Not everyone is buying the Galaxy Nexus hype, people - and for good reason. Although it was proclaimed by many as a prominent blog the best Android phone to date, and probably the best smartphone ever - the Galaxy Nexus has a rival that has little to achieve. Created by none other than the same company that brought us the Galaxy Nexus, the original Galaxy S, and this year's best selling Android phone, the Galaxy S2, Samsung seems to have made a real killer Nexus Galaxy in the form of the Samsung S2 Galaxy HD LTE.
A seriously improved version of the best selling Android phone of the year, the Galaxy S2 HD LTE, as you'll see below, is packing specs that not only match the Galaxy Nexus, but the best in several critical areas. Is it worth holding out for? Is it worth buying off contract? Read below to find out when these two titans smartphone tested to see which shows the ring as the victor. No matter what you read below - remember every phone top of the existing telephone hardware represents, and are safe bets either way.
Software
There is an incredible demand for Android 4.0, on devices today, both old and new, and for good reason. Ice Cream Sandwich is really a huge upgrade, both from a design perspective, a usability perspective, and from almost any perspective that counts. With millions of lines of code replaced under the hood, Google really pulled out all the stops on this one. The all-new animations give a much better look and feel is much more intuitive. You can drag icons on top of another to create folders. You can resize widgets, and you can multitask with ease. While very few actually had the chance to spend serious time with it - all that have, have come away seriously impressed, for us.
That being said, there remain serious questions. How will the existing apps to function? What about emulators, hacks, and other things of merit? Because we are dealing with an entirely new beast, it is likely that a lot of things Android enthusiasts are used to dealing with the same wont more. However, the number of developers on XDA grow, and the focus is all on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich at this time.
The improvements are amazing and the UI is much improved. Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is not a minor upgrade to Android, it's a whole generation apart.
Processor
Make no mistake, both devices are incredibly powerful, and the software benefits inherent in Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich to the Galaxy Nexus shines through. However, hardware-wise, the Galaxy S2 HD LTE is a more powerful device. As for the processor goes, you can expect about 10-15% faster performance on the Galaxy S2 HD LTE, but the benefit of the Galaxy Nexus software makes it feel faster. Anyway, the Galaxy S2 line is scheduled to update to Android 4.0 will sometime in late Q1 2012, so if you can stand it, you will get a faster machine at the end of the day. Also pay little attention to the benchmarks above, because they do not reflect real world performance, and can easily be changed.
So why not get the bleeding edge hardware Galaxy Nexus? Well, it's probably due to the lack of availability of large numbers of the Nexus G expects to sell, and Google 's engineers were probably referred to the OMAP to use a dual-channel memory controller. advanced multitasking Android to translate into a data-intensive experience. This means that the data is constantly thrown in and out of active memory, and this is certainly a strength of TI OMAP sharing.
Samsung was planning to implement its latest 32nm Exynos 4212 in the Galaxy S2 HD LTE, but due to the limitation in time availability of the chip, were forced to opt for Qualcomm's Snapdragon S3. All in all, this is an unfortunate thing, because the lines of Exynos SoC is faster, but not enough to make a substantial difference from the Galaxy S2 HD to LTE.
Anyway, it's a toss people. Both are incredibly powerful devices, and will not disappoint you. The hardware acceleration built into Ice Cream Sandwich is sure to make the Nexus felt faster in the hand, and at the end of the day, both devices feels almost identical.
Camera
The software differences inherent in Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich will result in a better, faster shooting experience, complete with 1080p video recording. Google has its camera software a few steps further in Ice Cream Sandwich, and makes it possible to create panorama photos using live effects, and auto-upload to Google +
Despite the lower number of megapixels of the Galaxy Nexus, still takes great pictures. The software benefits really come through, and if you are looking for a faster, smoother shooter right off the bat, the Nexus is the way to go. However, if you can hold out for a few months, we are confident in the S2 HD LTE will win this round at the end of the day.
Dimension
The Galaxy Nexus is slightly bigger, and slightly heavier, despite having a smaller battery. At this stage in the game, it makes little to no difference. One of the most important aspects to its build is the fact that it has a slightly curved display, which actually makes a substantial difference in hard-to-view situations, like direct sunlight outside, and in other brightly lit environments. Both are actually quite pocketable, holdable, and so forth. It’s really up to you here. Additionally, the Galaxy S2 HD LTE is slightly thinner too, and is packing more expandability via its SD Card slot.
