Samsung I9100 Galaxy S II review: Brightest star

13 May 2011
It looks like the point where it all ends. A galaxy outgrowing its own limits. An explosion of energy and speed. An overdose of smartphone power. A phone that makes you love the smell of Android in the morning. The likes of Samsung I9100. Update: Samsung Dive overview added...

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  • ?
  • Anonymous
  • M0Q
  • 16 May 2011

Fongy, 16 May 2011It has three viewing modes - 2 of them reduce colour satura... moreI didn't know that, thanks!

    • d
    • darkangels6sic6
    • 4QR
    • 16 May 2011

    You are awesome GSMARENA. Go Samsung!
    See! Even the experts here know that this phone is the best!
    And to all those who say they don't need this... is making a phone call and or receiving a text or two all you realy do? If not then you are just being odd.
    If you make call, browse the internet, take pics or vids, listen to music, watch movies or music videos or concerts, use gps, and so on(even if seperate devices) then a power smartphone, especially like the gs2(the most powerfull and well rounded) works out more then perfectly for you.

      • ?
      • Anonymous
      • 4QR
      • 16 May 2011

      AnonD-6551, 16 May 2011For the piece de resistance, did you know that Samoled and ... moreBwahahahaha! You just read that somewhere where either a unlucky and UNCOMMEN event happened to one or very few users (which happens in every single electronic device) or a hater posted bull crap and you are just regurgitating it.

        • ?
        • Anonymous
        • 4QR
        • 16 May 2011

        Anonymous, 16 May 2011I don't care much about these beast phones with huge displa... moreColors are more VIBRANT on Amoleds as compared to lcd's because of the difference in technology. LCD screens use a backlight which make faded colors and sometimes uneven lighting. Amoled screens have organic diodes that light up themselves and produce vibrant colors of their own lighting rather then a bright backlight creating faded washed up colors

          • F
          • Fongy
          • Gjj
          • 16 May 2011

          Anonymous, 16 May 2011I don't care much about these beast phones with huge displa... moreIt has three viewing modes - 2 of them reduce colour saturation...
          (similar to a TV) - dynamic, movie, etc.
          Something for everyone!
          :)

            • D
            • AnonD-1082
            • kJX
            • 16 May 2011

            pkchi, 16 May 2011Just got the SGS 2 and tested it: 1. I had a Dell Streak... moreHow dare you abandon Nokia for this phone? You should have bought an N8 and support the best mobile phone brand. People say Symbian sucks and Android rocks and others say that Symbian is like a sinking ship; well I'll stay loyal and sink with it then.

              • a
              • athlonia
              • tVj
              • 16 May 2011

              pkchi, 16 May 2011Just got the SGS 2 and tested it: 1. I had a Dell Streak... morethank you for your honest comment.

                • p
                • pkchi
                • wMH
                • 16 May 2011

                AnonD-6551, 16 May 2011Yeah, its one of the dealbreakers for me. I have several... moreJust got the SGS 2 and tested it:

                1. I had a Dell Streak before, and already used both Maverick and Locus (free) for Navigation before, and works here too. I find GPS more useful here as it locks on faster than my old Nokia 5800 and my fiance's older N95 (she chose the dark side and uses iPhone 4 now).

                2. Ya. I felt like I paid a premium for $730 CAD-ish but it was the best spent money ever. I never use the laptop anymore and do all my web surfing, email, and gaming on phone. I highly doubt you can find a $730 3ghz laptop though, and no such thing as 520GB of memory (did you mean storage?).

                3. MHL cable not included because it's not made yet. The MHL consortium is coming out with it and will be out in June. I think it's going to cost $20-ish at most? I live in Hong Kong, so I can probably get it in China about a month from now for $2.

                4. The single LED is actually quite blinding. I've tested it and it's bright enough to light up a pitch black room. Also brighter than the dual led in my Nokia 5800 (which I missed for a while with a Dell Streak's crappy camera CMOS and LED), but now am happy again.

