If you prefer Dutch:
Videos by AllAboutPhones
Showing posts with label Comparisions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Comparisions. Show all posts
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Video: Nokia Lumia 800 vs Nokia Lumia 710
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 vs iPad 2
We check out the new Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 and see how it stacks up against Apple's iPad 2.
FormApple iPad 2 - 241.2x185.7x8.8mm, 607g
Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 - 193.7x122.4x10.5mm, 344g
Samsung's re-invented Galaxy Tab isn't much of a re-invention, at least, as far as external design is concerned because it appears to use a very similar and neatly shaped body shell with a brushed aluminium back panel.
We deliberately say similar because it's not exactly the same. The dimensions are slightly different as Samsung has made the new Galaxy Tab 2 ever-so-slightly taller, wider and 1.5mm thinner than its predecessor, while shaving off around 36g in weight.
As with the original Galaxy Tab, we find the section of bodywork around the screen a little large for our tastes, at least from a visual standpoint, though, we suppose it does give you some space to grip without touching the screen inadvertently.
Apple's iPad 2 is the larger of the devices and it's a good deal heavier, too, at 607g compared with the Samsung's 344g but it does have the edge when it comes to thickness being only 8.8mm compared with the Galaxy Tab 2's 10.5mm waistline.
Generally we think the iPad 2 boasts nicer proportions and a sharper look than the Galaxy Tab 2, which looks a little too soft to us.
This round goes to the iPad.
Winner - Apple iPad 2
DisplayThe Galaxy Tab 2 is topped with a 7-inch piece of capacitive PLS LCD touchscreen glass that clocks a 1024x600 pixel resolution and a pixel density of 170 pixels-per-inch (ppi).
The iPad 2 doesn't continue Apple's tradition of extremely sharp displays normally found on its smaller iPhone devices - there's no fancy Retina stuff going on here, you'll have to wait for the iPad 3 for that, allegedly.
Instead, what you do get is 9.7-inches of LED-backlit IPS TFT capacitive touchscreen at 1024x768 pixels and 132ppi.
Neither setup is particularly awe-inspiring but they're not that bad either. Samsung's display has the higher pixel density but Apple's LED-backlit IPS technology should result in a better image quality overall.
Winner - Apple iPad 2
StorageSamsung's device has three storage variants: either 8GB, 16GB or 32GB, depending on how much cash you're willing to splash, but any one you pick will come with a micro SD slot for a further 32GB. You also get 1GB of RAM.
Apple's iPad 2 storage capability starts higher up the chain with 16GB coming in as the lowest capacity followed by 32GB and 64GB models.
The iPad 2 has half the RAM of its rival at 512MB but this doesn't seem to affect performance due to Apple's clever optimisation. Of course, as usual, the iPad 2 doesn't feature a microSD slot so there's no possibility of expanding its memory.
We reckon this is a draw. The iPad 2 has more in-built storage in its top-end choice but between the Galaxy Tab's top-tier option and its micro SD support you can achieve the same storage total.
The Samsung has more RAM but Apple is pretty confident it doesn't need this much and we're inclined to agree.
Winner - DrawProcessorSamsung's upgrade for the original Galaxy Tab bumps things up from a single core to a dual core processor, though, it's still clocked at 1GHz.
Samsung hasn't revealed too many details at this stage but we're guessing it will be an ARM Cortex-A9 affair based on the fact the first Galaxy Tab was a Cortex-A8 job.
The iPad 2 also has a 1GHz dual core ARM Cortex-A9 configuration, running Apple's own Samsung-made A5 chipset, which is some pretty powerful stuff.
Ultimately, both devices should be on a fairly equal footing when it comes to power.
Winner - Draw
Operating SystemApple's tablet runs the latest build of the company's own iOS platform, iOS 5, while Samsung's revamped Galaxy Tab runs the most recent Android release, Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0.
This is, of course, that old chestnut of personal preference on whether you want the ‘walled garden' of iOS, which works more or less flawlessly but can have a slightly clinical feel, or Android's extreme freedom, which can come at a cost of stability and cohesiveness.
Ice Cream Sandwich is one of the most polished version of Android to date with some very intuitive tweaks to existing features from the previous build, Honeycomb 3.2.
For example, the quick app switching tab has returned but with the welcome addition of swiping running apps away to close them. It's things like this which make it much easier to use than its predecessors.
Overall iOS 5 is a very comprehensive platform but compared with previous versions it has been somewhat on the buggy side. Admittedly, most users haven't had any trouble and have been able to enjoy Apple's plethora of new enhancements, but if you're unlucky it can be a bit of a pain.
We're calling this one a draw.
Winner - Draw
CameraCameras on both these devices aren't the most spectacular you'll encounter. The iPad 2 has a 0.7-megapixel primary camera at 960x720 pixels and a VGA front-facer for Facetime video calling. Video capture is 720p.
