Samsung has decided to release the Galaxy S III mini. From the name it would seem clear that we should be waiting for a copy of a large smartphone on a slightly reduced scale. In fact, it turned out that Samsung resorted to a trick that consisted of exploiting the name of a hit phone.

The company decided to present its lightweight version under the guise of a simplified flagship. The new product looks like a smaller Galaxy S III - the body shape and color are the same. The characteristics have also become more modest, but the cost has also been noticeably reduced. The new product seems to hint that you have a small hi-end phone. However, it is not so small and the most productive Samsung device in the line, when compared by screen diagonal. But let's talk about design.

Design

You don't need to be particularly insightful to figure out the source of inspiration for a model's appearance. Details of the Galaxy S III are easily recognizable - from the button with a metal outline on the front panel to the “metal” strip that surrounds the side edges of the smartphone. Oddly enough, I would like to find fault with the beveled edges - they were not reduced in accordance with the proportions of the body, but were left the same as in the large Galaxy S III. As a result, the smartphone seems to be overly striving for an ellipse rather than a thin rectangle. And because of its smooth coating and white color, it even resembles an elongated “remnant”.

The ergonomics of the Galaxy S III mini are excellent. However, you wouldn’t expect anything else from a company that can make even devices with 5-inch screens convenient. The thickness is 9.9 mm, which is a good indicator for devices in its price category and with a 4-inch screen. There's actually a good balance between ridge height and a comfortable fit in the palm. Of course, I was pleased with the weight - only 111.5 grams and it does not weigh on the palm and is barely felt in the pocket.

The main material is glossy plastic, whose soilability interests us mainly in the context back cover. It is varnished, and therefore quickly and abundantly becomes covered with fingerprints. But it is not very noticeable due to the white color.

It was not possible to form a final opinion on the build quality due to the fact that we have a test sample. Mainly, when squeezing, squeaks appeared in the upper part of the body, but in commercial batches the defects will most likely be leveled out.

Despite the general similarity with its “big brother,” the Galaxy S III mini has many differences in details, as well as very controversial decisions. We will talk about them in detail in the next section.

Connectors and controls

The peculiarity of the Galaxy S III mini is that the front camera, light and proximity sensors are located to the left of the speaker.

Our example with a white body fully preserves the disease of the older model with a similar color.

The two touch keys are not highlighted at all; only the backlight reminds of their purpose after direct contact. Moreover, as we remember, the blue case of the Galaxy S III does not have this drawback. I wasn't too pleased with the central physical button. The fact is that the metal contour is motionless - only the central white pad is pressed. This creates some discomfort due to a slight “cutting” effect. On the other hand, in principle, the presence physical button there is a noticeable plus. It’s easy to find by touch, and there are two more buttons on the sides that are intuitively perceived - Samsung brand loyalists will not complain about the need to change habits.

If we had no complaints about the ergonomics of the case as such, the location of the buttons on the ends turned out to be not ideal.

On the right is the phone's on/off key. In principle, its installation “under the finger” depends on the specific person and cannot be the subject of objective criticism.

But the volume rocker is somewhat low - you have to lower your index finger to use the keys.

The top side of the smartphone contains only a 3.5 mm headset jack.

At the bottom, even by exclusion, one can assume the presence of a microUSB connector and a microphone slot.

On the back there are two parallel openings for the system speakers to the left of the camera, and an LED flash is installed directly below it.

However, the most interesting design tricks are found under the hood. To begin with, an unusual choice with the ability to change the SIM card without removing the battery - this does not happen often.

But the presence of microSD under the battery looks even more unusual. It has a somewhat unusual mount - the card is held by the body itself. How to install it correctly is shown by a small instruction printed directly on the back side. printed circuit board. Nothing complicated if you understand the two steps. But, of course, the need to remove the battery to change the card is called optimal solution it is forbidden.

If you close your eyes to the flaws in certain moments, the Galaxy S III mini cannot be accused of being too thoughtless in its attention to detail. Rather, our expectations were not met in relation to the hit progenitor.

Screen

The smartphone was not a special discovery in terms of display - the Super AMOLED matrix has already been reviewed by us several times on different models. Large viewing angles and rich colors coupled with acceptable readability in sunlight are the most notable features of the technology used. With a diagonal of 4 inches, a resolution of 480x800 pixels means a pixel density of 233 ppi. If you have not dealt with HD smartphones before, picture clarity will not cause any issues. After getting acquainted with this year's flagships, some pixelation still catches the eye.

