Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini review, update: Powered by a 1 GHz dual-core Cortex-A9 processor with a NovaThor U8420 chipset, the Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini sports a 4-inch display, 1 GB RAM, Android OS, v4.2.2 (Jelly Bean), an option of a 8 GB or 16 GB internal storage (expandable up to 64 GB), and a 5 MP camera.

After its release last October 2012, this mini-me has become an affordable and more portable version of its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S3. And in spite of being in the market for more than two years, the S3 Mini still lives as a mid-range starter for many Android users.

It has a dimension of 121.6 x 63 x 9.9 mm (4.79 x 2.48 x 0.39 in) and a weight of 111.5 g (3.92 oz), making its petite chassis a smaller twin of the S3.

Meanwhile, its 4-inch Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen has a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels and a pixel density of 233 ppi. In terms of screen quality, this handset has nothing to boast about. Still, it delivers fairly bright images. However, that’s as far as it can fully deliver. Its processor can no longer handle games with heavy graphics.

Its 5 MP camera is still pretty reliable. It can still produce, clear, vibrant images like its other Samsung Galaxy siblings. It even has an LED flash and a handful of functions and shooting modes such as panorama, night mode, sports shot, and beauty face.

“First-time smartphone buyers get a lot for a little with Samsung's year-old Galaxy S3 Mini, but keep in mind that this is no high-end performer,” CNET writes.

Perfect for Android newbies or casual smartphone users, the Samsung Galaxy S3 may not be the brightest tool in the shed, but it still delivers a sound performance. And despite it being two generations behind as a smartphone model, the S3 Mini remains to have a loyal following amongst Android users, thus allowing it to get firmware updates via ROM.