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View Full Version : Samsung i600 vs. Motorola MPx200 Review


David McNamee
12-11-2003, 03:29 AM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.techworthy.com/Laptop/Test-Track-January2004.htm?Page=2' target='_blank'>http://www.techworthy.com/Laptop/Test-Track-January2004.htm?Page=2</a><br /><br /></div>Laptop Magazine reviews the two phones head-to-head and picks a winner:<br /><br />"The Samsung SCH-i600 has a few more features than the Motorola, a brighter screen, and more battery capacity. These benefits alone do not justify the enormous price difference between the two phones, but when you add Verizon Wireless’ faster data network to the mix, both of these Windows Mobile-powered cells are worth a serious look."<br /><br />Okay, not a clear-cut winner, but it is still a good review. Which one will you choose?

encece
12-11-2003, 05:42 AM
Hmmmm...thats a sketchy review.
The only reason the scored the MPX200 higher was because of style and price.

Being an i600 owner, I have to say that I'd choose the MPx200 because it is app unlocked and waaaaaay better looking.

If the MPX200 was CDMA...I'd choose it in a heartbeat. But I cant go back to crappy GSM coverage in my area. So other than the MPX200's looks...I'd be choosing a better carrier with the i600. Not necessarily a better phone.

If I had my choice, I'd want a CDMA version of the e200 as both the i600 and MPX200 are missing a camera and Smartphone 2003.

Here's hoping something better comes along. But something tells me not to hold my breath waiting for Verizon to release another anytime soon.

Macguy59
12-11-2003, 02:50 PM
Hmmmm...thats a sketchy review.
The only reason the scored the MPX200 higher was because of style and price.

Being an i600 owner, I have to say that I'd choose the MPx200 because it is app unlocked and waaaaaay better looking.

If the MPX200 was CDMA...I'd choose it in a heartbeat. But I cant go back to crappy GSM coverage in my area. So other than the MPX200's looks...I'd be choosing a better carrier with the i600. Not necessarily a better phone.

If I had my choice, I'd want a CDMA version of the e200 as both the i600 and MPX200 are missing a camera and Smartphone 2003.

Here's hoping something better comes along. But something tells me not to hold my breath waiting for Verizon to release another anytime soon.

With i700 and now i600 I don't think they are in any hurry to add another device. FYI They are now practically giving away the Audiovox Thera ($99 with a new contract).

greenmozart
12-11-2003, 03:05 PM
I'm not as enamored with the looks of the Mpx200 as most people. I do think the outside of the i600 is ugly but I love the inside, especially the dial-pad - looks good and is one of the easiest to dial phones I've ever had.

I'd be happy with the i600 for a long time if Verizon releases the WM2003 upgrade and fixes the most glaring bugs: caller ID, battery low warning in silent mode, etc. The Mpx200 is not even an option for me because of horrible GSM coverage in my area. So regardless of the looks or anything specific to the phones I really have no choice if I want a MS Smartphone.

Macguy59
12-11-2003, 05:49 PM
I'm not as enamored with the looks of the Mpx200 as most people. I do think the outside of the i600 is ugly but I love the inside, especially the dial-pad - looks good and is one of the easiest to dial phones I've ever had.

I'd be happy with the i600 for a long time if Verizon releases the WM2003 upgrade and fixes the most glaring bugs: caller ID, battery low warning in silent mode, etc. The Mpx200 is not even an option for me because of horrible GSM coverage in my area. So regardless of the looks or anything specific to the phones I really have no choice if I want a MS Smartphone.

I am in the same boat living in Illinois. However, I do like the looks of the Mx200. Having just received the flexi keyboard for my i600 I am a pretty happy camper :) I have spoken with Verizon reps as has others about a 2003 upgrade. The stock answer seems to be, that they doing in-house testing on it currently and hope to have it available early 2004. But who really knows what they will do?

possmann
12-11-2003, 06:19 PM
Motorola - hands down

ShivShanks
12-12-2003, 02:10 AM
Okay, not a clear-cut winner, but it is still a good review. Which one will you choose?

Neither. The MPx200 is GSM/GPRS which is a suboptimal technology for data and has inferior coverage in the US. The i600, while a nice device with 3G CDMA, is priced too high and is a wee bit bulkier than I would like. On top of that both these devices are WM2002 first generation devices. I would wait for WM2003 second generation devices before sinking money into them. By then there should be more applications available also.

Its a pity that the platform had to be split and PPC apps don't work in WM phones. Also a shame that a touch screen is not even optional in WM Smartphones. No please don't try telling me touchscreens are a waste in a smartphone. Try scrolling or navigating numerous links a large web page and you'll see how a touch screen is superior (a single tap can do the work of ten down down keypresses). Plus there are many other scenarious in which having an optional touch screen helps. In this regard the Palm smartphone platform has a leg up. They have touch screens and all the huge repository of palm apps work just fine even though the phone integration isn't there for all of them.

What I would love to have is a Smartphone Platform which can run all the normal smartphone apps but also have a level 2 Platform which adds a touchscreen and allows you to run existing PPC apps. Sure you lose the phone integration for those apps but at least you can use them if some functionality required isn't available as a WM app.

As it stands right now I am unsatisfied with both the WM Smartphone platform and the Palm Smartphone one. The WM one is too phone centrically restricted and the Palm one is a little less phone oriented. Whoever comes up with a device that can do both allowing the user to choose what to do wins in my book. MS may have it better in that regard since they can add back a level 2 PPC support in WM Smartphones later on when the platform is well estabilished.

So right now my own personal preference is the Palm based brother of the i600, the Samsung i500 Palm based PDA phone on Sprint's network. Its a good phone on its own without the PDA part of it. And the PDA part of it is fully functional. Sure I lose some phone integration in the PDA apps (unless written for the i500), but thats okay with me since the basic phone functionality works just fine single handedly and I can use two hands when I want to access the PDA part. So its an Okay compromise for me for now. But then thats just me.