The display supports up to five simultaneous touches.

Galaxy S III in July disappointed us with a brightness of only 167 cd/m2. The S III mini fares even worse - 156.53 cd/m2 with the same display technology. It is not surprising that in sunny weather the picture becomes illegible. The brightness of the black point due to Super AMOLED technology is zero, which means the contrast tends to infinity.

During Galaxy test The S III failed to wow us with actual screen color temperature measurements. In its mini version, a relatively smooth graph is observed, not counting the small 10% drop that occurs on all screens. In the rest of the interval it slowly tends to the reference level, but does not fall below the 7000K level. Therefore, a shift in balance towards blue is inevitable.

Gamma measurements became almost a copy of the Galaxy S III graph. We are again faced with a significant “overexposure”, designed to artificially increase the insufficient real brightness of the display.

Camera

The smartphone's photography capabilities do not in any way claim to be flagship ones. On the back cover there is a 5-megapixel “eye” capable of producing frames with a resolution of 2592x1944 pixels. The maximum resolution for video recording is 1280x720 pixels, although the original Galaxy S III is capable of shooting FullHD video without any problems. There is autofocus and flash.

We have repeatedly seen the camera interface from Samsung’s point of view in other smartphones of the company; the Galaxy S3 mini did not become a fulcrum for the implementation of radical new ideas. Familiar options like ISO and white balance are side by side with additions like a variety of shooting modes and effects.

The resulting frames clearly indicate high-quality optics installed in the smartphone. First of all, the Galaxy S III mini managed to take excellent pictures in the evening - the result is immediately indistinguishable from a barely cloudy day. There are no complaints about the detail of the images and macro photography. Perhaps, since no smartphone with a 5-megapixel module has demonstrated such high-quality photography.

The compliment, of course, does not concern the front camera.

Unfortunately, video recording does not deserve the same praise. The videos turned out with a pronounced lack of detail.

Front-camera showed a picture corresponding to the declared 0.3 MP.

Characteristics

Considering that we have in our hands a device that “claims” to be related to the best-selling Samsung smartphone, it was impossible to avoid their direct comparison. It’s all the more interesting to find out what compromises users will have to endure for the money they save, in addition to a smaller screen.

According to their own Galaxy specifications The S III mini appears to us as a completely ordinary smartphone of the current middle class. From a software point of view, the model is notable for the presence of Android 4.1 out of the box. However, Google, with its characteristic haste, has already released 4.2, again making a feasible contribution to the fragmentation of the platform. We hope that the current version of the system will arrive on the Galaxy S III mini without delays.

If you close your eyes to the lack of LTE support, then the widest possible list of other wireless standards is present. Here is the fourth generation of Bluetooth, NFC, and a full list of Wi-Fi specifications. And there is even support for the Russian GLONASS satellite navigation. True, it is not very justified. A pedestrian will not be able to appreciate the advantages of the paired work of GLONASS and GPS, and a motorist is unlikely to consider a 4-inch smartphone as a replacement for a navigator.

“Hardware” resembles a mandatory set of any more or less decent smartphone. So this is a dual-core NovaThor processor with a frequency of 1.0 GHz. At the same time, the older Galaxy S III boasts a 1.4 GHz quad-core chip made by Samsung. However, both processors are equipped with a Mali graphics chip. As we can see, the Mali-400MP is not the fastest graphics solution.

Now about the main thing - what is the model from the Galaxy S III, and what was the reason for the mention of “mini”. LTE was taken away from us, the processor was “cut down” from four to two cores, camera parameters were reduced and battery capacity was reduced. Although the last point is controversial - with a discount on the screen diagonal. To compensate, they added GLONASS, Android 4.1 and left the display technology. By and large, with the exception of appearance, there are not very many points of intersection with the Galaxy S III. Of course, the dimensions of a smartphone do not allow the same components to be built into it, but the screen could be equipped with a higher resolution - at least 960x540 pixels.

Performance testing

The Novathor U8420 chip manufactured by ST-Ericsson has not been seen on models other than the Galaxy S III mini, which makes it more interesting to evaluate its capabilities. And, despite the difference in the number of cores, we decided to arrange a direct confrontation between “father” and “son”, pitting the Galaxy S III mini against the S III. In theory, the main advantage of a flagship is a more powerful processor.

