Galaxy SIII, Should I Take It? Or Go with Something Else?

An Ad Displayed in one of Indonesia's Popular Online Store

Well, the wait is finally over. Samsung finally releases the most anticipated beast of the year: the Samsung Galaxy SIII. This phone, has a pack of key features, as well as innovations (I'd take the word 'innovation' as addition of new features never before seen in other SERIES, not BRAND). What are the key specs? Find out after the break.

Galaxy SIII Key Features:

1. 4.8-inch Super AMOLED HD (Sharpest and best mobile display so far)
2. 1.5GHz Quad-Core Processor (Only a handful of phones have this)
3. Instant Burst (Up to 8 consecutive shots, they say)
4. Smart Stay (The screen will stay on, as long as you stare at it. The front camera is doing the job)
5. S-Voice (Something like Apple's SIRI. Would be nice to see a bit of competition :p)
6. Instant Call (Highlight a contact, and put the handset on your ear. It'll call the contact)
7. etc.

Those features really seem to be the best specs around, and not even HTC's One X can surpass it. However, all those features don't come cheap. In Singapore, its costs 998$ for a non-contract purchase and here, it costs Rp6,999,000.00. It's cheaper here but still, it's one heck of a premium phone. I personally think the design isn't as good as its predecessors. I prefer SGSII and the original SGS, which I'm still rocking until now. They say that it copies Apple's design... but heck, at least it's a clean design. The trolls might hate me for this but what's wrong with a competition? They might steal from each other but that's what makes consumer happy, right? In the end, consumer would get the cheapest, and the best phone available made by those who want to survive in this industry. If we keep locking and preventing other companies, it would turn into a monopoly sooner or later, and us consumers would feel the aftermath. That's my opinion, anyway...

Some Alternatives I Have in Mind:

Okay, so I've been thinking of replacing my old Galaxy S. It's still good, don't worry... but I promise that I'll give my little sister a phone soon, and I think Galaxy S still has some value, even at this point (that Super AMOLED screen, is one of them). I already save up some cash, but still need a few months to cover everything. In here, I have a list of things that I might pick up during the D-Day (No iPhone, it's still too expensive. Don't get me wrong, I love my iPad... but a phone at 7,000,000++ is beyond ridiculous...

The Galaxy Note

The Galaxy Note is a good alternative. Its price would certainly crumble like an unstable skyscraper when the SGSIII is released. What I like the from the phone is it's 'classic' in design, with a stylus. Sure, it's a Dual-Core phone... but it's unique. It has 1GB RAM, and 2MP front shooter, and 8MP back, along with Super AMOLED HD in 1280x800. And I'm fully aware that the size won't make me comfortable but hey, everything has weaknesses, right?

This would be my strongest candidate... should SGSIII won't drop its price. I might take another phone if something better comes up with a reasonable price, though...

Sony's New Primadona

The second choice falls to Sony's Xperia S. Again, this phone has a truly unique design, with a transparent block of glass on its bottom (they're soft keys and will shine if pressed upon). It should be sharper than the Note, due to the smaller screen at the same resolution, enhanced with Bravia (Sony's HDTV Lineup) Engine. 

The first thing that attracts me is that it has the best camera around: 12MP front shooter with Exmor-R sensor, which is claimed to bring the best photos in the dark. The other is 2 free NFC tags. They're pretty innovative, since you can use the tags to start the GPS navigation in your car, start a program, light up music, etc. Indeed, one unique and unorthodox innovation. Oh, by the way... It's equipped with 1.5GHz Dual-Core processor... but does 0.1GHz frequency matter?

HTC's Latest Monster

The last candidate would be the direct competitor of the newest Galaxy, the HTC One X. One X's strongest point is that it's powered with Nvidia's Tegra 3 1.5GHz quad-core chipset, added with an extra core for extra battery life. Another is Beats Audio, although no Beats included just like the Sensation XE. 

The downside however, is the price itself that's almost 400,000 less than the SIII. I don't think it would change... until SIII starts chasing One X's price down. Oh, and again... despite HTC's superior build quality and top-notch Sense UI, it's pretty difficult to find its service center here in Indonesia. At least, in Surabaya...

Well, I guess that's all. I still have a few months to reconsider... but I guess those three phones are my best bet. What do you think? Do you have any other suggestions?