In theory, there will not be any
statistical difference between the ATIV S and any of its high-end Windows Phone
8 opponents. After all, it’s 8X and Lumia 920 opponents share the same Snapdragon
S4 processor and 1GB of RAM. Much of the daily interaction shows that to be
true. The interface is still as fast as ever, and 3D games in Windows Phone
Store as Ilomilo and Ragdoll Run are still smooth. Browsing is
where you will find the jump the most; between Internet Explorer‘s improved
renderer and the Snapdragon S4, the pages are loaded very quickly as long as
the connection can keep up. We wish Samsung had spent more time to put on a Snapdragon
S4 Pro as in Lumia 920T, but the chip could prove too much when there are very
few things in Windows Phone’s short-term that could justify the extra
“gorgeous” power.
In
theory, there will not be any statistical difference between the ATIV S and any
of its high-end Windows Phone 8 opponents.
The more specific
figures tell a slightly different story. Although the difference is not
noticeable most of the time, the ATIV S is just sufficient to beat its Windows
Phone 8 opponents in all categories. It brings faster results and lasts a
little longer in the battery test. Battery life can be explained with the
2300mAh battery, but there was no clear explanation for such a consistent lead like
that. We were surprised enough to come to Samsung to see if there is a more logical
reason than an accidental situation, such as the company's skills with internal
flash memory and RAM. We will let you know if there are clear answers.
The additional 200mAh in battery capacity compared
to that of the Galaxy S III is appreciated, although the boost is not so much
as you may have thought. Our device was left with under half of the battery
after the eight-hour period of a workday with periodic use of email, web,
social networks and occasional phone calls, and those who do not use it much
will be able to use it for the rest of the evening. If you tend to use it much,
that will place the ATIV in a difficult situation: in our first test, battery
life shrank to about four hours after shooting 93 photos, recording three
videos, streaming music over LTE and regularly logging into Twitter. Fortunately,
there's a removable battery, then, even if we really miss the wireless charging
of the Lumia 920 and Verizon's 8X.
In
theory, there will not be any statistical difference between the ATIV S and any
of its high-end Windows Phone 8 opponents.
Outbound call quality was described to us
as good by many people we spoke to, although the inbound clarity on Bell's
network wasn't as excellent as what we had encountered with the Galaxy S III on
other networks. Data was stable, although with a notably inconsistent moment:
we noticed that data traffic suddenly reduced to a halt in downtown Ottawa on a
Saturday night, even with three-bar LTE reception as we stood outside. Weekend network
users may have played a good part, but it did not bring confidence. We can say
that LTE was quick when working earlier in the day, and as we left the urban center.
Our best result was 21.4 Mbps/download and 9.6 Mbps/upload, with downloads
typically reaching up to around 17.5 Mbps. Apart from 4G, the dual-carrier HSPA+
3G was good enough to reach 15.2 Mbps download and 1.6 Mbps up speeds.
Conclusion
Samsung lies on top of the smartphone world
like a giant guy thanks to its Android leadership, but the ATIV S ultimately
feels like a third wheel on the Windows Phone 8 bicycle – it is partially because
it arrived late, but mostly because its design doesn't bring anything exciting
to users. HTC's Windows Phone 8X succeeds on its compact and fashionable body
and helpful (yet minor) changes; Nokia's Lumia 920 focuses on major features
for navigators, those who are interested in photography and cold-weather
explorers. Samsung's phone is outstanding precisely because it's not trying to
stand out; instead, it depends on historically reliable selling points like the
slimmest design, the biggest screen and the most expansion.
Some people will like it that way. Fans
who've been waiting for full SD card support on a high-end Windows Phone now
have that choice and it may outdo everything else. Those who just turned to
Windows Phone and even smartphone newcomers might take to the ATIV S simply
because they'll feel right at home. We frankly enjoyed carrying it around, and
it's a stable choice for those who aren't strongly attached to another mobile
operating system (and also don't mind the erratic pack of pre-installed apps).
And at $100 or less on contract in Canada ($80 at Rogers; $30 at Telus) its
price is quite good.
Samsung
has built a Windows Phone 8 device with such quality that's worthwhile for
those who need expandable storage.
Yet, it's this conservative strategy that
makes it a tougher item for Windows Phone loyalists and people who care less
about expandable storage. While HTC and Nokia are guilty of cramp their Windows
Phone devices with fixed storage and non-removable batteries, they've succeeded
in defining the position for themselves through their originality: their camera
and design features are irreplaceable. Samsung's decision to combine many
features makes it less possible for the ATIV S to stand out.
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Info
·
Product name: Samsung ATIV S
·
Price: $100 (on contract)
Advantages
·
Expandable storage
·
Exchangeable battery
·
Slim, comfortable design
·
Stable camera performance
Disadvantages
·
Samsung’s erratic apps
·
Weak Windows Phone 8 app selection
Verdict
·
Samsung has built a Windows Phone 8 device with
such quality that's worthwhile for those who need expandable storage.
·
It's a stable handset, but also the least
exciting of the three current WP8 flagships.
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