Good sales (at least in our country) of older branded dual-SIM smartphones of the summer 2012 model, HTC Desire V and Samsung Galaxy S Duos, throughout the second half of last year clearly demonstrated the high public interest in this class of devices. Therefore, it is not surprising that, having barely appeared on sale in our country, HTC Desire SV made it straight into the top 10 best-selling smartphones on the Mobilochka network for December (the smartphone received a dual-core processor, a larger screen diagonal and an improved camera compared to its predecessor, and more You can read about its capabilities in this review). And it is quite obvious that the new Samsung Galaxy Grand, announced already at the 2013 Christmas tree, which will be discussed in this review, will also successfully settle in a significant number of pockets in the country. At least because it is literally the largest (of branded smartphones, I don’t take the Chinese into account, because it’s a completely different story) and productive dualsim on the Ukrainian market. The Galaxy Grand has a 5-inch display, (finally) a dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, and Android 4.1.2 out of the box. By right of birth, he also received a design in the spirit of the Galaxy Note II, the TouchWiz interface with all the goodies of the version for older models and the tutelage of the marketing power of Samsung. At the same time, it inherited the screen resolution (480x800 pixels) from its predecessor Galaxy S Duos. However, don’t go to a fortune teller; even with one, your smartphone has a great chance of excellent sales. As big as he is.
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy Grand received a processor manufactured by Broadcom. Processors from this manufacturer could previously be found in Samsung smartphones, but not the older ones, but, on the contrary, the youngest models (in particular, in the Galaxy Pocket Duos). The dual-core Broadcom BCM2763 with a clock frequency of 1.2 GHz and VideoCore IV HW graphics (you can read more about it on the manufacturer’s website) showed quite high results both in performance tests and in real life, coping well with both large video files and toys, and quite active use of a smartphone.
The five-inch screen of the smartphone is made using TFT technology, and not Super AMOLED, as one might expect, and has a resolution of 480x800 pixels, which probably immediately upset those who had already set their sights on a purchase, and delighted fans of pragmatic Chinese smartphones, who were ready to immediately list several devices with a price three times lower and at the same time an IPS screen with the same resolution. Of course, the pixel density is less than 200 ppi (for this model it is 187 ppi) – to put it mildly, it’s not sugar. And in a device with a price tag of more than 3,500 UAH at the beginning of 2013, it is even more frustrating. But at the same time, TFT is in no way inferior to Chinese IPS, which we will return to a little later, and looks softer than the branded Super AMOLED.
| Specifications Samsung Galaxy Grand | |
|---|---|
| Operating system and interface | Android 4.1.2, TouchWiz UI |
| SIM card | SIM, two |
| Dimensions | 144x77x10 mm |
| Weight | 162 g |
| Display | TFT, 5 inches, 800x480 pixels (pixel density 187 ppi) |
| CPU | dual-core, Broadcom BCM2763 (1.2 GHz), VideoCore IV HW graphics, ARM Cortex-A9 architecture |
| Memory | 1 GB RAM, 8 GB internal memory, microSD support up to 64 GB |
| Camera | 8 MP (3264x2448 pixels), autofocus, flash, video recording 1920x1080 pixels, front – 2 MP |
| Communications | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, GPS, Bluetooth, NFC |
| Battery | 2100 mAh |
Appearance
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The Samsung Galaxy Grand is similar to the Galaxy Note II in the same way that bone marrow donors are similar to its recipients - that is, they are almost the same, adjusted for age, size and a couple of moles. The location of the camera, indicators, control buttons, and the design of the front panel and body are generally the same in both models. On the back, you'll notice differences in the position of the speaker and flash, as well as the fact that the Grand doesn't have a hole for a stylus. Photos of the Galaxy Grand can be seen below, and the Galaxy Note II in his review.
At the top of the front panel of the smartphone is the logo of the manufacturer and its dual SIM line, a speaker, a two-megapixel camera peephole, light and proximity sensors. At the bottom there are three device control keys: the hardware “Home” in the middle and two touch keys that light up immediately at the moment of contact with them. The plastic is glossy, in our case white.
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The back surface is also covered with glossy plastic. To be honest, I liked the plastic in smartphones with similar characteristics – Fly IQ450 Horizon and Sharp SH530U more. But this is a matter of taste.
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Traditionally, the ends of the smartphone are covered with a silver edging. The arrangement of the elements cannot be more typical. On the right is the screen power button, on the left is the volume control button, on the bottom is the microUSB connector, on the top is the audio output. The buttons work smoothly and smoothly.
I’m sure that the assembly will be excellent in commercial samples, but the sample that we got into our hands bears traces of sophisticated torture. So, on the left side there is a dent, apparently formed as a result of contact with something hot or caustic, the lid does not close the body perfectly, and there is a gaping scratch on the top of the screen. Apparently, the screen is scratched, but with great difficulty, because during the operation of the device it did not receive any new damage.
SIM cards of the usual format are located on opposite sides of the battery, under the cap. The location is completely unusual, but the main thing here is that there is no need to remove the battery to install cards. This is good. But to install a memory card, if the built-in 8 GB does not seem enough, you will have to remove the battery.
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To the traditional question - is it convenient to use such a hefty smartphone, I can confidently answer - yes, personally, it’s very convenient for me. The device fits perfectly in the palm of your hand. I like that it's very comfortable for two-handed typing, but still makes calls, view incoming messages, and do other tasks that don't require two hands just fine on other phones.
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And compared to a six-inch book, the Galaxy Grand looks very tiny
Screen
Our most attentive readers will probably remember that the Galaxy S Duos also uses a TFT display. The photos in the gallery below show the screen of the Galaxy Grand and LG Optimus L7 II Dual. The latter uses an IPS matrix, which is quite good, although not the best on the market. It's not very clear in the pictures, but the screen of the Samsung smartphone actually has a warmer tint, and the colors look less saturated, but only a little, this is only noticeable when the devices are lying next to each other. But let’s return to the IPS matrices that are used in Chinese smartphones, in particular under the Fly brand or in some Huawei devices (specifically, I noticed this with the Ascend G600 Pro model). All of them are characterized by a slight yellowness. Thus, it cannot be said that the Grand screen is inferior to them.
The screen has a large reserve of maximum brightness and a low minimum value, which means that there should not be any problems with readability on very sunny days. Conversely, the smartphone screen will not eat into your eyes if you decide to check your email in a dark room, for example, before going to bed. However, I didn’t really like the way the auto-backlight worked. In my opinion, it made the screen darker than it should be for comfortable work in low light (although this may be a matter of habit). Another oddity was that the multi-touch test showed recognition of up to 7 simultaneous touches. I haven’t seen this before - usually there are 10 or 5.
The last thing I would like to mention in the context of impressions from the smartphone screen is resolution. And no, I won’t complain about pixels now, because I imagined approximately the image quality after encountering Fly and Sharp models with a similar diagonal and display resolution. We will talk about what the proprietary TouchWiz interface looks like on a large screen with a low resolution. Unusual. Huge icons and incredibly large fonts give you the feeling that screen space is being wasted. There was no such impression from 480x800 pixels on bare Android. Therefore, the first thing I did was change the font in the phone settings from normal to small. True, even with it the image seemed quite large to me. But some colleagues told me that people with vision problems would probably appreciate it. Actually, the difference in font size can be seen in one of the pictures in the gallery above, and below are examples of TouchWiz, which is unusually “large” for me.
