Samsung Galaxy S4 i9500 Battery B600BC GT-i9500 2600 mAh. 2.4 out of 5. LCD Screen Display with Digitizer for Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini (White).
$49.99
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Pros
Comfortable size. Excellent call quality. Long battery life. Good value.
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Cons
Carrier branding and bloatware. Lower-res display.
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Bottom Line
The Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini is a solid midrange Android smartphone, with a good set of features at an affordable price.
Flagship smartphones are getting bigger with every release cycle, but not everyone wants a big screen and associated pocket bulk. The Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini is a suitable compromise, but a compromise nonetheless. This is a midrange phone through and through, though compared with the limited options for small-screen lovers, it's actually a pretty solid choice on Sprint for $49.99 with a two-year contract.
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$249.99
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$99.99
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$99.99
We've already reviewed the Galaxy S4 Mini on Verizon, so head over to that review for a full run down on its features and design. The Sprint S4 Mini is physically identical, so we'll focus on carrier specific differences for this review.
Network and Call Quality
The S4 Mini connects to Sprint's CDMA (800/1900MHz) and tri-band Spark LTE (800/1900/2500MHz) networks. That means slow 3G data, but some of the fastest 4G LTE speeds where Sprint's new Spark network is available. We've seen as high as 34Mbps down when connected to Spark, and the S4 Mini was able to pull down over 20Mbps in a few locations. More typical speeds hovered around 12-15Mbps down and 6Mbps up, which is still solid 4G speed.
The S4 Mini connects to Sprint's CDMA (800/1900MHz) and tri-band Spark LTE (800/1900/2500MHz) networks. That means slow 3G data, but some of the fastest 4G LTE speeds where Sprint's new Spark network is available. We've seen as high as 34Mbps down when connected to Spark, and the S4 Mini was able to pull down over 20Mbps in a few locations. More typical speeds hovered around 12-15Mbps down and 6Mbps up, which is still solid 4G speed.
Note: The slideshow below is of the Verizon S4 Mini, which is physically identical to the Sprint model.
I tested call quality in New York City in an area with good Sprint coverage. Like its Verizon counterpart, the Sprint S4 Mini is great for voice calls. Earpiece volume gets nice and loud, while voices sound full and easy to understand. Transmissions through the mic are clean, though noise cancellation still let some more disruptive street noise through. Oddly enough, the S4 Mini is one of the few Sprint phones that supports Wi-Fi calling. This isn't like T-Mobile's implementation, though, as you still need to be in range of Sprint's networks to place a call. Calls sounded better over Wi-Fi, especially in areas with limited coverage, but the network requirement negates a lot of the potential benefits. In our tests, the S4 Mini was good for a solid 11 hours, 52 minutes of continuous talk time. That beats the higher-end Sprint Moto X, which lasted for 10 hours, 11 minutes of talk time in the same test.
Bloatware and Conclusions
Of the 16GB of internal storage, 11.42GB is available to users out of the box. The bloatware load appears pretty heavy at first, but thankfully many of the apps are just links to download the app to your phone. You can't completely remove the icons, but you can hide them away and disable them so they don't sit around in your app drawer. These include apps like TripAdvisor, eBay, Messaging+, NextRadio, and CBS Sports. Sprint apps like Sprint Zone, Sprint Music Plus, Sprint TV & Movies, and the Lumen Toolbar are pre-loaded and not removable.
Of the 16GB of internal storage, 11.42GB is available to users out of the box. The bloatware load appears pretty heavy at first, but thankfully many of the apps are just links to download the app to your phone. You can't completely remove the icons, but you can hide them away and disable them so they don't sit around in your app drawer. These include apps like TripAdvisor, eBay, Messaging+, NextRadio, and CBS Sports. Sprint apps like Sprint Zone, Sprint Music Plus, Sprint TV & Movies, and the Lumen Toolbar are pre-loaded and not removable.
Samsung devices of all sizes do one thing really well: They deliver a reliably consistent experience that can be hard to find in the sea of assorted Android devices. The Galaxy S4 Mini isn't the fastest or most feature packed, but it's still a well-made midrange phone that represents a good value for those who don't know the difference between a Snapdragon 400 and Snapdragon 800 processor. It's the perfect size for those who are turned off by the ever-growing screen-sizes of flagship phones, and delivers great call quality and battery life. The big problem is that last year's flagship phones have dropped in price. For example, Sprint's currently offering the Moto X for $49.99 with a two-year contract, and if you can tolerate a slightly larger device, it blows the S4 Mini out of the water with its faster performance, sharper display, and clever always-on voice commands. For my money, I'd take the Moto X, but the S4 Mini is still a decent value.
Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini (Sprint)
Bottom Line: The Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini is a solid midrange Android smartphone, with a good set of features at an affordable price.
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- Page 1Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini Review
- Page 2Software, Performance and Camera Review
- Page 3Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini Review
Pros
- Bright, vibrant screen
- Decent main camera
- Smooth dual-core processor performance
Cons
- Some lag for gaming
- Pricey, considering the specs
- Disappointing onboard storage
Key Specifications
- Review Price: £350.00
- 4.3-inch qHD AMOLED display
- 1.7GHz dual-core processor
- 8-megapixel rear-facing camera
- NFC
- Android 4.2.2
- 8GB storage
- microSD card slot
What is the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini?
The Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini is what the HTC One Mini is to the HTC One – a smaller version of the Samsung Galaxy S4. Dropping to a 4.3-inch display, the S4 Mini loses the quad-core power and Full 1080p HD display. It does retain many of the key S4 features including NFC, Android 4.2.2 and a removable battery. The basic design is much the same, it just fits more comfortably in your hand and pocket.
Priced from £350 at launch, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini is significantly more expensive than the Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini (£269) when it first arrived and £229 cheaper than the Galaxy S4. After a significant price drop you can now get your hands on a SIM-free Galaxy S4 Mini from as little as £160. It goes up against the likes of the Sony Xperia SP and the Nokia Lumia 820, Samsung is pitching the S4 Mini as the ultimate mid-range smartphone and a more pocketable rival to the iPhone 5. Read on to find out if it can hack it with the best mobile phones around.
Watch our Samsung Galaxy S4 mini video review
Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini – Design
The Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini is essentially a mini replica of the Galaxy S4. From the glossy, plastic body, thin bezel and metal band separating the screen from the battery cover. This is the flagship Samsung smartphone, only smaller and lighter – read more about how they compare in our S4 vs S4 Mini comparison.
This is a handset we are familiar with as well. The screen size and basic specs are identical to the smartphone half of the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom.
All buttons and ports remain in the same place as they do on the S4. The Home key flanked by capacitive buttons remain below the screen. The volume rocker is on the left side, on/off button on the right and headphone jack up top. The LED flash and 8-megapixel camera sensor line up above each other just as they do on the S4. The eagle-eyed of you will notice that the Air gesture sensor is missing, which means there’s no hover-your-finger-over-the-screen features to play with.
Weighing in at 107g, the S4 Mini is lighter than the S4 (130g) and the HTC One Mini (122g). At 8.94mm thick, it’s also slimmer than the One Mini, but it is around a millimetre chunkier than the S4. It’s available in White Frost and Black Mist colours, and having played with the black version it’s a shade that helps hide some of the cheapness in the build.
The plastic battery cover clips away from the body via a small gap above the on/off button that you can wedge your fingernail under. It comes away easily from the body, but the cover itself feels very flimsy. Underneath you’ll find the 1,900 mAh battery, micro-SIM card slot and MicroSD card slot.
Unsurprisingly, the S4 Mini fits a little more nicely in the palm of the hand than its bigger brother. Despite the slippery nature of the back, the S4 Mini stays put and is comfortable to use with one hand. It’s got a durable feel that should make it withstand everyday knocks.
Samsung’s persistence to use plastic over the more premium materials found on the iPhone 5, the HTC One and the Nokia Lumia 925 continues to divide opinion. It’s more acceptable for a mid-range device, but at £350 we still expect a smidgen more quality.
Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini – Screen Quality
The biggest physical difference between the S4 Mini and the S4, of course, is screen size. The S4 Mini has a 4.3-inch qHD Super AMOLED display minus the Gorilla Glass protection. It also drops to a 960 x 540 screen resolution and the PPI goes from 441 to a not so impressive sounding 255.
Everything suggests the screen should be much worse than the S4, but it’s not as dramatic as that. Yes, you lose the clarity of a Full HD display, but the qHD screen is still bright and colourful and remains a vibrant place to watch movies and play games on.
It responds well to touch and provides an accurate surface for typing on the virtual keyboard. Despite the drop in overall quality, the S4 Mini screen is still perfectly acceptable for everyday tasks.
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