Samsung Galaxy S III mini review: a small Galaxy with few stars

The flanks have the familiar configuration of volume rocker on the left-hand side, and the dual-function power and standby control over on the right. Down at the bottom is a micro-USB port and mic hole, while at the opposite end you'll find the 3.5mm headphone jack and indentation for popping open the back. Which, kinda brings us neatly on to that very section of the phone. By and large, it's an ocean of white plastic around here, with only the 5-megapixel camera, speaker grille, LED flash and corporate branding serving to break up those otherwise calm, white battery-cover waters. Underneath which is where you'll find the full-sized SIM slot, 1,500 mAh battery, and, beneath that again, the microSD card slot for expanding the onboard (8GB or 16GB) memory by up to another 32GB.

Deeper inside, and fortunately not exposed to eager eyes and fingers, are the 1GHz dual-core NovaThor processor, 1GB of RAM and GSM / EDGE (850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900MHZ) radios with support for HSPA 14.4 (900 / 1900 / 2100). Other radios include dual-band 802.11a/b/g/n (2.4 and 5GHz), GPS and GLONASS and Bluetooth 4.0. The Android version running the show is Jelly Bean 4.1.1. This all results in a typical Samsung phone in terms of current design language and quality of build. It feels solid, without feeling too precious that it might scuff or scratch at the first buttery-fingered indiscretion.

If you skipped straight to this section, well, we don't blame you. Releasing a product that bears the same name as your flagship, whatever the suffix, will certainly guarantee -- for better or worse -- a high level of expectation. And, while there's certainly reason not to compare the Galaxy SIII mini with its larger sibling, many of you are surely here for the smack-down, and we wouldn't want to disappoint.

We'll start with some superficial exterior differences before moving onto some of the more significant, internal traits that the mini-version may or may not have inherited. Firstly, starting toward the top of both devices, the mini has a slightly more rounded appearance. Certainly, this is a side effect of its narrower shape, meaning those same curved shoulders come together more quickly, leaving less flat space between them. Below this, you'll note that the sensors and camera have moved from the right on the original Galaxy S III to the left this time around. Beneath these, the Samsung logo is actually larger than before, as is the total distance from the top of the screen to the top of the device, making the bezel taller at the extremes of the newer phone. This also gives the device a slightly more elongated feel overall when placed side by side. Curiously, it seems that Samsung also thinks smaller hands want bigger input options, as the home button is notably larger on the mini than the one on the standard GS III. Likewise, the power button on the right-hand side is slightly taller and squarer than the one on the original, which is more symmetrical.

Around back, the only notable difference is the positioning of the LED flash, which now sits below the camera lens. Also, the speaker hole is now located to the left of the camera, rather than to right, as it did the first time around. Also, while not instantly noticeable as a physical feature, the OG GS III sports a notification light -- something that seems to have gotten lost during the miniaturization process. A definite shame, we think. That takes care of the more cosmetic differences, leaving us to examine the various interior discrepancies (and yes, these are much more plentiful).