Samsung Galaxy S II - We study in more detail. Well-forgotten old: review of the smartphone Samsung Galaxy S II Plus Samsung galaxy s2 i9100 new
Samsung seriously took up the project of conquering gadget lovers around the world. Last year we saw a beautiful and controversial masterpiece at the same time - the Galaxy S i9000 model. Beautiful, because hardly anyone remained indifferent after getting to know this smartphone. Its thinness, chic performance and the most colorful display left a lasting impression. And the controversial model was because of the plastic glossy case, which at such a price did not look quite presentable, as well as some similarities with the competitor "X".
Galaxy S has become not only popular, it has become a true religion of android construction. Other manufacturers looked up to him, they tried to catch up with him in terms of performance, camera quality, etc. Has anyone done this in the past year? No. Forgive me, fans of other manufacturers and owners of other flagships of last year, but the SGS was fast, kept a lot of memory on board and, which no one can boast of, the pictures and videos taken with the Galaxy turned out to be Hollywood. The first who encroached on the place of the leader of photo and video shooting became, but this is already a model of the new year. Yes, and with her Galaxy S is easy to compete.
Surprisingly, Samsung managed to release not just good smartphone, but a good long-playing smartphone. While, by the standards of modern smartphone construction, the life span of the Galaxy S should have faded, the second nexus came out - Nexus S, based on the i9000. After some time, the company releases modifications of the Galaxy S with a different display, with a different processor. Surprisingly, even after a year, the smartphone remains relevant almost as much as before. Many of my friends are buying SGS right now, because of the reduced cost and the lack of alternatives for this money. I myself recommend it. If you don't already know, I have both a Nexus S and a Galaxy S in my family.
But if you are satisfied with a successful product for a long time, you can follow the path of the N company. And the company "M" after a while will be glad to enter into a partnership with you. It's like we wrote one successful article and then didn't write anything for a month. Samsung understands this, so today we will talk not about the i9000, but about the i9100 or samsung galaxy S2.
This is the direct successor of the legendary "galaxy". Since the parent was a particular revolutionary in the market, the son must be brought up in the best traditions. And get proportionately better. What happened?
Design and first impressions
Before the first acquaintance with the SGS 2, I was ready for the following: it is thin, too wide and not very comfortable to hold in your hand. Objectively, this is true. Subjectively, I have huge paws and the sizes are comfortable for me. In the video review, I easily twist it, in one hand, demonstrating appearance. Galaxy S 2 is really incredibly thin - only 8.5 mm. If for the first SGS I posed the question: “How did all this fit in such a weight?”, Now I pose the question: “How did so much technological goodness fit into a smartphone, as thick as pantyhose?”
Feelings from the body materials are not enthusiastic. I admired the body, although these devices are in different price categories. The case is completely plastic, and in some places the plastic seems to be of less quality than in the first Galaxy S. The phone is assembled well, during use I could not feel the appearance of backlashes, I think there will be no problems with this. There is no flexibility of the case for bending and torsion, which I observed in SE Xperia arc. Glossy surfaces have become much less, for example, the entire back cover is corrugated. Of course, the feeling of an expensive thing, as in the case of the iPhone 4, does not appear, but this is at the level of stereotypes. It is interesting that Samsung really does not pay attention to such "little things" as the metal in the case, but users do not go on strike about this either.
The design clearly shows the features of its predecessor, but the second “galaxy” does not evoke such strong associations with a competitor. Now this is a unique model, no one will consider you a poor smartphone owner who has not saved up for a competitor. To complete the experience, you must not only twist the smartphone in your hands, but also turn on the display. Here he just gives the most originality to the model.
In general, the impressions are cool, but, frankly, I expected a little more.
Location of elements and their description
Let's move on to the boring part of the review - the consideration of the elements located on the sides of the SGS 2.
In front we see a large 4.27″ display with a resolution of 480x800 pixels, made using Super AMOLED Plus technology. The resolution is the same as on the previous model, and with a larger diagonal, the clarity should be less. But she is more! The reason for this is the rejection of PenTile technology, now not two, but three subpixels are located at one point. It looks like this:
In practice, the picture at 4.27″ on the SGS 2 is sharper than at 4″ on the SGS. The screen continues to amaze with its colors, I think for a smartphone and a mobile device in general - Super AMOLED (even without the PLUS prefix) is the right technology. In addition, now you yourself can adjust the temperature of the image by choosing a comfortable range of colors for yourself in the settings.
The block of control keys is similar to that in the original SGS. Above the screen is the front camera, proximity and light sensors, as well as a speaker.
On the right is the key to lock the screen and turn on the device, on the left is the volume key.
The MicroUSB connector is now on the bottom and rightly so, in the first model it is not the best location. Rather, it would be more unfortunate only to place it on the front side, near the screen. Only the headphone jack remains on the top. Above and below there is also a microphone.
The back side pleased with practicality. The gloss remained, but only at the very bottom, on the ledge. By the way, this solution may not be the most successful, because with this protrusion the phone will rest on all surfaces and will definitely be matted over time. Yes, and the quality of glossy plastic seemed worse to me than in the original Galaxy S, but in general, of course, this arrangement of materials is better.
What is surprising is the camera. In a case of this thickness, they placed not just a camera “for show”, but a full-fledged photo and video camera. Both photographs and videos are of excellent quality and without any discounts on thickness. Pictures can be taken at a maximum resolution of 8 MP, and videos at 1080p. The manufacturer claims a frame rate of 30 frames / s even at the maximum resolution, but with the naked eye you can see that the picture is much smoother in 720p.
I can call the Samsung Galaxy S 2 camera, if not the best, then one of the 2-3 best on the phone market in general. With such a size! Ai-yay-yay to all competitors! This is just the smartphone that you can safely take on vacation instead of a photo and video camera. This is not a "reflex camera", but for a good memory, a very high-quality solution.
