Samsung galaxy s4 mini original from fake. How to distinguish a fake Samsung Galaxy s4 from an original smartphone

Previously, scammers only counterfeited the Galaxy S series and Galaxy Note. In 2018, counterfeits of any series appeared, including A and J.

What is the difference between an original device and a fake?

Quality of components

Original smartphones and tablets are made from components highest quality. Samsung installs the best components at the time of their release on its flagship devices: displays, processors, cameras, memory modules and other parts. Most of them - own developments companies. Thereby Samsung devices annually receive many awards and high customer ratings.

Counterfeits are made from outdated and cheap parts. As a result, copies of flagship devices perform worse than the originals budget devices Samsung.

Quality and safety software

Samsung thoroughly tests the software for its devices, first with its own testing department and then with the help of Google- creator of Android. Thanks to this, smartphones and tablets work quickly and can be used on them without fear. mobile banks, add cards to payment services and store personal photos. Samsung continues to take care of software updates on its devices even after they are released: it releases new firmware and security updates.

Fraudsters do not worry about the quality of the software - as long as the device turns on. No one is stopping them from installing spyware or phishing software on the fake, which will steal photos, contacts, bank card details, passwords and other data. Counterfeits do not pass any certification. No one updates them or monitors the security of the software.

Branded services and functionality

Original devices have branded services, many of which have no analogues. For example, Samsung Pay, which allows you to link to a smartphone bank card and pay for purchases through almost any terminals.

None on fakes branded service won't work.

Availability of guarantee

All original Samsung devices have a guarantee: manufacturing defects will be corrected free of charge.

There is no guarantee for a fake: it will not be replaced or repaired, even if it breaks the next day after purchase.

Where do they sell fakes?

Mostly, fakes are sold secondhand and on free classifieds websites.

Selling by hand

Near the metro, train station, large store A person comes up to you and offers to buy a smartphone or tablet at a clearly reduced price, explaining the discount by an urgent need for money. Usually there is even a receipt and a warranty card. The seller is in a hurry, constantly talks to you, does not allow you to concentrate and examine the device properly. He can tell you that all his money and documents were stolen, his children are waiting for him, and he is late for his plane. In general, he makes every effort to make you feel needy or awkward and give you money faster.

Selling on free classifieds sites

You find an advertisement on the website with a very low price. The price is often explained by the fact that the device was given as a gift, but you already have a smartphone or tablet. Over the phone they can say that there is already a buyer or they come up with another legend that will encourage a purchase. Questions are answered in general phrases or evasively. They are found near the metro, shopping or business centers, and almost never give the addresses of residential buildings. When meeting, they are in a hurry. After the sale, the number is disconnected or blacklisted.

The photo below shows a typical scam ad.

1. average price such a smartphone at the time of viewing this ad is 45,000 rubles. Thanks to such a low price, the ad received almost 400 views in a few hours.

2. You can already see from the photo that this is a fake - there are no such inscriptions on the original smartphone.

3. Seemingly logical motive. You immediately get the feeling that you have won the lottery and you need to take it as soon as possible.

Another ad, almost a carbon copy. And there are hundreds of them.

Sales in stores

Of course, counterfeits are sold in both regular and online stores.

The photo below shows one of these online stores.

At the time of writing this article, the Galaxy Note 9 had not even been announced, and scammers were already selling it.

How to recognize and not buy a fake

Counterfeits are made in different Chinese and Taiwanese factories, so they are all different from each other. There are no guaranteed features that can be used to visually distinguish a fake from an original device: some fakes may differ in body elements, others in the display, and others in the way the inscriptions are applied. The main difference is in the filling, which is difficult for an unprepared person to appreciate. You need to know well how the original device works: understand the versions and manufacturers of processors, screens, shells, benchmarks, etc.

That's why, the only way distinguish a fake from the original - visual inspection devices by a competent specialist. For example, this could be an engineer at a company service center.