Make no mistake, both devices are incredibly powerful, and the software benefits inherent in Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich to the Galaxy Nexus shines through. However, hardware-wise, the Galaxy S2 HD LTE is a more powerful device. As for the processor goes, you can expect about 10-15% faster performance on the Galaxy S2 HD LTE, but the benefit of the Galaxy Nexus software makes it feel faster. Anyway, the Galaxy S2 line is scheduled to update to Android 4.0 will sometime in late Q1 2012, so if you can stand it, you will get a faster machine at the end of the day. Also pay little attention to the benchmarks above, because they do not reflect real world performance, and can easily be changed.
So why not get the bleeding edge hardware Galaxy Nexus? Well, it's probably due to the lack of availability of large numbers of the Nexus G expects to sell, and Google 's engineers were probably referred to the OMAP to use a dual-channel memory controller. advanced multitasking Android to translate into a data-intensive experience. This means that the data is constantly thrown in and out of active memory, and this is certainly a strength of TI OMAP sharing.
Samsung was planning to implement its latest 32nm Exynos 4212 in the Galaxy S2 HD LTE, but due to the limitation in time availability of the chip, were forced to opt for Qualcomm's Snapdragon S3. All in all, this is an unfortunate thing, because the lines of Exynos SoC is faster, but not enough to make a substantial difference from the Galaxy S2 HD to LTE.
Anyway, it's a toss people. Both are incredibly powerful devices, and will not disappoint you. The hardware acceleration built into Ice Cream Sandwich is sure to make the Nexus felt faster in the hand, and at the end of the day, both devices feels almost identical.
Camera
The software differences inherent in Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich will result in a better, faster shooting experience, complete with 1080p video recording. Google has its camera software a few steps further in Ice Cream Sandwich, and makes it possible to create panorama photos using live effects, and auto-upload to Google +
Despite the lower number of megapixels of the Galaxy Nexus, still takes great pictures. The software benefits really come through, and if you are looking for a faster, smoother shooter right off the bat, the Nexus is the way to go. However, if you can hold out for a few months, we are confident in the S2 HD LTE will win this round at the end of the day.
Dimension
Galaxy S2 HD LTE: 129.8 x 68.8 x 9.5mm, 130.5g (4.60oz)
Galaxy Nexus: 135.5 x 67.9 x 8.9mm, 135.0g (4.76oz)
The Galaxy Nexus is slightly bigger, and slightly heavier, despite having a smaller battery. At this stage in the game, it makes little to no difference. One of the most important aspects to its build is the fact that it has a slightly curved display, which actually makes a substantial difference in hard-to-view situations, like direct sunlight outside, and in other brightly lit environments. Both are actually quite pocketable, holdable, and so forth. It’s really up to you here. Additionally, the Galaxy S2 HD LTE is slightly thinner too, and is packing more expandability via its SD Card slot.
Samsung Galaxy S II Epic Touch 4G Overview
A premium Android smartphone, the Samsung Epic 4G for Sprint Touch is designed to provide the best entertainment experience using multiple layers to supply the superior speed and display innovation. Powered by one of the fastest processors on the market - the new 1.2-GHz dual-core Samsung Exynos, the Epic Touch 4G runs on Sprint's ultra-fast 4G network (3G, 4G networks, which is not yet available) for the lighting fast access to movie downloads, games, and thousands of applications - all without buffering or delay.
Enjoy on-the-go entertainment with the large 4.52-inch touchscreen and unprecedented Super AMOLED Plus technology provides deeper, richer colors for a bright and vivid display. The Epic 4G Touch also features an 8-megapixel camera / camcorder with auto focus and flash video with incredible detail of Full HD 1080p resolution shooting, plus a 2-megapixel front-facing camera that is perfect for self portraits or video chat .
It runs on the expansion of Sprint 4G network, offering simultaneous voice and data connectivity and download speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G. In addition, the phone still connect to 3G data services in areas not currently served by Sprint 4G network (more information about Sprint's 4G network below). The phone also features Wireless-N Wi-Fi networks, plus Mobile Hotspot option for sharing your 3G/4G connection with up to eight Wi-Fi devices simultaneously.
