Price and specifications of Samsung Mesmerize i500 advantages, disadvantages, and a comprehensive explanation

Design and Build

The Samsung Mesmerize i500, released in October 2010, sports a sleek and compact design, typical of Samsung's aesthetic during that period. It measures 124.5 x 64.3 x 9.9 mm and weighs only 117.9 grams, making it both lightweight and easy to handle. The device features a Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen with a 4.0-inch display and a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels. The screen-to-body ratio is approximately 56.9%, and the screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass, offering a premium look and durability against scratches and minor impacts. The device is available in classic black and grey colors, appealing to those who prefer a stylish and understated smartphone design.

Display

One of the standout features of the Samsung Mesmerize i500 is its 4.0-inch Super AMOLED display. Known for their vivid colors and deep blacks, Super AMOLED screens were ahead of their time in providing excellent viewing angles and outdoor visibility. The 233 ppi pixel density ensures clear and crisp text and images, making it a good choice for media consumption and web browsing. Despite the modest resolution by today's standards, the display was praised for its vibrant color reproduction and energy efficiency, attributes that contributed to the phone's above-average battery life.

Performance

Under the hood, the Mesmerize i500 is powered by a Hummingbird chipset featuring a 1.0 GHz Cortex-A8 CPU and a PowerVR SGX540 GPU. This combination delivers reliable performance for basic tasks and applications, characteristic of mid-range smartphones from that era. The device originally shipped with Android 2.1 Eclair but could be upgraded to Android 2.2 Froyo. The experience of navigating through the interface and using apps was smooth and responsive for its time, although it might struggle with more demanding applications or multitasking due to the limited 512MB RAM.

Storage

The device provides 2GB of internal storage, with around 1.5GB available to users for apps and multimedia. Although this might seem inadequate today, the inclusion of a microSDHC card slot allows for expandable storage of up to 32GB. This flexibility was crucial for users who needed more space for their music, videos, and other data files. The inclusion of a 16GB microSD card with the phone was a thoughtful addition, offering additional value to consumers.

Camera

The Samsung Mesmerize i500 is equipped with a 5 MP autofocus rear camera, complemented by an LED flash. The camera can record video at 720p at 30fps, which was considered decent quality at the time. For many users, the camera performance was satisfactory for personal photography needs, capturing fairly detailed and vibrant images. The device also includes a VGA front-facing camera, primarily for video calls rather than high-quality selfies.

Connectivity

This smartphone supports CDMA network technology, specifically CDMA 800 / 1900 bands and 3G CDMA2000 1xEV-DO bands, with data speeds up to 3.1 Mbps. Additionally, it includes Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n with the ability to create a portable hotspot when upgraded to Android 2.2. Other connectivity features include Bluetooth 3.0, GPS with A-GPS support, and an FM radio. For physical connections, it has a microUSB 2.0 port.

Battery

The Mesmerize i500 is powered by a removable Li-Ion 1500 mAh battery, providing a standby time of up to 312 hours and a talk time of up to 7 hours. The battery life was relatively competitive for its time, especially considering the phone's efficient processor and AMOLED display. The ability to remove and replace the battery allowed users to carry spare batteries for extended usage periods, a feature appreciated by frequent travelers.

Software and Features

Pre-installed with Android 2.1, the device could be upgraded to Android 2.2, which introduced features such as the ability to run applications from the microSD card and enhanced security measures. The phone's user interface is straightforward, focusing on ease of use and functionality. Additional features include accelerometer, proximity, and compass sensors, as well as support for Adobe Flash Lite, allowing better web browsing experiences for Flash content.

Audio and Multimedia

The sound system on the Samsung Mesmerize i500 includes a standard 3.5mm audio jack, which was widely appreciated for its versatility and broad compatibility with headphones and external speakers. The built-in loudspeaker provided decent sound quality for calls and media playback. Coupled with its display, the device served well for multimedia consumption, making it suitable for both entertainment and productivity purposes.

Final Thoughts

When it was released, the Samsung Mesmerize i500 represented an intriguing option in the mid-range smartphone market. Its combination of a vibrant Super AMOLED display, adequate performance, and reasonable camera features made it attractive to a variety of users. Although it has since been discontinued, its design and functionality laid the foundation for many Samsung devices that followed. For users seeking a reliable, user-friendly Android smartphone, the Mesmerize i500 was a compelling choice in the 2010 mobile landscape.