Performance and autonomy
The Broadcom BCM2763 processor paired with VideoCore IV HW graphics turned out to be a complete wonder for me. Apparently, this is the latest and most powerful development from Broadcom. The processor is made using 40nm technology. process. In the AnTuTu Benchmark test, the Galaxy Grand scored 6424 points, in Vellamo - a whopping 1518. The results of these tests are comparable to the Acer CloudMobile and Samsung Galaxy S III mini. Nenamark2's results are comparable to last year's top Samsung smartphones - Galaxy Note II, Galaxy S III and Galaxy Premier. In Epic Citadel, the smartphone showed 52.6 fps. And besides, there are amazing image artifacts. Like these ones.
At the same time, I have never seen anything like this either in high-resolution video files or in a number of toys.
With a 2100mAh battery, the Galaxy Grand scored 502 in the AnTuTu battery test. This is an average but acceptable figure. At the same time, at maximum load during the test, it discharged from 100% to 19% in 2 hours 50 minutes. I actively used the smartphone for several days, primarily for Skype, Internet surfing, email, about an hour and a half of music a day, from half an hour to a couple of hours of games, but with a minimum of calls. I charged it with such success once a day.
Interface and work with two SIM cards
If you are a fan of Samsung smartphones and are looking for a dual-sim device from this manufacturer with maximum capabilities, then the Galaxy Grand will be a good choice for you. If, on the contrary, you are looking for a dual-SIM smartphone with excellent functionality, but preferably bare Android, this is clearly not the place for you. The smartphone has a number of pre-installed Samsung branded services - such as S Voice (voice search, duplicating Google search), S Memo (notes, quite nice), convenient and pleasant to use calendar S Planner, Chat On, Game Hub, Samsung Apps, manager “My Files” files, pre-installed Dropbox with its own Cloud service, which simplifies synchronization with Dropbox (although much easier), GroupPlay for sharing files and multimedia via Wi-Fi. In addition, the smartphone supports most of the gestures and movements that we told you about in 10 lessons with the Samsung Galaxy Note II, except for those that require a stylus. The smartphone also supports the dual-window function. We have already told you about all these features in our reviews of top Samsung devices of 2012.
Working with two SIM cards is also implemented quite conveniently. In the calls and messages menu, the user has two SIM card icons available. Thus, regardless of the priority SIM card, he can choose at the moment of performing the action which SIM card is preferable to do it with. The SIM card manager has a favorite feature of the company's marketers - conveniently setting up the forwarding of incoming calls from one card to another when one of them is busy. This feature has added the ability to receive incoming calls using another SIM card, if data is being transferred from one of them. That is, everyone will be able to reach you when you use GPRS Internet access. Or they won't be able to. It all depends on the checkbox next to this item.
Camera
The Samsung Galaxy Grand smartphone is equipped with an eight-megapixel camera, with flash, autofocus, and the ability to record video in FullHD. For a dual-sim smartphone (if it is not a purebred Chinese) this is still a record. The camera is probably installed more simply than in flagship models, however, the photos are decent in almost any conditions.
You can also view photographs in original resolution in the gallery on Torba.
An example of a video shot with a Samsung Galaxy Grand camera
Competitors
Ideologically, the closest competitor to the Samsung Galaxy Grand is the HTC Desire SV. Both are top in their segment from their respective manufacturers. Smartphones boast high speed, decent design and body, and brand origin. But HTC has a slightly weaker camera; in particular, it can only shoot video in a resolution of 480x800 pixels. In addition, the Taiwanese has a screen diagonal of only 4.3 inches, which is simply tiny compared to its competitor. Moreover, both have the same resolution of 480x800 pixels, which, of course, looks better on the Desire SV screen. However, whatever the differences between the competitors, Samsung fans will probably prefer the smartphone of their favorite, and HTC fans will do the same. Both brands have enough charisma to keep fans loyal across smartphone after smartphone. Unfortunately, there is no one else to list as competitors from other branded devices.
At the same time, on the eve of the New Year, we visited two more devices with a dual-core processor that provides good performance, a 5-inch screen with a resolution of 480x800 pixels and support for two SIM cards. This is the Sharp SH530U, officially available in Russia, but not in Ukraine. And Fly IQ450 Horizon, which has already been mentioned many times in this review. Smartphones cost about a third less than the Galaxy Grand, which is easy to guess. But Sharp's screen is so weak (it uses a TN matrix) that I wouldn't recommend considering it as a serious candidate for purchase. Despite the fact that it has a nice body and design. Fly, especially in Ukraine, is developing rapidly and gaining great popularity. And if you are inclined to choose inexpensive devices with maximum capabilities, then you can certainly pay attention to it. I admit that this is the first and only device under this brand, the appearance and ergonomics of which I liked. Despite the low resolution, it has a decent screen. Also very responsive. However, the naked Android on the Fly smartphone turns frankly slower than the “file-processed” one on the Samsung. Really, heaven and earth. True, Samsung also has 1 GB of RAM on its side. In general, in this case, the choice lies between a well-known brand with high quality control and a significantly less expensive, but functional device, with traditional “Chinese” quality control. By the way, Fly is about to release several more interesting models, so if you are leaning towards this brand, then perhaps you should wait a little longer for their appearance.
Bottom line
So, before us is Samsung’s senior dual-SIM smartphone, which, although it does not have the coveted letter S in its name, is much more consistent with the level of a flagship device with support for two SIM cards than its predecessor. The strength of the device is, first of all, its performance - it corresponds, although not to top-end gadgets, but to devices above the middle class - that’s for sure. And it is the best today among branded smartphones with support for two SIM cards (of those officially available in Ukraine). In addition, some users will definitely like the large screen diagonal and the excessive similarity in appearance to the Galaxy Note II, as well as the features of the proprietary interface. If you are a fan of the brand and a client of two mobile operators, you can pay close attention to this device. Of course, if the price doesn't deter you. At the start of sales it is about 4000 UAH. The HTC Desire SV cost the same three months ago. Now the price has dropped to 3000 UAH. By the way, it is an excellent alternative if a large diagonal is not as important as saving 1000 UAH. If, in the name of budget, you are willing to sacrifice a little performance and branding, you can also consider the Fly IQ450 Horizon as a candidate for purchase.
3 reasons to buy Samsung Galaxy Grand:
- you need the largest and most powerful dual-SIM smartphone;
- you like Samsung TouchWiz;
- excellent camera by the standards of the category;
2 reasons not to buy Samsung Galaxy Grand:
- low screen resolution;
- high price.
Contents of delivery:
- Samsung i9082
- Battery
- Wired stereo headset
- AC adapter and USB cable
- User guide
- Warranty card
Positioning
Last year, Samsung began selling a dual-SIM smartphone on the Android operating system under the simple name Galaxy S Duos. It is interesting that the device turned out to be successful, since users left extremely positive reviews, and there were many flattering words in my review, despite the fact that there were plenty of competitors among third-tier brands. But, frankly speaking, the launch of the Galaxy Grand Duos was not expected at all, since rumors were only about the Samsung Galaxy S III with two SIM cards for the Chinese market.
In general, everything is not bad with the hardware and software in the Grand Duos smartphone: a dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor with the addition of NEON, a relatively powerful VideoCore IV HW graphics accelerator, one gigabyte of RAM, an 8-megapixel camera, the ability to shoot FullHD videos. However, the screen resolution raises questions: provided that the diagonal of the i9082 is 5 inches, it is only 480x800 pixels. In addition, Samsung's pricing policy in Russia leaves much to be desired, since the cost of the Galaxy Grand Duos is no less than 18,000 rubles. For example, in Ukraine, a device can be found for 3,800 hryvnia, which is about 14,000 in rubles.