AnTutu System Review immediately put everything in its place. In all tests based on processor calculations, the S III has a two- and even three-fold advantage. But in the graphics test, both smartphones showed comparable performance, which was to be expected.

Using graphic benchmarks, you can clearly judge how much they need the power of a multi-core processor. It turned out that they practically do not need it. With the same graphics chip in electopia, the gap is tiny, and in RD 3D the advantage of one point is entirely on the side of the S III mini.

A browser check confirmed the AnTutu System Review readings. As a result, it can be stated that there is a sufficient supply computing power Galaxy S III mini. The only trump card of the older competitor naturally emerged only in “processor” tasks.

At one time during Galaxy review S III, we said that the flagship has a level of battery life on par with the record holder Galaxy Mini 2. So, the Galaxy S III mini lagged behind its rival by only 4 percentage points. No comments are needed - the battery life of the Galaxy S 3 mini is quite good.

Galaxy S3 mini software

As we have already said, the smartphone has Android 4.1 with the unchanged TouchWIZ add-on. Shell abilities, as well as basic capabilities Android 4.0, we looked at earlier using the example. Therefore, in order not to repeat ourselves, let’s try using the Galaxy S III mini as an example to familiarize ourselves with the improvements in version 4.1.

First on the list is Google Now, this is a kind of assistant-prompter that works based on an analysis of our behavior. After all, Google, as you know, loves to collect all kinds of information about user activity. To launch the program, select "Google" on the lock screen or hold touch button“Home” by selecting the same inscription. Google Now offers a great variety of messaging options, but to implement them you need to use your smartphone for at least several months. Then the so-called information cards will provide information that is potentially of interest.

The system keyboard received one-button language switching and self-learning prompts for entered words. However, Samsung removed the Android keyboard, so we were not able to test it.

Standard Android browser from now on added Google Chrome, which is especially attractive due to its synchronization function between desktop and mobile versions. Very convenient to switch between open tabs, to do this you just need to flip them like pages left or right.

Google Maps is finally no longer free, but not the most practical service due to the need to connect to the Internet. Users were allowed to select an area on the map and download its map in order to have access even offline. However, not every scale of territory is supported.

Both Google+ and the YouTube client now have a sliding panel on the left. She gives fast access to the main sections of services and settings.

Android 4.1 ran on the Galaxy S III mini without errors or noticeable delays. However, “super speeds” were also not noticed. Traditionally, not everyone will like the clutter of Samsung programs and services.

Conclusion

If we consider Samsung Galaxy S III mini in isolation, we see a stylish smartphone for those who seem to want to have the capabilities of advanced phones in reserve. It has a good camera, a medium-sized (but good-quality) screen, and the hardware platform can cope with multimedia tasks and 3D games, and its battery life is quite good.

At the same time, since we are dealing with a stripped-down version of the flagship, as its name clearly indicates, some characteristics could be “tightened up.” For example, increase the processor frequency by 200-400 MHz and raise the screen resolution a little. And it wasn’t worth cutting off the ability to shoot FullHD video. But LTE can be left to the flagships.

In a good way, the smartphone fell into the gap of smartphones where the choice is not too great. However, the cost seems too high and will make the device truly competitive only over time - when Samsung begins to gradually reduce the price tag.

Price

Judging by store prices, the version with 8 GB of memory can be bought for an average of 16,000 rubles. It is not yet possible to purchase the model without going through official sales, so it is too early to think about options for purchasing the Galaxy S III mini at a lower price.

The most interesting thing is that the rivals of the new Galaxy S III mini are products from Samsung itself. In particular, the official one costs 2-3 thousand more, but offers a 4.3-inch screen, a faster processor, and Android firmware 4.1 they promise him.

Looks no less interesting Galaxy Advance– having approximately the same characteristics, it can be found for about 11-12 thousand rubles. But no Android 4.1 or even 4.0 - only 2.3. It is possible that this will not change at all.

If we look towards other manufacturers, then the Chinese Meizu MX could be an interesting analogue. A dual-core model with 16 GB of memory can be purchased for 14-15 thousand. Moreover, the phone has a 4-inch screen, but with a resolution of 640x960 pixels.

