Much has been written about Apple’s latest smartphone, the iPhone 4S, in recent weeks, not least by me.
While it wasn’t the revolutionary gadget many expected, the 4S raised the bar enough to keep it just ahead of its closest rival, the Google android-powered Samsung galaxy S2.
However, the iPhone trails its South Korean alternative in key areas, making any buying decision far from clear-cut. This review will focus on those areas, hopefully providing guidance for anyone who, like me, is about to upgrade.
The most obvious difference between these two handsets is the screen size. While the latest iPhone retains the 3.5in screen size of previous models, the galaxy S2 sports a 4.3in display. The iPhone display is sharper, but the Galaxy benefits from Samsung’s
Super AMOLED technology, providing bolder colours and darker blacks.
Personally, I think there’s little to choose between these phones in terms of screen quality -- both are excellent -- so it comes down to preference. The extra space on the Galaxy is welcome for web browsing, but it makes the phone less pocket-friendly and almost impossible to use with one hand.
Another key differentiator is robustness. The glass and steel construction of the iPhone feels incredibly tough compared to the
flimsy, flexible plastic of the Galaxy S2.
That build quality, though, doesn’t translate into real-world protection from bumps and scrapes. In fact, the opposite is true -- in recent side-by-side tests carried out in the United States, the iPhone screen smashed in every test performed on it, including a
seemingly innocuous drop from waist height. In the same tests the Galaxy S2 proved almost indestructible, surviving drops from head height on to concrete with barely a scratch.
Finally, the Galaxy S2 is significantly cheaper, saving around £100 on both the contract and SIM-only prices for the iPhone 4S. That difference is less stark when you’re stumping up £500 for a SIM-only deal, but on contract it means the difference between £100 and completely free.
No review of the Galaxy S2 would be complete without a word on reliability. While the hardware is robust, the Samsung-customised Android software is less so. Around two-thirds of galaxy S2 owners i’ve spoken to experienced at least some problems with the touchscreen. Often the problem can be remedied with a simple restart, but it’s still an annoying problem to have on a premium handset.
Samsung Galaxy S2 - from free (depending on contract); £400 (SIM only)
Stars: 4/5
Positives: a lightweight, fully-featured and robust smartphone.
Negatives: Software isn’t as polished as its rivals.
