Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G Pro Reviews

We're certainly excited to see dual-core processors trickle down into T-Mobile's mid-tier, and thanks to some well-tuned software, the Blaze 4G is an excellent performer. It's an admirable handset that offers top-notch battery life and network performance, pristine call quality and a beautiful, sturdy enclosure. That said, it's a good handset that stops just short of greatness. To justify its high price, Samsung could've included a better display and its superior 8-megapixel camera. Instead, it stopped short of the mark its competitors will be hitting in just a few months -- at which time, this little guy will have a difficult time making its case for your attention. Considering all of these factors, we'd take a serious moment of pause before plunking down $150 for the Blaze 4G. Once it falls to a lower price, however, it promises to be an excellent choice for those unwilling to splurge on top-shelf features.

The Android ecosystem moves fast: the Blaze 4G would have been the dark-horse hit on T-Mobile just six months ago. Today, the Blaze 4G is not a hero device, it's not top-of-the-line, and it's not going to turn any heads — except for people who do double-takes when they realize it's not a BlackBerry. That said, Samsung has put together an Android phone that overachieves in the performance category and can lay genuine claim to super fast download speeds relative to other non-LTE devices. Sadly, with all that going for it, at the end of the day it's saddled with software that ruins the experience. The combination of the older Android 2.3 software, and the embarrassing amount of software junk T-Mobile has tossed on, makes for a frustrating experience. The Blaze 4G is exactly the kind of phone I'd like to be able to recommend: competent, capable, and a very good deal if you don't need the very latest and greatest in Android. Sadly, it just isn't worth even the relatively inexpensive $149.99 on-contract asking price. With Android, it's always the case that there's something better around the corner, but on T-Mobile that something better is likely going to be the HTC One S in the next month or two. If I were a T-Mobile customer, I'd wait.

The Samsung Galaxy Blaze 4G is a really solid effort from the Korean smartphone maker. As previously mentioned, it doesn't aim all that high, but it hits the mark where it counts. Aside from perhaps the weak earpiece and speakerphone, there's almost nothing about the device that falls short. The hardware is a great compromise in terms of screen size vs. usability. It connects well to T-Mobile's network and runs for at least a day. The system software is flexible and leaves plenty of room for personalization. It has plenty of power and speed, and media apps all do a solid job of keeping you entertained when you're not busy scheduling soccer games and happy hours. In a world full of smartphone extremes, the Blaze strikes a good balance, and in so doing, finds an identity all its own.

All in all, the Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G makes for a fairly good Android phone. Is it worth your $150? I would give it a conditional yes. Of all the major carriers, T-Mobile probably has the scarcest options in terms of good Android devices. Compared to the rest of the carrier's offerings, the Blaze makes a decent mid-point between the newer Samsung Galaxy S II on the higher end, and the truly cheap options like the T-Mobile Sidekick 4G and the Samsung Exhibit II. That said, the Blaze isn't going to match up with the amount of bang for your buck that you'd get on other carriers. The same price on AT&T or Verizon would net you a better phone -- but also a higher monthly bill than you'll get with T-Mobile. Either way, you get what you pay for. Although it may not be the best Android phone available for its $150 suggested retail price, the Blaze is still a pretty good device, and it's one of the few "small" Android devices on the market that still has a truly high-end processor in it. That alone may merit some attention. Otherwise though, I would call it a solid mid-range choice for those who don't need the Galaxy S II, and one they'll likely be very happy with.

The Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G packs enough functionality to keep every potential Android user, who thinks that a screen over 4" in size is too big happy. It is well built, fast, and pocket friendly. It's also got some powerful hardware that makes it relatively future proof. The smartphone however, is far from perfect. Its Super AMOLED screen has remained in 2010. Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread with TouchWiz 4 on the other hand, while perfectly polished, is quite far from being at the cutting edge of the Android realm. The lack of an Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update timeline does not help the handset's cause either. The Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G costs $149.99 with a two-year commitment to the Big Magenta. Its price tag puts it in the thick of the Android smartphone competition. You can actually pick up even more capable hardware for less money.

The Galaxy S Blaze 4G has an appealing design and performs excellently, but the experience is marred by an abundance of bloatware--that you can't remove.

The Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G is an impressive device with great ergonomics and speedy performance. Apart from some issues with the display, it is also built very well. Even if you don't live in an area where you can access T-Mobile's super fast 42Mbps HSPA+ network, the Blaze 4G is a joy to use. Of course, the experience is only that much better if you can take advantage of the high-speed data services while on the go. If that isn't a problem for you, then, by all means, the Galaxy S Blaze 4G is worth a look.

Good things are still found in small packages. In fact, that’s essentially what we find with T-Mobile’s Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G, as it’s able to impress us in so many ways. To tell you the truth, we weren’t expecting a lot out of this one, especially when the Samsung Galaxy S II is out there floating around, but it’s evident that the Blaze 4G is a wonderful alternative for those who prefer a device that’s more compact – without sacrificing the goods in the specs department. Taking into account its $149.99 2-year contract price, it’s price reasonably enough to justify it standing close to its highly touted sibling in the Galaxy S II.

Here in the Galaxy S Blaze 4G you’ve got a step between the Galaxy S II line and the original Galaxy S line. If you’re looking to spend just a bit less than you’d otherwise be dropping on the hero Galaxy S II line here on T-Mobile, this is your winner. You can grab this phone from T-Mobile today and you’ll not regret your decision to do so – unless of course you’re waiting for the Galaxy S III, a device which will trump this one in both the power and price departments. That’s your cross to bear! You can grab the new Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G from T-Mobile right this second on their [online store for $150] after a $50 mail-in rebate and a 2-year agreement.

The Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G is an equally speedy alternative to the Galaxy S II if you're looking for a fast T-Mobile smartphone in a more manageable size.

With the Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G, you're looking at a solid midrange Android smartphone that packs a punch, and has the initial price tag to match. T-Mobile customers wouldn't go wrong with the handset, especially if they don't want to pay top dollar, but it isn't for those looking for the cutting edge.