The Samsung Galaxy S3 is the device to bear in this summer. However this could change with the release of the new iPhone 5 when October comes around. At this moment though the only thing Apple has as a challenger is the iPhone 4S. So how does it compare with the Galaxy S3?
Samsung Galaxy S3 vs iPhone 4S
The iPhone 4S does have a somewhat more solid and professional look to it than the Samsung Galaxy S3 and it is easier to slip in the pocket. However the 4.8 inch screen on the Samsung Galaxy S3 does look superb and the phone is very light despite the advantages of a bigger display. The iPhone 4S has a body that is square while the S3 has great curves. While a lot of effort has gone into both of the handsets in regards to design, the iPhone 4S still stands uncontested here. Winner: iPhone 4S
The screen of the iPhone 4S is 3.5 inches with a resolution of 960 x 640 while the Samsung Galaxy S3 comes with a large 4.8 Super AMOLED screen with 1280 x 720 pixel resolution. Both screens are great but the one on the Samsung Galaxy S3 is larger and looks somewhat more realistic (AMOLED really brings out the blacks). Winner: Samsung Galaxy S3
For internet browsing the Samsung Galaxy S3 offers one of the best on any Android phone and it is easy to scroll web pages and view them on the 4.8 inch screen rather than a 3.5 inch. There are some slight issues with page rendering on the Samsung Galaxy S3 while the iPhone 4S renders perfectly in our tests. Both phones do re-set to the home page if a webpage takes up too much by way of memory but this happened a lot less on the iPhone 4S during our test.
Performance wise the Samsung Galaxy S3 has a 1.5GHz dual core processor and 2GB of RAM. The iPhone often feels limited when a lot of programs are open and often will not switch modes landscape to portrait as quick as the S3. Winner: Samsung Galaxy S3.
Both phones are great for multimedia but watching videos on the Samsung Galaxy S3 blows the iPhone 4S away thanks to its large screen. Both have 8 megapixel cameras that offer 1080p video taking but the iPhone takes videos that are crisper and the sound is better, so the winner is the iPhone 4S.
Both handsets work well as a phone on the Sprint network but the iPhone beats the S3 when in speakerphone. The dial pad disappears on the S3 during a call frequently, so entering information is difficult. The iPhone 4S comes out on top in this regard too.
The iPhone does not come with turn by turn navigation at the moment and so you need a 3rd party app until iOS 6 is released, while the S3 does have it thanks to the updated map app. The voice on the S3 sounds almost human which is better than hearing a robotic voice talking to you and so the S3 wins.
The Samsung Galaxy S3 has the larger battery at 2100mAh and you can generally get up to eight hours from it with heavy use. The battery on the iPhone 4S typically lasts around six hours between chargers so the S3 comes out the winner.
In conclusion the iPhone 4S may be a better choice for the average consumer as it is more user friendly and easier to hold. However the S3 has a better screen and is more powerful which is important if you spend a lot of time on your smartphone. While the S3 came out top for us, it all boils down to what you want from a phone.