It seems to me that the smartphone will be of interest to those who do not consider “Chinese” devices as a purchase, but the gadget must have two slots for SIM cards and a large display diagonal. Otherwise, there are simply a huge number of competitors for 18 thousand rubles.
Design, dimensions, control elements
Samsung, in fact, like some other companies, over the last couple of years has begun producing smartphones based on the design of flagship devices. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately for some, Grand Duos is no exception. It is almost completely copied from the popular and widely advertised Galaxy S III smartphone: a characteristic oval body, similar shapes of controls and individual details of the appearance of the SGS III, the location of sensors, keys, cameras and flashes. There aren't many differences. Naturally, these are larger dimensions - 143x76x9.6 mm (for the Galaxy S III - 136x70x8.6 mm), weight - 162 grams versus 133 grams for the Galaxy S III. Instead of a metal mesh of a polyphonic speaker, the Grand Duos has two slots and a slightly larger physical button under the screen. It is also worth noting that the back panel of the Galaxy S III is made of glossy plastic, and the cover of the Galaxy Grand Duos is made of two layers: the first is matte with a thin mesh visible at certain angles in the light, the second (applied on top) is glossy.
A chrome-plated plastic insert runs along the edge. More pleasant, in my subjective opinion, are the “Grand” materials.
Samsung Grand Duos and Samsung Galaxy S III
Since I’m used to huge smartphones (I use the Galaxy Note II, before it there were Galaxy S III, Galaxy Note), the Grand’s size seemed quite comfortable to me. The device can theoretically easily fit into the pockets of jeans, trousers or a jacket.
The device is well assembled, there are no complaints: the case does not creak, the panel does not play, and there is no crunching noise when squeezing or twisting. I was not able to accurately understand whether Gorilla Glass is used as screen protection, because... There is very little information on this gadget. In any case, even if it is not glass from Corning, it uses a fairly durable material (obviously not simple plastic), and not a single scratch appeared on the screen during use. The surface of the display is non-staining, marks are almost invisible. They are also not visible on the back cover - the plastic is semi-glossy and painted white.
On top of the front panel there are light and proximity sensors, a front camera and a speaker covered with a metal chrome mesh. The sensors work correctly, no questions arise. The speaker has a high volume, and during a conversation you can adjust the level not only by standard means, but also activate the special “Additional Volume” function. It seems to me that it does not increase the volume, but rather makes the interlocutor’s voice seem closer to the ear, the sound becomes a little more natural and richer. Overall, the speaker is of high quality, I liked it.
Below the display is a traditional mechanical button in the shape of a rectangular trapezoid with smooth edges. It is practically recessed into the body, it is pressed gently, but the stroke is small, the “click” is quiet and dull. To the right and left of it are touch buttons. Without backlight (white) they are not visible.
At the bottom end there is a microUSB without a plug and a microphone, at the top there is a standard 3.5 mm audio output for headphones or a headset.
On the left side there is a volume rocker key almost recessed into the body, on the left, of the same type, there is an on/off button. Its location is quite good, since for right-handers it is under the thumb, and for left-handers it is under the index or middle finger.
A flash, a large camera eye framed by a chrome-plated plastic rim, and a speaker on the back of the smartphone.
To open the cover, you need to pry it by the notch on the upper left side. The slot for SIM1 is on top of the battery, SIM2 is on the bottom right. Both are mounted in a metal slide. The slot for installing a memory card is located under the battery at the bottom.
Samsung Grand Duos and iPhone 4S
Display
The Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos display diagonal is 5 inches (physical size - 109x65 mm). This screen size is common for most flagship smartphones today. Despite the fact that I currently use Note/Note II with ease, I still had to get used to the large diagonal. But that's a separate conversation. But the Grand Duos screen resolution is questionable: at five inches – 480x800 pixels! For some Chinese smartphones this would be considered the norm, and now almost all more or less adequate devices have qHD or HD resolution.
Naturally, Samsung can be partly understood: release a device with a 5" HD screen, and the question will arise, what to do with previous smartphones (Galaxy Note, Galaxy S III)? If you reduce the price, then you need to reduce it for younger models - Galaxy S II , Galaxy Advance, Galaxy S Duos, etc. Of course, all this is unprofitable. Apparently, that’s why marketers decided that the best step would be to make a device with a low screen resolution, but cool stuffing, including a camera.
The Grand Duos matrix is made using IPS technology. If it were not for its excellent quality, one could give up on the smartphone. And so, even despite the low resolution for a 5-inch diagonal, the picture does not look too pixelated. Those. individual pixels are visible, but they are not striking. I don’t want to defend Samsung in any way, I’m just stating a fact: the screen is cool, but I would like the resolution to be a little higher.
The sensor layer is capacitive, the sensitivity is very high. Works up to 10 (!) simultaneous touches.
The viewing angles of the screen are large. When tilted, the brightness decreases slightly; when viewed from the side on the right, the colors acquire a slight violet tint; when viewed from the side on the left, they acquire a yellowish tint. In short, a regular IPS matrix.
Brightness is slightly above average. On the street the image is practically invisible; in the sun it becomes completely blind.
Display settings:
- Multiple windows
- Contextual pages (headphones, stands, roaming). For example, when you connect headphones, a virtual screen opens with a choice of music, video, etc.
- Brightness
- Intellectual anticipation. The screen stays on while you're looking at it
- Font style
- Font size
- Backlit keys
- Show charge percentage
- Auto-adjust screen brightness. The image is analyzed, and in connection with certain data the brightness of the picture is set.
Battery
A removable lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 2100 mAh is installed. Type – EB535163LU. On the one hand, the capacity is small, but on the other hand, the screen resolution is low, the backlight is not bright, and the chipset is not the most productive. The developers claim that the device will work for 440 hours in standby mode, and up to 10 hours in talk mode. I can partially confirm these figures; the device really worked for a long time.
With 20-25 minutes of calls a day, 4-5 hours of 3G, a couple of hours of Wi-Fi, an hour of watching videos and the same amount of listening to music, the Galaxy Grand Duos managed to squeeze out up to 12-13 hours of work from a single charge.
More numbers:
- Only in talk mode the device works up to 7 hours
- Only when playing video (720p) at maximum volume in headphones and maximum screen brightness - just over 4.5 hours
- Only playing music in headphones at maximum volume – about 30 hours
- Games only (using NOVA3 as an example) – just over 3 hours
Communication capabilities
The smartphone operates in 2G (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) and 3G (900/2100 MHz) cellular networks. Speed HSDPA – up to 21 Mbit/s, HSUPA – up to 5.76 Mbit/s. Available Bluetooth version 4.0 HS (A2DP, LE, EDR).
There is a wireless connection Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n (2.4 GHz). The device can be used as an access point (Wi-Fi Hotspot) and file transfer (Wi-Fi Direct). In the settings there is an item “Modem and access point”. Samsung connects to the computer over the air using Kies via Wi-Fi. During the entire operation, the network did not drop.
High-speed USB 2.0 is also used for file transfer and data synchronization. When connected to a PC, the “duos” is defined as a USB-Flash device (MTP) or a camera (PTP).
SAR value
Your phone is manufactured to comply with EU Council guidelines for exposure to radio frequency (RF) energy. These standards prohibit the sale of mobile phones whose radiation levels (called specific absorption rate, SAR) exceed 2.0 watts per kilogram of body weight. During testing (information provided by Samsung), the maximum SAR for this model was: 0.24 W/kg near the head, 0.288 W/kg near the body.
