Samsung Galaxy S2 ~ I9100 vs I9100G

By
Jayce Ooi
-
Last modified on

“Hi all. Samsung released both device variants (I9100 and I9100G), which are being released at the same price and provide identical product features (including Super AMOLED plus screen and 1.2 GHz dual-core processor). The difference in chipsets does not impact the overall product performance in any one variant relative to the other. Product packaging remains the same for both variants, although the device type for each model is clearly labeled in the packaging.” In short, Samsung Galaxy S II GT-I9100 is using Samsung own Exynos 4210 SoC CPU and ARM Mali-400 GPU. And GT-I9100G uses Texas Instruments OMAP4430 CPU and PowerVR SGX540 GPU.


Samsung U-nivez

This is the official statement from Samsung Malaysia. Both Samsung Galaxy S II I9100 and I9100G are selling at the same price and have identical product features. Is Samsung Malaysia telling the truth? Let’s users who have both I9100 and I9100G tell you their experiences and benchmarks…

Thanks to Lowyat members kswong7660 and lordskarn. We can have a clearer picture of I9100 vs. I9100G now. Do check their posts at Lowyat for more information.

Below are the benchmarks that I took from lordskarn. His I9100 is based on factory standard firmware Android 2.3.3 while I9100G is based on factory standard firmware Android 2.3.5. Both of the phones have lots of apps installed and running. And I added my benchmark results for comparison. Mine is running on custom firmware based on Android 2.3.5 (XXKI3).


AnTuTu Benchmark
I9100G | I9100 | I9100 (Mine)


NenaMark2
I9100G | I9100 | I9100 (Mine)


GLBenchmark 2.1
I9100G | I9100 | I9100 (Mine)


I9100 (Mine) Battery Life

Summary

I9100G

  • Doesn’t overheat easily, better battery life.
  • CPU seems to be capped at 1008 MHz.
  • Poorer 3D performance.
  • Can’t download apps / games developed for Samsung Galaxy S II I9100 in Samsung Apps / Android Market.
  • Fonts in PAPAGO! very small. Android 2.3.6 fixed it.
  • Not much custom firmware / modification

I9100

Personally, I advise to get I9100 since price is the same for both models. Samsung improved I9100 I/O, 3D performance and battery life on latest firmware. Short battery life was my main concern but it was fixed on latest firmware. I can get 1 full day normal usage with 3G data connection turned on. Besides, I9100 has lot of unofficial custom firmware, kernel, modification and tweaks. This will make I9100 an even better smartphone.

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85 COMMENTS

  1. How to root the S2 GT-i9100G? Mine come with 2.3.5, Baseband version i9100gdzki1 & Kernel 2.6.35.7 se.infra@SEI-22 #2. Thank you.

  2. Appreciate you taking the time to post this … I have a friend working in Samsung… he said that its normal that Samsung source for other alternative “chips” in order to keep their profit margin high even when the price of the phone goes down … i guess your post and the other’s benchmarking has proved it.

    =)

  3. Hey, did the users compare the phones physically before? I did today with my white s II (I9100G) and my friend’s black S II(I 9100), the first batch from maxis. The white one is noticeably lighter than the black. and the available RAM on the white is higher( 910MB to 878MB). and also the white is thinner than the black ( compare the thickest part). this is so cool. no joke. Try comparing!

  5. No, OMAP 4430 more performance than Exynos.. that why samsung latest Galaxy Nexus use Ti OMAP 4430 cpu instead of it’s stock Eyxnos samsung cpu…

    • true but upscalable to only 1 ghz and this chip is mostly for entertainment use only and suffer seriously from multitasking especially while editing document files, in other words samsung is making a shame to itself by quietly replaced the hardware for PROFIT’s sake

      • now i rooted the i9100G and oc TI Omap 4430 to 1.2ghz. the benchmark is higher than Exynos Samsung Galaxy s2. I did it with my friend’s one. And even i don’t OC it. the benchmarks is higher than 1.2 Exynos Galaxy s2 too. Also, Exynos platform compatible games is less…

        • i honestly agree but i still find the I9100 performs better for continiously multitask but the battery life was a pain n the ass

