For much of 2011, the Samsung Galaxy S2 was widely considered to be the best smartphone, leading most of the lists of top smartphones. Many competitors tried to create devices able to compete with it, but none succeeded – even Apple’s iPhone 4. Perhaps Samsung thought its Galaxy S2 was undefeatable, but not so long ago Apple released the new iPhone 4S with a number of updated specs and features, and the Galaxy S2′s position is now shaken. So which phone is better – the Samsung Galaxy S2 or the Apple iPhone 4S? I’ll try to find this out in my comparison of these two smartphones.
Design:
Design is a matter of taste. Some people like big, heavy devices; others prefer small and light phones. So, in this case, we can only note the obvious: the Samsung Galaxy S2 is a slim (only 8.49mm thickness) and light phone – it weighs only 116g. The iPhone 4S, on the other hand, isn’t much different from its predecessor in term of size and design; its smaller than the Galaxy S2, since its display is smaller (3.5 inches), but it’s not as thin.
Winner: Draw. Although the Samsung is slimmer, the iPhone 4S is smaller.
Display:
The Samsung Galaxy S2 lead the pack in terms of having the best screen, but the iPhone 4S has changed all that. The Samsung’s 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus touchscreen with 800 x 480 resolution is no longer a draw. The iPhone 4S’s screen has a higher resolution – 960 x 640. It doesn’t mean the Galaxy S2 is outdated – its screen is very bright, all the colours are sharp and they don’t darken when you look at the screen from an angle.
The Apple iPhone 4S packs a punch with its Retina Display. It’s 3.5 inch screen has a higher resolution and can display 300 ppi (pixels per inch). Crisp colours make watching videos and playing games on the iPhone 4S a joy, even under sunlight.
Winner: iPhone 4S. The iPhone’s high resolution Retina Display is beautiful to look at.
Processor:
The Samsung Galaxy S2 boasts a nippy 1.2GHz dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor which provides really fast performance. Web browsing is very quick on the move, and playing even the most demanding games is no problem.
The iPhone 4S has a 1GHz dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor, which is also very fast (especially when compared to the single-core processor in the iPhone 4).
Winner: Samsung Galaxy S2. The dual-core processor wins hands down.
Camera:
Both phones have great cameras for taking snaps. The Samsung Galaxy S2 has a 8 megapixel camera with auto-focus and LED flash that takes 3264 x 2448 photos and 1080p videos at 30fps. The iPhone 4S also has an 8 megapixel camera able to take 3264 x 2448 pictures just like the Galaxy S2 and many other modern smartphones. It also has a CMOS illuminated sensor, which is about 30 percent faster than before. It also shoots 1080p HD videos.
Winner: Draw. Both phones have similarly matched cameras.
Platform:
The Samsung Galaxy S2 runs Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) while the iPhone runs iOS 5. The Android OS is the most popular platform at the moment and there are thousands of apps to download. On the other hand, Apple’s iOS is easy to use and the 4S has Siri, the cool new built-in digital assistant.
Winner: iPhone 4S. Siri is the draw here and there are loads of apps to download from the App Store, including games you won’t see anywhere else, like Infinity Blade II.
Price:
The Samsung Galaxy S2 costs £344 unlocked on Amazon. A 16GB iPhone 4S costs £573. You can get great pay monthly deals on both. The Galaxy S2 is available for free on Orange tariffs starting from £26 a month, while the iPhone 4S is available for free on contracts starting at £30 a month.
Verdict: Draw. Both are great value for money and you can good deals for either phone.
Final Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S2 and the Apple iPhone 4S are both great phones. The Galaxy S2 has a quick processor whilst the 4S has an amazing screen and Siri. I’d choose the iPhone 4S because of these reasons. It’s easy to use and incredibly innovative.
Author Bio:
Tanya Akin – technology writer for PhoneShop.co.uk
