Samsung Infuse 4G Review

Introduction:

Seemingly coming out of nowhere, especially considering that it’s not tied to the Samsung Galaxy S family, the Samsung Infuse 4G is gunning for the top dog position on AT&T’s Android lineup that’s currently occupied by the Motorola ATRIX 4G. Although it shares some of elements that embody the Samsung Galaxy S II, like its super razor thin profile and gorgeous Super AMOLED Plus display, there are other things that make it unique in its own way. Specifically, it’s going to be AT&T’s first device to feature HSPA+ Category 14, which should bring along theoretical speeds of up to 21Mbps. Additionally, it’s mentioned to support HSUPA at launch, which is set for May 15th, as opposed to seeing it enabled down the road – much like what has happened to the HTC Inspire 4G and Motorola ATRIX 4G. Priced fittingly at $199.99 on-contract, there surely is a lot to like with this one, but knowing that the Samsung Galaxy S II is beginning to permeate into markets around the world, will this one still be a contender in the high-end Android category?

The package contains:

Design:

Upon first holding onto the handset, we’re surprised to see how captivating the device really is, and even though it’s definitely one of the widest out there, its razor thin (0.35” thick) construction majestically shines above most things. Staring at it, the handset is deceptively manageable to hold in the hand and doesn’t feel as overly bulky as the HTC ThunderBolt. Additionally, we’re amazed to find out how lightweight the device literally is when holding it, which of course, is due mostly to its plastic construction. Still, it feels solid all around, though, its straightforward design approach might not come off as anything spectacular, yet it’s still nonetheless appealing.



You can compare the Samsung Infuse 4G with many other phones using our Size Visualization Tool.

Staring blatantly right in front of us, the handset’s 4.5” WVGA (480 x 800) Super AMOLED Plus display with support for 16.7 million colors shines ever so brightly and is hard to miss – thus, making it one of its most defining characteristics. Sure it looks sharp for the most part, but it’s evident that its WVGA resolution is rather diminutive for its display seeing that text within the web browser can look rather jagged. Nevertheless, we absolutely admire the rich looking saturated colors that the panel is able to establish – and rightfully so, it’s very much polarizing! Flaunting some great viewing angles, which allow colors to retain their iridescent appearance, everything on-screen maintains its visibility without being compromised under the direct gaze of the sun. In summation, its Super AMOLED Plus display unanimously does what it’s sought out to do – and that’s to capture the attention of anyone from afar.


Positioned close to the edge of the handset, there are still some instances when we accidentally press some of the capacitive Android buttons beneath its display. Meanwhile, the 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, slim looking earpiece, light, and proximity sensors are all located above the display.


Turning to the left edge, the only thing we find here is the raised and separated volume rocker that’s easily distinguishable to the touch, while exhibiting a reasonable amount of feedback when pressed. Moreover, the same can be said about the appropriately positioned dedicated power button on the right side of the phone.

Both the 3.5mm headset jack and one of its microphones are perched on the top area of the handset, while the other microphone and microUSB port, which is used for power, data connection, and video-out, are placed alongside the bottom portion of the device.


Flipping it around, the 8-megapixel auto-focus camera with LED flash is positioned towards the upper middle portion of the back, while the notches for the speakerphone are etched into the elevated area near the bottom edge. Removing the flimsy plastic rear cover is accomplished by simply yanking it off, from there, we’re given access to its battery, SIM card, and microSD card slots – the latter of which is accessible only when the battery is removed from its compartment.