Once upon a time there was only one Samsung smartphone that could honestly claim to be king of its ilk. But now there’s a new phone in town and it means business.
So how will the battle between the Samsung newcomer Galaxy Nexus and the Samsung old favourite Galaxy S II play out?
Well, there’s really only one way to find out – let’s see how these phones compare when they go head-to-head.
Ice Cream Sandwich tops Gingerbread
The Galaxy Nexus runs on the newest version of Android, 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, whereas the Galaxy S II runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS.
While the upgrade will surely land on the Galaxy S II in good time, if you want cutting-edge features like Face Unlock, Android Beam with NFC technology, and People app for content sharing, without delay, you want the Galaxy Nexus.
Design
These are both good looking handsets with large, vibrant displays and slim frame.
If size matters, you should pick the S2 as the winner of this round as it boasts a super-thin 8.49mm thick frame together with 117g, which beats the Nexus’s 8.9mm and 135g.
However, if it’s visual content you want, then surely you’ll be convinced the Galaxy Nexus wins. Its AMOLED HD display measures 4.65-inches and has 720 x 1280 pixels resolution, making it sharp and simply a joy to watch movies and play games.
This is not to say the Galaxy S II does not have an excellent display too, because it does, but merely that it is outclassed – its 4.3-inch 800 x 480 Super AMOLED Plus screen can’t compete against the display of the new Galaxy Nexus.
Power
Surprisingly, the Galaxy S II is nippier than the Galaxy Nexus in the graphics department. Although both Samsung devices run on dual-core 1.2GHz ARM Cortex A9 chips, the S II benefits from a quad-core Mali-400 graphics processor whereas the Nexus has a PowerVR SGX 540 graphics chip.
However, with 1GB of RAM onboard, neither are slouches. Gaming fans will likely select the Galaxy S II as the winner of this round, though, because it is that bit quicker when it comes to graphics.
Images, battery and storage
The main cameras inbuilt on these two phones are almost identical, and both support 1080p video recording. However, the S2 wins because it has 8-megapixels to the Nexus’s 5-megapixels. Saying that, it’s doubtful those extra pixels make a significant difference to image quality, not least because the Galaxy Nexus benefits from features like zero shutter-lag and automatic focus.
Battery wise, the Galaxy Nexus has a 1700mAh battery and the Galaxy S II 1650mAh. Considering the larger screen, we suspect these two are practically on a par when it comes to battery life.
Similarly with storage, these two are similar. You can buy the Galaxy Nexus and Galaxy S II in 16GB and 32GB models, although the Galaxy S II does benefit from a microSD option on top of this.
Verdict
It’s a close-run contest, this one. The Galaxy S II holds its ground impressively, considering it’s up against the newbie in town.
In essence, it boils down to preference – if mammoth displays and the bells and whistles of Ice Cream Sandwich are essential, then the Galaxy Nexus is the winner. On the other hand, if super-slim design, impressive graphics and high-end camera matter to you, you’ll likely opt for the Galaxy S II.
Add to the equation, price – the SIM-free price for the new Nexus is £559.99 whereas it’s £392 for the S II – and the Galaxy S II looks increasingly like the champion, especially when you consider Ice Cream Sandwich will reach it eventually.
…You decide – which device wins?
| Galaxy Nexus | Samsung Galaxy SII | |
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| Operating System | Android OS, v4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) | Android OS, v2.3 (Gingerbread) |
| Processor: | 1.2 GHz Dual-core | 1.2 GHz Dual-core |
| RAM: | 1 GB | 1 GB |
| Dimensions: | 135.5 x 67.9 x 8.9 mm | 125.3 x 66.1 x 8.5 mm |
| Weight: | 135 g | 116 g |
| Display: | 4.65″ | 4.3″ |
| Camera: | 5 MP | 8 MP |
| Internal Storage: | 16GB/32GB | 16/32GB |
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