Hands on: AT&T's Samsung Galaxy S II

By JR Raphael (@jr_raphael)

Talk about good timing: I just finished spending a week with Sprint's Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch, and what arrives on my doorstep? Why, it's AT&T's version of the very same phone.

At a glance, AT&T's Samsung Galaxy S II looks pretty similar to Sprint's edition. The most noticeable difference is its size: AT&T stuck with the 4.3-inch screen used in Samsung's international GSII model, while Sprint expanded to a 4.5-inch display. AT&T's phone has a smaller overall profile as a result.

The body designs are slightly different, too, with AT&T's device being a bit more squared off than Sprint's. You can see the contrast along the edges, where AT&T's Galaxy S II is less rounded, and also on the back of the phone, where AT&T's rear panel is shorter and flatter than Sprint's rendition. Even the area around the camera is squared off on AT&T's phone and rounded on Sprint's.

That aside, the two devices' specs are about the same. The software is roughly comparable, too, though AT&T has added on its own set of Android bloatware. The carrier has also configured the home screens somewhat differently by default, though that can obviously be changed.

 

AT&T's Galaxy S II officially launches next Sunday, October 2. I'll be spending some time getting to know the device over the next several days; check back next week for more detailed thoughts about its performance and how it compares to Sprint's Galaxy S II model.

UPDATE: AT&T's Samsung Galaxy S II: The verdict is in 

And if you haven't yet had a chance to check out my in-depth review of Sprint's Galaxy S II phone, you can find it here:

One week with Samsung's Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch

JR Raphael writes about smartphones and other tasty technology. You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, or Google+.

Article copyright 2011 JR Raphael. All rights reserved.