My reviewing a top-of-the-line Samsung SGH-G800 cameraphone should have made me as excited as a kid in a candy store, and for a while, I was – until I really started to delve into the features and specifications of the device.

                                             An unassuming front section hides phat goodness.
 

Taking into account the fact that primarily as a computer peripherals kind of guy, I don’t get to review many consumer items, I’m approaching this device “from a fresh perspective” as it were – doing so without any pre-conceived notions of what a cellular phone should or should not have / be able to do. So, on with it!

A succinct way to describe the device would be “balanced” – which in this case takes on a lot of different meanings. Being balanced may be meant in a good way of course, but at the same time, a phone of this caliber is supposed to bring to the table exceptional features and great performance – something that decidedly “unbalances” the status quo when compared to the run-of-the-mill mainstream cellular phones.

                                             The non-lighted d-pad had me fumbling.

To put that into perspective, the G800 is the highest end of Samsung “camera” phones, different from the “slim” series of phones from Samsung more focused on style and slimness. As a camera phone, the Sammie is packing the new hotness in the world of call phone/digcam amalgams: a 5MP camera and all the bragging rights associated with the number. It also boasts of rudimentary face detection software, an auto-focus assist light. But get this: Samsung didn’t stop there – they added another big number to the mix – a 3x optical zoom. Now here’s the feature that “balances out”  the wow factor of the 3x optical zoom – picture quality leaves much to be desired. Now even approaching this review from the perspective of a first time high-end camera phone user (my current phone is an old Nokia 6230 with a 0.3 camera) – I can tell it’s not just the usual lighting condition problem and limited lens size that’s the problem – The G800 was quite lacking in sharpness.

                                                   G800 shot on Auto.

                                                   N95 (8GB) shot on Auto

I noticed this when some informal comparison tests with an 8GB Nokia N95 revealed the big difference when compared side by side. The Sammie’s picture was noticeably blurry, even after repeated testing after adjustment of anti-shake, white balance, contrast and sharpness options. (Another amazing feature for a cameraphone – options and settings nearly as extensive as a standalone digital camera). For all the good it did, the G800 was still fuzzier than the Nokia N95’s, the settings of which we did not touch at all. Original testing was done on full-auto for focus, settings and flash for both phones, and then pictures are transferred to the same laptop to isolate screen quality. So in this case, the wow-factor of having all those options is “balanced out” by the fact that it could not help the picture quality any.

                                                   G800 shot on Auto.

                                                   N95 (8GB) shot on auto.

The G800, as a camera phone with a 3x optical zoom plus a xenon flash is quite slim and handy, although comparison to Motorola’s slimmest and Samsung’s own slim sliders is inevitable and will result in the impression that when compared to other, less performance-oriented phones, the G800 is absolutely obese. In fact, the phone is amazingly compact for a device packing in as many features as it does.

                                             Three big features revealed.

The same scenario is repeated in the phone front – although features like 3G connectivity and easy internet access, a full featured media player reminiscent of Samsungs dedicated audio players, good multimedia capabilities and Samsung’s usual good build quality, the software that ties it all together, while intuitive, requires an additional step or two to access. I may simply be used to Nokia’s symbian software, but then again, Symbian is definitely not as confusing as Samsung’s effort. On a side note, Samsung has already licensed Nokia’s software for use in a few of its own phones, indicating perhaps that Samsung is aware of their own software’s shortcoming.

                                             From this angle, the relative bulk of the phone is obvious.

The G800 uses Samsung’s “flat” but responsive keypad, wrought in brushed aluminum like the main housing. Button placement is excellent except for the lighting, or lack thereof in the d-pad and soft keys on the front. The camera at the rear is protected by a sliding cover similar to some older Sony Ericsson phones, but is a tad hard to pull open or push close. A disspointment for me is the proprietary earphone connector – I much prefer a 3.5mm universal jack into which you can plug your preferred pair, instead of relying on the Samsung supplied earphones. The phone itself – no surprise – collects smudges like Clinton collects votes, although on the upside the phone is easy to handle and  fits the palm when texting or calling – but is somewhat awkward to handle when trying to take a picture.

                                             Stereo speakers on top.

The Samsung G800 compares favorably to its contemporaries the Nokia N95, the LG Viewty and the Sony Ericsson K800 series, keeping a relatively slim profile even with the addition of a 3x optical zoom, which the other do not have. In fact this is the first implementation of said feature in a camera phone, and Samsung has pulled it off beautifully. It is also a very feature – heavy phone, features that can be controlled with a generally intuitive software suite which takes some getting used to. At the same time, shortcomings in picture quality and battery performance (especially when surfing through 3G) pulls it down from an otherwise dizzying height of cell phone superiority. As it is, it is certainly competitive with its fellow 5MP camera phones, but the right balance of uber-features and performance still eludes Samsung.

Watch out for an in-depth review this coming March in HWZ!