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Samsung's solid but conservative Android phone
Pros
- Vivid screen
- Good call quality
- Solid build quality
Cons
- Quite large and heavy
- Mediocre speakerphone
- Sluggish performance
- Old version of Android OS
The Samsung Moment for Sprint is Samsung's first phone to use Google's Android operating system. Reviewers note that the Moment is inordinately big and heavy. The phone measures more than 4.5 inches long and a bit more than a half-inch thick and weighs nearly 6 ounces. PhoneArena.com observes that the Moment "most definitely tip-toes the line between quality feel and just plain heavy, but falls on the quality side." The 3.2-inch AMOLED screen is widely praised for its saturated hues and for being very bright. Most reviewers also like the slide-out QWERTY keyboard, though a few find the layout awkward.
Unfortunately, there is a consensus among reviewers that the Samsung Moment doesn't live up to its potential. Gizmodo.com's Matt Buchanan says the Moment may be bigger and theoretically better than the competition, but it still gets blown away by other Android models like the HTC Hero (*Est. $180 with contract) or Motorola's Cliq (*Est. $100 with new contract) and Droid (*Est. $150 with contract). The Moment's 800 MHz processor fails to result in much speed difference -- most reviewers find the phone sluggish at times -- and it runs an older build of the Android OS that can't be upgraded. The Moment is praised for its call quality by nearly all reviewers, although some complain that it's too loud and that the speakerphone isn't top-notch. Battery life is in line with Samsung's stated estimates: about five hours of continuous talk, or around a day and a half for normal use.
We found a respectable number of professional reviews of the Samsung Moment, although testers generally seem unexcited about the phone, and they don't always evaluate it as thoroughly as other smartphones. Experienced reviewers at CNET, InfoSyncWorld.com, PhoneArena.com and PC World all provide well-documented analyses. Sites like EngadgetMobile.com, Gizmodo.com and SlashGear.com provide differing perspectives, though they sometimes leave out important elements or take on a partial tone.
Where To Buy
| Samsung Standard Battery Samsung Moment M900, I627, I220, T939 | |
(80 reviews) In Stock. |
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Our Sources
1. CNET
CNET's Kent German gives the Samsung Moment a good overall rating in this review. While most phone functions are covered in depth, German seems unenthusiastic about the Moment. Call and build quality are good, though the interface isn't as fast as German would like, nor is the camera's software satisfactory. CNET doesn't test the battery life in this review.
Review: Samsung Moment (Sprint), Kent German, Oct. 22, 2009
The Samsung Moment gets high praise in Philip Berne's comprehensive InfoSyncWorld.com review. Berne is impressed with the AMOLED screen, though the overall size of the phone can be a drawback and the keyboard is merely "okay." Battery life is good.
Review: Samsung Moment Review, Philip Berne, Oct. 28, 2009
PhoneArena.com's look at the Samsung Moment includes copious pictures and visual comparisons with similar smartphones. But the review is shorter than others on the site, because the Moment doesn't bring much new to the Android OS, covered elsewhere. Editors are disappointed with the keyboard especially, and they feel that the phone is a missed opportunity. The reviewer does praise call quality and the Moment's screen, however.
Review: Samsung Moment Review, Editors of PhoneArena.com , Nov. 6, 2009
4. PC World
Ginny Mies is mostly positive about the Samsung Moment, giving it a high rating. Mies likes the AMOLED screen and the keyboard, but finds the touch screen somewhat sluggish and uncustomizable. Mies is also annoyed that the Moment doesn't ship with the latest Android update but is confident this will be addressed in the future.
Review: Samsung Moment Phone Review, Ginny Mies, Oct. 27, 2009
EngadgetMobile.com covers the Samsung Moment in this blog-style review. Chris Ziegler says the Moment missed an opportunity to show what the Android OS has to offer, but adds that it performs better than the Motorola Cliq, another current Android phone. Call quality is described as "loud," and there is no mention of battery life -- an omission complained about in the user comments posted below the review.
Review: Samsung Moment Review, Chris Ziegler, Oct. 26, 2009
6. Gizmodo.com
Matt Buchanan's review is subjective but entertaining. He isn't much impressed with the Samsung Moment, saying the HTC Hero and Motorola Cliq make better use of the Android OS. He points out that the AMOLED screen has a bluish tint and doesn't look good in direct sunlight, while the bigger processor doesn't help much with the phone's speed.
Review: Samsung Moment Review, Matt Buchanan, Oct. 27, 2009
SlashGear.com's review of the Samsung Moment has plenty of photo documentation, but it doesn't cover all aspects of the phone's performance. Battery life is estimated at about a day and a half with normal use, but reviewer Ewdison Then doesn't describe call quality. There's also a video showing tests of the capacitive touch screen. Then recommends the Motorola Droid as a better Android phone.
Review: Samsung Moment Review, Ewdison Then, Oct. 30, 2009