Samsung GALAXY W Review

Introduction:

After the Samsung Galaxy S II and the Galaxy R, which we already reviewed, it's time to have a look  one step down the ladder – to the midrange Samsung GALAXY W.

Its place there is secured by the 1.4GHz single-core processor, 3.7-inch 480x800 pixels LCD display and the 14.4Mbps HSDPA radio. Also, the 5MP rear camera is accompanied by an LED flash, and we have a front-facing one for video chat – two features which are absent from the lower-end Galaxy M Pro, for example.

On paper, the phone has it all to be a decent Android handset and the design, while nothing remarkable, has some interesting curves to flaunt. Does it hit the sweet value for money spot that its category is meant to conquer? Read on our review to find out...

Design:

The Samsung GALAXY W looks like a pouch with its flat upper side and curved bottom, especially when you turn it over on its front. The upper part where the camera with the LED flash are, is made of hard glossy plastic. It is not soft-touch plastic, just dotted for easier grip, which makes the Galaxy W very easy to hold and operate. It is not that thin at 0.45” (11.5mm), but is very light at 3.93” (112g).



You can compare the Samsung GALAXY W with many other phones using our Size Visualization Tool.

The handset is almost the perfect size for one-handed use, since it doesn't boast a huge display, but a 3.7” LCD one with 480x800 pixels, making for a good 252ppi pixel density. This allows for text to appear crisp, and the display also sports rich colors. Viewing angles are decent, plus it is sufficiently bright outside under broad daylight to allow normal operation.

The volume buttons on the left are protruding sufficiently to make them very easy to find and operate, and the lock/power button is on the side.

Interface:

The Samsung GALAXY W runs Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread customized with the TouchWiz 4.0 interface, which runs buttery smooth. Redrawn icons, transparencies and nice transitional animations plus plenty of useful tools and a plethora of widgets are all on board, adding a twist to the stock Android experience.


The 1.4GHz single-core chip ticking inside handles navigation and kinetic scrolling with ease. Half a gig of RAM and 2GB of ROM for installing apps is what you get with the phone, and expanding that will have to be done via the microSD card slot.

The on-screen keyboard on the GALAXY W is responsive and neatly aligned on the 3.7” screen. Speed typing shouldn't be a problem when using the smartphone in landscape mode, and there is also Swype preinstalled if you are so inclined.



Functionality and Software:

Samsung has added a whole bunch of handy applications, including its very own Social Hub app that combines your communication venuew. The app has been overhauled and now integrates social networks, email, texting and instant messaging under one roof for quicker access.

Game Hub is also present for the times when you are feeling bored. The games it features are socially-oriented, and offer online multiplayer with mobile gamers from all over the world. The Music Hub app has also been thrown in the set to let you purchase music on the go.

Some other tools that need to be mentioned include the AllShare app for streaming media wirelessly from the smartphone straight to a TV or a home theater system with DLNA support, Kies Air for transferring music or movies onto the handset from a computer sans cable, Polaris Office for viewing and editing documents, and a Photo Editor application for the times when you are feeling like exercising your creative side.


Internet and Connectivity:

We had no troubles browsing the web on the Samsung GALAXY W - page loads, scrolling and zooming are as quick as they can be on a single-core device. The basics, such as pinching and double-tap are in store as well, but as with all Samsung Android smartphones lately you can't pan while zooming, and text reflow is called by a double-tap instead of being automatic like in HTC Sense.


Samsung has added an extra touch of its own, though -  that one last pinch-in gives you a side-by-side view of all your opened tabs, which is a neat feature to have. The experience would have not been complete without Adobe Flash support, which renders animations seamlessly, and doesn't seem to slow down the browser.

The GALAXY W sports a full set of connectivity radios, starting with a 14.4Mbps HSDPA one. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, FM Radio and A-GPS are on board as well, plus DLNA multimedia streaming, which, as we mentioned, is managed by the default AllShare app.

The camera interface offers the usual for TouchWiz broad selection of shooting modes, scenes and effects, as well as touch focus, macro mode, and even blink detection. The phone doesn't run the latest Android Ice Cream Sandwich, but we do have a Panorama mode courtesy of TouchWiz, and Samsung also added the hilarious Cartoon one.


The pictures turned out decent in terms of color representation and detail, but a bit too soft for our liking. Shot-to-shot times are quick outside when the preview function is off, but in more challenging conditions, such as low lighting or close-ups it takes 5-6 seconds for the GALAXY W to focus and capture the next shot. That is annoying at times, and can make you miss important moments.

On the plus side you can use the LED flash as video light, and, when it comes to taking videos, the Samsung GALAXY W can capture 720p footage at 30 frames per second, which is the current norm for  midrange Android handsets. The video clips have balanced contrast and colors, and the frame capture is smooth without skipping.

Samsung GALAXY W Sample Video:



Samsung GALAXY W Indoor Sample Video:



Multimedia:

The stock Android music player is all you get on the GALAXY W, but it serves its purpose without a hitch. What's more is that it supports the FLAC lossless audio format, which means that you can enjoy your tunes without sacrificing quality. The loudspeaker is quite strong, but the sound comes out a bit tinny and distorted.


When it comes to video playback, 720p videos played seamlessly, and we have DivX/Xvid video formats support, along with the traditional MPEG-4, which many Samsung handsets except the lowest-end ones feature. The video player allows you to adjust screen brightness and sound volume directly from its interface.

Performance:

Voice quality in the earpiece is below average, with muffled voices, hollow sound and insufficient volume. On the other end things were a bit better, but we were told our voice sounded artificial and not clear enough. The handset is rated for 7.83 hours of talk time in 3G mode from the 1500mAh battery.

Conclusion:

Overall, the Samsung GALAXY W lives up to the expectations for its category with its comfortable design, decent pictures and video, rich codec support, strong loudspeaker and plenty of preinstalled goodies like Polaris Office and AllShare. The 3.7-inch LCD display should be commended as well since it delivers some eye-pleasing graphics thanks to its high pixel count. On top of all that, the internet browsing experience is complemented by Adobe Flash support meaning that you can enjoy the web to its fullest, powered by the 1.4GHz processor.

The things that we didn't like about the GALAXY W were the below average call quality in the earpiece, and the sometimes slow to focus camera. The first flaw especially might be a hindrance, since the handset will fight for attention in an overcrowded Android category.

It is standing up against the likes of the Sony Ericsson Xperia neo and the HTC Desire S, which come with more distinctive design, but a pretty similar set of features. Not only that, but it also stands against phones in its own maker's portfolio, such as the Omnia W with Windows Phone and a Super AMOLED display. The Galaxy W, however, has the backing of Android Market behind it, and its pricing will play a big role in the market positioning.

Software version of the review unit: CL604835

Samsung GALAXY W Video Review: