Samsung Intensity U450 Review

Introduction:

Over the past few months there have been quite a few QWERTY keyboard messaging phones released by Verizon, such as the Samsung Alias 2 U750, LG enV3 VX9200 and enV Touch VX11000, and the Motorola Rival A455. Most recently Samsung introduced the Samsung Rogue U960, which we have reviewed, and the Samsung Intensity U450. Even though both of these devices have a sliding QWERTY keyboard, they are geared to different audiences. Primarily the Rogue is a high-end feature phone that appeals to a consumer wanting a touchscreen device with a lot of added features, while the Intensity is more for the average consumer who is looking for something more basic. The Intensity has tough competition from the LG enV3 and Motorola Rival  as both offer similar features, even though the enV3 would be considered the top-model of those three phones.

Included in the retail package is the Samsung Intensity U450 phone, 960 mAh battery, wall charger with detachable data cable, and user manual.

Design:

The Samsung Intensity U450 is offered in two color choices: Flaming Red and Grey. Even though the device weighs less than the Motorola Rival and LG enV3, it is still slightly taller, but the rounded edges don’t make it feel that way. Unfortunately, the overall plastic construction is somewhat cheap feeling, though not as bad as the Rival, but still not as good as the enV3. When sliding the Intensity open and closed you can hear the keyboard rubbing against the plastic behind the display. Also, the battery cover just snaps on and off and feels like it could break quite easily. Because of this, we’re not sure what the long-term durability of the Intensity would be, but we’d be surprised if it would hold up to any more than a year or two of normal use.



You can compare the Samsung Intensity U450 with many other phones using our Size Visualization Tool.

The Intensity features a 2.1-inch 176x220 resolution TFT display that supports up to 65K colors. Since it is smaller than the main display used by the Alias 2 and enV3, and has a lower resolution, images and text don’t look that great. In addition,  it is completely unviewable while in direct sunlight. Below the display is the circular d-pad, left and right soft keys, send, end, back and speakerphone keys. They are all rather small and can be problematic at times with larger hands. For example, when pressing the right side of the d-pad, you can press the soft key or back button by mistake. The numeric keypad is also cramped and not nearly as large and user-friendly as the one found on the LG enV3. During our testing we had continual misdials when using the Intensity, which became annoying over time, so people with larger fingers should stay clear of this one. Located on the sides are the volume rocker, 2.5mm headset jack, charger / data port, speakerphone and camera button. Pealing off the battery cover will allow access to the microSDHC memory card slot with 16GB support, and the 1.3MP camera is on the back.



The sliding QWERTY keyboard has 4 rows, similar to the Rogue, but the d-pad arrows on the right are not individual keys and share real estate with the “L, N, M, and period” keys. All of the buttons are also slightly curved and angled, instead of being perfectly square. When typing messages, we found the QWERTY keyboard on the Samsung Intensity U450 to be more comfortable than the one found on the Rival and Alias 2, but still not a roomy as the enV3.

Software and Features:

There are 3 themes included with the Samsung Intensity U450: White, My Place, and Fresh Water. We saw the “My Place” theme earlier this year on the Alias 2 and it is also the default theme used by the Intensity. It shows an image that looks like a classroom wall with animated icons for the different menus. Even thought this is colorful, we preferred the Fresh Water theme, as you can also change its layout between tab, list, and grid view. Other customizations include wallpapers, dialing and menu fonts, as well as clock styles.

The phonebook on the Intensity is identical to the one used by the Alias 2, as it allows up to 1000 contacts to be saved with their name, 5 phone numbers, 2 email address, IM screen name, and street address. Once a contact is saved, you can assign them to one of 999 speed dial locations, which is the same amount as on the enV3.





Composing a text message can be done by using T9 predictive entry with the numeric keypad or by sliding the phone open and using the QWERTY keyboard. Other messaging options include Mobile Email, which will allow you to send and receive email through your standard POP or IMAP accounts, and Mobile IM for connecting to people in your AIM, Windows Live, and Yahoo buddy lists.

The 1.3MP camera included with the Samsung Intensity U450 is more of an afterthought and is not a main feature. Images taken outside during the day have soft edges and generally look blurry with poor color accuracy, while indoor images tend to look worse as they show a lot of grain. Both the Alias 2 and enV3 do a better job, so don’t expect to use the camera on the Intensity for anything other than quick “on the go” pictures.





One feature that surprised us was that the Intensity has ditched the outdated “red” music player, which is found on most Verizon phones, including the Rogue, Alias 2 and Rival. Instead, it uses the same background color that is in the 3 interface themes, and you can also change the player’s skin between simple view, visualizer, album art, and lyrics. We are glad to see this type of player used by the Intensity and hope that more Verizon phones will include something similar. Music quality was good through the mono speaker on the back, though not as loud as it was from the stereo speakers on the enV3.  You can also connect earbuds to the 2.5mm headset jack, or listen to music via Stereo Bluetooth connection.



Other software features include Mobile Web 2.0, VZ Navigator for GPS driving directions, and the ability to download games, ringtones and other applications. The Samsung Intensity U450 uses 1X instead of the faster EV-DO network for its data connection, which also means VCast Video and Music is not supported.

Performance:

The signal reception of the Samsung Intensity U450 was quite good and about equal to what we experienced while using the enV3, Alias 2 and Rogue, as we didn’t drop any calls and had 2-3 bars showing in high coverage areas. Call quality however was a step-down from the competition, as voices didn’t sound as clear and natural, but still better than when using the Motorola Rival A455.

The 960 mAh battery that is included with the Intensity is rated to provide up to 5 hours of talk time or 12 days of standby time. During our testing we were able to get up to 4.5 hours of continuous talk time on a full charge, which is the same amount as on the Samsung Rogue U960.

Conclusion:

The Samsung Intensity U450 isn’t that “intense” and doesn’t offer anything new that can’t be found on the competition.  Its main selling feature is the QWERTY keyboard combined with the phone’s low price-point, but you get what you pay for as the Intensity’s overall build quality is lacking. If you are looking for a basic phone with a QWERTY keyboard and without a touchscreen, the LG enV3 is still the top device in that category.

Samsung Intensity U450 Video Review: