Samsung ace 2. Smartphone Samsung GT I8160 Galaxy Ace II: reviews and specifications. A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other

The middle class of mobile devices is in great demand. Released in 2012, the Ace 2 has attracted the attention of many buyers. And even after a few years, the smartphone looks pretty good.

Design

The buyer, most likely, will not pay attention to the discreet Galaxy Ace 2. The exterior of the device is quite classic for Samsung and is probably borrowed from the W model from the same series. Now this design looks more like a "budget employee", but in 2012 this kind of device was very solid.

Korean craftsmen have made Galaxy Ace 2 as convenient as possible. Both adults and children will be equally comfortable working with the device. The phone doesn't try to slip out of your hand. The dimensions are small, which is quite expected from a device with a diagonal of 3.8 inches. Although for this size the weight of 122 grams is daunting.

In addition to plastic, metal was also used in the case. Of course, there is not much of it, but it definitely affected the weight of the device. As with all Samsung products, it's not worth talking about the build quality. All parts fit perfectly, no squeaks or gaps are observed.

The design of the device will appeal to the buyer with its simplicity, but it was not without its drawbacks. The smartphone is available in only one color version, namely black with a small silver border. Of course, the designers' decision is quite typical for 2012, but I would like more.

Functional elements

The front part is divided among themselves by a small screen, earpiece, sensors and, of course, the front camera. Under the display, the company has placed two touch buttons and one mechanical one. The back of the Galaxy Ace 2 houses the main camera, flash, speaker and Samsung logo.

On the right, on the side, there is a power button. The opposite side was taken under the volume control and a slot for a flash card. The socket is closed with a plate. The 3.5 headset jack is located at the top. At the top, you can see a small gap for removing the back cover. The USB connector and the spoken microphone are nestled at the bottom end.

The arrangement of the elements is quite familiar. The power button and are located in user-friendly places. There is no side overload that is often found in mid-range devices.

Screen

The Galaxy Ace 2 GT-i8160 has a small 3.8-inch display. The diagonal is not the largest, but enough for work. A resolution of 800 by 480 pixels fits perfectly into the specifications. It will be difficult to notice the flaws in the image with the naked eye, since the phone has 245 ppi.

Most of all, multitouch surprises. The screen supports as many as 10 touches, which was very rare even in the top devices of that year. Although Ace 2 would be enough and 5 points.

On top of the native system, the manufacturer installed its own TouchWiz 4.0 shell. The interface has not undergone any special changes. The user still has access to seven desktops, weather information and other little things.

Of interest is the ability to turn off the sound when making a call by simply flipping the device. The company even added a voice assistant. Otherwise, there are no fundamental differences. The user will receive a standard set of programs and several applications from Yandex.

Communication

Supports Galaxy Ace 2 GT to work with popular networks GSM, WCDMA. There is also a standard navigation for which regular Google maps are used. Finding a location is not the fastest process. The first launch will take approximately 2-5 minutes. Then the smartphone will be able to determine the coordinates in 30-40 seconds.

Navigation in the device is very "gluttonous". This concerns not only the battery charge, but also the consumed traffic. However, the function pays off in full. The phone is able to display not only the route, but also the traffic situation. Driving directions are calculated in several ways.

Not without standard functions. The company has equipped the device with GPRS, EDGE, Bluetooth 3.0 and the expected 802.11 Wi-Fi.

Price

Only after entering the store shelves, the novelty cost about 9 thousand rubles. Now the price has dropped significantly, given that the device is outdated. Today you can become the owner of Ace 2 for 3-4 thousand rubles. If the cost corresponds to a modern "state employee", then the characteristics are noticeably inferior to new products.

Equipment

In addition to the Ace 2, the set includes a branded headset, AC adapter, USB cable, documentation, battery. Considering the plastic case, it will be useful to supplement the kit with a cover. There is also an urgent need to increase memory. The user will be forced to purchase a flash card.

Positive reviews

Despite the fact that a similar design has already been encountered in the company's devices, the exterior is an undoubted plus of the Ace 2. The high-quality plastic of the case is able to withstand a strong blow. The assembly of the device raises no objections either. The only slit you can see is at the top and is for removing the cover. Unfortunately, many buyers are upset by the meager selection of colors.

A well-implemented screen is one of the strengths of the Galaxy Ace 2. The characteristics of the small display will appeal to almost all users. Although the device uses a TFT-matrix, this played only a positive role. The image attracts with warm and rich tones. Naturally, due to the matrix, the screen's behavior in the sun is not the best, and the viewing angles are low. Although the maximum brightness is sufficient to smooth out almost all sharp corners.

Users also appreciated the possibility of moving to a more recent system. Almost all owners rushed to replace their "Android" 2.3 with 4.1. The system really turned out to be much better than the factory one.

Owners of Ace 2 speak very positively about the sound of the phone. Of course, there are slight crackles, but only at maximum volume. Pleased with the smartphone and the presence of a built-in equalizer with many settings and sessions. With headphones, things are much better. Using the headset, the user gets clear sound with rich bass.

The battery is also a definite plus. It is especially pleasing that the battery is removable and can be exchanged for a larger capacity. The battery power is fully consistent with the characteristics of the device. The phone will work for a day without additional charging.

The camera of the device is ideal for everyday use. The 5 megapixel matrix does not inspire confidence only at first. The owners of the device appreciated the sharpness and vivid colors of the images.

Negative reviews

In the device, users are most confused by the processor. Previously released phones based on NovaThor of a similar version had two cores, each of which was one gigabyte. The decrease in performance is perplexing, although it does not affect the operation of the device.

Besides the processor, there is also a more tangible drawback. It's about the amount of built-in memory. The user has only 1.1 GB available. There is definitely not enough memory for even the most essential applications and functions. The device is saved by the possibility of installing a card with an additional volume.

The smartphone has got good navigation abilities. However, judging by the reviews, working with applications is tedious. Programs process data for a very long time, sometimes it takes several minutes to wait.

Outcome

At one time, Ace 2 caused a real sensation. The device was able to compete even with the flagships of some companies. Despite many minor flaws, the device has interested fans.

Now it's time to update the lineup, so a fresh solution will come in handy. At one time, the predecessor became a real hit of sales, the model turned out to be successful both in design, imitating the style of Apple, and in filling. All this was offered at an attractive price, which ensured the people's love for the smartphone.

