Samsung M520 Cell Phone Review - Intro
The Samsung M520 is a slim professional looking handset from Sprint that provides solid functionality in a reasonably attractive form factor. We liked the handset's easy to use keypad and controls and the fairly responsive interface. The M520 does have its drawbacks, however, like the poor quality photos it takes and the terrible web browser. On the plus side you get solid music playback time, albeit only mediocre talk and web browsing times. Tamping down the enthusiasm on the music side is Sprint's music software, which is slow to load and lacking in features. At the price, $49.99 with a two-year contract and after rebate, the M520 is a good choice for those who want a budget phone that only has a few compromises.
| Section |
The Good |
The Bad |
| Tour & Design |
Understated good looks |
Plasticky and a big gap in the back when open |
| Audio Quality |
Solid audio quality for sound sent and received |
Side tone is low, meaning you'll be talking louder than you should |
| Imaging |
Color quality is decent, we had to stretch for this one |
Terrible camera resolution |
| Making/Receiving Calls |
Fast dialing |
You can't use your own ring tones |
| Messaging |
Fast time to SMS and smiley faces! |
No true email client |
| Organizer |
Fast data entry once you learn the keypad shortcuts |
This organizer won't replace a PDA |
| Multimedia |
Sprint music store is reasonably priced |
Slow software without a lot of features |
| Software |
Fairly responsive interface with nice keypad shortcuts |
Terrible web browser |
| Battery Life |
Excellent music playback time |
Less than impressive talk and web browsing times |
| Connectivity |
EVDO for fast data and solid Bluetooth implementation |
No Wi-Fi and CDMA handsets are a poor choice for international travellers |
| Hardware |
Excellent keypad for typing out messages |
Small, low resolution display |
| Other Features |
Can be used as a modem and has GPS functionality |
Your stuck with Sprint's software for GPS navigation |
| Value & Comparisons |
Reasonably priced at $49.99 |
You can find phones with better camera and software at similar prices |
