How to check if a Samsung phone is new. How to check the authenticity of a Samsung Galaxy Watch: differences between the original and the copy? Differences between phone control keys

Alexander Grishin

The more popular a brand is, the more counterfeits appear on the market. It is this problem that accompanies Samsung smartphones, of which more and more low-quality copies appear every day. Of course, not everyone knows how to check a Samsung phone for originality, which is why the demand for fakes is quite high.

The best option to distinguish an original from a fake by appearance is to go to an official store and hold a phone in your hands, for example, a Samsung Galaxy, delve a little into its functionality and talk with a consultant. If after this you come across a fake, you will immediately understand it, since copies are made from lower quality material and they have batteries of lower capacity, which makes the fake phone lighter.

In addition, you can check the authenticity of your phone in the following ways:

Go to the official website to check the IMEI of the device - the serial number indicated on the box and in the warranty card. If there are discrepancies, you most likely have a fake.
You can check your phone using the built-in functionality. To do this, you need to dial the code *#7353# (this command was specially developed by Samsung engineers) and if after entering it the smartphone menu opens, then you have an original device in your hands.
The second useful command is *#1234#. Using it displays various information about the phone and its hardware, which is enough to compare with the data on the box and on the website to understand whether you really have an original Samsung.
Study the characteristics of the model you are interested in on the official Samsung website. Copies and originals have different fillings and, as a result, different specifications. If there is even a minimal discrepancy between the characteristics and functionality of the phone on the official website and in your hands, you have come across a fake.
Watch video reviews from bloggers on the phone you are interested in.
Pay attention to the screen - the brand's original phones are famous for their high-quality images, and a fake is unlikely to show the same result.
The original phone turns on easily and quickly, and the first thing when booting up is the Samsung logo on the screen, but nothing else.
Use benchmark apps such as Antutu, GFXBench or Geekbench. They analyze all phone systems and display detailed information on the screen, so if a fake is detected, it will be immediately known.

By remembering these methods, you can quickly and easily check the quality of the device you are interested in in any situation.

Samsung is a very popular brand, so it is counterfeited in huge quantities. Sometimes a fake is visually almost indistinguishable from the original. In this case, it would seem, why even know how to check the authenticity of a phone? The phone works - and it works well. And yet, you can get certain bonuses from the official manufacturer and distributor.

Only original Samsung phones are serviced at service centers free of charge under warranty, so you should definitely check the model if it was purchased from an unofficial representative.

Visual inspection

Before you buy a phone, you need to go to the official Samsung website and see what a particular model should look like. The catalog will always contain all the necessary information: weight, dimensions, color palette, availability of different inputs and outputs. And in the photo it’s worth looking at what stickers and logos should be on the new phone.

Even better than the Samsung website, amateur video reviews will help with this, because they usually begin with unpacking the phone you just bought. This way you can see the packaging, which is important, because it is better to use original branded chargers for any device.

It is clear that the new Samsung smartphone cannot be sold in a simple cardboard box or even in a plastic case.

The packaging of the phone is not only about the “candy” wrapping, it is also about the safety of transporting the device. In addition, the necessary device codes will be duplicated on the box, which will be needed when applying for warranty service - equipment will only be accepted for it in the original packaging.

First start

If we are not talking about buying a completely new phone, but rather a used or new, but unpacked device, then you should definitely try to turn it on. The Samsung logo should appear first on the screen, but not any other. Platform logo - Android. The same label appears on the screen of only one device - the iPhone, which is entirely created by Apple. Samsung uses the Android platform without any shell, so the absence of the name of this brand on the box or in the information in the settings of the phone itself is a 100% indicator that you are holding a fake.

No modern smartphone or even a push-button mobile phone turns on by pressing the power button for twenty seconds or even pressing several keys at once.

Any difficulties with turning on, a stuck and incredibly inconveniently located ON/OFF button indicates that the device is fake.

And in this case, convenience is not a subjective concept. Many people work not only on iPhones, but on any top models from leading brands, improving the comfort and usability of the device.

Localization

You can see which languages a particular phone supports on the Samsung website, and the firmware versions released differ for different countries. Any typos or errors, even on the packaging alone, should alert you, not to mention the fact that the original device, when turned on, will not prompt the user to “crawl to turn it on.”