During this time, the market has been filled with models similar in characteristics, and there are many offers from Samsung. You can recall the Galaxy W smartphones - the first is cheaper, the others are more expensive than the new Galaxy Ace 2. In any case, you can choose among the rich range of one manufacturer and find the best solution for yourself.

Contents of delivery

• Smartphone


• Battery


• Cable


• MicroSD memory card 2 GB


• Stereo headset


• Charger

Design

Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 resembles the previously released models of the company, it is easy to find common features between them. The contours of the case are similar to the or Galaxy W, from the latter the novelty has inherited a similar plastic. The case is without metal, matte plastic prevails here, fortunately, there is no gloss here, everything is assembled with high quality and monolithic.

The plastic behaves well, but over time, slight abrasions may form on the back cover if you carry the smartphone in your pocket with other items.

Tightly fitted parts eliminate backlash or squeaks, this also refers to the positive qualities of a smartphone.

On the front panel there is a set of proximity sensors and a camera for video calls. Unfortunately, there is no sensor to automatically adjust the brightness of the backlight. The earpiece speaker is hidden under a decorative silver mesh.

At the bottom, in the center, there is a large Home key, which rises above the body. It is flat for easier groping, with a silver trim added to help blindfold the key. The button is mechanical, the pressing is clear, the stroke is small. By holding it down for a few seconds, you can display a list of running applications.

On the sides of it are two other functional phone controls. On the left and right of the touch panel there are symbols: this is the Menu button and the Return key. Due to the fact that, they are given enough space to accurately press them and avoid erroneous or inaccurate clicks, they are convenient to use. Backlit buttons, it works when you touch one of the touch zones. Subsequently, they go out, despite the working screen. Their operation is configured in the menu, so that, if desired, the backlight can be completely turned off or, conversely, activated for a longer time.

At the bottom there is a small microphone hole and a port
microUSB.

A 3.5 mm headphone jack is placed on the top end.

On the left side there is a paired volume rocker. It is embossed, easy to grope and pleasant to press. There is also a slot for microSD memory cards. Access to it is free, you do not need to remove the battery to change the flash drive, hot swap is supported, you just need to fold the protective cover aside.

On the right side there is a small button to turn off the device, which also performs the function of locking the screen. She also has a comfortable shape.

The back cover is covered with a barely noticeable pattern. This mesh allows you to more confidently hold your smartphone in your hand. There is a small ledge at the bottom, familiar from the company's models. It adds originality to the look of the smartphone, and also helps to hold the device more confidently in hand.

The dimensions of the smartphone fall within the usual frames: 118.3x62.3x10.5 mm, weight 118 g. Not the largest, not the heaviest device for its class. Fits well in your pocket or in your hand, in general, convenient for everyone.

In the center is the 5-megapixel camera lens, which is decorated with a silver rim. Underneath is an LED flash. The speaker hole is located to the right.

Inside there is a battery and a SIM card slot.

Screen

The smartphone has a 3.8-inch display with a resolution of 480x800 pixels, which is a significant step forward compared to its predecessor. In general, for its class, the screen is good both in terms of picture and pixel density. The display is capacitive, 5-point multitouch is supported, displays up to 16 million colors. PLS-screen of a new type is distinguished by moderate brightness, reproduction of shades closer to natural colors, differing in this respect from SuperAMOLED.

The device responds perfectly to pressing, the sensor is sensitive and accurately responds to touch. The protective layer is made of Gorilla Glass, protects the surface from damage. The behavior of the screen in the sun is average, the data fade and is not readable, unless you manually set the maximum backlight level.

Platform

The smartphone has a dual-core U8500 Nova Thor processor with a frequency of 800 MHz, a Mali-400 graphics accelerator, 768 MB of RAM. For storing applications, 4 GB of internal memory is offered, of which about 1.5 GB is used for installing software. The card slot allows you to expand the usable space up to 32 GB inclusive. The smartphone worked well with the maximum size card. The operating system is Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread and a proprietary shell TouchWiz 4.0.

Interface

The proprietary TouchWiz 4.0 interface is used as a shell. In the upper part of the screen there is a service line, which displays the time, battery charge, signal reception level indicator. Active connections and other data are also displayed there. By clicking on it, you can find out in more detail what programs were downloaded, what messages and letters were received, or what files were accepted. A separate line highlights the inclusion of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, silent mode and GPS.

You can use both standard Android widgets and original elements from Samsung. Seven desktops are allocated for widgets, on which you can place additional functional elements at your discretion.

When a new widget is added to the desktop, a new panel may appear along with it. If you wish, you can delete the unnecessary part of the interface of your choice.

You can add application shortcuts to the desktop, create folders and change the background picture, using both animated pictures on the desktop and installing static images from the gallery. The image is set to the lock screen.

When the phone screen is locked, it displays the date and time, as well as service information. To unlock, you need to pull the top layer covering the desktop. If there were missed calls or SMS, they will be displayed as a separate icon on the left or right. The picture is installed on the lock screen, the place for the clock is changed. There are several font styles to choose from.

The menu is presented in the form of 4x4 icons, a vertical list option is also available. If you wish, you can move icons to other tables, add them to folders, thus organizing applications to your liking.

When new programs are added, they are automatically placed on the screen. They are deleted directly from the menu, you just need to go into editing mode. But you can only delete programs that have been added independently - those installed by the manufacturer are not subject to such operation. Folders for applications are created in the menu.

Holding down the menu button will open a pop-up window that displays shortcuts to six recently launched applications.

Phone book

The general list shows the stored contacts, both in the phone memory and in the SIM-card, as well as data from the Google account. You can choose among them by setting the ability to display subscribers only from the selected memory type. In the settings, the preferred way of sorting names is selected.

By pressing the field reserved for the subscriber's picture, you can make a call, send him a message or e-mail, and view information on him. There are many fields for additional data. It includes various types of phone numbers, e-mail addresses, quick communication tools, residential addresses and other information.

If an image is assigned to the subscriber, it will be displayed on the screen. To simplify the search, you can use the vertical line that shows the alphabet. Thus, swiping your finger across it, letters pop up and you can quickly navigate. Of course, there is also a standard contact search function. There is a quick call to 8 selected subscribers. Contacts can be assigned to different groups, which are assigned an individual signal.

