Joining the company of smartphones such as Orange San Diego, HTC One V and Nokia Lumia 710, which occupied a niche between the phones of the base and middle price range, Galaxy Ace II entered the market, where you need to try to stand out from the crowd. The price of £ 160 made it an attractive offer for many.
Description of Samsung Galaxy Ace II (GT-I8160)
The rounded, impressive small smartphone with an attractive 3.8 ”capacitive WVGA touch screen with a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels is pleasant in appearance, despite the fact that he still could not stand out from a number of competitors. The pixel density is 245 dpi. This is inferior to 300 dpi of high-end phones of 2012, but the high-quality PLS panel makes the pixels almost indistinguishable, providing an extremely clear image. Samsung PLS technology was designed to compete with the IPS panels used in the iPhone 4S and HTC One X. The viewing angles are excellent and only lose a little in brightness when tilted in some directions. A display contrast of 843: 1 at a maximum brightness of 500 cd / m2 does not match the characteristics of IPS or OLED matrices, but this is acceptable for a mid-range phone.
The plastic, but aesthetically impeccable housing features a robust design that makes the device as pleasant to the hands as it is to the eyes.
To everyone’s disappointment, despite the fact that the phone was introduced and entered the market much later than the release of the Android 4.0 OS, the Korean manufacturer chose to use the operating system version 2.3, on the platform of which the original Galaxy Ace also worked. Such an obvious statement of the imperfection of the smartphone does not cancel the fact that the device has received many updates that compensate for outdated software and give some advantage over models offered at higher prices.
Subsequently, the firmware of the Samsung Galaxy Ace II (GT-I8160), among other models, was still updated by the Korean brand to Android 4.1.2. This improved the camera application, accelerated work, modernized the user interface and pacified those owners who expressed indignation when they learned that they would never receive updates to version 4-1.
Design
In the 2nd generation of the model, the manufacturer made a comprehensive overhaul, installed a 2-core processor with a frequency of 800 MHz, increased the RAM from 278 to a much more respectable 768 MB. In addition, the smartphone is equipped with a 5-megapixel rear camera with autofocus and built-in LED flash. Also, it became possible to record 720p high-definition video, which allowed the phone to be attributed to middle-class models. A second VGA camera is installed on the front of the model.
The smartphone has a comfortable weight of 122 g and a thickness of 10.5 mm. The characteristics of the Samsung Galaxy Ace II (GT-I8160) can be improved by expanding the amount of permanent memory by 32 GB using a microSD card. It also offers a standard set of 3G, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi wireless communications, and optionally GPS and HSDPA.
Despite the fact that compared to the first generation model, the screen size of the smartphone has increased from 3.5 to 3.8 inches, the smartphone has become thinner by 1 mm, narrowing to a relatively slim 10.5 mm in its widest part.
And although the model uses a plastic construction, it is a surprisingly strong and well-built device that only bends a little or creaks with great effort.
No matter how pleasant the design of the Samsung GT-I8160 Galaxy Ace II is, the reviews of the owners say that it is far from unique, and shares a number of characteristics of many other Korean company’s Android devices with a large rectangular home button that dominates the front panel of the smartphone . There is nothing wrong with this similarity, and smoothly curved edges and a thin form factor that allows you to comfortably hold the device in your hand make it even more attractive.
One of the design features that, unfortunately, Asa II inherited is the fragile and flimsy back panel. The thin component leaves the user confused when trying to remove it to gain access to the SIM card, microSD and battery.
With the increase in size, the Samsung Galaxy Ace II (GT-I8160) mobile phone gained weight compared to its predecessor, albeit slightly. Despite the addition of 9 g, which increased the weight of the smartphone to 122 g, the device is comfortable to hold, and it is not so heavy as to feel uncomfortable. The rounded edges and slightly textured rear panel contribute to this, which prevents accidental falls and slippage.
The smartphone has only 3 physical controls - a home button, a standard power switch, and a volume up and down key. Although the last two elements are located in an area prone to accidental tapping when the phone is held in both the right and left hand, they are tough enough to cause concern. A microUSB port and a 3.5 mm headset jack are the only “defects” in the flawlessly smooth surface of the case.
Software
Despite all the innovative specifications, the Samsung Galaxy Ace II (GT-I8160) is a standard combination of Android 2.3 and TouchWiz 4.0 user interface. The phone has installed software that has proven to work on previous Galaxy models. TouchWiz is an intuitive interface with a set of features, shortcuts and features that will appeal to both beginners and experienced smartphone users.