Photo examples
Video examples
The battery cover is so thin that it's hard to just take it without bending it. However, the plastic is elastic, you are unlikely to break it if you use the phone without fanaticism.
Under the cover we see a battery with a capacity of 1650 mAh. This is almost a record capacity among Android smartphones. The battery of the same capacity is installed in the Samsung i9003 Galaxy SL, but the Galaxy S 2 lasts longer on a single charge. This is due to the more economical display technology, even compared to the previous generation Super AMOLED, Plus is more careful about the battery. Also, the processor reduces the frequency when tasks do not require all the performance. SGS2 I easily lived a day and looked much nicer in terms of autonomy than my Nexus S.
Above the battery are card slots. microSD memory and SIM cards.
Unfortunately, the camera key was never stuck; with such dimensions, taking pictures while aiming at the key on the display is not very convenient.
BY
The smartphone is sold with the latest Android version— 2.3 Gingerbread. As expected, TouchWiz fourth edition was pulled over Android. Of the features, I note the modified function of adding widgets or icons to the desktop, advanced settings for energy saving, and many others. system settings. The Samsung Galaxy S 2 has a gyroscope. For example, you can zoom in on images in the gallery or scale pages in the browser by slightly tilting the body, after placing two fingers on the screen. Pretty cool I'll tell you and it works clearly.
Pleased with the presence of photo and video editors right in the stock smartphone. The controls in these applications are intuitive, and perhaps they will be useful to you.
Specifications
This is the strength of the device. The Galaxy S 2 is Samsung's first dual-core smartphone powered by a proprietary Exynos 4210 processor clocked at 1.2GHz. When compared to Nvidia Tegra 2, the difference is imperceptible. However, there is a nuance, all games developed for dual-core processors are sharpened (read, imposed by marketers) for Tegra 2. Of course, the Galaxy S 2 can easily cope with them, but you can’t do without finishing the software.
The smartphone does not just work quickly, the interface literally flies out of hand. During the use of "bzikov" from TouchWiz, I did not notice. 1 GB random access memory take running applications practically unrealistic.
The main memory of the smartphone is formatted in FAT32, which negates the possibility of recording large files. The need for such files on the phone is negligible, but the fact itself is not encouraging.
Audio playback at a good level. The sound quality should satisfy an open-minded music lover, but it falls short of the iPhone 4.
Video of many formats is played out of the box, DivX/XVid are supported.
- Dimensions: 125.30 x 66.10 x 8.49mm
- Weight: 116 g
- Operating system: Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread
- CPU: Exynos 4210 1.2GHz
- Display: capacitive, 4.27 inches, Super AMOLED Plus, 480x800 pixels
- Memory: 16/32 GB flash, microSD slot (up to 32 GB)
- RAM: 1 GB
- Camera: 8 MP, 1080p video recording, front camera
- Wireless technologies: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0+EDR (A2DP),
- Interface connectors: microUSB, 3.5mm headphone jack
- Battery: lithium-ion, 1650 mAh
conclusions
Before I say that we have one of the most anticipated new products of the year in our hands, I reviewed several large forums and everywhere the Samsung Galaxy S 2 discussion threads have already grown more than the branches of most established models. This despite the fact that the smartphone is not yet sold everywhere. The receiver of the first SGS was interesting long before the announcement, many were trying to guess what it would be like. Were expectations justified? I can't tell what it is perfect smartphone for some reasons, including a proprietary processor, a plastic case and others, but already trifles. But after all, there were more questions for the first Galaxy S, remember at least all the negativity that poured in its direction because of the completely glossy case. Nevertheless, the model became a real bestseller, even I had to buy it.
It is a little embarrassing that the model has a chance to become a kind of passing link between the Galaxy S and Galaxy S 3, which, according to some rumors, may appear as early as this fall. We are not talking about the fact that the second generation will immediately lose its relevance, but the question will be why the manufacturer is so quickly bringing to market a replacement for the flagship. But my opinion is that this should not happen for completely banal reasons - 3-4 months is too short a time for the life of a flagship. In the third quarter, the second Galaxy should only get to the states, so the autumn trio will most likely remain a rumor.
In my opinion, this is one of the most feature-rich and technically advanced smartphones. I think the Galaxy S 2 is great for advanced bloggers and journalists, when at any time you may need to make high-quality material and post it on the site, while not being at your workplace. You can shoot a "hot" video (in a good way), edit it, describe it and publish it on your blog or on your resource. Well, isn't it a song?
Information about the make, model, and alternative names of a particular device, if any.
Design
Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Used materials, suggested colors, certificates.
| Width Width information refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 66.1 mm (millimeters) 6.61 cm (centimeters) 0.22 ft 2.6in |
| Height Height information refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 125.3 mm (millimeters) 12.53 cm (centimeters) 0.41ft 4.93in |
| Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units measurements. | 8.5 mm (millimeters) 0.85 cm (centimeters) 0.03 ft 0.33in |
| Weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement. | 116 g (grams) 0.26 lbs 4.09oz |
| Volume Approximate volume of the device, calculated from dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. | 70.4 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 4.28 in³ (cubic inches) |
SIM card
The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.
Mobile networks
A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.
Mobile technologies and data rates
Communication between devices in mobile networks is carried out through technologies that provide different data transfer rates.
Operating system
The operating system is the system software that manages and coordinates the operation of the hardware components in the device.