From the phone book, you can quickly call or write an SMS to a person - you just need to swipe left (call) or right (message) on the line with the subscriber's name. By clicking on the place reserved for the picture for the subscriber, a quick menu is called up, with the help of which a message, mail is sent, and a phone call is made to the selected person.

Call log

You can access the call log directly from the phone book; it is highlighted in a separate tab. There the dialed numbers are ordered by date. But they are not the only ones that appear. It also contains information about messages. If desired, the amount of displayed data can be minimized or, conversely, you can get the most complete informational list of events of the last days.

Having selected a subscriber, you can see what calls and how many times were made - such a collapsed list is much more convenient than a long string of dialed numbers of the same type. However, in the general list of calls there is duplication of identical numbers, which overloads the log with identical data. The smartphone can display frequently used numbers in a separate group, which is convenient.

The number is dialed using a virtual keyboard, while entering numbers, the smartphone automatically displays on the screen the contacts stored in the device's memory with similar initial digits in the number.

Posts

For SMS and MMS, there is a shared folder where received messages go. When sending, adding various objects to the text, you can automatically convert it into a multimedia message. When sending a message, the phone is able to display the last used numbers, thereby greatly simplifying the search for the recipient. A message can be sent simultaneously to both multiple subscribers and a group created in the smartphone's memory. There is a set of funny android emoticons.

The device combines correspondence with subscribers into dialogues. The smartphone can automatically delete old SMS if there is no desire to store thousands of archives in the device. As you type, you can cut, copy, and paste. It is convenient to enter text. It offers not only a keyboard option from Samsung, but also a Swype feature. Its essence lies in the fact that you just need to move your finger along the layout with signs. The device will independently generate words based on which characters were touched by the user's hand. For clarity, during such an input, a blue bar is displayed on the screen, which allows you not to get confused while typing.

The function is very convenient, it independently places spaces between words, selects words well, and most importantly, you can type text very quickly. If the word is short and a combination of several possible options is possible, the phone will display them, then you have to choose between them yourself. You can add new words to her lexicon.

Email

To work with e-mail, automatic configuration of the mailbox is launched (if it is not Gmail, which connects immediately after the mail address was entered during the initial activation of the phone). It includes entering basic information (login, password). The phone perfectly understands various encodings, supports downloading attachments (you need to insert a memory card, otherwise this function will not work) formats familiar to it.

When creating a letter, you can also attach various files from the device memory to it. Both the function of copying text and automatic mailbox check (the interval is set manually) work. Sorting of mail by date, subject, sender and size works.

Gallery

Photos and videos stored in the smartphone's memory are shown here. The gallery works both vertically and horizontally. Working with files is accompanied by nice animation effects. Working with files is fast, previews of images are generated without delay. Pictures are displayed in a 2x3 or 3x2 grid, depending on the position of the device.

In folders, thumbnails are smaller, so that not 3, but 4 images are placed vertically. The image opens in full screen, scaling works using multitouch. Files can be sent via email, Bluetooth, SMS, or posted on Picasa. You can assign images as desktop wallpaper or assign to a contact. Rotation of images, reduction of their size is supported, as well as additional information about a specific file is displayed, the place where the picture was taken is also shown if geotagging is working.

Images are shown as folders (for example, received via Bluetooth, photo section), and sorted by date. This makes it very convenient to view photos - in the same folder, you get several sections. You can scroll using the strip displayed at the bottom of the screen, or by simply touching the screen with your fingers anywhere.

The built-in photo editor will help you add different effects to your pictures.

Player

The player's interface is simple and straightforward. The general list displays all the songs in the smartphone's memory. There are also additional columns. Several types of playlists, albums, artists, genres, composers, years. While playing music, the cover written in the tags of the files is displayed on the screen, if there is none, there will be a multi-colored picture instead.

The volume is changed both from the player menu using the vertical adjustment scale and by using the side volume keys. The screen displays the name of the artist, the name of the album and the song being played. Tracks can be set to repeat (song, album, all tracks) or listen to in shuffle mode.

To navigate, virtual keys are used (back and forth and pause), you can also switch between songs by flipping through the file cover image. While listening to the song you like, you can set it as a ringtone, contact or signal.

Numerous equalizer settings are available to the user: auto, normal, pop, rock, jazz, dance, classical, live sound, and others. You can choose the audio effect: normal, wide range, concert hall, music clarity, bass boost, externalization. There is a visualization function, but it does not go well with album covers, so it is more interesting to use it if those are not specified in the file properties.

When the keyboard is locked, the player control line is displayed at the top of the screen, which contains navigation keys, information about the song being played, and cover art.

The sound quality is on par with the Galaxy W. That is not bad, but not the best for its class. In my opinion, Sony Xperia Sola or HTC One V are more interesting as a music source if you use high-quality headphones paired with the device.

Radio

The receiver supports RDS, can work in the background and turn off after a set time interval (30 minutes, 1 or 2 hours). The function of automatic search for radio stations is working. You can display 6 of your favorite radio stations on your desktop and quickly switch between them.

As with the player, there is a pop-up window at the top of the screen for quick navigation between stations. A separate stop button is provided to end the radio broadcast.

Video

The smartphone has full support for DivX and XviD codecs. Therefore, it can be used to view unconverted video. Here, videos are launched in 720p quality if desired, although due to the limited display resolution, HD quality will not fully manifest itself.

The video library is displayed in the form of a list with a small preview of the movie, its title and duration are also indicated. During viewing, controls can be displayed on the screen, including the rewind and pause keys. A scroll bar appears, allowing you to quickly navigate through the movie being played. Using the lock key on the side of the phone, you can protect yourself from accidental presses while watching a movie.

Camera

The camera in the smartphone is 5-megapixel, with autofocus and flash. Shooting starts exclusively from the smartphone menu. The interface is well thought out. The shutter button is located on the right, the rest of the place is reserved for the viewfinder and two small areas of service options. The shortcut menu on the left is customizable. The most necessary functions for quick access are taken there. Focusing on any point on the screen is implemented, you just need to touch the desired place.

Camera settings:

Self-portrait.

White balance: Auto, Cloudy, Daylight, Incandescent, Fluorescent.

Flash.

