Virgin Mobile, the pay-as-you-go arm of Sprint Wireless, is known for having budget wireless plans. The trade-off of those plans is that you pay more up front. Case in point, the Samsung Galaxy S II. This is only the second 4G enabled handset to launch on Virgin, and at $370, it’s also the second most expensive phone on the network (topped only by the 16 GB iPhone 4S). Does the 4G experience at low prices make that up-front cost sting a little less?
Let’s find out.
First Impressions
We actually did review the Samsung Galaxy S II when it originally came out in 2011, but we didn’t review the Sprint variant, dubbed the Epic Touch 4G. For those familiar with that handset, know that the Virgin version is the same handset. You get a 4.3″ screen in a sadly plasticky body that’s a tad unsatisfying to hold, but is otherwise well designed. That’s a bit offset by the quite lovely super AMOLED screen. While other modern phones have screens as good or better, this is one of the best three screens on Virgin (alongside the HTC One and iPhone 4/4S). That’s the strongest selling point of the phone right there.
The Software
The Virgin Mobile version of the Samsung Galaxy S II is running Android 4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich). While not the latest (that’s 4.1, Jelly Bean), it’s good. Task switching works well, as do all other software functions. I’ve ranted on and on about how much I dislike Samsung’s proprietary Android skin, TouchWiz. However, now that I’ve used the latest version and then gone back to this older version, I appreciate the changes Samsung has made. I haven’t stopped thinking that skinning Android borders on an abomination, but I now see the process getting better. However, I’ve come to that realization by dealing with the absolute annoyance of the version of TouchWiz on this device. If you haven’t gone forward, you likely won’t be as annoyed as I am.
One positive standout about Virgin is that there generally isn’t much “value added” software on the devices provided. Sadly, it seems Samsung doesn’t agree with this concept. While a few apps, like Polaris Office, are useful, more aren’t. I’ve yet to find Samsung’s Social Hub app to be a useful feature. When I reviewed the AT&T version of the S II, I was confused by the addition of not one, but two voice control apps. That confusion continues with the Virgin Mobile version.
One software glitch drives me mad. I set up an email account via IMAP, but I’m flummoxed by the fact that my emails weren’t being deleted when I marked them to be. It’s enough to make me put the phone down. This didn’t happen with the AT&T version I tested.
Performance
The S II might feel sluggish if you come from a high-end phone on another network. On Virgin though, the S II is the best performing phone I’ve used. Keep in mind that I’ve now used every Virgin smartphone other than the iPhone 4 and 4S. The Super AMOLED Plus display is as stunning as expected, and at 4.3″, it’s the largest screen on Virgin. Viewing angles are fine, and you can actually use it outside. If you’re a media watcher, this is a great device.
Call quality was passable. I don’t think this was due to the device, but rather the network. How bad is it? I usually run a speed test and was unable to get a response from the testing servers most of the time. My connection to Facebook drops frequently. Interestingly enough, GPS connections are much swifter than what I’m used to with Virgin.
Battery life is impressive, especially if you use WiFi. TouchWiz’s quick toggle for GPS, 4G, and other features helps prolong battery life. Be aware that if you turn on Sprint’s Connection Manager software, it constantly overrides your toggling WiFi to turn it on. Of course, that’s if you have a connection. If not, it’s going to keep searching and searching ad nauseum. That said, I easily got a workday’s use out of the S II with average use.
The camera is completely unchanged from our previous reviews of the S II. It’s a great little camera, perfect for casual snapshots. Low light conditions aren’t your friend with this thing, but the phone has a serviceable flash.
Hackability
The Galaxy S II is an insanely popular phone, especially with modders. As such, there’s a metric ton of ROMs you can use. The S II isn’t the only mod-able phone on Virgin, but it’s easily the one with the most options. One caveat: as far as I know, none of those ROMs support the aging 4G WiMax network. You can get out of the TouchWiz prison, but if you do so, you’re stuck in painfully slow 3G.
The Strengths
That the S II is a good phone is not in question. It is a proven handset, with a good set of features and a screen that makes it a perfect media companion, and one that can be hacked like mad. The phone impresses with how quickly GPS gets a signal on enabling and how responsive Google Maps are.
The Weaknesses
I’m not going to slam TouchWiz again. It’s not my thing, fine. However, I do need to note that you want to be very, very sure you can get good reception before you buy this phone. If the S II was in the $200 range on Virgin Mobile, I’d say go for it regardless. The media playing features alone make it worth that. However, the cost of the Galaxy S II is a wee bit higher.
There are only two phones on Virgin with 4G and there are only two phones on Virgin with 4″ screens or larger. The first feature is not as important as the second one to most, as you’re lucky if you even live somewhere with WiMax. The Galaxy S II’s Super AMOLED screen makes the HTC EVO V 4G look like utter garbage (and I honestly think it’s better than Apple’s Retina Display), but the price difference between the two is shocking.
Pricing & Availability
Right now, you can snag the S II on Virgin for $330. That’s s sale price of $40 off. An asking price of $370 makes this the second most expensive phone on Virgin, topped only by the iPhone 4S at $450. The S II has several features the $350 iPhone 4 doesn’t have, including 4G, a larger screen, and expandable memory. But we live in an iPhone-centric world, and people are absolutely going to blanch at that.
Wrap Up
I know I’m harping on the price of this phone. The simple fact is that I think the S II is insanely overpriced. However, if you live somewhere where Virgin gets clear 4G reception and you simply must have the best possible screen on Virgin, this is your only choice.
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