| Design | 3.4/5 |
| Display & Interface | 3.8/5 |
| Calling | 3.8/5 |
| Talk time | 4.8/5 |
| Messaging | 4/5 |
| Music | 3.2/5 |
| Video | 2.8/5 |
| Camera | 3/5 |
| Memory | 3/5 |
| Web browsing | 2.8/5 |
| Connectivity | 4.2/5 |
| Productivity | 4.2/5 |
| Scheduling | 4.2/5 |
| Laptop sidekick | 3.5/5 |
| Navigation | 3.5/5 |
| Gaming | 2.8/5 |
| Mobile services | 3.5/5 |
| Accessories | 2.8/5 |
| Value | 3/5 |
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Pros:
Powerful phone with loads of features, including Wi-Fi, GPS, 3G networking and some nice 3rd-party apps. Excellent battery life. |
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Cons:
Optical mouse didn't improve navigation. Phone is very thick compared to previous models. Internet Explorer was buggy on our review unit. |
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| Conclusion: |
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| The Samsung Epix is a good, powerful phone, but we can't help but feel like somewhere along the way, Samsung lost their way with their Windows Mobile concept. The original Samsung BlackJack was slim, light, perhaps underpowered but easy to use. The Samsung Epix is thick, powerful, chock full of innovative features and a bit of strain where it should be much more convenient. Sure, the phone adds a touchscreen and the first optical mouse we've seen on a U.S. phone, but was anyone clamoring for these features? Surely not us, as the Windows Mobile Pro operating system isn't as sleek and efficient as the WinMo Standard OS on the BlackJack II, and we're not sure about the need for a mouse on a smartphone. If the size and the complex OS don't bug you, there's plenty to recommend this phone, including great connectivity options and a lightly polished theme that gives the interface some pinstripe class and loads of features. There are some cool bonus apps like a Wikipedia reference and all the multimedia features AT&T can muster. But even with all that good stuff, we remember when Samsung was the undisputed king of thin phones, and we wish the company had gone in that direction instead. |
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