Shooting mode: single shot, smile, panorama, in motion, cartoon.

Shooting conditions: Portrait, Landscape, Night, Sports, Party, Beach / Snow, Sunset, Dawn, Autumn colors, Fireworks, Text, Twilight, Backlights.

Exposition.

Focusing: auto, macro.

Timer: 2, 5, 10 seconds.

Effects: Normal, Negative, Black & White, Sepia.

Photo size: 5M (2560x1920), 3.2M (2048x1536), 2M (1600x1200), 0.3M (640x480 pixels).

ISO: Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800.

Metering: Center-weighted, Spot metering, Matrix.

The quality of shooting is very good, the smartphone will not disappoint with the results, especially in clear weather. Capturing texts is also not a problem, there is autofocus and macro mode, so the device can also take a photo of a document or a record on a sheet of paper without difficulty.

Organizer The calendar in the device is made in a traditional style, the display of information for the whole month, week or a specific day is configured. You can customize the type and alert tone for recorded events and appointments. There is a division of information by storage location, each option has its own color label. When creating a new record, a name is assigned to it, a period and a place are set. It is indicated with which of the calendars it will be synchronized, you can send invitations to contacts from your notebook. The repeat period is set (every day, weekly, monthly, yearly). A reminder will help you not to lose sight of the recording - the signal will be triggered in advance. Additionally, the type of notification is set. Clock The smartphone allows you to store multiple alarms in memory. The repetition is set both once and for every day, only for working days or weekly. You can also set specific days. An alarm melody is set, you can add a vibration alert and a text file to it. The period of repeated signal activation is set. There is also a pre-alarm function. It boils down to the fact that in advance the phone begins to give soft sounds, gradually forcing the owner of the phone to wake up. A pleasant soundtrack from the sounds of nature has a pleasant effect, it helps to wake up in a welcoming mood. The smartphone displays the time in different time zones. There is a stopwatch. There is a timer. The dictaphone is simple and convenient, it saves records both in the phone memory and on a card. The recording time is set by the user, so you can make small notes that fit in MMS. Decorated in the form of a wooden board with a sheet of paper attached, notes allow you to create notes. The calculator works in both portrait and landscape orientation. In the latter case, more functions are available. YouTube is a standard application for most modern devices, allows you to watch videos, search among them. The application runs in full screen mode. The file manager lets you work with folders and the data they contain. You can sort them by different types, delete content. Mini diary will help you create a note by adding a picture to it. Polaris Office lets you view documents on your phone screen. The program will detect data not only in the device memory, but also on a remote server. Weather forecast and news are shown. Tasks are created with priority indication and a reminder signal. The Google Talk chat starts. Voice control helps you operate your smartphone functions. He does not recognize the Russian language, but he identified commands in English normally. Therefore, you can call a friend, find information in a browser or open a message menu without resorting to a touchscreen. Browser A convenient application is used for Internet surfing. The navigation bar is displayed at the top of the screen, to the right of it there is a shortcut that allows you to bookmark the page. The phone remembers the most visited pages, there is a log of the pages viewed. Several windows can be kept open at the same time. Search for words on the page, text selection, as well as a practical function of changing the screen brightness directly from the browser works. Font size changes, password saving works. In this application, you can adjust the brightness level. The browser is convenient, comfortable to use, full-fledged Adobe Flash is supported, so there will be no restrictions on the sites. GPS navigation Google Maps is used for navigation. The only drawback is that the program requires constant network activity, which affects the amount of traffic consumed by the device. Traffic jams are displayed, thus, the application has become fully functional and convenient not only for pedestrians, but also for car owners. There is a function of determining the current location, calculating the route from the start to the end point, and the way of movement is set: by car, on foot or by public transport. The route is laid on the map, while key places are indicated in the form of text messages, which are displayed on the screen in the form of a column, you can switch between them: view the route in advance or vice versa, go back and make another path. Scaling works with multitouch or virtual buttons. Applications The Play Store will provide access to a variety of applications, it is easy to choose the required set of programs for yourself. There is a convenient search function, as well as dividing programs into categories, which greatly simplifies browsing. You can look at the reviews, rate the rating and express your opinion about the software. Each application is provided with a short description and images for better clarity. Purchased applications are displayed in a separate list, which is convenient: if a new phone was purchased, you can immediately install those applications that were previously purchased. Connections The phone operates in the frequencies 850/900/1800/1900/2100 MHz. There is support for HSDPA - 7.2 Mbit / s and HSUPA - 5.76 Mbit / s, a front VGA camera is used for video calls. The device has Bluetooth 3.0, which has a high data transfer rate (of course, with A2DP support). Wi-Fi module with b / g / n support works fine. DLNA support allows you to view photos and videos from compatible devices wirelessly. Wi-FI Direct is supported. The microUSB connector, which has become a standard, allows data transfer via USB 2.0. Kies Air is convenient for synchronizing your device and computer. The smartphone connects via Wi-Fi, forming a connection with a PC. Through the browser you can work with phone data. Everything is simple and convenient. The main advantage is that you do not need to install additional applications. Working hours A lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 1500 mAh will allow the smartphone to work up to 570 hours in standby mode, up to 1070 minutes in talk time. In video playback mode at maximum screen brightness and Wi-Fi on, the smartphone lasted a little less than 5 hours. On average, it turns out about one day of work with the Internet, photos, music and calls, there are no differences from models of a similar level. Supports charging from microUSB when connected to a PC. Conclusion The speaker for conversations is loud and of high quality, with a good headroom. The vibrating alert is average in strength. The melody is reproduced cleanly, rather it is an average level, maybe a little higher, but in a noisy place the call is not always well heard. Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 has already appeared on sale, it started from the level of 12,000 rubles. This is a very nice price for a phone with such a set of features. A good screen and camera, performance and the ability to watch 720p video without conversion, a slot for a memory card and decent battery life will become those important qualities that every customer pays attention to. Perhaps, in some categories, Galaxy Ace 2 is inferior to competitors. For example, it has a metal body, while a more original design. There is no NFC or a very beautiful shell, but overall the smartphone came out balanced and easy to use. Samsung has released another highly demanded and needed model, it will be very popular. There are all the makings and necessary qualities for this. © Alexander Pobyvanets, Test laboratory Date of article publication - June 19, 2012

In February 2011, the Samsung Galaxy family of smartphones was extended with a new mid-range device - Ace. Despite the mediocre technical stuffing, the communicator quickly gained popularity. For a not too high price, a consumer could get a functional device with an up-to-date version of the Google Android operating system, which, moreover, resembles an iPhone 4 from afar. The model is still selling well now: for almost a year and a half, the cost has almost halved.

