Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini Philippines Price Php 18,900 via Kimstore, Specs, Unboxing, Packaging and Accessories Check

With the unquestionable success of its Samsung Galaxy S4 flagship release, the Korean giant has pretty much secured leadership in this year's high-end Android smartphone race.

The top-tier category is a good place to reign supreme in but the midrange echelon is just as important and lucrative. Last year, Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini - specifically created for that price bracket - made a lot of cash for the company and I'm sure Samsung is hoping that the direct follow-up to that, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini, would enjoy the same success story.

samsung galaxy s4 mini

Sporting key technical specifications including a 4.3 inch 540 x 960 pixels SuperAMOLED display, Dual Core 1.7 Krait CPU in Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 chipset running Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean OS, 1.5 GB of RAM, an 8 MegaPixel autofocus camera with LED flash and BSI sensor plus a 1.9 MegaPixel front cam, Full HD video recorder, and a removable 1,900 mAh Li-Ion battery pack, Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini isn't only the smaller but is also obviously the far less powerful version of the regular-sized Samsung Galaxy S4.

samsung galaxy s4 mini
The retail package includes the unit itself, the charger, earphones with in-ear silicon buds, microUSB to USB connector cable, warranty certificate, and user manual.

samsung galaxy s4 mini
Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini flaunts the same nature-inspired design identity as the flagship release and it follows that its paper packaging will have similar supposedly environment-friendly qualities.

samsung galaxy s4 mini

With price tag of Php 18,900 at Kimstore, Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini is in direct competition with powerhouse midrange handsets like HTC One SV, Sony Xperia V, and my personal favorite, the Huawei Ascend P6. Likewise, it will have to contend with other Samsung releases in this price category, including the Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8 and 6.3 phablets.

samsung galaxy s4 mini

So why choose this product over those stellar smartphones? Whom is Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini for exactly?

samsung galaxy s4 mini

I think Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini is for users who want a powerful and great-looking smartphone that doesn't take too much space in the pocket. Yes, it lacks the large display of the Mega phablets but its SuperAMOLED screen is way clearer and nicer to look at and its innards and imaging capabilities are just as good if not slightly better.

samsung galaxy s4 mini

Frankly, though, I believe the 2013 TechPinas Favorite Huawei Ascend P6 - with official SRP of Php 18,990 - would be a wiser purchase as it has a more handsome metal-clad shell and better front-facing camera, and it offers largely the same smooth touch experience. But that's just me. Of course, Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini comes with neat features as well like Smart Stay, Group Play, S Memo, and S Translator, which are all unique to the Korean company's current upper echelon releases.

Update: According to Kim, her store now carries the dual SIM non-LTE version of Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini or the i9192. Currently, that specific model sells for only Php 17,900.

TechPinas Smartphone Technical Specs Table (TSTST)
Name Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini i9190, Single SIM, non-LTE
Type Slate Form Factor
Price Category Midrange
Dimensions124.6 x 61.3 x 8.9 mm
Weight 107 grams
Available Colors White Frost, Black Mist
Operating System Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
Display 4.3 inches (~256 ppi pixel density), 540 x 960 pixels, Super AMOLED, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
Processor Dual-core 1.7 GHz Krait CPU, Adreno 305 GPU, Qualcomm MSM8930 Snapdragon 400 chipset
RAM 1.5 GB of RAM
Internal Storage 8 GB (5 GB user available) expandable via microSD card slot, supports up to 64GB
Camera 8 MegaPixels, 3264 x 2448 pixels, autofocus, LED flash, 1.9 MegaPixels front camera
Video Capture Full HD 1080p 30 frames per second for main camera, HD for front camera
Audio and Video Playback MP4/DivX/Xvid/FLV/MKV/H.264/H.263/MP3/WAV/eAAC+/Flac
Ports microUSB v2.0, 3.5 mm audio jack
Connectivity Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth v4.0 with A2DP, EDR, 3G HSDPA, 21 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps, HSPA+
GPS Yes, with GLONASS and A-GPS
Sensors Accelerometer, Digital Compass, Proximity, Gyroscope
Network 2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900, 3G Network HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100
SIM Card Type microSIM, Dual SIM option
Battery Removable Li-Ion 1900 mAh battery
Uptime 300 hours of Standby, 12 hours of Talk Time
Announcement Kimstore: August 2013
Availability Kimstore: August 2013
Price Kimstore: Php 18,900, non-LTE variant