After Samsung’s latest product push in London, we have nothing short of a Galaxy S 4 franchise on our hands. While the company unveiled its expected Mini version along with a photography-focused variant, it also took a step in the rugged-device direction by announcing the Galaxy S4 Active. With IP67 water and dust protection, the phone promises to see you through 30 minutes of aquatic activity at a time. Ruggedness aside, though, this device is quite similar to the GS4, albeit in a slightly heftier — and arguably more attractive — package.
The Galaxy S4 Active sports a polycarbonate design, a mainstay for Sammy’s flagship handsets, but the body has a metallic, rather than a plasticky, finish. it’s definitely more exciting than the white and cobalt hues available for most Galaxy products, and also pretty appropriate given the device’s water-resistant features. There’s even a hint of metal, courtesy of rivets, on the Active’s backside. These details add up to a phone that, quite frankly, looks higher-end than the Galaxy S 4.
While the rim and backing of the S4 Active are decked out in blue (or Urban Gray, as the case may be; there’s also a Flame Orange option for the international variant), the front face sports a texturized cobalt finish around the 5-inch display. The bezels are wider than on the S4, which also has a 5-inch panel. Cosmetically, everything else is pretty similar across both devices — you’ll find the usual speaker grille and Samsung logo above the screen, along with the LED indicator lights and 2-megapixel camera — although there are a few exceptions. First, the Active’s display is coated with Gorilla Glass 2 rather than Gorilla Glass 3 for scratch resistance, which strikes us as odd, considering that the phone is supposed to especially durable. There are also three physical buttons for home, back and menu rather than just one hardware key. The raised buttons are easy to find by feel, which comes in handy when you attempt a little eyes-free operation. Some may say they cheapen the look of the device, but from a usability standpoint, they’re definitely superior.
You’ll find the micro-USB port on the bottom edge of the phone, and it’s covered with a rubber flap. The left side of the device sports the volume rocker, while the right has the power button. Up top, there’s a water-resistant headphone socket and IR transceiver for using the phone as a TV remote. Flip the handset over, and you’ll see the 8MP shooter with LED flash (a step down from the 13MP unit on the GS4) along with both AT&T and Galaxy branding and another speaker grille.
Finally, removing the cover reveals the 2,600mAh battery along with the micro-SIM and microSD card slots. This is also where you’ll find the phone’s rubber waterproofing seal, which encloses those elements — the camera, on the other hand, remains exposed. Removing the backing was easy enough for this reviewer with medium-length nails; there’s an indentation on the upper-right edge of the phone that helps you pry it loose. On the other hand, getting the casing to reattach is a little more difficult, as you have to hold it in exactly the right position for it to firmly snap in everywhere.
If you’re enticed by the Active’s pedigree as a durable device, we should temper your expectations just a bit. This isn’t a phone that can survive all the elements: Samsung very specifically states that it’s water-resistant for up to 30 minutes at a depth of one meter or less. It’s protected from dust as well, but it doesn’t have the government-issued MIL-SPEC-810G certification to technically qualify as rugged. In other words, there’s no guarantee you’ll have a working cell if you take the Active deep-ocean (or pool) diving.
The Galaxy S4 Active sports a 5-inch Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) TFT panel, and you’ll definitely notice the difference between this LCD and the Galaxy S 4’s Super AMOLED screen (also with 1080p resolution). While images and text look clear on both, colors aren’t nearly as vibrant on the Active. When we compared our review unit with the Sprint version of the Galaxy S 4, blacks appeared slightly bluish, and overall colors seemed slightly flat and muted. By comparison, images virtually pop off the screen on the GS4.