Who is the Boss? Samsung Galaxy S3 vs HTC One X vs iPhone 4S

The Samsung Galaxy S3 is here. It's big, it's bold and it's probably going to be one of the best-selling phones of the year. But how does it compare with the HTC One X and the iPhone 4S?

We've dug into the spec sheet, fondled the phone itself and mused deeply on what a smartphone is to find out. Here's what we found… 

Body and build
Samsung Galaxy S3 - Plastic, Gorilla Glass II
HTC One X - Plastic, Gorilla Glass
iPhone 4S - Metal, Gorilla Glass

If you want a giant-screened phone, you'll have to accept that your mobile will have a plasticky finish that probably won't feel quite as good as the hard and dense vibe of smaller metal phones. It's not a hard and fast rule that big phones can't use a metal like aluminium, but most manufacturers stick with plastic to keep weight down. 

The HTC One X has taken a leaf out of Nokia's book, with a Lumia 800-like plastic finish. Samsung's Galaxy S3 comes in two shiny plastic finishes - white and a dark blue brushed metal-effect, but it's still definitely plastic. LIke the Samsung Galaxy S2 before it, the battery cover is a very thin piece of plastic. It looks nice, but doesn't feel a million dollars converted into phone form. 

On the other side of the fence, the iPhone 4S is covered on each side by layers of toughened glass. It helps to keep the phone feeling ultra-premium, but doesn't half make you worried about dropping the thing. 

Dimensions and weight
Samsung Galaxy S3 - 131 x 63.7 x 8.9mm, 133g
HTC One X - 134 x 70 x 8.9mm, 130g
iPhone 4S - 115.2 x 58.6 x 9.3 mm, 140g

Using plastic as the main body material pays off in weight. Both the Samsung Galaxy S3 and HTC One X are significantly lighter than the iPhone. We say significantly, but its only so in phone design terms. The sub-20g difference is only worth worrying about if your arms are weaker than our puns. 

What's less easy to forget is that the Samsung and HTC are both very large, on account of their oversized screens. Two centimetres in length and one in width makes the larger phones completely different to hold. In our experience, though, larger phones slip into most pockets fairly easily because they're so thin. The iPhone 4S is the thickest device of the three and - let's face it - it's hardly a porker. 

Screen
Samsung Galaxy S3 - 4.8in Super AMOLED, 720 x 1,280 pixels
HTC One X - 4.7in Super IPS, 720 x 1,280 pixels
iPhone 4S - 3.5in IPS, 640 x 960 pixels

An important question for phone buyers in 2012 is - IPS or Super AMOLED? As more manufacturers start to move on from the so-so S-LCD screens of 2011, these higher-performing screen types are becoming the standard at the top-end in 2012.

The HTC One X and iPhone 4S use a variation on the IPS type - which stands for in-plane switching. These screens are also used in iPads, and most top-end tablets. Benefits include excellent viewing angles and great overall picture quality. The one chink in the IPS armour is the use of a universal backlight. In a dark environment, the luminescence of the backlight is visible - appearing greyish or blueish. 

The Samsung Galaxy S3's Super AMOLED screen avoids this effect. It uses light-emitting pixels rather than a standard backlight, letting pixels displaying black stay perfectly dark. 

Another big consideration in screens here is, of course, size. To watch movies or play games on, the extra screen inch of the HTC and Samsung Android phones comes in seriously handy. In the iPhone 4S's defence, the ultra-high 326 dpi pixel density lets you get your face pretty close to the screen without any eyestrain.  While the HTC and Samsung feature many more pixels than the Apple device, their pixel pack-ness it actually a smidge lower - per inch - at around 319dpi. 

Power
Samsung Galaxy S3 - Quad-core 1.4GHz Exynos 4212, Mali-400 GPU
HTC One X - Quad-core 1.5GHz Tegra 3, GeForce GPU
iPhone 4S - Dual-core 1GHz Apple A5, PowerVR SGX543MP2

Cores are the new megapixels in the phone world. If you don't have four cores at the very least, you're not going to be able to hang with the cool kids. Of course, this theoretical power doesn't amount to much if it doesn't translate to real-world performance. 

Of the three processors, the Tegra 3 is generally thought of as the weakest for graphics. It's routinely outperformed in benchmarks by Apple's current devices. Early benchmarks show that the Exynos 4212 is also significantly faster than the Tegra 3 - this time across the board rather than just in graphical performance. 