      • Er,I got two of this model, and it seems like i9100G benchmark is running better than my i9100. Same apps, same data apps running on background.
        I dont know why, but i9100G here got better. =0

    • Welcome to Internet world. Can’t stop people from copying one by one. Too many out there. Just focus to write quality article. BTW, thanks for the info. 😉

  8. Please make a correction “Can’t download apps / games developed for Samsung Galaxy S II I9100 in Samsung Apps / ANDROID MARKET” i got no problem while downloding gameloft game from android market. Reverse, I9100 got a peoblwm to download game from market especially Gameloft Games…

  9. hi,

    i am using Checkrom v5.5 with Siyah Kernel 2.0 (I9100)

    but i only get 38.5fps for my Nanomark2

    Any idea how do i improve this

    • I also got this 38 fps right after I installed NenaMark2 from Android Market. Just closed it. Rerun the benchmark again. I got 48 fps now. Look like an issue of NenaMark2. 🙂

  10. good info u’ve got there..& i’m planning to get a phone, but can’t decide on these 2:
    i) sony ericsson arc s, or
    ii) samsung galaxy s2..
    have “almost” decided on s2 till i read your article..so, what’s up with these I9100 & I9100G thingy??
    ps : pardon me for my ignorance..

  12. noob question. in the shop if seller show me the SGS2, is there any way i can check it is i9100 or i9100g? perhaps key in a few number code to display its processor? thanks in advance.

  13. i just bought new SGS2 I9100G but i’m weird why my android version 2.3.4

    Baseband : I9100GDZKH4

    Kernel : 2.6.35.7 se.infra@SEI-30 #2

    Build Num : GINGERBREAD.DZKH4 ???

    do you think i’m be cheated?

    G version but got battery problem also cannot withstand for 24hrs.. why your can stand over 24hrs can u share what your secret???.. =)

  14. I9100G capped at 1008mhz????? I got mine I9100G 1200mhz in that antutu benchmark? Lol? And my score Is higher than all these benchmarks of I9100G posted in this forum. Haha. =)

  15. I9100G
    “Fonts in PAPAGO! very small.” – SOLVED by update to Android 2.3.6 =D
    Not a big deal anymore. =)
    Better GUI looking btw. =)

  17. Hi, I just upgrade my I9100G to Android 2.3.6 but the battery life is very bad compare to 2.3.5. After upgrade to 2.3.6 with fully charge my battery life down to 25% in 6 hours without using it. Anyone face the same problem or any solution, please..thanks.

    • I noticed similar problem after upgrading to 2.3.6. The battery life however improved now after 3 cycles and I think it’ll continue to normalise although it’s not back up to where it was before.

  18. Just updated my GT-I9100G to 2.3.6
    Noticed after this update my camera shots doesn’t automatically “slide down” to bottom right folder after each shot, like it used to.

    Hopefully this update can cure my galaxy s2 only complaint of regular camera freeze with the message
    ~ warning: camera failed~
    after every few shots (which can only be corrected by an annoying fresh reboot)

  19. After updated to Android 2.3.6, I did a benchmark with Antutu and I found that, the performance is getting better, can be said as, SAME with i9100. Where the points of CPU INTERGER, CPU FLOAT POINT, 2D GRAPHICS, 3D GRAPHICS, SD CARD WRITE, SD CARD READ was higher than i9100.
    Another more, the processor seems to be not UNDERCLOCKED 1Ghz anymore, because I got it result for 1200Mhz for cpu frequency everytime I benchmark it.