This may sound funny, but on the Internet there are many screenshots of the screens of fake smartphones that “communicate” with their owners in broken Russian. Each country must have its own localization and firmware; moreover, for example, a Xiaomi phone is not an international or localized version, and it is not always possible to reflash it in the official service.

Serial number IMEI

The most famous and at the same time the most unreliable way to understand whether a Samsung smartphone is original is the serial number of the device, which should be indicated on the box and in the warranty card. Why isn't it considered a good option? Firstly, it is difficult to recognize and register a real serial number on a fake, but it is quite possible. And secondly, on the Samsung website the system does not show information about models older than Samsung galaxy 7.

Nevertheless, The IMEI code will still help determine the reliability of information about the device, which is given on the screen or even known only from the words of the seller. If the information on the site does not coincide with the realities of the phone in your hands, then someone here is definitely lying and you shouldn’t buy an iPhone after a Samsung from this seller.

Authentication Applications

Using special applications is a great idea, but it can only be implemented at home. To do this, you will need a smartphone, one of the benchmark applications and information from the official Samsung website.

For automation of restaurants, bars and cafes, the POS Sector automation program is an excellent solution.

The most famous authentication program is Antutu. It analyzes the indicators and system status of the device and displays detailed data on the screen. If any numbers do not match what the manufacturer stated for this model, then, unfortunately, this means that the phone is fake. Other popular benchmark apps are GFXBench and Geekbench.

Processor and device performance indicators can be shown by CPU-Z. And GPS Test will accordingly help determine the condition of the GPS sensor, which very often is not present at all in fake phones.

But the phone itself, on which no third-party programs have yet been installed, can do something. There are several simple commands that you can run on Android to get comprehensive information about the device. Especially notable among them is *#7353#, because the Android platform itself does not initially have it. This command is entered directly by Samsung engineers, so if you can call up the smartphone menu in this way, then it is the original. This number does not work on another platform; for example, you cannot check an iPhone this way, because Apple developers do not install this.

Another useful command, almost equivalent to checking by IMEI code, is *#1234#. It displays a lot of information on the screen, including model, release date, build number and much more. These data must match those indicated on the box and in the instructions for the phone, with the information on the website and, of course, with the words of the seller. Because if a smartphone in all respects is a Samsung original, but for some reason a person is lying about some characteristics, then you should give up this dubious idea and contact an official distributor that provides all guarantees.

Some useful tips on how to check the authenticity of the Samsung Galaxy S7. Suitable for Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 Plus, Galaxy S7 Edge, as well as other top-end smartphones from the company.

Some methods of authenticating the Samsung Galaxy S7 work in any conditions, even if you buy a smartphone remotely on the Internet, while others only work when you have the opportunity to touch the handset with your own hands. Of course, no one will give a 100% guarantee that you will buy the original, but you can definitely identify most of the fakes, especially low quality ones.

Checking the characteristics

The first and most important parameter by which you can check the authenticity of the Samsung Galaxy S7 is the processor. All original Galaxy S7 are made either on the basis of their own (8 cores) or (4 cores). All options on other chipsets (for example, Mtk) and with a different number of cores are exclusively fakes.

The amount of RAM is also a good way to check the authenticity of the Samsung Galaxy S7. It should be exactly 4 Gb - no more and no less. At the moment, there is not a single option for developing countries with less memory, and not a single “premium” option with more.

Support for 4G LTE networks must be available. The screen resolution is QHD (1440 x 2560 pixels).

In general, if you have the opportunity to hold the device in your hands, then to check the authenticity of the Samsung Galaxy S7 it will be useful for you to install a simple and convenient utility for analyzing the hardware of the device CPU-Z.

Price

An important parameter if you are interested in how to check the authenticity of the Samsung Galaxy S7. Even if you buy a used device second-hand or order it from another country on the Internet, it cannot cost 10,000 rubles. No way. Unless you buy a non-working “brick” for spare parts. Even if the cost is 50% of the market price, then you should think carefully.

“Gray” carrier options that have been subjected to the unlocking procedure usually cost approximately 75-80% of the market price of the Samsung Galaxy S7. Model numbers in these cases have the suffixes A, T, V, etc. (cm. ).

