Samsung Captivate Vs Iphone 4

By: Mike Harris

Break Studios Contributing Writer

When looking at the Samsung Captivate vs iPhone 4, the most immediate and obvious disparity is the difference in popularity between the two devices. On one hand is the iPhone 4. Compared to other smartphone brands, it dominates the market share and has an exceptionally recognizable brand. The Samsung Captivate, meanwhile, is something of an up-and-comer in the smartphone market. It’s gaining a foothold, trying to catch up to the industry’s leaders. None of this, however, gives you a true picture of how the actual battle of the Samsung Captivate vs iPhone 4 plays out in terms of device quality. To see how that shakes out, you’ve got to break it down category by category.

Hardware. Though many of the hardware specifications are pretty similar when looking at the Samsung Captivate vs the iPhone 4, there are a couple of notable differences. Most obvious are their respective screens. The Samsung Captivate’s screen size is 480 by 800 pixels, while the iPhone 4’s “Retina Display” is 640 by 960 pixels. Without a doubt, the iPhone 4’s screen is much sharper vs the Samsung Captivate’s. As for internal memory, the iPhone 4 offers 16 gigabyte and 32 gigabyte versions, whereas the Samsung Captivate has only a 16 gigabyte version. The Samsung does, however, have a slot for up to 32 gigabytes of memory – bringing its potential total up to 1.5 times the maximum on an iPhone 4.

The small stuff. When comparing the Samsung Captivate vs the iPhone 4, you’ll notice that some key differences lie in the details. For instance, the iPhone 4 has a “TV out” slot, which allows you to connect your phone to a television for video watching. The Samsung Captivate, meanwhile, has a micro USB slot for easy information transfer. One smaller but relevant detail worth mentioning is camera flash. Both phones are equipped with 5 megapixel cameras, but only the iPhone 4’s camera has flash capabilities.

Software. When all is said and done, the Samsung Captivate vs iPhone 4 debate boils down to which operating system you prefer. The Captivate uses Google’s Android operating system, which has recently overtaken Apple’s iOS as the most popular smartphone platform out there. Admittedly, Android is not as easy to use right out of the box – but it does offer its users a more personalized experience. The iPhone 4’s iOS is groundbreaking in form and ease of use, but is a bit more closed off than Android in terms of function. In this facet of the Samsung Captivate vs iPhone 4 comparison, personal taste is really the determining factor. 

Posted on: Mar. 31, 2011