IT Pro Verdict

Although it would benefit from a build quality that befits its premium price, that’s the only real complaint we can level at the Samsung Galaxy S II. This is by far the best Android smartphone we’ve seen and anyone currently eyeing up an iPhone 4 should give it some very serious consideration.

By Julian Prokaza

Published 16 May 2011 In Reviews

In terms of hardware alone and quibbles over the cheap feel aside the Samsung Galaxy S II is an extremely impressive smartphone and we have no hesitation in recommending it alongside the iPhone 4. When it comes to the bigger picture, however, Apple still has the edge when it comes to features such as a higher screen resolution and a broader selection of apps via iTunes. Its track record for timely operating system updates is far better than that of Google's hardware partners, but Android fans probably don't consider these to be serious issues. Frankly, after spending some quality time with the Samsung Galaxy S II, we're prepared to overlook them, too.

So what's our verdict?

Verdict

Connectivity: GSM 850/900/1800/1900, 3G 850/900/1900/2100 Display: 480 x 800 pixels, 4.3 inches OS: Android 2.3.3 with TouchWiz Camera: eight megapixels rear facing, two megapixels forward facing GPS: A-GPS Processor: Samsung Exynos 1.2GHz Bluetooth: 3.0 Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/b/g/n Storage: 16GB internal RAM: 1GB Dimensions: 125.3 x 66.1 x 8.49mm Weight: 116g Battery: Lithium Ion 1650 mAh