Sprint Samsung Android

Samsung Epic 4G Touch Review

Name: Samsung Epic 4G Touch Review
Item: Samsung Epic 4G Touch
Rating: 9
Author: Brian K.

posted by Brian K. / Sep 19, 2011, 5:01 AM

Performance:

Callers had no complaints while we were on the Epic 4G Touch. They said we sounded fairly natural with maybe a little tininess but didn’t notice any echoing and rated us an 8.25/10. On our end the voice reproduction was realistic and the volume was good with the speakerphone. The 1800mAh battery is rated for a hefty 8.7 hours of talk time and over 10.5 days of standby.

Conclusion:

It’s not really a surprise to us that the Samsung Epic 4G Touch is one of the best Android phones you can buy. We felt that the Galaxy S II kind of set the bar back when we took a look at it in May, and the Epic 4G Touch retains all that we liked from the Galaxy S II and made some needed improvements. We certainly enjoy it now more than ever with its brilliant screen and performance, as well as thin and appealing design, coupled with a high-quality camera and good call quality.

The phone is not perfect though – it still retains the WVGA resolution, which is a step down from qHD offerings like the Motorola PHOTON 4G and DROID BIONIC, which also manages to outshine it with its LTE support. Also, there is no 3D on the Epic to make it competitive versus the EVO 3D, which is also a very strong handset all around. The Epic 4G Touch also misses on some other niceties like a kickstand or a metal body, but one can never have it all.

With that said, the Samsung Epic 4G Touch is still one of the best Androids out there. But just in case you're willing to do a little bit more research before you go for it, keep in mind it won't be a bad idea to check out the HTC EVO 3D and Motorola PHOTON 4G on Sprint, as well as the DROID BIONIC on Verizon, if you want to experience the LTE goodness.

Samsung Epic 4G Touch Video Review:

Pros

Amazingly fast performance all around
High quality camera and camcorder with 1080p
Good call quality and battery life
4.5” Super AMOLED Plus is easy on the eyes
Just 9.6mm thin and 4.5oz light

Cons

WVGA display resolution, resulting in 206 ppi
No dedicated camera key and small volume rocker
TouchWiz doesn’t hurt the phone’s performance, but we could do without it

PhoneArena Rating:

9.0

How do we rate?

User Rating:

8.9

21 Reviews

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104 Comments

1. first unregistered

Don't forget the added notification light, seems everyone else has been a big fan of this.

posted on Sep 19, 2011, 5:58 AM 11

2. ecml490 unregistered

Those cons are not a big deal...

posted on Sep 19, 2011, 6:05 AM 10

26. Kjayhawk

Posts: 294; Member since: Oct 07, 2010

Yeah thats why the phone got a 9. It wasn't perfect because it doesn't have a camera key. I thought for sure a con would have been because it was so late coming to the United States... I would have flipped if that was one. a 9 is a good score

posted on Sep 19, 2011, 11:32 AM 0

37. Andy unregistered

I dunno if that's really a con tho. I don't find the camera key being all that useful. On my Epic, I only use the camera key to launch the camera app. Maybe it's just me, but I have a hard time getting good in focus shots because the key responds so slow. I find it's much easier to use the on screen key since I just push and hold until it's focused, and then release to take the picture.

posted on Sep 19, 2011, 2:20 PM 1

3. Mr.Mr.Upgrade

Posts: 474; Member since: Aug 30, 2011

No 4g lte enough said

posted on Sep 19, 2011, 6:34 AM 2

21. The_Miz

Posts: 1496; Member since: Apr 06, 2011

LTE is overrated like everything else in Android

posted on Sep 19, 2011, 10:54 AM 3

23. the_mizzus unregistered

retina display is overrated, so is glass front and back.. just like everything else in iPhone.. see how i play with your words? really now, stop doing these kinds of silly trolling.. it makes you look desperate and uneducated...

posted on Sep 19, 2011, 11:00 AM 17

43. Thump3rDX17

Posts: 2160; Member since: May 10, 2010

you mean typing? xD

posted on Sep 19, 2011, 2:40 PM 5

49. The_Miz

Posts: 1496; Member since: Apr 06, 2011

Failure in common sense

posted on Sep 19, 2011, 3:44 PM 0

38. The_Miz

Posts: 1496; Member since: Apr 06, 2011

Why are you so worried about me jizzing?

posted on Sep 19, 2011, 2:24 PM 0

42. Thump3rDX17

Posts: 2160; Member since: May 10, 2010

i'm not, you just would.

