Product Listing

Samsung Omnia 7 - The Super AMOLED Way

By Wong Casandra - 3 Dec 2010
Launch SRP: S$998

Overview & Design

Samsung Omnia 7 - The AMOLED Way

The Korean giant hit relative success with the Samsung Galaxy S i9000, one of the top-tier Android smartphones, and was one of the few then with a 4-inch Super AMOLED display. Similarly this time round, the Samsung Omnia 7 is the only Windows Phone 7 (WP7) device thus far with a 4-inch Super AMOLED display. Other mandatory WP7-related but still impressive specifications follow, so do read on for our comprehensive review on the Omnia 7.

Looking simple and straightforward, this is the Samsung Omnia 7 - the Korean giant's first Windows Phone 7 device.

The Omnia 7 sports a simple and clean build that's congruent with most smartphones these days - a large screen takes most of the real estate on the front with three simple controls. While the phone looks hefty, it is extremely lightweight at 138g (to be precise, it is the lightest WP7 device we have reviewed to date). The good thing is that it's not a fragile handset and is in fact a sturdy device with its back protected by a nice steel cover. Given its light weight and reasonable build, the Omnia 7 feels right in place on our palms. Its slim form factor allows for easy handling and slides in/out of our pockets without hassle.

One thing we have noticed from past Windows Phone 7 device reviews is that the functional buttons on the sides of the WP7 phones aren't exactly well designed - they are too slim and flat for tactile feedback. This time, thankfully we don't have the same complaints as the buttons on the sides of the Omnia 7 are kept small but yet extremely easy to press. The only peeve we have is that the Omnia 7 sports a mixture of touch and physical buttons on the front face. The Home physical button (the one with the Windows logo) is slightly concave and flanked by both Back and Search touch 'buttons'. While there's ample space between the screen and the buttons, there's a tendency to accidentally press the touch controls since the home physical button is rather small. This could have been easily avoided if all of them were actual physical buttons.

The small Home button might prove to be a struggle for those with big thumbs. 
 

By positioning the button on the sides of the device instead of the top, it is more ergonomic for users. For your info, the right most button is designated for camera usage.

Similar to the other Samsung juggernaut, the Galaxy S i9000, the Omnia 7 sports a sliding cover rather than a plug cover over its microUSB port, adding a sophistciated touch to an already polished-looking phone.

The USB slide-out cover is a nifty touch as it keeps the unsightly USB port out of sight as well as prevents dust from accumulating. The only complaint we have is that it sometimes gets in the way of plugging in the USB wire.

The phone's 5-megapixel camera with LED flash is sported here.

To release the lock that keeps the battery cover in place, simply release the catch just below the cover.

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8.5
  • Design 9
  • Features 8
  • User-Friendliness 8.5
  • Performance 8.5
  • Value 8
The Good
4.0-inch AMOLED screen
Lightweight body
Better battery mileage than competition
Better imaging quality with more details and less noise
The Bad
Finicky front touch controls
Lack of exclusive content
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