Wednesday 20 March 2013
The Samsung S Ativ has passed the test of CHIP Online. Like have the pin sharp and colorful display, good camera and the high value. We were less impressed by the half-baked operating system, Windows Phone 8 and the lack of LTE support.
Closely related: The Ativ S not only looks like the Galaxy S3, it also feels more like one. The most important difference: Instead of Android running on the S Ativ the latest Microsoft operating system, Windows Phone 8th Can the Ativ against Nokia, HTC and Co. say?
The operating system: As in the Nokia Lumia 920 Windows Phone 8 provides good ideas, but it is not perfect. A major shortcoming: Very many famous and popular apps from other stores were not (yet) implemented for the Windows Phone Store. In addition, the S can Ativ performance when scrolling through lists attractively designed, tiles and menus to be desired. Repeatedly occurs hake time interruptions, which is particularly noticeable in faster navigation through menus. And most importantly the application works fast unsorted list and confusing.
There are also animations - about when the contacts open - which look smart, but valuable time. Whole 1.7 seconds it takes for the initial view of the contact is opened. Overall, Windows Phone 8 acts not perfectly matched to the hardware. Instead of a house built into the processor Samsung S Ativ strong, clocked at 1.5 GHz S4 Plus CPU from Qualcomm. Samsung apps like the "Music Hub" Chaton Now and installed prior to manufacturer and extend the operating system to a music store, a WhatsApp competitor and a location-based news and weather service. UPDATE: During the time of testing no free navigation software was available, Nokia filed within a few days after the full-fledged navigation app Here Drive, which is also available on other manufacturers to fully and freely available.
Operate your Samsung S Ativ a 4.8-inch Super AMOLED screen. The expert knows: In the Android counterpart Samsung Galaxy S3 a screen sits with very similar specifications. And indeed, the display test achieved the screen of the Samsung S Ativ comparable values. AMOLED typically the black is full, the little bluish white and the gaudy colors. The luminance at full white screen could be higher with about 269 candelas per square meter, sometimes the display looks terrible dark. The contrast is 197:1 with a good level.
Samsung built in Ativ S an 8-megapixel camera. While in daylight provides convincing recordings with great sharpness, good lighting and color fidelity, the photos are clear in artificial light from too warm. Sharpness and contrast remain still on a good to satisfactory levels. In light bars has trouble the notches to suppress the noise and deliver clear images. The LED flash brings light into the darkness of desire, with his night shots look pretty sharp, well lit and fairly true colors. Us the real trigger button on the side of the unit particularly like. A slight pressure activates the autofocus, a solid start recording. Exemplary.
Regarding the sound quality need by Ativ S not to hide the phone in front of the competition. Although occasionally occur in the noise on the line, but the other party is always well understood. Phone works under adverse conditions due to high maximum volume and full sound good. The hands-free does not provide good quality: often sound tinny and distant interlocutor, also disturbs a lot of noise. For the duration of your calls can be better from the free mode.
At maximum transmission power at least the way you blathering 7:40 hours. Here the battery with 2,300 mAh capacity provides good work. By comparison, the S3 has employed his 2,100-mAh battery, a similar value of 7:23 hours. While surfing is good with 6:30 hours at maximum screen brightness for a screen of this size also to the greens.
Unlike the new Nokia Lumia-generation Samsung waived in Ativ S entirely on the LTE interface. Too bad, because in a new flagship belongs into the fast data transmission. Thanks to HSPA + with up to 42.2 megabits per second speed data excursions are still possible. Our 600-Kbyte test page is fully loaded in 4.6 seconds. Using wireless n goes even faster. In contrast to the Galaxy S3 Ativ S transmits not only with the 2.4 GHz but also 5-GHz wireless networks. Wi-Fi Direct, NFC and Bluetooth 3.0, the Ativ S is well equipped. The internal memory is about 15 GB in size, which is plentiful. Optionally, expand it using microSD card up to 32 GB. Via microUSB version 2.0 the connection works to the computer. A host mode does not exist.
Closely related: The Ativ S not only looks like the Galaxy S3, it also feels more like one. The most important difference: Instead of Android running on the S Ativ the latest Microsoft operating system, Windows Phone 8th Can the Ativ against Nokia, HTC and Co. say?
The operating system: As in the Nokia Lumia 920 Windows Phone 8 provides good ideas, but it is not perfect. A major shortcoming: Very many famous and popular apps from other stores were not (yet) implemented for the Windows Phone Store. In addition, the S can Ativ performance when scrolling through lists attractively designed, tiles and menus to be desired. Repeatedly occurs hake time interruptions, which is particularly noticeable in faster navigation through menus. And most importantly the application works fast unsorted list and confusing.