When in use, the actual SAR values of the device are significantly lower than the values stated above. This is because, in order to operate the system efficiently and reduce network impact, the operating power of the mobile device is automatically reduced if the call does not require full power. The lower the device's power output, the lower the SAR value.
Memory and memory card
The Samsung i9082 smartphone has 1 GB (available - 796 MB and free on average about 400 MB) of RAM, its volume is quite enough for most tasks.
4 GB of Flash memory is allocated for installing applications, photos, music and videos, of which 1.3 GB is free, the rest is filled with applications that are installed by Samsung by default. Naturally, there is a slot for a microSDHC memory card; its maximum capacity can be 64 GB.
Camera
The Galaxy Grand Duos has two camera modules: 8 MP (with autofocus) and 2 MP (front, without autofocus, for video calls). There is a single-section LED flash.
The quality of the photographs is very good and practically does not differ from frames taken on the Galaxy S III or Note II: high detail, natural colors, wide dynamic range, absence of any distortion, excellent exposure meter and autofocus.
In general, I was somewhat surprised that this model uses such a high-quality module. By the way, the front camera takes photos not much worse than the main one :).
Grand Duos shoots video in resolutions up to 1920x1080 pixels at 30 frames per second, regardless of lighting level. During recording, two types of focusing operation are available: automatic and semi-automatic (“touch focus”) - you need to click on the display. There are no questions about the videos either - everything is clean, smooth, without noise or lag, with good focus performance.
The phone works great with Skype.
The interface is exactly the same as in any modern Samsung smartphone. The only thing missing is an HDR mode.
Video file characteristics:
- File Format: MP4
- Video codec: AVC, 17 Mbit/s
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080, 30 fps
- Audio codec: AAC, 128 Kbps
- Channels: 1 channel, 48 KHz
Examples of photos taken with the main camera:
Examples of photos taken with the front camera:
Performance
We are already accustomed to the fact that most Samsung smartphones use two types of chipsets: Qualcomm and its own Exynos. Broadcom is installed very rarely, mainly in budget phones. The specifications for the Galaxy Grand Duos on the official website, and not only on it, only indicate that the Grand has two Cortex-A9 processors, and that’s all. No more information. It turned out that the Grand Duos has a Broadcom 28155 chipset; frankly speaking, this is the first time I’ve heard about it. There are not very many details on the chip manufacturer's website: it is said that two Cortex-A9 cores with a SIMD command processing unit (NEON), 40 nm process technology, single-core VideoCore IV graphics accelerator, support for 20 MP cameras, 720p/1080p video playback, integrated sound system.
After using it for some time, I can say unequivocally - the Galaxy Grand Duos is very fast! If I didn’t know what kind of chipset is used here, I would assume that TI OMAP 4460 or Exynos 4212. The interface works smoothly (this is worth noting separately!), I didn’t notice any slowdowns, “glitches” or “bugs” either.
The most interesting thing is that powerful toys like NOVA3, Asphalt 7, GTA Vice City, Dead Space and the like do not slow down.
Below is brief technical information and performance tests:
Quadrant Standard
Navigation
The smartphone has a GPS navigator. A “cold” start for determining the coordinates of a “duos” is about a minute (quite quickly), a “hot” start is up to 5-10 seconds. Unfortunately, indoor satellites are reluctant to be detected, so the navigator had difficulty finding only one. However, in open space in clear weather, Galaxy Grand Duos identified more than 8 satellites.
Software platform and shell
The smartphone operates on the Google Android operating system version 4.1.2, firmware version i9082XXALK6. Updates will most likely come, and the device will receive Android 4.2. For me personally, it’s important that it’s already 4.1. This version allows you to comfortably use the interface thanks to Project Butter's super smooth operation.
The shell used is TouchWIZ, called Nature UX. The shell is familiar to us from reviews of the company’s top devices. If you have questions, I advise you to read the Samsung Galaxy S III or Galaxy Note II tests. I will only provide screenshots of the system.
Challenges
This device has one radio module, but two SIM cards. Naturally, when talking on one SIM, the other will be unavailable. In general, as usual: if you want to always stay in touch, buy a second phone!
However, the smartphone has an “Active Mode” feature. It allows you to forward calls from one SIM card to another. To do this, you go to the “SIM Card Manager” and select “Active mode”, check the “dual SIM mode” checkbox, enter (if necessary) the card numbers and set the mode: both SIM cards, from SIM1 to SIM2, from SIM2 to SIM1.
“SIM cards” can be removed “hot”, but for proper operation of the device it is recommended to reboot the device. With each new installation of SIM cards, the system prompts you to enter card information.
In “SIM Settings” the name of the SIM card is changed, the icon is set (blue or green “SIM”, home, “work” and heart).
The dialer is standard for Samsung phones. To call a specific number from a particular SIM card, simply click on the desired icon in the lower left.
From the dialer it is easy to get to your contacts and call log. While dialing a number, a list of contacts starting with these numbers appears in the input field window. To create a contact, you need to click on the “plus” in “contacts”. The following information is available for each subscriber: avatar, first and last name, phone number, email address, Google Talk account, group, ringtone, mailing address, organization, note, nickname, website, birthday and anniversary.
Messages
For typing, Samsung traditionally uses a proprietary keyboard, as well as T9 and “Continuous input” (analogous to Swype). The phone has an accelerometer, so when you turn the smartphone on its side, the keyboard takes on a landscape view, making it more convenient to enter text. The screen diagonal is small, but due to the sensitive and precisely calibrated sensor it is convenient to press small buttons.
To send a text using a particular SIM card, you need to click on the desired icon in the center right.
Web browser
A standard Android browser is used. Due to the fact that the device has an ARMv7 processor, Flash animation is supported. The speed is high, I didn’t notice any jerks.
Multimedia
Music player. The usual Samsung player. Allows you to sort songs by albums, playlists and artists. The screen displays the song name, volume control, and timeline. In the settings, the user has access to a quick list, sending music (via MMS, Bluetooth, email and Wi-Fi), setting it as a ringtone or SMS.
Additional options include equalizer presets: auto, normal... classic, bass boost, treble boost, virtual 7.1 channel system, cafe. There is also a customizable equalizer from 60 to 14,000 Hz with seven bands. The extended equalizer added 3D, Bass, Reverb level, Room size, Clarity.
The sound quality of the Samsung i9082 headphones is excellent: pleasant, non-humming low frequencies, smooth mids and not overwhelmed high frequencies. The volume is high.
The main speaker has high volume, light bass sound, and sounds clear. If you cover the speaker, the volume will drop by 40-50%.
FM radio. Operates in the range 88.5 – 108 MHz. RDS supported. The sensitivity is not very high, the volume is average.
Video player. There is a separate shortcut in the phone menu that links to launching the video file manager. The player “understands” H264, Xvid, DivX codecs and AVI, MP4, MKV, WMV file formats. The video player plays videos in resolutions up to 1080p. To support other video and audio formats, you should install a third-party player.
By the way, using a special function, the video player window can be displayed on the main screen or in the background of any application!
Conclusion
The first impression of the device: “Well, Samsung again, same design, high price...”. This is partly true. But the more time you spend with some devices, the more you begin to appreciate them. Recently, I have tested a huge number of “Chinese” smartphones and realized that no matter how you look at them, devices from large vendors still work more stable and smoother, and certain functions are performed more correctly and with better quality.
