connect’s verdict: “Very good” rating for two new devices from Gigaset

18. December 2018 Published by Raphael Doerr

Assuming we’d sent an apple and an orange into the same race – we wouldn’t have known who would win. It was a little like that when the testers from the specialist magazine connect chose to put our T480HX and E370HX through their paces. Both are new devices in the cordless fixed-line telephony arena, yet totally different: One’s a cordless desktop phone and the other a universal IP handset specifically for elderly users. The two of them shoulder by shoulder against the competition? The two models ended up impressing with their features and very good handling – and also captured top marks for that.

Just about all fixed-line connections in Germany have now been converted to all-IP lines. And that makes cordless phones, which are able to leverage all the advantages of the data-based connection, the key product group among fixed-line phones, according to connect’s editorial team. IP devices offer far better voice quality thanks to HD voice. They also support convenience features such as call forwarding, toggling between two calls, or three-way conference calls – reason enough for the testers to take a closer look at the latest models. The two new devices from Gigaset were run directly on AVM’s VoIP-capable FRITZ!Box 7590 and so were able to demonstrate a further strength right away: their versatility. All the Gigaset HX models work on all DECT- and CATiq-based routers.

Convenience without cabling

The Gigaset T480HX is a cordless desktop phone that is connected directly via DECT to a router or existing base station – the first of its kind. It comes with an address book that offers space for storing up to 500 contacts, each with up to three numbers, a photo of the person and a reminder of their birthday. There are also an alarm, calendar and timer in the menu. In the opinion of connect, the T480HX is more than a match for some office phones: A headset can be connected via Bluetooth or the RJ11 jack and the most important numbers can be stored under eight speed dial keys. The editors greatly enjoyed operating it on the high-definition 2.8-inch TFT display. And the T480HX displayed its great acoustic skills in the test lab – at best, of course, in HD voice mode.

On alert for three weeks

The universal handset E370HX is an important part of Gigaset’s life series portfolio and the latest smart care solution – and the first senior citizens assistance system made in Germany. With its large keys, a display that is particularly easy to read, direct access to an SOS number, among other things, and the “extra loud” key, the device is designed fully to cater for the needs of elderly users. However, connect arrives at the verdict that – given its range of features and great ergonomics – it is also a good choice for younger persons. The E370HX then also turned into a commanding performance in the lab: Almost three weeks in standby (20 days) and more than 12 hours of talk time were good figures, according to the testers. And the Gigaset handset topped the field when it came to sound. Two devices with a completely different approach, yet both with the same qualities: cordless, ergonomic, excellent features, ease of use, and outstanding voice quality. And so connect’s verdict for both was “Very good.”

Perhaps apples and oranges can always be compared with each other – both definitely taste good.