What are the advantages and disadvantages of the Samsung Galaxy S4?

Updated 25th April with user commets 

Without going into too much detail, let’s have a look at some of the main pros and cons of the Samsung Galaxy S4. To put these into context, we’ll draw some brief comparisons with its main competitors – the HTC One and the Sony Xperia Z – where appropriate. Some of these factors alone could be enough to influence a buying decision and certainly worth considering if you’re interested in buying the S4.

For more detailed comparisons you may be interested in some of the other Samsung Galaxy S4 vs HTC One content that we’ve posted.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Pros

Removable battery – this is a big plus – it gives the opportunity to manually power the phone down should it freeze, facilitates accessories such as the Galaxy S4 flip cover (which replaces the back cover to clip to the handset, thus adding less bulk than other cases) and also enables a third-party extended battery to be attached if/when it’s released. The HTC One and the Sony Xperia Z do not have removable batteries.

Repairability – early reports have suggested that the Galaxy S4 should be very easy to repair should the situation arise. This is in stark contrast to the HTC One, which was given the lowest repairability score possible by iFixit.

MicroSD slot – for some the inclusion (or lack of) expandable storage can make or break a purchase decision. The inclusion of a microSD slot with the S4 gives the opportunity to expand the storage by 64GB. The Xperia Z can also take a microSD card up to 64GB, whereas the HTC One does not have a slot at all.

MHL 2.0 – Less wires when connecting the S4 to a TV. Using MHL 2.0 means that an external power source (microUSB charger) is not required to power the MHL adaptor, making it more convenient to connect and more portable. The Xperia Z and the HTC One do need the MHL cable to be powered.

Smaller and Lighter than the competition, but still manages a 5″ display. It’s only ~15g lighter than the One and the Z, but beats both with its dimensions measurements as well.

Newer version of Android – All three handsets run Jelly Bean, but the S4 runs Android 4.2.2 out the box whereas the others run 4.1.2. There isn’t a huge difference between the two versions so not too big a factor to consider, but is perhaps indicative of Samsung being quicker to update its handsets to the latest version of Android.

Wireless charging - a nice feature but not all that important in terms of functionality. It’s also worth noting that additional accessories are required (release date awaited) so it is not offered out of the box.

Accessories – overall the S4 has the most diverse range of accessories compared to other handsets. However, it should be mentioned that Samsung has disappointed customers in the past by delaying or not fulfilling accessory promises. Wireless charging for the S3 as announced but never released, for example. The situation looks better this time around though and some stock of protective accessories such as cases has already started to arrive.

Built in TV remote – A useful, but not essential feature to have. This is also included with the HTC One.

Eye tracking – The S4 has several eye tracking features included which are its main differentiator when it comes to software.

Multi window (split screen mode) - another software element that is unique to Samsung handsets. It was first introduced with the Galaxy Note II, but is now included with the SGS4. This feature enables you to view two apps at once, which is particularly useful for web browsing, checking email and reading through documents. Officially there are only certain apps that work with multi window, but there’s a hack for the Note 2 to force the feature for other apps, so there will likely be one for the S4 as well.

AirView - the ability to preview content by hovering a finger over it – no need to touch the screen. Hovering over the S Planner (calendar), images, videos and more will activate the content as though it’s been clicked.

[Read more...]