Samsung B2100 Tough phone review.
While this phone was released in 2009 it's still being produced, and I have purchased mine at the end of January 2013, But it's a perfect phone either as a back up phone or as a rugged phone for Crafters and other outdoor enthusiasts.
First of all the vital statistics.
Waterproof, dust and extreme temperature resistant
Submersible to 1 metre for up to 30 minutes
Multimedia includes video camera, Bluetooth and FM radio
Outdoor features include loud external speakers
Comfortable grip and portable size
Digital Camera : 1.3 Megapixel
Colour : Scarlet red
Technology : GSM
Voice Recorder : Yes
Display : LCD display - colour
Supported Flash Memory Cards : microSD
Battery : Lithium Ion - 1000 mAh
As I said 2009 tech don't expect the latest and greatest, just expect durability.
How I have used the phone.
I have not used this as my main phone, but I have use it a lot since I purchased it, mostly when I have been out and about fishing, walking etc.
How I tested it.
Basic drop, I dropped the phone powered on from 5ft onto various surfaces:
Carpet: No damadge.
Tile: No damage.
Sand: Dirty but no damage.
Builders gravel: No damage.
Wet Sand: No damage but dirty.
Paving slab: Again nothing.
From that height, most phones will survive so that's no a ideal test. So I tried it from the first floor onto:
Paving Slab: Small scratch to the red eadgeing.
Sand (Dry): No damage but dirty.
Sand (wet): Same again.
Signal quality.
This is subjective as I have been using it only when out and about in the local area, and it's one of the few thing's I can't measure scientifically but I have compared it to my iPhone 5.
In the city center of Liverpool outside of Central station both where perfect call quality and reported full signal strength.
Band stand by the Britania Pub, iPhone 5 3/4 signal and decent quality. B2100 Full signal. Both had reasonable call quality. On factor I will mention is both phones are set up to recive email from one address and the B2100 was slightly faster at downloading a copy of a email that had two small images but this was possibly down to the provider.
Now onto where it really matters.
Alt estuary at Hightown: iPhone about 50% signal but with crappy quality. B2100 90% signal and reliable quality.
Flea Moss Wood, Near Hightown: iPhone 5 no signal, B2100 30% signal but decent quality but did drop a call but I was able to redial right away.
Water Test.
This is where the phone really excels, I have tried it in the shower and it was really no contest and it's something I am not going to put my iPhone through from past experience with iPhones and water, and all tests where carried out in my garden.
But I did a few tests with the B2100 that worked well with a bucket of Tap water about 1ft depth, and it give the phone a single downwards shake to clear off the water droplets left on the phone.
Quick dunk: No quality lost.
5 min soak: No quality loss but was still able to extract a little water from the mic port.
10 min soak: Slight loss of audio quality, and the mic was a little feint. But the phone worked perfectly all the buttons worked and I was able to navigae the system perfectly.
15 min soak: Mild loss of signal quality, it dropped to about 75% but the transmission of audio from the mic was awful but understandable but the audio from the speeker was acceptable.
Now I could have left it longer but I didnt have the time after leaving the phone to dry out. But I can say it did preform beyond my expectations, and I haven't tried it in salt water other than having a light mist of salt pray after some idiot in a jet ski give me a little misting last month.
But I am planning on diving it a good dunk test in Salt water.
Results.
I am all in all extremely happy with this phone. Signal quality is fine for day to day use, and it will find a signal when most modern smart phones can't.
It takes abuse most smart phones can't, while providing basic web and email access along with SMS and call's.
For the bushcrafter it's perfect to use, water resistant and hard to break.
The only downsides I can say, it's not running IOS or Droid and the app's available are not uptodate and most apps are not even available for this phone, other than that it's a little too small for my hands but thats a personal gripe.
Other:
The iPhone 5 was Running on the 3 Network, and the B2100 was on Vodaphone. I would have tried the phone on the same network but technically this was not possible.
Over all I would give it a 8.5 out of 10.