The undeniable advantages of the Galaxy Grand are: a powerful graphics accelerator, a gigabyte of RAM, a very high-quality photo and video camera, a loud speaker, smooth operation of the interface. Naturally, there are disadvantages, and they are so obvious that it is not worth writing about them in detail: low screen resolution and high price. But despite the negative aspects, I liked the smartphone. For those who don’t really care about screen resolution, I recommend buying: a high-quality phone with two SIM card slots, a large screen and a cool camera.
Content:Samsung Grand Duos represents the Korean company among the top-class expensive DualSIM devices. The model is equipped with a dual-core processor, 1 GB of RAM, an 8-megapixel camera and a large 5-inch screen. However, its resolution is only 480x800 pixels, which is not much. Similar devices are offered in a large assortment by second-tier brands, usually for 10-12 thousand rubles. A Korean smartphone will cost more, now it costs about 15 thousand rubles. At the same time, Samsung has long been ranked highly among its competitors, and additional options are offered by the proprietary TouchWiz shell.
Thus, it turns out to be a relatively expensive, but eminent solution for those who need a smartphone with two SIM cards. So far, Samsung has not tried to bring us top-level models like or with two cards, but it’s a pity, there is a demand for them. It is possible that the sales experience of this smartphone will show how great the interest in such models is and what the market capacity is.
Equipment:
- Telephone
- Battery
- Cable
- Stereo headset
- Charger
Design
Before us is another clone of the Samsung Galaxy S III, which seems to have been stretched in width. They didn’t put much effort into the appearance, the signature features are there, and that’s where all the ideas ended. The abundance of plastic did not affect the assembly, everything fits neatly, the case does not make any extraneous sounds if you squeeze it harder.
The case dimensions are 143 x 76 x 9.6 mm, weight 162 g. It turns out to be a fairly large smartphone; it weighs more than average, but given the diagonal of its screen this is forgivable. There is no particular point in comparing it with the Galaxy S III, it will be smaller, but next to the Note II the smartphone looks quite organic.
On the front panel there is a set of proximity sensors and a camera for video calls. The earpiece is hidden under a decorative silver mesh. Light and proximity sensors are located nearby.
There is a mechanical home button at the bottom, the presses are clear and the travel is small. By holding it down for a few seconds, you can display a list of running applications. On the side of it are additional control sensor elements that are backlit.
At the bottom there is a small microphone hole and a microUSB port.
There is a 3.5 mm headphone jack at the top end.
On the left side there is a paired volume key. It is embossed, easy to feel and pleasant to press.
On the right is a small button to turn off the device, which also functions as a screen lock.
At the back there is a camera lens protruding slightly above the surface, next to it is a flash and a speaker.
The surface of the body is flat, smooth, slippery. The sides are decorated with a silver rim. If you look closely, you will notice that the lid is double-layered; there are many small dots under the transparent plastic. This makes the lid look more interesting and not so boring.
Inside there are two slots for SIM cards, a compartment for microSD and a battery.
Screen
The 5-inch display has a resolution of 480x800 pixels. This is not much, considering that the time has now come for FullHD. The middle class is dominated by devices with HD picture quality, but here it is more than ordinary WVGA with a large diagonal. Accordingly, the image turns out grainy, this is clearly noticeable if you look closely.
The TFT matrix itself is of good quality, there is a capacitive sensor that detects up to 5 simultaneous touches, the sensitivity is excellent.
The screen, despite the low resolution, pleased me. There are large viewing angles, the matrix is of high quality, and its behavior is very similar to IPS. There is automatic brightness adjustment, outdoor readability is unimportant, under the bright sun only the backlight at the maximum level can save you.
Platform
The smartphone has a dual-core processor with a frequency of 1.2 GHz, a VideoCore IV HW graphics accelerator, and 1 GB of RAM. This is the first time I have come across such a filling; I have never come across such a combination of components in Samsung smartphones before. 4 GB of internal memory is offered for storing applications, of which about 1.5 GB is used for installing software. The card slot allows you to expand the usable space up to 64 GB inclusive. The smartphone worked well with the maximum size card. The operating system is Android 4.1.2 and the proprietary TouchWiz shell.
Initially there were questions about the filling; it was not clear how it would perform. But it turned out that everything was very good. The phone works quickly, the menu does not slow down, games like Dead Trigger or GTA Vice City run fine. Apparently, the performance of the components used is quite enough for a smartphone with a WVGA screen to please the user with smooth operation.
Interface
Inside is familiar from Samsung TouchWIz smartphones. At the top there is a convenient line with shortcuts for switching between wireless connections. A total of seven desktops are offered, where widgets and application shortcuts can be added and folders created.
When the phone screen is locked, it displays the date and time, as well as service information. To unlock, you need to pull the top layer covering the desktop. If there were missed calls or SMS, they will be displayed on the screen with a separate icon on the left or right. If you pull it to the side, the corresponding item will open. The picture is set on the lock screen, the location for the clock is changed. There are several font styles to choose from, and three shortcuts for the functions you need. Here you can display your most needed applications.
The menu is presented in the form of 4x4 icons, and an option in the form of a vertical list is also available. If desired, you can move icons to other tables, add them to folders, thus organizing applications to your taste.
There is a function where the screen is divided into two halves, and different applications are shown there. This way, you can work with two different programs at once. This option was previously shown in other Samsung devices.
Phone book
The general list shows stored contacts both in the phone memory and SIM card, as well as data from your Google account. You can choose among them by setting the ability to display subscribers only from the selected memory type. In the settings, you select your preferred method for sorting names.
By clicking the field reserved for the subscriber's picture, you can make a call, send him a message or email, and also view information about him. There are many fields provided for additional data. It includes various types of telephone numbers, email addresses, instant communication tools, residential addresses and other information. From the phone book, you can quickly call or write an SMS to a person - you just need to swipe your finger left (call) or right (message) on the line with the subscriber's name. By clicking on the space reserved for the subscriber's picture, you will call up a quick menu with which you can send a message, mail, or make a phone call to the selected person.
Call log
From the phone book you can access the call log; it is highlighted in a separate tab. There, dialed numbers from both SIM cards are sorted by date. If necessary, you can hide information from one of them.
Having selected a subscriber, look at what calls were made and how many times - such a collapsed list is much more convenient than a long string of dialed numbers of the same type. However, in the general list of calls there is a duplication of identical numbers, which overloads the log with identical data.
Dialing a number is carried out using a virtual keyboard, while entering numbers, the smartphone automatically displays on the screen contacts saved in the device’s memory with similar initial numbers in the number. Missed calls are displayed with a visual circle. When there is an incoming call, two different colored elements are shown. By pulling red, you can hang up, and by clicking on green, you can start a conversation.
In order to get around the limitation of one radio module, the smartphone offers the following scheme. Here you can enter the numbers of both cards. In this case, if there is an active conversation on one of them, it will be possible to answer the incoming call and forwarding will work. So the owner of the phone can always stay in touch. It’s convenient that each SIM card is assigned its own ringtone, so it’s easier to distinguish which one is receiving a signal. Different signals for SMS are also set.
Messages
For SMS and MMS there is a common folder where received messages go. When sending, by adding various objects to the text, you can automatically transform it into a multimedia message. When sending a message, the phone can display the last used numbers, thereby greatly simplifying the search for the recipient. A message can be sent simultaneously to several subscribers or to a group created in the smartphone’s memory. When sending a message, just click on a separate button; each SIM card receives a special designation, so you don’t have to look for a separate item in the menu to select the desired card.