The need for a successor to the Samsung Galaxy Ace has matured back in late 2011. Ace Plus was announced just after 2012. The new model has marked progress in almost all technical aspects: display diagonal, RAM size, processor type and frequency. But not only the archaic screen resolution, but also severe internal competition prevented the novelty from becoming an unconditional bestseller. The unbridled growth of the Galaxy family and not always thoughtful positioning led to the fact that sometimes a more powerful model was sold at almost the same price as an outspoken middle peasant.

Finally, Samsung decided on a full-fledged continuation of the Galaxy Ace branch. In February, the Ace 2 was officially announced, and in June the mobile device reached the Russian retail. Will it become one of the most visible mid-range smartphones like the first Ace, or go almost unnoticed like the Ace Plus?

⇡ About APPEARANCE

Frankly speaking, describing the appearance of budget Samsung smartphones is a thankless task. The Korean company's mobile devices are similar, like 0.5 and 1.5 liter bottles of mineral water: only the size differs. There are rare exceptions, but the Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 is not the case. We could replace the photos of the device with images of the Ace Plus, and hardly anyone noticed the catch.

But even against the background of the outright boring design of the Samsung Galaxy Ace 2, there are no complaints about its appearance. All the classic controls and design elements are present here: a hardware Home button in chrome edging, two touch-sensitive keys for returning and calling up a context menu on the sides, a solid metal speaker mesh and a shiny bezel around the entire bezel. This description can be used for all Samsung smartphones from Galaxy Pocket to Galaxy S III.

The back cover of the smartphone is made of unpainted matte plastic. Its surface is not as grippy as that of the first Ace, but the small notch pattern hides at least some of the prints. There are no complaints about the assembly: everywhere there are uniform minimal gaps, the case does not creak even when squeezed and twisted.

⇡ About SCREEN

Finally, the Galaxy Ace family phone received a screen with an acceptable resolution for 2012 - 800 by 480 pixels. Together with it, the diagonal has increased to 3.8 inches. The pixel density is 246 dpi. Not 326, like Apple's iPhone 4's Retina, but substantially more than the 165 dpi of the original Galaxy Ace. Taking into account not the largest diagonal of the device and its budget positioning, the resolution is quite sufficient.

The matrix belongs to the TFT family, it is made using the new PLS (Plane-to-Line Switching) technology developed by Samsung. In terms of the production method and consumer qualities, such a display is close to the beloved IPS. In practice, this means that the record brightness and contrast of Super AMOLED is not inherent in the new type of screens. But many will be pleased with natural color rendering, lack of PenTile and large viewing angles. At maximum brightness, information remains readable even in bright sunlight.

The end point in the dispute about the use of Gorilla Glass in the Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 was never put. In the lists of official characteristics, it is not mentioned, on the website of the Corning company about the new smartphone is also not a dream. Samsung official representations in different countries give opposite answers. One thing is clear: glass is used here and it is resistant to scratches.

⇡ ABOUT INTERIOR

Finally, Samsung has begun installing dual-core processors in smartphones in the lower price group. Galaxy Ace 2 uses ST-Ericsson's NOVATHOR U8500 model. It is based on an ARM Cortex-A9 with two cores and an ARMv7 processor instruction set. The chip is made according to the 45 nm process technology. The nominal clock frequency of the U8500 is 1 GHz, but in the new device from the Korean company it is reduced to 800 MHz. The same processor is used in more expensive smartphones, for example, in the Samsung Galaxy S Advance and Sony Xperia P, so the "stone" can be considered a plus of Ace 2 in absentia.

The system-on-a-chip includes the Mali 400 graphics accelerator. Fans of three-dimensional android action games began to shiver: exactly the same GPU can be found in yesterday's flagship Galaxy S II! But don't be in a hurry to rejoice: the top-end "Galaxy" video chip is equipped with four cores, here - only one. Also, the new smartphone carries 768 MB of RAM and 4 GB of internal memory on board. To expand the volume, there is a slot for microSD cards.

⇡ ABOUT POWER

Since the second Galaxy Ace received significantly improved hardware, you can expect a significant increase in performance. Synthetic tests partly confirm this: a good level of "raw" computing power can be noted in the Linpack tests. And the newcomer performed well in Nenamark 2: despite the significantly increased screen resolution compared to Ace Plus, the number of frames per second is higher here. But browser benchmarks SunSpider and Rightware BrowserMark disappointed: in the second, the new "Ace" manages to yield even to Ace Plus, and in comparison with more powerful competitors, the result is completely disastrous.

In reality, there are no complaints about the performance of the Samsung Galaxy Ace 2. The standard TouchWiz 4.0 interface spins quickly and smoothly. As far as Android itself allows. Yes, and sites in a standard browser load quickly, and the limitation of the maximum eight tabs does not even allow you to completely fill the device's RAM. Thanks to a good graphics chip "Asu", games that are very demanding on hardware are tough. On the way to conquering new three-dimensional heights, only a software trick from Samsung, which has appeared recently and is being carefully selected from model to model, can stand: the phone understands its own memory as a microSD, and the real card is disguised as an external_sd folder. Naturally, game manufacturers do not know about such a tricky feature, so a large cache does not fit on the built-in 4 GB, from which only 1.1 GB is allocated to the user. This problem can be solved, but by an informal method.

⇡ ABOUT BATTERY

In moderate mode of operation, Ace 2 can count on one and a half to two days of operation from a single charge. If you load your smartphone in full, then the day will seem like a marathon with a trajectory close to the map of outlets at home, at work, school and in the car. Everything is pretty standard for a modern Android device - at least without obvious failure.

But in AnTuTu Tester, testing the battery for stress resistance showed the best qualities of a smartphone: despite the average 1500 mAh for the market, Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 scored 732 points. From the initial 97% to 16% at maximum brightness and full CPU load, the battery dropped its charge in 4 hours and 5 minutes. Bravo!

