The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc. The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on the back of the body and is used for photo and video shooting

Kindly provided a smartphone for review

In 2012 Samsung Galaxy The S III, which was jokingly nicknamed “soap” due to its rounded design, was the top bestseller among Android smartphones. And now, two years later, he returned in the form of a dual-SIM Galaxy S3 Neo Duos(i9300i). Compared to the original, nothing has been simplified, but even slightly improved. At the same time, they are asking only $200 for the “old new” Galaxy S3.

Does it look cute?

Externally, the Samsung Galaxy S3 Neo Duos is no different from original Galaxy S III is the same glossy “soap” with rounded corners, available in three color options: black, white and blue. Only the blue version (this is the one we tested) has an unobtrusive striped texture underneath the varnish layer, making future scratches less noticeable. However, the glossy back covers of Samsung smartphones do not become scratched as quickly as you would expect (I personally tested it on the Galaxy Ace 3).

Is the screen good?

The display of the Galaxy S3 Neo Duos has a diagonal of 4.8 inches, a resolution of 1280x720 pixels and is made using Super AMOLED(PenTile). Protects him strained glass Gorilla Glass 2 with oleophobic coating. There is not even a hint of grain (dot density over 300 per inch), viewing angles are maximum, black color is truly deep. Other colors are traditionally slightly “acidic” for AMOLED, and they can be changed color profile to natural, like IPS, no. But the text on the screen remains clearly readable in the sun and there is a correctly working light sensor.

Is there enough power?

Unlike the original Galaxy S III with an Exynos Quad processor (the US version had the Snapdragon S4 Plus), the heart of the S3 Neo Duos is the Snapdragon 400 chip (MSM8226). By processor cores it is slightly inferior to the Exynos Quad (1.9 versus 2.5 DMIPS/MHz), but is significantly superior in integrated graphics and energy efficiency. The S3 Neo Duos operates quickly and smoothly, which is facilitated not only by a well-chosen processor, but also by one and a half times more RAM compared to the original and fast flash memory (high result in the AnTuTu “Memory Read/Write” subtest). Resource-intensive games Real Racing 3 and Asphalt 8 run equally smoothly, however, the first one launched with low, and the second one with medium graphics settings. When playing games, the smartphone does not heat up very well.

How to update the firmware?

In Ukraine, Galaxy S3 Neo Duos is sold with operating system Android 4.3, on top of which it is installed graphical shell TouchWiz. Software features– standard for Samsung smartphones of this class: dual-window mode for launching applications, proprietary calendar, notes and music player, as well as a video player with support for most common codecs (except perhaps audio tracks AC3) and FM radio. For a number of countries, for example Russia, a firmware update to Android 4.4 is already available. You can manually update to KitKat Ukrainian version smartphone (link to instructions), but this may void the warranty.

Does the camera take good pictures?

Main Galaxy camera S3 Neo Duos has a resolution of 8 MP, a sensor size of 1/3.2", an F/2.6 aperture and an image stabilization function. Burst photography (3.5 fps) and HDR mode are available, video is recorded in 1080p resolution at 30 fps and mono sound. Autofocus is adjusted quickly, the white balance is rarely wrong. The quality of the photos is very decent for an 8-megapixel camera, the noise reduction algorithm is moderately aggressive, I especially liked the macro photography. The test photos were taken on a very cloudy day and without using a flash. .

More examples of photos, as well as a test video, can be found in the review of the original Galaxy S III, which has exactly the same camera module.

How often do you have to charge?

Capacity Galaxy batteries S3 Neo Duos is 2100 mAh - it doesn’t seem like much, but the energy-efficient processor and especially the AMOLED screen (black color means the pixels are turned off) allow us to hope for a good operating time without recharging. In reading mode (program Cool Reader) at 30 percent screen brightness, the smartphone can last up to 12 hours. In the mode of viewing HD video from a memory card ( VLC player) at 50% brightness – up to 8 hours. For a mixed use case ( phone calls, music, web surfing) the smartphone confidently lasts two days without recharging.

Who are the competitors?

The Samsung Galaxy S3 Neo Duos will have to withstand competition from at least four smartphones: LG G3s, ASUS ZenFone 5, Lenovo S580 and Xiaomi Redmi 1S. LG's 2014 mini flagship stands out above all else stylish design(“soap” is no longer in fashion) and a capacious battery (2540 mAh). U ASUS ZenFone 5 camera with a larger aperture (F/2.0), but smaller size matrices (1/4.0"). A Lenovo S580 and Xiaomi Redmi 1S are simply cheaper, although they lose Samsung smartphone in terms of RAM and internal memory.

