Samsung i450 review: Symbian sounds good

In most people's minds Symbian and Samsung are two things that just don't go together. The Samsung i450 however might just be here to prove them wrong. Sporting the rare dual-slide design, it is one of the most interesting smartphone offerings recently announced.

Samsung i450 official photos

Key features

• Symbian OS 9.2, Series 60 v3.1 UI
• Dual slide design with unique Touch wheel key
• 2.4" 256K color TFT LCD display with QVGA resolution
• 3G with HSDPA
• 3.5mm standard stereo audio jack
• microSD memory card slot reportedly accepting high-capacity cards
• FM radio with RDS
• Bluetooth v2.0 with A2DP

Main Disadvantages

• No WLAN
• Average display quality
• Mediocre camera
• No camera lens cover
• 3.5mm jack cannot be used for plugging a hands-free set

A music-oriented smartphone is not the most frequent sight around, so it's no wonder the few of those get quite a lot of attention. As we see it, with Samsung i450 it is quite well deserved. The dual slider packs a good number of features, which - combined with the unique music control solution and the Series 60 user interface - seem a good stepping stone to market success.

Samsung i450 review photos

Thinking about its market spot and rivals, the first name that comes to mind is Nokia N81. Boasting nice sound quality, similar design and dimensions plus the same OS, the N-series phone will surely put up a fight for the hearts of music smartphone lovers. Furthermore, the Wi-Fi capabilities and the dedicated gaming keys can be a huge advantage for some of the potential buyers.

If Samsung want to make a serious market stand with the i450, it will probably need to be released at an a bit lower price than N81. This however is only our opinion, and Samsung's marketing department might see things differently.

Only one last thing before we get to the actual reviewing routine. We have to warn you that our handset is a beta unit and some minor changes and bug fixes might take place before the handsets hits the shelves. We are confident enough to use this unit as a base for our review so stay tuned, we wil be back shortly after the break.