    • yes, i noticed that the score at GPU section is higher than non-G version… POWER VR SGX540 is powerful than Mali-400 which using in Non G version

  20. Hi, I’m from Malaysia, currently using DG and planning to get the S2 by convert my existing plan to 1 year contract. This morning had called to their service centre and the support confirmed me that the model they supplied was non-G version, after reading all this, damm worry they will told me difference story when that time I walk into their centre later…

    • actually G version’s OMAP is better.. the POWER VR SGX540 compatible game is more since the iphone’s GPU also used Power VR SGX 535 GPU…. the one using in G version PowerVR is more performance than iphone 4.. but the most powerful phone GPU nowaday is Power VRSGX543mp2 which using in Iphone 4s and Ipad 2… And New PS VITA using Power VRSGX534MP4, meant a double performance than 4s and ipad 2…

  21. Juz got mine last 4 days ago, G model. Already update using kies to 2.3.6, recently using Viber only discover a weird problem: while talk with my friend, the voice of my friend was extremely soft, I have to turn on & off the speaker mode only can get a better voice quality. I didn’t have such problem when using S1. At first I suspect maybe was the Viber’s version, but both my S1 & S2 using the same version. Tried to uninstall and install back, still the same problem. Any ideal?

    The other thing I encountered was the Aurora livewallpaper, someone already extracted it from Galaxy Note and posted on the net, many peoples claimed that it working on S2, but it juz didn’t work out for me, suspected maybe the difference of GPU caused the problem…

  22. “Can’t download apps / games developed for Samsung Galaxy S II I9100 in Samsung Apps / Android Market.”
    Em? Doesn’t seem so? I got an i9100G and I downloaded some of the game like “ASPHALT 6” in Market. (Not Samsung Apps)
    It works like a charm and superb smooth gaming =D

    *For other who get an wrong information, please go to Market to download the Apps that can’t be download in Samsung Apps. =) Thanks.

  23. I have leave some question to u before but no see any reply.I really need ur help on about problem on my gt i9100g.. .. I get problem on firmware update n I think I have do wrong step of it.now my hp is android 2.3.6 kernel 2.6.35.7 se.infra@SEI-30#2 GINGERBREAD.DZKJ2
    but as it look like no original system n firmware.where or how can I repair n install all original system to get back all same like the 1st day I get my gs ll… plsss help I really need it..thx alot…

  24. Hi,I’m from North Africa

    and i’m going to buy the galaxy s2 through this week but I don’t know what to choose I9100 or I9100G ??

    and all the mobile shop sellers had told me that the G version has a hang issue and i really want a phone that doesn’t get heated easily ???

    so can all who have the G version advice me if they still facing problems with their mobile till now ???

    please reply as soon as possible…
    thanks

    • Hi Mina,

      Who is selling I9100 in North America. I contact to various sellers on Amazon but all are selling i9100G.

  25. Please update the information over here, the i9100G currently support Chainfire3D already =)
    And it was already proved it’s not capped at 1008Mhz.
    Another more, there’re already more people developing the custom rom/kernel for the G Variants.
    As the phone is now started to sell out at Europe country.

  26. FINALLY, EVERYONE, I9100G DARK AGE HAS ENDED, CODEWORKX HAS JUST PURCHASED THE PHONE AND HE IS DOING CYANOGENMOD FOR I9100G. GOOD NEWS.

    THERE’LL BE NO MORE DIFFERENT AFTERWARDS.
    LONG LIVE THE DEVELOPERS.

  28. Its typical when the G version role out the non G user tries to living in denial that their non G version is much better in comparison. For me personally the G version has not really unleash it true color.nobody would like to make 10 steps backward on development esspecially in a compatetive mobile phone segment its like committing a suicide. The thing is G version is on par but some claim to be better than non G. All i can see on the internet are negative reviews on the G version which eventually a copy paste on top of one to another website or even blog

  29. do you have any problems with s2 camera? i have some problems with..when i want to use the camera it come out the warning:camera failed..is it the software or hardware problems ? my software is 2.3.6 and the model phone is i9100g

  30. i already sent and they already change the camera but still problem same..and btw thank you for replying 🙂

  31. hey..i am lookign to buy SGS2 I9100 too..but at my place only 9100G variant is available..So should i go for it or should i buy another mobile like motorola atrix 2 or htc evo 3d or sony xperia S.. plz do reply thanks..

    Also how worse is the performance of 9100G as compared to 9100??too much or marginally and quite less notceable

    thanks again

    • Get yourself the latest Samsung Galaxy S III or HTC One X.

      I don’t have I9100G. So can’t comment much. But from what I heard, it is poorer and problematic.

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