There are also animations - about when the contacts open - which look smart, but valuable time. Whole 1.7 seconds it takes for the initial view of the contact is opened. Overall, Windows Phone 8 acts not perfectly matched to the hardware. Instead of a house built into the processor Samsung S Ativ strong, clocked at 1.5 GHz S4 Plus CPU from Qualcomm. Samsung apps like the "Music Hub" Chaton Now and installed prior to manufacturer and extend the operating system to a music store, a WhatsApp competitor and a location-based news and weather service. UPDATE: During the time of testing no free navigation software was available, Nokia filed within a few days after the full-fledged navigation app Here Drive, which is also available on other manufacturers to fully and freely available.
4.8-inch display with Super AMOLED technology
Operate your Samsung S Ativ a 4.8-inch Super AMOLED screen. The expert knows: In the Android counterpart Samsung Galaxy S3 a screen sits with very similar specifications. And indeed, the display test achieved the screen of the Samsung S Ativ comparable values. AMOLED typically the black is full, the little bluish white and the gaudy colors. The luminance at full white screen could be higher with about 269 candelas per square meter, sometimes the display looks terrible dark. The contrast is 197:1 with a good level.
Good camera with subdued lighting weakness
Samsung built in Ativ S an 8-megapixel camera. While in daylight provides convincing recordings with great sharpness, good lighting and color fidelity, the photos are clear in artificial light from too warm. Sharpness and contrast remain still on a good to satisfactory levels. In light bars has trouble the notches to suppress the noise and deliver clear images. The LED flash brings light into the darkness of desire, with his night shots look pretty sharp, well lit and fairly true colors. Us the real trigger button on the side of the unit particularly like. A slight pressure activates the autofocus, a solid start recording. Exemplary.
Appearance: The better S3
Not only with the display, also with regard to the extent we see parallels to the Galaxy S3. Its dimensions are 137 x 71 x 9 mm and are similar to those of the S3 (136 x 70 x 9 mm) thick. The focus of the unit appears to be deeper than the S3, the total edgier Ativ S is better in the hand than its Android counterpart. Taste is not to argue that aluminum look of Ativ S tells us, however. Since nothing creaks or wobbles bothers us not continue because the material is actually mostly made of polycarbonate.
Music Player: Great sound, but no equalizer
The quality of the included Samsung headphones is excellent. Both the bass and the treble come nicely. The shielding of easy carrying in-ear headphones is so good that you in the subway at the request no longer your outside world perceive. An equalizer for sound control, the S Ativ however.
Acoustics & Battery: In the green area
Regarding the sound quality need by Ativ S not to hide the phone in front of the competition. Although occasionally occur in the noise on the line, but the other party is always well understood. Phone works under adverse conditions due to high maximum volume and full sound good. The hands-free does not provide good quality: often sound tinny and distant interlocutor, also disturbs a lot of noise. For the duration of your calls can be better from the free mode.
At maximum transmission power at least the way you blathering 7:40 hours. Here the battery with 2,300 mAh capacity provides good work. By comparison, the S3 has employed his 2,100-mAh battery, a similar value of 7:23 hours. While surfing is good with 6:30 hours at maximum screen brightness for a screen of this size also to the greens.
Interfaces: All aboard
Unlike the new Nokia Lumia-generation Samsung waived in Ativ S entirely on the LTE interface. Too bad, because in a new flagship belongs into the fast data transmission. Thanks to HSPA + with up to 42.2 megabits per second speed data excursions are still possible. Our 600-Kbyte test page is fully loaded in 4.6 seconds. Using wireless n goes even faster. In contrast to the Galaxy S3 Ativ S transmits not only with the 2.4 GHz but also 5-GHz wireless networks. Wi-Fi Direct, NFC and Bluetooth 3.0, the Ativ S is well equipped. The internal memory is about 15 GB in size, which is plentiful. Optionally, expand it using microSD card up to 32 GB. Via microUSB version 2.0 the connection works to the computer. A host mode does not exist.
Conclusion: No stroke of genius
Although allowed the Samsung S Ativ no major blunders, which may not be due to the last loan from the Android counterparts. But unlike the Galaxy S3 us the Windows operating system is limited to the S Ativ too strong. Moreover, it does not act without bucking and chug, allows repeatedly misfire or Bedenksekunden. In the phone, battery, camera and display the Ativ S cuts as well as the S3.
Alternatives
With a price of only 440 euros Ativ the south is at the level of the Galaxy S3, which costs about the same. May it be an Android phone, the Galaxy S3 is clearly the better choice, with more personalization options and a much wider selection of apps. Compared to the Nokia Lumia 920 is Ativ S is round € 100. But remember that you are not only LTE, but also other Nokia devices, reserved services such as free music service Mix Radio. Here be worth the extra cost. Trading on-line demands for a Lumia 920 is currently 550 euros.