Samsung's Galaxy Tab 2 is slightly better equipped with a 3.15-megapixel primary at 2048x1536 pixels and capable of 1080p video capture with geo-tagging and smile detection. The secondary camera is VGA.
The Galaxy Tab 2 has a preferable setup here but if you're after an amazing camera you should looks elsewhere and probably not at a tablet either, if we're honest.
Winner - Samsung Galaxy Tab 2
Final ThoughtsFor the most part these tablets are on a par. There are a couple of areas where each one excels, but in the end we think it boils down to which operating system you prefer and that's a whole different ball game.
They will each deliver equally zippy performance and both have ample storage space, they both look pretty good and while the screens on offer aren't the best around they'll get the job done.
If you want something smaller, more lightweight and portable with a highly customisable interface, go with the Galaxy Tab 2.
If you're after something you can just pick up and run with in terms of the interface, stability and platform cohesion, or you want a larger expanse of screen real estate, you're better off picking the iPad 2.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Comparision Sony Xperia S vs Samsung Galaxy S2
We throw Sony's new Xperia S into the ring with the Android platform's reigning champion – the Samsung's Galaxy S2 – to see which handset is the best going into 2012.
Form
Samsung Galaxy S2 - 125.3x66.1x8.5mm, 116g
Samsung Galaxy S2 - 125.3x66.1x8.5mm, 116g
Sony Xperia S - 128x64x10.6mm, 144g
The Samsung Galaxy S2 launched this time last year but it's still up there as one of the more attractive looking handsets on the market with its imposing proportions and more angular styling.
Overall the design is minimalist, which makes everything look clean and modern, though it does have a textured back panel to spice things up a little.
The Sony Xperia S is a much striking device with next to no curvature or softening on the corners. In contrast to this the backpanel is completely smooth, which does provide some interesting contrast.
The other significant visual tweak is that the screen takes precedence over the bodywork, leading to a very thin bezel and a more ‘premium' look and feel.
We think Sony's device looks much smarter.
Winner - Sony Xperia S
DisplaySamsung is traditionally pretty consistent at producing some top quality displays for its devices, so much so that other manufacturers, such as Nokia, even buy them for their own handsets too.
The Galaxy S2 uses Samsung's Super AMOLED Plus technology, which offers excellent picture quality, brightness, colour depth and is a bit more battery friendly than your avergae LCD panel.
The 4.3-inch multi-touch capacitive display is also reinforced with Corning's impressively resilient Gorilla Glass and boasts an 800x480 pixel WVGA resolution, giving a pixel density of 217 pixels-per-inch (ppi).
However Sony seems keen to take the South Korean manufacturer down a peg or two.
The Xperia S's display measures the same 4.3-inches as its Samsung rival and while its not Super AMOLED Plus, it still uses a fancy LED backlit LCD screen resulting in some sharp imagery.
As might be expected it's multi-touch capable, but what you might not expect is support for all 10 of your digits.
We can't quite fathom what kind of app we might need all 10 for but we suppose it's always nice to have the option and its certainly not something we're going to hold against the Xperia S.
It's also scratch-resistant and boasts a very impressive resolution of 1280x720 pixels, which is not something you see very often on a smartphone.
The pixel density comes at an astounding 342ppi, which is higher than even the Apple iPhone's acclaimed, and significantly smaller, Retina display.
We have to commend Sony here for producing a brilliantly high-spec display.
Winner - Sony Xperia S
StorageSamsung's Galaxy S2 has two storage options. You've got a choice of either 16GB or 32GB and either one you choose comes with 1GB of RAM and a microSD slot for up to an additional 32GB of card storage.
Sony's new handset only has the one option but it's an ample 32GB and 1GB of RAM. Unfortunately, Sony has decided to forego the usual card slot on this particular model, which is a bit of a shame.
Samsung is holding the trump card for this round with its microSD capability.
Winner - Samsung Galaxy S2ProcessorInside the Galaxy S2 is a 1.2GHz dual core ARM Cortex-A9 processor running on Samsung's brilliant Exynos chipset alongside a Mali-400MP graphics processing unit (GPU).
It might not have the fastest clock speed on the market but thanks to the chipset and GPU combo this setup is still one of the better performing hardware configurations currently available.
The Xperia S is also a dual core device loaded with a 1.5GHz Qualcomm processor on the MSM8260 Snapdragon chipset and features Qualcomm's new Adreno 220 GPU, which should pack quite a punch.
We think this qualifies as a draw as both phones are capable of high-end performance.
Winner - Draw
Operating SystemBoth handsets are currently running Android 2.3 Gingerbread but are due to be updated to Android Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0 at some point this year, which should offer a performance boost and a much quicker and more intuitive user interface.
