Review: Samsung SGH-D830 Super-Slim Folder

Samsung SGH-D830

Samsung SGH-D830

Samsung SGH-D830

Introduction

The Samsung SGH-D830 is the thinnest folder phone in the world, the only model comparable in the market is the NEC L1 (2mm thicker) that was released a year ago. The D830 is perhaps the most technically advanced model out of the entire Ultra series, and this might explain why it is the most recent model to ship. Today we will see if the D830 lives up to the Ultra hype, and if it was worth the wait.

Physical Aspects

The D830 is a very Samsung-looking phone. The body is pure black and the design is minimalist. The body can be perceived as having thin metallic plates pressed on top of each other with small pieces of plastic here and there. On the face, the designers have done a bit of work on the texture, adding grip to the otherwise monotonous blackness.

The build is extremely solid: the displays, battery, SIM slot, and camera module are all strengthened by metallic plates. The price for this strength would be its weight, and the D830 does feel a bit heavy for its size at 91.5g (3.2oz). Comparing it to the D900 and X820, the dust problem is especially severe on the D830. Dirt is almost obliged to get into the rims around the external screen if you carry the phone in your pocket. What's worse is that it is extremely difficult to dig it out, once it is there.

On the left hand side, you can find the volume buttons and the power/earphone socket, whereas the microSD slot is located on the right.

At first glance, the D830 seems to have gotten the dimensional ratios right. The folder is slightly larger than a typical non-Japanese clamshell, measuring 103mm by 54mm by 9.9mm (4.1" x 2.1" x .39"). But don't worry; the larger size also affords the D830 room for a larger screen (2.3"). Ergonomically, the D830 is not bad.

Due to its thinness, opening the phone with one hand might be a bit difficult, but you will get the hang of it eventually. The hinge feels solid, but the spring feels slightly too strong when it closes, and I worry that the keypad might start scratching the surface of the display once the protective plastics wear off over time.

The D830 doesn't look bad at all when it is opened. The large screen and large keypad gave a good first impression. However you will start to worry once you look closer. I am not talking about the main display, around which the dust problem is not as severe as the external display. I am not talking about the backlight either; the keypad shines beautifully white in the dark. But if you look at the phone sideways, you will find that the keys are perfectly flat. This is a big deal. The keys on the D900 and X820 are very user-friendly, but the same can not be said of the D830. I am sorry to say that the keypad here has the worst tactile feedback I have come across to date. Mind you, the tactile feedback is not non-existent, which might have been better, based on my experience with the LG Chocolate, as long as the keys were sensitive enough. This is especially noticeable for the lower rows. The buttons are large, yes, but the actual sensitive area of each key is quite small. It wouldn't work if you pounded hard on the keys unless you hit the tiny little sweet spot accurately. Using your finger nails, "caressing" the keypad or even trying to adapt to the minimal tactile feedback won't work, either, because the keys are simply not sensitive enough. To dial 7 for example, you are required to press the engraving of 7 and not the "pqrs" written beneath it. If you press too hard, you'll miss the sweetspot, it you press too softly, the phone will not respond. This is true not only for the numbers, but also the D-pad.

The D830 looks really good from the outside and the inside; but texting on the device is a pain-staking nightmare. Trust me, I have tried to adapt to the keypad's design in every possible way. At the end of the day I still have to say: Samsung, you have created a monster.

 

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