Samsung announces two Galaxy Mega smartphones in 5.8 and 6.3-inch trim

Be prepared to invest in some larger pants. Samsung announced two new smartphones today, part of the company's Android lineup. Both devices bear the Galaxy Mega moniker, but one comes with a fairly generous 6.3-inch display while the other features a smaller 5.8-inch screen.

There are other differences as well. The Galaxy Mega 6.3 (yes, that's its real name) comes with a 6.3-inch TFT display with a resolution of 720 by 1280, while the Galaxy Mega 5.8 sports a 5.8-inch TFT screen with a resolution of 540 by 960. Also, the former is powered by a 1.7 GHz dual-core "AP" processor while the latter is powered by a 1.4 GHz dual-core "AP" processor.

Both feature 1.5GB of RAM and microSD card slots. The Galaxy Mega 6.3 will ship in 8GB and 16GB storage trims while its smaller brother, the Galaxy Mega 5.8, will only be available in a single version with 8GB of internal storage.

Also, the Galaxy Mega 6.3 features a large 3,200 mAh battery while the Galaxy Mega 5.8 only has a 2,600 mAh battery to keep it going. The former supports 4G LTE and Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac while the latter is restricted to the lesser HSPA+ and Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n speeds. The usual array of sensors are included.

Both the Galaxy Mega 6.3 and the Galaxy Mega 5.8 come with an 8 MP back-facing camera and a 1.9 MP front-facing shooter. The typical camera features are present, including Beauty Face, Best Photo, Best Face, Drama or Continous shot.

The Galaxy Mega 6.3 comes in at 167.6 x 88 x 8.0 mm and 199 grams and the Galaxy Mega 5.8 measures 162.6 x 82.4 x 9.0 mm and weighs 182 grams.

Both smartphones run Android 4.2 Jelly Bean alongside Samsung's usual add-ons. That means users can take advantage of Google's Gmail, Maps, Navigation, Talk or YouTube as well as Samsung's Air View, ChatON, Link, Multi Window, Pop Up Play, S Travel, S Voice or WatchON.

Samsung says that the Galaxy Mega will be available from May in Europe and Russia, with the devices to be rolled out globally in stages. Pricing is said to be market-dependent.