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Samsung Epic 4G Touch Review

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

Posted: 19 Sep 2011, 05:01, by Brian K.

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Tags: Sprint -Sprint + Samsung -Samsung + Android -Android +

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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:

9Excellent

User rating:

8.921 Reviews

How we rate

Pages:

Related phones

PhoneArena rating:

9 Excellent

User rating:

8.9 Very good

Samsung Epic 4G Touch Compare

Specifications News^[46]

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104 Comments

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posted on 19 Sep 2011, 05:58 11

1. first (unregistered)

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

posted on 19 Sep 2011, 06:05 10

2. ecml490 (unregistered)

Those cons are not a big deal...

posted on 19 Sep 2011, 11:32

26. Kjayhawk (Posts: 294; Member since: 07 Oct 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 19 Sep 2011, 14:20 1

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 19 Sep 2011, 06:34 2

3. Mr.Mr.Upgrade (Posts: 474; Member since: 30 Aug 2011)

No 4g lte enough said

posted on 19 Sep 2011, 10:54 3

21. The_Miz (Posts: 1496; Member since: 06 Apr 2011)

LTE is overrated like everything else in Android

posted on 19 Sep 2011, 11:00 17

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 19 Sep 2011, 14:40 5

43. Thump3rDX17 (Posts: 2160; Member since: 10 May 2010)

you mean typing? xD

posted on 19 Sep 2011, 15:44

49. The_Miz (Posts: 1496; Member since: 06 Apr 2011)

Failure in common sense

posted on 19 Sep 2011, 14:24

38. The_Miz (Posts: 1496; Member since: 06 Apr 2011)

Why are you so worried about me jizzing?

posted on 19 Sep 2011, 14:33 4

42. Thump3rDX17 (Posts: 2160; Member since: 10 May 2010)

i'm not, you just would.

posted on 19 Sep 2011, 15:44

50. The_Miz (Posts: 1496; Member since: 06 Apr 2011)

I have a woman for that

posted on 19 Sep 2011, 16:54 9

60. Thump3rDX17 (Posts: 2160; Member since: 10 May 2010)

on your computer screen.

posted on 19 Sep 2011, 14:29 8

41. Tmachaveli (Posts: 425; Member since: 01 Apr 2011)

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

posted on 19 Sep 2011, 15:44

51. The_Miz (Posts: 1496; Member since: 06 Apr 2011)

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

posted on 19 Sep 2011, 16:55 7

61. Thump3rDX17 (Posts: 2160; Member since: 10 May 2010)

yeah, if there was Miz would know! ;P

posted on 19 Sep 2011, 19:00

71. biophone (Posts: 1994; Member since: 15 Jun 2011)

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

posted on 20 Sep 2011, 01:03 4

80. Cinnamon (Posts: 87; Member since: 16 Jun 2011)

Man you killed it...

posted on 22 Sep 2011, 11:48

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 19 Sep 2011, 06:47 7

4. Isseyphresh (Posts: 4; Member since: 12 Sep 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 19 Sep 2011, 06:54 1

6. remixfa (Posts: 14605; Member since: 19 Dec 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 19 Sep 2011, 13:57

35. Thump3rDX17 (Posts: 2160; Member since: 10 May 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 20 Sep 2011, 04:08

82. lamb (unregistered)

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

posted on 19 Sep 2011, 06:52 2

5. Isseyphresh (Posts: 4; Member since: 12 Sep 2011)

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

posted on 19 Sep 2011, 07:19 4

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 19 Sep 2011, 08:28

12. tech-head (Posts: 133; Member since: 02 Sep 2011)

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

posted on 19 Sep 2011, 09:31 1

16. SF Steven (unregistered)

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

posted on 19 Sep 2011, 11:27 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 19 Sep 2011, 16:04

57. Commentator (Posts: 3722; Member since: 16 Aug 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.

posted on 19 Sep 2011, 07:23

8. bam99 (Posts: 10; Member since: 16 Aug 2011)

I held the phone and noticed there is no hdmi output or is it via the usb???

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