Samsung Galaxy S4 Active Review Round-Up: What Are the Critics Saying?

Smartphones can carryout out a wide array of functions with very little effort from the user. However, they weren't designed to withstand external pressure—that's why Samsung's Galaxy S4 series has proved to be favorable among critics.

Galasy S4 Active

Unlike its biggest rival, Apple's iPhone, the Galaxy flagship product was quick to adapt to the demands of the market. Recently, the company released a new version of its Galaxy S4, the Galaxy S4 Active, a rugged version of its predecessor that trades sleek looks for better resistance.

According to Hot Hardware, what's really great about the new Galaxy S4 Active (despite being understandably thicker and heavier) is that the smartphone can't be broken even when dropped from great heights. In addition, the phone is also resistant to water, a feature that has long been requested by consumers.

Aside from that, the phone's internal structure was praised by Android Central. The mobile tech website said that the S4 Active has a wide array of features that open new possibilities to its users.

"Air view can detect your hands at a distance. A front-mounted IR blaster and TV app allow the phone to serve as a viewing companion. The video player tracks your eyes. The web browser scrolls with a tilt of your head," noted Alex Dobie of Android Central. "Add to that more new software features than you can shake a very large stick at -- including everything from the Galaxy S3 -- and you'll see why the S4 could be the most feature-laden smartphone out there," she continued.

Galaxy S4

According to Forbes' review, the thing that makes the Galaxy S4 stand out above the rest is its gaming platform. Forbes said that the hardware and structure of the phone allows developers to get creative and craft immersive games.

"Two gigabytes of memory, the full HD screen, a generous and accessible 2600 mAh battery, and a strong CPU/GPU configuration (either the Exynos 5 Octa CPU paired with the PowerVR SGX 544 GPU, or a Snapdragon 600 CPU with an Adreno 320. I've been reviewing the latter) are the sort of specs that can make gaming really work on the handset," said Forbes' tech contributor Ewan Spence.