Asus recently took the wraps of its smartphone-in-a-tablet hybrid device - the Padfone 2. Samsung, on the other hand, launched its best-selling Galaxy S3 in May this year.

Both the devices are improved follow-ups to previous offerings from the two companies i.e. Padfone and the Galaxy S2, which have tested the waters in the past. However, Samsung is the current smartphone market leader, whereas Asus is yet to break into the top five and establish a stronger presence.

Here's a look at the specifications of the Padfone 2 and the Galaxy s3.

Processor

The Galaxy S3 features a powerful 1.4GHz quad-core Exynos processor. The Padfone 2 packs in a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core Krait processor, which is clocked at a slightly faster 1.5GHz.

Display

The Galaxy S3 features a 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED display, which is marginally bigger than the Asus offering's 4.7-inch Super IPS+ display. Both smartphones have the same pixels resolution of 1280 x 720. However, the Padfone 2 betters the Galaxy S3 with its higher pixel density of 312 pixels per inch (ppi), as opposed to the Samsung device's 306 ppi.

Weight, Thickness, and Body

The Padfone 2 measures 5.43 x 2.71 x 0.35 inches, making it taller than the Galaxy S3 which measures 5.38 x 2.78 x 0.35 inches. Both devices have the same thickness; however, the Galaxy S3 is fractionally wider. Weight wise, at 4.69 ounces, the Galaxy S3 is a little lighter than the 4.76 ounces of the Padfone 2.

Storage and Memory

Both the smartphones offer 16/32/64 GB of on-board storage options. However, the Galaxy S3 has an expandable memory option (of up to 64GB) via a microSD card, unlike the Padfone 2.

However, at 2GB of RAM, the Padfone 2 offers double the memory of the Galaxy S3 (1GB of RAM).

Software

Both the Padfone 2 and the Galaxy S3 come pre-loaded with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS). However, Samsung has started to push out the Jelly Bean update for the Galaxy S3 in many countries, and Asus too is expected to eventually upgrade the Padfone 2 to the lates OS.

Battery

A 2100mAh battery powers the Galaxy S3, when compared to 2140mAh battery the Padfone 2 packs in. The Galaxy S3 and Padfone 2 support 10.8 hours and 16 hours of talk time on 3G, respectively.

Camera

The Padfone 2 trumps the Galaxy S3 with its whopping 13-megapixel rear-facing camera, compared to the Samsung smartphone's 8-megapixel snapper. However, the Galaxy S3 has a better front-facing camera with 1.9 megapixels, compared to the Padfone 2's 1.2-megapixel one.

Availability and Colors

The Padfone 2 will be available in black and white, whereas the Galaxy S3 is available in a wide variety of colors: red, gray, black, pink, white, and brown. However, some of the colors are market specific. The Padfone 2 will likely be priced between $620 to $750 (off contract), depending on the model, and is expected to hit the shelves in December.