People might be crazy about quad-core devices nowadays but mid-range phones are still at hit among smartphone users. Of the many companies, Samsung has been successful in offering such devices. Its previous hitters were the Samsung Galaxy Ace and Ace Plus. In October last year, the company announced its recent version – the Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini.
Like a RingCentral service package that offers a lot of phone services and features, the S3 Mini is also packed with features and functions that can deliver better smartphone experience. But, can it really deliver in terms of functionality? Is it a good choice or is it a smart decision to purchase an S3 Mini unit? To help you out, below is a review that can give you the answer.
Design and Display
In terms of design, the S3 Mini has stuck to the same design the previous versions have. If you are a fan of slim phones, then it is not an option for you. The handset has a thickness of 9.9 mm. However, you would be surprised with the weight. It only weighs 111.5 grams. This is something that users want because it means more convenience in carrying it.
When it comes to the display, the phone doesn’t have that much to offer. For one, it has a smaller screen at 4 inches. This is particularly true when you compare it to the LG Optimus L9 and Sony Xperia with 4.7 inches and 4.3 inches display respectively. The S3 Mini also has a lower resolution display. It would have been better if Samsung engineered the S3 Mini with a WVGA not lower than 480 x 800 pixels. The Xperia has 1280 x 720. In terms of pixel density, the S3 Mini can be at par with others. It has 233 PPI while the L9 has 234 PPI.
All in all, in terms of design and display, the latest from Samsung does not differ that much from its competitors.
Operating System
Like other Samsung’s latest phones, the S3 Mini runs on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. This is great news because Jelly Bean is capable of delivering a smoother UI in terms of general navigation and animation. The OS also allows uses to explore the world of Google Now. Moreover, the phone has Samsung’s Nature UX and other neat features such as natural language recognition software, Direct Call, Smart Stay, Smart Alert and S Voice. These features are very useful and helpful especially if the users use phones to regularly make calls and send short text messages. For example, the Direct Call allows users to call any of his contacts by just lifting the phone to the ear. This is while reading the text message from the contact to be called.
Storage Space
Users can choose between 16 GB or 32 GB storage space and still have the option of expanding it. There is also a slot for microSD which make the memory even bigger. With this, users can download a lot of apps, music files, videos, and others. The card slot can support up to 32 GB. So, all in all, the phone can have up to 64 GB storage.
Primary Camera
It is now common to have 8 MP cameras on mid-range phones. However, the S3 Mini only has 5 MP. This is quite baffling. On the other hand, it has a LED Flash which makes low light photography not an issue.
Considering all these, it is now up to you to decide if the Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini is a good choice or not.
