Samsung Ace SPH-i325 Review

Samsung calls it the Ace, but you could just as easily call the company's newest Windows Mobile smartphone the BlackJack 1.5. This model from Sprint shares a lot with its GSM-based cousins, including the basic design, look, feel, and even some of the same components.
But while it's very similar to the Samsung BlackJack offered on the AT&T network -- and you'll notice more than a couple comparisons in this review on that basis -- the Ace technically isn't in the same device family, instead standing on its own.

Design And Construction

The Ace, also known as the SPH-i325, features a basic slim design, just 0.46 inches thick over most of the casing, with a small bulge on the top rear housing the camera. The entire affair is wrapped in a hematite-grey plastic, prominently branded with the Sprint logo.

Despite what seems like a lot of wasted space around the screen, the display is actually slightly larger than is average for a Windows Mobile Standard smartphone. Only by about a tenth of an inch, mind you. Most of that wasted space is caused by the fact that the Ace is slightly taller than similar designs: probably to make room for the extra radio hardware inside it, allowing it to sport both CDMA for use in North America and basic GSM functions for overseas.

They've also changed the docking connector, making it slightly thicker. This obliterates all compatibility with existing Samsung cables and headphones, for no actual benefit that I can see. On the bright side, they did include a stereo headset in the box, which they failed to do with the BlackJack. Still, I'd advise that anyone looking at the Ace should seriously consider the use of Bluetooth for headphones and synchronization.
Changes aside, the BlackJack and the Ace are still close enough that you can actually swap standard batteries between them and have them work. The cover for the BlackJack's extended battery doesn't fit the Ace, however, and the Ace doesn't come with an extended battery of its own. Or a second regular battery, for that matter. The standard capacity is a little higher for the Ace, 1300 versus 1200 mAh, but not enough that you might not find yourself wanting a second battery at some point.

For reasons unfathomable to me, Samsung chose to drop the BlackJack's easy press-and-hold system for getting access to special characters on the keyboard, instead going back to a function-key system. They also changed the keyboard keys, making them flatter, angled rather than curved, and flatter to the casing. I don't know why -- the original BlackJack had a great keyboard. The Ace's keyboard doesn't give up much to it on a tactile basis, but I just wonder why they decided to fix something that wasn't broken.

Overall, I really like the Ace's design. Other than the minor camera bulge, it's very slim, it has a good keyboard, and the build quality is solid.

Operating System, Software, and Performance

The Ace runs Windows Mobile 6 Standard, and comes with a suite of software for Web browsing, exchanging email messages, working with Microsoft Office documents, and more.
Changes aside, the BlackJack and the Ace are still close enough that you can actually swap standard batteries between them and have them work. The cover for the BlackJack's extended battery doesn't fit the Ace, however, and the Ace doesn't come with an extended battery of its own. Or a second regular battery, for that matter. The standard capacity is a little higher for the Ace, 1300 versus 1200 mAh, but not enough that you might not find yourself wanting a second battery at some point.

For reasons unfathomable to me, Samsung chose to drop the BlackJack's easy press-and-hold system for getting access to special characters on the keyboard, instead going back to a function-key system. They also changed the keyboard keys, making them flatter, angled rather than curved, and flatter to the casing. I don't know why -- the original BlackJack had a great keyboard. The Ace's keyboard doesn't give up much to it on a tactile basis, but I just wonder why they decided to fix something that wasn't broken.

Overall, I really like the Ace's design. Other than the minor camera bulge, it's very slim, it has a good keyboard, and the build quality is solid.

Operating System, Software, and Performance

The Ace runs Windows Mobile 6 Standard, and comes with a suite of software for Web browsing, exchanging email messages, working with Microsoft Office documents, and more.
Not found in most smartphones, the Ace also has a GSM radio in addition to its CDMA hardware. Don't get too excited, though -- the Ace's GSM is strictly dual-band, 900 and 1800 MHz, for use overseas. It can't even see the GSM networks used by companies like AT&T and T-Mobile here in North America, let alone get service on them, so forget any ideas about 100% domestic coverage. Not that it would do you a lot of good if it could get it to work on the North American frequencies: the Ace only features GPRS for data, meaning slow, slow Internet whenever you choose to roam.

It's not seamless roaming, either. You have to manually change between modes, and the change requires confirmation and a reboot of the phone. Of course, this is a breeze when compared to business users needing to pack an entirely different phone for use overseas, so the hassle is minor compared to the alternative.

Unfortunately, lacking a ticket to Europe, I wasn't able to test out the GSM roaming. However -- and here's the good news -- unlike comparable world phones sold by Verizon, the Ace isn't SIM locked to a single overseas provider. You can take a SIM card from any local network, slip it into the device, and be good to go. Or you can use Sprint's international roaming service, which is probably a lot more expensive, but allows you to use your Sprint phone number.

Speaking of roaming, the Ace acted a little sketchily when roaming on Verizon Wireless around my home. Several times over the course of my testing, I found it displaying "no service," or repeatedly searching for other towers to connect to, both activities not seen on previous Sprint units. Not a concern for infrequent roamers, and something an updated Preferred Roaming List might cure, but worth mentioning.

I've already mentioned that this smartphone has Bluetooth, but I should point out that it lacks Wi-Fi. But I can't complain too much; there aren't many Windows Mobile Standard models that have this.