SoC (System on a Chip)
System on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device in one chip.
| SoC (System on a Chip) A system on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components such as a processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation. | Samsung Exynos 4 Dual 4210 |
| Technological process Information about technological process on which the chip is made. The value in nanometers measures half the distance between the elements in the processor. | 45 nm (nanometers) |
| Processor (CPU) The main function of the processor (CPU) of a mobile device is the interpretation and execution of instructions contained in software applications. | ARM Cortex-A9 |
| Processor bit depth The bit depth (bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have more high performance compared to 32-bit processors, which for their part are more productive than 16-bit processors. | 32 bit |
| Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands by which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute. | ARMv7 |
| First level cache (L1) Cache memory is used by the processor to reduce access time to more frequently accessed data and instructions. L1 (level 1) cache is small and much faster than system memory, and other cache levels. If the processor does not find the requested data in L1, it continues to look for them in the L2 cache. With some processors, this search is performed simultaneously in L1 and L2. | 32 kB + 32 kB (kilobytes) |
| Second level cache (L2) L2 (level 2) cache is slower than L1, but in return it has a larger capacity, allowing more data to be cached. It, like L1, is much faster than system memory (RAM). If the processor does not find the requested data in L2, it continues to look for it in the L3 cache (if available) or RAM. | 1024 KB (kilobytes) 1 MB (megabytes) |
| Number of processor cores The processor core performs program instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing many instructions to be executed in parallel. | 2 |
| Processor clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). | 1200 MHz (megahertz) |
| Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphic applications. In mobile devices, it is used most often by games, consumer interface, video applications, etc. | ARM Mali-400 MP4 |
| Number of cores GPU Like the CPU, the GPU is made up of several working parts called cores. They handle the graphical calculations of different applications. | 4 |
| GPU clock speed Speed is the clock speed of the GPU and is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). | 266 MHz (megahertz) |
| The amount of random access memory (RAM) Random access memory (RAM) is used by the operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost when the device is turned off or restarted. | 1 GB (gigabytes) |
| Type of random access memory (RAM) Information about the type of random access memory (RAM) used by the device. | LPDDR2 |
Built-in memory
Each mobile device has a built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed amount.
Memory cards
Memory cards are used in mobile devices to increase the storage capacity for storing data.
Screen
The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.
| Type/technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the image quality of information directly depends. | Super AMOLED Plus |
| Diagonal For mobile devices, the screen size is expressed in terms of its diagonal length, measured in inches. | 4.3in 109.22 mm (millimeters) 10.92 cm (centimeters) |
| Width Approximate Screen Width | 2.21in 56.19 mm (millimeters) 5.62 cm (centimeters) |
| Height Approximate Screen Height | 3.69in 93.66 mm (millimeters) 9.37 cm (centimeters) |
| Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side | 1.667:1 5:3 |
| Permission Screen resolution indicates the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. More a high resolution means sharper image detail. | 480 x 800 pixels |
| Pixel Density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be shown on the screen in clearer detail. | 217 ppi (pixels per inch) 85 ppcm (pixels per centimeter) |
| Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for the color components in a single pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors the screen can display. | 24 bit 16777216 flowers |
| Screen area Approximate percentage of screen space on the front of the device. | 63.75% (percentage) |
| Other characteristics Information about other functions and features of the screen. | capacitive Multitouch Scratch resistance |
| Corning Gorilla Glass |
Sensors
Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that are recognized by the mobile device.
rear camera
The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on its rear panel and can be combined with one or more additional cameras.
| Sensor type Information about the type of camera sensor. Some of the most widely used sensor types in mobile device cameras are CMOS, BSI, ISOCELL, etc. | CMOS BSI (backside illumination) |
| Sensor size Information about the size of the photosensor used in the device. Typically, cameras with a larger sensor and lower pixel density offer more high quality images despite the lower resolution. | 4.54 x 3.42 mm (millimeters) 0.22in |
| Pixel size Pixels are usually measured in microns. Larger pixels are able to capture more light and therefore provide better low-light performance and a wider dynamic range than smaller pixels. On the other hand, smaller pixels allow higher resolution while maintaining the same sensor size. | 1.391 µm (micrometers) 0.001391 mm (millimeters) |
| crop factor The crop factor is the ratio between the size of a full-frame sensor (36 x 24mm, equivalent to a frame of standard 35mm film) and the size of the device's photosensor. The number shown is the diagonal ratio of the full-frame sensor (43.3 mm) and the photosensor specific device. | 7.61 |
| ISO (light sensitivity) The ISO value/number indicates the sensitivity of the sensor to light. Sensors digital cameras operate within a certain ISO range. The higher the ISO number, the higher the sensor's sensitivity to light. | 100 - 800 |
| Svetlosila Luminosity (also known as f-stop, aperture, or f-number) is a measure of the size of a lens aperture that determines the amount of light that enters the sensor. The lower the f-number, the larger the aperture and the more light reaches the sensor. Usually, the number f is indicated, which corresponds to the maximum possible aperture of the aperture. | f/2.6 |
| Focal length Focal length indicates the distance in millimeters from the sensor to the optical center of the lens. The equivalent focal length (35mm) is the focal length of a mobile device camera that is equal to the focal length of a 35mm full-frame sensor that would achieve the same angle of view. It is calculated by multiplying the actual focal length of the mobile device's camera by the crop factor of its sensor. The crop factor can be defined as the ratio between the 35mm diagonals of a full-frame sensor and a mobile device sensor. | 3.97 mm (millimeters) 30.22 mm (millimeters) *(35 mm / full frame) |
| Flash type The rear (rear) cameras of mobile devices mainly use LED flashes. They can be configured with one, two or more light sources and vary in shape. | LED |
| Image resolution One of the main characteristics of cameras is resolution. It represents the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in an image. For convenience, smartphone manufacturers often list resolution in megapixels, giving an approximate number of pixels in millions. | 3264 x 2448 pixels 7.99 MP (megapixels) |
| Video resolution Information about the maximum video resolution that the camera can record. | 1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels) |
| Video recording speed (frame rate) Information about the maximum recording rate (frames per second, fps) supported by the camera at maximum resolution. Some of the most basic video recording speeds are 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, 60 fps. | 30 fps (frames per second) |
| Characteristics Information about additional software and hardware features of the rear (rear) camera. | autofocus Burst shooting digital zoom Digital Image Stabilization geo tags panoramic shooting Face recognition Adjusting the white balance ISO setting Exposure compensation Self-timer Scene Selection Mode Macro mode |
Front-camera
Smartphones have one or more front cameras of various designs - a pop-up camera, a PTZ camera, a cutout or hole in the display, a camera under the display.
