Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos: big and powerful. Smartphone Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos GT-I9082: characteristics, description and reviews Samsung galaxy grand duos dimensions
Samsung has long taken a leading position in all price segments among Android smartphones. Now the next step is to repeat the success among dual-SIM Android smartphones. So far, Samsung has succeeded. And now the manufacturer is announcing a huge DualSIM - Galaxy Grand Duos - a smartphone with a 5-inch TFT display with a resolution of 800x480 pixels. You could expect something similar from little-known manufacturers who are trying with all their might to grab a piece of the pie from a huge market, but from the leader you expect something more impressive, with a screen with a resolution of 960x540 pixels, or better yet, 1280x720 pixels. When the smartphone came to us for testing, we could not even imagine how it would all turn out. It turned out that Samsung once again managed to create a device that other manufacturers will look up to.
We reviewed a test sample of the Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos with a couple of defects on the body, so we will not evaluate the build quality.
Design and ergonomics
The design of the new product has become closer to, while the younger model is more like. Dimensions of the smartphone are 143.5 x 76.9 x 9.6 mm, weight 162 g. For comparison, dimensions of the Galaxy S III are 136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6 mm, weight 133 g, Galaxy Note II – 151.1 x 80 ,5x9.4 mm, weight 180 g. Since the screen diagonal in the Grand Duos is 5 inches, it would be most correct to compare it with the Galaxy S III with a 4.8-inch screen, but the numbers suggest that we are looking at a slightly smaller copy Note II than the grown-up Galaxy S III. The smartphone does not look compact - it is a large device with a large screen and a glossy body, however, Grand Duos fits comfortably in the hand.
On the front side of the case there is a set of sensors, a speaker, a camera and keys. Only the event indicator is missing. The hardware Home key rises above the glass, and its edges are cut to give the user the impression that it is made of metal. It looks unusual and attractive.
The silver plastic around the perimeter of the case is designed to resemble metal as much as possible. It contains the power button, volume button, headphone jack, charger and a small microphone hole.
On the back side, in one line, there is a recess for removing the cover, a flash LED, a camera eye and two speaker slots. Under the cover are hidden slots for SIM 1 and SIM 2, as well as memory cards. Access to the SIM 1 and memory card slot is blocked by the battery, while the SIM from the second slot is hot-swappable. For a smartphone, it doesn’t matter where each SIM is; in the menu you can set the 3G mode for any of them
The removable cover is not as flexible as in older models, but unlike them, it has a pattern in the form of triangles, so it cannot be called completely featureless, although we would prefer rough plastic, as in the Galaxy S Duos.
Operating system and shell
The smartphone runs on the Android 4.1.2 operating system. The proprietary TouchWiz – Nature UX shell is installed on top of the standard interface. With the exception of the S-Pen settings, the Grand Duos interface is no different from the Galaxy Note II. You can read about the possibilities of the latter in the material.
Among the new things that we are encountering for the first time, we note the presence of a new switch in the notification panel responsible for activating multi-window mode (if the function is inactive, calling multi-window mode by holding the “Back” key does not work). The active SIM card switch is also located here.
A new item has been added to the SIM card manager that allows you to receive calls on the second SIM, if the first one is currently being used to access the Internet, but the data transfer will be interrupted. Otherwise, the second SIM will not be available. To be able to receive calls on two SIMs simultaneously, you need to set up call forwarding in the “Active Mode” menu. In it you can specify where calls will be redirected if any of the SIMs is “busy”. If you set up forwarding between cards installed in your smartphone, then when there is an incoming call, if you are already talking, a corresponding signal and a pop-up window will appear, where you will be asked to make a choice, hold the current call and accept the incoming one, or end the current call and answer the incoming one.
You cannot assign a default SIM for making calls and sending messages, only for data transfer. When dialing a number and in messages, there are always two icons - SIM 1, SIM 2. That is, in order to make a call from the SIM card installed in the first slot, you need to click on the SIM 1 icon.
Among other notable features of the Grand Duos interface, we note the presence of many types of vibration operation with the ability to create your own and a wide range of background screensavers for messages.
Hardware platform
The smartphone uses a system-on-chip Broadcom BCM28155. The chipset is made using 40nm technology and includes two Cortex-A9 processor cores capable of operating at a maximum clock frequency of 1.2 GHz, supporting NEON, a graphics core VideoCore IV And 1 GB LPDDR2 RAM(400 MHz).
According to benchmark results, system performance is at the level of Nvidia Tegra2, MTK6577T.
The Epic Citadel app displayed artifacts, although there were no image issues in the games we tested.
The smartphone allows you to play video up to Full HD resolution, and you don’t need to install third-party applications to watch it; the built-in player copes with this task well, and it is also one of the most advanced among the “standard” ones. Test videos AVI, MP4, MKV started and played without problems.
The conversational and multimedia speakers showed themselves to be good, both during conversations and calls. The sound in the headphones did not disappoint either; it is loud and will appeal to the vast majority of users.
The operating time of a smartphone is one of its strengths. The use of such a large display did not negatively affect battery life. The Antutu Tester application showed 4 hours or more than 700 points, which is equivalent to two days of work under average load or 6-7 hours with constant use of GPS. In reading mode, the smartphone will last 13 hours and 22 minutes, in player mode – 33 hours and 22 minutes.
