Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini review: Specs of the Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini is still a hit for many. The handset has a dual-core processor, Super AMOLED display, and a great design that’s coupled with the Android 4.4 KitKat OS. Though seemingly a Samsung unit that has a fan base, 2014 could be it’s final year of fame due to the sea of cheaper Android devices flooding the market today.

Some of the Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini’s competition includes the Moto E, Moto G, Nokia X and the recently launched Nokia X2. All Android-based, these units are not only well-designed, but are also affordable in many ways.

There is also the pending Xiaomi and Lenovo devices, the former has announced its entry to the US in 2015, while the latter promises to deliver up to 60 handsets in total for the year 2014.

The rise of handsets that are well-designed, affordable, and also bearing the latest OS by Google or Microsoft for that matter could be the S3 Mini-killers. Add to the fact that the S3 Mini has been succeeded by the S4 Mini and may well have another successor in the S5 Mini.

A review of the Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini

According to a spec sheet by Phone Arena, it described the Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini as having all the unique features that comes with the original S3, including TouchWiz and S-Voice assistant, SmartStay that shuts off the screen when you’re not looking at it and S-Beam with tap to share for songs and files as big as 10MB.

The gadget-focused site notes that Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini has a 1GHz dual-core processor, 5MP camera and a 16GB internal storage that could be up to 32GB. Connectivity options for the device include Bluetooth 4.0, USB 2.0, microUSB and 802.11 ac Wi-Fi. The unit was officially released Oct. 2012 and is still in the window 18-month window for updates for Android.

According to CNET, it described the S3 Mini as the best entry-level Android $1 can buy. In heir review it noted that the S3 Mini has Android 4.2, 4G LTE, NFC and a solid 5-megapixel camera. It costs a $1 to have the S3 Mini on-contract, but generally its offered free by U.S. carriers. All of the characteristics they highlighted count as plus on why this phone is good.

A downside that CNET noted is that the S3 Mini has mediocre call quality and internal speed hiccups. There’s also, they a say a definite shutter lag.

Despite what the downside of the phone can have, PhoneArena describes the S3 best writing, “It’s a well-balanced performer with absolutely no major drawbacks.”

A key difficult for S3 Mini to become more popular or get into hands of more consumers is the fact that it’s past its prime and its competing against newer gadgets, Android and Windows Phone-based, that are cheap but possesses the latest mobile OS.