Samsung Galaxy S3 Review: Best and worst features
The 4.8in device is one of the most highly anticipated Android devices of 2012. We go through the top five features of the Galaxy S3 and also point out its niggles.
We've found the positives far outweighed the negative aspects of the S3. The performance, screen and gestures are ahead of other Android devices on the market and make this the number one competitor to the iPhone 4S. In time we envisage Samsung will also be able to improve S-Voice as it's a server-based system and it should accumulate knowledge to answer questions. With the S3 available for free from as little as £26 per month, even the price is more than reasonable.
4. 50GB of Dropbox and expansion
Most high-end smartphones on the market, such as the iPhone 4S and HTC One X, offer some form of cloud-based storage. With the iPhone 4S Apple offers 5GB of storage with its iCloud and HTC offers 25GB of Dropbox space for two years with its One range of devices.
However, Samsung has trumped them both by offering a mammoth 50GB of storage space for two years. Although business users are unlikely to want to store confidential information in their Dropbox account, it is an invaluable resource for saving documents, pictures, videos and music.
Not only does Samsung top its rival when it comes to cloud-based storage, the S3 is the most expandable high-end device on the market.
Samsung allows users to remove the back cover to gain access to the battery and add in a micro-SD card of up to 64GB in size. This essentially turns the device into a sizeable hard disk and is great for business users as they can invest in a spare battery.
3. Unrivalled performance
The S3 is the quickest and most responsive smartphone we've tested. Samsung has manufactured its own Exynos 1.4GHz quad-core processor using a 32nm process to improve efficiency. The firm has also added in 1GB of RAM.
Opening and switching between apps is lag free. The device also comes with a Pop up play feature, which allows users to carry on watching a video and use other applications such as messages. This is an excellent feature and allows PC-like multitasking as opposed to just "app switching".
The S3 is capable of PC-like multitasking when it comes to watching videos
The high performance of the S3 is backed up by benchmarking. Using the Geekbench app, which measures devices based on processor speed and memory, the S3 scored an average of 1387. This is considerably higher than the HTC One X (709) and over double the 626 for the iPhone 4S.
Get the ITPro daily newsletter
Sign up today and you will receive a free copy of our Future Focus 2025 report - the leading guidance on AI, cybersecurity and other IT challenges as per 700+ senior executives
-
Healthcare organizations are turning a blind eye to phishing attacks
News A survey reveals that most attacks go unreported, putting patient data at risk
By Emma Woollacott Published
-
Datatonic expands global services with Syntio acquisition
News The move marks a “key step” in Datatonic’s efforts to expand its global reach and service capabilities
By Daniel Todd Published
-
Intel layoffs confirmed as CEO eyes 'sustainable growth'
Intel’s new CEO Lip-Bu Tan has confirmed the company will be cutting its headcount in response to sluggish revenue.
By Jane McCallion Published