Samsung SGH-P300 (Unlocked)

Performance of Samsung SGH-P300 (Unlocked)

Design: 7 Features: 8 Performance: 8 We tested the triband (GSM 900/1800/1900; GPRS) Samsung SGH-P300 world phone in San Francisco using T-Mobile's service. Call quality was superior, with exceptional clarity and volume. We could understand our callers without any trouble in both noisy and quiet environments, and they reported the same admirable conditions on their end. We also had no trouble getting a signal, and we experienced little interference from other electronic devices. The phone did pick up some wind noise, but we were satisfied overall. Speakerphone calls were enjoyable, though callers did say they had more trouble understanding us. And as mentioned previously, we wish the speakerphone activation process were more intuitive. We paired the phone successfully with the Plantronics Explorer 320 Bluetooth headset, but unfortunately, audio clarity wasn't as sharp. We had audible static on our end, and callers reported similar conditions. It didn't render calls indecipherable, but it was noticeable. Then again, it could be due to the headset.

We also paired the Samsung SGH-P300 with the Sony Ericsson W600i, and we were able to transfer pictures back and forth without incident. For downloading music, we first installed the Samsung PC Studio 2 on our PC. Installation was easy and hassle-free, and the software's interface is basic but attractive; plus, it was easy to use and understand. Transfer times over the USB cable were exceptionally slow, however. It took us just more than 3 minutes to download 40.2MB of music. Using T-Mobile's GPRS network, data speeds were speeds pretty poky. It's too bad the SGH_P300 doesn't support GPRS.

Music quality was nothing impressive, but we weren't expecting much form a tiny, monochrome speaker to begin with. Our tunes sounded especially tinny, and the volume, while fine for calls, was too low for music. Still, it does the trick for short spells; just don't buy the SGH-P300 and expect concert-hall acoustics.

The Samsung SIGH-P300 has a rated talk time of 5.5 hours, which we beat in our tests by an extra hour. The promised standby time is 8.3 days. According to FCC radiation tests, the Samsung SGH-P300 has a digital SAR rating of 0.97 watts per kilogram.