It's here, it's finally here! Well, almost anyway. The Samsung ATIV S does actually exist and is starting to hit markets as we head into 2013. We've managed to get hold of a unit, thanks to Clove UK, and have taken a few shots while using the Windows Phone for a fair few hours. Our initial thoughts? It's a solid smartphone.
Samsung's AMOLED displays never fail to impress when properly implemented and the ATIV S is no exception. Colours are sharp, contrast is superb and overall performance, responsiveness and clarity is simply stunning. While the actual display itself is a whopping 4.8" (be sure to invest in some new pants to fit the handset in), it doesn't suffer from lower quality results.
The Windows Phone is both thin and light (only 135g and 8.7mm thin), which is surprising when the specification sheet is analysed - particularly the 2,300mAh battery. A dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 chip powers the system, while 1GB RAM and 16 / 32GB internal storage ensures enough memory is presently available.
All the bells and whistles are featured in the ATIV S, including NFC, Bluetooth and WiFi. The rear shooter is an 8MP camera with auto-focus and LED flash, while the front-facing camera is a 1.9MP. Samsung has also bundled a number of apps with the Windows Phone, these include: ChatON, Family Story, MiniDiary, Music Hub, Now and Photo Editor.
Check out the device in action with our quick visual walkthrough below.
We're happy with what Samsung has delivered and believe the ATIV S to be a worthy Windows Phone that's definitely going to accumulate fans. The expandable storage, impressive display technology and overall design will win consumers over who are struggling to choose between Windows Phone flagships.
We'll have a full, in-depth review up soon. In the meantime, check out more photos below (click each to view larger version).
