Samsung I9100G Galaxy S II is one of those devices that tries to pack a lot into one package. Let us see if Samsung has managed to put together a phone that is actually worth your money. Announced in 2011, Q3, it arrives at a time when the competition is as tight as ever.
Design & Display
Up front there is a 4.3 inches, 52.6 cm 2 (~63.5% screen-to-body ratio) screen, pushing a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels, 5:3 ratio (~217 ppi density). Colours look punchy and text stays clean, so you will not have much to complain about here. The build feels well put together, and Samsung has clearly paid attention to the in-hand feel. You can pick it up in a few finishes, including Black.
Performance & Software
At the heart of it sits the TI OMAP 4430, 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 2.3.4 (Gingerbread), 4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich), upgradable to 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean) 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. It is not a pro camera rig, but for everyday memories it gets the job done nicely.
Battery
There is a Removable Li-Ion 1650 mAh battery battery inside. With moderate use you can expect to end the day with charge to spare.
Our Opinion
After spending time with the spec sheet and what Samsung is promising, here is where we land. This is a phone that does not try to be the flashiest option on the shelf, and honestly that works in its favour. It gets the basics right, offering a dependable main camera, a crisp display, which is exactly what most buyers are really after. In day-to-day use it feels like the kind of device you can rely on, whether you are replying to messages, scrolling through social media, watching videos or taking the odd photo. There are rivals that beat it in one area or another, as is always the case in this segment. Overall though, the Samsung I9100G Galaxy S II is easy to recommend to the right buyer. If you have used this device or are planning to pick one up, do let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
