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Samsung Droid Charge review

7.6/10 AVG.
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Samsung Droid Charge
Samsung Droid Charge
Samsung Droid Charge
Samsung Droid Charge
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7.6/10
Informr score
The Samsung Droid Charge currently has an Informr score of 7.6 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 15 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

The Samsung Droid Charge is a 4G LTE smartphone that comes packed with features including a brilliant Super AMOLED Plus screen, a camera that can also shoot HD video, and super fast 4G Internet speeds.

When you first pick up the Droid Charge, the screen immediately stands out. It is large, bright, and has stunning colors, making it one of the best screens on any phone. Even with the big screen, the phone is thin and light, easily fitting in a pocket without any hassle.

The hardware included in the Droid Charge is no slouch either. Under the hood is a 1GHz processor and 512 MB of RAM, making this phone one of the quickest out there. The Charge also comes with a 32GB micro SD card which gives you plenty of room for any applications you want to download.

Being a Droid phone, the Charge runs the Android operating system. Unfortunately, it ships with Android 2.2 which feels old and outdated compared to newer releases. Samsung's TouchWiz user interface doesn't come close to other options such as HTC's Sense interface. There are also many applications that come installed on the phone that do very little other than take up space and slow the Charge down.

Another drawback to the Charge is the virtual keyboard. While this works fine on many phones out there, the Charge is not one of them. The keys, especially the space bar, are placed in awkward positions and it is easy to hit the wrong key. Battery life is also not very good at all, but can be improved by turning off the 4G function when you are not using it.

Despite the drawbacks, the Samsung Droid Charge is a strong performer in an ever-growing market of 4G phones.

Need to Know: Samsung Droid Charge

1. The Super AMOLED Plus screen is awesome. (The Good)

2. 4G speeds make surfing the Internet better than ever before on a phone. (The Good)

3. The virtual keyboard is clunky to use and needs improvement. (The Bad)

4. The user interface and use of Android 2.2 instead of a newer version is disappointing. (The Bad)


Android
Operating system
Operating system
Android
1 GHz
Processor
Processor
1 GHz
4.3"
Screen Size
Screen Size
4.3"
8+ MP
Camera
Camera
8+ MP
1500 mAh
Battery


What the Critics Are Saying...


Cnet
Cnet

If you're perplexed by the $199.99 Samsung Galaxy S Aviator and where it fits into U.S. Cellular's roster of smartphones, you're not alone. The device features a great screen and everything users need for a basic Android experience and 4G LTE data where you can find it. Yet, its sluggish performance...

- Brian Bennett, Cnet
Top Ten Reviews
Top Ten Reviews

The Droid Charge touch phone runs on the 4G network. It has an 8MP camera with an LED flash. The Droid Charge also comes with 32GB of expandable memory. It has a single-core processor and uses the Android 2.2 operating system. The display on this smartphone uses Super AMOLED Plus. The phone may be s...

- Top Ten Reviews Team, Top Ten Reviews
Pocketables
Pocketables

The Samsung Droid Charge could've been an absolutely killer piece of Verizon hardware if it didn't suffer from this Android-variant of BSOD. The performance was definitely more than acceptable, and had some very great battery life. It wasn't too heavy, and it always had consistently good signal stre...

- Calob Horton, Pocketables
Hardware Secrets
Hardware Secrets

The Samsung Droid Charge has the best display that we’ve seen on a mobile phone. We found it even superior to the iPhone 4’s Retina Display. The screen is crisp and clear. Colors pop and details are a delight to the eye. Combine that with a good solid design, very good call quality, excellent camera...

- Sandy Berger, Hardware Secrets
BGR
BGR

If you’re looking for 4G speeds, the Samsung DROID Charge is the phone to beat — but you’ll need deep pockets. Sure, I’d take HTC’s Sense user interface over TouchWiz any day, but the DROID Charge offers a few things HTC’s ThunderBolt doesn’t, namely a...

- Todd Haselton, BGR


Prices (Where to Buy)




Common Questions


We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the Samsung Droid Charge user manual here.


Samsung backs up the Droid Charge with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.


If your Droid Charge has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact Samsung support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find Samsung's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.



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Quick view

Screen Size
4.3"

The Samsung Droid Charge's screen size is 4.3 inches with x pixels resolution.

Processor
1 GHz

There is a Samsung Hummingbird 1 GHz processor (CPU).

OS

The phone runs on proprietary operating system firmware.

Camera
8+ MP

You can take photos or capture video with the phone's onboard 8+ MP camera.

There is also a secondary front facing camera useful for video chat and self portraits.