Pros:

• attractive design;
• Super AMOLED screen;
• relatively good performance;
• high-quality camera;
• Android 4.1 out of the box with TouchWIZ proprietary shell;
• good autonomy.

Minuses:

• processor frequency could be higher;
• inability to shoot FullHD video;
• low brightness and disturbed white balance of the screen;
• inconvenient location of the memory card slot;
• overcharge.

Samsung Galaxy S III mini software screenshots

Main menu and applications

Wallpaper

Calculator

Alarm

This model, everything about it was great except the price. Small copy flagship smartphone They called it simply - Samsung Galaxy S III mini, and hung a price tag of 4299 hryvnia. And it would be nice if the S III mini was really smaller copy of Samsung i9300, but that's not true. The characteristics were significantly inferior to the top model; only the design and interface were common. We decided to find out what impressions the younger S III leaves behind and whether it is worthy of being valued at an amount commensurate with the original.

Considering the fact that with each new device Samsung is increasingly blurring the line separating one model from another, the Samsung Galaxy S III mini could also be called the Samsung Galaxy S Duos. It is also similar to the S III, and you can distinguish the S III mini and S Duos only by the presence of an inscription on the upper part of the latter’s body. If you look at the device from all sides, you really find a lot in common. This includes the design of the sidewalls, the shape of the rim around the main camera lens, the location of the recess for removing the back panel, the Micro-USB connector, the shape of the hardware key and the speaker grille, and, in fact, the materials used. Among the differences: a different arrangement of proximity sensors, lighting, front camera, flash and multimedia speaker, and, of course, dimensions. If the original has a display with a diagonal of 4.8”, then the smaller copy is some 4”. Another feature that unites the model, here we really need to make an amendment right away - this applies to the majority Samsung devices, is the build quality - it's on good level. There are no creaks or play. The Gorilla Glass is coated with an oleophobic layer, which should prevent fingerprints. The rear removable panel is made in the same style as in, that is, made of glossy plastic. Scratches and greasy stains from fingers appear on it quite quickly. Looking under the removable panel, you can find a battery with a modest capacity of 1500 mAh, under which is hidden a slot for memory cards, a slot for SIM cards of the usual mini format, and that’s all.

Due to its small size, the smartphone fits comfortably in your hand. The power button is located on the right side, while on the opposite side there is a double volume rocker. The frame on the sides of the display is significantly smaller than devices with a similar diagonal, but here, as in latest models LG smartphones with a white body, they used a trick - between the edge of the frame and the display there is short distance, which is invisible when the display backlight is off.

Interface and software

Samsung Galaxy S III mini is one of the few devices running on the operating system Android system 4.1.1 out of the box. Paired with the current one (except for Android 4.2, which is currently only available on Nexus devices) operating system installed in the smartphone latest version branded shell– Nature UX – the same as in Samsung Galaxy S III. Taking this into account, the smartphone user actually receives a smaller copy of the original interface.

The only thing that we found not entirely convenient was the keyboard. Perhaps the whole point is that we are accustomed to devices with a larger diagonal display. Considering that the smartphone is designed for young people and women, this drawback cannot be considered serious. In addition, no complaints were received from the girl walking with the smartphone for several days. There were no complaints about the quality of communication. The speaker and ringing speakers are loud, but with musical abilities, not everything is so simple. The sound produced is only slightly “simpler” than what we heard in HTC Desire SV, but in terms of volume they have parity. In both cases, its level is not sufficient to enjoy music in the subway without extraneous noise from outside, even taking into account the presence of good headphones.

Hardware platform

Even before the appearance official information There were rumors that the smartphone would have a quad-core processor, a capacious battery and other amenities that could arouse interest not only among young people, but also among those users for whom performance is important. The reality turned out to be somewhat different. Samsung Galaxy S III mini uses NovaThor U8500 system-on-chip with dual-core 1 GHz processor, Mali-400 MP graphics chip and 1 GB random access memory. All this allows the smartphone to demonstrate good results in performance tests.

The most important thing is that with a 1500 mAh battery, the smartphone showed excellent operating time results, scoring 810 points in Antutu Tester, thereby climbing to second place in the rating. Operating time at maximum load was 4.5 hours. The user can count on 8 hours of video viewing or two to three days of work with a less intense load, including several tens of minutes of calls per day, an hour of listening to music and working on a 3G network.

