Samsung Galaxy S II versus HTC Sensation: battle of the dual-core droids

Samsung Galaxy S II versus HTC Sensation: battle of the dual-core droids

Two dual-core super-phones are currently in the India market, the flagships of Samsung and HTC – the Galaxy S II, and the Sensation. While the Sensation is not here officially, we expect it to arrive very soon, as it is already available on online retailers such as Letsbuy.com. What makes the phones even more comparable, is that the prices are about the same as well – roughly Rs. 30,500.

We’ve reviewed the Galaxy S II, and found it to be a solid device with nary a flaw. We wonder how well HTC’s flagship will compare, and you’ll have to wait for a detailed review for that. In the meanwhile, we’ve compared the salient features, and identified some inadequacies that might just make or break the device. Take a look:

Phone

Samsung Galaxy S II

HTC Sensation

Dimensions

125.3 x 66.1 x 8.5 mm

126.1 x 65.4 x 11.3 mm

Weight
116 g
148 g

Display Size

4.3-inch
4.3-inch

Display Type

 Super AMOLED Plus, 16M colors

Super-LCD, 16M colors

Resolution
480×800
540×960
OS version

Android 2.3.3

Android 2.3.3

CPU

Dual-core 1.2GHz Orion (ARM Cortex-A9) processor

Dual-core 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor

GPU
Mali-400MP
Adreno 220
Memory
1GB
768MB
Storage

16GB/32GB (not available in India), expandable via microSD (32GB)

1GB internal, expandable via microSD (32GB)

Camera

8 MP, 3264×2448 pixels, autofocus, LED flash, 1080p@30fps, 2MP front facing camera

8 MP, 3264×2448 pixels, autofocus, dual-LED flash, 1080p@30fps, VGA front facing camera

Ports

microUSB v2.0 (MHL / AV link), USB On-the-go, 3.5 mm jack

microUSB v2.0 (MHL / AV link), 3.5 mm jack

Sensors

Ambient light sensor, accelerometer, proximity sensor, gyroscope,

Ambient light sensor, accelerometer, proximity sensor, gyroscope,

3G

HSDPA, 21 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps

HSDPA 14.4 Mbps, HSUPA 5.76 Mbps

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, DLNA, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot

Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot

Bluetooth

Yes, v3.0 HS

Yes, v3.0 with A2DP

Infrared
No
No
NFC

Option available

No
Radio

Stereo FM radio with RDS

Stereo FM radio with RDS

Flash 10.2 compatible

Yes
Yes

Document editor

Yes

No, only viewer

Battery

Standard battery, Li-Ion 1650 mAh

Standard battery, Li-Ion 1520 mAh

Standby

Up to 710 h (2G) / Up to 610 h (3G)

Up to 350 h (2G) / Up to 400 h (3G)

Talktime

Up to 18 h 20 min (2G) / Up to 8 h 40 min (3G)

Up to 8 h 20 min (2G) / Up to 6 h 40 min (3G)

The screen resolutions and display types of the two phones differ, with the Galaxy S II featuring a 480×800 pixel Super AMOLED Plus display, while the Sensation has a 540×960 pixel Super-LCD screen. Until we see the two screens first hand, our opinion will be guarded about the display type – colour accuracy, brightness, sunlight legibility – however, the higher 540×960 pixel resolution might just improve the media and web browsing experience.

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The same things applies to the processors and graphics chipsets, until benchmarks are run, it’s anybody’s guess whether Samsung’s Orion-Exynos chipset will rule, or the Qualcomm Snapdragon of the Sensation.

Other differences are glaringly obvious – the Galaxy S II comes with 16GB of built-in storage, while the HTC Sensation has 1GB built-in storage. It does come with an 8GB microSD card bundled – but that has its own disadvantages, and advantages. Apart from having a bigger battery, it looks like the AMOLED is the main reason for the S II’s comparatively massive battery life.

The weight of the two phones are also worlds apart, and while the Galaxy S II has drawn some flak for almost feeling cheap in its lightness, the difference in pocket weight will be a big deal for the user.

The Sensation’s front-facing VGA camera is also of lower quality than the 2MP sensor of the Galaxy S II, making a difference to those wanting to use the devices for tele-conferencing.

In the meanwhile, not everything is so cut and dry in the smartphone segment, with few reports of a death grip Wi-Fi connectivity issue with the HTC Sensation, and a few AMOLED issues with the Samsung Galaxy S II. 

Interested in dual-core droids? Check out our features:

Abhinav Lal

Abhinav Lal

https://plus.google.com/u/0/118371002657670425415/posts View Full Profile

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