The Samsung Galaxy Ace comes hot on the heels of the sock-evaporating, super stunning Samsung Galaxy S2. However with a different shape and decidedly down-sized specs, it’s clearly not for the same type of audience. Is it worth a look with the HTC Wildfire S around the corner? Let’s find out.
Samsung Galaxy Ace - Design and build quality:
It’s a plastic, Fisher-Price version of the iPhone 4, with identical curved edges, black bezel and metal bands around the side, plus a clicky home button - though it being Android, you’ll find touch sensitive menu and back buttons on either side of it as well.
We can’t say we’re loving the sense of deja vu the Samsung Galaxy Ace’s case will give you, but it is at least rock solid, with USB and 3.5mm audio ports on the top as they should be, plus a conveniently placed microSD card slot so you can switch out memory without having to pull the battery out.
Samsung Galaxy Ace - Screen:
The Samsung Galaxy Ace’s screen is a 3.5-inch capacitive panel with a 320×480 resolution, which sounds sharp enough, until you consider the fact that Android phones have had screens this sharp since 2008. As such, our complaints about the HTC Wildfire S’s screens are true: reading text and websites could be easier on the eye, but if you’re upgrading to this resolution, not downgrading, you won’t notice.
There’s almost something to be said for trying to grab last year’s Samsung Galaxy S phone in its place: you’ll find the price difference isn’t so great now, and its sharper 800×480 Super AMOLED panel vastly out performs the LCD screen on the Ace, with superior colour production and viewing angles.
Samsung Galaxy Ace - Key features:
The Samsung Galaxy Ace is all about providing a low price entry point into the Android experience, from the countless apps and games to Google’s impressive suite of services, such as Gmail and Google Maps (with free turn by turn navigation). Hardware is only part of the picture however: Samsung’s tried to make the Ace stand out with ease of use and intuitive software as well.
Samsung Galaxy Ace - Usability:
Samsung’s tweaks to the Android OS are largely benevolent: the Galaxy Ace comes with the superb Swype keyboard pre-installed, and easily merges your Facebook and Twitter contacts with your phonebook. And really high end games aside, the 800MHz CPU is up to the challenge of multitasking and web browsing.
Samsung Galaxy Ace - Connectivity:
A smartphone wouldn’t be a smartphone without 3G, Wi-Fi and GPS all on-board and the Samsung Galaxy Ace comes with all three, natch. Interestingly, while HTC saw fit to remove its own DLNA media streaming app from the Wildfire S, Samsung’s (superior) solution, allShare, is still included on this model, and it’s just the ticket for sending music and standard definition video around your home network. You can also share your 3G connection as a portable Wi-Fi hotspot, free of charge – a handy option to have for anyone who’s struggled with dodgy coffee shop wireless.
Samsung Galaxy Ace - Video and Camera:
The Galaxy Ace comes armed with one of the better five megapixel cameras we’ve tried of late, and even avoids the typical pitfall of massive blowout when the flash is deployed. That is for stills at least: the QVGA (320×240) video shot at a stuttery 15 frames per second is far behind the curve.
Samsung Galaxy Ace - Media playback:
While Samsung’s top end Android phones are the very best phones for video on the market right now, the Samsung Galaxy Ace is blessed with none of their codec support. All you’ve got are the basic formats that all Android phones handle (essentially MP4 and MP3). For anything else, you’ll have to turn to third party media players on the Android Market and hope the 800MHz CPU is up to the challenge. Oh, and Flash video streaming isn’t supported.
Samsung Galaxy Ace - Apps:
While the Samsung Galaxy S 2 comes stuffed with exclusive apps and “hubs”, some good, some bad, all you get on the Galaxy Ace is the aforementioned allShare app and the dull ThinkFree Office – rather pointless now a native Google Docs app is available. There’s also Samsung’s own Apps download store, which hilariously includes just one Weather App, and really ought to be put to sleep.
Of course, you’ve also got the hundreds of thousands of apps on the Android Market – that should be more than enough for even the most ADD of smartphone addicts.
Samsung Galaxy Ace - Call quality/battery life:
While skinny phones have been impressing us of late with their impressive call quality, the Samsung Galaxy Ace can’t quite muster the same sonic skills, delivering a rather raspy sound when the volume’s ramped up. We’ve got better news to report on the battery life: we found the Galaxy Ace ran for a full two days on a charge, even with GPS and Google sync on. That’s a rare achievement for an Android mobile – and definitely one of the best reasons to seek this phone out.
Verdict:
While the HTC Wildfire S is the more attractive mid-range phone, the Galaxy Ace does at least offer a superior screen and slightly speedier performance – factors every bit as crucial as an aluminium unibody chassis.
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