Bottom line

In general, the Samsung Galaxy S3 Neo Duos fully matches the functionality and quality of the original Galaxy S3, which not so long ago was considered a flagship Android smartphone. Yes, him specifications by today's standards no more than average. But in addition there is a lot pleasant little things: Gorilla Glass, oleophobic coating, light sensor, camera with image stabilization function and a good stereo headset included. All this helped the Galaxy S3 Neo Duos stand out from its classmates and thereby make a successful comeback.

3 reasons to buy Samsung Galaxy S3 Neo Duos:

• high-quality SuperAMOLED screen;
• large amount of RAM and permanent memory;
• good quality camera.

2 reasons not to buy Samsung Galaxy S3 Neo Duos:

• boring design a la “soap”;
• you don't like AMOLED screens.

Contents of delivery:

• Telephone
• Li-Ion battery 2100 mAh
• Charger with USB cable
• Wired stereo headset
• Instructions

Positioning

There are not many models on the market that can be called real long-lived. Active life span modern phone on store shelves for at most a year, then new items come to replace it, and it’s only a matter of time to meet old device possible only in selected retail outlets- his term ends. With flagships, the situation is somewhat different - each manufacturer invests significant budgets in them, they gain popularity, and, as a result, their lifespan becomes longer. Sometimes it reaches several years. For example, flagship 2012 year Galaxy S3 is still selling quite successfully today; many consider it balanced and modern model. Formally, one can compare such a device with second-tier manufacturers, and on paper, the latter bypass the old man in everything - more screens and their resolution, more megapixels for the camera. But as soon as it comes to actually comparing these devices, a completely different picture emerges. Flagship large company at the start of sales had best characteristics, that is, one of best cameras, performance, software chips. For several years, performance has been deteriorating; this is an objective parameter that directly depends on the hardware used - the market has moved ahead. But, for example, the quality of the pictures has not deteriorated - the market has grown, the new flagships have better pictures. But previous flagships were also marked down. Therefore, it turns out to be a fair deal - the old flagship costs much less, but in its segment it outperforms many new products, since the components and their quality are disproportionate.

Especially to extend life cycle Galaxy S3, released by Samsung updated version this device with support for two SIM cards (this is what I would like to see initially - a flagship comes out, and then a version for two SIM cards, two years later it’s a completely different story and not for everyone). Updated hardware, added random access memory, but on by and large, the rest was left as is. The result was a mid-segment model with Galaxy design S3, the filling is a little more powerful and positioning for those who do not buy latest news, but wants to get maximum quality pictures in your price group. This is not at all huge market, but it is noticeable. First of all, the S3 Neo Duos will compete with the Galaxy S3 - the difference in the price of these devices is 15-20 percent, which is noticeable. But, as already said, it is described not only by support for a second SIM card, but also by updated hardware. Let's take a look at what has changed and how this device feels.

Design, dimensions, control elements

It will not be possible to find at least one difference in appearance from the original S3. The size is the same – 136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6 mm, weight – 133 grams. The device feels great in your hands, this makes it stand out from phablets; you can operate it with one hand. There are only two color options - blue metallic and white, the same colors were originally available for the S3, others are unlikely to appear for this model, after all, this is a niche solution.

The case is plastic, it is glossy with a varnish coating. After two years, we can say that this material is quite practical; in the first year of use you will not notice any abrasions, then the plastic ages beautifully, the damage is invisible. Such plastic has been tested on many models, and this device is no exception.

The quality of assembly and fit of parts is excellent, there are no childhood diseases and there cannot be, this device has been sold with a total circulation of more than 50 million copies, taking into account all variations. In a word, a verified model.

There is a 3.5 mm jack at the top end, and a microUSB connector at the bottom. Right side device – on/off button. On the left side there is a paired volume key.

On the front surface you can see a physical central key, on the sides there are two touch buttons, no differences from the previous model. Above the screen is front-camera, as well as a light sensor and a proximity sensor.

Display

The screen has a diagonal of 4.8 inches, is made using HD Super AMOLED technology, but its resolution is 1280x720 pixels (16 million colors). The screen is capacitive and supports up to 10 simultaneous clicks. The quality of the screen is excellent for its class, it outperforms most competitors, losing only in resolution, some models have FullHD. But otherwise the screen is good and will completely satisfy the consumer. The screen fades in the sun, but remains readable.

Battery

The phone is used lithium ion battery capacity of 2100 mAh (exactly the same as in the original S3). The operating time of the device is on average about one day of daylight with an hour of calls, up to two hours on the network - a total of about 3-3.5 hours of screen operation with the backlight at 80 percent. Time fully charged battery - about 2 hours. Separately, I note that the use of a second SIM card has practically no effect on the operating time compared to the original device - this is due to a different hardware platform and the presence of a larger amount of RAM. And the fact that the device still has one radio module.