Display and camera

As good as Super AMOLED displays can be, they can also be bad. The smartphone has a Super AMOLED matrix with all the ensuing consequences, including reference black color, rich shades, good viewing angles and PenTile. You don't need a microscope to notice the latter. Man with good eyesight sees him from the usual distance. I was somewhat surprised by the absence automatic adjustment brightness, because physically, judging by the number of holes on the case, there is a light sensor.

The camera quality is comparable to the first generation of the Galaxy S family, and the camera capabilities are exactly the same. The maximum resolution of pictures is 5 MP, the maximum resolution of recorded video is 1280x720 pixels. The same characteristics are found in the flagship of bada smartphones – Samsung Wave III. Interestingly, these three devices not only use a similar camera module, but also the type of display, including diagonal and resolution. Probably, thus, Samsung decided to give another life to the “oldies” by collecting the stale components and placing them all in a new case.
You can evaluate the quality of the camera using the following examples.

Example of 5 MP photos taken with a Samsung Galaxy S III mini smartphone

Results

Despite all the advantages, a close acquaintance with the Samsung Galaxy S III mini did not reveal to us the secret of such high price. Probably, Samsung already feels so good in the global market that now all that remains is to increase the perception of its brand as a manufacturer of expensive but high-quality equipment. The smartphone is doing well with this. It is well assembled, has good characteristics and is ready to please the owner with a relatively considerable operating time. The camera will not disappoint either, if you do not expect results comparable to the original. The most important thing is that all this together leaves behind a good impression and it is likely that as soon as the price for it comes down to earth, its popularity is simply guaranteed.

Notify when on sale

The Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini made its first appearance in Frankfurt, Germany earlier this month. Samsung demonstrated a continuation of the Galaxy S line, or rather a smaller version of itself popular smartphone this year. The Korean manufacturer showed a more convenient and more available version its flagship, which already sounds quite attractive. True, they reduced not only its proportions, but also their characteristics. For some, Samsung PR head JK Shin's announcement came as a very unpleasant surprise.

Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini – Design
The Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini not only gets the big name from its big brother, but also sports a sporty design and build. In general, the Galaxy S3 Mini seems to be just a smaller version of the SGS3, with a recognizable Home button and body lines.

However, the similarities between these two smartphones end there, since the Samsung Galaxy S3 is not mirror reflection flagship in terms of other characteristics.

Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini – Display
Galaxy S3 Mini received a 4-inch Super AMOLED display, but don’t immediately think that this is a complete disappointment. The HD image at 480 x 800 resolution isn't the worst, but it's certainly not the best.

However, it is enough for convenient viewing movies and games without any comments on image quality.

The 4.3-inch display of the Galaxy S2, which is created using AMOLED+ technology, has a similar resolution, and new smartphone takes the cake when it comes to color reproduction and overall sharpness.

Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini – Operating System
Good news for Android fans: Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini will go on sale immediately with pre-installed Android version 4.1 Jelly Bean, which assumes smooth operation of the interface without slowdowns.

This is a trump card over the Galaxy S3, which currently ships with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, and the update is only available in a few countries and is still not available in major Western markets.

Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini – Power
There is no quad-core Exynos here. The SGS Mini only has a dual-core 1GHz processor that will work with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean without any problems, but it is still far behind its older brother Galaxy S3 in terms of power.

The Mini also has 1GB of RAM, which will allow you to work freely and run any applications. In fact, the smartphone can be compared with the Galaxy S2 and its dual-core 1.2GHz processor and the Samsung Galaxy Nexus.

Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini – Specifications
Samsung Galaxy S3 has a 5MP camera with LED flash and the ability to record video in 720p, as well as a front VGA camera for video chat.

The rest of the set is more than standard: Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, DLNA and NFC chip, as well as a choice between 8GB and 16GB of memory, which can easily be increased microSD card up to 32GB.

Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini – Price
It looks like the Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini will be sold carrier-free for £300, or you can pick it up free and pay £25 a month for 2 years.

The cost of contracts with operators allows the Galaxy S3 Mini to be competitive, although operators will still inflate the price due to demand for the new product and it will partly lose to competitors in the price category.

Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini – Release Date
Samsung has yet to announce an official launch date, but the Galaxy S3 Mini is expected to hit stores in early November.

According to the Phones4U website, the Galaxy S3 Mini will go on sale on November 2, while another website, Unlocked Mobiles, believes that it will be possible to make a purchase during the first week of November.

Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini – First Look
If you want to know more detailed information about Samsung Galaxy S2 Mini, you can watch the following video:

Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini – Competitors
Even in the middle segment of the mobile market, serious competition continues. Galaxy S3 Mini will have to compete with HTC One S, Sony Xperia S and Samsung Galaxy Nexus for leadership.

Will buyers choose the Galaxy S3 Mini among all the offers? Only time will tell, and it will be much easier for us to judge when we already have it in our hands new model from the Galaxy S family.

Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini - Summary
We hope to have more in the near future detailed review a smaller version of the Galaxy S3 and therefore follow our news.

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Today we present to your attention the wonderful device Samsung Galaxy S3 mini. We have previously written a review of a device from this line, namely
, which is designed for 2 SIM cards. Why is it remarkable? this phone? We can say right away that it is suitable for those who are looking for a basic smartphone for work without any bells and whistles. The average price in retail stores varies around 10,000 rubles, but you can find it cheaper.

The smartphone is packaged in a white thick cardboard box. On the front there is an image of S3 mini, the inscription of the model and the company name. On the back of the box are its technical specifications.

The package includes primarily a smartphone. The color range is not wide - black and white. The outline of the gadget resembles a stone - small, but also very beautiful. All this adds to the stylishness of the device. By weight Samsung galaxy s3 mini easy. It is comfortable to use even with one hand. But glossy back panel I want to immediately put it in a case to protect it from scratches, traces of dirt and dust. Removing the back panel is scary, as there is a feeling that one awkward movement will crack.

In addition, in the box you will find a quick user guide and other useful documentation; good quality micro USB-cable; Charger with output current 700 mA. In the kit you can also find headphones with a headset that has a volume control and a power button. They come with additional ear pads for headphones.

Behind Samsung galaxy s3 mini There is a 5 megapixel camera peephole with a diode flash. The speaker is also slightly offset compared to the S3. I would like to note that it is excellent - the sound quality is good and loud enough. The speaker is not much different from original version S3, despite the fact that it is a Mini version.

At the top there is a jack for a standard 3.5 mm headphone input and a connector for opening the back cover. On the right is the on/off unlock button, which is a little misaligned, making it a little inconvenient to use, but perhaps this is a matter of habit.

At the bottom there is a connector for micro USB cable and a regular microphone. On the left side you can find a solid rocker for adjusting the volume, which is also somewhat inconveniently located.

Specifications

The device runs on a dual-core NovaThor U8420 processor ( clock frequency 1GHz) and a graphics accelerator (coprocessor) Mali 400, thanks to which there are no problems with video. The base is Android 4.1.2 “Jelly Bean”, which works great. No slowdowns were noticed behind him. To the owner Samsung Galaxy S3 mini you should count on 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB internal memory, which can be expanded using memory cards up to 64 GB. Of the 8 GB, perhaps 5-5.5 GB will be available.

The weak point is the 1500 mAh battery, which is objectively small, although the manufacturer claims that the phone will work for 470 minutes in 3G mode. In fact, everything is still better than AnTuTu Tester showed. In video playback mode Samsung galaxy s3 mini gives 7 hours, naturally, at maximum brightness in HD quality. This is a very good indicator, since its larger brother Galaxy S3 plays 7.5 hours. There are absolutely no problems with the lifespan of this phone, despite the small battery. Extending the charge for two days is more than realistic.

S3 mini vs S3

If we compare the S3 mini with the regular S3 original version, we will see the following difference between them:

1. With 3 mini the thickness is a little thicker, although this does not affect the convenience in any way.
2. But at the same time, S3 mini is smaller in width.
3. The diagonal has decreased - from 4.8 inches to 4 inches.
4. The LED flash is located below the main camera.

Otherwise, of course, there can be no complaints regarding ease of use, since all forms are preserved and even the corners are smoothed; the controls are in the same places and the dimensions are preserved.

Screen

The smartphone has a 4-inch Super AMOLED screen that displays 16 million colors. The expansion due to the size of the device is not so large 480*800 pixels.

• Oblique lines appear ugly, which is visible during normal use at normal distances. This fact really spoils the impression.
• The quality of the display leaves much to be desired.
• Very inconvenient keyboard due to very small buttons.

• Color rendition is good.
• Super AMOLED.

