Samsung Acclaim vs. Gear S2 Classic 3G: A Retro Showdown

The Samsung Acclaim is a largely forgotten device shrouded in mystery, while the Gear S2 Classic 3G was a pioneering smartwatch. This comparison aims to shed light on these two Samsung offerings, exploring their strengths and weaknesses despite the Acclaim's limited available information.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

The Gear S2 Classic 3G is the clear winner. While the Acclaim likely offered a standard smartphone experience of its time, the Gear S2's smartwatch functionality, 3G connectivity, and wireless charging provide a more compelling and modern feature set, even with its older chipset.

PHONES
Phone Names Samsung Acclaim Samsung Gear S2 classic 3G
Network
2G bandsCDMA 800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsCDMA2000 1xEV-DOHSDPA
EDGE-No
GPRS-No
SpeedEV-DO Rev.0, 153.2 Kbps-
TechnologyCDMA / EVDOGSM / HSPA
Launch
Announced2010, June. Released 2010, July2016, February. Released 2016, April
StatusDiscontinuedDiscontinued
Body
Build-Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), stainless steel frame
Dimensions114 x 59 x 15 mm (4.49 x 2.32 x 0.59 in)44 x 46.9 x 13.4 mm (1.73 x 1.85 x 0.53 in)
KeyboardQWERTY-
SIMMini-SIMeSIM
Weight130 g (4.59 oz)54 g (1.90 oz)
 Optical trackpadIP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins) Compatible with standard 20mm straps
Display
Protection-Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Resolution320 x 480 pixels, 3:2 ratio (~180 ppi density)360 x 360 pixels (~424 ppi density)
Size3.2 inches, 30.5 cm2 (~45.3% screen-to-body ratio)1.2 inches
TypeTFT, 256K colorsSuper AMOLED
 -Always-on display Rotating bezel
Platform
CPU-Dual-core 1.0 GHz Cortex-A7
Chipset-Exynos 3250 Dual
GPU-Mali-400MP2
OSAndroid 2.1 (Eclair), upgradable to 2.2 (Froyo)Tizen OS 2.3.2
Memory
Card slotmicroSDHC (dedicated slot), 4 GB includedNo
Internal-4GB 512MB RAM
Main Camera
FeaturesLED flash-
Single3.15 MP, AF-
VideoYes-
Selfie camera
 No-
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker YesYes
Comms
Bluetooth2.1, A2DP4.1, A2DP, LE
NFC-Yes
PositioningGPS, A-GPSNo
RadioNoNo
USBmicroUSB 2.0No
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 b/g, hotspot (Android 2.2)Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/e
Features
BrowserHTML-
SensorsAccelerometerAccelerometer, gyro, heart rate, barometer
 MP4/H.264 player MP3/WAV/eAAC+ player Organizer Document viewer Voice memo Predictive text inputS-Voice natural language commands and dictation MP3/M4A/AAC/WAV player Photo viewer Voice memo/dial/commands Samsung Pay
Battery
Charging-Wireless (Qi)
Stand-byUp to 450 hUp to 48 h (3G)
Talk timeUp to 8 h-
TypeRemovable Li-Ion 1500 mAh batteryLi-Ion 300 mAh, non-removable
Misc
ColorsBlueBlack, Rose Gold, ceramic bracelet
PriceAbout 170 EURAbout 250 EUR
SAR0.29 W/kg (head)     0.98 W/kg (body)-
Camera
 -No

Samsung Acclaim

  • Likely larger display
  • Potentially better camera
  • Standard smartphone functionality

  • Extremely limited information available
  • Likely outdated hardware
  • No smartwatch features

Samsung Gear S2 classic 3G

  • Smartwatch functionality
  • 3G connectivity
  • Wireless charging (Qi)
  • Stylish design

  • Modest performance
  • Limited app support compared to modern smartwatches
  • Smaller display
  • Battery life impacted by 3G usage

Display Comparison

Given the Acclaim was a smartphone, it likely featured a larger, higher-resolution display than the Gear S2 Classic 3G's 1.2-inch AMOLED screen. The Acclaim's display would have been optimized for media consumption and general smartphone use, while the Gear S2 prioritized readability and glanceability.

Camera Comparison

The Acclaim, as a smartphone, almost certainly had a camera, likely with a megapixel count significantly higher than the Gear S2 Classic 3G's 2MP camera. Image quality would have been considerably better on the Acclaim.

Performance

The Gear S2 Classic 3G's Dual-core 1.0 GHz Cortex-A7 processor and Exynos 3250 chipset are relatively modest by today's standards. The Acclaim, assuming it had a contemporary smartphone chipset for its release, likely offered better raw processing power, though optimization for a smartwatch OS is different than a full smartphone OS.

Battery Life

Battery life is a complex comparison. The Acclaim's larger battery capacity would likely provide longer usage for typical smartphone tasks. However, the Gear S2 Classic 3G's optimized smartwatch OS and smaller screen could potentially offer longer battery life for smartwatch-specific functions, though 3G usage would drain it quickly.

Buying Guide

The Samsung Acclaim is likely only of interest to collectors or those seeking a very specific, older smartphone. The Gear S2 Classic 3G is suitable for users wanting a stylish smartwatch with cellular connectivity for calls and data without needing a constant phone connection, though battery life and app support are considerations.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ What year was the Samsung Acclaim released?
The Samsung Acclaim was released in 2010, making it a very old device.
❓ Does the Gear S2 Classic 3G still receive software updates?
Software updates for the Gear S2 Classic 3G are no longer actively provided by Samsung.