The last few years have seen a major renaissance when it comes to affordable mobile devices. Once upon a time, a quality phone would set you back at least several hundred dollars, if not more. These days, there are a growing number of options for a fraction of that cost. One such option is the new UMi Plus E.
It’s true that UMi is far from a household name in most markets, but if you are looking for a phone with beautiful aesthetics, decent specs, and an equally impressive price tag, you’ll find that UMi Plus E delivers on all fronts.
UMi Plus E specs:
- Android 6.0 Marshmallow
- 5.5-inch 1920 x 1080 2.5D Arc screen
- 2.3 GHz Mediatek Helio P20 processor
- Mali T-880 GPU
- 6 GB of RAM
- 64 GB of internal storage, with microSD for expansion
- 13 MP rear camera with 4K recording, 5 MP front camera
- 4,000 mAh battery
As you can see, the specs here are pretty impressive, offering a solid step up from its predecessor. This includes an upgrade to the MediaTek Helio P20, paired with a Mali T-880 GPU. While it’s true that MediaTek chips don’t have the same reputation as chips from Qualcomm and Samsung, the Helio series offers plenty of power and performance that allows it to better compete with the mid-to-high-range chips from the competition.
You also will find a number of extras you don’t always see in low-cost handsets such as a fingerprint reader, an aerospace class aluminum body, quick charging, dual SIM slots, USB Type-C, and more. You’ll also find Android 6.0 Marshmallow and a largely pure Android experience with just a few extra enhancements thrown in. That means you don’t have to worry about all the extra bloat you’d find in many of today’s custom skins.
Lastly, you’ll have plenty of power to keep on going, as the phone packs a hefty 4000 mAh battery.
The competition
UMi is obviously not alone in the market. There are both big and small manufacturers going against it, so we thought a nice chart would give you a good perspective at what we are looking at.
| UMi Plus | Oppo R9s | Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 | Meizu M3E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 5.5-inch; 1,920×1,080 pixels | 5.5-inch; 1,920×1,080 pixels | 5.5-inch; 1,920×1,080 pixels | 5.5 inch; 1080 x 1920 pixels |
| Operating System | Android 6.0 Marshmallow | Android 6.0 Marshmallow | MIUI 8 (Android 6.0 based) | YunOS with Flyme UI (Android based) |
| Main Camera | 13-megapixel with 4K recording | 16-megapixel | 16-megapixel | 13-megapixel |
| Front Camera | 5-megapixel | 16-megapixel | 5-megapixel | 5-megapixel |
| Processor | 2.3GHz Mediatek Helio P20 | Qualcomm MSM8953 Snapdragon 625 | MediaTek Helio X20 | MediaTek Helio P10 |
| RAM | 6GB | 4GB | 2 or 3GB | 3GB |
| Internal Storage | 64GB, microSD | 64GB | 16 or 64GB, microSD | 32GB |
| Battery | 4,000mAh battery nonremovable | 3,100mAh battery nonremovable | 4,100mAh battery nonremovable | 3,100 mAh battery nonremovable |
| Fingerprint Scanner | Home button | Home button | Back cover | Home button |
| Special Features | Fast charging, Dual-SIM | Fast charging, Dual-SIM | Dual-SIM | Fast charging, Dual-SIM |
| Price | $199.99 | $415 | $135 or $180 | $195 |
As you can see, the UMi Plus E can really hold its own, either outspec’ing or outpricing most of the options above.
Wrapping up
Although the UMi Plus E is actually set to be sold for $269.99, for roughly the next 24 hours, the phone can be purchased for just $199.99! Keep in mind only a limited run of 999 units will be offered at this introductory price and that this is a pre-sale offer, with the phone not actually shipping until December 10th. This is a solid deal considering the specs and build quality offered by the Plus E. Sure, it’s not a major brand, but if you are simply looking for a great phone without having to worry about all the latest trends, this one could be a budget conscientious buyer’s dream.
For more details on the UMi Plus E, as well as other places to potentially buy it, be sure to head to their official site.
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