Samsung A551
Pros
- Build quality, access to Next G services, call quality, comfortable keypad
Cons
- Proprietary headphone and USB port, no included microSD card, no outstanding features
Bottom Line
The A551 is a solid, but not outstanding mobile phone. It does a relatively basic job and access to the Next G services is notable, but there is nothing that sticks out about this handset.
-
Price
$ 499.00 (AUD)
A mid-range handset built specifically for use on Telstra's Next G network, the Samsung A551 is a solid, but not outstanding phone.
The A551 offers HSDPA speeds of up to 3.6Mbps and we were impressed with the results. Being a Next G phone, the handset offers full access to the Next G portal, as well as Telstra's Mobile FOXTEL service.
Call quality is very reasonable and volume levels are adequate, even in noisy environments. The handsfree speaker phone also works well, though we'd recommend a dedicated unit should you wish to make a habit of this.
In terms of design, the A551 is sleek but doesn't stand out. The gloss black finish on the front is a nice touch though and the slide mechanism feels relatively smooth and well built. Slid open, the A551 reveals a flat, but comfortable keypad. Our only complaint is that the first row of buttons are quite close to the bottom of the slider -- meaning it's sometimes hard to press the 1, 2 and 3 buttons.
Unfortunately, the display is average and is not as crisp or clear as many other handsets on the market. Considering its positioning and price point though, we can't complain too much. Despite access to Next G services, this isn't a handset that we'd recommend for excessive multimedia use.
The A551 has its fair share of features, headed by a 1.3-megapixel camera and a VGA camera on the front for video calls. A media player handles video and music, but once again Samsung's insistence on a proprietary headphone jack is an annoyance. Bluetooth 2.0 with the A2DP profile is a nice inclusion and means that you can wirelessly stream your music to a compatible set of Bluetooth headphones. In addition, a USB cable is included in the package.
A voice recorder and a reasonable amount of PIM features consisting of alarms, calendar, memo, tasks, calculator, converter, timer and a stopwatch are all present. There is 40MB of internal memory as well as a microSD card slot, though there is no card in the sales package, so you'll have to factor this into your purchasing decision.
Battery life is below average, rated at up to 140 minutes talk time and up to 175 hours standby time on the Next G network. We found ourselves charging the unit every second night -- sometimes every night with excessive use.
Brand Post
Most Popular Reviews
- 1 Dell U3223QE review: A winning debut for an IPS Black monitor
- 2 HP Spectre x360 16 review: The right 2-in-1 at the wrong time
- 3 Acer K242HYL review: An affordable monitor for any occasion
- 4 GeForce Now review: You bring the games, Nvidia streams the hardware
- 5 Asus ProArt PA279CV monitor review: The go-to for content creators on a budget
Latest News Articles
- Bizarre iOS bug swaps out Spotify for Apple Music in the iPhone dock
- Fortnite returns to the iPhone (sort of) courtesy Xbox Cloud Gaming
- Want to go watch the WWDC keynote at Apple Park? Here’s how to apply
- iPad buying guide 2022
- Apple to support ‘passwordless’ iPhone logins on Android phones and PCs
Resources
Macworld
What's new, plus best mac-related tips
and tricks
Business Centre
The latest business news, reviews, features and whitepapers
Videos
Watch our video news and reviews from around the world
Guides
Comprehensive buying guides, features, and step-by-step articles
PCW Evaluation Team
Pedro Peixoto
Aruba Instant On AP11D
Set up is effortless.
Cate Bacon
Aruba Instant On AP11D
The strength of the Aruba Instant On AP11D is that the design and feature set support the modern, flexible, and mobile way of working.
Dr Prabigya Shiwakoti
Aruba Instant On AP11D
Aruba backs the AP11D up with a two-year warranty and 24/7 phone support.
Tom Pope
Dynabook Portégé X30L-G
Ultimately this laptop has achieved everything I would hope for in a laptop for work, while fitting that into a form factor and weight that is remarkable.
Tom Sellers
MSI P65
This smart laptop was enjoyable to use and great to work on – creating content was super simple.
Lolita Wang
MSI GT76
It really doesn’t get more “gaming laptop” than this.
Featured Content
- Which Lenovo Laptop Should I Buy?
- Every TV in Samsung's 2022 line-up: OLED, Neo QLED and more!
- Top 10 best Android and Apple phones for under $600
- Everything you need to know about Smart TVs
- What's the difference between an Intel Core i3, i5 and i7?
- Laser vs. inkjet printers: which is better?