We’ve written many posts now about the Samsung Galaxy S II (S2), a handset that has got many people excited. It will be available worldwide under different carriers and has already seen a limited release in some countries. So far there’s no confirmed date for the US release but it’s expected it will be available on all the major carriers. We thought it was time give you a review roundup some of the reviews already out, to see what the experts think.
We reckon this handset will take some beating and will be a huge success. Just some of recent articles on the Galaxy S II include some release details for the UK, a brief comparison with the new white iPhone 4 and another look at the Samsung Galaxy S II vs. Droid Bionic vs. Sensation vs. G2X. As a brief recap on its impressive specs we’ll tell you the Galaxy S II has an excellent 4.3-inch Super AMOLED screen, 8-megapixel rear camera with a 2-megapixel front-facing camera, 16/32 of GB storage and 1GB of RAM and will run on the latest Android OS, Android 2.3 Gingerbread. It was originally to be released with a 1GHz dual-core processor but we told recently how that has already been upgraded to a 1.2GHz. Let’s take a look at some of the reviews available then, in order to get an overall impression.
We can’t do a review roundup without giving details from Engadget and Vlad Savov has done a great job with a comprehensive review that covers every aspect of this smartphone. Savov notes, as we have, that the display is really notable with colors that pop out and excellent viewing angles. In fact Savov goes so far as to say that the Galaxy S II’s display is “nothing short of spectacular.” Other aspects covered, range from the hardware, battery life and camera to software, browser and more besides, and in conclusion Savov calls the Galaxy S II “the best Android smartphone yet.” More importantly it’s noted that in fact it could be the “best smartphone, period,” which is a pretty ringing endorsement!
Another detailed review comes from Dan Sung of Pocket-Lint, who rates this phone with 4.5 out of 5 stars and calls it a “cracking experience” and like Engadget, “better than any other Android smartphone.” Very minor complaints included the 1080p DLNA streaming, which was noted could be better, plus minor quibbles with the camera lens but overall the conclusion is that “no one buying this superphone will have anything to complain about.” Fair enough.
Onto another review, this time from Chris Davies over on Slash Gear. Guess what, Davies also says, “this could well be the best Android smartphone on the market today” and noted that iPhone users that were shown the Galaxy S II said they could have their heads turned by it. There were minor criticisms, such as the keyboard, but these were said to “pale in comparison to the Samsung’s strengths.” In conclusion Davies says “we’re running out of reasons not to buy the Galaxy S II.”
The last review we looked at came from Electric Pig by Ben Sillis, who gave the phone a staggering 5 out of 5 star rating and says “Samsung has triumphed again with the Samsung Galaxy S 2.” There are some quibbles about software in this review but not enough to get in the way of it being a “surefire contender for phone of the year,” and again the superb display gets a special mention.
Has any of this helped you to make up your mind about the Galaxy S II? Will you be heading out to purchase this smartphone the minute it’s released in your region? Let us have your thoughts on this by sending us your comments.