Now, on to the phone.
Even though I had large savings on this device, it is well worth it even if you pay full price. I came from an HTC Evo 3D which I thought was a fantastic, capable device, but there truly is a difference between a flagship and non-flagship. The Evo had great specs, despite being non-flagship, both on paper and performance-wise, and on a scale of 1 to 10, I would gladly put it at an 8.5 or 9. However, this Galaxy is a 12 on that same scale. It really stands out as a true flagship because of its performance and build quality. This phone is plastic vs. the Evo's half metal/half rubberized plastic build but I still appreciate the Galaxy's build quality more. The phrase, "you get what you pay for" could never be more true than here. This phone is unparalleled on the Virgin selection, as of the time of this review. I can only see it bested by the Galaxy S4 or Note 2, but surprisingly, not by much. Plus, let's remember this is a no-contract device on a $35/month plan. Unbeatable.
The Processor
This Galaxy is not the Galaxy S3 i9300 version (international quad-core 1.4GHz version, 1GB RAM). This is the US version (dual core 1.5GHz version, 2GB RAM). I haven't had the international version so I can't make a comparison, but I can say that this processor is extremely capable, unsurprisingly. You will not notice lag, even if you intentionally open a lot of apps to test its performance. Everything, including all transitions, are smooth 99% of the time, which is pleasant to the eye and makes it a competitor with iPhone's fluidity when it comes to operating systems. The processor will easily handle all games on the market, photo editing apps, etc. It will handle anything the hardcore or simple user will demnd because this phone was made to multi-task, hence, the multi-window feature, a feature you'll have to explore when you purchase this phone. I think the processor helps a lot with the internet as well. I put my Evo and Galaxy on 3G and tested the speeds in loading videos and webpages. On the same 3G network, the Galaxy bested the Evo significantly every time. Bottom Line: Fully capable, fast processor.
Camera
What can I say? It has an 8MP sensor and acts as such. I can't make comparisons because this is the first phone I've had with an 8MP camera, but I can say that from 5MP on the Evo to 8MP on the Galaxy, there is a big clarity difference. Obviously the Galaxy's camera would be better, but I've always thought the Evo had a great camera for only being 5MP. Still though, the Galaxy's 8MP does the job. Very nice, crisp, clear pictures, good low-light performance, vibrant colors. First phone that has truly allowed me to leave my point-and-shoot at home. Favorite feature (even though there are tons of awesome features, such as Burst Shot & Panorama): Zero shutter lag. The camera is so fast!
Gaming
Like I said before, no problems. Run Asphalt or some other heavy game and it'll perform well. P.s. Graphics look fantastic. 306 ppi screen is quite impressive.
Battery
Okay, important topic here to many users. From my Evo to this Galaxy, the battery life of this Galaxy is far superior. However, I know that some others may not find this battery that great if they compare it to other devices with better batteries or simply because they are heavy users and the Galaxy barely lasts a day with them. However, for me, the average user (I chat on Messenger almost all day, so internet is always on, the occasional texting and picture taking, sometimes need GPS Navigation, occasional web search) I found the battery to be just fine. It lasted me all day, plus, it actually charges pretty quickly. And this while I had a live wallpaper. This battery should be fine for almost all average users, but if not, invest in a slim extended battery. No big deal.
Call Quality/Network
No problems whatsoever with texting or calling, I always seem to have a signal and 3G service that isn't drastically slow. The 3G is fine, but I'm still excited for 4GLTE coming to my city this year. The call quality was great, there's a feature that amplifies the voice volume. Other people were clear to me, and I was clear to them. No issues.
Memory
You get approximately 11GB usable internal memory out of the 16GB capacity. Fine with me. Evo only gave me 1GB usable space out of the 4GB capacity.
OS
TouchWiz didn't bother me. I actually like it and all the transitions, better than HTC Sense. But that's a personal preference issue.
Bottom Line
So I think I've covered all the essentials people need to know to decide if they should buy the phone. The price, undiscounted, is high, yes, but personally I find the investment well worth it. It'll keep a user satisfied for 1 to 2 years until the Galaxy 7 or whatever comes out. If you need more info on the device, I suggest searching the internet since this is a popular device.
