O+ Fab Elite 2.0 Review

We gave our first impressions with the O+ Fab Elite 2.0 last December. After weeks of using it, some impressions stayed the same and more came in. Will this 6.5” phablet from O+ be a worthy device for your big pockets? Read on to find out.

Design and Construction

At first glance, one might mistake the Fab Elite 2.0 as a gigantic Samsung Galaxy S4. It definitely looks like a bigger twin of the former flagship in terms of design. Once you get a feel of the device, the massive 6.5” display will dominate your palm and the heft is present. Nevertheless, it has a solid build except for the buttons. They feel loose but tactile enough when pressed.

The front is greatly dominated by the display, with the sensors, earpiece, and front-facing camera above it, while the physical home button and a pair of capacitive keys for back and menu is situated below.

The right side is where the power/lock button is with the volume rocker on the opposite side. We can find the 3.5mm jack on top and the micro-USB port at the bottom. The primary camera and speaker is fixed at the back of the device.

Display

As pointed out, this phablet sports a giant 6.5” IPS LCD display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. Pixel-wise, it is not lacking. What we didn’t like are the brightness levels. It can get bright enough under the sun, but it doesn’t dim well at night. It can become a pain to use in dark situations. That aside, colors are reproduced well with enough saturation to please the eyes. Viewing angles are good too due to IPS, which is a must since the big and crisp screen would be great for sharing content.

OS, Apps and UI

On board is Android KitKat, version 4.4.2 to be specific. Lollipop 5.0 is still a rare find especially for MediaTek powered smartphones like the Fab Elite 2.0. Android is generally untouched here, aside from the included wallpapers and icons – which are very unsightly. We would definitely change the icon pack and the launcher in the long run.

O+ included a sharing app named O+ Air Share wherein you can share files from your Google Drive with your AirShare Friends from Facebook. We wish to test this feature but it shows us that we don’t have any ‘friends’ using the same app.

Camera and Multimedia

There’s a 13-megapixel shooter at the back and a 5-megapixel selfie camera. The primary camera captures decent details with minimal noise given that the setting is well lit, however colors seem dull and life-less. Then, things get really murky at night. Resolved details are really useless to even share to your social media accounts.

Check out these sample photos taken with the Fab Elite 2.0:

It can shoot 1080p videos as well. And just like its stills, the output seems washed out and dull. You can turn on the Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) to compensate for the camera shake but with a narrower field-of-view.

The display size is definitely perfect for viewing photos and watching videos on the go. Just make sure to plug in the included Sennheiser headset because the speaker is not loud enough to hear the audio in an acceptable environment. There’s also FM radio on board if you feel the need to listen to your favorite DJ.

Benchmarks and Performance

What’s powering the device is a capable octa-core processor from MediaTek running at 1.7 GHz with a Mali-450 MP GPU and 1GB of RAM. We question the RAM for being too small to handle such task since the phablet has a lot of pixels to push on its 1080p display.

Hiccups are present since we first used the device. Transitions tend to show lag and multitasking is sluggish. Good thing, performance within apps are constantly fluid given that no other intensive apps are running.

Here are the benchmark numbers for comparison:
AnTuTu v5.5 – 31,325
Nenamark 2 – 49.5fps
Geekbench 3 – 440 (Single-Core), 2,307 (Multi-Core)

Battery and Connectivity

To make the smartphone a complete package, the phablet has 3G connectivity, WiFi and Bluetooth. Sadly, there’s no LTE on-board.

We tested its battery life with a continuous 1080p video playback at 50% brightness and zero volume. We were able to get 8 hours and 19 minutes.

Conclusion

As we wrap-up our review, the Fab Elite 2.0 from O+ is decent phablet with a 1GB RAM bottleneck that limits its multitasking capabilities since it has a 6.5″ display, perfect for watching and editing files on the go.

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O+ Fab Elite 2.0 specifications:
6.5” IPS Full HD (1080 x 1920) display, 339ppi
1.7 GHz Octa-core MediaTek MT6592
Mali-450 MP GPU
1GB RAM
16GB internal storage, expandable via microSD up to 64GB
13-megapixel primary camera w/ LED flash
5-megapixel front camera
3G
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
FM Radio
Dual SIM, Dual Stand-by
Li-Ion 3000mAh battery
Android 4.4.2 KitKat

What we liked about it:

  • Solid build
  • Full HD display
  • Smart flip-cover
  • Good battery life
  • Included Sennheiser headset

What we didn’t like:

  • Quiet speakers
  • Limited brightness levels
  • Average camera color reproduction
  • Mediocre low-light performance
  • 1GB of RAM

The device retails for Php 15,995 with Sennheiser stereo headset straight out of the box.

