The Forgotten Hero - Samsung Ativ SE

Windows Phones and Samsung don’t get along. Its not a big secret that some parts of Microsoft and some parts of Samsung are feuding. over patents.

Hence while Samsung is a Windows Phone OEM, they don’t often produce (or market) Windows Phones, yet when they do, the results are often spectacular.

Consider the most recent Samsung Windows Phone. The Ativ SE is a good handset by all accounts. It has a full HD screen, SD 800 processor and a MicroSD slot. It’s camera’s no slouch and the battery life is decent. Its one flaw is that it is limited to Verizon in the US who are firmly against delivering the 8.1 update to any of their devices. For comparison, Samsung has updated the former flagship Ativ S to 8.1.1(Unlike Nokia and the 920) and the AT&T Ativ S Neo to 8.1

What’s so great about this phone? Imagine the Galaxy S4 had a baby with the Galaxy S5, this is what you get. Its a faster Galaxy S4 (Its got a Snapdragon 800 vs the S4’s 600) with all the Samsung options and useful apps like an IR blaster.

Its also thin and light, and its owners love it. Its a great device and has received far too little recognition, (not many reviews ).

Generally, I – like many Windows Phone fans like Nokia’s design, but I recognise its not for everyone. Devices like the HTC One M8 and Ativ SE represent an alternative take and Microsoft would do well to encourage competition in the high end as well as it does the low-end.