Though Samsung has not declared every features of the upcoming S4 Mini, let us go through the evident difference between the two.
Design:
Galaxy S4 has the measurements of 136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9 mm and it weighs 130 g. The S4 Mini has 124.6 x 61.3 x 8.9 mm and 107 g weight. So it is evident that the S4 Mini is smaller and lighter than the S4. But the curves of the phones are almost identical. But the S4 Mini is thicker than the S4 by a full millimetre. So, it is sure that the S4 Mini will not be that handy like the S4. Still, it will not be tat difficult to handle the phone. After all, there is only 1mm difference.
We can't blame Samsung for making the S4 Mini a bit chunkier than the S4. It has to accommodate all the internals as the S4 no? That too with a smaller size. The S4 Mini will be coming in black and white colour variants. It will be having the very same plastic finish as the S4.
About the colour variants, remember that the S4 was available only in two colours when it was launched, white and blue. But now, the S4 is available in white, blue, black, red, brown and grey shades. So, there are still hope for different colour variants for the S4 Mini too.
Display:
The Galaxy S4 has a 5-inch Super AMOLED display screen with 1920×1080 pixels (Full HD) resolution and 441 ppi pixel density. On the other hand, the S4 Mini will be having a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED display screen with 540×960 pixels (qHD) resolution and 256 ppi pixel density.
For those who are of the opinion that a 5 inch display and a huge sized body is an extravaganza for a smartphone, the S4 Mini will be the best choice. With a a=smaller design, the S4 Mini has a smaller display screen of 4.3 inches. The pixel density and the resolution of the screen make sense. Altogether, you will be getting a pretty good display screen with the S4 Mini.
But the difference in the pixel density and the screen size gives the S4 an upper hand. But keeping in mind that the S4 Mini is the “scaled down version” of the S4, there are no rooms for complaints.
But the problem is that, the s4 Mini is using a PenTile display, which is kind of a sub-pixel arrangement. In this display, the images will not be sharp. Putting t in other words the S4 Mini's display is not only smaller in size, but also scaled down in the matter of quality too.
Memory Storage:
The Galaxy S4 has a huge internal storage memory of 16GB, of course with a provision to expand the memory up to 64 GB using a microSD card. The Galaxy S4 Mini will be having a scaled down memory. It will be having 8GB Of internal memory. It too has provision for expanding the memory up to 64GB using the microSD card slot.
The microSD card slot minimises the difference between the storage facilities of both the phones. If you are a normal user, you might not even notice this difference. But the negative point is that, as most of the apps could be stored only in the internal storage, it might be an issue for those who download and use so many apps.
CPU and Performance:
The Samsung Galaxy S4 has a Qualcomm APQ8064T Snapdragon 600 chip set with 1.9GHz Octa core/Quad-core Processor. On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini has a Qualcomm MSM8930 Snapdragon 400 chip set with 1.7GHz dual-core processor. There is a difference in RAM too. The Galaxy S4 has a RAM of 2GB and the S4 Mini has a RAM of 1.5 GB for the 3G version and 2GB for the LTE version.
The chip set and the processor clearly points out that the S4 Mini's performance will be cut down, comparing to that of the S4. But that does not mean that S4 Mini is not a powerful smartphone. It feels scaled down only when compared to its massive big brother. Otherwise, it is a really powerful smartphone.
Operating System and Software:
As both of the phones are using the recent version of Android, with same interface, there will not be any difference in the interfaces of both the phones. The Android 4.2 with TouchWiz makes them identical. Most of the extra features are packed in both the phones.
Camera:
The camera is a feature where both the phones differ mainly. The Galaxy S4 has a 13 MP rear camera, whereas the S4 Mini has an 8 MP rear camera, which might make it feel like a generation older than that of the S4.
We are not sure about the sensor Samsung is gonna use for the camera of the S4 mini. If it is the same as that in the Galaxy S3, then there will not be any major difference in the image quality. In the case of the front cameras, both the smartphones has powerful front cameras. The Galaxy S4 has a front camera of 2MP and the Galaxy S4 Mini has a front camera of 1.9MP.
Bottom line:
The S4 Mini differs from the big brother S4 in its screen size, processor,storage and camera. But, altogether, the S4 Mini does not sound like a low end phone. It is more or less like a mid end phone. If you want every feature of S4 in a smaller version, you will be disappointed with the S4 Mini. But if you are ready to compromise here and there, ten you will be more than happy with the S4 Mini for sure.
Check here the difference between Samsung Galaxy S4 and Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini:
| Features | Samsung Galaxy S4 | Galaxy S4 Mini |
| Display | 5.0 inches Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen 1080 x 1920 pixels 441 ppi | 4.3 inches Super AMOLED Capacitive Touch Screen 540 x 960 pixels 256 ppi |
| OS | Android OS, v4.2.2 (Jelly Bean) | Android OS, v4.2.2 (Jelly Bean) |
| CPU | Quad-core 1.9 GHz Cortex-A15 | Dual-core 1.7 GHz Krait |
| RAM | 2 GB | 1.5GB (3G) & 2GB(LTE) |
| Internal Memory | 16GB | 8GB |
| Primary Cam | 13 MP 4128 x 3096 pixels | 8 MP 3264 x 2448 pixels |
| Secondary Cam | 2 MP 1080p | 1.9 MP 1080pp |
| Connectivity | LTE GPRS EDGE WLAN Bluetooth NFC GPS Micro USB Infra red | GPRS EDGE WLAN Bluetooth GPS Micro USB Infra red |
| Memory Expansion | Yes Up to 64GB | Yes Up to 64GB |
| Battery | Removable Li-Ion 2600 mAh | Removable Li-Ion 1900 mAh |