Display
The smartphone display is clearly not the leader in terms of dots per inch, so those looking for a device with a Retina display will be disappointed. For me, a lover of high-quality screens, including high resolution and sharp images, the Grand Duos display did not cause any rejection. This does not mean that the pixels are invisible, on the contrary, they are visible even at a relatively large distance from the eyes, provided that you have good vision, but these same pixels do not spoil the impression of the device.
When looking at the screen diagonally from the lower right corner to the upper left, the colors lose some of their saturation, but there is no trace of the inversion typical of inexpensive TN matrices. The minimum brightness is 11.7 cd/m², the maximum is 347 cd/m², 50% on the scale corresponds to 202 cd/m², and with automatic adjustment in office lighting conditions the display shows 190 cd/m².
Camera
The quality of the main camera is traditionally good for Samsung; photos are sharp, with natural color reproduction. A ton of settings, including image stabilization, macro mode and many others, will allow you to choose the optimal settings to get the best shot. The most serious drawback of the camera is the lack of an HDR mode, but this fact is unlikely to deter you from buying a smartphone. The video quality is also excellent; while recording, you can specify the focus point by touching the screen.
Examples of 8 MP photos taken with a Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos smartphone
An example of Full HD video recording using a Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos smartphone
The front 2 MP camera copes with the assigned tasks perfectly; I was surprised that the maximum video resolution is limited to 720x480 pixels.
Results
The Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos smartphone is far from the first device with support for two SIM cards and a 5-inch screen; it also cannot be called affordable. Why was he able to impress us so much? Firstly, one of the most functional shells. Working with it, you understand that the manufacturer cares not only about how to sell the device, but also about how to make it as convenient as possible in everyday work. Secondly, multimedia capabilities - the capabilities of music and video players. Thirdly, cameras, both main and front. Fourthly, work time. For a smartphone with such a large display and two SIM cards, this is especially true. All this together makes the Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos the best dual-SIM smartphone with a 5-inch screen.
The world-famous Korean company Samsung previously occupied a leading position in the ranking of mobile phones. However, approximately 3-4 years ago it began to lose ground. The reason for this is the appearance on the market of a large number of cheap Chinese smartphones, which simply overwhelmed the budget segment. However, Samsung developers decided not to stand aside and in response created a whole series of inexpensive gadgets. At the time of release, their cost varied within 10,000 rubles. Thanks to this, the company was able to significantly increase the number of potential buyers. So, let's take a look at the Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime Duos, its specifications and features.
Series development
The company had to save on technical equipment to create an inexpensive smartphone. To attract buyers, the developers focused on battery capacity and front camera resolution. In 2014-2015 even in the middle segment it was difficult to find such indicators: the 5-megapixel matrix of the front camera with a wide-angle format became the best in the budget class. Thanks to her, a large number of young people were attracted. After all, it is this age group that prefers to take high-quality selfies. Of course, the developers of the Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos had to sacrifice some characteristics. For example, in this model the display suffered the most. We'll talk more about it later.
As for performance, there were no particular problems, since the gadget was based on a 64-bit processor. On your phone you can surf the Internet, play games and perform other tasks.
The main category of buyers were people for whom it was important to have a smartphone with a durable battery and a high-quality front camera. The line includes options with white, black, gold and gray housings.
Exterior design
At first glance at the Samsung Grand Duos smartphone, you can immediately determine whether it belongs to the brand. The developers used company-specific features. The design is typical, Samsung. A frame in a silver shade runs along the side edge. The corners are slightly rounded, but the rectangular shape is clearly visible. The control panel has an oval mechanical button. The company logo is emblazoned between the top of the screen and the speaker. It is also on the back cover. Most of the front panel is occupied by the screen. The frame around it is narrow, thickening at the top and bottom. This is done in order to place control buttons, a speaker with a front camera and sensors.
Unfortunately, there is one significant drawback on the rear panel - the protruding camera lens. On either side of it are a flash and a speaker hole.
The location of the connectors is standard for modern smartphones. The user will see ports for USB, memory cards and headsets on the side faces. There is also a lock key and a rocker-shaped volume control.
Externally, the device looks quite solid and attractive, which was noticed by most buyers.
Dimensions and features of the case
It is worth noting that the developers selected the optimal dimensions when making the Samsung Grand Prime Duos phone. Its thickness is 9 mm. The device does not look very narrow, but not thick either. The height of the case was 145 mm and the width was 72 mm. The phone fits comfortably in your hand and you can operate it with one hand. Many buyers have noticed similarities with Sony's Xperia Z3.
The manufacturer used high quality plastic for the case. The owners have no complaints about the assembly. There are no creaking, crunching, play or other unpleasant moments. In principle, such problems are not typical for all Samsung devices. Considering the small thickness of the phone, many buyers doubted whether it would bend. However, after testing, it was discovered that the phone does not have such a flaw.
Case type - monoblock. The back cover is removable. Underneath there is a battery and SIM card slots. The lock is of high quality. The cover can be removed easily and installed back without any problems.
Screen Features
In the Samsung Grand Duos series, the developers used a low-quality display. This is evidenced by the resolution of 960x540 px. Currently, it is considered insufficient for high-quality display of information on the screen. Considering that its diagonal is four and a half inches, the pixel density is scanty. It is only 220 ppi. Naturally, this affects the image quality. Although the “squares” are not visible to the naked eye, the clarity is somewhat blurred. However, the IPS matrix saves the situation. It is responsible for a good level of brightness and wide viewing angles. When using the phone outdoors in any weather, the owner can easily view the information on the screen.