posted on Sep 19, 2011, 2:33 PM 4

50. The_Miz

Posts: 1496; Member since: Apr 06, 2011

I have a woman for that

posted on Sep 19, 2011, 3:44 PM 0

60. Thump3rDX17

Posts: 2160; Member since: May 10, 2010

on your computer screen.

posted on Sep 19, 2011, 4:54 PM 9

41. Tmachaveli

Posts: 425; Member since: Apr 01, 2011

He jizzes with his iphone now he don't need no LTE to do that lol

posted on Sep 19, 2011, 2:29 PM 8

51. The_Miz

Posts: 1496; Member since: Apr 06, 2011

You're just mad they don't have an app for a virtual gf

posted on Sep 19, 2011, 3:44 PM 0

61. Thump3rDX17

Posts: 2160; Member since: May 10, 2010

yeah, if there was Miz would know! ;P

posted on Sep 19, 2011, 4:55 PM 7

71. biophone

Posts: 1994; Member since: Jun 15, 2011

I would. As long as the bat life is good.

posted on Sep 19, 2011, 7:00 PM 0

80. Cinnamon

Posts: 87; Member since: Jun 16, 2011

Man you killed it...

posted on Sep 20, 2011, 1:03 AM 4

94. John unregistered

Buddy Lte isn't only android, it's a data connection that will eventually be available on the iphone. Just wait more than a year and you will eventually be able to have lte on your iphone. Then you will realize what your missing.

posted on Sep 22, 2011, 11:48 AM 0

4. Isseyphresh

Posts: 4; Member since: Sep 12, 2011

Those are not cons, they're personal preferences, so don't list them as such. I for one actually prefer TW it's lightweight and accelerated. The volume rocker is fine, how big do you want it? geez. Lastly, a dedicated camera button doesn't qualify as a com for a smartphone. Why, because it's a phone not a camera. I rarely use my phone for snapping photos, therefore would hardly consider the lack of a dedicated camera button a con. I'm sure I'm not alone on this either. A con has to bea universally accepted flaw. Not just something you don't like personally. I would consider the power button and volume rocker placement more of flaw/con. They sit practically directly across from one another. Making it somewhat difficult to press one without the other while operating the device one handed

posted on Sep 19, 2011, 6:47 AM 7

6. remixfa

Posts: 14605; Member since: Dec 19, 2008

i dont find the lack of a camera button to be a big deal, as im used to not having one. Having one is nice though as it makes getting to the camera a bit quicker, but its not really "necessary" anymore as most of us have gotten used to not having them.

posted on Sep 19, 2011, 6:54 AM 1

35. Thump3rDX17

Posts: 2160; Member since: May 10, 2010

like it or not Reviews are made from personal preference. the only reason they nit-picked like that is because this handset borderlines so close to perfect that being serious about the little things became necessary to know whether or not it could be regarded as a perfect handset. as a very much critical person myself giving a perfect 10 to a device is much more involved than even a 9.5.

posted on Sep 19, 2011, 1:57 PM 0

82. lamb unregistered

exactly, i would like to see them list iphone4/5 cons when iphone dont have dedicated camera button

posted on Sep 20, 2011, 4:08 AM 0

5. Isseyphresh

Posts: 4; Member since: Sep 12, 2011

...which has the potential to effect everyone who purchases the device, not just the author.

posted on Sep 19, 2011, 6:52 AM 2

7. E unregistered

I dont understand why you would want LTE on any phone from Verizon / AT&T if you can only use 5GB a month without getting raped in overage. They talk about how fast their network is which is fine, but I can chew 5GB in a day easy. What good is the speed if you are limited on how you use it? Give me unlimited WiMax which is a little slower which is fine as long it doesn't cause me to take out a loan to pay my next phone bill.

posted on Sep 19, 2011, 7:19 AM 4

12. tech-head

Posts: 133; Member since: Sep 02, 2011

Please explain how you use more than 5GB a day......

posted on Sep 19, 2011, 8:28 AM 0

16. SF Steven unregistered

Streaming video...downloading pr0n while tethering on your laptop...video chatting...

posted on Sep 19, 2011, 9:31 AM 1

24. Laron unregistered

Constantly streaming movies seems like the only logical way to reach 5GB in a day; I don't think there is anything else that would cause you to use 5GB of data in a day.

posted on Sep 19, 2011, 11:27 AM 1

57. Commentator

Posts: 3723; Member since: Aug 16, 2011

5GB per day is irrelevant. The limit is 5GB per month, and E makes a good point about that. It seems like if you had LTE you'd just be using your monthly allowance faster, although if you used less than 5GB per month then you'd be perfectly fine.