The post O+ Fab Elite 2.0 Review appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines, Tech News & Reviews.

O+ Fab Elite 2.0 Review

We gave our first impressions with the O+ Fab Elite 2.0 last December. After weeks of using it, some impressions stayed the same and more came in. Will this 6.5” phablet from O+ be a worthy device for your big pockets? Read on to find out.

Design and Construction

At first glance, one might mistake the Fab Elite 2.0 as a gigantic Samsung Galaxy S4. It definitely looks like a bigger twin of the former flagship in terms of design. Once you get a feel of the device, the massive 6.5” display will dominate your palm and the heft is present. Nevertheless, it has a solid build except for the buttons. They feel loose but tactile enough when pressed.

The front is greatly dominated by the display, with the sensors, earpiece, and front-facing camera above it, while the physical home button and a pair of capacitive keys for back and menu is situated below.

The right side is where the power/lock button is with the volume rocker on the opposite side. We can find the 3.5mm jack on top and the micro-USB port at the bottom. The primary camera and speaker is fixed at the back of the device.

Display

As pointed out, this phablet sports a giant 6.5” IPS LCD display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. Pixel-wise, it is not lacking. What we didn’t like are the brightness levels. It can get bright enough under the sun, but it doesn’t dim well at night. It can become a pain to use in dark situations. That aside, colors are reproduced well with enough saturation to please the eyes. Viewing angles are good too due to IPS, which is a must since the big and crisp screen would be great for sharing content.

OS, Apps and UI

On board is Android KitKat, version 4.4.2 to be specific. Lollipop 5.0 is still a rare find especially for MediaTek powered smartphones like the Fab Elite 2.0. Android is generally untouched here, aside from the included wallpapers and icons – which are very unsightly. We would definitely change the icon pack and the launcher in the long run.

O+ included a sharing app named O+ Air Share wherein you can share files from your Google Drive with your AirShare Friends from Facebook. We wish to test this feature but it shows us that we don’t have any ‘friends’ using the same app.

Camera and Multimedia

There’s a 13-megapixel shooter at the back and a 5-megapixel selfie camera. The primary camera captures decent details with minimal noise given that the setting is well lit, however colors seem dull and life-less. Then, things get really murky at night. Resolved details are really useless to even share to your social media accounts.

Check out these sample photos taken with the Fab Elite 2.0:

It can shoot 1080p videos as well. And just like its stills, the output seems washed out and dull. You can turn on the Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) to compensate for the camera shake but with a narrower field-of-view.

The display size is definitely perfect for viewing photos and watching videos on the go. Just make sure to plug in the included Sennheiser headset because the speaker is not loud enough to hear the audio in an acceptable environment. There’s also FM radio on board if you feel the need to listen to your favorite DJ.

Benchmarks and Performance

What’s powering the device is a capable octa-core processor from MediaTek running at 1.7 GHz with a Mali-450 MP GPU and 1GB of RAM. We question the RAM for being too small to handle such task since the phablet has a lot of pixels to push on its 1080p display.

Hiccups are present since we first used the device. Transitions tend to show lag and multitasking is sluggish. Good thing, performance within apps are constantly fluid given that no other intensive apps are running.

Here are the benchmark numbers for comparison:
AnTuTu v5.5 – 31,325
Nenamark 2 – 49.5fps
Geekbench 3 – 440 (Single-Core), 2,307 (Multi-Core)

Battery and Connectivity

To make the smartphone a complete package, the phablet has 3G connectivity, WiFi and Bluetooth. Sadly, there’s no LTE on-board.

We tested its battery life with a continuous 1080p video playback at 50% brightness and zero volume. We were able to get 8 hours and 19 minutes.

Conclusion

As we wrap-up our review, the Fab Elite 2.0 from O+ is decent phablet with a 1GB RAM bottleneck that limits its multitasking capabilities since it has a 6.5″ display, perfect for watching and editing files on the go.

null

O+ Fab Elite 2.0 specifications:
6.5” IPS Full HD (1080 x 1920) display, 339ppi
1.7 GHz Octa-core MediaTek MT6592
Mali-450 MP GPU
1GB RAM
16GB internal storage, expandable via microSD up to 64GB
13-megapixel primary camera w/ LED flash
5-megapixel front camera
3G
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
FM Radio
Dual SIM, Dual Stand-by
Li-Ion 3000mAh battery
Android 4.4.2 KitKat

What we liked about it:

  • Solid build
  • Full HD display
  • Smart flip-cover
  • Good battery life
  • Included Sennheiser headset

What we didn’t like:

  • Quiet speakers
  • Limited brightness levels
  • Average camera color reproduction
  • Mediocre low-light performance
  • 1GB of RAM

The device retails for Php 15,995 with Sennheiser stereo headset straight out of the box.

The post O+ Fab Elite 2.0 Review appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines, Tech News & Reviews.

O+ Fab Elite 2.0 First Impressions

Lazada Philippines

O+ USA just announced a new member of their growing Fab family. Here is a 6.5” phablet powered by a 1.7 Octa-Core processor with Android 4.4 KitKat on-board, the O+ Fab Elite 2.0.

Out of the box, O+ included their complimentary Sennheiser stereo headset, and usual smartphone kit. Plus, there’s a smart flip-cover case that closely resembles those of Samsung’s.

The device initially feels solid on hand but the fact that it has a gigantic 6.5” display and generous bezel, it could be tiresome to hold it with one hand. Due to the size, the power button is located on the right side while the volume rocker sits on the opposite side.

Build-wise the Elite 2.0 doesn’t really disappoint. Also, the IPS display is bright enough to be visible here at the beach. If there is one thing I will quibble is the over-all design. It looks like a Samsung Galaxy S4 mimic from the home button to the camera and LED flash placement.

Initial photos from the main 13-megapixel sensor are fairly decent but have muted colors. Check out the samples below to see it for yourself.

Performance from the Octa-core delivers with an AnTuTu 5 benchmark score of 30,316 but the 1GB of RAM can limit its multi-tasking capabilities.

O+ Fab Elite 2.0 specifications:
6.5” IPS Full HD (1080 x 1920) display, 339ppi
1.7 GHz Octa-core Mediatek MT6592
Mali-450 MP GPU
1GB RAM
16GB internal storage, expandable via microSD up to 64GB
13-megapixel primary camera w/ LED flash
5-megapixel front camera
WiFi
3G
Dual SIM, Dual Stand-by
3000mAh Li-ion battery
Android 4.4.2 KitKat

The O+ Fab Elite 2.0 retails for Php 15,995. It will undergo our established review process in the coming weeks so stay tune how this new phablet will stand against other smartphones in the market.

The post O+ Fab Elite 2.0 First Impressions appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines, Tech News & Reviews.

O+ Fab Elite 2.0 First Impressions

Lazada Philippines

O+ USA just announced a new member of their growing Fab family. Here is a 6.5” phablet powered by a 1.7 Octa-Core processor with Android 4.4 KitKat on-board, the O+ Fab Elite 2.0.

Out of the box, O+ included their complimentary Sennheiser stereo headset, and usual smartphone kit. Plus, there’s a smart flip-cover case that closely resembles those of Samsung’s.

The device initially feels solid on hand but the fact that it has a gigantic 6.5” display and generous bezel, it could be tiresome to hold it with one hand. Due to the size, the power button is located on the right side while the volume rocker sits on the opposite side.

Build-wise the Elite 2.0 doesn’t really disappoint. Also, the IPS display is bright enough to be visible here at the beach. If there is one thing I will quibble is the over-all design. It looks like a Samsung Galaxy S4 mimic from the home button to the camera and LED flash placement.

Initial photos from the main 13-megapixel sensor are fairly decent but have muted colors. Check out the samples below to see it for yourself.

Performance from the Octa-core delivers with an AnTuTu 5 benchmark score of 30,316 but the 1GB of RAM can limit its multi-tasking capabilities.

O+ Fab Elite 2.0 specifications:
6.5” IPS Full HD (1080 x 1920) display, 339ppi
1.7 GHz Octa-core Mediatek MT6592
Mali-450 MP GPU
1GB RAM
16GB internal storage, expandable via microSD up to 64GB
13-megapixel primary camera w/ LED flash
5-megapixel front camera
WiFi
3G
Dual SIM, Dual Stand-by
3000mAh Li-ion battery
Android 4.4.2 KitKat

The O+ Fab Elite 2.0 retails for Php 15,995. It will undergo our established review process in the coming weeks so stay tune how this new phablet will stand against other smartphones in the market.

