Windows Phone Thoughts: Total Convergence: The E-TEN M600 Reviewed

Benchmarks
I put the M600 through the most relevant tests of Spb Benchmark and compared it to other devices running Windows Mobile 5.0 - namely, the Dell Axim X50v (upgraded to Windows Mobile 5.0) and the i-mate JASJAR.


Figure 41: This is the overall index provided by Spb Benchmark. I've said it time and time again - the M600 feels fast, and these results prove it. 'Power' devices such as the i-mate JASJAR and Dell Axim X50v can only wonder what went wrong.


Figure 42: This is the CPU index. Nothing surprising here - comparatively, the M600 features a 400MHz processor, whilst the JASJAR and X50v feature 520MHz and 624MHz processors respectively. The take-home message here is the M600's Samsung processor isn't slow, contrary to rumours that Samsung's processors do not live up to Intel's. In case you're wondering how it performs in TCPMP, I can assure you that video playback is very smooth.


Figure 43: The file system index shows that on an overall basis, the M600 performs better at reading and writing files than the X50v and JASJAR.


Figure 44: Take this with a grain of salt. It appears that Spb Benchmark still hasn't been optimised for the X50v/X51v's Intel 2700G GPU. However, as far as basic graphical sub-system performance goes, the M600 does a good job.


Figure 45: When it comes to the performance of common Pocket PC applications, the M600 clearly shines. In this test, Spb Benchmark puts it through vigorous operations in Internet Explorer Mobile, Word Mobile, and File Explorer.

Availability
A Chinese version of the M600 was released in Taiwan a couple of weeks ago. If you're in the Asian region, you should be able to pick one up through local resellers. An English version of the M600 is planned for release on November 28; Shaston SA is distributing it throughout Europe and the Middle East, and is pricing it at €557 (without VAT). It has also been said that TORQ, the U.S. supplier of E-TEN's devices, will be releasing this unit as the P100w. No word yet on their release date or price.

Conclusions
The E-TEN M600 is one cool Pocket PC Phone Edition that I would hate to be without. With quad-band GSM/GPRS support, Bluetooth 1.2, 802.11b Wi-Fi, and E-TEN's value-added applications, the M600 offers plenty of bang for buck. It's a well-built Pocket PC that is relatively lightweight and comfortable to hold. Despite a few minor irks, the M600 triumphs with its excellent LTPS TFT-LCD, strong all-round performance, and good battery life.

Darius Wey loves technology! When he's not working at this web site, he's busy working for his medical degree (MBBS) and dabbling in audio and video editing, web and graphic design, photography and the odd bit of programming. He lives in Perth, Western Australia.