These devices are on an equal footing in this context as well.
Winner - Draw
CameraThe Samsung Galaxy S2 may not have the absolute best 8-megapixel camera out there but it's certainly one of the better ones available, showing the majority of contemporary handsets how it's done.
The resolution clocks in at 3264x2448 pixels and camera features include 1080p video capture, an LED flash, geo-tagging, autofocus, touch focus, image stabilisation and face and smile detection. There's also a reasonably good 2-megapixel secondary camera on the front.
Sony has come straight out of left field with the Xperia S, taking no prisoners with a 12-megapixel beast of a primary camera sporting a 4000x3000 pixel resolution and an Exmor R CMOS sensor.
Features wise it has the same setup as the Galaxy S2 for still images, plus the addition of 3D ‘sweep' panoramic capture.
Again, we were impressed with the quality of its predecessor, the Xperia Arc S, in this category and with that pedigree it should deliver some pretty snazzy pictures.
For video it can capture in 1080p on the primary camera and features continuous autofocus, a video light and video stabilisation. The 1.3-megapixel secondary camera can also capture video in 720p.
Sony is offering one of the most competitive camera set-ups we've seen for some time on the Xperia S so we've no qualms about voting it the winner in this round.
Winner - Sony Xperia S
Final Thoughts
Sony has come close to toppling Samsung's Galaxy S2 from its perch. It doesn't quite achieve this and we'd mainly pin that on the lack of a microSD card so instead it ends up sitting awkwardly on the same branch in this weird phones-as-birds metaphor we've created.
Sony has come close to toppling Samsung's Galaxy S2 from its perch. It doesn't quite achieve this and we'd mainly pin that on the lack of a microSD card so instead it ends up sitting awkwardly on the same branch in this weird phones-as-birds metaphor we've created.
Regardless, It's on an equal footing in terms of the operating system and processing power but has sharper looks, a far superior camera and a much better display.
All in all we have to say that if we were pushed we'd likely go with the Xperia S over the Galaxy S2. 
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Sony Xperia S vs Samsung Galaxy S Advance
Samsung's Galaxy S Advance is based on the same shell as the original Galaxy S so its design is well over a year old now. Yet it still holds up quite well alongside the current crop of smartphones.
It's still one of the lighter and thinner handsets around and the simple slab-like design with slightly curved corners looks as contemporary as ever.
We do prefer it, however, when designers get a bit more adventurous and generally speaking you can rely on Sony to step up to the plate.
The Xperia S is a much sharper looking piece of kit although it is the heavier and thicker of the two devices here. It's got quite an angular form factor with un-softened corners.
There's also the rather nifty ‘band' round the bottom of the handset, a neatly uninterrupted and gently curved back panel and the screen takes up a nice amount of space on the front giving a very thin bezel.
Sony has produced a great looking device here and we have to put the Xperia S forward as the winner for this round.
Winner - Sony Xperia S
DisplayThe Galaxy S Advance uses the same Super AMOLED capacitive multi-touch display as its predecessor.
It's a 4-inch span of reinforced Gorilla Glass with an 800x480 pixel WVGA resolution and a pixel density of 233 pixels-per-inch (ppi), a reasonably high figure still often unachieved by many current phones not based on a previous design.
However, Sony's Xperia S is no low-achiever when it comes to screen tech either, not by a long shot.
The Xperia S's 4.3-inch capacitive multi-touch screen is an LED backlit LCD with an impressive 1280x720 pixel resolution, which gives and iPhone Retina display-beating pixel density of 342ppi.
Not only that but it uses Sony's Mobile Bravia Engine, a scratch resistant coating and the multi-touch screen supports all 10 fingers should someone decide to release a Twister app at some point in the future.
The Xperia S easily wins this round, but that's not exactly surprising considering it sports a display which would shame most of the competition.
Winner - Sony Xperia S
StorageSamsung's Galaxy S Advance comes in two variants with either 8GB or 16GB of onboard space along with 2GB of ROM and 768MB of RAM. Samsung's handset also has microSD capability for up to an additional 32GB.
The Xperia S only has one choice for memory but it's higher than the Samsung's at 32GB plus you get a whole 1GB to help with processing phone tasks. However, it doesn't have a card slot, which is a bit of a shame.
The Galaxy S Advance ends up with more storage to play with between the top-end 16GB option and 32GB card capacity, it doesn't have quite as much RAM as its opponent but it's not far off. We think on balance the Samsung wins this round but if the Xperia S had a microSD slot this would be a very different result.
Winner - Samsung Galaxy S AdvanceProcessorSony's new handset runs a Qualcomm quad core processor clocked at 1.5GHz and using the MSM8260 Snapdragon chipset. It also comes loaded with an Adreno 220 graphics processing unit (GPU) which is a higher-end version of the Adreno mobile GPU family and should give a boost to interface and gaming graphics.
