With the Samsung Galaxy S II HD LTE, Samsung is clearly aiming at buyers who want a well-rounded phone without too many compromises. Here is our take on what it brings to the table. Announced in 2011, September. Released 2011, December, it arrives at a time when the competition is as tight as ever.
Design & Display
The Samsung Galaxy S II HD LTE comes with a 4.65 inches, 59.6 cm 2 (~66.7% screen-to-body ratio) display, pushing a resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~316 ppi density), which is more than sharp enough for everyday use, streaming and a bit of gaming. It is not trying to reinvent the wheel with its design, but it does look the part. You can pick it up in a few finishes, including Black.
Performance & Software
At the heart of it sits the Qualcomm MSM8660 Snapdragon S3, paired with 1GB of RAM. That combination should handle day-to-day multitasking and most games without breaking a sweat. It runs Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), upgradable to 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), TouchWiz UI 4 out of the box, so the software experience feels current.
Camera
The camera setup is one of the talking points here, with a 8 MP sensor doing the heavy lifting. Expect solid detail in good light, with the usual softness creeping in once the sun goes down.
Battery
There is a Removable Li-Ion 1850 mAh battery battery inside, which should comfortably see most people through a full day on a single charge.
Our Opinion
So, what do we actually make of the Samsung Galaxy S II HD LTE? Samsung has clearly gone for substance over gimmicks here, and we respect that approach. It gets the basics right, offering a dependable main camera, a crisp display, which is exactly what most buyers are really after. For someone who simply wants a dependable daily driver that will not let them down halfway through the day, this ticks a lot of boxes. There are rivals that beat it in one area or another, as is always the case in this segment. Even so, the Samsung Galaxy S II HD LTE holds its own and represents a solid, no-nonsense buy. If you have used this device or are planning to pick one up, do let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
