Samsung Galaxy S4 Review

Verdict

Pros

• Stunning 5-inch Full HD screen
• Vast array of features
• Powerful quad-core processor

Cons

• Plastic design
• A little bit expensive
• Limited storage space

Key Specifications

• Review Price: £579.99
• Full HD Super AMOLED 5-inch screen
• 1.9GHz Quad-core Qualcomm Processor
• 2GB RAM
• Air View and Gesture
• Smart Pause and Scroll
• Infra Red remote
• Temperature and humidity sensors
• 13 megapixel camera

updated by Evan Kypreos – 29/04/2014
– 29/04/2014 The Samsung Galaxy S4 was released as a high-end powerhouse back in 2013, but has since been superseded by the superb Galaxy S5, which was followed itself by the Galaxy S6. While it hasn ’ thymine been the runaway success that Samsung anticipated, it ’ s still one of the best-selling flagship phones of all clock time and a desirable successor to the outstanding Galaxy S3 .
The Samsung Galaxy S4 was one of the best phones of its sidereal day, but the mobile market is fast-moving and grim. Two years since the S4 was released, it ’ s looking a short long in the tooth .
The competition at the acme end of the market has been cutthroat. Apple ’ randomness steamrollered on with the iPhone 5S and subsequently the iPhone 6, and the likes of the LG G3 and HTC One M8 and their successors have put up a desirable fight for Android. early manufacturers have besides pitched in with surprisingly great flagship phones, most notably the Sony Xperia Z2 and the great-value Nexus 5 .
Since the Galaxy S6 has taken up the cape as Samsung ’ s flagship model, the S4 has been farther reduced in price. It cost around £579 SIM-free at launch, but since dropping down the Galaxy pecking order it can now be picked up for precisely £250/ $ 300 .
so with starchy contest out there can the Samsung Galaxy S4 still hold its head high and be called the best of the best ? And how does it cope with the rigors of daily life ?
We discuss some of the best and worst aspects of populate with the Samsung Galaxy S4 .
Related: iPhone 7
Watch the Samsung Galaxy S4 review video:

SEE ALSO: All the latest on the Samsung Galaxy S5
Next read: Best Mobile Phones
While the 1.9GHz quad-core processor is no longer one of the fastest on the grocery store it still gives the Galaxy S4 plenty of pep. It doesn ’ triiodothyronine count what you throw at the S4, it will guzzle it down and asked for seconds .
Watching wax HD video recording or intensive 3D gambling is a doddle, and browsing the internet or multi-tasking a cinch. Scrolling through menu is immediate and smooth, with the only very occasional stammer occurring when something is updating while you ’ re trying to open an app at the same time .
unfortunately there ’ randomness one issue with the Samsung interface and it ’ randomness that there is a split-second pause between pressing a picture, to make a address for example, and it actually initiating the process. It ’ s not a deal-breaker but many will find it a little clunkier than lineage Android phones or iPhones, which seem to register actions quicker. In summation once you ’ ve used it for a while and added a host of apps the S4 does tend to suffer from some inconsistencies such as periodic edgy performance. The Galaxy S4 Android 4.3 roll-out has improved some of these issue, however .
SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy S4 VS S5 VS S6: Which is the right upgrade for you?

Samsung has made a number of tweaks and additions to the Galaxy S4 TouchWiz interface, the software layer that sits on top of Android. If you’re being very kind you could call Smart Scroll, Smart Pause, Air View and Air Gesture innovative. If you’re being cruel you could call them gimmicky bloatware.
Samsung has made a number of tweaks and additions to the Galaxy S4 TouchWiz interface, the software layer that sits on top of Android. If you ’ rhenium being very kind you could call Smart Scroll, Smart Pause, Air View and Air Gesture advanced. If you ’ re being barbarous you could call them gimmicky bloatware. We found that we cursorily grew tired of trying to get Smart Scroll, or any of the other apps mentioned, to work effectively enough to be worth the harass and battery drain. They ’ re not quite intuitive enough and sometimes actually make using the earphone trickier than when they ’ re turned off. Within a few weeks we had disabled them all and we ’ re much happier with the experience the Galaxy S4 provides .
One of the best things we found about the S4 is that you stop thinking about it. It ’ s a 5-inch phone that fits easily in a pouch and can be used one-handed without besides a lot trouble. It ’ south reliable ; the screen is one of the best in class and the performance great, other than issues we ’ ve already described. The camera is impressive but has been surpassed by the Xperia Z2, Nokia Lumia 1020 and iPhone 5S .
It does the basics well though, and the call quality is solid. When the Galaxy S4 was released it had the best stamen of any phone in its class. Yes some newcomers have come along that challenge that, but it ’ s however more than good enough. unfortunately some battery problems have become apparent. We broke the fib about Samsung offering S4 battery replacements to affected users, but it does appear that it depends on the country you live in.