Samsung's Galaxy S Advance has been upgraded from the original Galaxy S's single core roots to a new dual core 1GHz ARM Cortex-A9 processor running a NovaThor U8500 chipset and Mali-400MP GPU.
This setup features the same GPU found in the Galaxy S2 so it's pretty potent stuff, the NovaThor chip isn't quite as good as the S2's Exynos but it's still a modern piece of high performance tech which will give good results.
Bearing in mind that the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S used a single core 1.4GHz processor with an Adreno 205 GPU and delivered excellent performance, we're expecting great things from the new Sony Xperia S as it doubles the cores, ups the clock speed and puts a much better GPU into the mix.
We think the Sony Xperia S may have the edge here, but rest assured the Galaxy S Advance isn't far behind and should also perform well.
Winner - Sony Xperia S
Operating SystemBoth handsets ship with Android 2.3 Gingerbread. The Xperia S is scheduled to receive Android Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0, Google's latest build, some time this year.
There's no word from Samsung on whether the Galaxy S Advance will get upgraded but we wouldn't be at all surprised as Samsung seems to be one of the more proactive manufacturers in rolling out system updates across its portfolio.
In the meantime, there's nothing to compare the two devices here.
Winner - Draw
CameraThe Galaxy S Advance sports the same 5-megapixel primary camera as the Galaxy S with a 2592x1944 pixel resolution and capable of 720p video capture. It also boasts a 1.3-megapixel secondary on the front. Features include an LED flash, autofocus, touch focus, geo-tagging and face and smile detection.
With the Sony Xperia S it's once again difficult not to reference the Xperia Arc S which had a very nice 8-megapixel camera which captured sharp photos and video.
The Xperia S looks set to improve on it though as it carries a 12-megapixel primary with a 4000x3000 pixel resolution and fitted with an Exmor R CMOS sensor.
Features-wise it has an LED flash, geo-tagging, face and smile detection, autofocus, touch focus, image stabilisation and a 3D panoramic capture mode.
Video capture is at 1080p and features video stabilisation, a video light and continuous autofocus. Lastly, the Xperia S has a 1.3-megapixel secondary camera capable of 720p video capture.
Understandably the Sony Xperia S walks away victorious from this round with a much more comprehensive setup which should be capable of capturing some pretty amazing images and videos.
Final ThoughtsWe're quite impressed with Samsung's re-boot of the Galaxy S, in the form of the Galaxy S Advance, it's a testament to how good the Galaxy S originally was when it launched over a year ago that a simple processor swap can make it a viable competitor in today's market.
However, Sony's Xperia S represents a phone at the forefront of current smartphones, or non-quad core ones at the very least.
Its main strengths are its phenomenal display and excellent camera setup, but as we mentioned if the Xperia Arc S is anything to go by the Xperia S will make the very best use of its ample processor setup and we expect it to outperform Samsung's offering here.
It also looks fantastic and is due to receive the newest version of Android which is way ahead of Gingerbread 2.3. Our only beef with it is the lack of microSD support and it's not enough to stop us recognising an otherwise great phone when we see one.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Sony Xperia S vs Samsung Galaxy S Advance
FormSony Xperia S - 128x64x10.6mm, 144g
Samsung Galaxy S Advance - 123.2x63x9.7mm, 120g
Samsung Galaxy S Advance - 123.2x63x9.7mm, 120g
Samsung's Galaxy S Advance is based on the same shell as the original Galaxy S so its design is well over a year old now. Yet it still holds up quite well alongside the current crop of smartphones.
It's still one of the lighter and thinner handsets around and the simple slab-like design with slightly curved corners looks as contemporary as ever.
We do prefer it, however, when designers get a bit more adventurous and generally speaking you can rely on Sony to step up to the plate.
The Xperia S is a much sharper looking piece of kit although it is the heavier and thicker of the two devices here. It's got quite an angular form factor with un-softened corners.
There's also the rather nifty ‘band' round the bottom of the handset, a neatly uninterrupted and gently curved back panel and the screen takes up a nice amount of space on the front giving a very thin bezel.
Sony has produced a great looking device here and we have to put the Xperia S forward as the winner for this round.
Winner - Sony Xperia S
DisplayThe Galaxy S Advance uses the same Super AMOLED capacitive multi-touch display as its predecessor.
It's a 4-inch span of reinforced Gorilla Glass with an 800x480 pixel WVGA resolution and a pixel density of 233 pixels-per-inch (ppi), a reasonably high figure still often unachieved by many current phones not based on a previous design.
However, Sony's Xperia S is no low-achiever when it comes to screen tech either, not by a long shot.