The design of the dialing menu changes and color schemes are set. When sending a message, you can choose which card you want to send it from. The SIM card used for correspondence is also marked with a special icon. This is convenient, you can immediately see from which number the message was sent or where it arrived. The keyboard is comfortable, although the buttons initially seem small and a bit apprehensive.
To work with email, automatic mailbox setup starts. It includes entering basic information; you only need to specify a login and password. The phone perfectly understands various encodings and supports loading attachments in familiar formats. Various files from the device memory are attached to the new letter. The function of copying text and automatically checking the mailbox works (the interval is set manually). Sorting mail by date, subject, sender and size works.
Gallery
Photos and videos stored in the smartphone's memory are displayed here. Working with files is fast, image previews are generated without significant delays. The size of the thumbnails changes; this feature came from the Galaxy Note 2, which uses exactly the same gallery.
The image opens in full screen, scaling works using multi-touch. Files can be shared in various ways or uploaded to social networks. You can assign images as desktop wallpaper or assign them to a contact.
Due to the built-in support for XviD and DivX, the smartphone plays almost any video; the screen resolution is low, so there is little point in copying even 720p videos. But even Grand Duos reproduces them well, no problems arise. The video library is displayed in the form of a list with a small preview image of the film, its name and duration are also indicated. During viewing, controls may be displayed on the screen, including rewind and pause keys. A scroll bar appears, allowing you to quickly navigate through the movie being played. Using the lock key on the side of the phone, you can protect yourself from accidental presses while watching a movie.
Player
While music is playing, the cover specified in the file tags is displayed on the screen; if there is none, there will be a multi-colored picture instead. Tracks can be played on repeat (song, album, all tracks) or listened to in mixed mode.
Virtual keys are used for navigation (forward, backward and pause), and you can also switch between songs by flipping through the file cover image. While listening, you can set your favorite song as a ringtone, contact or alarm.
The user has access to numerous equalizer settings, including manual settings, as well as a set of audio effects and a choice of music to suit his mood. The last option comes here from this year's flagship.
When the screen is locked, there is no widget to control the player. But if you pull the notification curtain down, the player control line will be displayed at the top, which contains navigation keys, information about the song being played, and cover art.
The sound quality is good, here the device can compete with a separate player, especially if you choose a higher quality alternative to the included headphones.
Radio
The receiver supports RDS, can work in the background and turn off after a set time period (30 minutes, 1 or 2 hours). The function of automatically searching for radio stations works, a menu is created where your favorite stations are added. As with the player, there is a pop-up window at the top of the screen for quick navigation between stations. While listening to the radio, you can record programs and store them in memory.
Camera
8-megapixel camera, with autofocus and flash. Shooting starts exclusively from the smartphone menu. The interface is well designed. The shutter button is located on the right, the rest of the space is reserved for the viewfinder and two small zones for service options. The shortcut menu located on the left is customizable. The most necessary functions are placed there for quick access. Focusing on any point on the screen is implemented; you just need to touch the desired place.
Settings:
Self-portrait.
White Balance: Auto, Cloudy, Daylight, Incandescent, Fluorescent.
Flash.
Shooting mode: single shot, continuous, face detection, panorama, cartoon.
Shooting conditions: Portrait, Landscape, Night, Sports, Party, Beach\Snow, Sunset, Dawn, Autumn colors, Fireworks, Text, Twilight, Backlight.
Focus: auto, macro.
Timer: 2, 5, 10 seconds.
Effects: Normal, Negative, Black and White, Sepia.
Photo size: 8M (3264x2448 pixels), 5M (2560x1920 pixels), 3.2M (2048x1536 pixels), 2M (1600x1200 pixels), 0.3M (640x480 pixels).
ISO: Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800.
Metering: Center-weighted, Spot metering, Matrix.
The reticle, stabilizer, hemotags, auto-contrast are turned on, and visibility on the street improves.
The video is recorded in a maximum resolution of 1920x1080 pixels; there are also more modest shooting modes.
The photo quality is very good, the smartphone will not disappoint with the results, especially in clear weather. Shooting texts is also not a problem; there is autofocus and a macro mode, so the device can also take a photo of a document or a note on a sheet of paper without difficulty.
 Organizer The calendar in the device is made in a traditional style; the display of information for a whole month, a week or a specific day can be configured. You can set the alert type and tone for recorded events and meetings. There is a division of information by storage location, each option has its own color label. The new record is given a name, period and location. You can specify which calendar it will be synchronized with, and you can send invitations to contacts from your address book.
Watch The smartphone allows you to save several alarms in memory. The repeat can be set either once or every day, only on weekdays or weekly. Specific days are also specified. The signal melody is set, you can add a vibration alert and a text file to it. The period for the signal to be triggered again is set.
The smartphone displays time in different time zones.
There is a stopwatch.
There is a timer.
The voice recorder is simple and convenient; it saves recordings both in the phone memory and on a card. The recording time is set by the user, so you can take small notes that fit in an MMS.
Designed as a wooden board with a sheet of paper attached, notes allow you to create notes.
The calculator works in both portrait and landscape orientation. In the latter case, more functions are available.
The File Manager allows you to work with folders and the data stored in them. You can organize them by different types and delete contents.
YouTube allows you to view videos and search among them. The application runs in full screen mode.
Google Talk chat installed.
Browser A convenient application is used for Internet surfing. A navigation bar is displayed at the top of the screen, and to the right of it there is a shortcut that allows you to bookmark the page. The phone remembers the most visited pages and has a log of pages viewed. You can keep several windows open at the same time. The speed of operation is high, given the large screen size, it is pleasant to use such an application to search or view information.
There is a search for words on the page, text selection, as well as a practical function for changing the screen brightness directly from the browser. The font size changes, saving passwords works. In this application you can adjust the brightness level. The browser is convenient, but not the fastest, given the average hardware of the smartphone.
GPS navigation Google Maps is used for navigation. The only drawback is that the program requires constant network activity, which affects the amount of traffic consumed by the device. Traffic jams are displayed, previously added places are displayed, and transport directions are created.
Connections The phone operates in the frequencies 850/900/1800/1900/2100 MHz. 3G will work with any of the cards, this is an important point, usually this option is only available for one card. A 2MP front camera is used for video calls. The device has Bluetooth 4.0, which is characterized by high data transfer speeds (of course, with A2DP support). The Wi-Fi module with b/g/n support works great. DLNA support allows you to view photos and videos wirelessly from compatible devices. Wi-FI Direct supported. The microUSB connector, which has become a standard, allows data transfer via USB 2.0.
Working hours The 2100 mAh lithium-ion battery is replaceable and is located under the back cover. In video playback mode at maximum screen brightness and Wi-Fi turned on, the smartphone lasted 6 hours. On average, it turns out to be about one day of work with the Internet, photos, music and calls, the charge lasts from morning to evening. With low-intensity use, it can take two days; if there is a lot of Internet, the charge will last for half a day. MicroUSB charging is supported when connected to a PC.