The developers did not provide an automatic brightness adjustment function. This is explained by the lack of a light sensor. However, the situation is saved by the fact that the maximum brightness level is 400 cd/m2. It can only be adjusted manually.
When describing the screen, it must be said that, unfortunately, there is no oleophobic coating. There is also no provision for protective glass. If you use the phone without a case, then minor scratches and abrasions cannot be avoided. Also, many owners recommend immediately purchasing a special film for the screen. It will protect it from mechanical damage, and fingerprints will not accumulate too much.
Samsung Grand Duos: camera specifications
As mentioned above, the manufacturer positioned the model as a selfie device. For this reason, a high-quality 5-megapixel matrix is used on the front camera. It does not have a flash or autofocus, but is equipped with a wide-angle lens that allows you to view within 85 degrees. All owners use it to easily take high-quality panoramic and atmospheric photos. And most importantly, it is possible to create group selfies.
The resolution of the main camera also fully meets modern requirements. It is equipped with an 8-megapixel matrix. There is a photo flash and autofocus. Maximum resolution - 3264 × 2448 pixels. The menu has a large number of functions that are designed for working with photographs. There is no stabilization mode, but in most cases this does not affect the quality of the pictures.
The developers have provided the possibility of video recording. Videos can be recorded with a resolution of 1920 × 1080 pixels. The maximum speed will be 30 frames per second. In video mode, you can use recording with sound and autofocus tracking.
Communications
The Samsung Grand Duos series includes devices that support fourth generation networks. The Android operating system is installed on the device. It has a built-in browser for web surfing. Working on the phone is a real pleasure. Pages load quickly and the connection is stable. Testing of devices in this series was carried out not only by users, but also by specialists. Reviews from both were positive. The developers installed dual-band Wi-Fi on the gadget (802.11 b/g/n channel). There is also Bluetooth version 4.
Multimedia
Samsung has long been famous for its multimedia capabilities. Samsung Grand Prime Duos SM-G530H was no exception. While using the gadget, the player's wide potential was revealed. It handles most well-known video formats very well. In this case, there is no need for preliminary conversion and optimization. However, it was not without its drawbacks. For example, the popular resolutions MKV and MOV are not reproduced by the device.
There are also no comments about the audio player. It plays all standard formats. However, those owners who use FLAC will have to download third-party software to listen to their favorite music tracks.
Battery specifications
As for a budget employee, the Samsung Grand Duos smartphone is equipped with a fairly capacious battery. Its capacity is 2600 mAh. Battery type - lithium-ion. The battery life characteristics deserve respect. Surprisingly, the Korean budget phone can almost compete with the iPhone 6 version. If we consider the battery life in active video viewing mode, then these two gadgets show almost identical results - 7 hours. When listening to music through headphones, the battery life will last approximately 80 hours. The manufacturer claims that during an active conversation the smartphone will last up to 17 hours.
Samsung Grand Duos can be compared with mid-segment models in this parameter. Users claim that under normal load the device can work for at least 2 days. However, there are some limitations; the greatest energy consumption occurs during games.
Energy saving and battery charging
This model has an extreme energy saving mode. When activated, the smartphone will be able to work additionally for 1 hour. This option saves owners, for example, in the event of an important call.
If you charge the battery with an original charger, you will need to spend a little more than 2 hours. The developers have provided the ability to replenish the battery life via a USB cable (port type - 3.0). This method will take no more than 2 hours. Unfortunately, there is no fast battery charging mode. But in fairness, it is worth noting that the manufacturer warned about this.
Samsung Grand Duos: reviews
Although this gadget is a fairly cheap device, it has far from the worst characteristics. Most owners are satisfied with the hardware “filling”. Praiseful reviews are devoted to the modern design, decent level of performance, and high quality images. The resolution of the cameras delighted the younger generation. After all, the photos turn out truly magnificent.
In any case, this model is not just another cheap Chinese smartphone, but a device from a world-famous brand. Surprisingly, the 4-core processor provides such fast performance that even 8-core chipsets from the “shadow” market are not capable of. This is precisely what deserves special attention.
Also in their reviews, users noted that the manufacturer listened to their wishes. In this series, the developers did not overfill the gadget with pre-installed software. Thanks to this, the phone began to work much faster. Also, importantly, according to many owners, the interface now looks more attractive.
Conclusion
Summing up the review of the Samsung Grand Prime smartphone, we can say with confidence that this device is 100% worth the money spent. It performs all its main functions with a solid B on a 5-point scale. Before purchasing, it is important to decide what specific requirements will be placed on the gadget. If you need a smartphone with a powerful battery, you can pay attention to the Samsung Grand Prime.
Following the fashion for smartphones with support for two SIM cards, manufacturers continue to introduce more and more new models to the market. Here is one of the latest representatives of this class, Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos, no more, no less, can boast of a 5-inch screen, a dual-core processor, a gigabyte of RAM, an 8 megapixel camera, etc.
In standby mode, the user has access to up to seven desktops. In order to remove or add them, you need to click the context button and select the “Change” item. After this you can work with desktops. In addition, there are “live” wallpapers.
In turn, the user can add additional program shortcuts, bookmarks or widgets to any of the desktops. To do this, just click the context button and select “Add”. In the future, individual programs can be grouped by meaning, for example, photos, videos and YouTube on one screen, and a calendar and notes on another. The speed of access to these services increases several times.