However, in terms of getting apps and games that'll actually make full use of the power, you’re much better off with an iPhone. Android developers have to consider the masses of different chipsets Android phone and tablet owners might use, where iOS devs only have to consider the last few generations of A-series chips. 

Devs don't just think about the lowest comon denominator, but they can't always max everything out for the luckiest phones owners out there.

Storage
Samsung Galaxy S3 - 16/32/64GB, microSD
HTC One X - 32GB, non-expandable
iPhone 4S - 16/32/64GB, non-expandable

A disturbing trend has begun in top-end Android smartphones. They've started leaving out the memory card slot that was once the staple of every Android phone. They have fallen to the way of the iPhone. 

Apple's iPhone has never had expandable memory, and it's not something that's likely to change with this year's iPhone 5, either. However, leaving out the microSD card slot in the HTC One X is arguably even more annoying than it is in iDevices. You can buy a 64GB iPhone, but the HTC One X maxes-out at 32GB. That's not really enough to house a large music collection, plus apps and games. 

The Samsung Galaxy S3 continues the trend of its predecessor the Galaxy S2, with at least 16GB of internal memory and a microSD card slot. Best of both worlds? Yes, although the 64GB does not come cheap. 

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Mobile Phone News 2012: The HTC X One Detail Review, Auckland

The HTC One X is huge, slim and comes with a NVIDIA Tegra quadcore processor chip and Android 4.0 Ice cream sandwich. What’s not to like?

HTC’s new One range - which also includes the HTC One S and HTC One V - aims for the Android heights with slick design, fast NVIDIA processors, greatly enhanced cameras and Beats Audio from the Wonka-esque lab of Dr Dre. The HTC One X is the flagship, sporting a truly spectacular 4.7-inch screen, yet remaining thin, easily pocketable and usable by everyone short of Tiny Hands McGee.

HTC One X: Design

This is not just a slight reworking of the HTC line. Long-standing problems such as samey, mediocre looks and poor battery life have been addressed and the result is an HTC handset unlike any other, even if it talks the same design language.

It’s a highly tactile phone that you want to stroke and roll round your hand like a worry stone, it’s perhaps the most touchable handset since the iPhone 3GS.

That’s partly because there are no visible seams apart from the power and volume buttons, the micro USB charging slot and a tiny cover for the micro SIM.

It’s under 9mm thick and this makes it manageable in all but the smallest hands. There’s a sealed battery, so no removable back to spoil the look, and more space to squeeze in more battery with less cladding; vital with such a big screen in such a thin body.

Like the Nokia Lumia 800, this handset proves that you can achieve a high-end feel without relying on aluminium or glass. The One X is made from polycarbonate – posh plastic, basically – making it light in spite of its size. The unibody frame means it all holds together effortlessly, with no creaking, no matter how much you try and flex it.

Look closely and you’ll see the white back is matt but the edge and front are gloss. Matching these different finishes so smoothly is further proof of HTC’s forensic attention to detail.

HTC One X: Screen

About that screen: turn the phone on and you can’t miss the remarkable display. At 4.7 inches, it’s massive, sure, but actually it’s the resolution that stands out. This measures 312 pixels per inch, almost as high-definition as the iPhone 4S, and the larger size means it looks arguably more impressive.

It’s sharp, colourful and deeply attractive, looking as detailed as a printed photograph. It’s especially good with video or showing off photographs.

HTC One X: Camera

You’ll likely be doing plenty of that because the eight-meg/1080p camera with backside illuminated sensor and LED flash is another standout feature. It take great pics and vids, with minimal shutter lag, but HTC has really aced it with the extra features.

You can shoot stills while recording video or even extract stills from video in “post-production”, picking the frames you want from recorded footage. Stills shutter and video recording buttons are onscreen at all times, along with a lens which, in Instagram style, lets you add sepia, vignette, distortion and other effects which you can view as you snap. Then, when you’re playing back video, touching the shutter icon will capture still images from the moving ones.

HTC One X: Speed

The One X is one of the first phones to employ a NVIDIA Tegra quadcore processor, and it is BRISK. Video playback is stutter-free, games are quick and glitchless. The touchscreen’s responses are Teflon-smooth and immediate. In every department, the phone’s speed knocks you out.

