The Samsung M520 is a slim professional looking handset from Sprint that provides solid functionality in a reasonably attractive form factor. We liked the handset's easy to use keypad and controls and the fairly responsive interface. The M520 does have its drawbacks, however, like the poor quality photos it takes and the terrible web browser. On the plus side you get solid music playback time, albeit only mediocre talk and web browsing times. Tamping down the enthusiasm on the music side is Sprint's music software, which is slow to load and lacking in features. At the price, $49.99 with a two-year contract and after rebate, the M520 is a good choice for those who want a budget phone that only has a few compromises.
Section The Good The Bad
Tour & Design Understated good looks Plasticky and a big gap in the back when open
Audio Quality Solid audio quality for sound sent and received Side tone is low, meaning you'll be talking louder than you should
Imaging Color quality is decent, we had to stretch for this one Terrible camera resolution
Making/Receiving Calls Fast dialing You can't use your own ring tones
Messaging Fast time to SMS and smiley faces! No true email client
Organizer Fast data entry once you learn the keypad shortcuts This organizer won't replace a PDA
Multimedia Sprint music store is reasonably priced Slow software without a lot of features
Software Fairly responsive interface with nice keypad shortcuts Terrible web browser
Battery Life Excellent music playback time Less than impressive talk and web browsing times
Connectivity EVDO for fast data and solid Bluetooth implementation No Wi-Fi and CDMA handsets are a poor choice for international travellers
Hardware Excellent keypad for typing out messages Small, low resolution display
Other Features Can be used as a modem and has GPS functionality Your stuck with Sprint's software for GPS navigation
Value & Comparisons Reasonably priced at $49.99 You can find phones with better camera and software at similar prices
