Light and shadow - A comparison with the S2 Plus

After changing the Samsung S2 Plus (S2 +) I want to hold my impressions to S4 Mini (S4M) shortly. Other previous devices were: SE Xperia Mini and Samsung Ace 2 After solving my battery problem I have the review slightly edited.

My requirements
1. Dimensions <130mmx70mm
2. very good camera and usable front camera
3. MicroSD slot or 64GB internal memory
4. at least Android 4.1
5. Screen size 4-4.7 "
6. excellent audio quality over headphones

Change basic
Positive at + S2 were particularly handy size, the ordinary processing as well as the camera qualities. There is good news to report via the display and the CPU performance. Not liked the unsatisfactory battery life (3 days vs. 4 days at Ace 2) and the too quiet speaker. Switched to the S4 Mini I am especially because this provides a significantly better quality audio through headphones. Even the S2 + has done a good job here, but the large discrepancy for iP4S my girlfriend has yet bothered me ... ;-)

Features at S4M and S2 +
+ "Pocket Compatible" and handed to use
+ Ordinary processing: good gaps, no creaking, good keystroke points
+ Voice quality at a good level
o AMOLED display like it very much, but bad in the sun to read
o CPU power is sufficient for normal use, but iOS responds noticeably faster
- Even in simple games (eg Hungry Shark Evolution) jerky S4M, mirroring the screen via WLAN on the TV is to be expected when playing with the cell phone crashes
- TouchWiz is probably the worst / slowest user interface on Android

S4M advantages over S2 +
+ Significantly smaller with the same display size
+ Better audio quality
+ Higher screen resolution makes reading text positive effect
+ LTE support
o Handsfree is louder, but for the car it is still not enough
o CPU performance is better on paper - in normal operation I imagine not establish differences

Benefits + S2 towards S4M
+ Much better reception quality in GSM and UMTS (D1)
+ Image quality in low light conditions noticeably better, at least iP4S level
+ Images in the dark with lightning are useful - color and noise okay
Preinstalled + less Bloatware

Summary
+ The S4M is when it comes to audio quality and manageability of S2 + and is very good for an Android phone in two points. Quite as good as an iPhone it sounds but neither speaker nor headphones.
- The battery life was initially unacceptable: Abolished the S2 + 3 days was the S4M after a day out of battery. Same Android version, same networks and features enabled. Periodically (every 1-2 days) increased the standby consumption of the appliance by leaps and bounds, so that the battery overnight in flight mode loose 20% consumed. Cause of the evil in me: My formatted in exFAT (in the unit) 64GB memory card from Samsung. The Samsung Firmware is faulty and ensures increased power consumption in conjunction with this exFAT memory card. Work-around: Card on the PC in FAT32 format ... Now the battery lasts 2-4 days.
- The receiving services have also deteriorated significantly. In the countryside Mobile Data fortunately case. No cell phone reception for people with needs on highways or in nature! LTE can be incidentally also only be used if GSM is available - in the countryside with the S4M so rare. Even in the big city is rarely stable LTE available.
- The photo quality has deteriorated. This is critical at a high level, but the 2-year-old camera module S2 (+) makes in overcast sharper and reasonably true-color images. The camera of the S4M convinced only when the sun shines and is otherwise less precise than the iP4S.

Conclusion
The S4 mini could be a really good Android smartphone for your pocket. Samsung has but blundered and supplies at the end only typical Android-average fare. The packaging is really well done, but neither harmonize hardware and software (battery life), yet it has installed quality radio and camera technology.

Samsung has made it even after 4 months failed to provide a firmware update for a solution to the memory card problem. Helpful hints for solving the problem has not Samsung. The service performance gets an A smooth. 6

ATTENTION: Samsung in derogation by a flash counter using alternative firmware and the rooting of the device. Who raised the Counter lose any warranty claim! There are (so far) no way to reset the flash counter!

Conclusion: I can only recommend limited the S4 Mini. A phone in this price range should not so bad cut at reception and camera. Samsung also offers for the little brother of its top model only minimal service: firmware error can not be fixed and current Android versions is not guaranteed. Instead, Samsung makes such innovations as Flash-Counter and Regio-Lock.

Alternatives: If there should be necessarily a Samsung, then I recommend the S2 + or the favorable Ace. 2