Samsung Galaxy Mini S5570 Preview: First Look

Samsung Galaxy Mini S5570 360-degree spin

The Galaxy Mini S5570 is made entirely out of plastic, but the materials look high quality. Its got a compact size at 110,4 x 60,8 x 12,1 mm and a really acceptable weight at 105 grams though at first glance you’d expect it to be feel lighter.

Design and construction

The cool-ish green accent around the edges of the Samsung Galaxy Mini gives it a nice flamboyant look. An extra design touch is the home button, which has a special texture to it and green outlines.

The Samsung Galaxy Mini S5570 looks cool and different thanks to the design touches

At the front panel a 3.2” TFT capacitive touchscreen sports a resolution of 240x320 pixels. It doesn’t sound like much and truthfully, it isn’t. And it’s one thing that won’t be subject to change before the handset hits mass production. Although the screen color rendering, brightness and contrast are fine, the low screen resolution just ruins everything.

Viewing angles are good though and the capacitive sensor is well calibrated. Despite the low resolution of the display, the screen scores some points back by having really decent sunlight legibility. Using the Galaxy Mini S5570 out on a sunny day won’t be a problem at all.

The otherwise big 3.2” inch display features a disappointing resolution

Above the display, there’s the earpiece only. The Mini doesn't have an ambient light sensor for auto brightness adjustment. Finally a proximity sensor is there to lock the screen during calls.

Below the screen there are three large thumb-friendly hardware keys - the menu key in the center, the options key on the left and the back button on the right.

Earpiece and Samsung logo above the display • The hardware keys are tactile and solid to press

On top of the device, the Galaxy Mini S5570 sports a 3.5mm audio jack and a microUSB port.

microUSB port and 3.5mm audio jack on top • the mic pinhole on bottom

On the Galaxy Mini left side, the only control is the volume rocker. On the other side the Galaxy Mini S5570 features a power/lock button and a hot-swappable microSD card slot which as the microUSB port at the top is covered with a cover against dust.

The volume rocker on the left • Power/Lock combo key and microSD slot the right

The matte back cover of the Galaxy Mini S5570 is textured for better grip and has the same chin that is found on the Samsung Galaxy S I9010.

The 3-megapixel camera at the back is fixed-focused so macro shots are no go but it should be okay for taking occasional photos.

The back cover • 3MP fixed-focus camera

Removing the back panel uncovers the 1200mAh battery and the SIM compartment. So far we don’t have an official battery life rating from the manufacturer, however during our test the Galaxy Mini S5570 kept going for 3 days of moderate usage with GSM standby and Wi-Fi on all the time.

The battery and the sim card slot are pop up underneath the cover

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy Mini S5570 is an attractive phone that is pocket-friendly and easy to hold. The volume rocker and the big hardware buttons on the front panel are both easy to access and use. Thanks to the matte cover, the back isn’t prone to fingerprints at all, while the front could use occasional cleaning. Speaking of which, the only serious drawback of the screen upfront is the low resolution.