A long time ago in a Samsung Galaxy far far away… there was a Family of similarly-named phones all made by Samsung. So similar were the names and the styles of these phones that the populace oft confused them.
There was the Samsung Galaxy Ace, which not only sounded a lot like the Samsung Galaxy S, but also looked very much like a mini version of the Samsung Galaxy S2 (aka S II). Then there was the Samsung Galaxy Mini, which had very similar specifications to the Galaxy Ace but looked very different. But as it was released round about the same time, it added to the head-scratching.
In order to save the Galaxies, the Recombu Rebel Alliance put together a comparison article that helped quash confusion once and for all…
Samsung Galaxy S (aka the A-Wing – fast, lightweight but pricey)
Despite their very similar names (Galaxy Ace, Galaxy S – try saying that ten times fast) the two phones are pretty different when it comes down to performance.
The Ace’s screen measures 3.5-inches across compared to the Galaxy S’ 4.0-incher. The Galaxy S’s screen is also a Super AMOLED and boasts a higher resolution (800 x 480 compared to the Ace’s 480 x 320)
The Ace’s processor is also an 800MHz deal compared to the Galaxy S’s 1GHz, meaning that the Galaxy S can munch through web pages and games with greater ease.
The Galaxy S’s internal memory weighs in at either 8GB or 16GB depending on which version you buy. This trumps the Galaxy Ace’s 158MB – this can be expanded by up to 32GB with microSD cards however.
Samsung Galaxy Ace (aka the X-Wing – good all rounder)
The only area where the Galaxy Ace has a bit of an edge over the Galaxy S is the camera. Though both boast 5-megapixel cameras and pictures arguably will look better on the Galaxy S’s Super AMOLED, the Samsung Galaxy Ace packs a single LED flash.
So in the camera taking stakes, it’s a choice between taking pictures wherever and whenever you want compared to looking at them on a fancier screen.
Though the Galaxy Ace’s internal memory can’t stand up to what the Galaxy S has to offer (as we mentioned above) you can still expand this via the microSD card slot. So if you’re prepared to shell out a bit more, you can easily bulk this out.
The Galaxy Ace can also be snapped up for a lot less on contract and pay-as-you-go than the Galaxy S. So if money’s an issue, then the Ace trumps the S hands down.
Samsung Galaxy Mini (aka Y-Wing – slower but comparatively rugged and inexpensive)
The Samsung Galaxy Mini’s specs are pretty similar to the Samsung Galaxy Ace but not similar enough in our book.
While it’s inexpensive, hardy and offers decent battery life (for an Android phone) it falls down against the Galaxy Ace almost every time spec-wise. The camera (3.2 megapixels, no flash) isn’t as powerful or versatile, the screen is a little smaller at 3.2-inches across and the processor (600MHz) isn’t as nippy, meaning browsing the web and flipping through Facebook isn’t as roomy or fast.
That said, the Samsung Galaxy Mini is the cheapest phone on offer here. Not hugely cheaper than the Galaxy Ace on contracts mind, but a lot more pocket friendly on pay-as-you-go – £100 friendlier in some places.
Samsung Galaxy S2 II – (aka the B-Wing – versatile, powerful, the most expensive)
Overall, the Samsung Galaxy S2 (officially known as the Galaxy S II) trounces everything else on offer here. No contest. It’s got two cameras, a main 8-megapixel blaster with an LED flash that records 1080p Full HD at 30fps. There’s a secondary 2-megapixel front-facer for video calls, a 4.27-inch screen, 16GB of memory that can be expanded with an extra 32GB via microSD.
The S2 is the only dual-core Galaxy phone here (1.2GHz) so it can handle the bleeding edge of Android gaming, power through web pages faster, download more apps
The trade off for all this cutting edge functionality is of course the price. The Samsung Galaxy S2 is a premium smartphone and therefore commands a premium price.
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