Sizing up the THL T100 and Starmobile Diamond X1
MediaTek Octa-core powered smartphones are definitely the next wave of devices that will hit the Philippines. We’ve been able to do full reviews of prototype units of the first two that will hit store shelves: the THL T100 and the Starmobile Diamond X1. Both devices have their strengths and weaknesses, mostly to do with their respective form factors and displays. In this article we’ll try to take a closer look at the differences of the two so that we can help you guys pick which one you should get (if you’re sold on the idea of getting an octa-core device).
To get a better feel for both devices, check out this short video we made.
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Let’s move on to the detailed breakdown!
Starmobile Diamond X1
Pros
- Big 6.0-inch display. Awesome for watching videos, reading, and web browsing.
- Blazing fast, one of the smoothest and most fluid Android phablets we’ve ever tested.
- Gaming BEAST. Runs most games with almost zero lag.
- Cameras (both front and rear) take excellent photos.
- Superb build. Slim form and aluminum back plate FTW.
- Bundled with free smart flip cover.
- Excellent external speakers. Loud.
Cons
- Average battery life.
- HD downgrade from Full HD. Noticeable especially if you’re super used to FHD.
- Color of screen could use deeper blacks.
- Only 8GB internal storage.
- No NFC. Boo!
- It’s massive at 6.0-inches, hehe.
Click here to read our full review of the Starmobile Diamond X1 Prototype.
THL T100
Pros
- Full HD, OGS, IPS. One of the best 5.0-inch displays we’ve seen.
- 32GB internal storage (on top of 64GB micro SD card).
- USB OTG capable
- Front camera is one of the best we’ve seen.
- Surprisingly decent battery life! Above average.
- Corning Gorilla Glass 3.
- NFC Capable.
- More compact form factor with 5.0-inch display.
Cons
- Not 100% lag free. Small traces of it still linger. Switch to Nova Launcher Pro for better performance.
- Some apps take a while to load but run smoothly after (Dead Trigger 2).
- Rear camera has a bluish tinge. Hopefully it can be addressed with final commercial unit.
- Still uses plastic for build (though it’s much better than the generic glossy plastic material used by other brands).
Click here to read our full review of the THL T100 Prototype.
Summary
So which one should you get? It boils down to what you need.
If you love watching videos and do a lot of hardcore gaming on your mobile device, the obvious option is the Starmobile Diamond X1. The rear camera of the Diamond X1 is also superior to the quality of the THL T100 (we’ll do another test once we get commercial units of both). The aluminum back plate is also very much appreciated.
If you hate big phones the THL T100 is your best bet. You’ll never have to worry about running out of storage since this has over 90GB worth (paired with a 64GB micro SD card). There are still minor traces of lag but not that noticeable. Just make sure you switch to a good launcher. It really helped base from our tests. Note that you can still play all the games you want on the THL T100. We just felt that in terms of over-all performance the Diamond X1 had the advantage since it only had an HD display.
There’s actually a third option. If you want blazing fast internet, go get an LTE-capable smartphone, hehe. These octa-core handsets are quite pricey. Estimates put them at the Php14,000-Php16,000 range and there are already LTE capable options at that range, the most notable one being the LG Optimus G.