Conclusion The speaker for conversations is loud and of high quality, with a good sound reserve. The vibration alert is average in strength. The melody plays loudly, the call can be heard very well. Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos went on sale at a price of about 18,000 rubles, then it was adjusted to 15,000 rubles. It is currently one of the most expensive dual-SIM smartphones on the market. It has a large screen, but modest resolution. The phone has good hardware, which will appeal to both those who like to play and those who simply don’t like sluggishness. A shell with a large set of additional options, it is more interesting than “bare” Android, which most cheaper solutions offer. You can also note a good music player, a convenient multi-format video player, and a very decent camera. It should be noted that there is a well-thought-out menu for working with both SIM cards; it is convenient, simple and understandable. What I didn’t really like was the boring design and low screen resolution. Although if there were HD quality here, most likely the model would not work so quickly and smoothly. Thus, Samsung offers its solution for those who want a pair of SIM cards, as well as high-quality multimedia content. Models of a simpler level are offered by Lenovo, Fly, Alcatel, Philips and many others. But you won’t be able to get such a well-developed menu and media options in these smartphones. I think that if the screen resolution is not very critical, then taking into account all the above qualities, the model will turn out to be a very interesting offer on the market. If Samsung decides to lower the price further, competitors will have a hard time. The name of the brand means a lot, and the model itself turned out to be a good option in terms of its set of capabilities, which buyers will certainly appreciate.
© Alexander Pobyvanets, Test laboratory |
Information about the make, model, and alternative names of the specific device, if available.
Design
Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Materials used, colors offered, certificates.
| Width Width information - refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 76.9 mm (millimeters) 7.69 cm (centimeters) 0.25 ft (feet) 3.03 in (inches) |
| Height Height information - refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 143.5 mm (millimeters) 14.35 cm (centimeters) 0.47 ft (feet) 5.65 in (inches) |
| Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units of measurement. | 9.6 mm (millimeters) 0.96 cm (centimeters) 0.03 ft (feet) 0.38 in (inches) |
| Weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement. | 162 g (grams) 0.36 lbs 5.71 oz (ounces) |
| Volume The approximate volume of the device, calculated based on the dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. | 105.94 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 6.43 in³ (cubic inches) |
SIM card
The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.
Mobile networks
A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.
Mobile communication technologies and data transfer speeds
Communication between devices on mobile networks is carried out using technologies that provide different data transfer rates.
Operating system
An operating system is a system software that manages and coordinates the operation of hardware components in a device.
SoC (System on Chip)
A system on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device on one chip.
| SoC (System on Chip) A system on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components, such as a processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation. | Broadcom BCM28155 |
| Technological process Information about the technological process by which the chip is manufactured. Nanometers measure half the distance between elements in the processor. | 40 nm (nanometers) |
| Processor (CPU) The primary function of a mobile device's processor (CPU) is to interpret and execute instructions contained in software applications. | ARM Cortex-A9 |
| Processor size The size (in bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of the registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have higher performance compared to 32-bit processors, which in turn are more powerful than 16-bit processors. | 32 bit |
| Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands with which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute. | ARMv7 |
| Number of processor cores The processor core executes software instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing multiple instructions to be executed in parallel. | 2 |
| CPU clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). | 1200 MHz (megahertz) |
| Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) The Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphics applications. In mobile devices, it is most often used by games, consumer interfaces, video applications, etc. | Broadcom VideoCore IV |
| Amount of random access memory (RAM) Random access memory (RAM) is used by the operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost after the device is turned off or restarted. | 1 GB (gigabytes) |
| RAM frequency The frequency of RAM determines its operating speed, more specifically, the speed of reading/writing data. | 400 MHz (megahertz) |
Built-in memory
Each mobile device has built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed capacity.
Memory cards
Memory cards are used in mobile devices to increase the storage capacity for storing data.
Screen
The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.
| Type/technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the quality of the information image directly depends. | TFT |
| Diagonal For mobile devices, screen size is expressed by the length of its diagonal, measured in inches. | 5 in (inches) 127 mm (millimeters) 12.7 cm (centimeters) |
| Width Approximate screen width | 2.57 in (inches) 65.34 mm (millimeters) 6.53 cm (centimeters) |
| Height Approximate screen height | 4.29 in (inches) 108.9 mm (millimeters) 10.89 cm (centimeters) |
| Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side | 1.667:1 5:3 |
| Permission Screen resolution shows the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. Higher resolution means clearer image detail. | 480 x 800 pixels |
| Pixel Density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be displayed on the screen with clearer detail. | 187 ppi (pixels per inch) 73 ppcm (pixels per centimeter) |
| Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for color components in one pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors that the screen can display. | 24 bit 16777216 flowers |
| Screen area Approximate percentage of screen area occupied by the screen on the front of the device. | 64.69% (percent) |
| Other characteristics Information about other screen features and characteristics. | Capacitive Multi-touch |
Sensors
Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that a mobile device can recognize.
Main camera
The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on the back of the body and is used for taking photos and videos.
| Sensor type Digital cameras use photo sensors to take photographs. The sensor, as well as optics, are one of the main factors in the quality of the camera in a mobile device. | CMOS BSI (backside illumination) |
| Flash type The most common types of flashes in mobile device cameras are LED and xenon flashes. LED flashes produce softer light and, unlike brighter xenon flashes, are also used for video shooting. | LED |
| Image Resolution One of the main characteristics of mobile device cameras is their resolution, which shows the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in the image. | 3264 x 2448 pixels 7.99 MP (megapixels) |
| Video resolution Information about the maximum supported resolution when shooting video with the device. | 1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels) |
| Video - frame rate/frames per second. Information about the maximum number of frames per second (fps) supported by the device when shooting video at the maximum resolution. Some of the main standard video shooting and playback speeds are 24p, 25p, 30p, 60p. | 30fps (frames per second) |
| Characteristics Information about other software and hardware features related to the main camera and improving its functionality. | Autofocus Geographical tags Touch Focus Face recognition |
Additional camera
Additional cameras are usually mounted above the device screen and are used mainly for video conversations, gesture recognition, etc.
Audio
Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.
Radio
The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.
Location determination
Information about the navigation and location technologies supported by your device.
WiFi
Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for transmitting data over close distances between various devices.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between various devices of different types over short distances.
| Version There are several versions of Bluetooth, with each subsequent one improving communication speed, coverage, and making devices easier to discover and connect. Information about the Bluetooth version of the device. | 4.0 |
| Characteristics Bluetooth uses different profiles and protocols that provide faster data transfer, energy savings, improved device discovery, etc. Some of these profiles and protocols that the device supports are shown here. | A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) AVCTP (Audio/Video Control Transport Protocol) AVDTP (Audio/Video Distribution Transport Protocol) AVRCP (Audio/Visual Remote Control Profile) BNEP (Bluetooth Network Encapsulation Protocol) EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) GAVDP (Generic Audio/Video Distribution Profile) GAP (Generic Access Profile) GATT (Generic Attribute Profile) HFP (Hands-Free Profile) HID (Human Interface Profile) HSP (Headset Profile) LE (Low Energy) MAP (Message Access Profile) OPP (Object Push Profile) PAN (Personal Area Networking Profile) PBAP/PAB (Phone Book Access Profile) SPP (Serial Port Protocol) SDP (Service Discovery Protocol) |
USB
USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to exchange data.
Headphone jack
This is an audio connector, also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.
Connecting devices
Information about other important connection technologies supported by your device.
Browser
A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.
Video file formats/codecs
Mobile devices support different video file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital video data.