HTC One X: Ice Cream Sandwich

It’s also one of the first to market with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, the latest version of Android. As ever with HTC, its overlaid with the company’s Sense skin. Sense is far better than similar overlays from LG, Sony and Motorola. HTC Sense is all-encompassing, with really well thought out apps and features.

Take the lock screen. There, you drag a ring up the screen to wake the phone, but you can also drag one of four, user-selected icons – defaults are phone, mail, messages and camera – into the ring, to launch that app or function.

Lists and menus on Android phones used to have an elastic spring to them as you scrolled. Now when you reach the top of a menu, contacts or missed call list, say, a blue light seeps out to tell you you’re at the end. On the One X, the list’s entries separate like carefully arranged slips of paper sliding apart. It’s really rather satisfying.

HTC One X: Battery Life

Battery life hasn’t always been HTC’s strongest suit, the One X rights that. It gives a good 12 hours of power usage, making it to its nightly recharges with few alarms. The good stuff really is laid on thick, here.

HTC One X: Browsing

The web browser works well, including a well-executed, Apple-style Read button that strips out images to leave just text. Zoom in on this and the words reformat to fit the screen. The menu button offers neat extras like a tab option that makes incognito browsing easy and one-press access to Flash player or desktop versions of sites.

HTC One X: Beats

The sound is all processed via Dr Dre Beats Audio software and hardware, giving improved sonics on everything from the The Byrds to Angry Birds. It’s actually difficult to find things to criticise here. Some might balk at the lack of a microSD slot, but 32GB of built-in storage is plenty, and you also get access to bonus Dropbox storage for two years.

Similarly, some don’t like non-removable batteries but if the result, as here, is greater longevity, it’s pretty hard to complain.

HTC One X: Apps

Furthermore, older caveats about range and quality of apps and functionality compared to iPhones barely apply anymore. Okay, the App Store and iTunes Store are better than Google Play and Amazon MP3, but really not by much. Similarly, while the experience of iOS could be described as a little slicker, what was a gulf in quality is now more like a narrow alleyway.

HTC One X: Verdict

The HTC One X is a handsome, speedy handset with power and versatility. You can see that a lot of thought has been applied to key features – the OS, the camera, the Beats Audio – but also to details such as the carefully milled holes that form the earpiece and rear speakers. If you can live with the size, this is currently the best Android smartphone around.

This post sponsored by:
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2012 Tech Report: The latest Samsung Galaxy S3 Features!

  
The Samsung Galaxy S3 features innovative new technology to see if you're looking at it and keep the screen on if you are. Here's a brief look at the year's most hotly anticipated phone.

4.8” Amoled HD screen

The S3’s enormous screen feels big in the hand, although the device is just 16 per cent larger than its predecessor, the 20 million selling S2.

Smart Stay

The phone tracks your eyes, so as long as you’re looking at it, the display won’t dim or turn off.

Direct Call

If you’ve got a contact on your screen, there’s no need to hit call: simply hold the device up to your face and the number will be dialled automatically.

Smart Alert

Samsung’s enhanced notifications centre tells you what’s happened since you last looked at your phone in order of importance.

Burst shot and best photo

The 8MP camera now offers a 20-shot burst mode and will choose the best photo for you. Photos now possible at the same time as video filming.

Face Zoom and Slide Show

Double tap a face to zoom in; automatic slide show generation zooms in on faces as individual pictures for pictures with lots of people

Social network and camera integration

Automatic tagging of pictures, and the option to send images directly to those identified in them, called Buddy Photo Share, or display social media profile information on screen. Group Tag lets you tag multiple people in one go, if you set up a group first.

Dropbox storage

50GB of free Dropbox storage for two years.

S-Voice

That’s S for Samsung, not Siri. This feature allows you to control your phone through voice, eg to turn up the volume, and to ask it questions.

S-Beam

High speed file transfer via NFC and WiFi Direct, between two phones touched together, operating at up to 300Mbps.

Pop Up Play

Play video in a window on any homescreen.

All Share Play and Cast

Share your S3’s screen to a TV, or use the screen as a remote control.

