With new smartphones arriving on the scene every other week, it has become increasingly difficult for companies to offer something new, something that will make their product stand out. Tweaking the operating system to enhance the experience offered by Android or playing around with positioning of buttons has become common. The latest on the block is Gionee's Elife S5.5, which according to the company is the slimmest smartphone in the world.
Marketing gimmicks such as "world's thinnest smartphone" do grab eyeballs, but it is just an incentive and cannot replace the key components of the smartphone experience like software or performance. Let us find out whether this gadget has some substance inside the beautiful case.
Build and display
Gionee has not left any stone unturned in terms of build quality for its Elife S5.5. The device feels solid, despite its sleek design and is perfect for one hand usage. The scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla glass on front and back of the phone adds strength, though it is prone to smudges.
The 5-inch full HD AMOLED display looks nice and offers vivid colours; however, they are often over-saturated, which you will notice while watching videos. If you can let go of the over-saturation, you will find the display fantastic and one of the best in its category.
Performance/software
With Elife S5.5, you get 2GB of RAM and an octa-core MediaTek processor included in the phone, and I can easily say this ensures there are no lags while you put the device to normal use. Like its other smartphones, Gionee has included its Amigo interface on the top of Android 4.2.2 in the S5.5, too. While Amigo brings a lot of software enhancements (some of which are more useful than others), it at times takes a toll on the phone's performance.
The company recently released the KitKat update, which has enhanced the phone's performance. In terms of individual tasks, I found the phone quite capable - it played 1080p movies without any jitter and games like Dead Trigger 2 worked nicely even with best graphic settings. The phone did heat up more than normal while doing heavy tasks, but if you are using a cover, it will not be a problem.
Camera and battery life
The camera and battery are the two components of the S5.5 that give average performance and could be a deal-breaker for some consumers. One cannot dismiss the camera completely, but there is nothing extraordinary about the 13MP rear camera. It delivers decent photographs if the light conditions are good, but suffers massively in dim light. The images lack detail and are slightly grainy.
The 5MP front camera is not bad though. It certainly would be appreciated by all the selfie lovers.
In terms of battery life, a feature that every smartphone buyer looks at, Gionee Elife S5.5 provides around 10 hours of backup with moderate to heavy usage. The 2,300 mAh non-removable battery lasted about 10 hours on normal data usage.
Verdict
It is difficult to give a verdict here. Ever since I started using this gadget, at least 30 people have come to me singing songs about the good looks of the device. But is it all that matters? I do not think so. Yes, it is a great-looking smartphone with good build quality and a nice display, which offers decent performance, but there are some aspects where it lacks. Most significantly, are you willing to pay Rs 22,999 for this? There are many other good smartphones available in the market for a similar price tag, HTC Desire 816 and Moto X to name a few. Anyway, if you don't have any issues with a smartphone that offers average camera performance and an okay battery, this might just be the best looking device for you. However, if you are someone who wants a power-packed smartphone,you might check out the other options available.
GIONEE ELIFE S5.5
Price: Rs 22,999
Dimensions: 145.1 x 70.2 x 5.6 mm
Display: 1080 x 1920 pixels, 5.0 inches (Rs 441 ppi pixel density)
OS: Android 4.4.2 (KitKat)
Weight: 133 g
Memory: 16 GB, 2 GB RAM (up to 64GB microSD cards supported)
Camera (front/rear): 5MP/13 MP, 4160 x 3120 pixels
Battery: Li-Ion 2300 mAh battery
Marketing gimmicks such as "world's thinnest smartphone" do grab eyeballs, but it is just an incentive and cannot replace the key components of the smartphone experience like software or performance. Let us find out whether this gadget has some substance inside the beautiful case.
Build and display
Gionee has not left any stone unturned in terms of build quality for its Elife S5.5. The device feels solid, despite its sleek design and is perfect for one hand usage. The scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla glass on front and back of the phone adds strength, though it is prone to smudges.
The 5-inch full HD AMOLED display looks nice and offers vivid colours; however, they are often over-saturated, which you will notice while watching videos. If you can let go of the over-saturation, you will find the display fantastic and one of the best in its category.
Performance/software
With Elife S5.5, you get 2GB of RAM and an octa-core MediaTek processor included in the phone, and I can easily say this ensures there are no lags while you put the device to normal use. Like its other smartphones, Gionee has included its Amigo interface on the top of Android 4.2.2 in the S5.5, too. While Amigo brings a lot of software enhancements (some of which are more useful than others), it at times takes a toll on the phone's performance.
The company recently released the KitKat update, which has enhanced the phone's performance. In terms of individual tasks, I found the phone quite capable - it played 1080p movies without any jitter and games like Dead Trigger 2 worked nicely even with best graphic settings. The phone did heat up more than normal while doing heavy tasks, but if you are using a cover, it will not be a problem.
Camera and battery life
The camera and battery are the two components of the S5.5 that give average performance and could be a deal-breaker for some consumers. One cannot dismiss the camera completely, but there is nothing extraordinary about the 13MP rear camera. It delivers decent photographs if the light conditions are good, but suffers massively in dim light. The images lack detail and are slightly grainy.
The 5MP front camera is not bad though. It certainly would be appreciated by all the selfie lovers.
In terms of battery life, a feature that every smartphone buyer looks at, Gionee Elife S5.5 provides around 10 hours of backup with moderate to heavy usage. The 2,300 mAh non-removable battery lasted about 10 hours on normal data usage.
Verdict
It is difficult to give a verdict here. Ever since I started using this gadget, at least 30 people have come to me singing songs about the good looks of the device. But is it all that matters? I do not think so. Yes, it is a great-looking smartphone with good build quality and a nice display, which offers decent performance, but there are some aspects where it lacks. Most significantly, are you willing to pay Rs 22,999 for this? There are many other good smartphones available in the market for a similar price tag, HTC Desire 816 and Moto X to name a few. Anyway, if you don't have any issues with a smartphone that offers average camera performance and an okay battery, this might just be the best looking device for you. However, if you are someone who wants a power-packed smartphone,you might check out the other options available.
GIONEE ELIFE S5.5
Price: Rs 22,999
Dimensions: 145.1 x 70.2 x 5.6 mm
Display: 1080 x 1920 pixels, 5.0 inches (Rs 441 ppi pixel density)
OS: Android 4.4.2 (KitKat)
Weight: 133 g
Memory: 16 GB, 2 GB RAM (up to 64GB microSD cards supported)
Camera (front/rear): 5MP/13 MP, 4160 x 3120 pixels
Battery: Li-Ion 2300 mAh battery
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