Continuing around the edges of the device; starting on the left hand side is a volume rocker key, a voice dial/voice recorder button, a recessed reset button and all the way down at the bottom a 2.5mm headset jack. Also at the bottom is the microphone which is used both for voice calls and voice recordings. In the middle is a small flap which conceals the micro SD card slot, although it makes it slightly trickier than normal to get the card out, but it also helps prevent some dust entering the handset.
Finally, we have a mini USB port and the storage slot for the stylus here. On the right hand side is the camera button and as the X800 features auto focus, albeit a very slow auto focus, the button has two stages to it. Our only concern here is that it sticks out quite far and looks like it might get some extra wear, at least if you keep the phone in your pocket. At the top is the power button, but unlike most other Windows Mobile devices we’ve tested, it doesn’t allow you to switch off the handset when depressed over a period of time.
General build quality is pretty good with a metal inlay around the display, but we’re not keen at all on the battery cover. Unlike the X650, the battery cover on the X800 comes off without having to remove the stylus, but it’s just pulled off and it looks like some of the plastic tabs can be damaged if you’re too rough when taking it off. However, once you’ve put your SIM card in, there shouldn’t really be any reason to take the back cover off again. The supplied battery is rated at 1,530mAh which seems to be slightly better than the norm on these kinds of devices. With fairly light usage, the battery seemed to last about two days or so, but as long as you charge the handset once a day, it should cope with a fair amount of 3G and WiFi usage.
The X800 measures 113x60.5x15.8mm (HxWxD) and weighs in at 165g compared to 107x58x14.7mm (HxWxD) and 136g for the X650. This is what you end having to pay for the addition of 3G, HSDPA and video calls and it really comes down to if you need these features or not when choosing between the two. The X800 is a clear winner compared to the older X600 which is currently available, but if you don’t need the 3G features and are keen on the Glofiish devices from E-TEN, then we’d suggest the X650 in favour of the X800. However, 3G data is a key feature for many business users and having a 3G enabled handset with GPS can be very useful for those that travel a lot.
E-TEN provides a decent package in the box, with a belt clip carry bag, charger, USB cable, headset and a spare stylus. The headset is nothing out of the ordinary and looks just like what we’ve become accustomed with when it comes to Smartphones. This in itself isn’t a good thing, but as the X800 has a built in FM radio and of course the ability to play back both music and video files, the headset quality should’ve been better than this, as most people will try to find a third party replacement. At least the X800 uses a standard 2.5mm socket, so there should be a wide range of suitable headsets (not headphones though) that will work with it.
We’re not sold on the X800 either, but in all fairness, it is an older device compared to the X650 and the price difference is just too small to call it either which way. One of the major downsides is that you’re unlikely to find E-TEN’s devices subsidised by the mobile phone network providers, as the company haven’t struck up a lot of deals as yet. But as Acer bought out E-TEN during the time between the X650 and this X800 review, it looks as if these handsets might become more affordable and easier to obtain.
With a bit better design from the help of Acer, we might see some really good devices in the future based on E-TEN’s hardware, as it’s all there; it’s just not quite HTC as yet.
