Dual SIM variant of Samsung Galaxy S3, named Samsung Galaxy S3 Neo Plus has been priced at Rs. 24,900. Apart from an extra SIM card slot there is not much difference in both. In countries like India where people don’t buy phones on carrier contracts, Dual SIM functionality is much in demand. Samsung Galaxy S3 is selling slightly cheaper for around 22,500 INR, let’s take a look if the S3 Neo Plus justifies the increase in its price tag.
Camera and Internal Storage
Samsung Galaxy S3 Neo + features an 8 MP camera at the back, which was fine when Galaxy S3 was launched two years back, but won’t make the cut if you are looking for a camera centric phone in this price range. Moto X with is 10.5 MP OmniVision BSI 2 sensor and Gionee Elife E7 with its sensitive 16 MP camera module from Sony will out shine Galaxy S3 camera performance in the same price bracket.
The internal storage has been reduced to 8 GB compared to the predecessor but you can extend it to another 64 GB using MicroSD support.
Processor and Battery
Samsung Galaxy S3 Neo + is powered by a 1.4 GHz Quad core processor backed by 1 GB RAM. Samsung is using the same dated Exynos 4212 quad core chipset which is slightly disappointing. Phones like Moto X, Gionee Elife E7 and Nexus 5 will offer you better chipset and performance with 2 GB RAM.
The battery capacity is 2100 mAh and the good thing is that battery is removable – a feature which is increasingly fading out in mid range and high end smartphones.
Display and Features
The display is 4.8 inches in size and sports 720p HD, resolution. The display is super AMOLED which means you will get darker darks and good contrast. Galaxy S3 pentile display is not the best that we have seen in this price range but is respectable nonetheless.
The phone runs on Android 4.3 jelly bean operating system out of the box. The Galaxy S3 also runs on Android 4.3 after OTA update.
Looks and Connectivity
The phone sports traditional Samsung design. The body dimensions are exactly same and so is the weight. The phone measure 136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6mm and weighs 132 grams.
Connectivity features include dual band 3G, Tri band 2G, microUSB, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth v4.0, NFC, DLNA, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n.
Comparison
The new Galaxy S3 Neo +dual SIM will compete against phones like Nexus 4, Gionee Elife E7, Moto X and the upcoming Gionee Elife S5.5. Major advantage of Galaxy S3 Neo plus is its Dual SIM functionality, which most tier one manufacturer are not offering in mid range or high end devices.
Key Specs
| Model | Samsung Galaxy S3 Neo+ |
| Display | 4.8 Inch , HD |
| Processor | 1.4 GHz Quad Core |
| RAM | 1 GB |
| Internal Storage | 8 GB, Expandable |
| OS | Android 4.3 |
| Camera | 8 MP/ 1.3 MP |
| Battery | 2100 mAh |
| Price | 24,900 INR |
Conclusion
Samsung Galaxy S3 Neo Plus is definitely dated and isn’t well armed to compete with this generation devices on paper. The phone is however best of the last generation devices and if having a Dual SIM phone is on top of your priority list, it is the one of the rare few decent options available from tier one manufacturers.
