Samsung Galaxy S4 not-so-Mini
At some point, Samsung, Motorola, and HTC got together and made a pact that all midrange variants of their flagship phones would carry the cutesy diminutive of "mini" as part of their name. And so the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini was born.
Side by side with big brother
However, the Mini isn't actually that small. It is smaller than the 5-inch Galaxy S4 flagship, sure, (pictured) but with a 4.3-inch display, the "Mini" still possesses more screen space than any iPhone.
Specs
The specs are perhaps the most shrunken thing about the phone, with everything scaled down from the marquee S4, from the qHD screen resolution to the 8-megapixel camera, to the dual-core processor and 8GB of internal storage. And of course, there's also Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean.
Versus the HTC One Mini
Shorter and lighter than the HTC One Mini, but with the same size screen, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini vies for my pick as the best Android phone of this class. I gravitate for the One Mini for its stellar looks and smoother OS implementation, though the S4 Mini is a more than solid performer.
Slim and light
At just 3.8 ounces, this phone is extremely pocketable and portable.
Four carriers
You'll be able to buy the S4 Mini for use on AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, and US Cellular.
Two colors
It comes in Black Mist and Marble White, which both include metallic patterns on the backing.
One last look
The plastic S4 Mini looks just like the original S4, just more petite. It's a solid device, but has plenty of competition in the $100-and-below range.