Samsung Wave 3 Review

Introduction:

The latest grandmaster of Samsung’s bada OS dropped by the office to say hi, and the first impression it brought was that of a pretty solid device designwise. Unlike the original Wave, though, which was the first smartphone with Super AMOLED display and Hummingbird processor, the third edition won’t steal the spotlight with anything “first”.

It sports the newest bada 2.0 OS, a single core processor pumped up to 1.4GHz, and a 4” Super AMOLED display. Is it enough to battle today's overcrowded mid-range Android and Windows Phone market? Read on to find our thoughts on the Samsung Wave 3…

Design:

Overall, we are very satisfied with the outer appearance – the phone is slim at 0.39“ (9.9mm), with reasonable 4.30oz (122g) of heft, despite the largely metal chassis, and has all the curves in the right places that make it comfortable to hold. Both the power/lock key on the right, and the volume rocker left are easy to find and press.


You can compare the Samsung Wave 3 with many other phones using our Size Visualization Tool.

Moreover, from the looks and materials one can immediately tell they are holding a high-end bada phone, so the Samsung Wave 3 has managed to both be distinctive, and keep the flagship design heritage alive, including using the trademark brushed metal looks. The only gripe is that it is a tad on the wide side, which makes it a bit unwieldy for people with smaller hands.

The 4” Super AMOLED display seems like taken directly from last year's Galaxy S editions. It has the same 480x800 resolution, wide viewing angles, gaudy colors and almost infinite contrast. Unfortunately, it still sports overly cold colors and the PenTile matrix, which places it a level below the Super AMOLED Plus display on the Galaxy S II, for example, and could use a tad more brightness for better use outside.


Half of the solid metal chassis simply slides up on rails when you push a thin button on the back, revealing the battery compartment with the SIM card and microSD slots – enough with ruining your manicure trying to pry open a back cover. You can insert the SIM and the memory card without removing the battery at all.