Dell Venue Pro Pro Reviews

Windows Phone 7 changes a little from handset to handset, remaining predictable and unskinnable. We aren't sure it's the best fit for consumers. The Dell Venue Pro itself is chunky, but the large screen and mini keyboard are definite plus points.

The Dell Venue Pro is a pretty good Windows Phone handset. It’s fast, easy to use and the slide-out keyboard is responsive too. However, we can’t help feeling that it’s just a bit too large to be truly comfortable to use, and the screen and battery life could be better.

The overall package here is laudatory. However, you can't drop in additional storage to the device, and 16GB is largest storage option available from Dell. All told however, at $99.99 on contract for the 8GB model, the Dell Venue Pro is one of the better bargains out there. If you are willing to give WP7 a chance, we doubt you'll be let down by what's on offer here.

Dell's Venue Pro is a very well-built Windows Phone 7 handset with a gorgeous 4.1in AmoLED screen and a useful qwerty keypad. Although Windows Phone 7 has work to do to take on Apple's iOS and Google Android, the Dell puts up a very good fight in favour of Microsoft's platform. Battery life could be better, however, the internal memory is restricted to 8GB, you must use Zune to sync media, and some might say this bulky handset is just a little too large.

The Venue Pro is a pretty chunky phone though, and the size will probably turn some people off. But in exchange for larger dimensions, you get an excellent hardware keyboard, a robust slider, and (most importantly) a large, 4.1” AMOLED display. If the Surround is the best WP7 device for music, the Venue Pro is definitely the best for messaging and email, at least until the 7 Pro hits market, and even then I’m not convinced that it’ll be better than the Dell. The Focus is probably still the most balanced WP7 device, the HD7 is probably the best equivalent to it. But I’m a fan of the Venue Pro. If Dell can manage to slim it down and give it a dual core processor while maintaining the style and build quality for the next generation, they might have a real winner on their hands.

The Dell Venue Pro packs in a lot of great features, such as a solid camera and an excellent display. Make sure to give Windows Phone 7 a test run before purchasing, however; the OS has a few quirks, as well as a few missing features such as copy/paste and Flash support. I'm also not sure about the longevity of Windows Phone 7 as a platform. While Android continues to explode and the iPhone retains its popularity, Windows Phone 7 already seems a bit stagnant. Microsoft's promised update to add copy/paste hasn't happened yet. App developers seem hesitant to jump on the platform, as well. Lastly, it's unfortunate that the Windows Phone 7 devices we've seen don't have 4G or HSPA+ support.

The Dell Venue Pro packs in a lot of great features, such as a solid camera and an excellent display. Make sure to give Windows Phone 7 a test run before purchasing, however; the OS has a few quirks, as well as a few missing features such as copy/paste and Flash support. I'm also not sure about the longevity of Windows Phone 7 as a platform. While Android continues to explode and the iPhone retains its popularity, Windows Phone 7 already seems a bit stagnant. Microsoft's promised update to add copy/paste hasn't happened yet. App developers seem hesitant to jump on the platform, as well. Lastly, it's unfortunate that the Windows Phone 7 devices we've seen don't have 4G or HSPA+ support.

The Dell Venue Pro is a big, powerful Windows Phone 7 device, but it has some battery and reception issues.

It's safe to say that the $99 Dell Venue Pro is the company's best smart phone yet from a design standpoint. While hefty, the solid and luxuriously built hardware--and especially the AMOLED screen--nicely complements the highly polished (but still somewhat shallow) Windows Phone 7 OS. Our favorite Windows Phone 7 device remains the Samsung Focus because it packs an equally impressive Super AMOLED display into a much lighter design, but if you want a physical keyboard the Dell Venue Pro is your best bet for this platform.

First and foremost, the Dell Venue Pro is one of the most beautifully designed smartphones in recent memory as its unique looking industrial design radiates a sense of polish at every angle. However, its overall performance is mediocre at best in specific categories like battery life, camera quality, and calling quality – and not to mention the gleaming issue we witnessed with signal bars dramatically dropping.

The key here is the ability to enjoy the best of both worlds. If Dell can convince BlackBerry Bold or Curve owners to upgrade to this rather than the BlackBerry Torch then Microsoft might be on to something, after all most BlackBerry users, we believe, would probably be happier with that route that going "Google".