The Xperia S's 4.3-inch capacitive multi-touch screen is an LED backlit LCD with an impressive 1280x720 pixel resolution, which gives and iPhone Retina display-beating pixel density of 342ppi.
Not only that but it uses Sony's Mobile Bravia Engine, a scratch resistant coating and the multi-touch screen supports all 10 fingers should someone decide to release a Twister app at some point in the future.
The Xperia S easily wins this round, but that's not exactly surprising considering it sports a display which would shame most of the competition.
Winner - Sony Xperia S
StorageSamsung's Galaxy S Advance comes in two variants with either 8GB or 16GB of onboard space along with 2GB of ROM and 768MB of RAM. Samsung's handset also has microSD capability for up to an additional 32GB.
The Xperia S only has one choice for memory but it's higher than the Samsung's at 32GB plus you get a whole 1GB to help with processing phone tasks. However, it doesn't have a card slot, which is a bit of a shame.
The Galaxy S Advance ends up with more storage to play with between the top-end 16GB option and 32GB card capacity, it doesn't have quite as much RAM as its opponent but it's not far off. We think on balance the Samsung wins this round but if the Xperia S had a microSD slot this would be a very different result.
Winner - Samsung Galaxy S AdvanceProcessorSony's new handset runs a Qualcomm quad core processor clocked at 1.5GHz and using the MSM8260 Snapdragon chipset. It also comes loaded with an Adreno 220 graphics processing unit (GPU) which is a higher-end version of the Adreno mobile GPU family and should give a boost to interface and gaming graphics.
Samsung's Galaxy S Advance has been upgraded from the original Galaxy S's single core roots to a new dual core 1GHz ARM Cortex-A9 processor running a NovaThor U8500 chipset and Mali-400MP GPU.
This setup features the same GPU found in the Galaxy S2 so it's pretty potent stuff, the NovaThor chip isn't quite as good as the S2's Exynos but it's still a modern piece of high performance tech which will give good results.
Bearing in mind that the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S used a single core 1.4GHz processor with an Adreno 205 GPU and delivered excellent performance, we're expecting great things from the new Sony Xperia S as it doubles the cores, ups the clock speed and puts a much better GPU into the mix.
We think the Sony Xperia S may have the edge here, but rest assured the Galaxy S Advance isn't far behind and should also perform well.
Winner - Sony Xperia S
Operating SystemBoth handsets ship with Android 2.3 Gingerbread. The Xperia S is scheduled to receive Android Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0, Google's latest build, some time this year.
There's no word from Samsung on whether the Galaxy S Advance will get upgraded but we wouldn't be at all surprised as Samsung seems to be one of the more proactive manufacturers in rolling out system updates across its portfolio.
In the meantime, there's nothing to compare the two devices here.
Winner - Draw
CameraThe Galaxy S Advance sports the same 5-megapixel primary camera as the Galaxy S with a 2592x1944 pixel resolution and capable of 720p video capture. It also boasts a 1.3-megapixel secondary on the front. Features include an LED flash, autofocus, touch focus, geo-tagging and face and smile detection.
With the Sony Xperia S it's once again difficult not to reference the Xperia Arc S which had a very nice 8-megapixel camera which captured sharp photos and video.
The Xperia S looks set to improve on it though as it carries a 12-megapixel primary with a 4000x3000 pixel resolution and fitted with an Exmor R CMOS sensor.
Features-wise it has an LED flash, geo-tagging, face and smile detection, autofocus, touch focus, image stabilisation and a 3D panoramic capture mode.
Video capture is at 1080p and features video stabilisation, a video light and continuous autofocus. Lastly, the Xperia S has a 1.3-megapixel secondary camera capable of 720p video capture.
Understandably the Sony Xperia S walks away victorious from this round with a much more comprehensive setup which should be capable of capturing some pretty amazing images and videos.
Final ThoughtsWe're quite impressed with Samsung's re-boot of the Galaxy S, in the form of the Galaxy S Advance, it's a testament to how good the Galaxy S originally was when it launched over a year ago that a simple processor swap can make it a viable competitor in today's market.
However, Sony's Xperia S represents a phone at the forefront of current smartphones, or non-quad core ones at the very least.
Its main strengths are its phenomenal display and excellent camera setup, but as we mentioned if the Xperia Arc S is anything to go by the Xperia S will make the very best use of its ample processor setup and we expect it to outperform Samsung's offering here.
It also looks fantastic and is due to receive the newest version of Android which is way ahead of Gingerbread 2.3. Our only beef with it is the lack of microSD support and it's not enough to stop us recognising an otherwise great phone when we see one.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Samsung Galaxy S Advance vs Samsung Galaxy S2
We see how Samsung's reboot of the original Galaxy S stacks up against the Samsung Galaxy S2.
