Samsung Galaxy S II vs Samsung Mini

Choosing your first smartphone is tricky. Should you pick the big-screen all-singing, all-dancing phone that does everything, or should you pick the more petite model with streamlined features?

Samsung’s Galaxy S II and Galaxy Mini could help solve your smartphone conundrum because, despite both being worlds apart when it comes to looks, the pair both run Google’s Android operating system and offer enough features to satisfy a smartphone novice.

Samsung Galaxy S II overview

The Samsung Galaxy S II is the all-singing and all-dancing smartphone.

It offers a large, high-resolution touchscreen for watching movies or surfing the internet, PC-like web browsing, a high-quality camera and a powerful “dual-core” processor for doing more things at once.

Galaxy S2(black) £0.00

100 min Unlimited texts

£18.50

CompareSamsung Galaxy S II deals.

Samsung Galaxy Mini

The Samsung Galaxy Mini is the petite smartphone with streamlined features, making it the perfect pocket or purse pal.

But don’t confuse its petite proportions for a lack of features. Because while the phone doesn’t have all the features of the Galaxy S II, you’ll still be able to surf the internet, download apps, take pictures and use Facebook.

Galaxy Mini(black) £0.00

400 min Unlimited texts

£26.00

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Size and shape

Although both smartphones are part of Samsung’s Galaxy range, they’re light years apart when it comes to size and shape. But which one you buy depends on what you want to do with your phone.

If you want to play games or watch videos on you smartphone then the Galaxy S II is the best choice. Not only does its large 4.3in touchscreen make it really easy to see everything, but the “AMOLED” screen technology makes everything you see look bright and vivid.

If that all sounds like too much to handle then the Galaxy Mini, as its name suggests, has a more palm-friendly 3.1in touchscreen.

Its smaller size means the phone’s better suited to ad-hoc web browsing and mainstream phone activities, such as sending text messages. Though you’ll still be able to play simple games and watch YouTube video clips.

Camera

Will you use your smartphone for photographing friends in the pub or for taking artistic shots? Because your preferred type of smartphone photography will be defined by which Samsung Galaxy phone you pick.

The Galaxy Mini is your cheap and cheerful option, since its 3Mp camera probably won’t be capable of the sort of insanely crisp photographs you see hanging in galleries. However, it will do a reasonable job of photographing ‘everyday’ shots and, thanks to its video recorder features, can also record moving moments for you.

The Galaxy S II has a more powerful 8Mp camera that, alongside the integrated flash, will help you capture crisp, bright and vivid photographs. Various shooting modes are also available to help you get the most from the camera.

The phone even has a front-facing camera for holding video conferences with other smartphone friends.

More features of the Samsung Galaxy S II

Wireless streaming - The “AllShare” app lets the Galaxy S II link wirelessly with a TV, laptop or stereo to play multimedia files directly from the smartphone.

Wireless mobile wallet - The phone can be used to pay for things like takeaway coffee and train tickets, simply by swiping it against a special electronic reader.

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More features of the Samsung Galaxy Mini

Faster texting - The phone’s “Swype” technology helps you quickly compose messages by sliding your finger from key to key without taking your finger off the touchscreen.

Music and gaming - A 3.5mm headphone jack means you can wear your own headphones while listening to music or playing games. But beware of the phone’s relatively slow 600MHz processor, which could mean you can’t play demanding videogames.

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Galaxy S2(black) £0.00	100 min Unlimited texts	£20.50
Galaxy S2(black) £0.00	200 min Unlimited texts	£26.00
XPERIA S(black) £0.00	100 min Unlimited texts	£20.50

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