Samsung SGH-i200 review

Samsung is all over the place when it comes to mobile phones. And we mean that in a nice way. Ultra consumer-focussed handsets like the Tocco F480 and Soul U900 sit alongside a competent range of phones with a more professional user in mind.

One phone on the more professional side of things is the Samsung i200. Our review sample came from Orange. This is a relatively unprepossessing Windows Mobile-based handset, designed for those who like to keep essentials like diary and calendar close by, and who are keen on a bit of mobile email too. A smartphone, yes. But not one of those all singing, all dancing efforts. More of a workhorse, really.

We say that for two main reasons. First off, the SGH-i200 runs Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard. This is the non-touchscreen version of that operating system which means, crucially, that you can’t poke and prod at the screen to do what you need to. In our view, this rather slows things down, and we generally prefer touchscreened variants of Windows Mobile. But there are plenty of differing opinions on that score.

Second, the SGH-i200 lacks a Qwerty keyboard. Now this really does make a difference if you are into text-heavy activities like mobile email. Sure, you can use the numeric keyboard to tap out text, just as you would when writing an SMS on any phone, but it isn’t as fast as a proper keyboard.

On the subject of document creation and mobile email, it is worth noting that Samsung has been kind enough to include a PDF viewer and Office Mobile on the SGH-i200. The latter gives you mobile version of Word, Excel and PowerPoint as well as Microsoft’s note taking application OneNote (most often seen on handwriting recognition capable Tablet PCs). So you can edit Word and Excel documents if you want to, as well as viewing PowerPoint and OneNote notes. But really, as already mentioned, we wouldn’t advise you go too far down the document editing line!

This is a 3G device and it supports HSDPA connections up to 3.6Mbps. It is also tri-band GSM. It has a front-facing camera for two-way video calling and a second, main camera on the back which shoots stills to 2 megapixels.

Two megapixels isn’t exactly enough to make anyone hanker after this phone as a must-have shooter, but it does fine for the odd photo to remind you of something or send as an MMS. You’ll need a separate digital camera for photos you want to keep but that is not a situation unique to this smartphone so we won’t dwell on it.

More of an issue, perhaps, is that Wi-Fi is absent. Really, these days, any smartphone worth its salt offers Wi-Fi. Without that your only way of getting online is via your network operator – with Wi-Fi you can hop onto your own or another wireless network and take advantage of some ‘free’ online time. At least Bluetooth is here.

You might find this smartphone a bit of a beast to pocket. It is particularly tall, measuring 116mm in that department. It is quite slim and thin though at 50.8mm wide and 11.8mm thick. As long as your hands aren’t very small it should feel quite cosy when being used. It is just the need for a deepish pocket that might irk.

Still, there is a benefit to the taller profile. This is that there is plenty of room for relatively large buttons and a well sized screen. The latter measures 2.3-inches across diagonal corners, and delivers 240 x 320 pixels. It has a light sensor which can automatically adjust screen brightness depending on ambient light, which is handy.

The number keys are large and we had no trouble tapping out SMS messages at a reasonable speed. The Call and End keys sit above the top number row, and above them are softmenu keys. Centrally between this four is a silver D-pad and its central select button. The remainder of the front fascia is a rather professional black.

Windows Mobile Home and Back keys are perched on the far left and right edges of the front fascia above the number pad. Getting to them is not a problem. A left side rocker handles volume while a right side key can be customised to launch any application you like. Out of the box it starts the camera rolling.

Also on this edge you’ll find a microSD card slot which can be used to boost the 20Mb of internal memory. SDHC is supported so you can use cards currently available at up to 8GB in size.

In the end the Samsung SGH-i200 is a fair to middling smartphone. It doesn’t have a lot of extra software bundled into it to add to what you get with Windows Mobile, and nor does it pack Wi-Fi. But it does support HSDPA and two way-video calling, and is nicely designed – if a little tall.