Samsung Epic 4G (Sprint)

A fantastic keyboard, 4G data capability, and a jaw-dropping VGP-BPS13B/Q display make this Android phone worth the premium.

How do you top one of the best VGP-BPS13/B smart phones ever made? That's the epic feat facing the Epic 4G, the priciest device yet in Samsung's Galaxy S family ($249) and the second smart phone for Sprint that taps into the carrier's growing 4G data network. This Android 2.1 phone comes ready to battle the powerful Evo 4G with it gorgeous Super AMOLED display and one of the most comfortable physical keyboards we've used on a mobile device. The Epic 4G will also soon deliver movie and TV show rentals Sony VGP-BPS13 Battery and downloads, making it a great choice for media mavens on the go. This feature-packed has a few weaknesses, but overall it's Samsung's best Galaxy S series phone yet and yet another compelling reason to switch to Sprint.

Design

Like all other Galaxy S phones, it's all about the screen. The 4-inch Super AMOLED Sony VGP-BPS13A/B Battery display dominates the front of the Epic 4G, surrounded by an all-black bezel. What makes this device different than its cross-carrier cousins is its unique slide-out keyboard, which packs five rows of backlit goodness. Because of this amenity, the 5.5-ounce Epic 4G weighs more than the Captivate for AT&T (4.5) and the Vibrant Sony VGP-BPS9 Battery for T-Mobile (4.2) ounces. The Epic 4G is also understandably thicker than both of those phones (0.56 inches vs. 0.4 inches). We think this trade-off is worth it for the great typing experience, but you'll definitely notice the extra bulk in your pocket and when holding this device up Sony VGP-BPS9/B Battery to your head. On the other hand, the Epic 4G is lighter than the Evo 4G (6 ounces) and the Droid 2 (6 ounces), which also has a slide out keyboard.

For Sprint and good battery Samsung the Super AMOLED screen was so important in this case that the capactive menu buttons beneath the display are blacked out when the screen is off. This treatment gives the phone a more modern appearance than the Evo 4G (whose buttons are always legible) but it sacrifices Sony VGP-BPS9/S battery functionality for style. Overall, though, we prefer the rounded edges of the Epic 4G to the Evo 4G's boxy slate aeshetic, as well as the former's chrome accents.

The right side of the handset houses a small power button VGP-BPS9A/B Battery up top and a camera launch/shutter key on the bottom right. Up top you'll find the 3.5mm jacks and microUSB port (behind a sliding door), and the left side has a volume rocker. The black plastic back of the phone has specks of silver in it, a nice touch, and it's pretty easy to pop the cover off should you want to access the battery or memory card. On the back there's also a lens for the 5-MP autofocus camera with an LED flash beneath it. What you don't get Dell GD761 Battery that the Evo 4G has is an HDMI port and a built-in kickstand.

Display

If we had to choose between the Evo 4G's larger 4.3-inch screen and the Epic 4G's 4-inch PA3534U-1BRS Battery display (both 800 x 480 pixels), we'd give the edge to Samsung's phone. Thanks to Super AMOLED technology, the picture has superior contrast, richer colors, and much better viewing angles. We wowed some friends by playing an HD video we captured of a toddler trying to chase a butterfly around some flowers. Some Vostro 1710 Battery onlookers said it looked as though the picture was jumping off the screen. While some will prefer the Evo's larger panel, which not only shows larger images and text but whiter whites, the Epic 4G's superior display lives up to the rest of the Galaxy S family.

Keyboards

Those who feel that pairing a Apple Laptop Battery big 4-inch display with a physical keyboard is overkill should try the Epic 4G first. This layout is spacious but Vostro 1720 Battery also provides excellent tactile feedback (and a satisfying click as you type). And unlike other slider phones we've tested with dedicated number rows, Samsung didn't position this one too close to the bottom of the display. At first we had trouble building up speed because of just how spacious this keyboard is, but overall it's a Thinkpad R60E Battery pleasure to use. We also appreciate that separate Menu, Back, Home and Search buttons flank the letters. Our only real complaint is that there isn't a dedicated @ symbol key like you'll find on the Motorola Droid and Droid 2; you have to press the Fn key first.

We didn't like the touch keyboard on the Epic 4G as much as the ones on the Captivate and Vibrant. Typing felt somewhat cramped in portrait mode, and we don't get why the space bar sits on the bottom right of the layout in landscape mode. In this mode Thinkpad X60S Battery we'd use the built-in Swype software, which lets you draw a line from letter to letter to form words.