Audio
Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.
Radio
The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.
Location determination
Information about navigation and location technologies supported by the device.
WiFi
Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for short distance data transmission between different devices.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between different types of devices over short distances.
| Version There are several versions of Bluetooth, with each subsequent one improving communication speed, coverage, making it easier to discover and connect devices. Information about the Bluetooth version of the device. | 3.0 |
| Characteristics Bluetooth uses different profiles and protocols for faster data transfer, power savings, better device discovery, and more. Some of the profiles and protocols that the device supports are shown here. | A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) AVCTP (Audio/Video Control Transport Protocol) AVDTP (Audio/Video Distribution Transport Protocol) AVRCP (Audio/Visual Remote Control Profile) GAVDP (Generic Audio/Video Distribution Profile) GAP (Generic Access Profile) HFP (Hands Free Profile) HID (Human Interface Profile) HSP (Headset Profile) MAP (Message Access Profile) OPP (Object Push Profile) PBAP/PAB (Phone Book Access Profile) SPP (Serial Port Protocol) SAP/SIM/rSAP (SIM Access Profile) HS |
USB
USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to communicate.
HDMI
HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is a digital audio/video interface that replaces older analog audio/video standards.
Headphone jack
This is an audio connector, which is also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.
Connecting devices
Information about other important connection technologies supported by the device.
Browser
A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.
| Browser Information about some of the key features and standards supported by the device's browser. | HTML Flash |
Audio file formats/codecs
Mobile devices support various audio file formats and codecs that store and encode/decode digital audio data, respectively.
Video file formats/codecs
Mobile devices support various video file formats and codecs, which store and encode/decode digital video data, respectively.
Battery
Mobile device batteries differ from each other in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge they need to function.
| Capacity The capacity of a battery indicates the maximum charge it can store, measured in milliamp-hours. | 1650 mAh (milliamp-hours) |
| Type The type of battery is determined by its structure and, more specifically, by the chemicals used. Exist different types batteries, with lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries most commonly used in mobile devices. | Li-Ion (Li-Ion) |
| Talk time 2G Talk time in 2G is the period of time during which the battery is completely discharged during a continuous conversation in a 2G network. | 18 hours 20 minutes 18.3 h (hours) 1099.8 min (minutes) 0.8 days |
| 2G standby time The 2G standby time is the amount of time it takes for the battery to fully discharge when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 2G network. | 710 h (hours) 42600 min (minutes) 29.6 days |
| 3G talk time Talk time in 3G is the period of time during which the battery is completely discharged during a continuous conversation in a 3G network. | 8 hours 40 minutes 8.7 h (hours) 520.2 min (minutes) 0.4 days |
| 3G standby time The 3G standby time is the amount of time it takes for the battery to fully discharge when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 3G network. | 610 h (hours) 36600 min (minutes) 25.4 days |
| Characteristics Information about some additional features device battery. | Removable |
Predecessor this smartphone — Samsung model Galaxy S was very successful, the company did not expect such a success (both in sales and reviews of the device). As we see Samsung Galaxy S2 became a bestseller in every sense. The model has powerful characteristics, thin body, very high-quality display, etc. The model has set a new benchmark for the flagship. What's in it? You can find out about this by reading our review.
The Samsung Galaxy S II is the new phone of the Korean company Samsung and the heir best smartphones today, thanks to the processor with 1.2 GHz clock frequency, ultra thin body and really remarkable ergonomics.
The dual-core processor race is intensifying more and more, the LG Optimus 2 can already be found on the market. With the advent of Motorola Atrix, and , the race for the throne in the market will always be uncertain, and all the eyes of loyal Samsung fans and customers are fixed when looking at the Samsung Galaxy II in hope that he will be as successful as his predecessor. The Samsung Galaxy S II is simply incredibly thin, provided that its size cannot be considered small. Although it measures 125.3mm x 66.1mm, the 8.5mm thick device is truly an innovation, making it one of the thinnest on the market. mobile phones, next to and Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc.
Contents of delivery:
Telephone
Battery Li-Ion 1650 mAh
Wired stereo headset
USB cable
Charger
Design
There are many different opinions and visions here. Those who judge by the picture and say that this model has the same appearance as its predecessor, someone complains that the device has become wider. Someone expected a change in design. Samsung decided that the design of the first Galaxy S was good, so they decided not to change it.
Due to the fact that the device became larger, it was made thinner. only 8.5 mm, and this makes the device one of the thinnest devices on the market.
For clarity, let's take the dimensions of the phone - 125.3 x 66.1 x 8.5 mm, and for comparison, let's take the rims of its predecessor Galaxy S - 122.4x64.2x9.9 mm, and its weight is only 116 grams. Although the device is slightly wider than the Galaxy S, you adapt to it quickly quite quickly, there is no discomfort. It's nice that the device is invisible in your pocket despite its size.
Many people ask why the back cover is plastic and not metal? There is a very simple answer to this question. With active use of the phone (watching videos, downloading large files), it starts to get very hot. If the back cover were metal, then the device would burn the user's hands. A plastic cover with notches was invented for a reason, it is a kind of radiator. But even so, the phone gets a little warm. The lid is thin and when you close it, you need to run your finger around the perimeter to make sure the lid is completely closed. Despite the thin lid, it is resistant to both impact and bending.
The phone has a 2-megapixel front camera, a proximity sensor and a light sensor.
The menu and back buttons are touch-sensitive, but the central one is mechanical.
On the left side we can find a paired volume rocker,
and on the right side is the on/off button.
