With the Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket i727, 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, October. Released 2011, November, it arrives at a time when the competition is as tight as ever.
Design & Display
Up front there is a 4.5 inches, 57.6 cm 2 (~64.5% screen-to-body ratio) screen, pushing a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels, 5:3 ratio (~207 ppi density), and in real-world use it looks bright, crisp and easy on the eyes. 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
Powering the Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket i727 is the Qualcomm MSM8260 Snapdragon S3, paired with 1GB of RAM. For the kind of tasks most of us throw at a phone, there is plenty of muscle here. It runs Android 2.3.5 (Gingerbread), upgradable to 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean) out of the box, so the software experience feels current.
Camera
Photography is handled by a main 8 MP shooter that should cover most situations, from daylight shots to the occasional low-light frame. It is not a pro camera rig, but for everyday memories it gets the job done nicely.
Battery
Keeping the lights on is a Removable Li-Ion 1850 mAh battery cell. With moderate use you can expect to end the day with charge to spare.
Our Opinion
Coming to the important bit, our opinion on the Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket i727. What you are getting is a device that quietly covers the fundamentals rather than shouting about them. It gets the basics right, offering a dependable main camera, a crisp display, which is exactly what most buyers are really after. If your priority is a phone that just works, day in and day out, then this one deserves a spot on your shortlist. 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 Skyrocket i727 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.