Form
Samsung Galaxy S Advance - 123.2x63x9.7mm, 120g
Samsung Galaxy S2 - 125.3x66.1x8.5mm, 116g
Samsung Galaxy S Advance - 123.2x63x9.7mm, 120g
Samsung Galaxy S2 - 125.3x66.1x8.5mm, 116g
Samsung's Galaxy S Advance uses the same shell as the original Galaxy S, which, to be fair has aged rather well all things considered.
It follows the usual ‘candy bar' format common of most modern smartphones and is still one of the thinner and lighter handsets available. It might not be visually groundbreaking but it's almost difficult to believe the design is well over a year old.
The Galaxy S2 is physically larger and a bit more imposing than the Galaxy S Advance, it's also the slimmer and lighter of the two handsets.
This is in part due to the use of lightweight plastics but don't be fooled into thinking the Galaxy S2 is flimsy, the plastic surfaces might feel a bit cheap but Samsung uses some fairly sturdy materials and a build quality which ensures the device isn't going to break anytime soon.
Visually it's a bit more interesting than the Galaxy S Advance, the corners are sharper and the elongated proportions create a much nicer shape, in our view. We have heard of some people finding the larger size a little cumbersome, however, so if you prefer smaller handsets it probably shouldn't be your first choice.
Winner - Samsung Galaxy S2
Display
Both phones use Samsung's Super AMOLED technology, but the Galaxy S2 is a little higher up the chain on display quality as it has Super AMOLED Plus technology. The Galaxy S Advance uses a 4-inch multi-touch capacitive screen with a resolution of 800x480 pixels, giving a pixel density of 233 pixels-per-inch (ppi).
Both phones use Samsung's Super AMOLED technology, but the Galaxy S2 is a little higher up the chain on display quality as it has Super AMOLED Plus technology. The Galaxy S Advance uses a 4-inch multi-touch capacitive screen with a resolution of 800x480 pixels, giving a pixel density of 233 pixels-per-inch (ppi).
Being the larger of the two handsets the Galaxy S2's screen is also bigger at 4.3-inches but packs the same resolution and a slightly lower pixel density of 217ppi. The Super AMOLED Plus display more than makes up for this, however.
Both devices also use Corning's reinforced Gorilla Glass.
Each handset has an excellent display which should please even the most demanding pixel-counter but we think the Galaxy S2 just has the edge in this contest.
Winner - Samsung Galaxy S2
Storage
The Galaxy S Advance has two available options for internal storage, either 8GB or 16GB, while RAM has been upgraded from the original Galaxy S's 512MB to 768MB to help things run a bit smoother. There's also 2GB of ROM onboard.
The Galaxy S Advance has two available options for internal storage, either 8GB or 16GB, while RAM has been upgraded from the original Galaxy S's 512MB to 768MB to help things run a bit smoother. There's also 2GB of ROM onboard.
That 16GB upper-tier option for the Galaxy S Advance is the Galaxy S2's minimum internal capacity and there's a 32GB model for even more onboard space. It also carries much more RAM than its opponent with a whole 1GB to play with.
Both handsets support microSD cards to expand phone storage by up to 32GB.
Of course the Galaxy S2 wins here by offering much more storage space and oodles of RAM.
Winner - Samsung Galaxy S2Processor
The main update for the Samsung Galaxy S Advance over the original Galaxy S, alongside the RAM, is that the processor has gone from a single core 1GHz ARM Cortex-A8 to a comparatively supercharged dual core Cortex-A9, though it keeps the same 1GHz clock speed.
The main update for the Samsung Galaxy S Advance over the original Galaxy S, alongside the RAM, is that the processor has gone from a single core 1GHz ARM Cortex-A8 to a comparatively supercharged dual core Cortex-A9, though it keeps the same 1GHz clock speed.
The Galaxy S Advance is running on the NovaThor U8500 chipset which includes a Mali-400MP graphics processing unit (GPU) so performance should be well above its predecessor.
The Galaxy S2 also uses a dual core ARM Cortex-A9 setup, this time clocked at 1.2GHz and using Samsung's fantastic Exynos chipset, which features the same Mali-400MP GPU as the Galaxy S Advance.
It's worth noting that the Galaxy S Advance upgrade is significant, it's going to perform much faster than the original Galaxy S especially with that beefy graphics processor boost. However, the Galaxy S2 has got a lot more power from the Exynos chipset which will offer a smoother experience.
Winner - Samsung Galaxy S2
Operating System
Currently both phones run on version 2.3 Gingerbread of Google's Android operating system.
Currently both phones run on version 2.3 Gingerbread of Google's Android operating system.
