With the Samsung I9500 Galaxy S4, 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 2013, March. Released 2013, April, it arrives at a time when the competition is as tight as ever.
Design & Display
Up front there is a 5.0 inches, 68.9 cm 2 (~72.3% screen-to-body ratio) screen, pushing a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~441 ppi density), and in real-world use it looks bright, crisp and easy on the eyes. In terms of design, the Samsung I9500 Galaxy S4 keeps things modern and comfortable to hold. You can pick it up in a few finishes, including White Frost.
Performance & Software
Under the hood you will find the Exynos 5410 Octa (28 nm), paired with 2GB of RAM. That combination should handle day-to-day multitasking and most games without breaking a sweat. It runs Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean), upgradable to 5.0.1 (Lollipop), TouchWiz UI out of the box, so the software experience feels current.
Camera
The camera setup is one of the talking points here, with a 13 MP sensor doing the heavy lifting. Point-and-shoot results are reliable, and that is exactly what most buyers want.
Battery
Battery duties are handled by a Li-Ion 2600 mAh, removable unit, 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 I9500 Galaxy S4? 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. 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. You could nitpick a few things, as you can with any phone in this bracket. But taken as a whole, the Samsung I9500 Galaxy S4 is a sensible, well-judged choice that should keep most users happy for a good while. If you have used this device or are planning to pick one up, do let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
