Performance
The Galaxy S4 was always going to win on pure performance statistics too, with the quad-core 1.9GHz CPU and 2GB RAM blitzing past the 1.7GHz dual-core and 1.5GB RAM found within the S4 Mini.
In general usage though, the Galaxy S4 Mini doesn't appear to suffer. We found that whilst swiping between home screens, both handsets performed well. Opening the same apps gave little difference in loading times.
Web browsing was also equally quick, and both handsets come with LTE variants so mobile browsing speeds should be the same.
Power users planning on downloading a lot of graphically-heavy games will find that the extra grunt behind the Galaxy S4 will prove invaluable, as the dual-core did suffer a little. The inclusion of Android 4.3 also makes the S4 OpenGL:ES 3.0 compatible.
Storage
With that massive screen to play with, you'd hope that the Galaxy S4 would come with sufficient storage to allow you to play all those HD movies. Thankfully Samsung has you covered, offering the Galaxy S4 in 16, 32 and 64GB models.
These all eclipse the 8GB memory found inside the Galaxy S4 Mini.
Samsung does also allow the storage to be boosted by up to 64GB of microSD space in both, which means the S4 has a top end of 128GB capacity, with the Mini topping out at 72GB.
It's worth remembering that both phones have a decent amount of space taken up by the OS, so in reality you're getting just under 9GB of space from the S4 (16GB) and only 5GB of usable storage from the S4 Mini out of the box .
Those just looking to store a few albums to listen to on the morning commute will find that the Galaxy S4 Mini is more than sufficient - but be warned that both may start to show warning messages if you download loads of apps (with the Mini hitting the barrier more quickly in our tests).
Price
Price will also be a massive player in which one you choose. Those looking for a full-on flagship will need to pay higher-end prices, with the Galaxy S4 being seen SIM free for under £300 in some places.
The Galaxy S4 Mini works out about a fair bit cheaper, ranging from £250-£380 SIM free.
Both handsets offer a decent trade off in specs and price, with the Galaxy S4 Mini offering a lot of features of the S4 at a more wallet friendly price.
With that in mind, the larger Full HD screen, the upgraded quad-core processor and the additional storage have to be worth it for you to justify the premium.
Extras
Is there anything else that you get for your money with the Galaxy S4 then? Both handsets come with Dropbox, offering 50GB of added space. Group Play is also available on both S4 variants, allowing easy streaming of content in your own little Samsung network.
The biggest app that is missing off of the Galaxy S4 Mini is S Health. This is an app designed to help you keep to your New Year's resolutions and keep track of your fitness. It does this by keeping track of your work outs, as well as keeping track of your daily calorie intake.
- Did you know that the Galaxy Gear is now compatible with both the Galaxy S4 and S4 Mini?
The Galaxy S4 also come with the innovative Air View and Air gestures features, allowing users to control the S4 without laying their fingers on the screen. We're particularly fond of Air View as it allows you to see expanded content, commenting it is a 'godsend' in the calendar app.
The Galaxy S4 Mini does come with one extra over that was strangely omitted from its bigger brother. Samsung saw fit to exclude an FM radio app for the Galaxy S4, but thankfully has included it on the S4 Mini. This will help boost the smaller storage, as users won't have to rely upon saved tunes or data allowances to get an aural fix.
Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy S4 and Galaxy S4 Mini are both very accomplished devices, each packing in a raft of features that make buying one a pleasurable experience.
To be clear, if you're put looking for a flagship handset, the Galaxy S4 Mini will always disappoint. The smaller and lower resolution screen will invariably prove to be a issue, especially if you are planning on watching a large amount of videos or love constantly browsing the internet.
Add in a better quad core processor, more storage and a strong camera, and you can see why the S4 is the flagship device, but this is reflected in the price.
With a lower cost the Galaxy S4 is a viable alternative for those that don't plan on watching a lot of videos or playing graphically intensive games, but would rather own a device competent in sending messages and playing Angry Birds on the morning commute.
But both devices are excellent - so if it's simply a case of working out which phone fits best in your hand, and either option should give more than enough reason to not make you regret the purchase.