There are comments where users demand some kind of service or protection that is guaranteed not to be bypassed. Such protection cannot be done: on this moment there are no such technologies. I would also like to remind you that everything is successfully counterfeited, no matter what the protection: money, documents, medicines, cars, spare parts, jewelry, smartphones, tablets, headphones, clothes, shoes, watches, software. Even the products are counterfeited.

However, despite all the difficulties with counterfeits, there are some tips that can help you when buying.

Pay attention to the quality of translation of menu items

On original devices, the translation is done efficiently, without errors, inscriptions are only in English and Russian.

On fake devices ah, Chinese characters may be used in menu items, the translation itself may be conspicuous, and phrases may look illogical. For example, on the lock screen there may be an inscription: “Drag to unlock.”

How to distinguish the original Galaxy S4 from a fake

Samsung still clings to its place at the top among smartphone manufacturers, which is causing a huge influx of counterfeit devices that copy the most popular models smartphones. And too often these consumer goods are produced in China. The Galaxy S3 and Galaxy S4 have now become the most popular for cloning. But how can you tell them apart, if a few years ago the fakes only copied the original in appearance, but today they can even surpass them in capabilities?

Therefore, we are faced with a problem - how to avoid purchasing a clone or simply a fake Android smartphone when buying a smartphone? What steps can you take to make sure you don't become the next victim of a scam involving popular smartphones, such as the Galaxy S4, or rather its fake? IN Lately Complaints have just become frequent that what they got into their hands was not an original Samsung smartphone, but an exact fake.

Similar smartphones usually sold online and most often on eBay. The photos can easily indicate the original smartphone, but upon closer inspection it turns out to be a clone. Buying so-called Chinese phones is generally not a bad idea, if it is not a scam.

Therefore, it is worth initially preparing and knowing a number of certain details that need to be checked before finally making sure that you are ready to buy an original smartphone and not a fake. In this article we will use the Galaxy S4 as an example, but all the features can be used with almost any other smartphone from another brand. We'll start with the most obvious.

Physical differences

A Galaxy S4 clone may look like the real Galaxy S4, but it's unlikely to look identical in every way. So if you have the opportunity to physically examine it (or even just see it in a photograph), then you should study its physical parameters.

Original Galaxy S4 has a 5-inch touchscreen, which doesn't have a big frame around it. Clones (as shown in the photo) often have large space between the display and the actual edge of the smartphone, which is a sure sign that the display is either smaller than it is supposed to be or is not as compact as the original created by Samsung engineers.

To others important point is the placement of hardware buttons, like those located directly below the screen. The original Galaxy S4 has a chrome-plated piece of plastic in the shape of the Home button and it is located right in the middle of the space below the display. Clones often have a Home button just slightly below the screen and sometimes the button even has a different appearance.

In addition, clones often do not have capacitive touch buttons on the sides of the Home button. They have either been replaced with on-screen buttons or need to be pressed in the same way as physical buttons. Otherwise, you should pay attention to appearance logo, the size and color of the built-in LED flash, the smoothness and overall feel of the smartphone's surface, and the weight of the smartphone.

Once you have checked all of the above, you can turn your attention to studying the smartphone software.

Software Accuracy

In case you still cannot identify a fake by examining the device's hardware data, you still have a chance by checking the pre-installed software. If you allegedly have a Galaxy S4 in your hands, then the pre-loaded firmware version should be Android 4.2.2 and the TouchWiz interface, since nothing else can be on a Samsung smartphone. But how can you determine the version of installed software? Of course, in the Settings menu.

However, this is not always reliable. Above you see a screenshot of a smartphone running Android 4.2.2. But the software doesn't really look like Jelly Bean. It actually runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread, as evidenced by the build number on the same settings screen.

Of course, this should make you think, since a smartphone cannot run on one version of the operating system and present it as more new version. You can easily find screenshots of the original on the Internet Android firmware 4.2.2 and check whether the firmware on the smartphone you are purchasing matches what it should be.

If we talk about the software that should be pre-installed, then the Galaxy S4 will definitely have exclusive software features. No other smartphone will have this. It's impossible for any clone to get the same package of options that the Galaxy S4 has. So if you get your hands on just such a fake, you won’t find features that are exclusive to Samsung.

