Samsung SCH-3500 -- Is it worth the extra $50 to get an SCH-8500 instead?
Written: Mar 23 '01
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Pros: Excellent features, very durable, good clarity
Cons: Somewhat clunky, window gets scratched and becomes hard to see through
The Bottom Line: The SCH-3500 is a perfectly wonderful phone, but I would spend the extra $50 and get the SCH-8500 instead.
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| basilisk4's Full Review: Samsung SCH 3500 CDMA / AMPS Cellular Phone |
Ah, to pay $50 extra for the Samsung SCH-8500...or to settle for the somewhat less cool-looking and bulkier SCH-3500? If there's ever been an eternal question, this is certainly not it. That having been said, this is, however, something that may be worth considering, especially for those potential cell phone users who have their sites set on Sprint for a service plan.
At first glance, there doesn't appear to be a whole lot of difference between the two phones; the 8500 is a little bit smaller, a little bit lighter, flips open in such a way that it bears more than a passing resemblance to one of those communicator thingies from Star Trek. So, at this point, you may be asking yourself, "Do I really want to pay an extra $50 for coolness?"
While I realize that some people are willing to pay obscene amounts of money just to have the latest and greatest, many people actually go to the trouble of comparison shopping. For those of you who fall into the first group, this phone is really, really, insufferably cool. It is so darn cool that people are constantly walking up to me and saying, "Wow, cool phone!" (No, seriously.) Okay, you guys can stop reading now. However, for those of you who actually want to know whether the Samsung SCH-8500 is worth the extra bit of cash, please read on.
The major differences between the Samsung SCH-3500 and the SCH-8500 are few, but potentially important, and I'll outline them here:
1. Price. This is the most immediately obvious difference, as I mentioned above. The SCH-8500 can typically be found for $199.99 at your local Sprint Store or Sprint PCS authorized agent, whereas the SCH-3500 costs $149.99. Sprint seems to be running some sort of mail-in rebate just about all the time (when I bought my 8500 they were offering a $30 rebate), so you many want to take that into account when thinking about price.
Advantage: SCH-3500.
2. Size. The SCH-3500 is quite small and lightweight at about 4.4" x 2.0" x 1.0" in dimension and about 5.4 ounces in weight, including the standard battery. However, at a feather-light 3.8 ounces with the included slim battery, the SCH-8500 is almost 1/3 lighter in weight than the 3500. What's more, despite what one previous reviewer said (I think he was jealous because he had a 3500 and not an 8500), the 8500 is almost a full inch shorter in height than the 3500, with only miniscule added width (+0.08") and depth (+0.06"). The 8500 is so lightweight and tiny that I am able to carry it around in a front pants pocket like a pager, which is a big plus for me. I'm actually not even constantly aware that it's there, either. It can even be carried in a shirt pocket, although you certainly run the risk of dropping it down a flight of stairs if you run too quickly or bend over forward too far (yes, I have done this; see #3).
Advantage: SCH-8500.
3. Durability. That was actually a very nice run-in to my comparison on durability. If you're anything like me, durability is paramount when deciding on any kind of portable electronic device. Usually I can get a feel for how durable a particular piece of equipment is, if not just by looking at it, certainly by picking it up and toying with it a bit. It has been my personal experience and that of several other friends and family members who have one of these two phones that both the SCH-3500 and SCH-8500 are extraordinarily durable.
One thing in particular differentiates the two phones in terms of durability. On the SCH-3500, the screen is completely exposed even when the phone's flip-down cover is closed, whereas the SCH-8500's screen is hidden inside when the phone is flipped shut. Since the screen is clearly the most immediately vulnerable part of the phone, and since I plan to carry my phone mostly in my pocket, I prefer to have the screen on
the inside, where it's far less likely to be nicked or scratched.
Advantage: SCH-8500.
4. Accessibility. This is a relatively minor point, but one that I feel bears mentioning nonetheless. Since the SCH-3500 has an exposed screen, it can be read more quickly and easily than that of the SCH-8500. This can be useful if you want to check the time or date, as I often do, or if you don't care to flip open your phone each time it rings to see who's calling (the 8500 doesn't, however, answer automatically when you flip it open, unless you set it to do so).
Advantage: SCH-3500.
Sure, there are a few other differences between the two phones, such as the fact that the SCH-8500's display is a bit more pleasing to the eye, but those that I have found seem to me to be equally as cosmetic and/or insignificant.
What it boils down to is how much the three things I've mentioned above matter to you. Keep in mind that some of the criteria I've listed above were judged on what's best for me. However, I also tried to give you the reasons why each particular phone is best for me in each respect, so that you can see whether or not you agree. If the size is more important to you than price, shell out the extra $50 and get the 8500; if you like having an open screen and don't care much about size, save $50 and get the 3500. As with most things, it's purely a matter of opinion -- whichever one works best for you is the one you should choose.
For more information on this topic, please also take a few moments to look at my previous review on the Samsung SCH-8500, which can be found at http://basilisk4.epinions.com/elec-review-71F8-86A0048-39DC71C7-prod1. Thanks!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 149
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Epinions.com ID:
basilisk4
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Location: Atlanta, GA
Reviews written: 233
Trusted by: 214 members
About Me:
Soon-to-be married 26-year-old lawyer who likes electronics, computers, and cars.
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