A long, continuous press on the top of the screen will activate the notification panel. It displays the current date, operator name and other supporting information. Here you can quickly enable functions such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS, sound, auto-rotate.
The menu can be accessed by tapping the "Applications" option at the bottom right of the screen. The menu of the phone under test is presented by default with three screens that can be scrolled through. These are all different applications. Long pressing an application's shortcut will move it to the desktop. To remove a shortcut from the desktop, you need to do the opposite.
The smartphone has a number of pre-installed Samsung branded services - such as S Voice (voice search, duplicating Google search), S Memo (notes, quite nice), convenient and pleasant to use calendar S Planner, Chat On, Game Hub, Samsung Apps, manager “My Files” files, pre-installed Dropbox with its own Cloud service, which simplifies synchronization with Dropbox (although much easier), GroupPlay for sharing files and multimedia via Wi-Fi. In addition, the smartphone supports most of the gestures and movements available for and.
Telephone features
id="sub5">First of all, these include “Phone”, “Contacts”, “Messages”. The first two points are nothing more than one application. It also has Call Log and Favorites.
“Contacts” stores detailed information about phone numbers and subscribers. A specific record can have two dozen fields, be it last name, first name, patronymic, mobile number, home phone number, email address, date of birth or personal ID, Skype, etc. The search in contacts occurs immediately across all fields of the client, that is, you can dial the number, first name, last name, etc.
During an incoming call, the screen displays a photo and number of the subscriber from the phone book, or, if the subscriber is unknown, a picture of a green man.
Text and multimedia messages are grouped by subscriber. By clicking on a specific contact, you can view the history of correspondence with this person.
Working with two SIM cards
id="sub6">Switching between SIM cards is organized simply. In the top notification line, next to the battery charge icons, clock, Wi-Fi indicator and others, you can see an icon for a specific SIM card. They are marked with one or two. The active one is the one with which you make calls, send SMS and access the Internet.
You can select the active SIM card in the notification panel. To do this, you need to call it and click on one of the two images of the SIM card.
Both cards accept calls and SMS, but with certain features. The fact is that the Galaxy Grand Duos is equipped with only one radio module. But despite this, during a conversation from one SIM card, you will not lose calls from the second. With the “Active mode” option, which specifies the ability to receive calls during a conversation on a “free” SIM card, you can forward calls from an inactive card to an active one. This is quite convenient, although it is not always clear which SIM card you are using.
Perhaps some users would find it more convenient if the lists of received/sent calls and messages were divided into cards. But here, as in many other devices, everything is shown in one list, sorted by time. However, each message and call is marked with a one or two, depending on which card the call was made to or the SMS was sent to.
Multimedia capabilities
id="sub7">The “Music” item is a music audio player. You can view and listen to audio tracks. The following file formats are supported: MP3, AMR, AAC, AAC+, e-AAC+. There is support for OMA DRM. There is sorting by artists, albums, genres, composers.
The standard headset is included in the package. Thanks to the 3.5 mm jack, you can choose any headphones.
The “Video” item displays videos made both by the device’s camera and downloaded from the Internet.
A unique thematic browser for photo and video files is the “Gallery” item. All files are divided into folders: photos and video clips, music.
In "Settings" each user can personalize the mobile phone interface. Almost all setup actions are concentrated in this menu item: GPRS, 3G, GPS, Wi-Fi, as well as data synchronization. In addition, settings for graphic themes, ringtones, display design, installed applications, and much more are also available here.
When talking about Samsung add-ons, one cannot fail to mention the Samsung Apps store. But there is a safety net in the form of Google Play, from which you can download and install thousands of applications.
In conclusion, let’s mention our own task manager (a useful thing, thank you - anyway, similar programs have to be installed on any Android smartphone so that it does not suffocate from a lack of hardware resources) and Polaris Office. The latter is an office suite that is no worse or better than the others: it reliably opens doc and docx, xls and xlsx, ppt and pptx files. In general, it does everything you need from a mobile office.
Camera. Photo and video capabilities
id="sub8">Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos has an 8 megapixel camera with four times digital zoom. There is autofocus and LED flash. The following image resolutions are supported: 3264x2448, 3264x1836, 2048x1536, 2048x1232, 1600x1200, 1600x960, 800x480, 640x480 pixels. The volume buttons are responsible for zooming in/out of the image. Automatic contrast allows you to achieve relatively good quality images on a bright sunny day.
In manual mode, ISO settings are available at 50, 100, 200, 400, 800. The following shooting modes are available: single shot, smile detection, continuous, panorama, vintage, portrait, landscape, night mode, sports, indoor, beach/snow, sunset, dawn, autumn colors, fireworks, text, twilight, against the light.
The photos come out of good quality. Particularly successful photographs are obtained outdoors and in well-lit rooms.
The phone supports video recording in mpeg4 format for maximum resolution, and in the settings you can specify whether the video will be recorded with or without sound. All settings are comparable to those for photographs, but the video resolutions are different, plus effects are supported. The camera can shoot videos with Full HD resolution, 640x480 pixels. Two additional resolutions - 320x240 and 176x144 pixels. The recorded video is also of quite high quality.