Final Thoughts

Buying an Android smartphone such as Samsung Galaxy S4 should be very simple in reality. You look for a smartphone, you see a smartphone, you pay for a smartphone and you get a smartphone. But this will constantly be hampered by counterfeits, which have filled the market everywhere.

Will we ever be able to get rid of the so-called clones and fakes? Hard to say. Difference between original devices and counterfeits are becoming more invisible with each new generation. But it should always be possible to avoid buying a fake if you want to find an original smartphone.

Finally, we remind you that you should always be wary of buying a smartphone that is sold at a noticeably lower price than its current market value. But some of the most unscrupulous sellers can even sell a fake at the price of the original, which is an absolute evil.

Do you have any tips for identifying fake Samsung (or any other brand) Android smartphones? Share your secrets in the comments.

Samsung is still clinging to its place at the top among smartphone manufacturers, which is causing a huge influx of counterfeit devices that copy the most popular smartphone models. And too often these consumer goods are produced in China. The Galaxy S3 and Galaxy S4 have now become the most popular for cloning. But how can you tell them apart, if a few years ago the fakes only copied the original in appearance, but today they can even surpass them in capabilities?

Therefore, we are faced with a problem - how to avoid purchasing a clone or simply a fake Android smartphone when buying a smartphone? What steps can you take to ensure that you are not the latest victim of a scam involving popular smartphones such as the Galaxy S4, or more specifically, a counterfeit one? Recently, complaints have become frequent that it is not an original Samsung smartphone that has fallen into their hands, but an exact fake.

Such smartphones are usually sold online and most often on eBay. The photos can easily indicate the original smartphone, but upon closer inspection it turns out to be a clone. Buying so-called Chinese phones is generally not a bad idea, if it is not a scam.

Therefore, it is worth initially preparing and knowing a number of certain details that need to be checked before finally making sure that you are ready to buy an original smartphone and not a fake. In this article we will use the Galaxy S4 as an example, but all the features can be used with almost any other smartphone from another brand. We'll start with the most obvious.

Physical differences

A Galaxy S4 clone may look like the real Galaxy S4, but it's unlikely to look identical in every way. So if you have the opportunity to physically examine it (or even just see it in a photograph), then you should study its physical parameters.

The original Galaxy S4 had a 5-inch touchscreen display that didn't have a large bezel around it. Clones (as shown in the photo) often have a large space between the display and the actual edge of the smartphone, which is a sure sign that the display is either smaller than it is supposed to be or is not as compact as the original created by Samsung engineers.

Another important point is the placement of the hardware buttons, like those located directly below the screen. The original Galaxy S4 has a chrome-plated piece of plastic in the shape of the Home button and it is located right in the middle of the space below the display. Clones often have a Home button just slightly below the screen and sometimes the button even has a different appearance.

In addition, clones often do not have capacitive touch buttons on the sides of the Home button. They've either been replaced with on-screen buttons or need to be pressed just like physical buttons. Otherwise, you should pay attention to the appearance of the logo, the size and color of the built-in LED flash, the smoothness and overall feel of the surface of the smartphone, and the weight of the smartphone.

Once you have checked all of the above, you can turn your attention to studying the smartphone software.

Software Accuracy

In case you still cannot identify a fake by examining the device's hardware data, you still have a chance by checking the pre-installed software. If you allegedly have a Galaxy S4 in your hands, then the pre-loaded firmware version should be Android 4.2.2 and the TouchWiz interface, since nothing else can be on a Samsung smartphone. But how can you determine the version of installed software? Of course, in the Settings menu.

However, this is not always reliable. Above you see a screenshot of a smartphone running Android 4.2.2. But the software doesn't actually look like Jelly Bean. It actually runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread, as evidenced by the build number on the same settings screen.

Of course, this should make you think, since a smartphone cannot run on one version of the operating system and present it as a newer version. You can easily find screenshots of the original Android 4.2.2 firmware on the Internet and check whether the firmware on the smartphone you are purchasing matches what it should be.

