Verizon Samsung DROID Charge hands-on!

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We just got our hands on a brand new Samsung DROID Charge from Verizon Wireless (thanks, FedEx!), and we’ve been checking out the carrier’s second 4G LTE smartphone for a little while. Here are some of our first impressions: Right out of the box we were blown away by the DROID Charge’s 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus screen; the blacks are so dark that it’s hard to see where the screen ends and the chassis starts, and colors really do pop. The phone is powered by a 1GHz processor, which feels fast, but the Charge also doesn’t seem to zip around the UI as quickly as some of the dual-core devices we’ve tested recently, such as the T-Mobile G2x. Part of the problem could be Samsung’s custom TouchWiz software, however, which runs on top of Android 2.2 (Froyo). The DROID Charge feels very solid —  albeit a bit big — and it reminds us of the Samsung Omnia II in some ways. The DROID Charge’s 4G LTE data speeds were very solid in our initial tests; our download throughput averaged 11.24Mbps down, and the phone uploaded at an average of 5.38Mbps. We’ll be working on our review over the next couple of days and we’ll be sure to address the 8-megapixel camera, battery life, 4G data speeds, call quality, and plenty more. In the meantime, be sure to check out our hands-on DROID Charge gallery below!

59 Comments
  • Anonymous

    Very curious to see what the battery life stats come out to be…

    • Anonymous

      I’m curious to see what made samsung think they could justify charging $299 for it

      • Anonymous

        Its Samsung, it will be 149 in a month.

      • Boodah

        LOL… you’re dead on it, sir!

      • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=609183985 Anonymous

        Samsung didn’t set the price, Verizon did. Hence the reason Amazon and Wirefly can offer discounts.

      • Anonymous

        LTE radios are pretty expensive.. And VZW is charging a premium to keep people off LTE that dont really need it..

      • Tedkord

        You gotta pay if you want the luxury of a year long wait for updates.

  • Ben2587

    First!

    • Puit

      You, sir, fail at life.

      • Anonymous

        lol this was just so effing true and funny!

      • http://twitter.com/derrickisonline Derrick -Lex-

        Stop with the nut swingage.

  • http://twitter.com/MrKow84 Kyle

    I had a Samsung Fascinate for about 6 months and quickly sold it after Samsung NEVER responded to any questions regarding updates such as Froyo, so here it is 1 year after the Froyo has been out and the samsung fascinate is just now getting it… NEVER AGAIN SAMSUNG !!

  • Anonymous

    Oh, what’s that in the background? Why it’s a crAppBook!
    Completely compromises review objectivity.

    In short, this is not crApple so, it’s either too big or not smooth and, therefore, it is a fail for iBGR.

    • http://twitter.com/MrKow84 Kyle

      don’t hate…

    • Boodah

      Lighten up, Francis. Focus on the on phone… keeeeeeep your eyes tightly focused on the phone. Neeeeever mind the Macbook in the background. Yourrrrrre getting sleeeeeepy now….

      • Anonymous

        You’re RIGHT!!! Think I will go take a nap!
        Good thing I don’t have to count sheep right now.

        (I predict the removal of that monstrousity in the bAckground by days end, or even by the time I awake)

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_GP2WYAHXS6CRUREISWBGPUSUGE Michael

      Android and iOS are both *UNIX based computer systems.

      They have lines to draw them together.

    • Anonymous

      Pay no attention to the MacBook behind the curtain…

    • Anonymous

      PAPITO, it’s not a macbook. It’s one of those plastic computers they put in model homes. Just a plastic casing like all apple products.

      • user311

        Inc lawsuit from apple against the company that makes that plastic computer standin.

    • Anonymous

      PAPITO, it’s not a macbook. It’s one of those plastic computers they put in model homes. Just a plastic casing like all apple products.

    • http://twitter.com/derrickisonline Derrick -Lex-

      I disagree. If it were a HP Envy in the background would you still question their objectivity? The guy has to use something to write a review. Even Car & Driver, Consumer Reports, etc they have to drive a car right? If they’re reviewing a Ford, but they drive a Mercedes are they no longer objective? I hate Apple as much as the next guy, but we’re getting carried away with the Apple conspiracy theories. We’re starting to sound like those Apple fanboys.

  • http://www.droiddoes.com/ Norm

    Another great addition to the DROID family. Very glad they keep DROID in all caps still. Very important for the DROID dominance.

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_GP2WYAHXS6CRUREISWBGPUSUGE Michael

      ^^^ spoken like a true tool ^^^

    • bluewing

      You should change your name to NORM so show support for your DROID pride

      • http://www.droiddoes.com/ Norm

        I like where your head is at.

      • Joshnichols189

        What is this.. I WILL NOT PUT UP WITH NORM IMPOSTERS.

        BRING ME THE TRUE NORM.

  • Anonymous

    Root it already hacker community :) that’ll take care of the “zippy-ness” you’re looking for!

