Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S vs Samsung Galaxy S II: A Retro Android Showdown

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S and Samsung Galaxy S II were titans of the early Android era, battling for smartphone supremacy. Both offered compelling features for their time, but which one truly reigned supreme? Let's revisit these iconic devices and see how they stack up today.

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy S II emerges as the clear winner. Its dual-core processor, superior display, and longer battery life provided a more modern and enjoyable experience. While the Arc S had a sleek design, the Galaxy S II’s overall performance and features were simply better.

PHONES
Phone Names	Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S	Samsung I9100 Galaxy S II

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands	HSDPA 900 / 2100 - LT18i	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100
EDGE	Yes	-
GPRS	Yes	-
Speed	HSPA 14.4/5.76 Mbps	HSPA 21.1/5.76 Mbps
Technology	GSM / HSPA	GSM / HSPA
	HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100 / 800 - LT18a	-

Launch
Announced	2011, August. Released 2011, September	2011, February. Released 2011, April
Status	Discontinued	Discontinued

Body
Build	-	Glass front (Gorilla Glass), plastic back, plastic frame
Dimensions	125 x 63 x 8.7 mm (4.92 x 2.48 x 0.34 in)	125.3 x 66.1 x 8.5 mm (4.93 x 2.60 x 0.33 in)
SIM	Mini-SIM	Mini-SIM
Weight	117 g (4.13 oz)	116 g (4.09 oz)

Display
Protection	Scratch-resistant glass	Corning Gorilla Glass
Resolution	480 x 854 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~233 ppi density)	480 x 800 pixels, 5:3 ratio (~217 ppi density)
Size	4.2 inches, 48.6 cm2 (~61.7% screen-to-body ratio)	4.3 inches, 52.6 cm2 (~63.5% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	LED-backlit LCD,	Super AMOLED Plus

Platform
CPU	1.4 GHz Scorpion	Dual-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A9
Chipset	Qualcomm MSM8255T Snapdragon S2	Exynos 4210 Dual
GPU	Adreno 205	Mali-400MP4
OS	Android 2.3.4 (Gingerbread), 4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich), not upgradable to 4.1 (Jelly Bean)	Android 2.3.4 (Gingerbread), upgradable to 4.1 (Jelly Bean), TouchWiz UI 4

Memory
Card slot	microSDHC (dedicated slot), 8 GB included	microSDHC (dedicated slot)
Internal	1GB (320MB user available), 512MB RAM	16GB 1GB RAM, 32GB 1GB RAM

Main Camera
Features	LED flash, panorama	LED flash
Single	8 MP, AF	8 MP, f/2.6, 1/3.2", AF
Video	720p@30fps	1080p@30fps

Selfie camera
Single	-	2 MP
	No	-

Sound
3.5mm jack	Yes	Yes
35mm jack	Yes	Yes
Loudspeaker	Yes	Yes

Comms
Bluetooth	2.1, A2DP, EDR	3.0, A2DP, aptX
NFC	No	Optional
Positioning	GPS, A-GPS; GLONASS	GPS, A-GPS
Radio	Stereo FM radio, RDS	Stereo FM radio, RDS
USB	microUSB 2.0, OTG	microUSB 2.0 (MHL TV-out), OTG
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, DLNA, hotspot	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot

Features
Browser	-	HTML, Adobe Flash
Sensors	Accelerometer, proximity, compass	Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
	ANT+ HDMI port MP4/H.264/WMV player MP3/eAAC+/WMA/WAV player TrackID music recognition NeoReader barcode scanner Document viewer Voice memo/dial/commands Predictive text input	-

Battery
Music play	Up to 37 h	-
Stand-by	Up to 460 h (2G) / Up to 460 h (3G)	Up to 710 h (2G) / Up to 610 h (3G)
Talk time	Up to 7 h 25 min (2G) / Up to 7 h 35 min (3G)	Up to 18 h 20 min (2G) / Up to 8 h 40 min (3G)
Type	Removable Li-Po 1500 mAh battery	Removable Li-Ion 1650 mAh battery

Misc
Colors	Pure White, Midnight Blue, Misty Silver, Gloss Black, Sakura Pink	Black, White, Pink
Models	-	GT-I9100, GT-I9100G, GT-I9100T
Price	About 210 EUR	About 170 EUR
SAR	-	0.16 W/kg (head) 0.96 W/kg (body)
SAR EU	0.66 W/kg (head)	0.34 W/kg (head)

Tests
Audio quality	Noise -89.3dB / Crosstalk -90.2dB	Noise -91.4dB / Crosstalk -89.7dB
Battery life	-	Endurance rating 40h
Camera	Photo / Video	Photo / Video
Display	-	Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) / 2.832:1 (sunlight)
Loudspeaker	Voice 67dB / Noise 65dB / Ring 76dB	Voice 70dB / Noise 66dB / Ring 75dB

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S

Sleek and compact design
Good build quality
Decent OLED display (for its time)

Underpowered processor
Shorter battery life
Outdated software

Samsung I9100 Galaxy S II

Powerful dual-core processor
Vibrant Super AMOLED display
Longer battery life
More modern Android experience (at launch)

Design feels dated now
Camera is basic by modern standards
Software updates ceased long ago

Display Comparison

The Galaxy S II boasted a Super AMOLED display, offering vibrant colors and excellent contrast, even in sunlight. The Arc S had an OLED display, but it lacked the punch and brightness of the S II's screen. The 'Infinite' contrast ratio claim for both is largely marketing, but the S II's real-world performance was noticeably superior.

Camera Comparison

Both phones featured Photo/Video capabilities, but the Galaxy S II generally produced better image quality, with more detail and accurate colors. Low-light performance was also slightly better on the S II. While neither camera would impress by today's standards, the S II held a slight edge.

Performance

The Galaxy S II's Exynos 4210 dual-core processor provided a significant performance advantage over the Arc S's single-core Scorpion processor. Apps launched faster, multitasking was smoother, and the overall user experience felt more responsive on the S II. The Snapdragon chipset in the Arc S was decent for its time, but couldn't compete.

Battery Life

The Galaxy S II's 1650mAh battery offered an endurance rating of 40 hours, significantly outperforming the Arc S's battery life (estimated around 20-25 hours based on reviews). This was a crucial advantage for users who needed their phones to last through a full day of use.

Buying Guide

The Xperia Arc S might appeal to collectors or those seeking a minimalist, compact Android experience. However, for most users, the Samsung Galaxy S II offers a significantly better value proposition, even considering its age. It's a great choice for retro gaming or experiencing early Android.