Samsung M520 Cell Phone Review - Tour & Design
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Alfredo Padilla Published on April 07, 2008 Comment on this |
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Summary
The Samsung M520 is a fairly plain slider that looks smaller than it actually is. The slim design belies a width and height that is larger than other phones we've seen. Although it's not ugly, it's also not particularly attractive, and we have concerns about the durability. We also wish that the Samsung M520 shipped with a better selection of accessories.
Front Closed
Open
Left
Top
Bottom
Right
Back
Battery Out
In the Box (3.0)
The Samsung M520 doesn't ship with a very impressive set of accessories. In addition to the manuals and charger that you expect from any phone the M520 includes an adaptor for a 2.5mm headset and a 64MB Micro SD card.
Handling (5.0)
The Samsung M520 is a little wide, so those with smaller hands might find it doesn't fit easily in their palms. The plastic construction is also fairly slick, so you can probably expect to drop the M520 more than you'd like. It is a light phone at only 2.72 ounces, meaning you won't have trouble holding it up to your head to talk, and even when open if feels like a small device. We did find it a little annoying that you'll have to press your thumb against the shiny front to open the phone up, inevitably leaving behind finger prints. We would have liked to see some elements on the device to make it less slick, like perhaps a soft touch finish for the back, but aside from this the Samsung M520 is reasonably comfortable to use.
Portability (6.0)
At 4.01 x 2.04 x 0.5 inches and weighing in at at the aforementioned 2.72 ounces the Samsung M520 is a very portable device. It is a bit wider and taller than some small phones, for example the Sony Ericsson W580i or Samsung SLM, but its slim profile should mean that it will fit comfortably into most pants pockets or bags. Our only concern is that the increased width and height might mean that you'll notice it more in your pocket, especially if you're wearing tight pants.
Aesthetics (6.0)
If you like shiny and silver you'll like the Samsung M520. Although not the most creative design we've ever seen the reflective front and toned down silver stylings are certainly not unattractive. We think it's nicer to look at than the Nokia 6555 or Sony Ericsson W580i, although it's not as "cute" as the latter. Overall it's just above average in the looks department, not too flashy but with some style.
Durability (3.0)
The Samsung M520's all plastic construction, large stretches of reflective plastic and slider design all give us concern on the durability front. The plastic is likely to get scratched and moving parts are bound to wear out. Although it feels better put together than the infamous Samsung Beat slider, it has the same flaw in that when open all kinds of junk can get into the back of the phone. We wouldn't bet on this phone lasting for two years of hard use.
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