Note: We may earn commissions (at no cost to you) if you buy through links on our site. Learn more.
Samsung Galaxy S4 Active
Samsung Galaxy S4 Active
Samsung Galaxy S4 Active
Samsung Galaxy S4 Active
Samsung Galaxy S4 Active
Samsung Galaxy S4 Active
Samsung Galaxy S4 Active
Samsung Galaxy S4 Active
Samsung Galaxy S4 Active
Samsung Galaxy S4 Active
...


8.4/10
Informr score
The Samsung Galaxy S4 Active currently has an Informr score of 8.4 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 24 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

What's good

  • Water resistant up to 1 meter for 30 minutes
  • Dust resistant
  • Fast and smooth overall performance
  • Underwater camera mode
  • Excellent bright light legibility

What's bad

  • Slippery grip
  • Not especially durable against drops
  • LCD display suffers from washed out colors

Like the name suggests, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active is designed with the active outdoor users in mind. As with the Sony Xperia Z, the S4 Active is IP67 certified, which means that it is water-resistant up to 1 meter for up to 30 minutes and also dust resistant. Tech Hive tests back up the water-resistant claim, though they go on to mention that micro-USB flap port felt flimsy and "seems like it'd be way too easy to damage through regular use."

To complement the water-resistant feature, the S4 Active has made one notable design change. Instead of the standard navigation buttons on the touch screen, Samsung opted for physical buttons. Critics explain the design choice by noting that physical buttons work better than capacitive buttons when wet. In addition, most critics enjoyed the tactical feedback from pressing the buttons. Android Central states that they had "just enough click to them, as well as just the right amount of texture."

Besides the buttons, the S4 Active has also added a new Aqua camera mode. As the name suggests, Aqua mode is for underwater picture taking. When active, the shutter controls move to the volume rocker and users can choose whether they want to take pictures or videos. While most reviewers enjoyed the mode, they also noticed two main drawbacks: lack of auto focus and poor screen visibility underwater. CNET felt that these issues lead to quite a bit of guesswork and "hit or miss" image quality.

Specs-wise, the S4 Active packs many of the same features as the Samsung Galaxy S4. It comes with a 1.9GHz quad-core process, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of onboard storage. Its smooth performance scrolling between pages as well as playing graphically intensive games impressed reviewers. T3 calls the phone a power-house.

Unlike the Galaxy S4, the S4 Active sports a 5", 1080 LCD display. When reviewers directly compared the two phones, they noticed that colors on the S4 active were not nearly as vibrant and had a magenta cast on the panel. Still, Engadget states that the screen still offers excellent viewing angles, crisp text and good bright light legibility.

Despite the Active in its name most reviewers discovered that the phone itself isn't much more rugged than other top smartphones. The plastic finish made it difficult for many to get a good grip on the device, making drops more likely. Unfortunately, most realized its not made to withstand drops. While the top and bottom edges of the phone are rubberized, Trusted Review warns that it will not soak up an impact, though they go on to say that it will help avoid light scratches.

Regardless of its actual durability, consensus amoung critics is that the Samsung Galaxy Active 4 is a solid phone with an interesting design. Android Central concludes, "the Samsung Galaxy S4 is a fun, robust Android smartphone."


Android
Operating system
Operating system
Android
1.9 GHz
Processor
Processor
1.9 GHz
5"
Screen Size
Screen Size
5"
8+ MP
Camera
Camera
8+ MP
2600 mAh
Battery


What the Critics Are Saying...


PCWorld
PCWorld

If Indiana Jones used a smartphone, this would probably be it.

- Armando Rodriguez, PCWorld
TechRadar
TechRadar

The Samsung Galaxy S4 Active finds itself a little in no mans land, and it's a difficult one for us to recommend outright. If you're in the market for a super powerful smartphone which you can take on extreme activities, swimming and in the bath then sure the Galaxy S4 Active is the best around...

- John McCann, TechRadar
The Inquirer
The Inquirer

The Samsung Galaxy S4 Active is one of the best smartphones made by Samsung in recent years, offering users all the key strengths of the Galaxy S4, but coming with a beefed-up, more robust design. As with all Samsung phones, the addition of Touchwiz is a mixed affair, with the skin in general detrac...

- Alastair Stevenson, The Inquirer
Daily Mobile
Daily Mobile

While the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active isn't as rugged as I would like it to be it is more durable than most Samsung devices and you gotta love that. It's pretty darn close (spec wise) to the regular Galaxy S4 and unless you really need the 13mp camera I'd be hard pressed not to recommend this device ov...

- Kevin Everett, Daily Mobile
Pocket Gamer
Pocket Gamer

The Galaxy S4 Active combines the world-beating tech of the standard S4 with a water and dustproof case design, making it the must-have Android mobile of the moment.

- Damien McFerran, Pocket Gamer


Prices (Where to Buy)




Common Questions



Samsung backs up the Galaxy S4 Active with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.


If your Galaxy S4 Active has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact Samsung support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find Samsung's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.




Resources


Manuals / User Guides Helpful Links Share / Embed

Maybe one of your friends will find this review helpful? Please help us spread the word.


Quick view

Screen Size
5"

The Samsung Galaxy S4 Active's screen size is 5 inches with 1080 x 1920 pixels resolution.

Processor
1.9 GHz

There is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 APQ8064T Quad core 1.9 GHz processor (CPU).

