Every year, Cherry Mobile launches a number of Flare variants to the local budget smartphone market. Not all of them end up being hits, but there are at least a couple of them that become game changers. The first half of 2015 already saw the Flare X, but the most recent launch by the local brand just might see another game changer, and the Cherry Mobile Flare 4 certainly has a lot going for it.
First up, it sports a slim and elegant design that doesn’t reflect its surprisingly affordable price point. The phone measures just 8mm thin with rounded corners and edges that remind me of higher end phones from international brands. Even the glass on top of the display features curvature along the edges, giving the Flare 4 that extra touch of elegance. Speaking of the screen, it’s a 5 inch, HD IPS display.
Under the hood of the Cherry Mobile Flare 4 beats the heart of a MediaTek MT6752 SoC with a 1.3GHz octa-core processor and Mali 72o GPU. It also comes with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage, which can be expanded via microSD up to 32GB. One important thing to note is that despite its price point, the Flare 4 also has 4G/LTE connectivity with support for LTE 1800/2100/2600 bands. And did I mention it’s also a dual SIM phone and runs on Android 5.1?
Unfortunately, there is a downside as it only has a 2100mAh battery. Of course, Android 5.1 Lollipop is better optimized for minimizing battery drain from background processes, but it would still have been nice to have a larger battery that would extend your actual use time. Still, at just Php4,999, the Cherry Mobile Flare 4 is an absolute game changer, with the Flare S4 as being its only rival.
Cherry Mobile Flare 4 Specs
- 5″ HD IPS display (720 x 1280 resolution, 294ppi)
- 64-bit 1.3GHz MediaTek MT6753 octa-core processor
- Mali 720 GPU
- Android 5.1 Lollipop
- 2GB RAM
- 16GB internal storage
- 13mp rear-facing autofocus camera with LED flash
- 5mp front camera
- 4G LTE 1800/2100/2600
- WiFi
- Bluetooth
- GPS with A-GPS
- 2,100mAh battery
- Price: Php4,999