Storage
828 MB

Internal memory is 828 MB. An external, MicroSD (up to 32 GB) expansion slot is available for increased storage capacity.

Battery
1500mAh

The phone is powered by a Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion), 1500 mAh battery. Samsung's performance ratings are 11.5 days standby time.

Droid Charge Specs

Overview
Release Date April 28, 2011
Regions Available USA
Operating System No

Compare Android Smartphones

Processor Samsung Hummingbird 1 GHz
Internal Storage 828 MB
RAM 512 MB
Hearing Aid Compatible Yes
TTY/TDD Yes
Noise Cancellation Yes
SAR Head: 1.01 W/kg
Body: 1 W/kg
Manufacturer Warranty 1 Year
Accessories Included AC Charger, Headset, Manual, Standard Battery
Cellular
Networks
EV-DO Rev. A, LTE
Mobile / Cellular Data
4G/LTE
Push-to-talk (PTT) No
Wi-Fi Calling No
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) No
SIM card size
Yes
Dual SIM No
Connectivity
USB Micro-USB 2.0
USB OTG Support No
GPS Type A-GPS
Infrared No
Bluetooth 3.0
Bluetooth Profiles A2DP, AVRCP, BPP, DUN, HFP, HSP
Bluetooth Audio Codecs SBC
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Mobile Hotspot No
Memory Expansion Slot Yes
Expansion Slot Info MicroSD (up to 32 GB)
NFC No
Data Tethering Compatibility Yes
Camera
Main Camera
Resolution / Aperture
8+ Megapixels
Zoom
Yes
Flash
Yes (LED)
Additional Rear Camera Info
Auto focus, Brightness control, Effects, Face detection, ISO, Night mode, Panorama, Self-timer
Video Recording Formats
3GP / 3GPP, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4
Video Recording Parameters
HD (1280 x 720 pixels), 30 fps
Front Camera
Resolution / Aperture
Additional Front Camera Info
1.3 Mpx
Video Recording Parameters
Display / Screen
Type Color
Technology Super AMOLED
Colors 16.7 million
Resolution x pixels
Pixel Density Unknown
Size 4.3 inches
Secondary Display No
Sensors Ambient Light, Proximity, Motion / Accelerometer
Multi-Touch No
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Additional Display Features -
Power & Battery
Battery Type Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion)
Battery Capacity 1500 mAh
Removable Battery Yes
Wireless Charging
Fast Charging No
Video Playback Time Unknown
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Unknown
Internet Use (Cellular) Unknown
Talk Time Unknown
Standby Time Up to 11.5 days
Mixed Usage
Physical Characteristics
Design Type Bar
Colors Mirror Gray
Dimensions [H x W x D] 13.0 x 6.8 x 1.2 cm (5.1 x 2.7 x 0.5 in)
Weight 144 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof Unknown
Rugged design No
IP Rating No
Headset Jack 3.5mm
External Speakers No
Input / Navigation
Sleep / Wake Key No
Home Key No
Input / Keyboard Type Touchscreen
Navigation Type Touchscreen
External Volume Control Yes
Fingerprint Sensor No
More
Additional Information Messaging: SMS, MMS, Yahoo, Windows Live, Google Talk
Multi-Use Smart Phone / PDA: Yes
Graphics: Screensavers
Themes: Yes
Backlit Illumination: Yes
Zoom / Magnification: Yes
Predictive Text Entry: XT9
Voicemail Key: Yes
Multiple Numbers Per Contact: Email address, Other fields
Voice Activated Dialing: Yes
Photo Caller ID: Yes
Web Browser: Yes
Email Client: Yes
Email Protocols: POP3, IMAP, Microsoft Exchange
PC Synchronization: Yes
Java Application: Yes
Audio Formats: MIDI, MP3, eAAC+, AAC+, AAC, WMA, WAV, OGG
Video Playback Formats: 3GP / 3GPP, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4
Streaming Video: Yes
Custom Ringtones: No
Vibration Alert: Yes
Downloadable Ringtones: Yes
Ringer ID: Yes
Speakerphone: Yes
Haptic Feedback: Yes
Data Tethering: Yes
Radio: Yes (FM/RDS)
Wi-fi Encryption: -
Viewable document types: DOC, PPT, RTF, TXT, XLS
Games: Downloadable
Apps: Downloadable
Included Software / Apps: -
Calendar, World Clock, Alarm, Timer, Calculator, Weather, Maps, NotePad, Voice Memos / Recorder

Other Names (AKA): Samsung 4G LTE smartphone, Samsung SCH-i520, Samsung Inspiration, Samsung Galaxy S Aviator
Related Links Manual (PDF)
Samsung Droid Charge Reviews
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