                5. If you owned this phone and held it in your hand, it feels rich. I really like the textured back, and it's material also contributes to it's lightness. You can't blow it off just because it's not might out of iron or steel (which is heavy), as it has a really strong plastic feel to it (similar to PCV piping) on the inside. The cover is reinforced when on the phone because the inside is perfectly flat (ex. paper towel is thin and can be punched through, but lay it on a wooden table, and try punching through it). :P There's no way that it would pop out, or sink in, because the inside of the phone is perfectly flushed with the back cover. In addition, it has (I didn't count, but when I look) about 10 latches that clip on quite tight. I wish you could hold it in your hands. It's a lovely phone.

                I hate to say this, but it also dropped a few times already (I left it on the table and the cat whacked it!) :S The phone is in perfect condition still (but I do have a rug too though). :S

                This phone is light and easy to handle - and the plastic frame around the screen has a shiny black metallic color to it.

                Seriously - I never had a phone that made me feel so good to own. Perfect in every manner (except my model is missing the NFC). :P

                Honestly though, the Symbians (Nokia N8, E6, etc), other Androids (Motorola Atrix, LG Optimus 2x), and almost all the other top of the line phones (I wouldn't include iPhone 4 since it's not as good due to it being previous generation technology) that compete with the Galaxy S 2 are all around the same price. I don't understand why you think that this phone is a bad investment. I think it's just a different type of phone.

                Some people like heavy metallic phones that feel like a sword or a slab of metal, some people like carbon fibre svelte like phone which feel like your holding a feather from the wings of an angel. I'm the latter. :)

                I guarantee you though, it really is a very firm and sturdy phone.

                  • ?
                  • Anonymous
                  • M0Q
                  • 16 May 2011

                  I don't care much about these beast phones with huge displays etc - it's just that I don't need them.
                  However, I did get to see the SII in a store here in London and I have to say that the display, although bright and with deep blacks, produces blatantly unrealistic colors. They are clearly over-saturated to the point it was tiring.
                  Sadly, some people are impressed by that and that's why companies manufacture displays that like that. Other than that, I guess it's a decent phone and if you actually need one, then go ahead and buy it.

                    • D
                    • AnonD-291
                    • vGA
                    • 16 May 2011

                    AnonD-6551, 16 May 2011Yeah, its one of the dealbreakers for me. I have several... more1. In case you don't know, there is something known as Google Maps 5 which allow you to cache, and there is an android market with a NAVIGATION section.

                    2. You better go for the laptop if it can call, send SMS, has S-AMOLED+ screen, 8MP primary cam, 2MP secondary cam, GPS, Bluetooth 3.0 HS, 1080p video recording, MHL port and it fits in your pocket.

                    3. No comment

                    4. Have you ever tested out this "TEENY WEENY SINGLE LED" in Samsung phones ?
                    Its very powerful, even more than some Nokia dual LED phones I know of.

                    5. A metal body wouldn't have allowed samsung to make it the thinnest and one of the lightest smartphones ever. Also plastics are insulators which means they don't give out heat like metals.

                    "Samoled and Samoled+ have a short life of 2 years"

                    As if you are the one who tests out screens for Samsung. If not then stop writing crap.
                    I know some of my friends who still use Omnia HD.


                    "Japanese SE are actually STILL BETTER when it comes to R&D"

                    http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/03/visualized-nokia-randd-spending-almost-3-times-its-peers/


                    "and the difference with Samoled and LCD is not THAT big that you cant use the phone altogethr"

                    Ignorance is bliss.

                      • a
                      • a_tumiwa
                      • Mfx
                      • 16 May 2011

                      Line-out??? are u kidding me? since when Samsung`s product has line-out like apple?

                        • D
                        • AnonD-6551
                        • mT@
                        • 16 May 2011

                        AnonD-6551, 16 May 2011Yeah, its one of the dealbreakers for me. I have several... moreFor the piece de resistance, did you know that Samoled and Samoled+ have a short life of 2 years, before defects like burn-in show up? Apparently, sammy rushed this tech to market, without fully testing or correcting the flaws. Japanese SE are actually STILL BETTER when it comes to R&D. The SE exmoor R is actually a brilliant thing!!