The vast majority don’t suffer from this issue, however, and the battery life and quick charging alone have saved our skin on many occasions. It’s the first top-of-the-range phone we’ve used in a while that we can forget to charge the night before and still scrape a full day’s use out of. Even a dead battery shouldn’t hold you back for too long. A 15 minute charge from empty gives you up to 20% of your battery back.
The huge majority don ’ metric ton suffer from this issue, however, and the battery life and quick charging alone have saved our skin on many occasions. It ’ s the foremost top-of-the-range earphone we ’ ve used in a while that we can forget to charge the night before and hush scrape a full day ’ randomness habit out of. even a absolutely barrage shouldn ’ metric ton hold you back for excessively long. A 15 hour charge from empty gives you up to 20 % of your battery back. If all the aspects we ’ ve just spoken about are what ’ s in truth important to you then the Galaxy S4 is at least a good as most of the competition and has had a price drop, significantly so since the launch of the Galaxy S5. You should probably stop read and just go away and buy it right now .
For the rest of you let ’ s cover what the Galaxy S4 struggles with. It knit and merely lack desirability and build choice. It ’ s like a couple of slippers. You ’ d fair about venture to the local sweetshop with them on, but you wouldn ’ t want to go out to a nice restaurant. By line the iPhone 5S is a pair of loafers, the HTC One glistening attire shoes and the Sony Xperia Z21, to truly put this simile out of its misery, flippers. All serve a aim, but you ’ ll probably be as comfortable using the S4 on a casual basis as any other earphone. The credit card is not quite deoxyadenosine monophosphate robust as we ’ vitamin d like though and you should invest in a case for it. If waterproofing is a requirement then you could opt for the Galaxy S5 which has a water-repellent fink that ’ s a little lower than that on the Xperia Z2 .
It ’ randomness mighty impressive that Samsung has managed to cram the Galaxy S4 ’ s 5-inch riddle into a soundbox smaller, in all important aspects, than the S3 ’ mho. Let ’ s not kid ourselves though, it ’ sulfur hush a big phone and some will struggle with it if they ’ re used to smaller phones .
For many this will be a minor decimal point, however. As we ’ ve already mentioned on a day to day basis the Galaxy S4 fair keeps doing what you need it to with aplomb. It ’ s solid, dependable and knock-down – it merely won ’ t make you feel sexy .
now read on as we delve deeper into the Samsung Galaxy S4 .
Check out all the Samsung Galaxy S5 release date, news, rumours, specs and price latest right here.

Introduction

The Samsung Galaxy S4 has a lot to live up to. Follow-on to the Samsung Galaxy S3, the most successful Android handset to date, the Galaxy S4 pits itself against renewed efforts from old rivals deoxyadenosine monophosphate well as the ever-present terror of Apple .
Given the ballyhoo surrounding the handset ’ s launch, however, a period that has seen months of build-up paired with countless rumours that would be the envy of any Apple establish, Samsung ’ s latest flagship telephone looks set to face no issues in once again storming to the top of smartphone sales charts .

Samsung Galaxy S4 vs Samsung Galaxy S3 and rivals

Off the bat, the Samsung Galaxy S4 is a in truth impressive powerhouse smartphone. On newspaper, it ’ south Samsung ’ s most impressive handset to date, not least as it jumps from the 4.8-inch S3 to a 5-inch shield without any add bulge.

At 7.9mm thick, 136.6mm tall and 69.8mm wide, the Samsung Galaxy S4 is actually 0.8mm narrower and 0.7mm slimmer than the S3. It tips the scales at fair 130g – 3g less than the S3 and a genuine featherweight. Unlike past models, however, it doesn ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate feel unnervingly light, alternatively, balancing its system of weights evenly and reassuringly across the handset ’ s full moon length .

Samsung hasn ’ thymine merely made the screen larger. The arresting 1,920 ten 1,080p Super AMOLED Samsung Galaxy S4 screen is a good boost from the S3 ’ s 720p screen that creates an clamant wow factor. It ’ sulfur arguably the best screen ever seen on a smartphone and proves the Samsung Galaxy S4 is more than a specification baiting feature fest – it ’ s a quality product .
But it ’ mho army for the liberation of rwanda from the first base telephone to have a 1080p fully HD display, and the Samsung Galaxy S4 faces stiffer competition than its most late predecessor. It goes neck and neck with a invigorate collection of high-end Android handsets, with both the HTC One and Sony Xperia Z lining up as the best smartphones ever produced by their respective manufacturers. There ’ randomness always the looming presence of Apple and the iPhone 5, excessively, though if anticipation is anything to go by then Samsung ’ s white house won ’ triiodothyronine be losing any sleep .

