Flagship smartphones are getting bigger with every release cycle, but not everyone wants a big screen and associated pocket bulk. The Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini is a suitable compromise, but a compromise nonetheless. This is a midrange phone through and through, though compared with the limited options for small-screen lovers, it's actually a pretty solid choice on Sprint for $49.99 with a two-year contract.

We've already reviewed the Galaxy S4 Mini on Verizon($299.99 at Amazon), so head over to that review for a full run down on its features and design. The Sprint S4 Mini is physically identical, so we'll focus on carrier specific differences for this review.

Network and Call Quality

The S4 Mini connects to Sprint's CDMA (800/1900MHz) and tri-band Spark LTE (800/1900/2500MHz) networks. That means slow 3G data, but some of the fastest 4G LTE speeds where Sprint's new Spark network is available. We've seen as high as 34Mbps down when connected to Spark, and the S4 Mini was able to pull down over 20Mbps in a few locations. More typical speeds hovered around 12-15Mbps down and 6Mbps up, which is still solid 4G speed.

Note: The slideshow below is of the Verizon S4 Mini, which is physically identical to the Sprint model.

I tested call quality in New York City in an area with good Sprint coverage. Like its Verizon counterpart, the Sprint S4 Mini is great for voice calls. Earpiece volume gets nice and loud, while voices sound full and easy to understand. Transmissions through the mic are clean, though noise cancellation still let some more disruptive street noise through. Oddly enough, the S4 Mini is one of the few Sprint phones that supports Wi-Fi calling. This isn't like T-Mobile's implementation, though, as you still need to be in range of Sprint's networks to place a call. Calls sounded better over Wi-Fi, especially in areas with limited coverage, but the network requirement negates a lot of the potential benefits. In our tests, the S4 Mini was good for a solid 11 hours, 52 minutes of continuous talk time. That beats the higher-end Sprint Moto X, which lasted for 10 hours, 11 minutes of talk time in the same test.

Bloatware and Conclusions

Of the 16GB of internal storage, 11.42GB is available to users out of the box. The bloatware load appears pretty heavy at first, but thankfully many of the apps are just links to download the app to your phone. You can't completely remove the icons, but you can hide them away and disable them so they don't sit around in your app drawer. These include apps like TripAdvisor, eBay, Messaging+, NextRadio, and CBS Sports. Sprint apps like Sprint Zone, Sprint Music Plus, Sprint TV & Movies, and the Lumen Toolbar are pre-loaded and not removable.

Samsung devices of all sizes do one thing really well: They deliver a reliably consistent experience that can be hard to find in the sea of assorted Android devices. The Galaxy S4 Mini isn't the fastest or most feature packed, but it's still a well-made midrange phone that represents a good value for those who don't know the difference between a Snapdragon 400 and Snapdragon 800 processor. It's the perfect size for those who are turned off by the ever-growing screen-sizes of flagship phones, and delivers great call quality and battery life. The big problem is that last year's flagship phones have dropped in price. For example, Sprint's currently offering the Moto X for $49.99 with a two-year contract($99.99 at Amazon), and if you can tolerate a slightly larger device, it blows the S4 Mini out of the water with its faster performance, sharper display, and clever always-on voice commands. For my money, I'd take the Moto X, but the S4 Mini is still a decent value.

Best Mobile Phone Picks

Mobile Phone Product Comparisons

Further Reading