While
it may look like another rehash of the old Galaxy S, under the hood the new
Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G packs blistering speed, with a 1.5 GHz dual-core
processor and lightning fast 4G. Does the rest of the device measure up? We
take an in-depth look.
This
model is available exclusively at T-Mobile USA for $150 with a two-year service
contract and $50 mail-in rebate. Without the contract it's $450.
Build
& Design
Given
its name, you would expect that the Galaxy S Blaze 4G is a rewarmed version of
the two-year-old Galaxy S in a new package. Well, not exactly. While it has
undeniable similarities, it's clear that the Blaze has been through quite a
retrofit, delivering a much more modern experience.
The
first impression you get from holding the Blaze is that it's remarkably light,
even for a keyboard-less device. There's several reasons for that, including
the screen (which we'll talk about in a minute) and the relative simplicity of
the design.
This
smartphone's design is very minimalist: no clutter, no extra parts, it's pretty
much just literally the screen and the battery. Nicely enough, the microSD card
is accessible from a side door without removing the main battery cover.
The
Blaze probably isn't the most bulletproof device in existence, given how light
it is, but there's nothing really to complain about with the build quality.
It's simple, it's solid, and northing's going to pop off or go bad too quickly.
It's simplicity in action.
Screen
Part
of the reason for the Blaze's lightness is its Super AMOLED screen. Displays of
this type use a single layer of glowing elements to form the picture, instead
of regular LCDs which have one layer to create a picture and another to light
it up. This makes Super AMOLED thinner and lighter than other screens, as well
as providing better contrast, with black actually appearing as black rather
than dark grey. The Blaze uses the same basic Super AMOLED screen seen in a lot
of Samsung's older or mid-range models, not as clear and vivid as the ones in
the Galaxy S II and Samsung Infuse, but still nice. Even contrasted against
your average, more modern LCD, it's going to hold up very well.
Performance
Without
a doubt, the Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G's highest end spec is its processor: a
whopping 1.5 GHz dual-core chip gives it as much raw power as just about any
smartphone out there, even the higher end stuff. That makes it an ideal choice
for games and high-end video for those who don't want to break the bank. Using
Quadrant Standard benchmarks, the Blaze earned a whopping 3565 average. When
you consider that the Verizon flagship Motorola Droid RAZR MAXX only scores
around 2700, that's impressive.
Once
you branch out past the processor though, the Blaze is pretty standard
mid-range fare. Running on the slightly older Android OS 2.3 (Gingerbread), it isn't the sort of
device I'd expect to see get an Android 4.0 upgrade, so don't count on it. But
then, there's as yet very little real advantage using 4.0, as most apps are
still designed for 2.3.
A
lot of the online spec sheets about the model are wrong: it definitely does not
have 16 GB of memory. Instead, it has 4 GB internal (of which 2 GB are
available) and is pre-loaded with a 4 GB microSD card. That adds up to a
reasonable amount for a middle of the road device, but not nearly so exciting
as if the spec sheets had been right.
One
unfortunate quality is that the Blaze comes stocked with a lot of T-Mobile
branded "bloatware" apps. While it's not quite as bad as some of the
Verizon models, the ten -- yes, ten -- T-Mobile branded apps like their own app
store, their own version of 411, their own version of caller ID, etcetera, do
tend to be tiresome. And they can't be uninstalled, although you can at least
remove the widgets that come plastered all over the home screen.
Communication
While
T-Mobile is currently the only major provider that isn't deploying an LTE
network, that doesn't mean you should underestimate their own high speed
internet options. The carrier's souped-up HSPA network is still amply capable
of delivering broadband at speeds of 10 to 12 megabits downstream, which is
competitive with even Verizon's 4G LTE service. Uploading is slower, but not so
slow that it should bother you unless you're sending 50 MB videos on a regular
basis.
A
nice thing about T-Mobile's service that you can't get elsewhere is their WiFi
Calling option. Basically, whenever you're hooked up to WiFi your T-Mobile
Android phone will default to running your phone's voice, data, and messaging
all over the WiFi connection. This effectively gives you the same thing as
native T-Mobile service anywhere you can get WiFi, even if you're way, way out
in the boondocks, or buried deep in an office building with no other reception.
And unlike the signal boosters offered by other providers, you don't need any
special hardware or setup, and it works anywhere.
One
slightly surprising inclusion on the Blaze is Near Field Communication, or NFC.
This is a means to transmit small bits of information such as URLs, contact
information, or other bits of text. This can be device to device, like sharing
a contact; picking up a URL from an NFC-enabled poster or advertising display;
or transmitting data or an authorization from your phone to another device. NFC
hasn't seen much adoption in the US, but Google has been pushing it for use
with their "Google Wallet" service, essentially trying to make your
smartphone into also being your credit card. Although why you'd want that, I
have a hard time imagining.
Productivity
Unfortunately
the Blaze doesn't stock over-much in the way of productivity software. Beyond
the standard email, contacts, and organization apps, the only other
particularly useful thing it sports is a copy of Polaris Office, allowing you
to work with Microsoft Office documents while on the go.
Entertainment
There's
much more of an emphasis on entertainment with the Blaze, with not just
Google's own music, books, and video apps included, but also clients for
T-Mobile's version of MobiTV, Netflix, and Zinio. All of which, unfortunately,
require paid subscriptions to get the most out of them, but at least they mostly
offer free trials too.
Camera
In
the camera department, this Samsung smartphone unfortunately hasn't gotten an
upgrade from its ancestors. While its 5 megapixel camera is a fairly standard
resolution, the optics leave a lot to be desired, giving you fuzzy photos
lacking in detail compared to other phones based on more recent designs. Even
in good light, you will lose a lot of detail.
Battery
Life
Despite
being a fairly slim and light device, the Blaze packs a 1750 mAh battery.
That's close to standard size if you're talking about devices running on LTE,
but for T-Mobile's network it's well above the rest of the crowd, giving the
device excellent battery life. It's pretty safe to say that you'll get through
the day with this thing even if you're using it roughly with a lot of 4G and
the brightness cranked up.
Conclusion
All
in all, the Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G makes for a fairly good Android phone. Is
it worth your $150? I would give it a conditional yes. Of all the major
carriers, T-Mobile probably has the scarcest options in terms of good Android
devices. Compared to the rest of the carrier's offerings, the Blaze makes a
decent mid-point between the newer Samsung Galaxy S II on the higher end, and
the truly cheap options like the T-Mobile Sidekick 4G and the Samsung Exhibit
II.
That
said, the Blaze isn't going to match up with the amount of bang for your buck
that you'd get on other carriers. The same price on AT&T or Verizon would
net you a better phone -- but also a higher monthly bill than you'll get with
T-Mobile. Either way, you get what you pay for.
Although
it may not be the best Android phone available for its $150 suggested retail
price, the Blaze is still a pretty good device, and it's one of the few
"small" Android devices on the market that still has a truly high-end
processor in it. That alone may merit some attention. Otherwise though, I would
call it a solid mid-range choice for those who don't need the Galaxy S II, and
one they'll likely be very happy with.
Pros:
Slim
and light
Great
battery life
Fast
processor
Cons:
Other
specs are less impressive
Lots
of clutterware
Slightly
higher price than comparable devices on other carriers
Bottom
Line
A
decent but not extraordinary device, the Blaze 4G is a good choice for those
who want a mid-range device on T-Mobile, or a compact Android phone with a fast
processor.
