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Cheap push-to-talk clamshell with sturdy body and great call quality
Pros
- Excellent call quality
- Push-to-talk capability
- Solid construction
- Loud speakerphone
- Good battery life
- Opera Mini browser upgrade
Cons
- No camera or music player
- Utilitarian design
- Disappointing instant messaging
The Sanyo Pro-200 is a clamshell cell phone with push-to-talk capability that uses the high-speed EVDO network. It's considered a rugged phone, although it isn't built to military standards like its sibling Sanyo Pro-700, which costs about $50 more. Reviewers are divided about which is the better buy, and it largely comes down to personal aesthetics and whether you need the stronger build, though you will get smaller keys on the Pro-700's keypad. While reviewers describe the Sanyo Pro-200's design as "utilitarian" or even "ugly," a credible review of the Sanyo Pro-700 suggests that the Sanyo Pro-200's "more mainstream" appearance will appeal to more people. Appearance aside, reviews give the Sanyo Pro-200 very good marks for call quality on both standard and push-to-talk calls. In a March 2009 roundup of "best-sounding cell phones" by PCMag.com, the Sanyo Pro-200 gets an Editors' Choice and wins the Sprint category over its rivals, the Samsung Rant and BlackBerry Curve 8330.
PCMag.com's Sascha Segan says the speakerphone "might be loud enough to wake the dead. This is a joyous thing." You will sacrifice a few features. There is no camera, no music player, and Segan notes, "Instant messaging, as with most inexpensive Sprint phones, is a weak point -- you have to pay $2.99 a month for a skimpy AIM client." Most professionals say battery life exceeded the promised five hours. CNET's Nicole Lee says the limited-functionality WAP 2.0 web browser is fast, but InfoSync's Philip Berne is less impressed and suggests, "The phone will accept the Opera Mini browser, which is much better, but you'll have to get it on your own."
We found the best reviews at the usual go-to sources: PCMag.com, CNET and InfoSyncWorld.com. PhoneArena.com has the most detailed coverage of the push-to-talk features. We found just a few owner reviews at PhoneArena.com and PhoneScoop.com.
Our Sources
1. PCMag.com
The Sanyo Pro-200 wins the Sprint-phones category over the Samsung Rant and the BlackBerry Curve 8330. There's a link to the full review, where Sascha Segan gives it an Editors' Choice for being an "excellent voice phone" while also offering push-to-talk capability.
Review: The Best-Sounding Cell Phones, Jamie Lendino, Mar. 10, 2009
2. CNET
The Sanyo Pro-200 rates a "very good," and reviewer Nicole Lee says regular call quality and Direct Connect were both fine. Battery life was tested at 5 hours, 19 minutes, about a half-hour more than promised. Lee says the high-speed EVDO data network makes even the WAP 2.0 web browser pleasant.
Review: Sanyo Pro-200 (Sprint), Nicole Lee, June 6, 2008
Reviewer Philip Berne says you might want to spend $50 more for the Sanyo Pro-700 instead. He says call quality suffered when he took the phone 30 miles outside New York City, and Direct Connect dropped out altogether. He says the phone is also "kind of ugly."
Review: Sanyo Pro 200 Review, Philip Berne, June 25, 2008
This brief review is accompanied by a ton of product images, some very close-up. Editors say, "The Pro-200 is a well crafted phone, but its aesthetics leave a bit to be desired." Performance-wise, PhoneArena.com finds that the push-to-talk function works well, with a "high quality speakerphone."
Review: Sanyo Pro-200 Review, PhoneArena Team, June 20, 2008
Just a few owner reviews are posted at this writing, not nearly enough for a fair consensus, especially because they run the gamut of scores.
Review: Sanyo Pro-200 Reviews, Contributors to PhoneArena.com
There are just a couple of owner reviews here, both very detailed, but they disagree in their assessments, and only one user mentions the push-to-talk feature.
Review: Sanyo Pro-200, Contributors to PhoneScoop.com