Samsung service menu

If you have the opportunity to hold the device in your hands, launch the “Phone” application and enter a special combination there to open the Samsung service menu: *#7353#. This combination is not standard for the Android OS and, as a rule, it is not available in fakes.

When buying a new smartphone, users have many questions about its use, operation, warranty, as well as information about IMEI (the device code that makes your device unique to operators). How can you get such information?

What is it?

Each smartphone has its own unique, special IMEI code, which is the International Mobile Equipment Identifier. This code is used to ensure that the cellular network operator can separately identify each smartphone that is on the network. Such a code is entered into the device during its factory production and, naturally, cannot be changed during its use. Regardless of the manufacturer, the IMEI code format is the same for all smartphones. Today's popular devices from the manufacturer Samsung are no exception.

What does this code mean?

Deciphering IMEI numbers is not such a difficult task. The first six numbers of the code inform the user about the encoding according to the international Type Approval Code classifier for a specific gadget model, where the first two digits determine the code of the country of origin. The next two numeric characters will tell you in which country the final assembly of the smartphone was made (this is the code of the state of the final assembly). The next six digits are the serial number of the gadget, which is unique, and the last character determines the backup number of the smartphone. Why does a Samsung phone user need to check IMEI?

Establishing this information can help verify the originality of your potential smartphone, as well as find out whether it is stolen if you are buying a device that has already been used.

Are the guarantees clear?

Users often ask the following question: is it possible to check the IMEI of a Samsung Galaxy for sure, without errors? Of course, along with technological progress, the skills of fraudsters will also improve. In this regard, it should be noted that checking IMEI does not provide a 100% guarantee of the originality of the smartphone, because there are craftsmen who can easily fake it.

How to check the authenticity of Samsung IMEI? To be sure to identify traces of such work, you need to involve a specialist in inspecting the device. This is explained simply. If you have never seen the original, it will be very difficult for you to identify the differences. To get detailed information about your device, you must enter its IMEI on the official Samsung website. You can find out using the methods written below, but with some reservations. So, you have the opportunity to check the IMEI of Samsung Galaxy S7 and later devices. Older devices cannot be studied using this method. In this case, you can use another service, namely IMEI.info.

How to do this?

Many Samsung smartphone users are interested in how to check the IMEI on their device. The easiest way to find out this information is to type the following combination on your smartphone keyboard: *#06#, then press the call button. After typing this command, the requested information and a 15-digit code, which acts as the above identifier, will be displayed on the device screen.

In addition, you can check the IMEI on Samsung smartphones in other ways. The identifying code must be printed in the warranty card (issued obligatory when you purchase a new phone), on the box of the gadget (which is issued upon purchase complete with a package of all attached documents) near the factory label, which also has a special barcode.

How to check Samsung phone by IMEI?

In addition to the above, you can also look at the manufacturer's label under the battery (if it is removable on your smartphone model) or look at the battery itself (if it is built into the phone in your model). This place should contain this information. But if your phone has been repaired, for example, the main board of the device has been replaced, or its case has been changed, then the IMEI on the box or on the factory label may not match the code that is displayed on the screen when you enter the above combination.

There is another way for Samsung smartphones to check IMEI. It is not much more complicated than the previous ones, but the problem is that not every smartphone model can view it in the proposed way. It all depends on your modification and series of the device.

What needs to be done in order to check Samsung IMEI in another way? Everything is very simple: take your smartphone, go to the “Menu” on it, look for and select the “Settings” item there, then find and load the “About device” submenu. After completing these simple steps to view the IMEI on the screen, you should select the “Status” submenu item, where not only information about the smartphone ID will be indicated, but also information about the status of your SIM card.

Checking for originality

The need to find out your IMEI may also be related to the need to find out whether the smartphone is original. It's no secret that today unknown Chinese manufacturers are massively counterfeiting devices from popular brands, including Samsung. How to find out the truth about your gadget?

Today there is an online service provided by International Numbering Plans. To do such a check, you are required to visit the website of this organization and enter the IMEI of your smartphone in the appropriate form. This will allow you to get several points of information at once. You will be able to find out information about the model and modification of your device, its manufacturer and the market in which it was released (Asia, Europe or America). If your device is not original, you can see it literally in one click.

