Sanyo Katana DLX Cell Phone Review - Hardware
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Alfredo Padilla Published on August 06, 2007 Comment on this |
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Keypad
Text Words Per Minute (7.82)
To test how good the keypad is for typing we time how long it takes to enter a short phrase using two hands and predictive text entry. We repeat this test five times and take the average for our score. The Katana DLX was able to complete our test phrase in an average of 24.2 seconds, which works out to 39.7 words per minute (WPM). This is an excellent score for a phone that lacks a QWERTY keyboard and at the low end of what we see from phones that have QWERTY keyboards. We found the buttons on the Katana DLX's keypad are well differentiated and the keypad as a whole was large enough that we didn't see many errors while typing quickly. We were very happy with the Katana DLX's performance on this test. One item we should note here is that by default the Katana DLX's keypad plays music tones when buttons are hit. You may enjoy this, but if you find it annoying after a while (like we did), you can easily turn it off in the settings. | Cell Phone | Words Per Minute | Score |
| Sanyo Katana DLX | 39.10 | 7.82 |
| Nokia N75 | 42.48 | 8.50 |
| Sprint Upstage | 37.50 | 7.50 |
| Motorola Krzr K1m | 28.50 | 5.70 |
| Sanyo M1 | 36.40 | 7.28 |
| LG Chocolate VX8550 | 38.49 | 7.70 |
T9 and Auto Complete (5.0)
The Katana DLX supports T9 predictive text entry but not word completion.
One Hand Usability (7.65)
For those who prefer to use one hand to type on their phone, we run our words per minute (WPM) test a second time using only a single hand. The Katana DLX took an average of 25.1 seconds to type out our sample phrase with a single hand. This works out to 38.24 WPM, an excellent one-handed score and only a bit slower than using two hands. As with our two-handed test we found the keypad comfortable to use, and we found that, unlike other phones, the Katana DLX is not uncomfortable to hold with one hand while typing. As you can see from the chart below, the Katana DLX compares very well with other phones in terms of one-handed typing.
| Cell Phone | Words Per Minute | Score |
| Sanyo Katana DLX | 38.24 | 7.65 |
| Nokia N75 | 38.10 | 7.62 |
| Sprint Upstage | 32.70 | 6.54 |
| Motorola Krzr K1m | 30.00 | 6.00 |
| Sanyo M1 | 32.20 | 6.44 |
| LG Chocolate VX8550 | 29.80 | 5.96 |
Keypad Backlighting (7.0)
The Katana DLX's keypad and controls are backlit in cool blue, except for the send and end keys, which are green and red respectively. Everything is clearly and evenly lit, and we're happy to see separate controls for the keypad backlight. There is no light sensor; the light comes on automatically whenever you open the handset.
Controls
D-Pad/Joystick (5.0)
The directional pad on the Katana DLX is a circular design, with a single circle of plastic controlling the four directions and a second circle placed within the outer one for a center select key. There is a small indentation between the two, allowing you to differentiate. We found this arrangement easy to use and comfortable, with very few mistaken presses. There was enough play and tactile feedback when the directional pad is pressed, and although it is a little small compared to some other phones it functioned very well. We like it much better than the directional pads on the Nokia N75 and Sanyo M1, which were both small and prone to errors. Touch Screen (0.0)
The Katana DLX does not have a touch screen.
Jog Dial (1.0)
The Katana DLX does not have a touch screen, however when navigating the exterior interface the volume keys allow you to move up/down lists, as such we awarded it a single point in this area.
Soft Buttons (5.0)
The soft buttons on the Katana DLX are located to the left and right of the directional pad. The keys are not particularly large, however they are raised above the surrounding plastic and well differentiated from the other buttons. Like all of the Katana DLX's buttons, the soft keys are smooth plastic, which makes them a bit slick, but we didn't find this to be a major issue. We like that the soft keys had significant play and good tactile feedback when pressed.
