With the GS4, Gigaset introduced another smartphone at the end of October that is available in the price range around 200 euros (current: € 298.94 *) and advertises with the prestigious “Made in Germany” label. Just like the company’s last smartphones, the GS4 is manufactured in Bocholt in North Rhine-Westphalia – even though the individual components are still likely to come mainly from the Far East.
This is true, for example, of the SoC used in the phone: the Mediatek Helio P70. This fits well into the targeted price range, as do the 4 Gigabyte RAM, the display with 2,340 to 1,080 pixels and the three rear cameras. In addition, Gigaset is giving the smartphone support for wireless charging, which is rarely found in this price class.
Our following test will show whether the combination chosen by Gigaset is sufficient for the GS4 to hold its own in the smartphone market, and where the strengths and weaknesses of the device lie.
Specifications
| Operating system: | Android 10 |
| Display: | 2340 x 1080 pixels, 6.3″, 450 cd/m² |
| Camera (back): | Main camera: 16 MP F1.8 wide angle: 5 MP F2.2 macro: 2 MP F2.4 |
| Camera (front): | 13 MP |
| Interfaces: | USB-C 2.0, 3.5mm jack, WLAN 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, ANT+ |
| Sensors: | acceleration sensor, proximity sensor, gyroscope, light sensor, compass, fingerprint sensor |
| SoC: | Mediatek Helio P70 |
| CPU: | 4x 2.10 GHZ Cortex-A73 + 4x 2.00 GHz Cortex A-53 |
| GPU: | Mali-G72 MP3 |
| RAM: | 4 GB |
| Memory: | 64 GB |
| Battery: | 4,300 mAh, wireless charging |
| Dimensions: | 157 x 75 x 9.8 mm |
| Weight: | 206 g |
| Inserts: | 2x Nano-SIM + 1x microSD |
| Price: | € 298.94 * |
Scope of delivery
Gigaset’s scope of delivery is limited to the usual: In addition to the smartphone itself, the company also includes a USB charger (5V 2A), a matching USB-C cable with a length of just under a meter, a manual and an opening key for the SIM or microSD compartment.
Workmanship & design
Gigaset does not conduct any major experiments during setup: The display covers almost the entire front of the GS4, there is only a small notch for the front camera. Above it, as usual, is the loudspeaker. The power button and the volume rocker are on the right, the access compartment for the SIM and microSD cards is on the left, and Gigaset has placed the jack, the USB-C port and the microphone on the bottom.
The GS4 is available in black and white, and the chosen color is noticeable on the back: The glass that covers the entire back is tinted throughout in the chosen color. Gigaset uses rose gold accents for both versions: The power button and the border of the fingerprint sensor are colored accordingly. In addition, the company has placed the company logo and a “Made in Germany” lettering on the back.
We found the almost completely continuous glass back particularly striking: Gigaset has placed all three cameras completely underneath it, with cut-outs only for the fingerprint sensor and the flash LED. Fortunately, both components are flush with the back, so there are no protruding elements.
Visually, we like the Gigaset GS4 very much: the black and gold color scheme looks very classy, and the smartphone sits well in the hand despite its thickness of 9.8 mm. We were also impressed by the quality of workmanship: the individual parts of the case are stable and optically flawlessly connected, the materials chosen are pleasant to the touch, and neither the case nor the display give way under pressure – very good.
Software, power & battery life
Gigaset ships the GS4 with a pure Android 10: Apart from the mandatory pre-installed Google apps, there are no annoying applications that are not used in the end anyway – we think that’s good. The absence of bloatware also leaves a lot of memory free: A good 55 GB is available ex works. More memory is optionally available via the microSD slot.
Also with regard to the unlock functions, i.e. fingerprint sensor and face recognition, the smartphone does a good job. Regardless of the method chosen, we were recognized quickly and reliably.
The Mediatek Helio P70 built into the Gigaset GS4 doesn’t deliver top performance, but in our opinion it’s perfectly adequate for everyday use: apps open without delay and entries are always reliably accepted. If you don’t use elaborate 3D apps or games, you’re unlikely to encounter any limits in terms of performance.
| Geekbench 5 SingleCore: | 298 |
| Geekbench 5 MultiCore: | 1,461 |
| Geekbench 5 OpenCL: | 1,278 |
| 3DMark Slingshot Extreme: | 1.381 |
| 3DMark Slingshot: | 1,869 |
| 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited: | 22,131 |
| PCMark Work Performance: | 10.800 |
We can also report positive results in terms of battery life: In the PCMark Work Battery, the smartphone lasts between 7:45h and 14:30h, depending on screen brightness – that should be more than enough for everyday use. According to Gigaset, the GS4’s battery should also be easy to replace, but a corresponding manual has unfortunately not yet been published.
Display, camera & multimedia
So far, the Gigaset GS4 has convinced us, and the company doesn’t afford to make any major mistakes when it comes to multimedia functions. Core functions such as the loudspeakers, the jack plug and the microphone are well implemented and definitely suitable for everyday use. But as always, you can’t expect any miracles from the built-in speakers.
The GS4’s display is also successful in our eyes: The brightness can be adjusted over a wide range and is on par with other smartphones in the price range. As long as you’re not standing in the sun at the height of summer, the brightness should be sufficient.
In our subjective opinion, the smartphone is also convincing in terms of color quality: the color tones are clear and strong, and the white tone set ex works has no significant color cast compared to a color-calibrated monitor.
In our eyes, the GS4 has to take a back seat when it comes to the camera: The pictures are sufficient for snapshots, and we liked the color scheme especially with selfies, but if you dream of a career as an influencer, or hope for more than just quick souvenir photos, you’ll probably be happier here with the competition. But the camera app still gives you a lot of options: Time-lapse and slow-motion shots as well as the 96-MP mode are nice gadgets.
Conclusion
With the GS4, Gigaset has succeeded in creating a good smartphone that can be placed for the called price of 230 € (currently: € 298.94 *). Important key points such as the display, the battery life, the sound quality and the workmanship are well implemented in our eyes. The smartphone has no really big weaknesses.
The most obvious of these is the camera, which produces quickly fused images when there is a lack of light. And the dimensions of the smartphone may also be a little too bulky for some users. Away from that, the GS4 can convince us. In addition, the model has a number of unique selling points that (in its price range) are rarely found. We like the clean Android as well as the possibility to use two SIM cards and a microSD card at the same time. The wireless charging might be additionally important for one or the other user.
If you are looking for a smartphone in the price range of the GS4, you should take a closer look at the device. If you like the special functions, or at least don’t mind the dimensions and the expandable camera quality, you are probably well advised to buy the GS4.
Gigaset GS4
Workmanship
Hardware
Multimedia
Performance
Battery
Value for money
85/100
A successful smartphone with interesting accents.