This time we will talk about how to distinguish the original Samsung Galaxy S7 from a fake. First of all, this material is addressed to those who want to buy a “seven” cheaper on the Internet or in person. However, sometimes counterfeits are found even in reputable (at first glance) retail outlets.

Note that the question of how to check the authenticity of the Galaxy S7 will not worry you at all if you buy a smartphone in Samsung branded stores, or from the company’s official trading partners, which include large chains of consumer electronics stores and cellular phone stores. There is also minimal risk when buying a Samsung Galaxy S7 from mobile operators, unless, of course, we are talking about small regional companies that sometimes “sin” by selling “gray” handsets.

However, taking into account the current difficult economic situation in Russia and many countries of the former USSR, many will be pushing to buy the Samsung Galaxy S7 as cheaply as possible, and here the question of how to distinguish the original Galaxy S7 from a fake “rises to its full extent.”

Ideally, if you can feel the device in your hands, for example, during delivery by courier. The original Galaxy S7 measures 142.5 x 69.5 x 7.9 mm, and with the camera lens, which protrudes slightly above the back cover, the thickness will be 8.7 mm. Many fakes are made in violation of the dimensions of the original, although to evaluate it you need to have a ruler.

Don't worry - take the original!

Where are fake Galaxy S7s sold?

On the Internet in small online stores with a dubious reputation, on large online trading platforms (eBay, AliExpress, AliBaba, etc.), on social networks, in markets, small shops and kiosks that are not related to networks, from hand to hand various online auctions or advertisements.

Of course, this is where you can buy a real Samsung Galaxy S7 at a lower price than from official representatives. However, the risk of purchasing a counterfeit increases, as well as colliding with unlocked carrier models, for which the software update process is very difficult (occurs through the operator’s services, not Samsung). You can also purchase a regional version that does not have normal Russification or does not have it at all, and also does not support local frequencies of 4G operators.

In the last two cases, although you purchase the original Galaxy S7, you automatically lose any warranty: operator models, as a rule, are serviced only through the operator's service, and regional models, at best, will be sent for repairs to the country of original destination.

Note that the lower the price of the Samsung Galaxy S7, the higher the likelihood that this is a fake. No one will sell the original for 1/3 of the cost, even used, unless we are talking about a partially broken or not working device at all.

What shouldn't the original Galaxy S7 have?

One of the easiest ways to distinguish the original Samsung Galaxy S7 from a fake is by checking the functionality and characteristics. First of all, what should not happen:

Built-in TV and special antenna. This is a sure sign of a purely Chinese smartphone (a feature of the local market), but even the Chinese Galaxy S7 SM-G9300 does not have one.
Processors other than Exynos 8890 (8 cores) and Snapdragon 820 (4 cores). The latter is used only for Chinese and American versions. If there is, say, a chipset from Mediatek or an older Snapdragon 810 inside, you are guaranteed to have a fake. Samsung does not use such solutions.
No stylus. In original Samsung smartphones - only in the Galaxy Note line.
Older Android 5.x and especially Android 4.x.
Color different from the original set. The exception is special limited editions, which usually cost much more than the standard version.
Lack of MicroSD slot.
The built-in memory capacity is 16 Gb and even less.
Modified firmware on “pure” Android or with any other shell other than Samsung TouchWiz Nature UX (aka Samsung Vibrant UX).
Activated root mode.

The last two points, however, are possible when purchasing used and unlocked models, but the seller must warn in advance about such modifications.

Check by IMEI

This check is not a complete guarantee against counterfeiting, as representatives of Samsung itself say, but it is worth carrying out. For Galaxy S7 there are two verification options:

Open the Phone application and dial *#06# on the keyboard. The IMEI value should appear on the screen.
On the box under the barcode (there is also a serial number).

Service code

Another way to check the authenticity of the Samsung Galaxy S7 is to have a special proprietary service code *#7353#. Called in the same way through the “Phone” application. It may, however, be absent on the “left” firmware.

Benchmarks and other utilities

If you have the opportunity to touch the device “live”, then you can distinguish the original Samsung Galaxy S7 from a fake by installing benchmarks (AnTuTu, Geekbench) and utilities (CPU-Z) that provide information about the hardware. Firstly, you can find out the characteristics of the hardware, and secondly, check the performance and compare with