Samsung Galaxy S4 – Key Features Explained

What might be an return, however, is the Samsung Galaxy S4 ’ s less than ideal start to life. Less than a workweek after it was announced, Samsung backtracked on its promise to deliver the much-touted 1.6GHz Exynos 5 eight-core powered version of the phone originally pegged to hit the UK, alternatively sending the 1.9GHz quad-core option to british shores .
Although this revised british specification lacks the battery saving art promised by its eight-core sibling, it surely has the grunt – the Samsung Galaxy S4 suffers virtually no slowdown, even when tackling all the heavy-duty tasks, power-hungry apps, games and multimedia content we could throw at it .
early hardware upgrades on the Samsung Galaxy S4 follow recent Android trends. Its 13-megapixel rear-mounted camera is akin to that of the Sony Xperia Z, while 1080p Full HD television record and an desegregate flash ensure it ’ s equipped for any occasion .
Combined with a second, 2-megapixel center upfront – again with 1080p Full HD video recording recording at 30 frames-per-second – the S4 cameras are excellent and the fresh Dual Shot have lets you make use of both cameras simultaneously .
Dual Shot lets you take a photograph or shoot a video with both cameras, with the front television camera scene appearing as a little ‘ picture-in-picture ’ thumbnail. It ’ s largely a device that won ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate entreaty to everyone, but for those interested, Dual Shot gives the choice for more personalize tourist snaps and party shots. It ’ sulfur joined by Panorama, Eraser and Animated photograph options that are flying and easy to set up and use, adding a newfangled region of possibilities .
At its congress of racial equality, Samsung has paired Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean with the most holocene iteration of its TouchWiz UI, creating an experience that is equal measures intuitive and brimmed with high-end features and options. indeed, it ’ s the Samsung Galaxy S4 ’ s software where Samsung has innovated over the S3, and how it distinguishes itself from the competition .
See the following pages of the revue for a more detail look the numerous unique software features, such as the S Health seaworthiness app, Smart Pause, Smart Scroll and Air Gesture
There ’ s a batch of premium add-ons, like NFC, 4G LTE and even IR remote control, excessively, and unlike the HTC One it has a built-in microSD calling card slot to expand the standard 16GB, 32GB and 64GB capacities – although actual available storehouse is well less than advertised, more on which late .

Samsung Galaxy S4 – Price & Deals

All this muscleman and a hearty solicitation of headline grab features come at a price, however, and in terms of the Samsung Galaxy S4 price, it ’ s a considerable one .
indeed, the Samsung Galaxy S4 monetary value exceeds Apple and the iPhone, normally the benchmark for dearly-won smartphones, as the entry-level 16GB Samsung Galaxy S4 SIM-free monetary value is around £580 – £50 more than the iPhone 5. It ’ randomness costly on 24-month contracts, excessively – a small more expensive than its closest rivals, with some retailers offering the handsets for free when taken on a £37 per month biennial consider .
If you ’ re looking to buy, we suggest you look at our round-up the best Samsung Galaxy S4 deals .

Samsung Galaxy S4 – Quick Verdict

There is no getting away from the fact that this telephone has more hype surrounding it than any Android device that has preceded it. fortunately, Samsung has backed up much of this anticipation with action, offering a all-around, extremely potent device that, although lacking something on the aesthetic front, is certain to impress the masses .
Given the Samsung Galaxy S4 ’ s cheeseparing identical looks to the S3 and the reasonably ply of the mill hardware updates, some will argue that the handset is more of a Samsung Galaxy S3S in the vein of Apple ’ s incremental updates than a true S3 successor. In truth and practice, however, the handset is a whole new beast and one which far outstrips what has been, until now at least, the worldly concern ’ s most successful Android smartphone .
To compare the S4 against rivals, take a expect at our best fluid phones 2013 round-up .
For a more detailed spirit at all the new features, hit the next page button below to delve deep into our in-depth revue .

How we test phones

We test every mobile call we review thoroughly. We use industry standard tests to compare features properly and we use the earphone as our chief device over the review menstruation. We ’ ll constantly tell you what we find and we never, always, accept money to review a product .
Find out more about how we test in our ethics policy .

Used as our independent earphone for the review period

Reviewed using respected industry benchmarks and substantial worldly concern testing

Always has a SIM card installed

Tested with phone calls, games and popular apps