  • Joel

    That thing Is ugly

    • http://twitter.com/derrickisonline Derrick -Lex-

      So I take it every other touch screen phone that’s come out is ugly too? They all look alike.

  • Anonymous

    so not excited about this when every other carriers has or will have dual-core android phones available in short order

    • Anonymous

      Ill take the faster 4G over the dual core.. My Epic 4G is far from slow in processor speeds and 4G but I would prefer the faster downloads..

  • Lam Ping To

    Not iPhone! iPhone good, Droid bad!

    Me drink Jobsy’s KoolAid.

    iPhone 3G > Android w/ 4G/LTE!!!

    iPad is the 2nd coming of Christ!

    This phone blows the doors off of the iTurd, including the next iPhone, which apparently will be here in 2015 or something. Sprint alone has 20 4G phones now, Apple can’t even field a single damn 4G phone.

    • http://www.droiddoes.com/ Norm

      Yeah BRO, agree 100%. DROID DOES!!!

    • Anonymous

      4G is clearly the latest fad buzzword. Too bad the technology isn’t quite there yet. Battery life on smartphones sucks as it is; even the best don’t last long enough. I wish companies would focus on battery efficiency more than adding more and more horsepower… why can’t we have iPad-level battery life? They could if they wanted to.

    • Anonymous

      Because they don’t have any engineers. They can’t even create 3G!

    • Anonymous

      Because they don’t have any engineers. They can’t even create 3G!

  • http://twitter.com/MrKow84 Kyle

    whats so great about 4G if you have to turn around as soon as you buy the phone and buy a 60$ battery that makes the phone look like a tank, just so you get a solid 6 hours of usage out of the phone ? dont get me wrong LTE is super fast but my poor girlfriends TBolt does not even make it to 2pm after going to work at 9am… if you ask me that is a TOTAL FAIL ! mean while my iPhone starts at 5am and goes till 10pm on one little battery…

    • Anonymous

      That’s because the iPhone’s not a phone. It’s a plastic mock up. You think you are making calls, surfing the web and reading email, but in reality it’s a pre-recorded movie to give that impression. On the other hand your girlfriends tbolt is probably powering a bunch of super computers somewhere. Simple. Now, what you need is to install the new Android/Google Super Power Creator 2.0 which will allow the Android phones to last upwards of 3 months with its self generating power feature.

      • http://twitter.com/MrKow84 Kyle

        we are all dumber now for having read your pointless and stupid comment… THANK YOU!

      • Anonymous

        Thanks Kyle. You obviously are an Apple Fanboy. This means you’re intellectually challenged to begin with. Goofans (aka Apple Haters) are the smartest people alive and we know that Apple lovers are a little limited. Sorry, but that’s a fact!

      • http://twitter.com/MrKow84 Kyle

        OK guy I’m done talking to you, your obviously mentally challenged, but we won’t hold that against you since I’m also assuming your probably 12-19 years of age. Goodbye moron…

    • Anonymous

      And my dumb phone can last on a single charge entire week. What’s your point? Different people need/want different phones. And do you know that Android phones have replaceable batteries? You can have two or three batteries if yo want and the phone does not need to be any bigger than it is. Or you can disable LTE when you don’t need it and make the phone work [as slow] as iPhone.

      • http://twitter.com/MrKow84 Kyle

        good for you ? now get your ugly ass flip phone away from me and off this site SMART GUY =)

      • Garry

        Who wants to carry around multiple batteries? I did that back in the day with my Samsung Blackjack.

  • AM123

    Probably called the Droid Charge because it’s going to need to be charged constantly throughout the day! Doh! :p

  • Generatione

    Yet another failed android product. Might not be as bad if there was stock android on it.

    • Anonymous

      Yep. All Android phones fall so miserably that they have totally oversold all other types of smart phones (including iPhone – and by a large margin).

    • http://twitter.com/MrKow84 Kyle

      I agree. all those skins are ruining android products everyday.

  • http://www.facebook.com/Sarav Saravanan Chandrasekar

    screen comparison b/w this SAMOLED , iphone4′s screen and G2x please :)

  • Anonymous

    Does it come with the dogfighting app? WOuld about the Nazi themes? Gotta love the Android Market.

  • Maxsentra

    Its not a dual core processor. Hence why its not as fast.

  • http://twitter.com/Nobreadforme Ted Yates

    why the funky tip at the bottom?

  • Anonymous

    but is it worth $300?

  • Anonymous

    For $300, it better be magical and revolutionary

  • Gowhitesox99

    it doesn’t act as fast as dual core phones because it inst dual core its a 1 ghz single core phone

  • sms_327

    Is this model eHRPD capable? Most 3G markets have been outfitted with this technology as a stop-gap to providing users with simultaneous voice and data. The ThunderBolt has it, so it would be wise on Samsung’s part if this model had it as well, seeing as how they are going to become direct competitors in Verizon Wireless corporate stores.

  • John

    Touch wiz sucks. Fail.

  • http://twitter.com/MrUniq78 Christopher

    In 5 months you’ll see this phone on craigslist for $150.

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