⇡ About COMMUNICATION

The GSM module works without significant complaints, but you should not expect unexpected results from it either: the quality of communication decreases where the average rival also has difficulties with signal reception. There were no questions about Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

In open areas, the GPS Test utility finds up to 15-18 satellites in seconds, allowing you to determine coordinates with an accuracy of six meters. Without the help of a mobile connection, the device spends more time to achieve the same result, but it still copes with the task relatively quickly.

⇡ ABOUT CAMERA

The Korean company has tried to endow the camera of the new budget employee with the maximum number of additional settings and modes. The interface cannot be called too friendly, but there is an opportunity to properly customize it for yourself - convenient. There is focusing by pressing the screen. It works sometimes thoughtfully, but this allows you to achieve good accuracy: in good lighting, there are few blunders in most modes.

The matrix with a resolution of 5 megapixels, which has become the de facto standard for the budget segment, allows you to take pictures of acceptable quality. The main condition is good illumination. However, even in the dark, the automation cannot increase the sensitivity to ISO 400, which avoids the terrible pixel mess. In short, taking pictures of Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 is acceptable, for an inexpensive solution on Android - quite confidently. Nevertheless, the phone often makes mistakes with the arrangement of colors, some bright objects can turn into one big spot. Sometimes the white balance is incorrectly determined in automatic mode. The smartphone also features a front-facing VGA-resolution camera for video calls.

Maximum video quality is 720p @ 30 frames per second. In 2012, even low-cost smartphones can demand full 1080p.

⇡ About SOFT

From the factory, the Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 has Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread installed, there are no official updates for the smartphone. There are persistent rumors that the owners of the novelty will soon be able to install Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, but Samsung has not given any official confirmation. With the interface, everything is quite ordinary - TouchWiz 4.0, known from the army of Korean devices of 2011 release.

⇡ About CONCLUSION

A year and a half has passed since the appearance of the Samsung Galaxy Ace. The device remained popular for a long time due to its good balance between performance and price. Released in 2012, Ace Plus at first glance seemed like a much anticipated evolution, but the weak screen and indistinct positioning did not allow the model to repeat the success of its predecessor. But the Ace 2 is more balanced: it has a nice screen, a modern dual-core processor, and a sufficient amount of RAM. The price will decide everything.

The recommended retail price of the Galaxy Ace 2 is 11,990 rubles. But today, with a certain tenacity, you can find it for 10,700, and some time ago the smartphone was officially sold in a large chain store for 9,690 rubles. Against this background, the average price tag of 9,700-9,900 rubles for the Samsung Galaxy Ace Plus definitely does not look attractive. In addition, the purchase of the Galaxy W, slightly inferior to the Galaxy Ace 2 in a number of parameters, for 12,500 rubles becomes definitely unprofitable. Sony Xperia sola is one of the closest competitors. This is almost a complete technical analogue of the hero of our review, for which it is not a shame to pay 13,000 rubles.

Are we going to recommend Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 for purchase? The device has no significant technical flaws, but still has not acquired support for Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, which can be considered its main disadvantage. If you are not tired of the permanent design of Korean smartphones, and the proprietary TouchWiz 4.0 shell does not cause rejection, then there is no reason to refuse to buy Ace 2. This also applies to the owners of the first Ace: you can safely change it to the next successor.

About Samsung.
Samsung Electronics is a world leader in semiconductor and telecommunication equipment manufacturing and digital convergence technologies. The company was founded in 1969. About 70 thousand people work in 87 offices of the company in 47 countries. The company has four main divisions: Digital Media Network Business, Device Solution Network Business, Telecommunication Network Business, and Digital Appliance Network Business.
In September 1996, Samsung Electronics products were certified as compliant with ISO-140001. In January 1999, Samsung Electronics won the Best Consumer Electronics Company award from Forbes Global magazine annually.
Samsung Electronics Corporation first entered the Russian market 12 years ago. During this period, its products have won wide recognition among Russian consumers. The corporation's products and the company's successful marketing activities in the Russian market have been highly appreciated not only by consumers, but also by specialists in this field. The company also received a gold award in the high-tech products and services category.

Today we will look at such an interesting smartphone as the Samsung Galaxy ACE 2 GT-I8160. Let me remind you that recently Samsung has become a leader in the production and sale of phones and smartphones, ahead of another industry leader, the Finnish company Nokia.
Last year's flagship Galaxy SII took the lead in smartphone sales and won the 2011 Best Smartphone award. In second place in the company for sales is the first model Galaxy ACE Many at one time chose this model for one simple reason, it is VERY similar in design to the iPhone 4.
The Galaxy line is already so big that it can be built as a brand in the phone industry. Galaxy ACE has acquired an extensive line of its own. These are as many as four smartphones:

Samsung Galaxy Ace S5830.
Samsung Galaxy Ace Plus S7500.
Samsung Galaxy Ace Duos S6802.
Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 GT-I8160.
There is also a model focused on the female sex Samsung Galaxy Ace La Fleur.

We will compare ACE 2 with just ACE, since Ace Plus can be considered a work on bugs, and Ace Duos has just been announced and is practically not on sale.
The reader will ask, what is the difference between ACE 2 and just ACE?
Here's a quick comparison on the technical side:
ACE 2
battery - 1500mAh
processor - ST Ericsson NovaThor U8500
2 cores
rAM - 768MB
screen size - 3.8
resolution - 480x800
video accelerator - Mali-400 MP
ACE
battery - 1350mAh
video accelerator - BroadcomVideoCoreIV
1 core
rAM - 392MB memory
screen size - 3.5
resolution - 320x480
processor - Broadcom BCM21553

As you can see, the technical values \u200b\u200bof both models are very different and ACE 2 can be safely called a good replacement for the first model.

Technical characteristics of the device.

