HTC One Mini Vs. Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini: Comparing The Compact Android Flagship Smartphones In Specs, Price And Release Date

HTC has lifted the veil on the HTC One Mini and its specs but has not yet announced a release date or price for the device. The HTC One Mini will see its release under the same moniker as the company’s flagship model, the HTC One, but the new HTC One Mini is at odds with another compact Android smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini.

Both "Mini" smartphones offer consumers smaller, lower-priced alternatives to the brands' larger flagship smartphones. We put the recently announced HTC One Mini up against the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini to see which smaller-scale device is better for smartphone users.

The HTC One Mini and the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini will both run on the most current version of the Android operating system, Jelly Bean (version 4.2.2), with no word on whether or not they will update to the upcoming version 4.3. The HTC One Mini will run Android along with HTC Sense 5.0, while the Samsung Galaxy S4 will run along with TouchWiz. Both smartphones will have a 4.3-inch touchscreen.

The similarities end there, as both devices have different form factors and specifications in most categories. While the HTC One Mini has an aluminum body with a plastic edge, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini’s body is entirely made out of plastic.

Screen

While the HTC One Mini has “Super LCD2,” a high-end LCD screen with a 342 pixel-per-inch (ppi) display (720x1280 resolution) that is higher-res than that of Apple’s iPhone 5, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini has a 256 ppi display. Both Mini models have screens that are lower-resolution than their larger counterparts' screens.

Winner: HTC One Mini

Size

The HTC One Mini is 0.3 inches taller, and slightly wider and thicker than the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini. The two are very close in size, but since this is a comparison of smartphones branded as “Mini” by their respective manufacturers, the edge here goes to Samsung. The HTC One Mini has a more rounded back, with more premium (mostly aluminum) construction, which might make the device feel more comfortable or high-end for some users.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini

Processor / RAM

Samsung definitely has the edge on important internals, with a 1.7GHz dual-core processor and 1.5 gigabytes of random access memory, or RAM, in the Galaxy S4 Mini. The HTC One Mini, on the other hand, has a lower-powered, 1.4GHz dual-core processor with 1 GB of RAM, which will make it less capable of multitasking and running more resource-intensive applications.

Both Mini smartphones are capable devices, and the HTC One Mini’s specs might have the edge on battery life, but it contains an 1,800 mAh battery, vs. the Galaxy S4 Mini’s 1,900 mAh battery.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini

Camera

While HTC has endowed its HTC One Mini with the same large camera sensor with “UltraPixel” technology as the larger HTC One has, the device's main camera is capable of taking photographs only at 4 megapixels. The Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini has a main camera with twice the resolution, with both devices having LED flash.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini

Storage

For users who like to take a lot of photos, videos or download a lot of music and other media to their smartphones, the HTC One Mini is going to be a much better option up-front. The device includes 16 GB of storage, while the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini will have only 8 GB. However, Samsung allows users of the Galaxy S4 Mini to expand the device with a microSD card, while the HTC One Mini owners will be locked into that 16 GB of storage for the life of the device.

The Mini devices are marketed more to less-tech-savvy users, who do not need the most powerful hardware on the market and might be less likely to purchase a microSD card for upgrading their devices.

Winner: HTC One Mini

Sound

The HTC One Mini includes BoomSound, a set of stereo speakers powered by their own individual, built-in amplifiers. This comes along with sound-equalizer software provided by Beats Audio that works when using the built-in speakers as well as with headphones. The front-facing stereo speakers make a big difference when watching a video or listening to music, and they give the phone a more powerful ringtone and speaker.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini will have a standard speakerphone built into the back of the device.

Winner: HTC One Mini

The Bottom Line

The Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini has more-powerful hardware specs in most regards, as well as an ever-so-slightly smaller form factor with rounded corners. This might make it a better device for consumers interested in the Samsung brand who are looking for a smaller, less expensive device. The Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini has the edge in terms of processor, RAM and camera resolution.

The HTC One Mini will have a higher-resolution screen, more-powerful sound, and more storage included with the device. Aluminum construction gives a smartphone a more premium feel and look, and consumers who purchase the HTC One Mini will get a lot of extras, outside of hardware specifications, right out of the box.

Are you planning to purchase either the HTC One Mini or the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini? Which do you think is a better value?

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