While the Samsung Galaxy S III isn't set to hit shelves in the U.S. until sometime in June, the international version of the device will be available in Europe on May 29. Samsung recently let a handful of critics spend some time with the non-U.S. version of the phone, and the reviews have already hit the web.

When the Galaxy S III debuted in London on May 3, Samsung announced that the device would run on Android 4.0 (aka Ice Cream Sandwich) and that it would come equipped with a 4.8-inch Super AMOLED display, a quad-core processor, an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera and either 16GB or 32GB storage. Some special features include the Siri-like S Voice, NFC capabilities, motion detection and more.

Check out the slideshow (below) for reviews of the Galaxy S III that will go on sale in Europe next week. (Americans can buy this unlocked version for themselves via Amazon for $799.) Reviews of the U.S. version will hit the web when we're closer to the official U.S. release date, but these early looks at the S III should give us a fairly good idea of what to expect when we finally see this superphone stateside.

For more tantalizing S III tidbits, take a look at the device's coolest features and see how it compares to the HTC One X, the iPhone 4S and other top-shelf smartphones.

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  • The Verge's Vlad Savov

    While <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2012/5/25/3042640/samsung-galaxy-s-iii-review" target="_hplink">The Verge's Vlad Savov</a> isn't a big fan of how the Galaxy S III's thin and light plastic body was made to look like metal, he does think it feels well-built and "gentler and easier in the hand." Overall, Savov feels that many aspects of the device <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2012/5/25/3042640/samsung-galaxy-s-iii-review" target="_hplink">were done right</a>, including its 8-megapixel camera and its quad-core processor. However, <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2012/5/25/3042640/samsung-galaxy-s-iii-review" target="_hplink">according to Savov</a>, Samsung's slow Android software updates may be the phone's biggest downfall.

  • Engadget's Sharif Sakr

    <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/25/samsung-galaxy-s-iii-review/" target="_hplink">For Engadget's Sharif Sakr</a>, the best thing about Samsung's Galaxy S III is that it's "more than the sum of its parts." Like Savov, Sakr wasn't in love with <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/25/samsung-galaxy-s-iii-review/" target="_hplink">the phone's appearance</a>, but he did praise its strong build, its 4.8-inch AMOLED display and its speedy camera, which is helped along by the phone's quad-core processor. Sakr barely mentioned the iPhone 4S, but he did often compare the S III to HTC's One X, which, <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/25/samsung-galaxy-s-iii-review/" target="_hplink">according to him</a>, is a better buy than the Galaxy S III.

  • CNET UK's Luke Westaway and Natasha Lomas

    Like the other reviewers, <a href="http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/mobile-phones/samsung-galaxy-s3-review-50006020/?tag=mncol;txt" target="_hplink">CNET UK's Luke Westaway and Natasha Lomas</a> found the Samsung Galaxy S III's 4.8-inch AMOLED screen and quad-core processor to be a few of the device's main strengths. In addition, <a href="http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/mobile-phones/samsung-galaxy-s3-review-50006020/?tag=mncol;txt" target="_hplink">the pair agreed with others</a> that the phone's strong build was a plus, but its "dated" plastic body and design may be a minus. Overall, the phone was picked as an "Editors' Choice" and was even named the "Ferrari of Android phones" <a href="http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19736_7-57441059-251/cnet-uks-samsung-galaxy-s-iii-review-ferrari-of-android/" target="_hplink">by Lomas</a>; however, <a href="http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/mobile-phones/samsung-galaxy-s3-review-50006020/?tag=mncol;txt" target="_hplink">according to the reviewers</a>, interested buyers should watch out for its high price and its confusing TouchWiz interface.

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