Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket review: Aiming for the stars

Final Words

With the addition of an LTE enabled Galaxy S II to the U.S., Samsung has literally a version for every possible taste out there. The Galaxy S II Skyrocket however, is clearly the best equipped for the future with its spanking new radio on board.

AT&T’s 3G network has seen quite a lot of strain in the past several years, mostly due to the demand for the iPhone and the explosion of use of network data. When the LTE network starts rolling out however, the users of the capable devices will have it all to themselves, since the iPhone 4S is simply not equipped for it. This should be considered as one of the strongest arguments in favor of the Skyrocket.

Regarding the device itself, one must be extremely picky to find faults to it. Our main grievance is the low resolution of the gorgeous Super AMOLED Plus screen – it is simply not befitting of an LTE flagship at the end of 2011. The rest of the phone is rock solid despite its year old platform.

The Galaxy S II Skyrocket is priced extremely aggressively by AT&T at $149.99 with a two year commitment. For this kind of money, you will need to search really hard to find a better alternative. As always, we took the liberty of taking a look for you.

The biggest threat for the Skyrocket comes from within AT&T’s own ranks again. The HTC Vivid is also LTE capable and sports a similar spec sheet to go with its 4.5” screen. The latter has a higher resolution than the Samsung offering at qHD. However, it is not Super AMOLED Plus and, believe us, it does make a difference. The Vivid costs the sweet $99.99 on a two-year contract with AT&T.

HTC Vivid

We can’t talk LTE without taking a look at the impressive smartphone lineup of Verizon Wireless. The largest U.S. carrier also has the luxury of operating an already established LTE network in the United States. The downside is that its executives think that charging 300 bucks for a device on a contract is fine.

The abovementioned price will get you a Galaxy Nexus, a Motorola Droid RAZR, or an HTC Rezound. All three offerings have massive spec sheets to go with their LTE flavor. The Nexus will entice you with HD Super AMOLED screen and the latest Google experience. The RAZR is super thin and beautifully built, while the Rezound has some serious multimedia credentials, along with a retail package to die for.

If money is not an issue for you, the above three must be on your shopping list. As always, the folks at Samsung won’t mind if you pick the Galaxy Nexus.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus • HTC Rezound • Motorola Droid RAZR

Of course Apple iPhone 4S has plenty to offer as well. The same can be said about the rest of the U.S. Galaxy S II lineup. If LTE is not something you are after, each of the devices is worth taking a look at.

The options are plenty as you can see. In terms of sheer price/quality however, the Galaxy S II Skyrocket is really tough to beat. Its pedigree which goes back to the mighty I9100 should not be forgotten as well. The addition of LTE in the case of the Skyrocket makes one already complete package, even better.