Specifications:

Display: 4.3 inch Super AMOLED Plus (217 PPi, Resolution of 800×480)
Camera: 8-megapixel with 720p Video recording, 1.3 MP front facing camera
Processor: Single core, 1400 MHz
RAM: 512 MB RAM
Size: 4.96 x 2.63 x 0.33 inches
Keyboard: Virtual
Weight: 3.90 oz
Battery: 1650mAh (6.5 hours of talk time)
Memory: 16/32GB built in (no expandable memory)
OS: Windows Phone 7.5 Mango
Connectivity: 4G HSPA+

First Impressions:

My very first impression of this device was “Wow this is very light, and feels cheap” (but nothing a good old case couldn’t fix). I also noticed the very small bezel on the sides of the screen, which is a great thing for fitting such a large screen on a smaller device. On the top of the device sits the 3.5 mm headphone jack and noise cancelling microphone. To the left we have the volume rocker. On the right is the power/sleep button and a dedicated camera button. On the bottom is the micro USB port with the microphone. The front of the device harness’ a 4.3 Inch super AMOLED Plus display, 3 Windows capacitive buttons and a 1.3 MP front facing camera. The back is home to the beautiful 8 MP shooter and Samsung’s signature ‘hump’ towards the bottom with a speaker grill. The device feels and looks just like a Samsung Galaxy SII.

Check out my unboxing for my initial reaction to the Samsung Focus S.

Hardware/Design: (6/10)

*Caution: the Camera button is very sensitive* should be what you’re prompted with when you unbox the device. Granted I love having a dedicated camera button, but I find myself pressing it all the time when I go to pick the device up. Just where my finger lands. Good thing I don’t press it hard enough to turn the camera on all the time, but still feels like I’m pressing it. The power button is also located on the upper right like with most if not all Samsung devices now. The one major flaw with the hardware and design is its cheap feeling. The battery cover is very thin and flimsy. I have a feeling if you take it off a few too many times, you might break it.

Display: (8/10)

The 4.3 inch Super AMOLED plus display is amazing. The blacks are the darkest and the whites are the brightest of mostly any screen out there. The devices screen is defiantly prone to scratches because it lack Gorrilla or Diamond glass, so make sure you purchase a screen protector or 3. A 4.3 Inch screen size is the perfect sweet spot in my honest opinion. Its not to large and doesn’t drain the battery, but its not to small that its hard to read text unless you zoom in.

Software: (8/10

Windows Phone has struggled in the past with Windows Mobile 6 but Windows Phone 7.5 has to be the best operating system I’ve used yet. The Live tiles are a perfect replacement for those large and cluttered widgets on Android but its simplistic style has much to compete with when comparing it to iOS. I never thought I’d stop using my Galaxy Nexus but I have. Currently I’m using the Samsung Focus S as my main device and I haven’t had any complaints about the OS yet. What I enjoy about Windows 7.5 is that it in-cooperates all my social networks and all my contacts in what’s called the people tile. Its a great operating system for anyone who wants simplicity and stay in touch with their closest friends at all times.

Battery Life: (8/10)

When I first had the device I said ‘Wow I’m Very impressed with the battery life.” After I started using it, I was able to get from 7am-8pm, with heavy use, on one charge (checking emails every 15 minutes, texting, streaming music and videos, phone calls and snapping photos). Which is still very good for a 1650MAh battery. A few days after using the Samsung Focus S, I changed the settings to only retrieve emails every 2 hours and set the brightness to automatic. Surprisingly I got through the whole day no problem. I would have liked to see a larger battery though, maybe an 1800MAh or something. But all in all, it has great battery life.

Camera: (10/10)

Honestly, Its amazing. Probably the best camera I’ve used on a cellphone in a while. The 8 MP camera and Dedicated camera button make it very easy to take great quality photos. here are some example pictures I took:

Call Quality: (8.5/10)

Call quality was good. but not great. I was able to hear the person on the other end, with no trouble, most of the time. However, there were times where it sounded like they were mumbling (could have been on their end, not mine). All my recipients said they heard me clearly and didn’t have any problems making out what I was trying to say.

Productivity and Performance: (8/10)

Because Windows 7.5 is optimal for productivity, I have no complaints about how productive I was while using the phone. From Microsoft Word to Local Scout, I was able to be very productive wherever I was and in little to no time. But because Windows 7.5 is so new, there are still places that could use improvement. The Samsung Focus S performs very well when doing daily tasks. The 1.4GHz processor is very fast when trying to load basic applications and games, but if you throw anything too complicated in the mix, you’ll encounter some issues.

Final Thoughts:

Great device for anyone looking to purchase a Windows Phone with 4G HSPA+ connectivity. The brillant screen size paired with the beauty of Windows Phone 7.5 makes this device a no brainier for anyone looking to join the Windows Phone bandwagon. But, with the Nokia Lumia 900 around the corner, the Samsung Focus S will have some serious competition.

Pros:

Lovely Camera
Front Facing
Battery Life
Great Display
Very Responsive
Light weight
Thin
Clean and polished OS

Cons:

No removable storage
Cheap feeling
Sensitive camera button

TECHHOG SCORE: 7.9/10

Are you planing on buying the Samsung Focus S soon or are you going to wait for the Nokia Lumia 900 with 4G LTE or the HTC Titan with a 4.7 Inch Display?