Saturday, June 22, 2013

Galaxy S4 Active Review - Water-resistant and Amazing!

 It has been a bit more than 2 months since we had a chance to experience what the original Samsung Galaxy S4 has to offer, but not it is time for the main flagship to get a few interesting updated and the Galaxy S4 Active is brilliant example of that. Just like the Galaxy S4 Red Aurora for AT&T the Active is a device exclusive to AT&T that is available for $199.99 on two-year contract. Other payment options include you paying $449.99 (saves you $145) for a one-year contract and paying straight up-front $594.99 for a month-to-month deal. You can see the full prices and order online here.
Galaxy S4 Active Review
Dip it in water - nothing bad is gonna happen!

 So, how exactly is the Galaxy S4 Active different from the regular model? Well, while this isn't the unique Advanced LTE model that people might have been expecting, the S4 is still quite unique on its own. However, the only real changes are on the outside since the internal hardware is pretty much the same. 

The Exterior Changes to the Galaxy S4

 Thus, let me point out right now that the most important difference is that the Galaxy S4 Active is water and dust resistant.

 But just how water-resistant is it? Some are even saying it is waterproof, but as you know that cannot really be true. Still, for the purpose of this Galaxy S4 Active review we can say that this device does show that we are slowly getting close to a an actual "waterproof" smartphone. According to Mashable, the device can be submerged as up to  three feet in water and can stay there for roughly 30 minuets. Apparently, you can even listen to music while swimming, although I am not sure who swims with their smartphone and how they find this practical.

 Another major change is that the camera on the Galaxy S4 Active has 8 MP instead of 13. However, to compensate for this, the camera actually has an Aqua mode for underwater photography which looks rather impressive.

New Design on the S4 Active
The body is actually thicker!
 The final important change to the exterior of the phone is that the body is a bit thicker. It is hard to notice it until you actually compare the two. This is actually a welcoming change in my opinion as I always prefer smartphones which are a bit heavier in one's hand. Of course, this is a very niche opinion and depends on your style and needs.

 So, do I think that the Galaxy S4 Active is worth it? If I wanted to buy the S4 right now and had access to AT&T then I would certainly opt for the Active. While it has one of the worst names ever, I quite like the water and dust resistant body and the thicker back. I don't plan on putting the phone into the water, but having a device that can work like a charm during the rain is a brilliant feature that is slowly becoming an industry standard on many devices.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Leave us a comment! We would love to hear from you :)