Full Review: Cherry Mobile Flare HD
The Cherry Mobile Flare HD was a surprise review unit from the good folks from Cherry Mobile which was handed out during their Christmas/Thanksgiving party. We really didn’t expect much from it initially since it was your under the Flare budget series. However after finding out all the specifications as well as using it for more than 2 weeks, we’ve got to say that this potentially is one heck of a game changer for the PH tech and gadget scene. Find out why in this full review!
Before anything let’s go over the specifications of the device again.
Cherry Mobile Flare HD Spec Sheet
- 1.2GHz Quad-core Processor, MediaTek
- 1GB RAM
- 4GB Internal Storage, expandable via Micro SD Card
- 4.3-inches HD IPS Display, 1280 x 720 pixels
- 12.0-megapixels primary camera with LED Flash
- 5.0-megapixels secondary camera
- Dual SIM, Dual Standby
- 3G, WiFi, WiFi Hotspot, GPS, Bluetooth
- Android Jelly Bean 4.2
- 1,800mAh Battery
As you can see it’s quite impressive considering it’s from the Flare series. The quad-core processor plus 1GB RAM combo is there as a 12MP shooter. The real major upgrade though is the display. It’s not WVGA or qHD. It’s HD. Yes folks, this is a quad-core 1GB RAM smartphone with a 4.3-inch HD display and it’s under the budget-friendly Flare series. Unfortunately Cherry Mobile hasn’t shared the price yet or actual announce date (boo).
Compact and Easy-to-manage Body with a Stunning HD Display
In the world of Android, any device with less than a 4.5-inch display can actually be considered “small”. The Cherry Mobile Flare HD is one of the those devices as it sports a 4.3-inch display. While not as big as your usual 4.7-inchers, being compact does has its charm including better portability and over-all manageability. In the last two weeks that we’ve been using the Cherry Mobile Flare HD we came to the realization that it was fun using a phone with just one hand again, hehe.
In terms of build, the Flare HD uses a matte finish hard plastic material for the removable back plate. The 12.0-megapixel shooter with LED Flash and the external speaker grill can also be found here. Along the sides are the volume rocker, power control, audio jack, and micro USB port.
The main highlight of the hardware is obviously the display. The 4.3-inch screen of the Flare HD has an impressive HD resolution (1280 x 720). The quality of the images, text, and videos displayed on the device was impressive! Viewing angles were also great thanks to the IPS technology.
To get a better idea of the aesthetics and build of the Flare HD, watch this video that we uploaded during our initial review and unboxing.
Over-all when it comes to the hardware the Cherry Mobile Flare HD took a gamble with the small form factor. However if you think about it most of the devices in the Flare series are actually smaller at 4.0-inches so the +0.3-inches can actually be considered an achievement, lol.
Definitely Packs a Punch
In terms of power, the Cherry Mobile Flare HD runs on the standard 1.2GHz Quad-core MediaTek Processor paired with 1GB of RAM. Generally over-all experience was smooth save for the more graphics and RAM demanding apps like hardcore gaming titles. If it’s just the usual messaging, calls, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and web browsing, the Flare HD can deliver with minimal problems.
We also didn’t have any issues with casual games like Candy Crush, Angry Birds, or the like. However we did encounter a hiccup when we started to fire up Dead Trigger 2. It looks like the 1.2GHz quad-core processor with 1GB RAM isn’t yet ready for HD primetime, hehe. The lag spikes were very noticeable and became more frequent as we advanced to the later stages.
Aside from the Dead Trigger 2 issue, the Flare HD handled almost everything else we threw at it. Definitely an impressive product especially if Cherry Mobile will price this below Php5,000.
Camera is Average
The primary snapper of the Flare HD is a 12.0-megapixel camera with LED Flash. Based on our tests it can take decent shots but there is an issue with the sharpness and contrast of the photos. There’s noticeable washout in some of the photos as well. See sample shots below for your reference.
The photos aren’t bad but they aren’t good either.
Battery Life is a Bit Lacking
One thing that surprised us was the battery life. We were expecting it to be marginally better than the previous generation Flares that packed 1,500mAh batteries. However it looks like the additional 300mAh of the 1800mAh battery of the Flare HD is there to cope with the power demands of an HD-resolution screen.
With 3G/Sync on, Brightness at 35%, and Location off, we got around 6-7 hours with heavy usage. That’s already a variety of calls, mobile internet, and social networking.
Verdict: Could be the Best Budget Phone Out There Depending on the Final SRP
So what’s our verdict? Well we can’t really say at this point because there’s no final SRP yet! Toinks! The Cherry Mobile Flare HD isn’t officially available in stores yet but they should land sometime in January according to representatives of Cherry Mobile that we were able to talk to.
However if we were to assume that Cherry Mobile will keep to the tradition of Flares being less than PHp5,000, then it can truly qualify as a game changer. Quad-core. 1GB RAM. 12MP camera. HD display. All of that for less than Php5,000? Definitely win. Watch this space in the future for more official updates about the Cherry Mobile Flare HD.
PS: We’re Raffling Away a Cherry Mobile Fusion Storm Tablet!
Yes, it’s free to join. Just click here to go to the post so you can see how you can join the raffle. 🙂