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Getting to know Samsung's sturdy Ativ S Neo (pictures)

The midrange Windows Phone 8 device is a solid, heavy piece of smartphone equipment.

Jessica Dolcourt
Jessica Dolcourt is a passionate content strategist and veteran leader of CNET coverage. As Senior Director of Commerce & Content Operations, she leads a number of teams, including Commerce, How-To and Performance Optimization. Her CNET career began in 2006, testing desktop and mobile software for Download.com and CNET, including the first iPhone and Android apps and operating systems. She continued to review, report on and write a wide range of commentary and analysis on all things phones, with an emphasis on iPhone and Samsung. Jessica was one of the first people in the world to test, review and report on foldable phones and 5G wireless speeds. Jessica began leading CNET's How-To section for tips and FAQs in 2019, guiding coverage of topics ranging from personal finance to phones and home. She holds an MA with Distinction from the University of Warwick (UK).
Jessica Dolcourt
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1 of 6 Josh Miller/CNET

Getting to know Samsung's sturdy Ativ S Neo

Sprint's Samsung Ativ S Neo is a generically good-looking Windows Phone 8 device that resembles Samsung's Galaxy S4 line -- a lineage that's clear in the phone's "S"-themed name.
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2 of 6 Josh Miller/CNET

Buttoned down

You'll navigate the Ativ S Neo with two capacitive buttons that sandwich the phone's central Home button, a blue key that echoes the phone's silvery accents.
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3 of 6 Josh Miller/CNET

A touch of sophistication

Although the S Neo is all reflective plastic, the sleek button shapes and subtle pattern on the back plate do give it some nuance.
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4 of 6 Josh Miller/CNET

Camera and ports

The S Neo's 8-megapixel camera module echoes the more square shape of the Galaxy S4 Android flagship. An LED flash and 1.9-megapixel front-facing camera round out the goods.
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5 of 6 Josh Miller/CNET

Trigger finger

That mandatory physical camera button on the right sets Windows phones apart.
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6 of 6 Josh Miller/CNET

Extra storage

Pop off the phone's back cover to pump up the phone's native 16GB of storage by up to 64GB via the microSD card slot.

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