OS

The phone runs on the Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean (Update Available: 5.0 Lollipop) operating system (OS).

Camera
8+ MP

You can take photos with the phone's onboard 8+ MP camera.

There is also a secondary front facing camera with 2+ megapixels resolution.

Storage
16 GB

Internal memory is 16 GB. An external, MicroSD, MicroSDHC (up to 64 GB) expansion slot is available for increased storage capacity.

Battery
2600mAh

The phone is powered by a Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion), 2600 mAh battery. Samsung's performance ratings are 1020 minutes, 600 minutes Wi-Fi surfing.

Galaxy S4 Active Specs

Overview
Release Date June 15, 2013
Regions Available USA, United Kingdom
Operating System Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean (Update Available: 5.0 Lollipop)

Compare Android Smartphones

Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 APQ8064T Quad core 1.9 GHz
Internal Storage 16 GB
RAM 2 GB
Hearing Aid Compatible Yes
TTY/TDD Yes
Noise Cancellation Yes
SAR Head: 0.607 W/kg
Body: 1.219 W/kg
Manufacturer Warranty 1 Year
Accessories Included AC Charger, Manual, Standard Battery
Cellular
Networks
GPRS, EDGE, HSUPA, HSPA+, LTE
Mobile / Cellular Data
4G/LTE
Push-to-talk (PTT) No
Wi-Fi Calling Unknown
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) Yes
SIM card size
Micro-SIM
variations
Dual SIM No
Connectivity
USB Micro-USB 2.0
USB OTG Support No
GPS Type A-GPS
Infrared Yes
Bluetooth 4.0
Bluetooth Profiles A2DP
Bluetooth Audio Codecs SBC, aptX
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
Mobile Hotspot Yes
Memory Expansion Slot Yes
Expansion Slot Info MicroSD, MicroSDHC (up to 64 GB)
NFC Yes
Data Tethering Compatibility Yes
Camera
Main Camera
Resolution / Aperture
8+ Megapixels
Zoom
4x digital
Flash
Yes (LED)
Additional Rear Camera Info
Auto focus, Geotagging, Multi-shot, Night mode, Panorama, Drama shot, Voice activation, Aqua mode, HDR
Video Recording Formats
3GP / 3GPP, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4, WMV, DivX
Video Recording Parameters
Front Camera
Resolution / Aperture
2+ Megapixels
Additional Front Camera Info
No
Video Recording Parameters
Display / Screen
Type Color
Technology LCD (TFT)
Colors 16.7 million
Resolution 1080 x 1920 pixels
Pixel Density 443 pixels
Size 5 inches
Secondary Display No
Sensors Ambient Light, Proximity, Motion / Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Digital Compass
Multi-Touch Yes
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Additional Display Features Capacitive touch screen, Glove Touch
Power & Battery
Battery Type Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion)
Battery Capacity 2600 mAh
Removable Battery Yes
Wireless Charging No
Fast Charging No
Video Playback Time Up to 600 minutes
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Up to 600 minutes
Internet Use (Cellular) Up to 540 minutes
Talk Time Up to 1020 minutes
Standby Time Up to 13.3 days
Mixed Usage
Physical Characteristics
Design Type Bar
Material Plastic
Colors Urban Grey, Dive Blue, Orange Flare
Dimensions [H x W x D] 14 x 7.1 x 0.9 cm (5.5 x 2.8 x 0.4 in)
Weight 151 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof Unknown
Rugged design Yes
IP Rating No
Headset Jack 3.5mm
External Speakers Yes
Input / Navigation
Sleep / Wake Key No
Home Key Yes
Input / Keyboard Type Touchscreen
Navigation Type Touchscreen
External Volume Control Yes
Fingerprint Sensor No
More
Additional Information Messaging: SMS, MMS, Google Talk
Multi-Use Smart Phone / PDA: Yes
Graphics: Yes
Backlit Illumination: Yes
Zoom / Magnification: Yes
Screen Orientation Lock: Yes
Predictive Text Entry: Yes
Voice Commands: Yes
Keypad/Screen Lock: Yes
Multiple Numbers Per Contact: Email address, Other fields
Contact Groups: Yes
Voice Activated Dialing: Yes
Photo Caller ID: Yes
Web Browser: Yes
Email Client: Yes
Email Protocols: POP3, IMAP, SMTP, Microsoft Exchange
PC Synchronization: Yes
TV Out Info: HDMI
DLNA Support: Yes
Audio Formats: AAC, AAC+, AMR-NB, AMR-WB, eAAC+, MIDI, MP3, OGG, WMA, WAV
Video Playback Formats: 3GP / 3GPP, DivX, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4, WMV
Streaming Video: Yes
Custom Ringtones: Yes
Vibration Alert: Yes
Downloadable Ringtones: Yes
Ringer ID: Yes
Speakerphone: Yes
Haptic Feedback: Yes
Data Tethering: Yes
Mobile Hotspot: Yes
Viewable document types: XLS, PPT, PPTX, DOC, DOCX, PDF
Games: Downloadable
Apps: Downloadable, Pre-installed
Included Software / Apps: -
Calendar, World Clock, Alarm, Stop Watch, Timer, Calculator, Maps, NotePad, Voice Memos / Recorder

Other Names (AKA): Samsung SGH-I537
Related Links Manual (PDF)
Samsung Galaxy S4 Active Reviews
Where to buy Samsung Galaxy S4 Active
Suggest a correction