The camera key has not yet been removed from the outside, so the camera will have to be called from the menu. But for photographing, you can use the volume key.
On the top of the phone, we can see the 3.5mm headphone jack, while the microUSB connector is placed on the bottom of the phone.
On the back of the phone are an 8-megapixel camera lens, an LED flash, and a speaker.
Although the case is plastic, it is not erased anywhere. The exception is the rear ledge, where a slight wear appears. Which is only visible in good light. Even if you used a small monoblock before and decided to buy this phone for yourself, you will not regret it. For the first few days, you will not feel any inconvenience in use.
Display
There are many reviews Super AMOLED Plus It's just a marketing ploy. For a clear example, let's compare the picture on it with a picture from a regular SuperAMOLED. It is brighter, sharper with an increased screen diagonal, the main thing is that the screen began to consume less energy (the option to save energy appeared in the settings).
The first SuperAMOLED matrices used PenTile technology, this is when one dot is formed from two pindots. a small number of pinpoints gave some distortion on the screen, along with high definition annoyed some phone owners. The only visible flaw was that the fonts had a sharp outline outlined by a ladder. Galaxy II showed that this problem resolved. This decision is due to the Real RGB Stripe technology, which was used in SuperAMOLED Plus matrices. now the point is formed from three subpoints. The image shows the difference between these two technologies, increasing the number of subdots makes the picture smoother, including fonts.
The screen in the sun behaves worse than in the first Galaxy, this is due to the fact that the matrix has increased, but the extension has remained the same, plus the technology has changed. On the SuperAMOLED Plus matrix, the image looks smooth, with well-chosen brightness controls. The main point is that the user can choose the saturation of the image (Movie, Standard, Dynamic).
The screen has a diagonal of 4.3 inches (in Samsung Galaxy S - 4 inches, but the difference is huge, striking), resolution - 800x480 pixels (displays 16 million colors). Protective glass tempered Gorilla Glass, and coated with a special anti-glare coating. Used technology VibeZ with which, when you press the control keys, you will feel a slight vibration of the phone, means confirmation of pressing the key.
For clarity, we will show how the image looks on the screen.
Battery
The phone uses Li-ion battery with a capacity of 1650 mAh. According to the manufacturer, the battery can withstand up to 6.5 hours of talk time and up to 350 hours of standby time. Charges in approximately 3 hours. The video plays for approximately 8.5 hours. Music plays up to 30 hours.
To test the endurance of this phone, I took its predecessor. With the same Samsung settings Galaxy SII performed well and lasted much longer. Of course, each user can customize this device for themselves. Of course, the fewer programs will be launched and the lower the screen brightness, the longer the phone will work until the next charge.
USB, Bluetooth, NFC, connectivity
bluetooth. Version 3.0, often referred to as High Speed. When transferring files to devices that support this technology, Wi-Fi 802.11 n is used, and in theory the speed should be 24 Mbps. The test showed that when transferring a 1 GB file, the maximum speed was about 12 Mbps at a distance of up to three meters between devices. The model supports various profiles, in particular, Headset, Handsfree, Serial Port, Dial Up Networking, File Transfer, Object Push, Basic Printing, SIM Access, A2DP. The headset does not raise any questions.
USB connection. There are three modes ( media player, mass storage, Samsung Kies), one of which can be selected from the menu.
When you select the USB Mass Storage mode, the phone is perfectly recognized without additional drivers, you can copy the necessary data. USB version is 2, transfer rate is about 25Mb/s.
One inconvenience when connecting to a PC is not the ability to simultaneously USB work i Bluetooth, the phone asks to exclude bluetooth. The positive is that when USB connection the device is charging
The USB on the Go function is also supported, which means that using the microUSB adapter for the phone, you can connect any USB flash drive or external hard disk, then file manager it will be possible to view files, copy them, etc..
This is the first dual core phone from Samsung, and the Orion processor is used inside, which was recently renamed Exynos 4210. The processor is dual-core with a maximum frequency of 1.2 GHz.
The amount of RAM is 1 GB, after downloading about 800 MB is free. This is enough for all programs, the phone has one of the best RAM on the market.
Camera
The model is equipped with an 8-megapixel camera. The maximum photo resolution is 3264 x 2448 pixels. It is possible to record video with FullHD-1080p resolution. The maximum video resolution is 1920 x 1080 pixels. Zoom digital, 4x, you just need to swipe the screen with two fingers to activate it. This is a very convenient implementation. There is also a front-facing 2-megapixel camera for video calls.
The flash has three modes: always on, off, auto.
Focusing - autofocus, face, macro.
(Important for students. The following photos show that you can clearly and accurately photograph small text (cribs) both at close range and from a distance of up to 50cm.)
Menu and Programs
For a more detailed acquaintance, we will demonstrate the menu and some programs in this device.
The main menu is shown below. Navigating through it is quite convenient, with your finger to move the picture to the left or right, since the menu is divided into four screens.
A similar "setup" menu is the "Files" menu. In this menu, you can view, copy and delete all files on your phone and memory card.
Radio and player
Let's review some of the standard programs that you will learn, although not all but one of the two for sure.
Let's start with the sound, that is, with the players.
Up to 99 radio stations can be stored in the device's memory, the range of available frequencies is from 87.5 MHz to 108 MHz. The radio is running in the background.
Now about the audio player. The device supports 5.1 mode for headphones, the sound becomes surround. There are equalizers, but they are not customizable. Everything else is quite familiar - a filter by artists, albums, song titles. The quality of music playback is not bad, the device sounds good. For my unpretentious taste, this is the ideal apparatus for music.
Calendar
Do you know what I miss in a regular calendar on Android OS? Week number designation. Samsung took care of this and all calendars show this little thing, which is convenient. Also, the calendar in SGS2 has been heavily redesigned compared to previous version. When viewing for a month, days with events are highlighted in small squares, the more there are, the more events. For a single day, you can see three events, they are reflected below. A fairly convenient calendar, which is very different from the standard one in Android.