Memory and speed
id="sub9">The performance of Galaxy Grand Duos is at a high level. This can be seen from the very beginning of using the device. The smartphone runs on the Broadcom platform with a dual-core 1.2 GHz processor, VideoCore IV graphics and a gigabyte of RAM. The filling is rare and has not been seen in top models. Nevertheless, it performs well in applications, including FullHD playback.
In addition, there is a built-in memory of 4 GB. Naturally, there is a slot for a microSD memory card, the maximum capacity of which can be 32 GB.
Communication capabilities
id="sub10">The smartphone can operate in 2G (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) and 3G (900/2100 MHz) cellular networks. At the same time, the speed of HSDPA is up to 21 Mbit/s, HSUPA - up to 5.76 Mbit/s. Bluetooth version 4.0 HS (A2DP, LE, EDR) is also available.
Content:Samsung Grand Duos represents the Korean company among the top-class expensive DualSIM devices. The model is equipped with a dual-core processor, 1 GB of RAM, an 8-megapixel camera and a large 5-inch screen. However, its resolution is only 480x800 pixels, which is not much. Similar devices are offered in a large assortment by second-tier brands, usually for 10-12 thousand rubles. A Korean smartphone will cost more, now it costs about 15 thousand rubles. At the same time, Samsung has long been ranked highly among its competitors, and additional options are offered by the proprietary TouchWiz shell.
Thus, it turns out to be a relatively expensive, but eminent solution for those who need a smartphone with two SIM cards. So far, Samsung has not tried to bring us top-level models like or with two cards, but it’s a pity, there is a demand for them. It is possible that the sales experience of this smartphone will show how great the interest in such models is and what the market capacity is.
Equipment:
- Telephone
- Battery
- Cable
- Stereo headset
- Charger
Design
Before us is another clone of the Samsung Galaxy S III, which seems to have been stretched in width. They didn’t put much effort into the appearance, the signature features are there, and that’s where all the ideas ended. The abundance of plastic did not affect the assembly, everything fits neatly, the case does not make any extraneous sounds if you squeeze it harder.
The case dimensions are 143 x 76 x 9.6 mm, weight 162 g. It turns out to be a fairly large smartphone; it weighs more than average, but given the diagonal of its screen this is forgivable. There is no particular point in comparing it with the Galaxy S III, it will be smaller, but next to the Note II the smartphone looks quite organic.
On the front panel there is a set of proximity sensors and a camera for video calls. The earpiece is hidden under a decorative silver mesh. Light and proximity sensors are located nearby.
There is a mechanical home button at the bottom, the presses are clear and the travel is small. By holding it down for a few seconds, you can display a list of running applications. On the side of it are additional control sensor elements that are backlit.
At the bottom there is a small microphone hole and a microUSB port.
There is a 3.5 mm headphone jack at the top end.
On the left side there is a paired volume key. It is embossed, easy to feel and pleasant to press.
On the right is a small button to turn off the device, which also functions as a screen lock.
At the back there is a camera lens protruding slightly above the surface, next to it is a flash and a speaker.
The surface of the body is flat, smooth, slippery. The sides are decorated with a silver rim. If you look closely, you will notice that the lid is double-layered; there are many small dots under the transparent plastic. This makes the lid look more interesting and not so boring.
Inside there are two slots for SIM cards, a compartment for microSD and a battery.
Screen
The 5-inch display has a resolution of 480x800 pixels. This is not much, considering that the time has now come for FullHD. The middle class is dominated by devices with HD picture quality, but here it is more than ordinary WVGA with a large diagonal. Accordingly, the image turns out grainy, this is clearly noticeable if you look closely.
The TFT matrix itself is of good quality, there is a capacitive sensor that detects up to 5 simultaneous touches, the sensitivity is excellent.
The screen, despite the low resolution, pleased me. There are large viewing angles, the matrix is of high quality, and its behavior is very similar to IPS. There is automatic brightness adjustment, outdoor readability is unimportant, under the bright sun only the backlight at the maximum level can save you.
Platform
The smartphone has a dual-core processor with a frequency of 1.2 GHz, a VideoCore IV HW graphics accelerator, and 1 GB of RAM. This is the first time I have encountered such a filling; I have never come across such a combination of components in Samsung smartphones before. 4 GB of internal memory is offered for storing applications, of which about 1.5 GB is used for installing software. The card slot allows you to expand the usable space up to 64 GB inclusive. The smartphone worked well with the maximum size card. The operating system is Android 4.1.2 and the proprietary TouchWiz shell.
Initially there were questions about the filling; it was not clear how it would perform. But it turned out that everything was very good. The phone works quickly, the menu does not slow down, games like Dead Trigger or GTA Vice City run fine. Apparently, the performance of the components used is quite enough for a smartphone with a WVGA screen to please the user with smooth operation.
Interface
Inside is familiar from Samsung TouchWIz smartphones. At the top there is a convenient line with shortcuts for switching between wireless connections. A total of seven desktops are offered, where widgets and application shortcuts can be added and folders created.
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 on the screen with a separate icon on the left or right. If you pull it to the side, the corresponding item will open. The picture is set on the lock screen, the location for the clock is changed. There are several font styles to choose from, and three shortcuts for the functions you need. Here you can display your most needed applications.
The menu is presented in the form of 4x4 icons, and an option in the form of a vertical list is also available. If desired, you can move icons to other tables, add them to folders, thus organizing applications to your taste.
There is a function where the screen is divided into two halves, and different applications are shown there. This way, you can work with two different programs at once. This option was previously shown in other Samsung devices.