If we talk about the software that should be pre-installed, then the Galaxy S4 will definitely have exclusive software features. No other smartphone will have this. It's impossible for any clone to get the same package of options that the Galaxy S4 has. So if you get your hands on just such a fake, you won’t find features that are exclusive to Samsung.

Final Thoughts

Buying an Android smartphone like the Samsung Galaxy S4 should be very simple in reality. You look for a smartphone, you see a smartphone, you pay for a smartphone and you get a smartphone. But this will constantly be hampered by counterfeits, which have filled the market everywhere.

Will we ever be able to get rid of the so-called clones and fakes? Hard to say. The differences between original devices and counterfeits are becoming more and more subtle with each new generation. But it should always be possible to avoid buying a fake if you want to find an original smartphone.

Finally, we remind you that you should always be wary of buying a smartphone that is sold at a noticeably lower price than its current market value. But some of the most unscrupulous sellers can even sell a fake at the price of the original, which is an absolute evil.

Do you have any tips for identifying fake Samsung (or any other brand) Android smartphones? Share your secrets in the comments.

Today we will answer a very important question: How to find out if Samsung Galaxy is original? Many consumers want to save money by buying devices on various ad sites, where it is very deceiving to an unknowing person. If you are buying from official retailers, then this problem should not worry you as they sell 100% original gadgets.

Due to the current economic situation in Russia and neighboring countries, people are forced to look for more profitable offer. Not suspecting that you can be deceived, you buy a smartphone 2 or even 3 times cheaper than the average retail price and only after a while you realize that you bought a fake.

So how to distinguish original Samsung Galaxy from fake? There are several ways that you will now learn about. Choose the one that is most convenient for you and use it when purchasing a smartphone or tablet from the Samsung brand.

1. Check using the service code

This is the simplest and quick way checking any Galaxy smartphone for originality. Each company device has a proprietary menu that is launched using a secret code.

2. Check by IMEI

Checking by IMEI number is not very good reliable way determine whether the device is original, but in many cases it really helps. The determination procedure is also not very complicated, it consists of only two steps:

First you need to find out the number IMEI phone. To do this, enter in the dialer service code*#06# and in a moment you will see it on the screen. It is also on the box from the device and we recommend checking them at the same time (the numbers must match).

Now go to the Samsung website and enter the IMEI. It's worth noting that here you won't check the device if it's older than the Samsung Galaxy S7. For example, I entered the number of my Galaxy Note 4 and the system reported an error. In this case, use the services of another service - IMEI.info. Enter the same number and press the “Check” button to check. You should see information about the device if it is original.

Keep in mind that particularly advanced scammers can “steal” the real IMEI from a genuine gadget Samsung and replace it in Chinese copy. However, this happens very rarely and the third method will help you make sure whether Galaxy fake or the original device.

3. Study the characteristics of the desired smartphone or tablet

If you research in advance specifications desired smartphone or tablet, this will help distinguish the original from the fake. The fact is that copies have significantly better specifications, so it won’t be too difficult to see the difference.

Ask the seller to test the device in popular benchmarks such as Antutu, Geekbench and GFXBench, and then send you screenshots. Most likely, he will refuse to do this, which is a good confirmation that the device is not original. We also recommend installing the AIDA64 program on your phone, which displays full list characteristics.

Copies, for example, use other screens, processors, memory, flash drives, and cameras.

4. Determine by touch

It is very easy to distinguish the original from the fake by picking up the device, if, of course, you have such an opportunity. Before purchasing, you should definitely go to the store and hold a real Samsung gadget in your hands so that you have an idea of ​​the materials from which it is made.

The next time you get your hands on a copy of it, you will immediately notice the difference. Because of Bad quality materials used and less capacious battery at Chinese fake you will feel the difference in weight. The original will probably be heavier and better built.

Now you know all the popular ways to check a Samsung smartphone for originality. If you still have any questions, feel free to write them below.