BOSTON, October 8 — The Samsung Galaxy Exhibit has arrived as a low-cost gateway to T-Mobile’s upgraded network for MetroPCS customers, marking one of the first devices to operate on the combined GSM infrastructure following the carrier merger. Priced at $129, the Galaxy Exhibit is a MetroPCS-branded smartphone that runs on T-Mobile’s nationwide GSM network. It is currently available only in Boston, Hartford, and Las Vegas, with expansion to additional markets planned soon.
The device is a slightly modified version of the unlocked Galaxy S III Mini, sharing similar software and features but designed to be more pocketable. It measures 4.78 by 2.46 by 0.42 inches and weighs 4.27 ounces, featuring a matte plastic back panel with a blue metallic embellishment around the camera sensor.
The front includes a single Home button, a plastic silver ring, and a pebble blue color scheme reminiscent of the Galaxy S III. The display is a 3.8-inch TFT LCD with a resolution of 800-by-480 pixels, offering reasonable sharpness but lacking in color brilliance and brightness. Network-wise, the Galaxy Exhibit does not support T-Mobile’s 4G LTE or HSPA+ 42 networks but can achieve HSPA+ 21 speeds, with tested download speeds averaging just over 4Mbps and uploads around 2Mbps in New York City.
It supports 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi calling. Call quality is described as solid, with clear audio through the earpiece, good volume, and an on-screen volume boost option, though maximum volume produces a faint background ringing.
The phone includes two backlit capacitive touch keys flanking the physical Home key, a Power button on the right, a Volume rocker and microSD slot on the left, and a power port on the bottom. It supports Swype for easier typing on its relatively small on-screen keyboard. The device is compatible with MetroPCS’s contract-free plans: $40/month for unlimited talk and text with 500MB of ‘4G’ data (throttled after), $50/month for 2.5GB of ‘4G’ data, and $60/month for truly unlimited everything.
These rates are $10 less than comparable T-Mobile plans, which start at $50/month for 500MB of high-speed data, $60/month for 2GB, and $70/month for unlimited high-speed data. While T-Mobile offers a broader phone selection, the Galaxy Exhibit provides a low-cost entry point to T-Mobile’s improved GSM and LTE networks, which are slated for significant upgrades.
Unlike MetroPCS’s legacy CDMA network, which will receive no further improvements post-merger, T-Mobile’s broader coverage and superior 3G network offer better speeds for users who travel outside native coverage areas, where MetroPCS users currently roam on Sprint’s 3G network. The Galaxy Exhibit models on MetroPCS and T-Mobile are virtually identical, though each is tested separately for carrier-specific reviews.
As ever, the detail that matters is how this device bridges the gap between affordability and access to a network in transition — under the hood, it’s a modest spec sheet, but the technical reality is that it works where it counts.
