Samsung Galaxy S4 - One of a powerful Samsung.

Samsung's new Galaxy S4 smartphone is an excellent device from a hardware standpoint. Measuring 5 inches diagonally, the screen is slightly larger than that on its predecessor, the Galaxy S III. Yet the S4 is a tad lighter and smaller overall. The S4's display is also much sharper, at 441 pixels per inch compared with 272 on the S III. The S4 has one of the sharpest screens out there.

The Android operating system it runs is excellent, too, and in recent years the Google-made system has become a healthy competitor to Apple's iOS system for iPhones. Like most Android phones, the S4 comes with a suite of useful Google apps, including Gmail, YouTube, Google Maps and the voice assistant Google Now. Because Google lets device makers customize Android to suit their needs, Samsung and others have been adding their own distinguishing features.

When you point to an email or calendar entry with your finger, you see contents pop up in a bubble. That way, you don't have to open the entry and find the back button to return to what you were doing. Samsung has this feature on the Galaxy Note 2 phone, but that's designed for use with a stylus. On the S4, you simply hover over the entry with your finger. I wish it would work with more apps. For instance, you can use it with Android's generic email app, but you can't on the one made specifically for Gmail.

Quick Specs

•  5 Inch Super AMOLED Full HD 1080p Display
•  Exynos 5 Octa Core Processor
•  Android 4.2.2
•  LTE
•  HSPA+
•  WiFi
•  NFC
•  Bluetooth 4.0
•  16/32GB Onboard Memory
•  MicroSD Slot (Up To 64GB Support)
•  13MP Camera
•  Floating Touch
•  2600 MAh Battery