Samsung's Galaxy Alpha review

Samsung's Galaxy Alpha review

The Alpha surprises with its commonplace 4.7in, 1280x720 display. Samsung has struck a balance between size and resolution as the AMOLED panel has 320 pixels in each inch. Contributing to the Alpha’s ripe resolution is Samsung’s hallmark wide viewing angles and exceptional colours.

Samsung's Galaxy Alpha review

Content looks great on the Alpha’s screen, especially that captured with the smartphone’s rear camera. Photos are snapped at 12 megapixels, while videos are recorded in the nascent Ultra high definition standard (UHD). The quality is comparable to Apple’s iPhone 6, although those captured by the Alpha benefit from more detail.

Beating inside the Alpha is an 8-core processor from Samsung. The Exynos 5 bundles two quad-core processors, one efficient at 1.3GHz and another potent at 1.8GHz, and it will switch between the two depending on the intensity of the task. There’s also 2GB of RAM, a 4G modem and 32GB of internal storage.

This hardware chugs through Android 4.4 KitKat, though it’s hampered by Samsung’s TouchWiz overlay. The software on the Alpha will appeal to people who enjoy tailoring minute settings to their liking. People who just want a smartphone to be, or are used to the simplicity of Apple devices, will find the software cluttered. There’s also the matter of the overlay being one of the least attractive on the market.

Samsung's Galaxy Alpha Back Cover

Samsung's Galaxy Alpha  Battery

Samsung's Galaxy Alpha review

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Samsung Galaxy Note 4 review

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 review

     The Note 4 wears its size better than that of the iPhone 6 Plus. Placing the two alongside one another reveals the Note 4 is shorter, even though it has a larger screen. Samsung’s smartphone may be thicker than Apple’s at 9mm, but the waistline works in its favour by evening out its proportions.

      Backing the towering size of the Note 4 is a 5.7in AMOLED display enriched with a 2560x1440 resolution. Each inch of the display has 515 pixels, and that’s considerably more than the 401 pixels-per-inch of the Apple iPhone 6 Plus. Smartphones including the LG G3 and the Oppo Find 7 ooze similar specs, but the Note 4’s display proves superior to its 1440p rivals. 

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 review

This form of multitasking is marred by a few factors: the screen isn’t big enough to accommodate two portrait windows, and only a select few applications support the mode. Samsung’s split screen mode, which enables two supported apps to run on-top of one another, remains more practical.

Proving a better productivity aid is the S-Pen stylus. The fourth generation S-Pen is Samsung’s most refined. Using it to take notes on the Galaxy phablet replicates the texture of notetaking with old-school pen and paper.

The S-Pen is far more versatile than an ordinary Bic ball point. Slide it out (or press its button) and an ‘Air Command’ menu populates with tailored modes. These include the ability to write on screenshots, crop screenshots on the fly, and the option of writing memos.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Touch

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Back

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 review

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Samsung Galaxy S4 Review

Samsung Galaxy S4 Review

The design changes on the Galaxy S4 may be minimal but most of them are welcomed. Gone are the curved, back edges of the Galaxy S III, replaced by flat edges and a smaller bezel. The sides of the Galaxy S4 feel much better than the Galaxy S III as they're flatter and squarer. The Galaxy S4 is also thinner and lighter than the Galaxy S III despite a larger screen, so Samsung definitely deserves credit for managing to slim down the case. 

Galaxy S4 Front View

Despite minor cosmetic changes, the Galaxy S4 feels like a toy when compared to its biggest rivals, the Apple iPhone 5 and the HTC One. Plastic may be a durable material but there's no denying that it feels much cheaper than the aluminium body of its competitors. We particularly dislike the look of the silver edging around the sides, which has a brushed-metal look but comes across as a poor looking imitation. The glossy back of the phone is also slippery and this can make it tough to hold.

The plastic build of the Galaxy S4 does hold two significant advantages over rival devices, however. The phone has a microSD card slot for expanding the 16GB of internal memory, and the battery is removable. If you store large amounts of media on your phone and you like carrying a spare battery, the Galaxy S4 will definitely appeal to you.

Galaxy S4 Back View

Samsung Galaxy S4 Review

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