Reader Hub
This application contains three functions at once - work with periodicals such as newspapers, work with books, and magazines.
Newspapers, you can sort by country or language, select those newspapers you are interested in and download them. You can also subscribe to selected newspapers. The cost is not very high, it may vary depending on the country where you are. Initially offered up to 7 free downloads, you can try to look through the newspapers, to understand how interested you are in the service.
Magazines, here is about the same idea as in newspapers, but the implementation is more interesting. You can subscribe to your publications or buy their individual editions. The service is well known Android platform so I won't describe it in detail.
Books, you can search literature in different languages, download books, buy them. The set of books is quite large, there are free editions, as a rule, these are classics. As a book reader, this application is convenient, it’s a pity that you can’t upload your books to it, so if you plan to read on the device, you will have to install your own reader (and there are quite a few of them).
Social Hub
One of the most controversial items on the phone, Social Hub is actually a feature from the Bada platform that has been ported to Android. The user does not see this, but all his accounts are entered on the Samsung servers in order to provide push (only enabled for mail). In the application itself, you are shown mail messages and SMS / MMS in one stream, which is very inconvenient and duplicates the usual SMS items, as well as the mail section. The second tab is Feeds, where messages from Twitter / Facebook (if configured) come in a continuous stream. For people who have many acquaintances on the sites and you communicate with them through the sites and several at once, this program is very convenient because you will receive all messages in one stream. I would have preferred separate programs for Twitter instead of such a list, as well as a separate application for Facebook (it's good that they can be easily downloaded on Android). There is no particular point in reinventing the wheel in the case of the Social Hub, the function turned out to be strange.
Photo Editor
Enough interesting program, it allows you to apply various filters to your photos, add text, change them, and so on. The editor is suitable for changing the picture on the phone when a computer is not required, but something needs to be done very quickly.
Task Manager
submitted separate application, in it you can either close individual programs or completely clear the memory. Quite a handy utility that replaces the standard one.
Now let's look at other programs.
Contacts
And finally, to finally make sure that this is not only a good smartphone from a software point of view, but also an excellent phone (in the sense that it is easy to call and type SMS). By default, the phone prompts you to save contacts to the phone memory. In my opinion, this is not the best solution, it's good that you can choose the default action, i.e., for example, save only in one or another memory. In the general list, you can swipe on a contact from left to right, then the default dialing will begin, or by swiping in the opposite direction, you will start typing a message. A trifle that is not obvious, but speeds up the work with the phone. Exactly the same principle in the list recent contacts, dialed and so on.
Conclusion
The speaker in the phone is loud, at the same level as in the first Galaxy S, there are no differences as such. If you liked the first model through the speaker, then a friend will do. The vibrating alert is quite weak, it is not always possible to feel it through clothes, this is a small drawback.
I like the device without any reservations, from a technical point of view it is one of the best devices on the market today. Almost no manufacturer has yet technical capabilities the same level of technology. And really impressive.
The release of the first Galaxy S made Samsung a leader in the Android market, and other manufacturers began to create similar devices. But the release of the Samsung S II means that many companies simply won't be able to afford this level of technology. For example, in Sony Ericsson, the creation of a similar product will cost a lot of money, and it will turn out to be unprofitable, the same story for other companies.
The heated discussion of this model in various forums shows a simple truth: this model has not gone unnoticed by people. Moreover, the same discussions were at the release of the first Galaxy. On the other hand, one could often hear the voices of those who believe that there is nothing new in the device, and the price is high, and it is worth buying the first Galaxy. This is a classic situation, which means that both products can exist on the market at the same time.
As an alternative to the Samsung Galaxy S II, Optimus 2x, which is built on the NVIDIA Tegra2 platform, can act. Hardware solutions are on the same level in terms of performance, but the solution from LG loses in terms of screen, lack of a large number of additional features (I don’t even take into account the interface or additional programs, but only hardware solutions). Considering all this, the prices of these devices are at a similar level. Recall that the i9003 (Galaxy R) model was released a little later, which is based on the NVIDIA Tegra2 platform, but with a regular SuperClear TFT screen. But it seems to me the worst value for money.
Alternatively, I like Sony Ericsson Arc. It is also thin, quite comfortable and stylish. But the processor is single-core, which will confuse technology enthusiasts. In terms of a set of interfaces and features, this device from Sony Ericsson is also simpler than the model from Samsung. Life cycle the models are smaller, and it is more focused on those who choose the design, and consider everything else less important. In fact, this device repeats the fate of the Sony Ericsson X10, which was sold successfully for several months, and then stopped selling. And it is worth noting that the camera in Arc is somewhat weaker.
A year ago
The Samsung Galaxy S II GT-I9100 smartphone is whatever you say, a whole era of phone development, when it appeared in 2009, I remember some others running with clamshells, for 10 years it has been working like a "Swiss watch" only the battery has changed once. The memory is great, the camera is amazing, the playback is certainly not 3D, but still normal considering the age.
2 years ago
The flagship of the flagships of its time. Productive, with the best camera and screen. The phone is practically without flaws - for many years after the release, in terms of image quality, it could compete with middle-class devices.
2 years ago
Very tenacious: it fell a huge number of times, my cat attempted on it, I played billiards with it - everything also works. Rugged housing. - An excellent camera, especially for 2011. - The battery was at the level at one time, enough for almost 2 days. - Amoled display - gorgeous picture: juicy, rich colors. Although some people don't like it. Screen size 4.3. Easy to reach with one finger. - The sound is excellent, the speaker is loud. In headphones, with PowerAMP, the equalizer set up as it should and was delighted)
2 years ago
Good day, I bought this device in the middle of 2012, I used it in all conditions, the phone is structurally reliable. In the realities of the last 3 years, it does not withstand any criticism of performance. At the same time, he is Reliable, this is the definition that I have attached to this phone. Not whimsical to use, a decent screen (color reproduction, viewing angles, durability), the phone sits quite comfortably in the hand, the loudspeaker volume pleases. Decent device for its year of release.