Volume Control (4.0)
The Katana DLX's volume control is located on the left side of the phone on the upper part of the flip. When closed, the keys are easily in reach, however when opened you will have to stretch a little to reach them because of their placement. The volume keys are on a rocker with each end raised a little to help you easily differentiate between up/down. The keys are raised enough above the body of the phone that they are easy to use, but also sufficiently placed so they won't be hit by accident too easily.
Power and Standby (5.0)
The power button on the Katana DLX is a secondary function of the end key. A press and hold will turn the phone off, while a simple press will turn it back on. As we mentioned in the Making/Receiving calls section we found the button itself to be well-placed and easy to use; you aren't likely to accidentally turn the phone on or off with the power button in this location.
Other Buttons (5.0)
In addition to the buttons we discussed above, the Katana DLX has several additional buttons. On the left side of the phone is a shortcut key that launches a multimedia menu form where you can launch the Camera, Camcorder, Voice Recorder, or Music Player. As with the volume keys, this button is on the upper part of the flip, which makes it a little awkward to reach when the phone is open. A long press on this button will take you directly to the Camera.
Between the send and end keys is a dedicated speaker button, which turns the speaker phone on while on a call. When not in a call it will take you to the call history, which the send key does anyway. The secondary function of this button is to launch the Voice Tag program, but overall we felt the button wasn't useful enough to justify additional buttons.
The last two buttons flank the directional pad and sit underneath the soft keys. On the left is a dedicated Camera button that opens the Pictures menu. From here you can launch the Stills Camera, Camcorder, access your albums, and get to other photo-related functions. A long press on this button will launch the camera. We found this a little redundant given the shortcut key on the right side of the phone replicates many of these functions, but when the phone is opened it is more convenient and sufficiently different enough to award a point for it. To the right of the D-Pad is a back key that takes you to the previous screen. You'll find yourself using this key a lot, as it is an integral part of the user interface.
Display
Primary Screen Gross Resolution (8.0)
The Katana DLX's main screen resolution is QVGA (240 x 320). This has become the standard for mid to high end phones and is a significant step up from the 176 x 220 pixel display found on phones like the Sprint Upstage and Krzr K1m.
| Cell Phone | Resolution | Score |
| Sanyo Katana DLX | 240 x 320 | 8.0 |
| Nokia N75 | 240 x 320 | 8.0 |
| Sprint Upstage | 176 x 220 | 4.0 |
| Motorola Krzr K1m | 176 x 220 | 4.0 |
| Sanyo M1 | 240 x 320 | 8.0 |
| LG Chocolate VX8550 | 240 x 320 | 8.0 |
Primary Screen Pixels per Inch (10.0)
Pixels per inch (PPI) is a measure of how tightly packed pixels are on the screen. Higher pixel density provides richer colors and sharper displays. The Katana DLX's pixel density is 200 PPI, which is a very good score, similar to the pixel density found on the Sanyo M1 and Chocolate XV8550. It is significantly higher than the pixel density found on the Nokia N75, Sprint Upstage, and Krzr K1m. We found the Katana DLX's display lived up to its excellent pixel density, displaying images with very good detail and rich colors.
| Cell Phone | Pixels Per Inch | Score |
| Sanyo Katana DLX | 200.0 | 10.00 |
| Nokia N75 | 166.7 | 8.34 |
| Sprint Upstage | 137.5 | 6.88 |
| Motorola Krzr K1m | 146.7 | 7.34 |
| Sanyo M1 | 205.0 | 10.25 |
| LG Chocolate VX8550 | 200.0 | 10.00 |
Screen Physical Size (5.0)
The Katana DLX's main display is two inches along the diagonal. This is a rather small display by modern standards. The Nokia N75 has a large 2.4-inch display that provides much more viewing real estate, although you'll note before that most of the comparison phones also have a 2-inch display. We hope manufacturers start moving toward larger displays; there is certainly room in the device for it as the current 2-inch display seems dwarfed by the surrounding plastic.