USB, Bluetooth, communication capabilities

Bluetooth. Bluetooth version 4.0 (LE). When transferring files to other devices that support this technology, Wi-Fi 802.11 n is used, and the theoretical transfer speed is about 24 Mbit/s. Checking the transfer of 1 GB file showed maximum speed about 12 Mbit/s within three meters between devices.

The model supports various profiles, in particular Headset, Handsfree, Serial Port, Dial Up Networking, File Transfer, Object Push, Basic Printing, SIM Access, A2DP. Working with headsets does not raise any questions, everything is ordinary.

USB connection. In Android 4, for some reason, they abandoned USB mode Mass Storage, left only MTP (there is also a PTP mode).

USB version– 2, data transfer speed – about 25 Mb/s.

When connecting to a PC, simultaneous USB work and Bluetooth, the device requires you to turn off Bluetooth regardless of the current state (whether there is a connection and transmission or not), this is extremely inconvenient. When connected via USB, the device is recharged.

The microUSB connector also supports the MHL standard, which means that using special cable(can be purchased at electronics stores), you can connect your phone to your TV (to the HDMI output). In fact, the standard describes the ability to connect via microUSB to HDMI. This solution looks preferable to a separate miniHDMI connector on the case. However, if you still have an adapter from previous models, then it will not fit the Galaxy S3 - the connectors have been swapped here.

For GSM networks, EDGE class 12 is provided.

WiFi. The 802.11 a/b/g/n standard is supported, the operation wizard is similar to that for Bluetooth. You can remember selected networks and automatically connect to them. It is possible to set up a connection to the router in one touch; to do this, you need to press a key on the router, and also activate a similar button in the device menu (WPA SecureEasySetup). From additional options It is worth noting the setup wizard, it appears when the signal is weak or disappearing.

Also for the 802.11 n standard, HT40 operating mode is supported, which allows you to double throughput Wi-Fi (requires support from another device).

Wi-Fi Direct . On the menu Wi-Fi settings select the Wi-Fi Direct section, the phone starts searching for devices around. Choose desired device, activate the connection on it, and voila. Now in file manager You can view files on another device and also transfer them. Another option is to simply find the devices connected to your router and transfer to them necessary files, this can be done from the gallery or other sections of the phone. The main thing is that the device supports Wi-Fi Direct.

NFC. The device has NFC technology, it can be used with various additional applications.

S Beam. A technology that allows you to transfer a file of several gigabytes in size to another phone in a few minutes. In fact, we see in S Beam a combination of two technologies - NFC and Wi-Fi Direct. The first technology is used to bring up and authorize phones, but the second is used to transfer the files themselves. Creatively redesigned way Wi-Fi usage Direct is much simpler than using a connection on two devices, selecting files and so on. However, for phones not from Samsung use S Beam is impossible, you have to be content with only Wi-Fi Direct, which is understandable and understandable.

Memory, memory cards

The phone has 16 GB of internal memory, initially about 14 GB is available to the user. Memory cards up to 64 GB are also supported.

The amount of RAM is 1.5 GB, after downloading about 900 MB is free (previously the memory capacity was 1 GB). This is enough for all applications, the speed is quite good for this price class.

Performance

Stands inside quad-core processor Exynos, frequency of each core – up to 1.4 GHz. The increased amount of RAM has a slight impact on the performance of the device - however, look at the test results for yourself.

Camera

The camera module has not undergone any changes - for its class it is one of the best cameras, even today.

Full review You can find cameras and comparisons with other models in a separate material:

You can also see examples of pictures taken with this camera.

Working with two SIM cards

There is only one radio module in the device, as a result, you cannot call two cards at the same time. But there is proprietary technology here, which is also used by Nokia (Lumia 630). You can enable constant availability of the second card in the menu - this will not create a second radio module at all. But the phone will automatically register unconditional forwarding from the operator to another card. It will turn out that if you are unavailable on one SIM card, the call will be forwarded to another. Unfortunately, for each forwarded call you will have to pay the operator (one or another), it is not cheap at all, so for many this option seems unnecessary. I won't recommend using it.

The set of capabilities for SIM cards is standard - selecting an icon for a card, selecting a card for data transfer, sending default messages, and so on. In all menus you can select a card for an action, for example, when viewing contacts you can choose which card to call or send an SMS from. Extremely simple and clear. The call lists indicate which card the call was received on, and so on.

Software Features

Android version 4.3, all the chips that are in latest devices companies on 4.4 are not here, this is the main difference. It’s not worth waiting for this model to be updated to 4.4, if possible. In any case, this device will not receive everything branded programs and UI features. This correct solution from a marketing point of view. In order not to list things that have long been known, I will repeat the description of functions from Galaxy review S3, you can find them at the link - everything is exactly the same here.