Battery
Mobile device batteries differ from each other in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge necessary for their functioning.
| Capacity A battery's capacity indicates the maximum charge it can hold, measured in milliamp-hours. | 2100 mAh (milliamp-hours) |
| Type The type of battery is determined by its structure and, more precisely, the chemicals used. There are different types of batteries, with lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries being the most commonly used batteries in mobile devices. | Li-Ion (Lithium-ion) |
| 2G talk time 2G talk time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged during a continuous conversation on a 2G network. | 10 hours 10 minutes 10.2 h (hours) 610.2 min (minutes) 0.4 days |
| 2G latency 2G standby time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 2G network. | 440 h (hours) 26400 min (minutes) 18.3 days |
| 3G talk time 3G talk time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged during a continuous conversation on a 3G network. | 10 hours 10 minutes 10.2 h (hours) 610.2 min (minutes) 0.4 days |
| 3G latency 3G standby time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 3G network. | 440 h (hours) 26400 min (minutes) 18.3 days |
| Characteristics Information about some additional characteristics of the device's battery. | Removable |
In today's realities of the Ukrainian cellular communications market and its pricing, I see only one reasonable scenario for purchasing a dual-sim card. In the first slot - Utel (the only operator providing 3G Internet in Ukraine, although it has some problems with GSM), in the second - Life, for example. As a result, we get high-quality Internet and inexpensive communications. But you don’t really want to walk around with some awkward device. Two-symbol books rarely leave a good impression; today's subject of review is an exception to the rule.
Design, buttons and display
I don’t know about you, but for a long time now my eyes have been dazzled by the monotony of Galaxy smartphones. It is unlikely that such a powerful company as Samsung does not have money for design development. They rather think their design is universally good and, unfortunately, they are wrong. When there were only the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2, the line seemed premium, but now, when you take the cheapest smartphone from Samsung, and then the expensive Note 2 and get the same tactile sensations, it’s confusing. As a result, the company does not provide the same experience to owners of budget solutions, but devalues premium ones. I won't say that the phone doesn't fit well in the hand or that it's unpleasant, it's just Samsung, and in this vein that's bad.
On the front side there is a 2 MP camera, sensors, speaker on top, two touch buttons and one mechanical button on the bottom. If everything is in order with the mechanical one, it is even made more accurately than in the Galaxy Note 2, then I would like the touch sensors to be larger. Due to the size of the phone, you often accidentally hit the screen when pressing buttons. By the way, as it turned out, it is convenient when, with such dimensions, the “Back” button is on the right. There is also a 5.01-inch LCD display with WVGA resolution (480 x 800 pixels). Usually, such information immediately makes people say that this is an insufficient indicator today. Looking at the numbers, yes, but in reality things are different. Of course, this is not HD, and the color reproduction is not the clearest, but the matrix is quite decent. Because the screen is large, you want to keep the phone further away from your eyes and don’t have to watch the pixels. The screen is glared, but there is enough brightness reserve. However, in automatic mode the display is usually too dark. Viewing angles are good. The only thing missing is the oleophobic coating. Medium presses on the screen cause streaks, but this does not interfere with normal work. In general, for a user who needs two SIM cards, the screen will be great.
The arrangement of the elements is as usual: on the left is the volume rocker; on the right is the power / lock button; Bottom - micro USB port and microphone; on top - headset jack; at the back there is a loud speaker, flash and 8 MP camera. By the way, the back cover, although glossy, is at least not pure white, like in Note 2. Texture has been added to it, which is good. I never found an additional microphone for noise reduction, but the call quality is excellent. All buttons on the device are responsive and work correctly.
Cameras
The front camera is no different from other 2 MP front cameras. There are 3 effects: negative, b/w and sepia. Among others, there is a smile detection mode (recognizes quickly, but only in good lighting). And, what’s nice, is the ability to save pictures not in mirror image. I don't often take photos of myself and my friends with the front camera, but it annoys me when the photos are saved as a mirror image. The main 8 MP camera is not bad and has a fairly large range of settings. If you have straight arms, as Sasha likes to say, you can get a good shot, but with any minimal zoom, stabilization is lost and almost all frames turn out blurry. It starts up in about 3 seconds, and it only takes one to prepare a frame. All quick settings buttons can be changed and customized to suit you. I liked that there is a counter for the remaining space on the phone for pictures in a given resolution, the same with videos. You can shoot with the initially specified effect on both the main and front cameras, in Full HD and 720 x 480 pixels, respectively.
Examples of photos and videos
Hardware and software
Samsung Galaxy Grand is another example of the importance of software optimization before hardware power. On board there is 1 GB of RAM, of which 800 MB is available to the user, and 4 GB of flash; little-known dual-core Broadcom BMC28155 processor running at 1.2 GHz and VideoCore 4 graphics core. What is this, you ask? I don’t know either, but the system works quite smoothly, and even Most Wanted works perfectly: no twitching or freezing. But there are nuances. The processor is little known, and it is difficult to understand which applications are optimized for it. Shadowgun: Deadzone, for example, runs very smoothly, but there is a big problem with the depiction of units. As you can see in the screenshots, legs grow from the place where the body should be, and then the rest of the body. If your opponent is not wearing a helmet, then all you will see from him is his weapon and torso floating in the textures. Naturally, to hit him, you need to shoot where the body should actually be located. It’s not particularly difficult for me to play, but the fact is very unpleasant.
Problems with applications can be of various types. For example, the popular photo processing application Snapseed works correctly at first glance, but during operation it can itself turn your photo into a gray or black square. While the game Royal Revolt did not start at all.
The smartphone runs on Android 4.1.2 OS, with TouchWiz 5.0 shell installed on top. I can’t say anything definitive about this shell. There are pros and cons. The good thing is an additional customizable application panel. It can be minimized or turned off completely by pressing the “Back” button. The power saving mode, although not particularly customizable, has the main thing - energy saving for both the screen and the processor. The battery lasts a day freely. Support for non-standard Android gestures. For example, if you turn the phone over during a call, the sound will turn off; image scaling depending on the distance to the eyes; calling a contact indicated on the screen by placing the smartphone to your ear and much more. High-quality pre-installed applications such as S Memo (a note-taker, synchronized with Google Docs and Evernote) and S Planner (a beautiful calendar, synchronized with Google), the rest are so-so. I was pleased with the presence of a standard task killer, which can be accessed almost anywhere, it even has its own widget, but, unfortunately, it only redirects to the appropriate settings section. It stops 20 to 35 apps when clearing memory. It scares. There is also a fairly finely configurable “Do Not Disturb” mode, which is called “Blocking Mode”. This is where the advantages end.
The disadvantages include the S Voice voice assistant, which is so stupid that it would be better if it did not exist. Naturally, he doesn’t speak Russian, but it’s difficult to get anything about him in English, even though he recognizes speech correctly. Well, the main disadvantage is the crap notification panel. Everything is here: a bunch of buttons, adjustments and everything, everything, everything. Expanding notifications is implemented by simultaneous pressing with two fingers. Now, if it were possible to customize all this, it would be cool, but for now Samsung has killed the main advantage of Android Jelly Bean.
- Dimensions: 143.5 × 76.9 × 9.6 mm.
- Weight: 162 g.
- Operating system: Android 4.1.2 JB.
- CPU: dual-core, Broadcom BMC28155, 1.2 GHz.
- Graphic arts: VideoCore 4.
- Display: LCD, 5.01″, 480 × 800.
- Memory: 4 GB flash expandable (Micro SD up to 64 GB)
- RAM: 1 GB.
- Camera: main - 8 MP, video recording in 1080 p, front - 2 MP.
- Wireless technologies: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0.
- Interface connectors: 3.5 mm headphone jack, micro USB (OTG support).
- Battery: Li-Pol battery 2100 mAh.
Synthetic test results
