Pantech Link Review

Introduction:

Mostly finding its niche predominantly in the text messaging class of phones, Pantech is easily becoming more relevant and well-known with each handset they push out. We've seen them experiment in various form factors such as the multi-sliding Pantech Matrix all the way to the side-opening clam-shell Pantech Impact. In their latest offering with the Pantech Link P7040, they've reverted back to the QWERTY slate form factor that was last seen on the Pantech Slate – a device that was humble to its roots, but offered plenty of functionality. Naturally there is a pattern we see with this handset as it attempts to link the gap between those basic users who are hesitant on jumping up to a full featured smartphone.

The package contains:
•    Pantech Link
•    Charger
•    User Guide
•    Quick Start Guide

Design:

So here we are again seeing another portrait QWERTY handset in the Pantech Link – but surprisingly enough, it manages to improve in almost every aspect when comparing it to the Pantech Slate. Exuding a design that looks eerily most similar to the Nokia E71, the Link is extremely sleek (0.39” thick) and radiates a high level of quality in its design. Clearly it's constructed out of plastic, but the unique metallic paint job used on the bezel and patterned rubberized back cover adds to its overall appeal. Thanks to the choice of materials, the Pantech Link is extremely light weight (3.21 oz) and doesn't feel noticeable in the pockets. Pantech's evolution is evident as we've seen them progress greatly from the cheap feeling Pantech Slate to the current Link which shines brightly with a construction and design that rivals closely to some smartphones.



You can compare the Pantech Link with many other phones using our Size Visualization Tool.

Continuing in its overhaul, the Pantech Link's 2.4” QVGA LCD display with support for 262k colors does well in most conditions – but we found that it had some poor viewing angles. Despite that, the bump in resolution does help in meticulously reading out text while colors still looked a bit on the dull side. Navigating wasn't a chore thanks to the tactile circular directional pad that was supplemented by the usual set of large sized dedicated buttons. The left edge of the phone houses the microSD slot and decently sized volume rocker while the right side accommodates the proprietary charging port and dedicated camera button. Finally, you can find the 1.3-megapixel camera with self-portrait mirror and speaker phone on the back while removing the rear cover gives you access to the battery and SIM card slot.




Just taking a quick glance at the Pantech Link's QWERTY keyboard instantly reminded us of the one found on the Nokia E71 – it has a strikingly similar look with its tiny keys that don't offer any spacing in between them. However, they are slightly raised towards the middle which provides a rather distinct feel between each key. Additionally, the weak back-lighting made it even more difficult to make out keys in the dark – it's something that should pose no problem on any device. Nonetheless, we liked the solid feel when pressing down a button which made typing a decent experience despite its cramped nature.

User Interface /Software:

Following suit to what we've already witnessed on both the Pantech Reveal C790 and Impact P7000, the Link utilizes the same AT&T interface that has a much more modern look than the one on the Slate. Navigating as a whole is a simple and straightforward experience that is accompanied with no lag to ruin the experience. Personalization is few and between because the phone offers a limited amount of options to modify – such as the wallpaper, main menu layout, color scheme, and font style.

We're digging that AT&T is now on the bandwagon of offering a free sync service for address books on some of their feature phones. The Pantech Link allows you to sign into your account and have all of your contacts automatically synced – so it beats having to manually input each one by hand and becomes beneficial in some instances like losing a phone.


As we've seen already with the Samsung Strive A687, the Pantech Link also offers AT&T Mobile Share which essentially gives owners the ability to save media content online or share them via MMS or social networking web sites. It makes for a decent solution for those who prefer not having to worry about managing or losing their precious media, but there is a $10/month cost for 50 media transfers or $0.35/transfer.

There are actually two web browsers loaded on the phone – Opera Mini as the default and the Media Net browser which can be accessed through the Applications folder. You don't even want to bother with the latter as we experienced extremely long load times and laborious scrolling. Thankfully Opera Mini does provide for a supreme experience on the handset due to its quick page loads and automatic text fitting that adjusts to the width of the display. One thing we found annoying was the need to go back to AT&T's home page to type in a web address – there just isn't an option for it in the menu.



Messaging and Multimedia:

Not missing a beat, the messaging experience doesn't stray far from the path that other devices before it have followed. Composing text messages is a breeze now that they are displayed in a threaded view; there's no confusion anymore as to who you're talking to now. The email application offers a handful of popular providers which simply requires your email address and password for setup. In addition, you can manually put in some specific pieces of information regarding your provider if it isn't found on the list. Lastly, you'll have your choice of either AIM, Windows Live Messenger, or Yahoo Messenger as your instant messaging client. All in all, the messaging experience is typical as the QWERTY keyboard allowed us to quickly respond to emails or compose a text without any problems.


Photos produced with the 1.3-megapixel camera were definitely better than what most other similar sensors can produce. Of course, they are definitely not the sharpest out there, but it's warranted for a device like this. Images taken outdoors in perfectly lit conditions resulted in colors sometimes coming out a bit on the bland side while indoor shots taken with spotty lighting lacked fine details and looked muddy. The need to wait for the camera shutter animation to finish whenever you take a shot was a bit annoying, because if you move the phone slightly before the animation completes, you'll be greeted with a blurry image.




Allowing only a maximum video capture resolution of 320x240, recordings looked pixelated and colors were bland. The frame rate looked steady enough, but we can't think of it being used for anything serious. Finally, the Link is enabled for video share with other compatible handsets – but we were unable to test this feature out.

There is nothing new with the music player as it's the same exact one featured on the Reveal and Impact. It's quite basic at its core and displays common items such as the album cover, artist, song, and some on-screen functions. Hitting the end button will bring you to the home screen where the mini-player will continue to run and play music. Sound from the speaker phone lacked any serious power which made it sound strained at times; especially on the loudest volume setting.

Thankfully playing videos on the handset was no problem as we loaded a movie trailer coded in MPEG-4 at 320x240 resolution. There was little slowdown during playback and the overall experience was decent enough, but watching videos on the 2.4” display made it difficult on the eyes over time.

Performance:

On our end, we noticed some serious static issues that was noticeable even in complete dead silence – it just made comprehending our callers difficult. Our callers said that we sounded slightly better and more audible, but there was still the occasional background noise. When using the speaker phone, it made voices sound hollow and without much power behind it even when setting it to the loudest level. One truly neat feature is the ability to record calls – you can simply press the icon and it'll record your conversation until you press stop.

During our testing, the Link held up well in retaining signal strength with solid bars at any given time in the greater Philadelphia area. The Link was not plagued by any service issues or dropped calls.

We seriously dished out some work for the Link as we had the brightness level set to the highest and constantly made use of it. Combining heavy text messaging and internet surfing, we were able to get a full day before having to charge it – still, we were hoping to get more out of it. Pantech has the phone rated for 3 hours of talk and 240 hours of standby time.

Conclusion:

We're still wondering what Pantech's thinking was with the Link – it sort of reminds us of how it “links” traditional basic phone owners to the sophisticated designs of smartphones. From afar, it clearly entices anyone with its streamlined look that finds itself in the same category of some smartphones. Moreover, the Pantech Link easily shows how it quickly establishes itself as being a well-balanced phone that will suffice to the needs of many individuals out there. The elegant design of the Pantech Link P7040 makes it one of the best looking QWERTY handsets available that won't break the bank and doesn't skimp out on the features to match its sleek exterior. Needless to say there are a handful of QWERTY alternatives on AT&T's lineup that will suffice if the Link isn't to your liking – the Pantech Impact P7000, Samsung Strive, and LG Neon.