Hands on: Pantech Breakout at Verizon
updated 10:35 pm EDT, Wed October 12, 2011
Cheapest LTE handset on Verizon
Although Verizon has been focusing its attention on the upcoming Stratosphere handset this week at CTIA, several Pantech phones were also on hand at the expo. Electronista took a look at the Breakout, Verizon's budget-focused LTE handset. The device is one of the most compact LTE devices, with a feature set that is not far off from the expensive competition.
The Breakout resembles many other midrange Android handsets, integrating a four-inch display with 480x800 resolution and a single-core 1GHz processor. We found the display to be attractive, stepping the resolution up from the 320x480 panels that used to represent the entry point for smartphones. The processor kept up with basic tasks, though it is not as snappy as the dual-core variants that command higher prices.
We were surprised by the Breakout's quality construction and formidable set of features, which still includes dual cameras. The system also runs Swype and Android 2.3, making us wonder why the v2.2-based Droid charge still costs $200—down from $300 a week ago. Samsung's phone integrates a superior display and a 32GB microSD card, however users can get the latest Android experience on a decent handset for half the price by purchasing the Breakout.
