Gigabyte GSmart S1205 review: A smart duo
A smart duo
Image gallery and photo album
Gigabyte GSmart S1205 offers two galleries. Both are available from the Multimedia folder in the Start menu.
The first one is the standard Windows Mobile 6.5 variety. It has no accelerometer support and you can't flick-scroll images.
Windows Mobile 6.5 image gallery
The PhotoAlbum app is a new addition by Gigabyte and though not innovative or beautiful, is still better than the stock gallery. It's properly thumb optimized. Once an image is opened, you can zoom in or out or continue to the previous/next by finger sweeps.
The PhotoAlbum app
With the PhotoAlbum app scrolling to the next image is smooth and instantaneous with a single move of the thumb.
Opening an image • overlay controls
Windows Media player for music and videos
Unfortunately, Gigabyte stopped right there and did not bother to include any custom music or video player to complement the standard Windows Media player. As usual, it's poor at managing playlists with your favorite songs, and generally has limited functionality. The interface is less than touch-friendly.
Watching varied video content is almost a no-go as there is a limited support for video formats (and codecs).
Windows Media Player is a letdown
Core player is the better option
If you’re not impressed with the Windows Player, you may want to install a third-party media app such as the Core player. It successfully played all DivX/Xvid movies, except those using the AC3 audio.
The Core Player
Keep in mind that only videos with maximum resolution of 1008 x 1008 are supported so if you can skip the HD playback (it doesn't really make sense on a mobile screen anyway), you will be happy to know that all other videos we tried played smoothly with no audio problems or dropped frames.
We ran some benchmarks with the Core Player against the Acer neoTouch and the HTC Touch Diamond and here are the results.
28 Days Later DivX trailer
Gigabyte GSmart S1205 • Acer neoTouch • HTC Touch Diamond
Transformers XviD trailer
Gigabyte GSmart S1205 • Acer neoTouch • HTC Touch Diamond
Audio output is impressive
The audio output of the Gigabyte GSmart S1205 is downright impressive, the handset faring great in our traditional test.
In addition to being on the louder side of the handsets we have tested so far, the S1205 achieved great scores across the board, making it impossible to find a weak spot in its performance.
Check out how it does compared to some of the other devices we have tested below.
| Test | Frequency response | Noise level | Dynamic range | THD | IMD + Noise | Stereo crosstalk |
| Gigabyte GSmart S1205 | +0.06, -0.43 | -89.6 | 89.5 | 0.018 | 0.023 | -88.2 |
| HTC HD mini | +0.15, -0.68 | -83.7 | 86.7 | 0.024 | 0.158 | -84.1 |
| HTC HD2 | +0.39, -2.99 | -89.0 | 89.1 | 0.057 | 0.960 | -87.5 |
| HTC Touch Diamond2 | +0.12, -0.60 | -86.9 | 89.1 | 0.022 | 0.191 | -86.8 |
| Samsung I8000 Omnia II | +0.17 -2.63 | -88.3 | 88.2 | 0.0024 | 0.133 | -32.8 |
| HTC Legend | +0.13 -0.56 | -83.4 | 86.5 | 0.024 | 0.191 | -83.5 |
| HTC Desire | +0.07 -0.39 | -87.6 | 87.7 | 0.036 | 0.080 | -84.8 |
| Apple iPhone 3GS | +0.01, -0.05 | -92.1 | 92.1 | 0.0035 | 0.011 | -95.0 |
The Gigabyte GSmart S1205 frequency responsevs frequency response graph looks great
You can learn more about the whole testing process here.
FM radio
The Gigabyte GSmart S1205 built-in FM radio naturally requires the headset to be plugged-in.
The FM radio has an excellent interface and offers memory for 20 radio stations.
The FM Radio on the Gigabyte GSmart S1205
Sadly, RDS isn’t available but overall, radio is handled pretty well on the GSmart S1205.
Reader comments
- Bishop casey
- 25 Jun 2012
- HDQ
my hand set also broken, no one can help me to repair bbroken lcd. anyone there who could say something?
- Anonymous
- 17 Apr 2011
- SX1
LCD was broken. I cant repair it. It's very expensive for repairing - 100 euros!!!
- Jayaram
- 12 Feb 2011
- utV
Gigabyte GSMART S1205 is the best dual sim available with all the features of a mobile (except 3G and front camera). Its connectivity is super in both the sim. You will not miss any call any where. The sound volume though low is very clear. In distur...