Samsung Galaxy S2 Plus review: The Plus version features the same 4.3" 16M-color Super AMOLED Plus capacitive touchscreen of WVGA resolution, Android OS 4.1.2 Jelly Bean with Nature UX, and 1.2 GHz dual core processor of the Samsung Galaxy SII, but with a cheaper price.

With the success of Samsung’s flagship models like the Galaxy S III and its predecessor, the SII, it is needless to say that the Samsung’s roster of smartphones has nowhere to go but up. Though the handset was released in 2013, the Samsung Galaxy S2 Plus is still worth a look to this day.

The South Korean tech giant followed the winning trail of the S2 with a refreshed variant, the Samsung Galaxy SII Plus.

The Samsung Galaxy SII Plus follows the same dimension, display, RAM, camera, OS, and even battery of its predecessor. It only has a lesser internal storage than the original. This is precisely why GSMArena thumbed the Plus version down, saying that it is “almost identical to its predecessor.”

The Plus version is the almost perfect mix of the SII and SIII hardware design. The only noticeable setback is the slippery battery grip of the Plus. It has failed to retain the SII’s rough texture at the back that gives a stellar grip and fingerprint-resistance.

With the same 8MP camera as the Galaxy SII, the Samsung Galaxy SII Plus can capture photos up to 3264 x 2448 pixels in resolution even in lowlight areas with the help of the LED Flash.

Amidst the criticisms of how nearly identical the two SIIs are, the Samsung Galaxy Plus’ trump card has got to be its software. Its latest version of the TouchWiz gives its Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean a new set of cool tricks, making SII Plus one of the most efficient midrange phones to use. And with the near phase out of the Samsung Galaxy SII, the Plus has a great potential to be a shoe-in in the near future.

Another feature to look out for is the battery. The two Galaxy SIIs have the same battery. But because of the Samsung Galaxy SII’s power-saving capabilities, it could last eons longer. In the GSMArena battery test, it lasted for 50 hours.

With the almost the same key features, many critics see that the major edge that the Plus can have over its predecessor is the price. Its new Broadcom chip will definitely lower the figures soon. For now, while the SII is still in the market, the Plus is still not a worthy find in the market. Still, with the right price, the Samsung Galaxy SII still has the potential to become a worthy competition in the smartphone market.