HTC Magic vs. Samsung I7500

By Damian Koh on May 15, 2009

It was only a matter of time. With Samsung crashing in on the Android party with the I7500, HTC's no longer alone in the game. However, it does have a first-mover advantage as its second Android smartphone, Magic, is expected to ship in early June, while the I7500 is due out only in Q3. Before that happens, here's a quick overview of both devices' specifications. Plus we have some exclusive hands-on pictures on the following page.

	HTC Magic	Samsung I7500
Processor	Qualcomm MSM7200A 528MHz	TBC
Operating system	Android	Android
Memory	512MB ROM; 288MB RAM	8GB internal memory
Dimensions	113 x 55.56 x 13.65mm	115 x 56 x 11.9mm
Weight	116g	TBC
Display	3.2-inch, 320 x 480-pixel TFT screen	3.2-inch, 320 x 480-pixel AMOLED screen
Network	Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE Dual-band HSDPA/WCDMA	TBC
Device control	Trackball with Enter button	Four-way D-pad with OK button
Built-in GPS	Yes	Yes
Connectivity	Bluetooth 2.0 (with EDR and A2DP) Wi-Fi 802.11b/g mini-USB 2.0	Bluetooth 2.0 Wi-Fi micro-USB 3.5mm audio jack
Camera	3.2-megapixel AF camera	5-megapixel AF camera with Power LED flash
Microsoft Exhange support	Yes (Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 SP2 or Microsoft Exchange Server 2007)	TBC
Battery	1,340mAh lithium-ion	1,500mAh
Talktime	400 mins (WCDMA); 450 mins (GSM)	TBC
Standby time	660 hrs (WCDMA); 420 hrs (GSM)	TBC
Expansion slot	microSD	microSD (up to 32GB)
Other features	G-sensor Digital Compass	TBC

Here're the HTC Magic (left) and the Samsung I7500 (right) side by side. The I7500 looks slightly larger than the Magic, but that's because my hand was slightly closer to the camera. Also, the screen on the I7500 appears dimmer due to an early firmware issue which should be fixed with the final release.

As you can tell from the picture, the Magic has a "lip" that's meant to cradle the contour of your face.

Most people probably won't feel the difference in terms of size between the Magic and I7500.

The I7500 comes with a 3.5mm audio jack and micro-USB port at the top.

The Magic is equipped with a single mini-USB port for connecting to the PC and headset. This means you'll need an adapter if you wish to use your standard 3.5mm earbuds.

Here's another shot of the Android smartphones. The Magic uses a trackball for navigation, while the I7500 sports a conventional four-way D-pad with a center OK button. Both devices have Call/End keys, Menu and Back buttons. The Magic, however, has a dedicated Search shortcut that works in Contacts, Calendar, Email and the Web browser.