Samsung Conquer 4G Review

Introduction:

We all know that if you wait long enough you can get a really good price on a product that is slightly aging.  Arguably the most iconic device of 2010 was the HTC EVO 4G - it was the first 4.3” smartphone and the first 4G device in the US, along with one of the first 1GHz processors, gobs of memory and a whole host of other goodies.  Fast-forward just over a year later and we have the Samsung Conquer 4G.  Billed as the first budget 4G device, the spec sheet is actually quite similar to the EVO 4G in a smaller package and all for under $100 on contract.  Alright, there are some cutbacks such as the 3.5” 320x480 display and 3.2 megapixel main camera, but you still get a 1GHz S2 (second generation) Snapdragon processor, 1GB of memory and 4G WiMAX data.  Included with the Conquer 4G you’ll get the microUSB cable with AC adaptor and a 2GB microSD card.

Design:

When you hear the term “budget friendly” a high quality build doesn’t come to mind, but we were pleasantly surprised when we first unboxed the Samsung Conquer 4G.  The phone is very well put together with great attention to detail.  The battery door is covered in tiny nibs and soft touch which proves an excellent tactile feel.  The shiny metal frame is a nice contrast to the black housing, and the side buttons and ports blend right in but are still easy to find by touch.  Below the display are four hardware Android buttons which flare downward to cradle the curve of your thumb.  Though likely plastic, they have the appearance of black brushed aluminum- which matches the camera housing on the back- to give the phone a sophisticated look.



You can compare the Samsung Conquer 4G with many other phones using our Size Visualization Tool.

The display itself unfortunately reminds us that this is indeed a budget device.  The 3.5” TFT display supports 16M colors, but is only 320x480 and the pixel density leaves a lot to be desired.  It is a far cry from the Samsung AMOLED panels we have come to know and love and is more than likely the same display found on the Samsung Transform.  Then again, phones with AMOLED displays are often twice as expensive as the Conquer 4G and corners must be cut somewhere.  Other than the pixel density the quality of the display is above average with good brightness and its ability to stand up to direct light pretty well.


In this day and age of 4”+ displays it is kind of refreshing using a smaller device now and again.  The Samsung Conquer 4G fits very comfortably in our hand and with a smaller screen it is easy enough to reach across the phone with our thumb for one-handed operation.  The textured, soft touch back gives us a reassuring grip and the narrow profile makes it easy to cradle in your palm.  We are pleasantly surprised that Samsung did not skimp on the design of the Conquer 4G and are quite pleased with the result.

Interface:

You’re going to have a mostly stock Android experience on the Samsung Conquer 4G, which is a good thing.  It is a SprintID device, unlike some older ones there is no prerequisite to install an ID before you get started.  This leaves the phone about as close to a Nexus as you can get without being one.  The preloaded software is minimal but not uninstallable: you’ll get Sprint Zone, Mobile Wallet and ID, ThinkFree Office, My Files (file manager), Adobe Flash and Qik.  Thankfully the Conquer 4G has half a gig of free memory available so these apps don’t take up any valuable space.  Swype is also preloaded for your typing pleasure.

New ID packs can be downloaded at the user’s discretion which will install a theme of apps, wallpapers and ringtones.  In theory the ID packs offer easy personalization without wading through the 200K+ apps in the Market, but nearly a year after launching the service there are still only two dozen or so packs available.

With a second generation Snapdragon processor at 1GHz and 1GB of RAM the user experience on the Samsung Conquer 4G is quite smooth.  It has plenty of horsepower and free memory out of the box so that you won’t be slugging along once you’ve installed a handful of your favorite apps.

Data and Connectivity:

As the name implies the Samsung Conquer 4G runs over Sprint’s WiMAX network and we found speeds to be on par with the Photon 4G and EVO 3D in 4G areas.  It of course offers 3G data over the EV-DO network and allows for Wi-Fi b/g/n as well.  It is the second device in Sprint’s lineup to feature Bluetooth 3.0 with the EVO 3D.

The stock Android browser performs very well.  Zooming via either double tap or pinch was smooth, complex pages loaded quickly even over 3G and Flash content played without a hitch.  As the stock browser is getting better and better third party browsers are less needed on Android devices, though they often do add some nice enhancements.



Camera:

Despite only having a 3.2 megapixel camera the Samsung Conquer 4G managed to take some decent snapshots, provided the lighting was good.  In bright daylight images were better than they should have been.  As the light went down the grain went up and details got lost.  Even in bright light images were soft and light flare could be an issue, but it does a good job of capturing those spontaneous moments.  The front camera is suitable for video chat, but for some reason Google Talk does not support the Conquer 4G despite it being Android 2.3.4.



The video may only record at VGA resolution, but it did so surprisingly well.  Options for both are the standard Android fare with nothing you wouldn’t suspect and nothing that stands out.

Samsung Conquer 4G Sample Video:



Multimedia:

The Samsung Conquer 4G relies on the stock Android music and video players.  With a Music Beta account you can stream your music collection via the cloud or use up to a 32GB memory card for local storage.  The Conquer 4G couldn’t play our DivX videos, but had no problem with XviD, H.264 or MPEG-4 files that we threw at it.

Performance:

Callers said the Conquer 4G was one of the best phones we’ve ever tested, rating us a 9/10 with no complaints.  They made a point of how clear we were and they sounded great to us as well.  Battery life is about average at 6 hours of talk time, though we were able to go a few days with light usage before the Conquer 4G needed a charge.

Conclusion:

The Samsung Conquer 4G reminds us very much of the LG Optimus One in that it does what it is supposed to do well without costing an arm and a leg.  The Conquer has 4G data, it has a fast processor and lots of memory but it isn’t fancy.  The EVO family, the Photon, the Epic…they all try and be show stoppers.  Samsung didn’t have to wow anyone with the Conquer 4G, but in the process of making an affordable, serviceable phone they managed to wow us quite pleasantly.

Android 2.3.4
Build: EF25

Samsung Conquer 4G Video Review: