The good: The Samsung Nexus S 4G offers a brilliant display, WiMax support, and agreeable performance. It gains a number of usability improvements from the Gingerbread OS, and its straight Google interface will appeal to Android purists.
The bad: The Samsung Nexus S 4G feels rather fragile, and it lacks a memory card slot and LED notifications. We were hoping for more new features over the Nexus One, and its 4G connection was spotty at times.
The bottom line: The Samsung Nexus S 4G offers a great combination of design, features, and performance. The 4G connection could be more reliable, but the Gingerbread OS, stock Android UI, and admirable call quality make for a satisfying smartphone.
Editors' note: Sprint's Samsung Nexus S 4G only differs from T-Mobile's Nexus S in a few ways. As such, we will focus on those differences for this review. For CNET's full analysis of the Nexus S series, including design and features, check our review of T-Mobile's handset.
As it has a habit of doing, Sprint grabbed the CTIA spotlight early this year when it announced the Samsung Nexus S 4G the day before the annual wireless confab convened in Florida. Though the device was hardly new to the cell phone ... Expand full review
Editors' note: Sprint's Samsung Nexus S 4G only differs from T-Mobile's Nexus S in a few ways. As such, we will focus on those differences for this review. For CNET's full analysis of the Nexus S series, including design and features, check our review of T-Mobile's handset.
As it has a habit of doing, Sprint grabbed the CTIA spotlight early this year when it announced the Samsung Nexus S 4G the day before the annual wireless confab convened in Florida. Though the device was hardly new to the cell phone world--T-Mobile first introduced the Nexus S late last year--Sprint's handset was nonetheless significant. Not only was it the first Nexus device to support a carrier's 4G network (hence the added "4G" in the phone's name), but also it was the first Nexus handset to land at a CDMA network (Verizon reneged on its promise to carry the HTC Nexus One last year).
Outside of the network changes and the integration of Google Voice, Sprint's Nexus S 4G is identical to the GSM Nexus S. You'll find the same design and internal features and (sadly) it also lacks a memory card slot and LED notifications. Of course, the added support for high-speed data gives the Nexus S 4G an advantage over its T-Mobile sibling, but the WiMax connection was shakier than we've seen on other Sprint devices.
Design
You wouldn't be able to tell the Nexus S 4G from the Nexus S if you put them side by side. And that's mostly a good thing. Like its predecessor, the Nexus S 4G is shiny and pretty with a gorgeous 4-inch display and a thin profile, but the device feels rather fragile in the hand. This isn't new in a Samsung phone--many of the company's Galaxy S phones also felt too slick--and we recommend taking good care of the handset just in case. You'll also recognize the "contour" design that gives the handset a slightly concave shape to complement the curve of your head, although we don't consider this much more than a gimmick.
The dimensions (4.88 inches long by 2.48 inches wide by 0.43 inch thick, weighing 4.55 ounces) are identical and the 4G version offers the same buttons, touch controls, and virtual keyboard. It Nexus S 4G also features a stock Gingerbread (Android 2.3) interface that's free of any manufacturer or carrier skins. This remains a device for Android purists. Five home screens are there for your customization needs.
Features
The Nexus S 4G offers the same feature set as its predecessor. It's a respectable one, though we still think Sammy could have offered us more goodies compared with the Nexus One. The list includes an NFC chip, a 5-megapixel camera, a front-facing VGA shooter, access to Google applications, Bluetooth 2.1 (with A2DP), Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n), PC syncing, GPS, USB mass storage, 16GB of internal memory, USB tethering, and a Wi-Fi hot spot. But on the downside, there's no external memory card slot or LED notifications.
Sprint gives one bonus in the Nexus S 4G, however, with the Google Voice integration that it also unveiled at CTIA for almost all Sprint phones. This allows you to link your Sprint phone number with Google Voice in two different ways, giving the Nexus S 4G call forwarding and visual voice mail that you can read on the phone or online, and cheaper international calls. While we didn't experience any problems ourselves, some people have. It's clear that Google has a few growing pains to get past, but overall, the service is a great addition to the Sprint plan for those who are looking for some extra services, like visual voice mail, call forwarding, and plenty of customizations. Call screening, call blocking, and personalized greetings are just some of them. For more details, read our full Google Voice review.
Performance
We tested the dual-band (CDMA 800/1900) Samsung Nexus S 4G in San Francisco using Sprint service. Call quality was very good in most places. Our conversations were clear and we didn't notice the background hiss that we heard on the T-Mobile phone. We had some trouble hearing in really noisy places, but it wasn't a big deal. Similarly, while voices could sound a bit tinny at times, it was nothing unusual for a cell phone.
As with the Nexus S, our callers had few complaints and some couldn't tell that we were using a cell phone. However, a few did mention that we also sounded a bit tinny. And when we compared the audio samples from the two phones we had to agree. The T-Mobile sample is a bit deeper, though with a slight hiss, while the Sprint sample is just a bit harsher. We don't think one is necessarily better, but you might feel differently.
Sprint Samsung Nexus S 4G call quality sample Listen now:
T-Mobile Samsung Nexus S call quality sample Listen now:
Speakerphone calls were fine. Provided we were in a quiet place, we could hear well on our side and callers reported the same. We had to speak close to the phone to be heard, but the audio clarity was satisfying. Automated calling systems could understand as well.
The GPS feature was accurate when we had the Wi-Fi activated. It located our position quickly and was off by only about 20 feet. On a couple of occasions the phone's GPS fix jumped a couple of times after it locked on, but it usually came back to our correct location. After all of Samsung's troubles with the Galaxy S series, it's nice to see that the problem has been fixed here. We also love the revamped Google maps with the 3D buildings.
The touch interface was accurate and responsive, whether we were scrolling though a list or pecking at small links or buttons. The Web browser was easy to use as well, thanks to the multitouch interface. Also, dragging our finger across the screen when using the browser or maps produced a smooth, fluid motion that exhibited none of the jerky movements that we sometimes have seen on Android phones. On a similar note, the 1GHz Hummingbird processor offers a speedy user experience that compares favorably with the iPhone.
As mentioned, we welcome the Nexus S 4G's support for Sprint's WiMax network (indeed, one of our biggest complaints about the T-Mobile handset was that it topped out at 3G). However, our excitement waned a bit when we got deep into our performance tests.
Even before we got the Nexus S 4G out of the box, we noticed a lot of complaints in Sprint user forums about its WiMax radio. Some commenters reported that they got only a minimal signal in strong 4G areas, while others said they had had the same problem with multiple devices. Our experience wasn't nearly as bad, but it wasn't as good as with other Sprint and Clearwire WiMax devices. For example, it usually took much longer--up to 3 minutes--for the phone to find the WiMax signal after we turned it on. It also was quicker to lose the signal when we entered a building or an underground transit station.
Yet, on other occasions, the Nexus S 4G didn't have any problems at all. One morning, it stayed connected long after we first locked on to WiMax and even held the signal after we got in an elevator. And on another day, it jumped onto 4G in the lower level of CNET's office building. In the end, the connection is less reliable than on the Sprint devices, but the device is still usable. It's not as good as it could be, but we wouldn't call the Nexus S 4G a lemon.
What's more, data speed was quite fast and comparable to other Sprint WiMax phones when we were on 4G. The handset will default to mobile sites when one is available, of course, but even full sites loaded quickly, For example, NYTimes.com loaded in 17 seconds, CNET.com in 18 seconds, Airliners.net in 25 seconds, and GiantBomb.com in 29 seconds. When 4G is not available, the phone will default back to Sprint's 3G network. You will definitely notice a difference, but still, EV-DO coverage is reasonably fast, and it's more widespread.
The Nexus S 4G has a rated battery life of 6 hours of talk time. According to FCC radiation tests, the Nexus S 4G has a digital SAR of 0.64 watts per kilogram.
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