While the Galaxy S2 is due to receive an update in the first quarter of this year to the latest 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich build, there hasn't been any word on whether the Galaxy S Advance will get the same treatment. We'd expect it to, as it's a new launch and is expected to be priced outside of what would be considered budget territory.
In the meantime as they're both on the same platform there's nothing to compare the two here.
Winner - Draw
Camera
The Galaxy S Advance features a 5-megapixel primary camera with a 2592 x 1944 pixel resolution and 720p video capture, with LED flash, geo-tagging, touch focus, autofocus and face and smile detection. There's also a 1.3-megapixel front-facing secondary camera.
The Galaxy S Advance features a 5-megapixel primary camera with a 2592 x 1944 pixel resolution and 720p video capture, with LED flash, geo-tagging, touch focus, autofocus and face and smile detection. There's also a 1.3-megapixel front-facing secondary camera.
Against this the Galaxy S2 brings an 8-megapixel primary at 3264x2448 pixels, 1080p video capture and a 2-megapixel secondary. Like its rival it features an LED flash, autofocus, touch focus, geo-tagging and face and smile detection and also boasts the addition of image stabilisation.
Winner - Samsung Galaxy S2
Final Thoughts
The Galaxy S2 is the better phone here but not by a huge stretch, Samsung's upgrades of the original Galaxy S are significant enough that it makes a viable competitor in the current smartphone market and is certainly worth considering if you're looking for a new phone.
The Galaxy S2 is the better phone here but not by a huge stretch, Samsung's upgrades of the original Galaxy S are significant enough that it makes a viable competitor in the current smartphone market and is certainly worth considering if you're looking for a new phone.
However, it depends very much on how Samsung will price the Galaxy S Advance when it hits store shelves, if its price is not far off the Galaxy S2 then it becomes a less appealing option as you might as well get the Galaxy S2 instead.
The other big issue is the operating system, if Samsung reveals the Galaxy S Advance will get Android Ice Cream Sandwich it'll be a much more attractive prospect but the Galaxy S2 is our preference for now as we know it will definitely get the upgrade.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Android camera showdown: Samsung Galaxy Nexus vs. Samsung Galaxy S II
The cameras in our Android phones have certainly gotten better than most would have expected. The old standard of "it's a cell phone camera, it'll never be as good as a cheap point-and-shoot" is no longer valid. The hardware is getting better, and the software is improving right alongside it, making the experience of using your phone as a camera enjoyable, and in the right hands, almost professional.
The big news in Android last year on the camera front was the Samsung Galaxy S II's 8-megapixel rear shooter, and the Samsung Galaxy Nexus' "zero shutter lag" camera. We decided that these two had to go head to head. Hit the break to check it out.
The gear
In one corner, we've got the T-Mobile-branded Samsung Galaxy S II, and in the other we have the GSM Samsung Galaxy Nexus. Now your Galaxy S II may not be T-Mobile branded, and you might be using the Verizon version of the Galaxy Nexus, but the camera hardware and software is the same as these two -- which means it's very good.
The "studio" is my office. I've got 150 watts of 6500k compact florescent lighting in the overhead fixture, and a 36-inch square light tent was used with a 26 watt 5500k compact flouro lighting from the right, and a 6500k compact flouro lighting from the left. This is the setup I use with my DSLR to take product pictures, and it's a pretty controlled environment. For more information about what 5500k and 6500k means, have a look at Wikipedia. The quick and dirty version is that 5500k lamps look like natural sunlight above or below the tropics, and 6500k lamps resemble the sun in the tropics at noon. The higher the number, the more blue things look.
The phones were set to automatic everything, and held in my hands while leaning across (and on) a table to keep things steady. For each phone, five pictures of each test were taken, and the best was chosen. For the panorama shots, I swiveled in my chair. Yes, this was as fun as it sounds.
If you're interested in the raw jpeg's that haven't been resized, grab them here.
The scene
Galaxy Nexus on the left, Galaxy S II on the right
Here you can see why we're interested in doing this. As-is, out of the box, with no effects and everything automatic, you've got two great pictures. I used items that most would be familiar with for these tests, and the colors, clarity, and focus looks great from both entries. Even zoomed in (try it) they both look great, and it makes it hard to determine a winner from these shots. But a bit closer inspection shows that the Galaxy S II does a better job showing the difference in the lighting color temperature, even with the big white area in the background to try to fool it. Because of that. the Galaxy S II wins this round, but only by a nerd hair. We're more than happy with either, but we have to have a winner.
Galaxy Nexus = 0
Galaxy S II = 1
With flash
Galaxy Nexus on the left, Galaxy S II on the right
The best way to ruin a decent picture-taking opportunity is to use your cell phone with its flash. Superbright LEDs (that's a real model, look it up!) tend to wash everything out, and the software and optics in a cell phone just can't compensate for it very well. While either one of these pictures would be just fine for sharing on Google+, neither are as good as the ones taken sans flash. To choose a winner, I looked at how the Galaxy S II knocks the exposure value down to compensate for the bright flash, and makes the image dark. I'd rather have the small areas of wash-out and a bright picture like the one taken with the Galaxy Nexus than one that's been manipulated to be too dark. This round goes to the Galaxy Nexus.
Galaxy Nexus = 1
Galaxy S II = 1
Digital zoom
Galaxy Nexus on the left, Galaxy S II on the right
Both the Galaxy Nexus and the Galaxy S II have built-in digital zoom, and like using the flash, digital zooming is a great way to ruin a good picture. Don't do it unless you have to. Not heeding my own advice (we had to look) I zoomed in as far as possible with each phone and snapped some pics of the soup can. While they look OK as a thumbnail, click them to see a bigger version. Yeah, digital zoom sucks, and it sucks much more on the Galaxy Nexus. Things look more grainy and washed out when you zoom in, and this is amplified with the Galaxy Nexus. The Galaxy S II breaks the tie and wins this round.
Galaxy Nexus = 1
Galaxy S II = 2
Zoom detail
Galaxy Nexus on the left, Galaxy S II on the right
What's worse than using the zoom on your Android phone's camera? Using the zoom then getting really close to grab a close-up. Neither one of these looks particularly good, but the Galaxy S II is the clear winner. It's sharper, less grainy and has far less noise.
Galaxy Nexus = 1
Galaxy S II = 3
Panorama
Galaxy Nexus
Galaxy S II
While panorama shots are mostly a gimmick, they are a very cool gimmick and pano-mode is available on both the phone's were testing here. Taking a panorama of the city or the mountains from 500 yards away is one thing, but we wanted to get up close and make it harder. There's not a lot of detail in either picture, but there's not really supposed to be -- the file sizes get shrunk and you lose a lot of the picture data during compression. That's just how the panorama software on both phones works.
This one's really a wash, because when dealing with small objects up-close you see every stitching defect. Look at the Band-Aid box and the right side of the tent in the picture taken with the Galaxy Nexus, and look at the Sprint Hero box and soup can in the picture taken with the Galaxy S II. I'm picking a winner on ease-of-use, and the Galaxy Nexus gave me less errors while taking the panorama shots in the tight confines of a light tent. It gets the nod here, but we're not giving any points to either one. This one was just a fun throw-away.
Galaxy Nexus = 1
Galaxy S II = 3
Front-facing camera
Galaxy Nexus on the left, Galaxy S II on the right
You shouldn't expect too much from the front facing camera on any Android phone. they're just there for video chatting and conferencing, not for MySpace quality portraits. But because video chat is something that's finally caught on, it's an important category. Both pictures are clear enough, and show as much detail as we should expect from the lower quality sensors, but there's one big difference -- The Galaxy S II corrects the white balance under the bright white lights a bit too much. That healthy glow you see in the picture on the right isn't very accurate -- I'm a nerd who has no color to my skin in winter. The Galaxy Nexus shows me in all my pale, geeky glory, so it gets the point here.
Galaxy Nexus = 2
Galaxy S II = 3
Video
Samsung Galaxy Nexus:
Samsung Galaxy S II:
Both the Galaxy Nexus and the Galaxy S II shoot great video at 1080p. Both also jitter a lot if you're not holding things steady, but that happens with most phone cameras while shooting in HD mode. This was another tough one to judge, because both videos look pretty damn good.
In the end, the Galaxy S II is the winner, for two reasons. One is the same we saw at the beginning; the color is rendered more accurately, and the left side of the can was more yellow than the right because of the different lamps used. While the Galaxy Nexus offers digital zoom while shooting in 1080p (and does a fine job), it also takes a bit longer to focus while zooming or moving around. Since I have to pick a winner, the Galaxy S II get's the point.
Galaxy Nexus = 2
Galaxy S II = 4
Wrapping it up
Before the comments about "change the settings" or "use a custom white balance" arrive, that's not the point of this showdown. If you're the type who digs into camera settings and knows just what to adjust based on conditions, this article wasn't for you. Most users (ourselves included) just want to pull our phone out of our pocket, point it at the subject, and take a good picture. That being said, let's continue.
The clear winner here is anyone using one of these two great phones. There's nothing about either that makes it a bad choice, camera performance included. But when we get down to the brass tacks, the Galaxy S II out performs the Galaxy Nexus in more ways when talking about the camera, as well as the most important test -- point and click. Go back to the first comparison shots, and the way the Galaxy S II duplicates the light and shadows, and the level of detail it still offers is pretty hard to beat. If you're buying an Android phone strictly for the camera, go buy the Galaxy S II and you won't be disappointed.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)