2 years ago
For 2018, of course, it’s already old, the model can only be used as a camera no more than 16GB memory goes somewhere, a couple of suggestions and that’s it ... by the way, I’m not the only one who writes from reviews, I don’t know to throw it away .... maybe someone will pick it up but only if he decides ... It's amazing who else sells it from his hands saw the "phenomenon ... Funny
2 years ago
Not killed. It lies almost well in the palm of your hand, you can reach your finger to the far corner.
3 years ago
An impressive amount of internal memory, unlike competitors, is 16 GB plus support for microSDHC 32Gb and even microSDXC 64Gb memory cards (!). Support for a very useful USB OTG host function (the ability to connect flash drives DIRECTLY to a smartphone without the need for a PC). Playback of most popular video formats (AVI, MKV) with all codecs and AC-3 5.1 sound "right out of the box", which competitors again cannot do (in htc, iPhones and sonerics, you need to install an additional third-party video player). Excellent screen. FM radio. Full HD Camcorder. The dual-core processor significantly increases the performance. The presence of a USB-drive mode (USB Mass Storage) when connecting a smartphone to a PC.
3 years ago
3 years ago
Juicy screen, high functionality, high reliability.
3 years ago
I bought it in 2011 and I still don’t part with it, Excellent screen and body, Often dropped and didn’t break and not even scratches Excellent smartphone
A year ago
version operating system 2.3... many Internet browsers no longer support this OS.
2 years ago
Boring design, rather weak battery, a lot of garbage in the firmware.
2 years ago
A bit old in 2018, of course. - Over time, due to the standard firmware, it starts to hang. - A bunch of left software on the stock firmware - there is no LTE here, only 3G. But .. this is 2011)
2 years ago
In the first years of use: the battery, every free moment at the outlet. The phone heats up quite strongly, as a result of which the entire device as a whole lags (including screen response, performance). I replaced the battery in 2016, as it discharged unforgivably quickly, and later the device did not turn on (the battery died completely), replaced it - the phone started working again. The front camera does not inspire for pictures. The main camera is quite slow and demanding on the skills of the photographer (the effect of "trembling hands" is present, the pictures are often blurry). The case of the device "peeled off" and now it's not black, but dark gray or something like that. Sometimes it loses the network, the speed of surfing in browsers is extremely sad, the launch of any game is undesirable. phone morale
2 years ago
junk mamanta
2 years ago
What can I say for 5.5 years of use. With each firmware update, it seems that it starts to work more slowly. I don’t play games, only Yakarta and a browser, + various Yandex applications, social networks, For a long time it loads from tele2 and a megaphone.
3 years ago
Plastic case. Lack of regular free navigation software with voice prompts and offline maps of countries like Nokia's Ovi Maps. Adapter cables for HDMI and USB OTG host are not included with the phone
3 years ago
Over time, it starts to dull and the memory has gone somewhere ... ((
3 years ago
Brakes, lags, AMOLED burnout.
3 years ago
The battery began to discharge quickly a month ago, kept 1-2 hours even when it was turned off. It heats up near the SIM card slot. Paint began to wear off on the sides
Back in May 2011, sales of the Samsung Galaxy S2 started. Characteristics of its hardware and software parameters, owner reviews and other important information about it flagship smartphone will be discussed in more detail later in this article.
List of accessories and components in the box
The characteristics of the S2 phone in terms of its hardware parameters at the time of its release made it possible to classify it as a flagship device. But the equipment of this gadget clearly does not correspond to this fact. The reason here, most likely, lies in the fact that Samsung, like other manufacturers, focuses on Apple products, which sets the tone in the segment of mobile gadgets. Smartphones of the iPhone trademark cannot boast of excellent equipment. Here and with S2 a similar situation. The boxed version of this gadget includes:
- Smartphone.
- Battery.
- Charger.
- Manual.
There can be no talk of any memory card, OTJ interface cable, protective cover and sticker, and stereo headset. Although it will be quite difficult for the owner of this device to do without any of the previously mentioned accessories.
Appearance
S2 has a lot in common with its predecessor - smartphone S, but it is not his an exact copy. The front side of the gadget displays a display protected by tempered glass "Gorilla Eye". Above, above the screen, there are sensor holes and a speaker. Below the display is a typical control panel. It consists of 2 touch (located at the edges of the panel) and one mechanical (it is displayed in the middle) buttons. The lock button is located on the right edge of the device, and the volume rockers are placed on the left side of the smart phone.
On the bottom side of the smartphone there is a hole for a spoken microphone and the main wired port of the device - MicroUSB. On the top side of the gadget, there is only one wired audio port. The back cover of the device is made of structured plastic. Here are the main camera with backlight, the manufacturer's logo and a loud speaker.
Processor and its computing capabilities
One of the best processors 2011 used in Samsung Galaxy S2. The characteristics of its hardware parameters allowed this chip at that time to solve problems of any level of complexity. We are talking about Exynos 4210. This own development South Korean giant This CPU includes 2 cores of the Cortex-A9 architecture. Each of them could dynamically accelerate to 1.2 GHz in the most loaded mode. If there was no need for such high level performance, then one of the computing modules was turned off, and the second reduced its frequency to 200 MHz. Such engineering solution allowed to significantly save the battery level. Samsung Galaxy S2 DUOS boasted similar technical specifications. The characteristics of its processor are identical. But only in this case, the MSM8660 chip from Qualcomm was used. The same can be said about the other representatives of this family of smartphones: S2 Plus and S2 Mini. As a result, their performance level is comparable.
