The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 debuted late last year with a faux leather backside that offered a different, and many would say much-improved, look and feel than the plasticky builds of previous Galaxy S and Galaxy Note models. Samsung included that same backside on its new Galaxy TabPRO and Galaxy NotePRO tablets that it introduced at CES this year, and now another Galaxy family member is being treated to a set of leather duds.
Samsung's Russian arm recently unveiled "Black Editions" of the Galaxy S 4 and Galaxy S 4 mini that feature the same type of faux leather back cover found on the Galaxy Note 3. Outside of the plastic-for-leather swap, these Galaxy S 4 and Galaxy S 4 mini models are the same phones that've been floating around since last year. That means that the Galaxy S 4 is packing a 5-inch 1080p display and 1.9GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor, while its shrunken counterpart packs a 4.3-inch 960x540 panel and 1.7GHz dual-core Snapdragon 400 chip.
Both the Black Edition Galaxy S 4 and Galaxy S 4 mini are said to be slated to launch in Russia next month at prices of approximately $660 and $460, respectively. One oft-cited gripe with Samsung hardware is that despite the fact that devices like the Galaxy S 4 are flagship products, their plasticky shells don't really reflect their flagship status. These Black Edition Galaxy S 4 and Galaxy S 4 mini models change that, and while not everyone is likely to love the leather that covers the rears of these two phones, I'm sure that most folks would agree that it's a major improvement over the glossy plastic that's present on the original models.
What do you think of the Black Edition Galaxy S 4 and Galaxy S 4 mini? If you've got the original model of either phone, would you trade it for its Black Edition counterpart?
Via SamMobile, Samsung Russia: Galaxy S 4 Black Edition, Galaxy S 4 mini Black Edition
