods on where it matters the most, but when we throw in pricing to the mix, it’ll make people think twice about making a final decision. Currently, the Galaxy S4 is selling for $200 on-contract through Verizon – while the Lumia 928 comes out from the gates with an aggressive $100 price point. Indeed, you’re going to spend double the money picking up the Galaxy S4, but the cost difference is highly justified, since the Galaxy S4 is boasting an insane amount of features that drastically puts it way ahead of what the Lumia 928 has to offer. Overall, if you care about having a diverse features set and a deeper apps ecosystem, the Galaxy S4 is going to be your go-to handset. However, if you’re on a budget and love taking photos primarily, then it’s a no-brainer decision to pick up the Lumia 928. Whatever the choice, you won’t regret the decision.

The Samsung Galaxy S 4 is the ultimate kitchen-sink Android phone for 2013, with features you'll still be discovering months after you buy it.

The Nexus 4 is a great phone, but the Samsung Galaxy S4 is better. Whether is is better enough to cost £200 more is the critical point. The Nexus 4 remains a great bargain.

Contrary to our original expectations, the Octa-core GS4 isn't significantly faster or better than its Snapdragon sibling. Sure, it offers a small advantage in overall processor performance, but the difference isn't as obvious as we thought it would be. With that in mind, does the HSPA+-only I9500 hold any other benefits over the I9505 or its variants? You could argue about the lack of bloat or carrier influence, but that only really matters when we talk about US-specific models. Aside from that, people interested in the GS4 will enjoy the slightly improved performance on the Octa-core model. Pricewise, the I9500 is just a tad less spendy: retailers like Negri currently sell the 16GB version for around $790 ($850 for the 32GB unit and $890 for 64GB), while the unlocked I9505 adds another 10 bucks. When comparing the two devices, most differentiating factors appear to be a wash, so either way you're getting a solid device that you're likely to be happy with.