With a price of 11,990 rubles, this is a mid-segment model. Quite expensive, since you can find dozens of devices with similar characteristics, or even better ones, for a price of 9,990 rubles. Including support for two SIM cards. The S3 Duos has several strong features on its side. Firstly, this is a very, very good camera; it outperforms competing models. Secondly, this is the hardware platform - note that many models have a chipset from MediaTek, and the amount of RAM is only 512 MB, which is clearly not enough for most situations (there are models with 1 GB, as in the original S3). Thirdly, this is the quality of the screen, which clearly outperforms most models. Even after two years, there is a breed in the former flagship that is easily recognizable. The model is nice in everyday use, albeit not the most fashionable.

This raises the question of who this device competes with. In my opinion, this is a niche solution and main competitor for him it’s the original S3 with one SIM card, it can be found for 10 thousand rubles. Whether it’s worth overpaying for a second card and an increased amount of RAM is up to you to decide. But for most, both parameters will not play a decisive role. IN Samsung line Based on this model, the S5 Mini also appears, it has a different design, more all kinds of software features that came from the S5. But the price is 19,990 rubles, which looks excessive compared to the S3 Duos. In this aspect, S3 Duos is definitely a winning model. But the market is very crowded and the number of models is huge, many are cheaper - against their background the S3 Duos will definitely get lost. Although the model turned out to be quite interesting.

The bottom line is that this device is not for everyone, it is niche. It's worth the money, you can pay attention to it if you need two SIM cards, high quality camera and a good screen plus you don’t have to chase latest version Android.

What I didn't like

When flipping through the screens, the picture shifts and it becomes glitchy. It slows down in the menu

What I liked

Didn't slow down at first, strong, didn't crash

What I didn't like

Bad on/off button. It is very hard to feel and uncomfortable to press. And the most important problem is that the phone loses authorized Bluetooth devices after a reboot or after turning off/on bluetooth on the phone. For example, I synchronized the phone with another phone or speakerphone in the car - everything works fine, the phone automatically connects, but you just need to turn off and then turn on Bluetooth and that’s it, the phone starts asking for authorization again. Or, for example, the phone died and turned off - all you have to do is authorize all your devices again. This is a bug on absolutely all Galaxy s3 Neo GT-i9301i, I tested it on several.

What I liked

Good screen, speed

What I didn't like

Everything seems to be fine except for one thing - it constantly gets hot in the lower part. The old S3 only heats up when hard games. I don’t know how it will be in the case, better or worse.

What I liked

After the S3 mini, of course, it’s good at everything. One of the main points is the battery. Keeps in call mode for 3-4 days.

What I didn't like

What I liked

lightweight, fits well in the hand, good battery, powerful, lots of sensors, convenient control movements, as well as voice, Samoled screen.

What I didn't like

I haven’t found it yet, everyone writes about the heating of the rear part, it is present when you work hard. However, I would not say that the temperature is too high, my Galaxy S1 got hotter there

What I liked

I couldn’t find a better smartphone for this price, although I was looking for it. The screen is pleasing, slightly convex, in some moments the picture looks like 3D. The size of the device itself is convenient.

What I didn't like

I use it intensively, so I charge it every evening at night. That’s it.

What I liked

Fast, bold, sharp as a bullet! No glitches. Fits comfortably in the hand. The signal level is decent (it can catch in places where my old phone didn't catch it).

What I didn't like

What I liked

Screen, characteristics, etc.

What I didn't like

They just don't exist

What I liked

Everything is fine for the money, almost all phones heat up, it’s not critical

What I didn't like

The battery barely lasts for a working day. for almost six months of use several times and the night was completely discharged, the intelligent standby mode was a C, back cover- glossy and easily soiled

What I liked

two SIM cards, performance, screen, dimensions, memory (relative to other offers, 12 GB is available here), pulls powerful games, Samsung shell (subjectively attracts me), camera 4+, spirit-window mode, wide selection of accessories

What I didn't like

The back cover gets very hot

What I liked

All the advantages of the regular S3+ increased the amount of RAM

What I didn't like

I didn’t notice Symbian after the Nokia one, otherwise the battery would have been bigger

What I liked

price-quality ratio, 2 SIM cards work without glitches.

What I didn't like

There is no stabilization when shooting video, the quality of the video itself is good, but when you shoot video in motion it becomes blurry, perhaps the only thing that upset me about this smartphone.

What I liked

Excellent screen, simply excellent, good 4-core processor, responsive sensor, good amount of memory, 11 GB available out of 16GB, good main camera, can easily replace a budget camera, good front camera, flash can be used quite bright flashlight, the size of the smartphone is the most optimal, not small of course but not too big, it fits into a jeans pocket without any problems, I would also note the high-quality build of the smartphone. Another advantage I can answer is the excellent sound when listening to music through headphones.