Phone book
The general list shows stored contacts both in the phone memory and SIM card, as well as data from your Google account. You can choose among them by setting the ability to display subscribers only from the selected memory type. In the settings, you select your preferred method for sorting names.
By clicking the field reserved for the subscriber's picture, you can make a call, send him a message or email, and also view information about him. There are many fields provided for additional data. It includes various types of telephone numbers, email addresses, instant communication tools, residential addresses and other information. From the phone book, you can quickly call or write an SMS to a person - you just need to swipe your finger left (call) or right (message) on the line with the subscriber's name. By clicking on the space reserved for the subscriber's picture, you will call up a quick menu with which you can send a message, mail, or make a phone call to the selected person.
Call log
From the phone book you can access the call log; it is highlighted in a separate tab. There, dialed numbers from both SIM cards are sorted by date. If necessary, you can hide information from one of them.
Having selected a subscriber, look at what calls were made and how many times - 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 a duplication of identical numbers, which overloads the log with identical data.
Dialing a number is carried out using a virtual keyboard, while entering numbers, the smartphone automatically displays on the screen contacts saved in the device’s memory with similar initial numbers in the number. Missed calls are displayed with a visual circle. When there is an incoming call, two different colored elements are shown. By pulling red, you can hang up, and by clicking on green, you can start a conversation.
In order to get around the limitation of one radio module, the smartphone offers the following scheme. Here you can enter the numbers of both cards. In this case, if there is an active conversation on one of them, it will be possible to answer the incoming call and forwarding will work. So the owner of the phone can always stay in touch. It’s convenient that each SIM card is assigned its own ringtone, so it’s easier to distinguish which one is receiving a signal. Different signals for SMS are also set.
Messages
For SMS and MMS there is a common folder where received messages go. When sending, by adding various objects to the text, you can automatically transform it into a multimedia message. When sending a message, the phone can display the last used numbers, thereby greatly simplifying the search for the recipient. A message can be sent simultaneously to several subscribers or to a group created in the smartphone’s memory. When sending a message, just click on a separate button; each SIM card receives a special designation, so you don’t have to look for a separate item in the menu to select the desired card.
The design of the dialing menu changes and color schemes are set. When sending a message, you can choose which card you want to send it from. The SIM card used for correspondence is also marked with a special icon. This is convenient, you can immediately see from which number the message was sent or where it arrived. The keyboard is comfortable, although the buttons initially seem small and a bit apprehensive.
To work with email, automatic mailbox setup starts. It includes entering basic information; you only need to specify a login and password. The phone perfectly understands various encodings and supports loading attachments in familiar formats. Various files from the device memory are attached to the new letter. The function of copying text and automatically checking the mailbox works (the interval is set manually). Sorting mail by date, subject, sender and size works.
Gallery
Photos and videos stored in the smartphone's memory are displayed here. Working with files is fast, image previews are generated without significant delays. The size of the thumbnails changes; this feature came from the Galaxy Note 2, which uses exactly the same gallery.
The image opens in full screen, scaling works using multi-touch. Files can be shared in various ways or uploaded to social networks. You can assign images as desktop wallpaper or assign them to a contact.
Due to the built-in support for XviD and DivX, the smartphone plays almost any video; the screen resolution is low, so there is little point in copying even 720p videos. But even Grand Duos reproduces them well, no problems arise. The video library is displayed in the form of a list with a small preview image of the film, its name and duration are also indicated. During viewing, controls may be displayed on the screen, including 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.
Player
While playing music, the cover specified in the file tags is displayed on the screen; if there is none, there will be a multi-colored picture instead. Tracks can be played on repeat (song, album, all tracks) or listened to in mixed mode.
Virtual keys are used for navigation (forward, backward and pause), and you can also switch between songs by flipping through the file cover image. While listening, you can set your favorite song as a ringtone, contact or alarm.
The user has access to numerous equalizer settings, including manual settings, as well as a set of audio effects and a choice of music to suit his mood. The last option comes here from this year's flagship.
When the screen is locked, there is no widget to control the player. But if you pull the notification curtain down, the player control line will be displayed at the top, which contains navigation keys, information about the song being played, and the cover image.
The sound quality is good, here the device can compete with a separate player, especially if you choose a higher quality alternative to the included headphones.
Radio
The receiver supports RDS, can work in the background and turn off after a set time period (30 minutes, 1 or 2 hours). The function of automatically searching for radio stations works, a menu is created where your favorite stations are added. As with the player, there is a pop-up window at the top of the screen for quick navigation between stations. While listening to the radio, you can record programs and store them in memory.
Camera
8-megapixel camera, with autofocus and flash. Shooting starts exclusively from the smartphone menu. The interface is well designed. The shutter button is located on the right, the rest of the space is reserved for the viewfinder and two small zones for service options. The shortcut menu located on the left is customizable. The most necessary functions are placed there for quick access. Focusing on any point on the screen is implemented; you just need to touch the desired place.
Settings:
Self-portrait.
White Balance: Auto, Cloudy, Daylight, Incandescent, Fluorescent.
Flash.
Shooting mode: single shot, continuous, face detection, panorama, cartoon.
Shooting conditions: Portrait, Landscape, Night, Sports, Party, Beach\Snow, Sunset, Dawn, Autumn colors, Fireworks, Text, Twilight, Backlight.
