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Samsung Impression A877
A well-rounded phone with an exceptionally bright display
- Bright, sharp 3.2-inch touch screen
- Roomy QWERTY keyboard
- Good music and video players
- Non-standard headphone jack
- No flash or autofocus for camera
- Hard to use lock/unlock button
- No Wi-Fi
It's all in the screen
You have to see it to believe it, reviewers say of the Samsung Impression's dazzling 3.2-inch touch screen, which puts other cell phones displays to shame. The Impression's advanced active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) display is the first of its kind that's commercially available on a cell phone. So what makes it so great? As InfoSyncWorld.com's Philip Berne explains, "This newer technology is a bit brighter with darker blacks, which results in rich colors and a deep contrast." The screen slides away to reveal a spacious and responsive QWERTY keyboard, ideal for messaging, but reviewers find that email options fall short. Reviews are mostly positive, though Steven Grady at SlashGear.com calls the Impression "another victim of iPhone envy."
Measuring 2.3 inches by 4.5 inches by 0.6 inches and weighing 5.3 ounces, the Impression is on the large side, but reviewers are pleased with its dark blue and glossy black color scheme and rounded design. However, there are numerous complaints about the lock/unlock button found on the side of the phone, which testers say is too thin and not very easy to use. Incoming and outgoing call quality gets few complaints, and the speakerphone is praised, despite the lack of voice dialing. Battery life is rated at just three hours of talk time, but CNET testers report getting nearly eight hours of talk time on a single charge, while other sources hit right on the mark.
Features and performance
The Impression is one of many recent phones from Samsung that feature the TouchWiz interface for touch-screen phones. Most find the interface easy to use, but they also complain that it cannot be customized, and it hasn't been updated in a long time. InfoSyncWorld.com's Berne notes that the Impression registers false clicks at the end of a swiping motion, something he says is common to Samsung touch screens. The Impression is praised as a good multimedia phone, with capable (if not spectacular) video and music playback. It has a 3-megapixel camera, but since it lacks both a flash and autofocus, most reviewers find it disappointing.
At launch, the Impression was priced the same as Apple's iPhone, and that, coupled with its touch interface and apps, breeds comparison. Most reviewers conclude that the iPhone's software and integration beats the Impression.
The Samsung Impression gets lots of attention from professional reviewers. CNET, PCMag.com, InfoSyncWorld.com, SlashGear.com, BrightHand.com, MobileBurn.com and PhoneArena.com all provide thorough and balanced critiques of the Impression. We also found insightful evaluations of the phone at PC World, MobileTechReview.com and DigitalTrends.com. CNET also offers a useful head-to-head comparison of the LG enV Touch and the Samsung Impression.
Our Sources
1. CNET
CNET editors pit the LG enV Touch and the Samsung Impression against each other in this five-round comparison. Three judges score the two phones on sexiness, navigation, features, multimedia and call quality, the Impression comes out on top in looks and ties with the enV Touch for music and video playback. Each round includes a helpful chart that picks apart the specs and grades performance.
Review: Prizefight: LG enV Touch vs. Samsung Impression, Kent German, Brian Tong, and Nicole Lee, Undated
2. CNET
CNET's Kent German says that the Samsung Impression is "one of the best AT&T phones we've seen in a while." Call quality is described as very good, with only minimal interference and noise -- even the speakerphone performs rather well.
Review: Samsung Impression SGH-A877- black (AT&T), Kent German, April 7, 2009
3. PCMag.com
Segan offers a thorough review of the Impression, including a helpful description of AMOLED technology. He likes the phone's messaging features and easy-to-use camera, but bemoans its high price.
Review: Samsung Impression SGH-i877 (AT&T), Sascha Segan, April 27, 2009
Philip Berne's review of the Samsung Impression describes call quality as very good, with a "fantastic" calling interface. Berne says the Impression is one of AT&T's best phones, but wishes that it did more to take advantage of its excellent screen, and also that it had more messaging options and better multimedia software.
Review: Samsung Impression Review, Philip Berne, May 16, 2009
Steven Grady stresses that the Samsung Impression's main competitor is the Apple iPhone, so consumers should weigh the two carefully, depending on their needs. (The Impression shared the same price at launch.) Grady says that the AMOLED display "looks great in any light, even sunlight," though he notes that it's susceptible to scratching, and recommends getting a screen cover.
Review: Samsung Impression Review, Steven Grady, April 10, 2009
Edwards likes the Impression's AMOLED screen quite a bit, but reports that it still washes out in direct sunlight. She notes that the Impression has different vibration patterns that can be set, like ringtones, for different callers. Her only real complaint is that the lock button is awkwardly placed, and that there is a proprietary headphone jack.
Review: Samsung Impression Review, Jen Edwards, April 27, 2009
Michael Oryl likes the Samsung Impression's overall design, saying it trumps the Samsung Instinct -- although he points out that the lock button is "bad." Call quality is described as average, while the speakerphone is relatively good. Oryl likes the camera, but finds the lack of an auto-focus unfortunate, and also bemoans the proprietary headphone jack.
Review: Review of AT&T's Samsung a877 Impression, with AMOLED Display, Michael Oryl, April 16, 2009
Like many others, PhoneArena.com's review says that the phone's highlight is its AMOLED screen. Call quality is described as good for both incoming and outgoing calls, and the speakerphone performs very well. PhoneArena editors are disappointed that the user-friendly, but uncustomizable, TouchWiz interface hasn't been updated from previous Samsung models.
Review: Samsung Impression Review, Editors of PhoneArena.com, Apr. 21, 2009
9. PC World
Ginny Mies says that the Samsung Impression "is one of the best midrange messaging phones I've seen," but finds that there are enough missing features and quirks to keep it from getting a wholehearted recommendation. Mies says that call quality is "very good overall," but doesn't give any indication of battery life.
Review: Samsung Impression, Ginny Mies, May 1, 2009
Lisa Gade likes the looks and screen of the Samsung Impression, but feels that the phone is rather bulky and heavy. Video playback and web browsing are mentioned among the phone's other good points, but Gade cites the lack of a standard headphone jack and limited email support as some of the phone's drawbacks.
Review: Samsung Impression, Lisa Gade, May 5, 2009
Nick Mokey raves about the AMOLED screen on the Samsung Impression, but notes that its resolution is only "adequate," making images not seem as crisp as they do on phones such as the HTC Touch Diamond. Mokey finds the keyboard very comfortable, and the touch screen responsive, though he notes that it would work better with preprogrammed momentum to avoid "paw[ing] endlessly at the screen" while scrolling.
Review: Samsung Impression, Nick Mokey, May 28, 2009