Offering quick access to the most frequently changed settings, the widget menu occupies 1 of 7 possible home screens and allows owners to quickly turn on and off Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, synchronization, automatic brightness control and screen turn-off time. Thanks to the dual-core 800-MHz processor, the Samsung GT-I8160 Galaxy Ace II interface, according to user reviews, works without delay, and the GPU works well with a highly sensitive 3.8 ”multi-touch display, providing smooth screen transitions with only a few delays and“ stuttering ” ". For quick access to settings and messages, the standard notification menu provides links to the most necessary data, which helps to maintain the smooth operation of the smartphone. And although such a feature is supported by all competitors, it never disappoints.
Phone calls
Although more and more entry-level and middle-class smartphones are not paying the basic attention they deserve to this basic function, Galaxy Ace II hardware is up to par. The strong signal and clear sound of the phone lacks only the noise reduction function, since background noise sometimes interferes with the normal course of the conversation, drowning out the interlocutor. This is especially noticeable when a person at the other end of the line is in a zone of busy traffic or strong winds.
the Internet
In most cases, Android applications provide great functionality, and the smartphone browser offers few advantages over the standard pre-installed universal browsers of the platform and the TouchWiz UI interface. It is far from spectacular and has a limited set of functions, none of which distinguishes it from the closest competitors with similar capabilities. Users can download a much better browser option from the Google Play Store. For example, Firefox.
When accessing via Wi-Fi, web pages load instantly, but 3G connection makes Internet navigation a bit slow, accompanied by not-so-smooth page loading.
Due to the fact that the pre-installed browser does not bother formatting content to facilitate its readability, when scaling, the smartphone renders text and images very quickly, so you won’t have to wait until the fuzzy content becomes clear. However, a small problem when enlarging an image over large sections of a web page is that scrolling or online articles can be a little complicated, because the interface does it so fast that it’s easy to skip the sections you need.
What makes the browser more manageable and convenient is the ability to simultaneously access 8 separate tabs of web pages and an efficient and easy-to-use bookmark system called up by simply pressing the highlighted on-screen button next to the URL input panel. In addition, there is quick access to the most visited sites. From the tab you can also view the browser history.
Camera
Exceeding all the expectations set forth in the specifications of the smartphone on paper, the Samsung GT-I8160 Galaxy Ace II 5-megapixel rear camera, according to the owners, provides impressive results thanks to autofocus, built-in LED flash and smile recognition, which make it easy to shoot in any conditions.
The shutter speed is more consistent with static panoramic shots, but the user can activate the AF by simply clicking on the desired area of the screen. This is a convenient feature that works well, guaranteeing a constantly clear display of the subject. Despite the fact that the characteristics of the Samsung Galaxy Ace II (GT-I8160) do not allow macro photography (the device refuses to set the focal length too close), a large set of scenes outweighs this drawback. The standard list, including such scenes as “Portrait”, “Landscape”, “Night”, “Sport”, “Fireworks”, is supplemented by more complex modes.
The Cartoon option gives little impressive results, then Panorama is one of the best on the market, stitching a number of images into an impressively expansive image. For those who want more control over the process of taking photos, the Samsung Galaxy Ace II (GT-I8160) allows you to change the white balance, exposure values and ISO settings. Although the user gets a little freedom of action, making adjustments is easy and it does not require much fuss.
Although photographing bright objects from the dark gives mixed results, the built-in 5-megapixel Samsung GT-I8160 Galaxy Ace II image sensor, according to the owners, is impressive for its indoor photography capabilities using an LED flash.
Video
Despite the low price and not entirely revolutionary specifications, the video recording on the Samsung GT-I8160 Galaxy Ace II, according to the owners, is characterized by excellent speed, excellent color reproduction and a large number of customizable functions. The smartphone’s camera is capable of shooting 720p HD video with a frame rate of 30 fps and creating video content without heavy pixelation, blurry movements and weak sound. The built-in LED flash, which can be used to illuminate dark scenes, further extends the video capabilities of a mobile phone, and a set of filters allows you to see the footage in classic black and white, sepia or negative display.