| Cell Phone | Size Diagonal (inches) | Score |
| Sanyo Katana DLX | 2.00 | 5.00 |
| Nokia N75 | 2.40 | 6.00 |
| Sprint Upstage | 2.07 | 5.18 |
| Motorola Krzr K1m | 1.90 | 4.75 |
| Sanyo M1 | 2.00 | 5.00 |
| LG Chocolate VX8550 | 2.00 | 5.00 |
Screen Brightness (4.85)
To test screen brightness we set the phone's screen brightness to maximum and point the phone's Web browser at a blank white page. We then measure the screen's brightness using a lux meter. The Katana DLX's display measure 72 lux in our test. This is a good score, significantly higher than many of our comparison phones and about the same as the Nokia N75's display. The Katana DLX doesn't have a light sensor to automatically adjust screen brightness, however it does provide five screen brightness levels you can choose from. Strangely, this setting is called "contrast" instead of brightness.
| Cell Phone | Brightness (lux) | Score |
| Sanyo Katana DLX | 72 | 4.85 |
| Nokia N75 | 69 | 6.90 |
| Sprint Upstage | 44 | 2.20 |
| Motorola Krzr K1m | 58 | 2.90 |
| Sanyo M1 | 50 | 4.00 |
| LG Chocolate VX8550 | 55 | 3.15 |
Screen Bright Light Performance (6.0)
To test the screen's performance in bright light we shine 3000 lux onto the screen and judge how legible it is. We found the Katana DLX's display performs well in this test. There was obviously some glare on the screen, but icons and text are still legible, certainly enough so you can navigate the interface.
Color Depth (8.0)
The Katana DLX's main screen can display 260,000 colors. As you can see from the table below, many phones share a display that can display between 260,000 and 262,000 colors, with the Nokia N75 clearly at the top of the heap with a 16 million color display. Although the chart doesn't reflect it, many phones also use a 65,000 color display like the Krzr K1m, and the Katana DLX is a significant step above such displays.
| Cell Phone | Colors (thousands) | Score |
| Sanyo Katana DLX | 260,000 | 8.0 |
| Nokia N75 | 16,000 | 10.0 |
| Sprint Upstage | 262,000 | 8.0 |
| Motorola Krzr K1m | 65,000 | 6.0 |
| Sanyo M1 | 260,000 | 8.0 |
| LG Chocolate VX8550 | 262,000 | 8.0 |
Secondary Screen (5.47)
The Katana DLX's exterior display measures one inch diagonal at a resolution of 80 x 80, and is capable of displaying 65,000 colors. The exterior display is a little small for our taste, we prefer the Nokia N75's 1.36-inch display. We're also not impressed by the rather low resolution, but given the exterior screen is mostly used to display text this isn't too big an issue. Still, we dream about the day when exterior displays begin to rival main displays and provide better functionality.
Ports & Storage
Power & Data Ports (2.0)
The Katana DLX has a proprietary port used for both power and data. As always, we are not happy with phones that use proprietary cables, although since the Katana doesn't even ship with a data cable this may not be as big an issue for many people. Still, we're hoping for the day when everyone uses Mini USB.
Headphone & Jack Compatibility (6.0)
We're pleased to see Sanyo went a little more standardized with its headphone jack, using a standard 2.5mm port. Although not as good as a 3.5mm jack, it's still much better than the proprietary headphone jacks used on phones like the Nokia N75 or Krzr K1m. We're also excited to see support for wireless Bluetooth headsets via the A2DP and AVRCP profiles.
Internal Storage (1.0)
The Katana DLX has a rather limited 32MB of memory. This should be sufficient for contacts and calendar entries, but if you expect to take a lot of photos with the phone or listen to music on it, you will need to get a MicroSD card. Thankfully Sanyo includes a 128MB card with the phone, which provides plenty of storage for photos and enough space for a couple of albums.
Expansion Slot & Format (6.5)
The Katana DLX takes Micro SD cards, which are currently available up to a maximum of 2GB for standard cards. We are unsure as to whether it supports high capacity Micro SD cards, which are available in larger denominations. Still, even 2GB is sufficient for around 500 MP3 encoded songs. The Micro SD slot is found on the right side of the phone, near the top of the bottom flip. It is protected by a rubber cover that is attached to the body but easily rotates out of the way when you open it. We're pleased the slot is spring mounted, which makes getting the card in or out much easier.
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