                        LCD costs less, more durable, and the difference with Samoled is not THAT big that you cant use the phone altogethr.

                          • D
                          • AnonD-6551
                          • mT@
                          • 16 May 2011

                          tungau, 15 May 2011disadvantage of sgs2....ovi offline maps still the bestYeah, its one of the dealbreakers for me.

                          I have several ones, actually, for SGS 2:

                          1) No alternative GPS navigation installed, except Google maps. In the Middle east, google maps is just next to USELESS. HTC Locations atleast supports off-line navigation and maps caching.

                          2) Way too expensive. SGS2 costs same or MORE THAN a 3ghz laptop with 520 gb memory, and tons of features.

                          3) Despite sky-high price, NO hdmi or mhl cable included in the box. Samsung is going STINGY. How can you enjoy 1080p video without MHL cable to plug it to HD TV??

                          4) Is dual LED flash too expensive? coz despite the huge 4.3" screen and up-scaled 8mp camera, sammy still puts TEENY WEENY SINGLE LED to act as video light for SGS2. HTC is smarter-- Sensation has dual-LEDs

                          5) Not only is Sammy STINGY with LEDs but also with STRONG BACK COVERS. For an $800 smartphone, the best sammy can do is slap a paper-thin plastic back on the thing. Just hope that you dont squeeze too tight, or the back will crack, pop out, or sink in. BAD INVESTMENT. Take your $800 elsewhere.

                            • ?
                            • Anonymous
                            • vGq
                            • 16 May 2011

                            When is Samsund releasing in India

                            Also I hope Samsung will give us the best

                            1.2 Ghz
                            Super AMOLED + Screen

                              • A
                              • Atul
                              • U2g
                              • 16 May 2011

                              Thanks GSMA for posting this review.... you guys rock....

                              After this review, i want this phone even more..... This is a superphone of phones and no other phone even comes close to this one...

                              Hey Sammy, please launch the phone in India....

                                • ?
                                • Anonymous
                                • u4k
                                • 16 May 2011

                                Can you also post about battery performance when using a powerful processor, just say how long a full charged phone can be used to play angry birds. Better if you test with game that required dual processor / tegra.

                                  • M
                                  • MeMo
                                  • mGA
                                  • 15 May 2011

                                  I heave had about 9 phones now, and tryed all sort inc Nokia N8/Iphone 4/htc desire(and HD).
                                  I had Galaxy S(first edition) and where at start happy, but software wasn't all that good, so it was a bad start for samsung, i did however never experienced any burn in....and so far i know it is all BullCrap.
                                  I heave got Galaxy S II since last wednesday(in holland, in UK it's been out for somme time) and can tell you that the phone will blow u away.
                                  It's super thin and display is crazy even tho i had first Galaxy s. It's eazyly best Mobile phone i heave ever have/tryed.

                                  Don't be sad about the negative comments and go to the storen when it's out and PLAY with it to see what you think of it :) !

                                    • D
                                    • AnonD-1653
                                    • uWK
                                    • 15 May 2011

                                    Hi

                                    From where i can buy this phone beside UK

                                      • D
                                      • AnonD-5197
                                      • qbY
                                      • 15 May 2011

                                      [deleted post]How would they test that in 2-3 days???

                                      They have no information about burn-in-effect on the new Super AMOLED Plus. They shouldn't assume because that would be unprofessional and biased. While mentioning about how original SGS had the issue on approximately how many units would be appropriate, discussing this issue related to SGS II would not be.

                                        • n
                                        • nick
                                        • nxw
                                        • 15 May 2011

                                        [deleted post]the screen is the most amazing one on the market. it will provide you pleasure for years and years.

                                        after two years, you might get a tiny bit of burn in. holy cow.

                                        the pros outweigh the cons in this case!!