In the universe of Samsung’s Galaxy S phones, Sprint’s Epic 4G, may be the brightest star, and not just because it’s the only 4G model of the bunch. The Epic is shockingly light, considering it’s a third thicker than the other also abnormally lightweight Galaxy S models, because of its slideout horizontal keyboard. Sprint’s Epic 4G runs on the Google Android 2.1 platform and features a 4.0-inch “Super AMOLED” touch screen display. The lightweight handset is powered by a 1-gigahertz processor and supports blazing-fast WiMax 4G connectivity for data downloads. At first glance, the bulky Epic exudes a quaintly outdated look. Compared to the slender iPhone 4 and other palm-sized handsets, it stands out like a Hummer in a lot full of compacts. The Epic 4G’s 4.0-inch Super AMOLED display absolutely mesmerized us. It can display 16 million colors and has a WVGA resolution, which enables it to display vibrant graphics and fantastic looking video. The screen also has a wider viewing angle and a higher contrast ratio when compared with a traditional LCD. Thankfully, unlike older OLED displays, the Super AMOLED screen also looks great under bright sunlight. We’re also glad that the Epic 4G has a proximity sensor, which turns off the screen when we hold the phone to our ear during a call. As for input methods, you can use Swype or the standard Android virtual keyboard. Underneath the display are four touch-sensitive keys for the menu, home, back, and search, which are standard for Android phones.
The home screens can also be personalized with live wallpaper, but there are two elements that remain on each screen: the pull-down notification tray on top, which now includes wireless manager and profile functions, and the toolbar along the bottom with quick-launch buttons to the phone dialer, contacts, messaging, and applications. Pressing the latter takes you to a nice grid view of all your apps; they’re spread out over several pages, which you can swipe from side to side. The menu icons are also neatly arranged inside squares for a more unified look. We much prefer this layout over the standard Android one, where you have to scroll up and down. It feels more natural, easier to navigate, and is easier to use than the standard Android interface.
Compared with the HTC Evo and other smartphones now featuring 8.0-megapixel cameras, the Epic’s 5.0-megapixel capability seems almost quaint and commonplace. But the Epic stands in good company alongside the iPhone 4G and the Droid X, and 5.0-megapixels are nothing to sneeze at. Pictures shot with the Epic look crisp and bright. Of course, the phone’s large and colorful screen helps show them off, but even in low light without the phone’s internal LED Flash, the photo quality is good. For self-portraits, the Epic has a lens embedded in its front screen.
The Epic 4G uses the Android 2.1 Operating system. Many of its features can be found in other Android-based phones, including the HTC Evo 4G and the Droid 2. The phone comes fully integrated with Google Mobile Services, which means the phone integrates Gmail accounts as well as other Google services such as Calendar and Google Talk.
Each service appears as an app in the browser, and all updates made on the phone are saved in real time to the Google computing cloud and accessible by other devices. In addition to the Gmail app, the phone’s email app combines inboxes from other POP3, IMAP4 and Exchange accounts.
The Samsung Epic 4G has a 1,500mAh lithium ion battery with a rated battery life of 7.5 hours talk time and 21 days standby time. The Epic 4G had a talk time of 6 hours and 43 minutes in 3G. According to FCC radiation tests, the Epic 4G has a digital SAR of 0.68 watt per kilogram and has a Hearing Aid Compatibility Rating of M3/T3.
Even if you don’t or won’t have 4G service, the Epic is a flexible, light, fun and easy-to-use superphone. The Epic might be a value match for the EVO, thanks to its super-bright super AMOLED screen, slide-out keyboard and pre-installed 16GB microSD card, and even taking into account its minor operational annoyances and comparative specification failings in camera MP and hotspot connectivity. But given you can buy a 16GB microsSD card for around $25, the Epic isn’t worth an extra $50 unless you absolutely need a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. So far, the Epic is one of the best phones on the market today.
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