Mini versions of flagship smartphones are all the rage, so we've put the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini up against the HTC One mini.
With both smartphones prices at around £380 on a SIM-free basis, it's down to design, build, hardware and performance to see which comes out on top. See also: HTC One mini review.
The HTC One mini is bigger, thicker and heavier than the Galaxy S4 mini. However, its aluminium design and build are far more important and give it much more premium feel than the plastic used for the Samsung. See also: Samsung Galaxy S4 mini review.
Both devices have a 4.3in screen making them easier to use than their full-size counterparts. In this battle the HTC One mini has a higher res display which is another area where it beats the Galaxy S4 mini.
The Galaxy S4 mini wields more powerful internal components and the benchmark results reflect this. However, performance from a user perspective is really no different.
It's swings and roundabouts when it comes to storage as Samsung provides 8GB with a microSD card slot while HTC offers double, minus the option for expansion. You'll have to decide which is suitable for your usage but the One mini is better value out-of-the-box.
We found both main cameras to perform well. While the One mini is more suited to low light situations, it doesn't produce the same detail in sunny conditions. Front cameras are extremely similar in quality.
Galaxy S4 mini vs HTC One connectivity
The Samsung Galaxy S4 mini makes a bit of a comeback when it comes to connectivity by retaining the NFC chip and infrared transmitter which is found on the flagship version. HTC has dropped these features on the One mini.
Android 4.2 Jelly Bean is the operating system of choice here but Samsung's TouchWiz and HTC's Sense interfaces make thing very different. With a lot of the features of the full-size S4 missing on the Galaxy S4 mini, we prefer the clean styling of the HTC One mini.
We found battery life very similar with both phones typically lasting a day but neither stretching to two. The Galaxy S4 mini has a small win here with the ability to remove its battery.
With an identical price point, this is a hard one to call. However, the HTC One mini's build quality and superior screen give it the edge over the Galaxy S4 mini. See also The 8 best smartphones: What's the best phone you can buy in 2013?