Specifications:

Screen: 

4.8” Super Amoled HD display

Storage: 

16/32/64GB depending on model, plus expandable MicroSD card

Cloud storage: 

50GB Dropbox for two years

Colour: 

Pebble blue or marble white

Battery: 

2,100mAh (wireless charging optional extra)

Camera: 

8MP rear; 1.9 MP front

Resolution: 

720 x 1280 px (306ppi)

RAM: 

1GB

Dimensions: 

136.6 x 70.6 x 8.55 mm

Weight: 

133g

Operating System: 

Android 4.0.4

Processor: 

Exynos 4 Quad (1.4GHz)

This post sponsored by:
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Tel: (09) 551-5344 and Mob: (021) 264-0000
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Samsung Galaxy S3 - the hands on detail review (Auckland, New Zealand)

The techboys managed to get some hands-on time with its new Galaxy S3 smartphone packing Android Ice Cream Sandwich and we're pleased to say the quad-core handset is a worthy opponent to Apple's iPhone 4S.

Size and Design
The Samsung Galaxy S3 follows the trend set by the company's previous Note and Nexus smartphones, packing a hefty 4.8in 1280x720 HD Super Amoled display.

During our time with the device we were suitably impressed, with the screen's display remaining crisp and legible even after we turned down the brightness in low light conditions.

Additionally, despite boasting such a large screen, we found that the device was surprisingly comfortable in hand. This is in part thanks to the fact that the device is incredibly thin measuring in at 137x71x8.6mm.

Another nice touch we noticed is that Samsung has chosen to use a physical home button - something we're happy about considering how unresponsive some Samsung devices capacitive buttons can be.

One thing we were less impressed with, though, was the fact that, like the Galaxy Nexus and S2, the S3 is made of plastic as opposed to metal.

While this means the device is super light, weighing in at just 133g, it doesn't feel all that expensive or robust.

Processor 
The Galaxy S3 packs a powerful 1.4GHz quad-core processor backed up by 1GB RAM. While we didn't get a chance to fully put the device through its paces the S3 felt quick and responsive, dealing with multi-touch commands and managing to open multiple web pages with ease.

In general, even on a public Wi-Fi network overloaded with users trying to get their laptops, smartphones and tablets connected, the S3 managed to load webpages in a matter of seconds and easily stream HD videos.

Operating system

The Galaxy S3 runs using Google's latest Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich operating system. However, unlike its former flagship, the Galaxy Nexus, the S3 also adds Samsung's own TouchWiz user interface.

TouchWiz adds a host of Samsung's own features and changes the composition of the operating systems interface. While some people are fond of Samsung's changes, we're a little disappointed that Samsung didn't tone it down a bit, with the UI feeling a little cluttered.

Camera and battery

The S3's battery and cameras aim to improve on the S2 and Nexus' legacy, with Samsung significantly upgrading the device's components.

On the back the S3 boasts an 8-megapixel camera that Samsung claims will shoot with no lag. Even more impressive is the unit's upgraded 1.9-megapixel front-facing camera, which can even record HD video.

 Though we only got a brief chance to try out the device's cameras, not being able to upload them onto a larger screen to really check the quality, in our tests the photos looked clear even in the low light, blue-tinted conditions we were shooting in.

The S3's battery also promises to be fairly impressive, with the device packing 2,100mAh battery that Samsung claims will last around two days off one charge. We'll put this to the test in a full review in due course.

New features
Samsung has added several new services to the S3, most of which are designed to make the most of its Near Field Communication (NFC) and voice and face detection features.

The S3 is reportedly "smart enough" to detect and recognise when you're using the phone to read or browse the internet, keeping the screen active as long as you look at it.

Additionally the device's "S Voice" promises to add a host of new voice control commands to Ice Cream Sandwich's core offering.

One feature we particularly like the look of is the S3's "Direct Call" service. The service means that if you're in the middle of texting a contact but decide it would be quicker and easier to call them, all you have to do is move the phone to your ear and it will automatically call the contact you were messaging.

In terms of sharing, one item we really are interested in is the S3's "S Beam" service. S Beam builds on the basic Android Beam technology, letting users share everything from contacts, to movies and audio files using NFC.

Though we didn't get a chance to fully try it, Samsung claims the S3 can send 1GB movies in three minutes and 10MB music files in two seconds using S Beam.

Set for release on 30 May and currently set to be sold sim-free for around £500, we're looking forward to getting a more thorough look at Samsung's latest flagship.

This post sponsored by:
Dr Mobiles Limited
1 Huron Street, Takapuna, North Shore 0622
Tel: (09) 551-5344 and Mob: (021) 264-0000
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