Manufacturer - Samsung.
Model - GT-I8160 Galaxy Ace 2.
Year of release - 2012.
Operating system - Android 2.3.6.
Battery capacity - 1500mAh.
Dimensions - 62.3 x 118.3 x 10.5.
Weight - 118.5g.
Processor - ST Ericsson NovaThor U8500.
The clock frequency is 800MHz.
RAM - 768MB.
Flash memory - 4GB.
Communications - GSM 850, GSM 900, GSM 1800, GSM 1900, UMTS 900, UMTS 2100.
Bluetooth - 3.0.
Wi-Fi - 802.11b / g / n
Others - GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA, HSUPA, UMTS / WCDMA, GPS, GLONASS.
The screen size is 3.8 inches.
Screen resolution - 480 x 800.
Screen type - PLS.
Color - 16.78 million
The number of pixels per inch is 246.
Video accelerator - Mali-400 MP
Rear camera - 5MP, autofocus, flash.
Max. video resolution - 1280x720.
Front camera - 0.3MP.
The speaker is mono.
Headphone output - 3.5.
Others - G-Sensor, gyroscope, proximity sensor, digital compass, FM radio.
Control and input - touch screen, capacitive.
Buttons - physical buttons, touch buttons.
Memory cards - microSD, microSDHC.
Connectors - microUSB.

Packing, equipment.

The phone comes in a white rectangular box made of thick cardboard. By the way, the box itself is very small in size. In my practice, this is the smallest package and, one might say, literally fits in the palm of your hand. On the box is a photo of the phone and brief technical information.

Equipment:
Phone, battery, USB cable, charging block (by the way, the charging block is made in one piece, you cannot connect a USB cable to it), headset headphones (white, and the phone is black, and this is the tendency for Samsung to complete black phones with a white headset), warranty card, user manual, advertising brochures.
There is no memory card and protective film included. The first ACE was with a 2GB card. The package bundle is scarce, there is only the most and necessary. Samsung itself has never been particularly distinguished by the rich bundle of its smartphones / phones.

Appearance, design

Let's start with the look.
Seeing ACE 2 for the first time, the thought arises in my head: “This is a miniature copy of Samsung Galaxy S!”. The similarity is very strong. The corners of the smartphone are traditionally strongly rounded. I don't particularly like such solutions, I like stricter forms. Along the perimeter of the smartphone there is a thin plastic border of silver color. On the back of the smartphone in the lower part of it there is a barely noticeable thickening, apparently, some technological elements are hidden there (this is hardly a design decision).
The smartphone is entirely made of plastic, and there is no need to wait for revelations. What I liked was the fluted back cover. It does not leave fingerprints and scratches. It is very good. By the way, in white the phone has a completely glossy back cover. In general, the phone does not leave greasy fingerprints. The color of the phone in Samsung was called Onyx Black.
I was very pleased with the build quality of the phone: there are no backlashes, gaps, or any creaks. The smartphone creates a solid feel. Just fine. In terms of thickness, it is at an average level, it lies very comfortably in the hand, does not slip.
Functional connectors. The 3.5 headphone jack is located on the upper left side. On the right side at the top is the button for turning on and unlocking the smartphone. At the bottom there is an input for connecting a charger or a USB cable, such an arrangement of the USB connector is very convenient for use. There is a microphone hole on the left side of the USB connector. On the left side at the bottom there is a slot for installing a memory card. I like it when the memory card slot is on the outside, it supports hot swapping of memory cards. Above is the volume rocker. In the very corner there is a hole for attaching a strap; many manufacturers have recently not equipped their smartphones with this mount. At the top of the front side there is an earpiece covered with a silver mesh. Samsung is under the speaker. To the right of the speaker is a dual proximity sensor. Nearby is the front camera. There is no automatic brightness control sensor. At the bottom left is a touch key for undoing the last action, on the right is a touch key for the context menu, between them is a mechanical key for closing or canceling all tasks. Using this key, you can also unlock your smartphone, and it is very convenient, you do not need to "reach" the on / off key. On the back of the smartphone, at the top and exactly in the middle, there is the main camera, a flash under the camera, a second speaker for calls to the right of the camera, and a second Samsung inscription below. All technological elements, it seemed to me, are very well located on the body of the smartphone, it is convenient to reach them with the fingers of one hand.

Functional elements.

The phone comes out of the box with Android 2.3.6 installed. To be honest, I do not understand such a step by Samsung to install an outdated version in a new smartphone that is far from weak in technical terms. At the moment, nothing has been heard about the update to version 4, there was no official statement from Samsung. There will be an update rather than not.
The smartphone has a version of Samsung's own shell called TouchWiz 4.0. By the way, the same version is in the Galaxy SII. The shell itself may not be as pretty as HTC Sense, but it is still functional enough.
The menu is based on a 4x4 formula on three main desktops. All major programs and applications are present. The smartphone is not overloaded with all kinds of unnecessary applications.

There are three more interesting points that many did not know about.
If you go to the call history and slide your finger over the contact from left to right, then you will call, from right to left - sending SMS /
To quickly change the brightness, just put your finger on the status bar, a gray status bar will be displayed, you need to swipe it from left to right to increase the brightness and from right to left to decrease it. If you put your finger on the right edge of the status bar, hold it for a little and move a little, the maximum brightness turns on, if on the left edge - the minimum, in the middle - the average brightness.
To take a screenshot, you need to press the center button and the power button at the same time.
The phone has a TFT-PLS display with a resolution of 480x800 pixels. The display itself reproduces colors very naturally (no acidity like in Super Amoled). The viewing angles are as wide as possible. The screen fades in the sun, but very little and the information can always be read. A very good margin of brightness. There is practically no pixelation, a good resolution of the diagonal contributes to this. I really liked the display in this smartphone, and this is a big step from the first model.

The screen is covered with a protective glass, but there is no information about this glass, although this is no longer a bad thing. Up to 9 touches are supported simultaneously.

Camera. At one time, the first ACE took good photos. ACE 2 makes them even better. The camera itself has many different settings for shooting, you can always choose or set the appropriate mode. Of all the 5MP cameras I've tested, ACE 2 is arguably the best. I can say the same about video recording, it is of sufficient quality, there is no "braking". In general, the camera in ACE 2 is at a very good level.

Sample photos:

In work, testing.

CPU. The smartphone is equipped with an ST Ericsson NovaThor U8500 processor with a frequency of 800 MHz (by the way, the same processor is installed in the Sony Xperia Sola, P, U). Understating the frequency by 200 MHz absolutely did not affect the speed of the smartphone itself or work with applications. All modern 3D games, such as Dead Space, GTAIII, ShadowGun and others, run perfectly on ACE 2. We can safely say that ACE 2 is perfect for the role of a gaming smartphone.
AnTuTu Benchmark - 4497 \u200b\u200bpoints.