Despite its strengths, the video shot by the Samsung Galaxy Ace II (GT-I8160) camera, according to customer reviews, is not without drawbacks. With a lack of contrast and color depth of competitors of a higher class, the phone gives a result that suffers from large color blocks, and sometimes the content is more segmented than in real life.
Reviews of the Samsung Galaxy Ace II smartphone (GT-I8160) note the quality of the built-in microphone, which can even catch background noises that add depth and atmosphere to the video without distracting from the main subject. However, like almost all telephone video cameras, in areas with strong winds, distortion of the recorded sound can be a nuisance, since there is no noise reduction system that can prevent it.
Multimedia
Despite the fact that the second generation Galaxy Ace offers its own music audio and video player, it is by no means a phone designed and made to play multimedia content. Rather, it is designed for random playback, rather than constant tough use as a complete replacement for a personal media player.
The maximum amount of ROM smartphone is 4 GB, which is much more than 158 MB of built-in storage of its predecessor. However, only 1.1 GB remains to store applications and data files. Those who want to have large amounts of media content on hand can use the additional microSD memory card up to 32 GB.
A pre-installed MP3 player can be accessed from the centralized application menu or via a shortcut on one of the phone’s 7 home screens. It is disappointing that, unlike many competing Android devices, the smartphone does not have an MP3 widget that provides quick access to the music capabilities of the player. The same goes for the video player.
Support for media files of types MP3, MP4 and WAV is supported by a 3.8-inch WVGA-display with a resolution of 480p, which provides strong, bright playback, and the built-in speaker exceeds all expectations. Its sound capabilities are superior to the sound quality of competing models, and it is capable of results with well-designed, complex tones. Not being completely perfect, the speaker is not without flaws. It slightly distorts the sound at the top of the volume scale and is instantly muffled if the smartphone is placed with the back panel down.
Thanks to the built-in tools, owners can take advantage of YouTube’s extensive integration with the standard video viewing application associated with the optional homepage widget, which allows you to receive a daily portion of entertaining information about cats and crushing failures.
Battery life
Having surpassed the one-day milestone, which was the limit for most smartphones in 2012, the Samsung Galaxy Ace II (GT-I8160) lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 1,500 mAh will not keep the user under stress for a hard working day or less weekend with telephone calls, providing 7, 5 hours of estimated talk time and 640 hours of standby time. According to the reviews of the owners, the figures indicated by the manufacturer correctly reflect the reality.
Although the 2-core filling provides a more aggressive and energy-demanding environment for the battery, an increase in battery capacity from 1350 mAh in the original model compensated for the increase in power consumption. A negative consequence of this is a significant increase in charging time.
Connectivity options
In this regard, the smartphone Samsung Galaxy Ace II (GT-I8160) is a classic example of the uniformity of the models of the Korean manufacturer and a wide range of Android devices, without offering any unexpected additions or omissions.
The usual set of options from 3G and impressive Wi-Fi are backed up by an HSDPA connection at 14.4 Mbps. In addition, Bluetooth 3.0 and the microUSB port are alternative communication methods. The same universal serial data bus is used to synchronize the phone with a PC, charge it, or to transfer files. The smartphone can also act as a wireless access point for other devices that support Wi-Fi.
Advantages
User reviews of the Samsung Galaxy Ace II mobile phone (GT-I8160) note the elegant and stylish design of the device with excellent build quality and pleasant tactile sensations reminiscent of the former market leader Galaxy S2. The smartphone impresses with an elegant finish and a wide range of functions. Since the 2-core processor provides realistic lightness, the integrated 5-megapixel camera has become a hit, equally capable of creating high-quality images and impressive video with a resolution of 720p. In addition, the smartphone is easy to use and not difficult to master.
disadvantages
The attractive simplicity of an inexpensive phone only brightens up the disappointment in the decision of the Korean manufacturer to install an outdated version of the OS. Although not bad, due to the lack of new OS update features, the device seems outdated. The disadvantages of the Samsung Galaxy Ace II (GT-I8160) are long-term charging and, despite the presence of a microSD card slot, a small amount of internal memory.
Conclusion
With the launch of the Galaxy Ace II smartphone (GT-I8160), Samsung has reliably established itself in the mid-range cell phone market, setting a price close to the budget level that many have liked. Not offering the most advanced media device, the Korean company compensates for the small flaws and limited capabilities of the model by improving the proposed functionality. Exceeding expectations in many positions, the Galaxy Ace II smartphone is a good start for beginners.