Focus: auto, macro.
Timer: 2, 5, 10 seconds.
Effects: Normal, Negative, Black and White, Sepia.
Photo size: 8M (3264x2448 pixels), 5M (2560x1920 pixels), 3.2M (2048x1536 pixels), 2M (1600x1200 pixels), 0.3M (640x480 pixels).
ISO: Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800.
Metering: Center-weighted, Spot metering, Matrix.
The reticle, stabilizer, hemotags, auto-contrast are turned on, and visibility on the street improves.
The video is recorded in a maximum resolution of 1920x1080 pixels; there are also more modest shooting modes.
The photo quality is very good, the smartphone will not disappoint with the results, especially in clear weather. Shooting texts is also not a problem, there is autofocus and a macro mode, so the device can also take a photo of a document or a note on a sheet of paper without difficulty.
 Organizer The calendar in the device is made in a traditional style; the display of information for a whole month, a week or a specific day can be configured. You can set the alert type and tone for recorded events and meetings. There is a division of information by storage location, each option has its own color label. The new record is given a name, period and location. You can specify which calendar it will be synchronized with, and you can send invitations to contacts from your address book.
Watch The smartphone allows you to save several alarms in memory. The repeat can be set either once or every day, only on weekdays or weekly. Specific days are also specified. The signal melody is set, you can add a vibration alert and a text file to it. The period for the signal to be triggered again is set.
The smartphone displays time in different time zones.
There is a stopwatch.
There is a timer.
The voice recorder is simple and convenient; it saves recordings both in the phone memory and on a card. The recording time is set by the user, so you can take small notes that fit in an MMS.
Designed as 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.
The File Manager allows you to work with folders and the data stored in them. You can organize them by different types and delete contents.
YouTube allows you to view videos and search among them. The application runs in full screen mode.
Google Talk chat installed.
Browser A convenient application is used for Internet surfing. A navigation bar is displayed at the top of the screen, and to the right of it there is a shortcut that allows you to bookmark the page. The phone remembers the most visited pages and has a log of pages viewed. You can keep several windows open at the same time. The speed of operation is high, given the large screen size, it is pleasant to use such an application to search or view information.
There is a search for words on the page, text selection, as well as a practical function for changing the screen brightness directly from the browser. The font size changes, saving passwords works. In this application you can adjust the brightness level. The browser is convenient, but not the fastest, given the average hardware of the smartphone.
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, previously added places are displayed, and transport directions are created.
Connections The phone operates in the frequencies 850/900/1800/1900/2100 MHz. 3G will work with any of the cards, this is an important point, usually this option is only available for one card. A 2MP front camera is used for video calls. The device has Bluetooth 4.0, which is characterized by high data transfer speeds (of course, with A2DP support). The Wi-Fi module with b/g/n support works great. DLNA support allows you to view photos and videos wirelessly from compatible devices. Wi-FI Direct supported. The microUSB connector, which has become a standard, allows data transfer via USB 2.0.
Working hours The 2100 mAh lithium-ion battery is replaceable and is located under the back cover. In video playback mode at maximum screen brightness and Wi-Fi turned on, the smartphone lasted 6 hours. On average, it turns out to be about one day of work with the Internet, photos, music and calls, the charge lasts from morning to evening. With low-intensity use, it can take two days; if there is a lot of Internet, the charge will last for half a day. MicroUSB charging is supported when connected to a PC.
Conclusion The speaker for conversations is loud and of high quality, with a good sound margin. The vibration alert is average in strength. The melody plays loudly, the call can be heard very well. Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos went on sale at a price of about 18,000 rubles, then it was adjusted to 15,000 rubles. It is currently one of the most expensive dual-SIM smartphones on the market. It has a large screen, but modest resolution. The phone has good hardware, which will appeal to both those who like to play and those who simply don’t like sluggishness. A shell with a large set of additional options, it is more interesting than “bare” Android, which most cheaper solutions offer. You can also note a good music player, a convenient multi-format video player, and a very decent camera. It should be noted that there is a well-thought-out menu for working with both SIM cards; it is convenient, simple and understandable. What I didn’t really like was the boring design and low screen resolution. Although if there were HD quality here, most likely the model would not work so quickly and smoothly. Thus, Samsung offers its solution for those who want a pair of SIM cards, as well as high-quality multimedia content. Models of a simpler level are offered by Lenovo, Fly, Alcatel, Philips and many others. But you won’t be able to get such a well-developed menu and media options in these smartphones. I think that if the screen resolution is not very critical, then taking into account all the above qualities, the model will turn out to be a very interesting offer on the market. If Samsung decides to lower the price further, competitors will have a hard time. The name of the brand means a lot, and the model itself turned out to be a good option in terms of its set of capabilities, which buyers will certainly appreciate.
© Alexander Pobyvanets, Test laboratory |
When choosing a smartphone for each user, there are important aspects that must be present in it. However, sometimes the choice is made in favor of more expensive flagship models, although subsequently most of their functionality is still not used.
But do not forget that some budget gadgets may have no worse functionality, and the performance is quite enough for trouble-free use, and they cope with all everyday tasks. The Grand Duos GT-I9082 is exactly such a model, the characteristics of which are far from flagship ones, but the device deserves attention.