Other features include a 16 GB internal memory (with expansion to 32 GB through optional microSD cards), Bluetooth for handsfree devices and stereo music streaming, GPS navigation via the built-in Google Maps and location-based services (plus access to the optional Sprint Navigation turn-by-turn service), personal and corporate e-mail, and up to 6 hours talk time
Samsung Galaxy S II Epic Touch 4G Innovations
Despite being one of the thinnest smartphones on the market--measuring just 0.38 inches thin-- the Epic 4G Touch is packed with a bevy of Samsung technological innovations and exclusive features.
- The 4.52-inch Super AMOLED Plus display has a 50 percent higher pixel density, resulting in excellent textual clarity and even better graphics. The Super AMOLED Plus display is also razor thin, helping to reduce the overall size of the Epic 4G Touch, and it also helps to reduce power consumption by 18 percent.
- Samsung's TouchWiz user interface provides superior multitasking and customization for an enhanced visual and intuitive smartphone experience. Features include direct access to music player's controls and to missed events, calls, and messages from the lock screen.
- The 1.2 GHz dual-core Samsung Exynos processor includes five graphics cores (compared to just one in many of today's dual-core mobile processors), which helps both multitasking and Internet browsing as well as smooth Full HD 1080p video rendering.
Samsung Galaxy S II Epic Touch 4G Specs
Connectivity
- Ultra-fast 4G connectivity with simultaneous voice and data capability (peak download speeds of more than 10 Mbps; peak upload speeds of 1 Mbps; average download speeds of 3-6 Mbps)
- 3G data speeds (EVDO Rev A.) in areas not yet served by 4G (peak download speeds of up to 3.1 Mbps; peak upload speeds of 1.8 Mbps; average download speeds of 600 kbps-1.4 Mbps)
- Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g/n) for accessing home and corporate networks as well as hotspots while on the go.
- Built-in mobile hotspot functionality allows up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices to share the 3G or 4G experience on the go with a laptop, camera, music player, game unit, video player, or any other Wi-Fi enabled device.
- Onboard GPS for navigation and location services
- Integrated Google Maps with turn-by-turn navigation, street and satellite views.
- Next-generation Bluetooth 3.0 connectivity backward compatible with older Bluetooth-enabled peripherals and includes stereo audio streaming.
Google Integration
- Android 2.3 OS (Gingerbread)
- Android Market for browsing and downloading thousands of free and paid apps
- Pre-loaded Android apps: Browser, Calculator, Calendar (Google or Corporate), Camera, Clock, Contacts, Email, Gallery, Messaging, Music, News & Weather, Phone, Settings, Video Player, Voice Dialer, Voice Search, YouTube
- Google applications: Gmail, Google Search, Google Voice Search, Google Latitude, Google Maps, Google Places, Google Talk
- Google Maps Navigation with spoken turn-by-turn directions showing real-time traffic and 360° views of the destination
Communications & Internet
- Full messaging capabilities including SMS text, MMS picture/video and IM instant messaging
- Full HTML browser (Webkit 5) with Flash 10.1 Support
- Personal and corporate e-mail access with support for Exchange ActiveSync as well as personal e-mail accounts (Google push, Yahoo!, POP3, IMAP).
Hardware
- 1.2 GHz dual-core Samsung Exynos processor
- 4.52-inch Super AMOLED Plus multi-touch display (480 x 800 pixels; 16 million color depth)
- MicroUSB port (with HDMI output capabilities)
- Removable battery
Memory
- 16 GB internal memory
- Memory expansion via microSD card slot with support for optional cards up to 32 GB.
- 1 GB RAM
Camera
- 8-megapixel rear camera with auto-focus and flash.
- Full HD 1080p video capture
- 2-megapixel front-facing camera for self portraits and video chat.
Multimedia
- Music player compatible with MP3, WMA, and AAC/AAC+/eAAC+
- Video player compatible with MPEG4, WMV, H.264, H.263
- Access to Sprint TV & Movies
More Features
- Vlingo Voice Talk allows you to give your Epic 4G Touch voice commands, including voice dial, text message, navigation, music, Web browsing and search.
- Task Manager enables you to view and close active applications and any items that have been downloaded, plus check on memory usage via the Task Manager widget.
- Samsung Social Hub allows you to transfer e-mail, instant messaging, contacts, calendar, and social network connections--including Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn accounts--into Feeds and Messages folders that can be either put into separate tabs or combined into comprehensive lists.