Quadrant Standard - 2310 points.

Video processor. The Mali-400MP processor works very well in 3D. The same video processor is used in Samsung Galaxy SII, SIII. It is by far the most widespread video processor.
Memory. The smartphone has 768MB. This is also good, since 512MB is usually installed in devices of this class. This amount of memory facilitates the work of several applications at the same time. The installed internal memory of 4GB is available to the user 1.2GB. Not a lot and installing a memory card will not hurt. With a 32GB memory card, the smartphone works without problems.
Navigation. The smartphone has a full-fledged GPS module with GLONASS support. GLONASS cannot be selected separately for work, they work in pairs. There were no problems with navigation, a cold start was about 3 minutes. The position is determined quite accurately, 7-9 satellites are simultaneously available.
Skype. The phone has a 0.3MP front camera. It is only suitable for video calls. Working in Skype did not cause any problems, everything works stably.
Video playback. All additional codecs for playing video files are already installed in the smartphone. There are no problems with DivX and XviD playback. The smartphone "spins" videos in 720 and 1080p, but, as you understand, there is no point in such high resolutions, since the screen resolution is only 480x800.
Sound. The phone has a very strong speaker, the sound is always heard even in loud conditions. No phonics at full volume. The vibration is strong enough. In general, it is almost impossible to miss a call. There is an equalizer, but only with preset modes so that fine-tuning the sound without installing additional software will not work. I liked the headphones themselves in the kit and the sound in them. Of course, I'm not particularly a music lover, but the quality is felt.
In general, I liked the smartphone with the quality of the transmitted speech in both directions, the interlocutor is heard well without any interference or problems. There were also no problems with the level of reception of the cellular network.

Battery life

ACE in this regard presented positive aspects in terms of energy consumption.

1. Smartphone operation in "just a phone" mode - 152 hours.
2. Work in a mixed cycle: calls, internet, games, music - 17 hours.
3. MP3 playback in headphones - 48 hours.
4. Video playback - 6 hours.
5. Work in 3D applications - 5 hours.

Energy consumption is clearly good. Reducing the processor frequency by 200MHz was beneficial. And of course, there is general optimization in terms of energy consumption.

conclusions

This question arises, is it worth changing just ACE to ACE 2? Yes, it is, because the second model turned out to be very successful in almost all respects: high performance, excellent camera, good battery. And the price is 11,990 rubles. seems to me very good for this smartphone.
Of the competitors, I will note the Sony Xperia U, but this model does not have a slot for memory cards and the screen is smaller diagonally. Fly IQ285, the price of this smartphone dropped below 11 thousand rubles, but there are obvious problems with energy consumption.

pros

1. High performance.
2. Good battery.
3. Good camera.
4. Hot swap of memory cards.

Minuses

1. There is no automatic brightness control sensor.
2. Morally outdated version of Android.

Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 GT-i8160 - How smartphones are getting old!

10.04.2014

introduction

Have you ever, after buying an insanely curious gadget, bite your elbows because a month after a happy purchase an even more impressive novelty comes out ?! Or maybe the price of a coveted product, which just recently was too expensive, is dropping so much that it is simply impossible not to buy it, but it's too late, because the new thing that spares your wallet already serves you faithfully. Frankly, this happens to me all the time, but the situation did not push me to take decisive action. I was never in a hurry to get rid of a still fresh device, in favor of a more interesting one. Many do the same, comforting themselves, they say, well, the current device has not turned into a pumpkin! The argument, of course, is an iron one, but in the future, your, it seemed only yesterday, modern acquisition, alas, is aging and becomes not as stunning as it was before. What is this aging: physical, moral or something else ?! I want to talk about this today using the example of Samsung Galaxy Ace 2.

Start writing my review for Helpix "and I was going a damn dozen times, no less, but every time something stopped me. The first desire appeared after a couple of months of acquaintance with the smartphone, in the summer of 2012. But at that time the number of reviews and reviews about worthy state employee Samsung "and, as they say, off scale. Therefore, I decided to wait six months and write a detailed operating experience. But then more or less real terms of updating the firmware from Android "and, to my dismay, 2.3 to 4.1 loomed. After that the Korean manufacturer desperately fed the owners of the second Ace" breakfasts ", and I certainly waited. Only last summer (2013) Finally, I have the official Jelly Bean on my device, and the most important thing is that the update didn't come over the air, but through the Samsung Kies sync program.

Ace "new evolution

Mentions in the press about Samsung and its mobile technology are almost always accompanied by the postscript “Galaxy.” For several years, the line of Android smartphones of the Korean giant has grown so much that many people who are not very keen on technology simply do not know what the world famous company has some other, not Galaxy, phones. All this prompts the manufacturer to create various sub-lines in a huge family in order to somehow streamline the marketing names of products. Last year's situation with the S4 is an excellent confirmation of how many smartphones marked with this letter and number turned out to be on the shelves ?! - Four completely separate gadgets from each other.

With budget Ace "s, the situation is somewhat different, however, the third generation of phones has got the name of tennis pitch right through. It all started with a device similar to the fourth iPhone, which demonstrated a living example of the fact that an acceptable device from Samsung" can be affordable. Many were waiting for the continuation of the banquet, and after strange experiments with Ace Plus and Ace Duos, a full-fledged sequel was finally released and did not disappoint, including me. After a short acquaintance with the device in the store, I bought it for a little more than ten thousand rubles (2012).

Expected Outcome

Some smartphones age outwardly: scratches and scuffs appear on the case, plastic tends to crack, and in some cases fade. Others are aging, rather, morally: firmware updates are not released, they cease to cope even with simple tasks. Still others are becoming a thing of the past through the fault of the manufacturer. You could close your eyes and come to terms with a camera failure or lack of memory, but daily, and, moreover, repeated, reboots and freezes again take us somewhere in the past, when smartphones were still not so smart and with the stability of their work, similar embarrassment.

As a result, we are dealing with a typical representative of the budget segment. The magic of the Ace family that I described to myself turned out to be nothing more than a fantasy. Constantly monitor the amount of music, photos, installed programs, do not rely on the camera in those minutes when you catch a good shot, and be ready that the smartphone after the launch of the next video will have to be rebooted - this means not to be deprived of anything ?!

Advantages: