Galaxy S II has a compact design (125,3 x 66,1 x 8,5 mm), set in a rectangular shape with rounded edges. The metal-plastic combo goes very well with the display. There is no space between the display and the casing, therefore dust cannot enter. The back panel has a snake skin-like model for a comfortable holding and it is also fingerprint free.
The only downside in design is that it is somehow similar to iPhone 4. Fans who appreciate innovation and diversity will probably avoid buying SGS II for this reason.
The Super AMOLED Plus Display
The Super AMOLED 4-inch display offers clear and intense colors and great imagines quality despite the slight blue hue present in all the colors displayed. The touch works perfectly as well as the pinch-to zoom option.
Hardware
The tested model has a 1 GHz ARM Cortex A9 processor. A Mali 400 MP chip is responsible for GPU acceleration, although its performance is a bit slower than the GeForce from Tegra 2. SGS II brings a 1GB internal memory and another 11,5 GB for storing. Memory can be enhanced via a microSD card. SGS II has an 8MP main LED Flash camera and a 2 MP secondary camera.
Connectivity
SGS II offers WiFi 802.11 b/g/N plus WiFi HotSpot connectivity, quad band GSM (850/900/1800/1900), HSDPA 21 Mbps, Bluetooth 3.0, microUSB and a 3, 5 mm audio jack.
Software: Android 2.3.3
The preinstalled OS is Android Gingerbread and the shell used in TwLauncher is very similar to the iOS interface. TwLauncher brings a new Task Manager to help users close the crashing apps.
Samsung has also preinstalled its own widgets on Twlauncher (Agenda, Bookmark, Buddies, Today, Clock, Email, Picture Frame, and News). Service exchange integration is made via a special mode preinstalled by Samsung. The mode however has too many animations. Hubs (Social, Music, Readers, and Game) are also present on SGSII.
Sound can be turned off when the device is ringing by simply turning it upside down via the Motion feature.
Multimedia: 8 MP, full HD video and DLNA
Camera performance is good even with the flash on. Full HD video recording is also up to the expectations. Photo and video editing options are also available via Photo Editor and Video Maker.
SGS II is compatible with DLNS devices, especially with Smart 3D TV sets.
Conclusion
Samsung Galaxy S II is now an iPhone 4 clone in terms of design and has reported pre-orders of 1-3 million pieces. The success recipe could be summed up as follows: copy another successful smartphone, add Android OS and an excellent display and sales will boom.
Samsung Galaxy S II is a smartphone that impresses in all aspects: it is very light (weighing only 116 grams) considering its size (125,3 x 66,1 x 8,5 mm) and it offers a 4,3-inch display together with a 1650 mAh battery.
Even without the Tegra 2 mode (embedded in Optimus 2 X) SGS 2 still offers great performance. It also brings Flash 10 for browsing which needs to be activated manually.
The main issue is that SGS II looks too much like iPhone and Samsung really need to create something new in terms of design and software. The resemblance to the iOS is just too striking.
Options for email and social networking contacts are available but they should be improved.
PROS
+ Excellent Super AMOLED Plus display
+ Very light and thin
+ Excellent video and browsing performance
+ Full HD recording available
+ DLNA compatibility
CONS
- Battery could have been better
- Some Samsung modes are not fully integrated
- Lack of control and warning LED
- Stability issues
- Somehow iPhone-like design.
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