Cherry Mobile Flare: Budget Android Phone for Just P3,999

Chery Mobile Flare Specifications and Price

Update: Cherry Mobile just posted that the Flare will be going on a limited release sale on November 17 at SM North Edsa and Robinsons Place Manila. First 50 buyers will get freebies along with their purchases. Sadly, I won’t be able to make it since I’ll be in Laguna at that time. TUNGUNUNG YUN

There comes a time when we should be satisfied with what we have. I upgraded my secondary phone from a MyPhone A818 to a Cherry Mobile W100 about a month ago because it had a faster 1GHz CPU and 512Mb of RAM while actually costing less. It seemed like such a good decision at the time too. Of course, Cherry Mobile then had to unveil the Cherry Mobile Flare: a dual core Android smartphone with a 4 inch IPS screen, 512Mb of RAM and Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0 out of the box. How much? P3,999. Crap. This is the smartphone I should have gotten. By just adding P500 to the price of the W100, you get a dual core 1.2GHz CPU instead of single core 1GHz chip, a screen that’s bigger by half an inch and has a better resolution, 4Gb of internal storage instead of just 512Mb, and finally, a better 5mp rear-facing camera instead of the 3mp snapper that’s on the W100. That’s a whole lot more performance and functionality just by adding P500.

And it isn’t like it makes many compromises either. For example, the MyPhone A878 is another affordable dual core phone with a slightly bigger 4.3″ screen that sells for P6,999. It’s a pretty awesome phone in its own right,but it isn’t capable of 3G data or even a front-facing camera for video calls. These are the sort of shortcomings that often plague most budget smartphones. However, not with the Cherry Mobile Flare. In terms of specs, the Flare makes absolutely no compromises, often exceeding the specifications of other phones that are typically priced twice as much. Not only does it have an excellent base configuration of when it comes to the OS, CPU, RAM and internal storage, but it also covers everything you would want from a smartphone: Bluetooth, WiFi, GPS and support for 3G data.

Of course, there has to be some compromises, and there probably are. When I first opened up the W100 for testing before eventually buying it, it felt like a toy in my hands because it was made from such light plastic. I doubt the Cherry Mobile Flare will be any different, but for P3,999, I wouldn’t care that much about using cheaper materials so long as it’s solidly put together. Too bad I won’t be able to buy it and review it or else my girlfriend will kill me.. *sigh 🙁

Update: I bought the Cherry Mobile Flare! Check it out here!

Specifications

  • Chipset: 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon Dual Core
  • Camera: 5 MP (Main), VGA (Front)
  • SIM Slot: Dual SIM
  • Screen Type: IPS Capacitive
  • Screen Size: 4.0 Inches
  • Navigation: Touchscreen
  • Dimensions: 123 mm x 62.5 mm x 11.8 mm
  • ROM: 4GB
  • RAM: 512MB
  • Slot: Up to 32GB microSD
  • Data: 3G/HSDPA, 2G/EDGE/GPRS
  • Bluetooth
  • GPS with aGPS
  • Platform/OS: Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
  • Color: Black
  • Price: Php3,999

53 thoughts on “Cherry Mobile Flare: Budget Android Phone for Just P3,999

      1. ANg hirap makakita ng Cherry Mobile lately!! Sana nga po meron sa SM North. I’m really seriously considering switching to Cherry Mobile after reading your reviews. Thanks so much for all the info!

  1. Sana nga bigyan ka nila ng review unit kasi astig yung mga reviews mo especially sa w100.lageng may updates.keep it up bro 🙂

  2. Sa sm north po meron na? Sa po ung sure na meron na po nyan almost 3wks ko na po plan na bumili kaso mid nov p daw po labas sabi sa ibang net reviews

  3. may usb thethering po ba ito? balak ko pong gamiting modem pero gusto ko thru usb cable kasi ayoko wifi sharing para less battery consumption on both cp and laptop.

  4. i have been shopping (looking in the local mall and reading the blogs) for a decent Pinoy smartphone around the Php5000 pricepoint. Lots of interesting stuff out there, and i REALLY wanted something for electronic stimulation while spending all of Nov 1 in the cemetary.
    Saw the CM W100 at the Cherry kiosk, and ater your review had decided “this is my phone!”
    Then the day i was going to buy it, i saw the review for the Flare. Decided that i didn’t want to wait, so went to get the W100, but God decided it was not a good day to buy a cell phone.
    i’ll be picking up a Flare as soon as they hit the stores, and would be willing to share a Review if you like.
    Have a good day, pete

  5. aw sir ganun din ako, kakabili ko lng ng w100 kc nga sya ang pinaka-mura na malapit sa htc desire v ang specs. un kc habol ko dual sim w/ front cam at 1ghz procie. problema lng phone memory ang baba, kya naghagilap ako sa net kung pano i-root. nk-ilang oras din ako kkhanap ng instructions. nung n-root na 2wang-2wa ako tpos after ilang weeks lalabas n ang flare… %#$@^! tpos gnun ung specs P500 lng difference

  6. based on everyone comments, I think I’m gonna buy Cherry mobile flare for my wife. 🙂 Price is good, spec is good, no worries. Just one question para sa mga meron nang flare.. how about it’s durability?

    thanks!

  7. pano po ba ang gprs settings ng flare?? kc naka activate nmn ang GPRS ko pero di pa rin ako makapasok sa sun browser na promo nila fb10, need ko po daw configuration sa GPRS pls reply sir

    1. Wala po akong experience sa Sun and Smart eh. Nagka problem din ako sa gnyan dati with Globe, and ang ginawa ko lang is sinelect ko yung tamang APN profile sa Settings > More > Mobile Networks > Access Point Names ata.

  8. Bakut ganun dito Price nyan 5k hays tas la pa haos stocks anu ba naman yan naka lagay sa web nila 3,999 tas di naman pla tumataas ang price pag daming benta lol…..

    1. Mainis ka sa mga dealers. Kakabili ko lang the other day ng 3,999 lang sa SM Syberzone Cubao, pero madame din akong nababalita na 4.5k-5k ang benta. Okay sana kung may bundled jelly case or back case, kaso yung iba, walang nakabundle. Sa Starmall, 5k daw. Sus. Kung pwede lang ireport ang ganyan.

  9. Wala bang pwedeng pagcomplainan about sa increase ng Flare price ng mga CM Kiosks or rights nila yun? Kaya nga may SRP di ba? Di ba pwede sa DTI or sa Admin mismo ng malls kung saan sila nakapwesto?

    1. hindi po totoo. yun nga lang, may G-sensor issue na tagilid ang character. may software update ang Cherry Mobile na pwedeng ipa-update sa service centers nila. pwede din hintayin ang OTA (over the air) update this month day para nde na kailangan pmunta ng SC

  10. are they still selling this phone to the market, sobrang limited ksi, other retailers/dealers are over pricing these phones, my cousin bought his phone for P4,500… people are taking advantage of the fact that people are looking for this phone. san pa ba meron matinong bilihan nito?

  11. pano po ba magvideo call or Skype?? thanks..kasi nung nag Skype ako voice call alng po..

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