Design and ergonomics
The smartphone features Samsung's signature design and has a physical Home button at the bottom of the screen. In general, the appearance is attractive, but it is not entirely convenient for using the gadget with one hand. The fact is that the back cover is glossy, and the phone can easily slip out of your hands. In addition, it collects fingerprints well and scratches easily. Therefore, immediately after purchasing a smartphone, you should think about purchasing a case that covers the back cover, such as a bumper.
In total, the Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos GT-I9082 smartphone is made in two color variations - white and blue. The blue one looks more attractive because it has a light metallic tint with shine, while the white one is no different from devices from other manufacturers. The build quality is high, there are no gaps or creaks, and the back cover closes tightly.
In addition to the large Home button, other controls are located on the smartphone in the usual Samsung style. The power/unlock button is located on the right side, the volume rocker is on the left. The top end is occupied only by a headphone jack, while the bottom has a USB connector and a microphone hole. The flash, camera and speaker are lined up at the top of the gadget. The camera protrudes a little, and there is a slight bulge on the speaker grille, which ensures high volume when the smartphone is lying on the table on the back cover.
Display
There are no complaints about the display diagonal - it is an honest 5-inch that has become the standard for modern state employees. However, the picture quality has greatly deteriorated, and there are two main reasons for this. The first is the rather low resolution for such a diagonal, which is only 800 x 480 pixels. This value is too low, and pixelation is clearly visible even without a detailed examination of the image. The second reason is the use of a simple TFT matrix. If there were at least IPS here, the low resolution could be forgiven, but with the low viewing angles inherent in this particular technology, the picture quality becomes completely sad. Therefore, the display can definitely be attributed to the disadvantages of this device.
The sensor of the device is classic for budget models. The response is fast and accurate, multi-touch is supported up to five touches. The display is protected by glass, but not tempered glass, so you should consider protecting it from scratches with a protective film or glass. Using the Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos GT-I9082 sensor, whose characteristics are still pleasant, is quite convenient, and does not cause any particular complaints.
Main camera
The Samsung Galaxy Grand 2 Duos GT-I9082 smartphone has two cameras with pretty good characteristics. The main one has a resolution of 8 megapixels and high-quality optics, which allows you to take clear, noise-free pictures in clear weather and fairly acceptable quality photos in artificial or low light. In addition, there is the ability to shoot video in 1920 x 1080 resolution at up to 30 frames per second. The LED flash doesn't really help with photography, but it can serve as an excellent flashlight.
Front-camera
The front camera has a resolution of 2 megapixels, which is quite enough for pleasant video communication. Selfies can also be taken, but only if there is good lighting, otherwise the photos will turn out noisy and unclear. But in general, regarding the cameras, the smartphone got pretty good results for a budget phone.
Autonomy
The smartphone has a battery with an average capacity for this price segment of 2100 mAh. According to the manufacturer, this capacity should be enough for 10 hours of calls on a 2G network. And it is here that the presence of a display matrix that does not require power makes itself felt and becomes a plus, increasing the operating time on a single charge. As a result, the smartphone can easily survive a day of active use with either mobile Internet or Wi-Fi always on. If you use it mainly for calls and short correspondence, then the battery will last for 2-3 days.
It is worth noting that the Samsung GT-I9082 Galaxy Grand Duos battery is quite durable, and its capacity does not begin to noticeably drop after the first 100 cycles, as is observed from other manufacturers.
Hardware specifications
It is often impossible to find any MTK or similar budget crystal from Samsung and similar manufacturers. Likewise, this model has a Broadcom BCM28155 chip installed, which has 2 cores with frequencies of 1.2 GHz each. Graphics processing is provided by the VideoCore IV video accelerator. It can be seen that the Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos GT-I9082 has far from flagship characteristics, and could have problems in operation if not for the low resolution of the display. Thanks to it, the interface remains smooth, and using the smartphone is quite comfortable, although there are some slight stutters. However, you can safely forget about heavy gaming applications with high demands on the graphics subsystem - they simply either will not start or will not work correctly.
For simultaneous operation of several applications, 1 GB of RAM is provided. It is enough to use a couple of instant messengers and a browser without constantly closing each application. To store user and system files, the device received 8 GB of non-volatile memory. The system out of the box takes up about 4 GB, the rest of the volume is available to the user. It’s worth noting right away that applications are not transferred to the memory card, so it would be best to leave this volume just for them, and to download music, videos, movies and other content you need to install a MicroSD memory card with a capacity of up to 64 GB. To connect your smartphone to your computer and reset files, you should download the driver for the Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos GT-I9082, which can be found on the manufacturer’s official website.
When purchasing a memory card with the maximum capacity for the device, it is best to immediately check it for compatibility right in the store, since it was noticed that some cards, despite the fact that they were correctly formatted, were not visible to the smartphone.
Software
Out of the box, the device comes with firmware based on Android 4.1.2. Subsequently, if desired, it can be updated over the air to version 4.2.2. Unfortunately, the manufacturer stopped supporting the smartphone with this version; the appearance of custom firmware with a newer version of the system is also unlikely, at least they are not yet in the special topic Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos GT-I9082 w3bsit3-dns.com.
The software is well optimized, which reduces battery consumption and improves the smoothness of the interface; this is often emphasized by users when they write reviews about the Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos GT-I9082. Like other devices from Samsung, the smartphone received the TouchWiz Nature UX branding. However, along with this interface, the smartphone contains a large number of proprietary applications, which, however, may be useless for some. Unfortunately, they are system-wide and cannot be removed without rooting the system.
