Blimey,
the Z540V looks so much better in person than these Samsung photos portray
it. Looking at these photos, I would immediately discount the handset as a
damp squid out of its depth surrounded by sharks.
Don't despair, as my first impression of this handset is more than ok. Its elegant black design with a high quality textured surface means that it can easily hold its own in the style league.
The current trend in mobile phone design is moving towards "slim & wide" design. The "slim & wide" design concept offers better portability with its light weight and thinness, and enriches multimedia features in a mobile environment with larger screens. This statement typifies the Samsung Z540.
I like the way Samsung have impressed the url of their mobilephone site on the rear of the phone. A great memory jogger of where to find all the support for this model.
The Z540 is part of Samsung's new diverse and advanced 3G slim phone lineup. This clamshell is equipped with a 1.3 megapixel camera phone with flash, JAVA, polyphonic and MP3 ringtones. Connectivity options include USB and Bluetooth. The SGH-Z540 adds support for the Real Audio format for music playback, integrating dual stereo speakers
The handset looks and feels like a lightweight which is backed up by the following data. Lightweights rule in this arena.
Handset |
Weight |
Motorola
RAZR V3x |
125g |
BenQ-Siemens
EF81 |
110g |
Samsung
Z540 |
105g |
In terms of size the Samsung Z540 is notably thinner than the Motorola RAZR V3x and the BenQ-Siemens EF81 - see below. Now that's a pleasant surprise. It's no wonder this phone is promoted by Samsung as "The Ultra Slim 3G Phone".
Handset |
Length | Width | Depth |
Motorola
RAZR V3x |
99 | 53 | 19.6 |
BenQ-Siemens
EF81 |
94 | 51 | 15.9 |
Samsung
Z540 |
99 | 51 | 14.9 |
Open
the handset and the crystal-clear image reproduction on the large QVGA interior
display with 262,144 colours will impress.
The external display displays 65,536 colours. In addition, this ultra-convenient 1.07" external TFT LCD section display also gives immediate access to time, battery status, and other core information without lifting a finger.
Its camera must be classed as entry-level only and some people harsher than me could call it below par by today's standards. Just to confirm it has a 1.3-megapixel camera on-board with 4x digital zoom.
The Nokia N80 and others steam ahead in the megapixel race as shown below.
Handset |
Main camera |
| Nokia N80 | 3mp |
Motorola
RAZR V3x |
2mp |
BenQ-Siemens
EF81 |
2mp |
Samsung
Z540 |
1.3mp |
The Samsung Z540 may have 140MB on board memory compared to others with 64MB yet there is no memory card slot. Bit of a disappointment. A sacrifice to keep its waist down no doubt. More below.
Handset |
Memory |
Memory
Card Slot |
Type |
Motorola
RAZR V3x |
64
MB |
Yes |
TransFlash
|
BenQ-Siemens
EF81 |
64MB |
Yes |
MicroSD,
TransFlash |
Samsung
Z540 |
140MB |
No |
NA |
Video streaming and video calling all performs reasonably well with expected results. The MP3 player integrated into the Samsung SGH-Z540 is compatible with all formats such as AAC/AAC+/RA and WMA. Accessing your entire playlist is no trouble with the MP3 hot keys on the outside of the phone. And to make sure the sound quality is up-to-par, the phone has first-class dual speakers.
The Samsung SGH-Z540 was found to be modernistic and exquisitely designed phone that will attract fashion-conscious consumers and working professionals who desire the many features of 3G. Note for the ladies - not available in pink sorry.
This review covers the above mobile phone only and does not address the performance of any 3G Network. The score is based on a 3G mobile phone checklist.
Copyright : You are advised that this material is the copyright of www.3G.co.uk and is our own personal view only. (C) All rights reserved 2005. Whist every care has been taken in the preparation of this review, the author nor 3G.co.uk cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or authenticity of the information it contains, or consequence arising from it.
| Best
features |
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| High
quality finish |
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| Light and small | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Large QVGA interior display | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Spec details |
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|
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| Pros |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
A
lightweight and useful 3G conender. Looks the part. |
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| Cons |
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| No
memory card means just 140MB internal memory to play with. Camera seems
a tad low spec. |
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| Verdict |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Light,
small and distintive 3G handset which will appeal to a broad spectrum
of shoppers. |
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| 3G
Total Score |
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| 88% |
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