Samsung's Ativ S bears a very strong resemblance to both the Galaxy SII and SIII, to the point where it feels like one of those phones retrofitted with WP8 software.
Physically, the Ativ S has two major accomplishments under its belt: it's the thinnest build of any Windows Phone 8 device and it has the largest screen. This alone makes it deserving of attention from consumers.
That AMOLED display is 4.8-inches, just a little bit bigger than the WP8 device with the second largest screen, the Nokia Lumia 920 at 4.5-inches. At 306 pixels per inch, the display is actually less dense than the HTC and Nokia competition, but you'd never know it with your naked eye. This large, well-lit display really makes those Live Tiles sing, and the viewing angles are nothing short of spectacular. Even in bright sunlight we had no trouble looking at the Ativ S.
The body of the Ativ S isn't bad to look at either. It has a long, brushed metallic exterior, like a Galaxy S3. Don't let that chromed appearance fool you though, just like the S3 the Ativ S is all plastic.
The Ativ S's slim body and metallic design give it a mature, subdued appearance that we find appealing. Consumers who found the candy-colored HTC 8X too playful or the Lumia 920 too obviously plastic will be delighted with it.
However, the Ativ S is so slick it's downright slippery. It almost slid out of our hands on a number of occasions. That's not something that would ever happen with a grippy HTC 8X or 8S. Hopefully there will be stylish flip covers for the Ativ S, just like the S3.
Inside, the Ativ S packs power. It doesn't have an S3's quad-core, but its 1.5 GHz dual-core is nothing to sneeze at. There's also 1GB of RAM, and the option of 16 or 32GB of internal memory.
Fans of removable batteries and micro-SD cards rejoice, the Ativ S has both. Just like an S3, the thin backplate is removable, revealing a 2,300 mAh battery, micro-SIM and SD card slot. That, combined with ample internal memory, makes it ideal photos and videos.
As with the S3, the backplate is shockingly thin. Taking it off always made us feel like we might break it, but it held up well to multiple removals, and the bending we subjected it to.
On the rear you'll also spy an 8-megapixel lense and LED flash. There's also the long, thin speaker grill we often see on Samsung phones.
The top right side of the Ativ S has the lock/power button used for waking the phone and turning it off. On the bottom right lies a dedicated camera button, a signature of Windows Phone 8 design. It's a choice we agree with, as it's very convenient for grabbing a quick shot.
On the left side is your standard volume rocker. It should be noted that all three of the buttons sit somewhat loosely in their sockets. You can feel them move around as you press them, and hear them click if you shake the phone. As with the iPhone 5 it's a small detail that detracts just the tiniest bit from overall premium feel of the phone.
Overall, the Ativ S is a very handsome, smartly designed phone. While long, thin and metallic has become something of a standard design for Android devices, this is a new look for the revamped Windows Phone. It sets it apart from the more colorful competition, and while some consumers may balk at its size, a subdued, thin look plus removable storage and battery make it a very viable option.