While this phone was released in 2009 it's still being produced, and I have purchased mine at the end of January 2013, But it's a perfect phone either as a back up phone or as a rugged phone for Crafters and other outdoor enthusiasts.
First of all the vital statistics.
Waterproof, dust and extreme temperature resistant
Submersible to 1 metre for up to 30 minutes
Multimedia includes video camera, Bluetooth and FM radio
Outdoor features include loud external speakers
Comfortable grip and portable size
Digital Camera : 1.3 Megapixel
Colour : Scarlet red
Technology : GSM
Voice Recorder : Yes
Display : LCD display - colour
Supported Flash Memory Cards : microSD
Battery : Lithium Ion - 1000 mAh
As I said 2009 tech don't expect the latest and greatest, just expect durability.
How I have used the phone.
I have not used this as my main phone, but I have use it a lot since I purchased it, mostly when I have been out and about fishing, walking etc.
How I tested it.
Basic drop, I dropped the phone powered on from 5ft onto various surfaces:
Carpet: No damadge.
Tile: No damage.
Sand: Dirty but no damage.
Builders gravel: No damage.
Wet Sand: No damage but dirty.
Paving slab: Again nothing.
From that height, most phones will survive so that's no a ideal test. So I tried it from the first floor onto:
Paving Slab: Small scratch to the red eadgeing.
Sand (Dry): No damage but dirty.
Sand (wet): Same again.
Signal quality.
This is subjective as I have been using it only when out and about in the local area, and it's one of the few thing's I can't measure scientifically but I have compared it to my iPhone 5.
In the city center of Liverpool outside of Central station both where perfect call quality and reported full signal strength.
Band stand by the Britania Pub, iPhone 5 3/4 signal and decent quality. B2100 Full signal. Both had reasonable call quality. On factor I will mention is both phones are set up to recive email from one address and the B2100 was slightly faster at downloading a copy of a email that had two small images but this was possibly down to the provider.
Now onto where it really matters.
Alt estuary at Hightown: iPhone about 50% signal but with crappy quality. B2100 90% signal and reliable quality.
Flea Moss Wood, Near Hightown: iPhone 5 no signal, B2100 30% signal but decent quality but did drop a call but I was able to redial right away.
Water Test.
This is where the phone really excels, I have tried it in the shower and it was really no contest and it's something I am not going to put my iPhone through from past experience with iPhones and water, and all tests where carried out in my garden.
But I did a few tests with the B2100 that worked well with a bucket of Tap water about 1ft depth, and it give the phone a single downwards shake to clear off the water droplets left on the phone.
Quick dunk: No quality lost.
5 min soak: No quality loss but was still able to extract a little water from the mic port.
10 min soak: Slight loss of audio quality, and the mic was a little feint. But the phone worked perfectly all the buttons worked and I was able to navigae the system perfectly.
15 min soak: Mild loss of signal quality, it dropped to about 75% but the transmission of audio from the mic was awful but understandable but the audio from the speeker was acceptable.
Now I could have left it longer but I didnt have the time after leaving the phone to dry out. But I can say it did preform beyond my expectations, and I haven't tried it in salt water other than having a light mist of salt pray after some idiot in a jet ski give me a little misting last month.
But I am planning on diving it a good dunk test in Salt water.
Results.
I am all in all extremely happy with this phone. Signal quality is fine for day to day use, and it will find a signal when most modern smart phones can't.
It takes abuse most smart phones can't, while providing basic web and email access along with SMS and call's.
For the bushcrafter it's perfect to use, water resistant and hard to break.
The only downsides I can say, it's not running IOS or Droid and the app's available are not uptodate and most apps are not even available for this phone, other than that it's a little too small for my hands but thats a personal gripe.
Other:
The iPhone 5 was Running on the 3 Network, and the B2100 was on Vodaphone. I would have tried the phone on the same network but technically this was not possible.
Over all I would give it a 8.5 out of 10.
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