Samsung SGH-E870

By Jasmine Kamiko, CNET Asia
Jul 20, 2006

Don't let the plain-looking design of the Samsung SGH-E870 fool you. Beneath its compact exterior lies a bevy of features you'd normally find on mid- to high-end phones, such as video wallpaper, TV-out, document viewer and even an expandable memory card slot. This is in addition to the standard feature package that includes an onboard music player and 1.3-megapixel camera. However, the midrange features also come with a midrange price. The E870 is currently priced at S$538 (US$360.03) with a two-year contract.

Design
Clad in a silver faceplate with pure white furnishing, this triband phone sheds all frivolous lines for purely functional styling. The interior, which is in iPodish-white, reminds you of those found on Japanese handsets and comes with neatly laid-out squarish buttons that are large enough even for chubby fingers. The handset itself is relatively small and compact, so it should fit easily into pockets or small handbags.

As expected of most Samsung phones, the E870 has a solid build quality. However, it is clearly not designed for rugged use. The white interior looks prone to stains and its plastic exterior seems unlikely to withstand scratches, too.

While some people may assume that the E870 handset was designed for female users, a short survey in the office showed the opposite result. It seems the Samsung handset appeals more to the guys, particularly those seeking a plain handset. Female users, on the other hand, found the exterior a tad too plasticky and just not as stylish as the Razr. The E870 is available in three color offerings: Chic White, Valentine Pink and Chilli Blue.

The charging outlet has been shifted from the bottom of the phone (typical of Samsung models) to the side just below the volume buttons and is covered up so you won't need to worry about dust getting in. The same outlet also doubles as the port for PC synchronization and the earpiece. This means you can do only one of three tasks at any one time. Nor can you use your personal 3.5mm jack earphones on the handset. On the opposite side of the outlet lie the camera button and microSD card expansion slot.

Like most of its clamshell predecessors, the E870 features two screens. The internal 262K-color primary display offers vivid and sharp color reproduction while the external 65K-color OLED panel doubles as a viewfinder for self-portraits. The 1.3-megapixel camera lens and photolight are located just above the external screen.

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