The two hottest smartphones announced this year are the Samsung Galaxy S II, and the HTC Sensation. Both devices have fantastic specs and a huge 4.3″ screen. But at the end of the day, which one performs best? Which one should you buy? Read on for a full comparison, including a color-coded table showing where each phone wins in specifications.
The Samsung Galaxy S II has been confirmed to be released on 1st May this year in the UK. It is currently available for pre-order from Clove, Handtec, or several other online stores.
The HTC Sensation was announced on 12th April, to be released some time mid-May in the UK.
This table lists the complete phone specifications in a side-by-side comparison. Where one phone wins hands-down, I’ve highlighted it in green. Where there are differences, but not a clear winner, I’ve highlighted the cell orange. You can find my final verdict at the bottom of the page.
Samsung Galaxy S II vs. HTC Sensation – Feature Comparison
 HTC Sensation |
Samsung Galaxy S II i9100 (16GB) |
|
| Release date |
Mid-May
|
May 1st
|
| Price | Unconfirmed | £440.00 from Clove |
| SIM Free & Unlocked | Yes | Yes |
| Operating System | Android | Android |
| Version | 2.3 (Gingerbread) | 2.3 (Gingerbread) |
| Custom Skin | HTC Sense 3.0 | TouchWiz |
| Processor | ||
| Speed | 1.2GHz Dual Core | 1.2GHz Dual Core |
| Make/Model | Qualcomm Snapdragon (Cortex A8) |
Samsung Dual-Core Exynos CPU (Cortex A9) |
| Expansion Slot | Yes | Yes |
| Type | MicroSDHC | MicroSDHC |
| Max. Capacity | 32GB | 32GB |
| RAM | 768 MB | 1GB |
| Internal Storage | Yes | Yes |
| Capacity | 1GB | 16GB |
| Display/Screen | ||
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Size | 4.3 | 4.3 |
| Type | Super-LCD | Super AMOLED Plus |
| Resolution | qHD 540 x 960 | WVGA 480 x 800 |
| Other | Gorilla Glass | Gorilla Glass |
| GSM/GPRS | Yes | Yes |
| Frequencies | 850/900/1800/1900 MHz | 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz |
| Speed | GPRS Up to 114 Kbps downloading, EDGE Up to 560 Kbps | GPRS Up to 114 Kbps downloading, EDGE Up to 560 Kbps |
| 3G/HSPA | Yes | Yes |
| Frequencies | 900/2100 Mhz | 850/900/1900/2100 (Quad band) |
| Speed | Up to 14.4 Mbps download speed, Up to 5.76 Mbps upload speed | Up to 21 Mbps download speed |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Version | 3.0 | 3.0 HS |
| Functions | A2DP for wireless stereo headsets, FTP and OPP (object push) for file transfer, PBAP for phonebook access from the car kit, Other supported profiles: AVRCP, GAP, GOEP, HFP, HID, HSP, MAP, SPP, SDAP | up to 24Mbps data transfer |
| WiFi | Yes | Yes |
| Version | IEEE 802.11 b/g/n | IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n |
| DLNA | Yes | Yes |
| Version | ||
| Ports | ||
| Data/Power | MicroUSB | Micro USB |
| Audio | 3.5mm | 3.5mm jack |
| Video Out | MHL via MicroUSB | MHL via MicroUSB |
| GPS | Yes | Yes |
| A-GPS | Yes | Yes |
| Camera | Yes | Yes |
| Megapixels | 8 | 8 |
| Flash | Auto focus and dual LED flash + Stereo sound | Auto focus w/ LED Flash |
| Camera Lens | ||
| Front Facing Camera | 1.3 MP | 2MP |
| Sensors | ||
| G-Sensor | Yes | Yes |
| Proximity Sensor | Yes | Yes |
| Light Sensor | Yes | Yes |
| Audio | ||
| Formats | .aac, .amr, .ogg, .m4a, .mid, .mp3, .wav, .wma (Windows Media Audio 9) | MP3, OGG, AAC, eAAC , AMR-NB, AMR-WB, WMA, WAV, MID, AC3, IMY, FLAC, XMF |
| Video | ||
| Formats | .3gp, .3g2, .mp4, .wmv (Windows Media Video 9), .avi (MP4 ASP and MP3), .xvid (MP4 ASP and MP3) | MPEG4, H.264, H.263, WMV, DivX, Xvid, VC-1 |
| Recording | 1080p @ 30 fps | 1080p @ 30 fps |
| Near Field Communication | No | Yes |
| FM Radio | Yes | Yes |
| Battery | 1520 mAh | 1650 mAh |
| Dimensions | 126.1mm x 65.4mm x 11.3mm | 125.3 x 66.1 x 8.49 mm |
| Weight | 148g with battery | 116 grams |
| Software | Google services | Document Viewer / Editor, SWYPE, Android Brower, RSS Reader |
| Other | USB & WiFi Tethering | Fully integrated Social Media Hub, Music Hub, Games Hub and Readers Hub |
| Build | Aluminium Unibody | Plastic |
The verdict? Out of 15 feature comparisons, Samsung Galaxy S II wins 12 hands down, leaving only 3 for the HTC Sensation. The main areas where HTC comes out ahead are in the screen resolution, and build quality (although the latter is somewhat a matter of personal taste).
The Samsung Galaxy S II is certainly the better phone by features, and the Exynos CPU provides some extra native HD video processing features which might put it ahead as well. The extra RAM and Internal Storage will be appreciated by power-users or gamers. However, the HTC Sensation also offers an excellent package with higher screen resolution and build quality, plus stereo sound recording and dual flash.
Both phones are excellent devices, but I’ll be putting my money on the Samsung Galaxy S II. What are your thoughts? Leave a comment below.
Update: It has been pointed out in the comments that the Samsung Galaxy S II actually has a Cortex A9 CPU, which puts it ahead of the Sensation’s Cortex A8. According to some analysis, the CPU inside the Sensation is actually closer to an A9 than A8. However, the Galaxy S2 is actually an improved A9, so I guess it’s another win for the Galaxy. I’ve updated the table to reflect this – thanks Will!