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Budget flip phone for AT&T
- Fast web browsing and video streaming
- Vibrant 2.2-inch screen
- Easily accessible microSD card slot
- Battery life better than promised
- Flat alphanumeric keypad, no QWERTY
- No external buttons for camera, music player
- Shell looks cheap, some say
Reviewers tend to love the Pantech Lena C610 flip phone more for its mind than its body. As one reviewer sums up, it's good compared with other inexpensive cell phones, but it's "not exactly fair to compare it with other 3G phones like the iPhone 3G and BlackBerry Bold." Because it can access AT&T's speedy 3G network, the Pantech C610 offers fast web browsing and streaming video; it also has GPS/AT&T Navigator capability. On the other hand, reviewers point out, there is the irritatingly flat alphanumeric keypad, the lack of a QWERTY keyboard and no external buttons for the 1.3-megapixel camera and music player. Some reviewers think the shell looks cheap compared with the aforementioned competitors.
Experts point out that the tiny body (3.67 inches by 1.81 inches by 0.72 inches) is certainly pocket-friendly, and the microSD card slot is more conveniently placed than on some cell phones. (Sometimes it's inconveniently located underneath the battery.) Some reviewers like the vibrant 2.2-inch display and say it's reasonably good for email, and some say the video, while somewhat pixilated, is OK for killing time in an airport. Reviewers who took the time to test the battery life say they got at least as much as the promised three hours between charges, even while using a Bluetooth headset. Most reviews agree the call quality is decent, although there are some dissenters.
Some of the usual go-to sources for cell phone reviews, such as PCMag.com and ConsumerReports.org, have yet to weigh in on the Pantech Lena C610, and at this writing there are no owner reviews at Amazon.com and just a few on AT&T's website. We found the best professional reviews at PC World and CNET. Both do thorough testing and assign a score that makes it easy to compare the relative value against other cell phones.
Our Sources
1. PC World
PC World's Pantech C610 review is thorough and includes lab testing. The bottom line is a "good" rating. Editors describe the Pantech C610 as a "Volkswagen Bug with a Mercedes engine," meaning "the 3G services are cool, but you have to access them using the C610's alphanumeric keypad and small display screen."
Review: Pantech C610, Mark Sullivan, Nov. 19, 2008
2. CNET
CNET rates the Pantech C610 as "very good" and tests enough cell phones to offer great context. The conclusion is that the Pantech C610 is a fast, inexpensive 3G phone, but that the physical design isn't great, with a "terribly flat" keypad and no external music buttons. Audio is "decent," and even better with a headset.
Review: Pantech C610 (AT&T), Nicole Lee, Oct. 6, 2008
After hands-on testing, reviewer Michael Kwan says the Pantech C610 is good for the price and "holds its own" against unspecified budget-priced competitors, but it's "not exactly fair to compare it with other 3G phones like the iPhone 3G and BlackBerry Bold."
Review: Review: Pantech C610 3G Clamshell Phone from AT&T, Michael Kwan, Oct. 20, 2008
It's clear that editors at TestFreaks.com gave the Pantech C610 the hands-on treatment, and their review includes sample photos and video from the phone. Editors give the C610 an overall score of seven out of 10. Battery life is tested, with good results, but call quality is described as poor.
Review: Pantech C610 Reviewed, Kristofer Brozio, Oct. 31, 2008
No comparisons are made here to other phones, and there's no rating. But editor Michael Oryl posts sample photos from the 1.3-megapixel camera, and a five-minute video accompanying the review gives a good rundown and evaluation of features.
Review: Hands-on with Pantech's Sleek New C610 for AT&T, Michael Oryl, Oct. 06, 2008
6. About.com
About.com's cell phone guide gives a Recommended rating to the Pantech C610, primarily for its many features. It's not clear, though, if the "disappointing" assessment of battery life is from testing or simply acknowledging Pantech's claim of three hours of talk time. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)
Review: Flip Phone Review: Pantech C610 Flip Phone for AT&T, Adam Fendelman
7. ATT.com
There are just a handful of owner reviews on AT&T's website, most of them complimentary but too brief to be especially enlightening. One user says that while the flat keyboard was a concern, it performs very well.
Review: Pantech C610, Contributors to ATT.com
