Samsung D600 review: Black star

Samsung D600 is a mobile phone with a brilliant display, 2 megapixel camera, memory card and a lot of functions. It will win you over with its stereo sound and the many possibilities for TV connection.

Key features

• fancy design
• top display
• quality 2 megapixel camera
• synchronization options
• TV out

Main disadvantages

• no ringtone profiles
• no radio
• no infrared port

The actual phone used in this review is Samsung D600E - it is the same as the Samsung D600, but it supports EDGE and it is tri-band, not quad-band.

Samsung D600 is one of the most featured mobile phones without operating system. Only strong competitors like Sony Ericsson K750 or Nokia 6230i can be compared with its features and functions. In such comparison it wins with its extremely fancy design; in addition, it wins also with the stereophonic output for Bluetooth or the output for composite video signal. Yes, you can connect this phone to a normal TV with the help of supplied cable without any problems.

Samsung D600E

This model reminds of the older Samsugn D500, which is still successfully sold at a very good price. The new model inherited from it the whole design conception. It has the same weight and a body with dimensions of 96 × 47 × 22 mm; therefore it's a millimeter wider, but a milliliter thinner.

The phone is very user friendly • the sliding mechanism is good and solid

In dark vesture

Samsung D600 is a device with sliding construction. This form factor significantly increased its market share in the last year or two. In comparison to the clamshells, the sliders offer an easier and more comfortable way of operating while the advantages are one and the same - a possibility to use big display and comfortable keypad in a small phone. The design is eye-catching, but on the other side there's nothing shocking in the appearance, because it is almost the same as its successful forerunner.

Do you like it?

The front part consists of a big display, which is embedded under dark protecting glass. When the phone is off they form a black area. A silver fillet highlights the slot for headphones above the display; under it - the engraved name of the manufacturer in a silver field. It divides a part of the display from the functional keys and serves like a finger stopper when sliding due to the soft appearance.

You'll find some refreshing elements on the gloomy front side • the headphones, for example • or under the display

The functional keys are five and together with the pair of soft keys under the display they control the calls; here is also the correction C button. All these keys are situated around a four-way cursor button which has also a confirming centre. You won't find another buttons on the front part of the phone; on the right side of the phone there is only a camera button; on the opposite side is a couple of buttons for volume regulation and other functions - phonebook search, for example.

Function part of the keyboard

I must commend the perfect covering of all openings. A slot for TransFlash memory card in the lower part of the left side, a compound system connector in the lower side or an audiovisual connector in the upper part of the right side - all are protected by sophisticated plastic caps. The attachment to the phone prevents from their loss; they don't affect the exterior line at all when the phone is closed.

All connectors are protected by plugs, which you won't lose

If you look carefully trough the area of the upper edges of the phone, I am sure you won't miss the four small openings on each one of them. Yes, you guessed right, these are covered stereophonic speakers grates. We can admit even now the fact that the tested Samsung D600 has a superb sound and outdistances a little in such a way. You may catch sight of an eyelet for a strap on the upper side.

The sound speakers are on the both sides

In the upper part of the back side we see a 2 megapixel camera lens in silver background, supplemented by a LED flash at one side and by a convex mirror for easier self portrait on the other. The battery is straight and directly a part of the backside of the phone, so it doesn't show a slightest tendency towards creak even at very strong pressure. The whole backside of the phone is as though rubber and due to this fact Samsung lays chained to the desk even during vibration. The soft surface doesn't allow fingerprints. The battery is lithium-ion and with its capacity of 850 mAh can supply the phone up to 12 days standby, 7 hours talk time. It depends on the usage. It lasts a week when you don't use it much. You may charge it every day after very active usage. The charging lasts about two hours.

After sliding the upper part of the phone upwards we can see a black and by the way very good keyboard. The keys are big enough even for rough fingers and are slightly embedded under the edge of the surrounding casing. They are very well distinguishable by touch. The key stroke is optimal, the buttons are very stable. Due to this you can type fast and easy without making mistakes even in a longer text - an email, for example.

The lightening of the keyboard is white