Camera

The camera in the C3 mini is the most common - HD 5 megapixels with autofocus. Video is recorded in 720p resolution (30 frames per second). The front camera is 0.3 MP, which can also record video.

Unfortunately, photos with LED flash don't look very good, but you need to remember that this is not a smartphone for high-quality photos. It is taken for other purposes.

Conclusion

Samsung Galaxy s3 mini is a device that justifies the money you spend on it, but it has its pros and cons, which we will discuss below.

• Display.
• Lack of light sensor.
• Some may not like the materials on the rear glossy case.
• Camera.

• Ease of use.
• Compactness.
• Stylish appearance.
• Great time of life.
• The hardware will allow you to play more or less difficult games.

Video

Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini review

Even before the official announcement of the Galaxy S3 Mini, information about it appeared on the Internet, and the general impression of this device was that it was prohibitively expensive, its specifications were not amazing, and there was no room for it in the presence of flagships from the previous season. These statements are quite fair and have a basis, but with one caveat. If we are talking about those who follow the market mobile phones and understands it at least approximately, and not about those who do not follow the market, but research it before purchasing a device and choose the best options.

In the past, a lot of devices appeared on the market that were not optimal in terms of price/quality ratio, for example, the Galaxy Ace, which at the time of release was noticeably more expensive than models from previous seasons. But this device, even with such a noticeable markup, became a bestseller in a very short time. Why? The answer lies in who bought it - people who are far from understanding the market and who chose not technical specifications, and the phone for a certain amount. This is the most standard story in stores selling phones - a person comes with the idea that he wants a phone for such and such an amount, perhaps of such and such a brand and with approximately these characteristics (by characteristics we mean not the number of cores in the processor, but the quality of the camera , music and the like). This is the most grateful buyer, since he is not interested comparative analysis, but chooses what is recommended to him or can be sold. These people are guided by whether they like the device or not, and whether they are satisfied with its cost or not. In the case of Galaxy Ace, it is possible that the success was due to some similarity of the device with Apple iPhone, outwardly they are easily distinguishable, but there is something similar in their appearance.

In 2012 in the region Samsung design follows the line first introduced in the Galaxy S3; the devices look similar, but differ in size. The company's flagship has unprecedentedly high sales, and each price reduction increases its sales volume. This is a flagship in every sense, it gives the company maximum profit. By copying this device in terms of design, Samsung hopes that at a lower price it will be chosen by those who value small size. In fact, we are not talking about a flagship at all, but about one of the passing products, which will become popular only after the price is reduced and, apparently, after 8-9 months from the start of sales. We observed similar things for a number of other Samsung products.

The prefix “Mini” fully describes the size of the phone; it is really small, especially compared to its older brother.

Unfortunately, its characteristics are not amazing - a regular TFT screen with a resolution of 800x480 pixels and a diagonal of 4 inches. The built-in memory is not 16 GB, but about 5 GB plus a memory card. The camera is only 5 megapixels. But the platform from ST Ericsson has a dual-core processor with a maximum frequency of each core of 1 GHz. Budget, but quite productive solution. These characteristics can be found in many models that are already on the market and cost 10-12 thousand rubles. For example, the Galaxy S2 and its various clones from Samsung have best characteristics and a price comparable to the Galaxy S3 Mini. And they have not disappeared from the market. From the point of view of common sense, there is no point in buying the S3 Mini. Especially if you have a cheap Galaxy S3 (the difference is not so great in price, but in the quality of products and functionality it is huge).

Sample photos:

In my opinion, it’s worth saying that the S3 Mini is a niche solution that is intended to expand the line, and nothing more. This product will not be able to compete with the original S3, even taking into account the lower price. Finding a larger number of more functional models on the market will not be difficult. This product is designed for those who know about S3, but for some reason do not buy it (most likely, it does not fit into the price, but wants the latest phone). We are like value knowers different models, we can mutter about their functionality and predict a resounding failure for this device, but this will not happen. The majority who buy phones simply do not care about our opinion and choose according to the scenario described above, this must be understood. And therefore, quite significant sales of the Galaxy S3 Mini are guaranteed. But they only became possible thanks to the success of the Galaxy S3.

P.S. I admit that I don’t see the point in writing in detail about this model yet; closer to the start of sales, you can read a full review and comparison with other models.

Eldar Murtazin ()