The Gionee Elife S7 will sell you on its good looks, but will struggle a bit on the follow through
Gionee has been obsessed with size-zero slim phones for a while. It started about a year ago with the S5.5, positioned as the world’s slimmest phone and then Gionee went one with the S 5.1. While the S5.1 was slimmer than its predecessor it was not the slimmest smartphone in the world. The Elife S7 is the newest chapter in the Gionee Slim phone saga and was unveiled at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The Chinese handset manufacturer seems to have temporarily ditched its slim fetish, focusing instead on the overall experience. For one the S7 is not branded based on its size (thickness) and Gionee has gone back from 5.1 mm to the 5.5 mm thickness we first saw on the S5.5; the device weighs just 125g. But does this ultra-slim device fire on all cylinders?
Gionee loves the USP, the S7 is now billed as the slimmest dual-SIM smartphone in the world. It’s a commendable feat given the device’s form factor. The S5.5 and S5.1 might have had their share of drawbacks but they were both slinky devices that made heads turn. The S7 is easily the best looking device that we have seen from the Gionee stable. It builds on the slim legacy but is more polished and feels like the real deal. Gionee sought inspiration from the U-shaped design of railway tracks and we love the two parallel lines that hug the sides of the device. It does not just add aesthetic appeal but also makes the device slightly easier to grip for short periods of time. The metal rims and the aviation grade alloy in the centre are sandwiched by Corning Glass 3 on the front and rear of the device. The metal rims look particularly elegant in the standard black colour variant. The power key and volume rocker sit on the right spine while the Dual SIM slot is concealed on the top left corner of the device. Gionee manages to cram a standard 3.5mm jack at the bottom of the device, not leaving you at the mercy of a slimmer headphone jack like some of its ultra slim competitors.
The S7 sports a larger (5.2-inch screen), than its predecessors and manages a 79.1% screen to body ratio. The Super AMOLED FHD screen (1920 x 1080p) packs an impressive 424 PPI (the S5.1’s numbers are modest in comparison - 306 PPI). At the heart of the device is a Mediatek MT6752 processor (Octa-core 1.7GHz, Coretx-A53) with 2GB of RAM; Gionee has preferred Mediatek processors in the past and the S7 is no exception. It’s not the fastest device in its class but offers a smoother user experience than some of Gionee’s earlier phones. The device clocked 42102 in our AnTuTu Benchmark test, almost on par with the OnePlus One. The corresponding work performance score on PCMark was 4048. There’s no room for a Micro SD slot on the S7 and, disappointingly, just 16GB of onboard memory. A USB-OTG cable bundled in the box is a gentle reminder that you will be reaching for a USB drive sooner rather than later.
The Magic Focus feature is the talking point of the 13MP camera; this feature allows you to alter the focus even after you click an image. It’s a cool add-on in a camera that produces decent (not exceptional) results. The 8MP Selfie Cam features a ‘Beauty Mode’ that allows you to lighten your skin and make your face look leaner in a split second. We wish Gionee could have brought the pedigree of its E7 optics (The E7 was one of 2014’s standout Android shooters) to this device. Both the S7’s slim predecessors were plagued by sub-par battery life; that’s one of the key improvements in the S7 with its 2700mAh battery. Our AnTuTu Battery Tester gave the S7 an impressive score of 9324. You won’t need that battery pack during a busy day at work. The S7 becomes the first Gionee device pre-loaded with Android 5.0 (Lollipop) and Amigo 3.0, the newest avatar of Gionee’s custom UI. It’s a clear case of love or loathe for Amigo, we believe that this cluttered UI does not complement the elegant design of the S7.
AT A GLANCE
What we liked
Design, Battery life
What we didn't like
Limited onboard memory without an expandable memory option, Amigo Custom UI
Key Specs
- Display: Super AMOLED FHD screen (1920 x 1080 pixels /424 PPI)
- Memory: 2GB RAM, 16GB of Onboard memory (No expandable memory)
- Processor: Mediatek MT6752 processor (Octa-core 1.7GHz, Coretx-A53)
- Camera: 13MP main with LED, 8MP front-facing
- Price: Rs 24,999
The Gionee Elife S7 is one of the more distinguished looking devices in the sub Rs 30,000 segment. Gionee manages to find the balance between the ultra-slim profile and a solid build. Some of our grievances with Gionee’s earlier devices – limited onboard memory and the Amigo Custom UI continue with the S7. The Rs 24,999 price tag also pits the S7 against devices equipped with more hardware firepower, suggesting that Gionee will be banking heavily on the S7’s good looks.
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