Gadget Graphics
The graphics subsystem in the Samsung Galaxy S2 is quite well implemented. The characteristics of the technical specifications of the Mali400-MP4 graphics accelerator are not impressive today, but its presence is quite enough to run most applications. The diagonal of the display, as noted earlier, is 4.3 inches. Its resolution is 480 x 800. It is also based on the SUPERAMOLED matrix. The only thing that definitely causes criticism is the presence of an air gap between touch panel and screen surface. This leads to distortion of the screen image when the display deviates significantly from the right angle. Almost all devices of this series have identical technical parameters. An exception in this regard is Samsung Features its display will be more modest. Its resolution is exactly the same, but the diagonal is reduced by 0.6 inches and is 3.7 inches. Therefore, it will not be so convenient to work on it.
cameras
The Samsung Galaxy S2 is equipped with two cameras for taking pictures and recording video. Their characteristics are mediocre today, but at the time the device was released, their parameters were among the best. The camera is based on an 8 megapixel sensor. Also at the software level, it implements a picture stabilization system and autofocus. As a result, the quality of photos and videos raises no objections. And the developers have not forgotten about the LED backlight, which allows you to take pictures and record videos even at night at a distance of up to 2 meters. More modest sensor front camera- only 2 megapixels. But for video calls, this is quite enough. Well, you can't expect more from her.
Memory
Despite the fact that Samsung started selling its subsystems in 2011, even now, 4 years later, they are impressive. The amount of RAM is 1 GB, and this wave is enough for normal and smooth operation of the gadget. Well, the capacity of the built-in storage is 16 GB. Of these, 4 GB are occupied by pre-installed software. The rest the user can use at their discretion. This is quite enough for installing an additional application software, and for storing personal data (documents, photos, videos, music). It is also possible to install an external drive with a maximum capacity of 32 GB. The corresponding slot is hidden behind the back cover of the device. It is possible to connect using an OTJ cable (you need to buy it separately, it is not included in the device's delivery set) of a conventional flash drive.
autonomy
This smartphone comes with a very modest battery. And exactly the same battery comes with the Samsung Galaxy S2 Plus. Its characteristics are identical to the flagship solution, but only the capacity of the built-in storage is reduced by 2 times and is equal to 8 GB. The capacity of the battery is 1650 mAh. If we add to this a display diagonal of 4.3 inches and a 2-core productive processor that cannot boast of good energy efficiency, we get a very bad situation with autonomy. In the best case, in the maximum savings mode, you can stretch for 1.5 days. If you increase the load on the smartphone, then you can count on 1 day of work. Well, if you make a call, then one charge battery enough for half an hour of communication. You can solve the problem with autonomy by purchasing an additional battery with increased capacity.
Communications
Flawless communication set in S2. It has everything you need to start fully using the device immediately after purchase. The list includes the following:
- Full Support mobile networks second and, of course, the third generation. In the first case, it is theoretically possible to obtain a data acquisition rate of 450 kbps. In practice, this value is much less. But in the case of working in 3G networks, the speed can theoretically reach 21 Mbps. In reality, as in the previous case, the speed will be less.
- The main wireless interface is Wi-Fi . Almost all its modifications are supported, except for "ac". This standard appeared much later and therefore is not implemented in this device. The maximum speed in this case can theoretically reach 150 Mbps.
- The developers have not forgotten about such an important wireless method of obtaining information as bluetooth. It is indispensable in cases where you need to send or receive a small file from a similar mobile device or connect to smart phone wireless stereo headset.
- For navigation, the device is equipped with a GPS sensor and the A-ZhPS system. . The complex use of these two components allows you to accurately determine the location of this gadget. Also, with their help, it is not difficult to turn this smartphone into a ZHPS navigator.
- There are only 2 wired interfaces in this device: MicroUSB (charging the battery, connecting to a PC) and an audio port for connecting headphones.
A similar communication set is implemented in other smartphones of this series, for example, in the same Samsung Galaxy S2 Plus. Their characteristics are practically identical in this regard.
Soft
The system software in this family of smartphones is the most popular platform today - Android. Moreover, version 2.3 is installed in the initial state. But the first time you connect to the Internet, the software will be updated, and the OS version will already be 4.0. On top of the operating system, the TouchWiz shell version 4 is installed. With its help, you can easily and simply reconfigure the interface of a mobile gadget strictly to your needs. The rest of the software set is standard: social services(only international ones, and their domestic counterparts will have to be additionally installed from the Play Market), mini-applications from the OS and a set of programs from the search giant and concurrently the developer of the operating system - Google.
User opinion
A very balanced solution is its characteristics unambiguously confirm this. The processor, memory subsystem, display and graphics accelerator are all perfectly matched, and there are no problems with this. Cameras also allow you to take photos and videos of acceptable quality. But what the owners of this gadget had problems with was autonomy and accessories. Its battery capacity is really modest, on a single charge, as noted earlier, you can stretch a maximum of 1.5 days. This problem can only be solved by purchasing an additional battery for extra money. Similarly, you can solve the problem of a modest configuration. If you need a stereo headset or an interface cable, then we buy it separately for additional fee. Moreover, in this case, we choose the accessory that we need, and not the economy option from the manufacturer.
Price
One of the most expensive smartphones at the time of its release was the Samsung Galaxy S2. Specifications made it best solution among Android gadgets. Accordingly, his cost was about 800-900 dollars. But now, 4 years later, its hardware and software specifications allow it to compete only with devices entry level. Accordingly, the cost of it dropped to 150-160 dollars. This price makes it one of the best deals in the entry-level device segment.
Results
Over 4 years of sales, it has smoothly dropped from the segment of premium smartphones to the niche of entry-level devices Samsung Galaxy S2. The characteristic of its hardware resources clearly indicates this. But, on the other hand, even now, most everyday tasks can be easily and simply solved on this device. Not every gadget can boast of such performance.