The post O+ Fab Elite 2.0 First Impressions appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines, Tech News & Reviews.

O+ 8.6 Review

The O+ 8.6 is a phone that sports a qHD screen, runs on Android 4.1 Jellybean & 1GB RAM that sells for around Php8k.  We’ve been using it for quite some time now; so far, so good, but is there more to it than just that? Read on to find out in our full review.

o 8.6

We have here an unboxing video if you may want to check it out as the package includes an SD card and some red & white themed accessories.

Design and Construction

The O+ 8.6 is a great looking device. It’s solid and it carries design elements that make this phone much more unique. Also, the device falls perfectly into your hand and we didn’t encounter any problems with handling this phone.

DESIGN

On top you’ll find the place for the 3.5mm audio jack & the micro USB port while on the left you’ll find the volume rocker and the power button. Nothing is found all the way to the right and the bottom except for the microphone. The whole phone is surrounded by a shiny chrome side casing, which in our opinion makes it look cheap, but that’s just our take.

As for the capacitive buttons down below, they are pretty responsive – but we’d like to note that the home button blinks green when you have unread notifications and red if you are charging.

light

What stains the beauty of the device though is the way it attracts fingerprints. Yes, it looks good by itself but not when there are oil smudges all over, so you really have to wipe it very often – both the front and back sides.

Display

Some sites stated that this one had an IPS panel, but nothing really confirms it. To add, the 4.5-inch qHD display has a bad viewing angle from the top portion.

The screen becomes a little hard to navigate when there are too much smudges, but other than that, we were pretty impressed with the clear text and the vibrant colors.

OS, Apps and UI

As for the OS, it runs on Android 4.1 Jellybean. The interface is basically the same across all O+ devices, and while it is indeed too cartoony & colorful, we feel that the stuff injected by O+ here is much more polished than Cherry Mobile‘s or Starmobile’s.

We have no bloatware apps here, and most of the changes are visual. Like what we’ve said in our O+ 8.15 review, it still would have looked better if they left it on stock Android.

Multimedia & Camera

The speakers sounded good, but we’re sure other phones can produce audio louder. Video playback on the other hand was a bit disappointing too despite the qHD display – some parts of selected video can show pixilation regardless of if it is HD or not.

IMG_20130520_155525_4

The 5 megapixel shooter on the back of the phone sadly takes soft and mushy photos. On the bright side, it keeps an acceptable amount of noise in low light situations and the colors are warm.

Video recording in 720p dropped a few frames, and the audio sounded a little buggy. Asides from that, it all worked well – from shaking & colors to focus.

Performance & Battery Life

With a dual-core processor, it does very average just like other phones of this class; the lags found on other phones running a similar chipset are also apparent here. The 1GB RAM helps though, and for the most part, it can do what it is expected to do.

BM

  • Antutu – 6,071
  • Quadrant – 2,741
  • Nenamark 2 – 23.8 fps

In a video loop with 50% brightness & audio, the device drained 60% of the battery in 2 hours. That’s a bit disappointing since that seems like it wouldn’t even reach a near 5 hours. On standby, it was also unimpressive as we had to recharge it a lot of times in a week without even using it.

Conclusion

O+ did a great job with some elements – the packaging by adding red & white themed chargers & earphones, the OS by keeping bloatware minimal & the version not too far behind and the little things such as a notification light in the home button.

back

Over at the flipside, the rest are mediocre – the display, the camera and the build have drawbacks.  It should have at least excelled in some points to justify the Php7,995 price tag, and somehow, we think that your money will be better spent on something else, or you could save up for another O+ phone like the O+ 8.15.

O+ 8.6 specs:
4.5” LCD display @ 540 x 960 pixels
Mediatek MT6577 1GHz dual-core processor
PowerVR SGX 531
4GB internal memory
1GB RAM
Dual-SIM, dual-standby
WiFi
Bluetooth
5MP rear autofocus camera, LED flash, 720p HD
VGA front-facing camera
GPS w/ aGPS support
FM Radio tuner
Android 4.1 Jellybean
Li-Ion 1,500mAh battery

What we liked about it:

  • Clean O+ UI
  • Solid construction

What we didn’t like about it:

  • Subpar battery life
  • Fingerprint magnet
  • Unimpressive video playback & other minor elements

The post O+ 8.6 Review appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines, Tech News & Reviews.