Obi Worldphone poses challenge to Xiaomi, Asus and Meizu

Obi Worldphone recently launched its flagship device Obi Worldphone SF1 in India through NDTV Gadgets 360. This device with its unique design stands out and is different from other available devices in the market. Considering the specifications and looks that this device carries it can give a tough competition to the existing smartphones such as Xiaomi Mi 4i, Asus ZenFone2 and Meizu M2 Note. Therefore, we decided to compare and see the four Android smartphones to find out on what all aspects Obi Worldphone can give competition to others.

Design and Build

The device that can easily fit into the palm is considered the best suit for its user. Looking at the specification chart, Xiaomi is comparatively lighter and slimmer. However, Obi Worldphone with its sleeker looking body and comparatively lesser weight can also deliver the same comfort like Xiaomi. Rest like Asus and Meizu seem big and heavy to hold.

Another fact that matters is the look. In this regard, Obi Worldphone simply stands out for its unique floating glass. Well, with this floating glass idea one can think that the display screen has the risk of breaking. Exactly at this point Obi impresses me more as they protect this stylish floating glass with extended metallic accent combined with the strength of the latest and strongest Corning Gorilla Glass 4. So, if protection is the major concern, then the device that appears more prone to breakage among all ends up giving maximum protection to its display.

Also, I find the power button and volume buttons more user friendly on Obi worldphone SF1. Amongst all, only Obi could gauge the need of heavy smartphone users who feel disturbed when they have to do all the tasks with their right hand including unlocking the screen or increasing the volume. So with Worldphone SF1 in hand, one can leave the unlocking job to the left thumb.

Display

The spec sheet above shows that Obi and Xiaomi have similar screen size, whereas Meizu and Asus have comparable screen sizes. All four smartphones have a comparable resolution, but the pixels per inch (PPI) is the highest in Obi SF1. More PPI in a 5 inch display screen makes Obi Worldphone stand out with a better visual quality.

UI

In this regard, each device has UI of its own. Asus comes with Asus Zen UI, Xiaomi have MIUI 6 on-board, Meizu offers Flyme 4.5 UI and Obi Worldphone presents Lifespeed UI. Well the UI of all the devices stands different from each other and have pro and cons of its own. But the UI of Obi Worldphone stands unique and different as it allows its user to reach the dialler and camera with a single swipe which is not a possibility with others.

Platform and Storage

On this front, Obi Worldphone and Xiaomi run on similar processor with a minor difference in the clock speed, whereas Meizu and Asus run on completely different processors. All the processors have plus and minus of their own. Furthermore, the Android version is similar in Meizu and Asus which is also outdated when compared to Obi and Xiaomi, as the later two offer the latest Android version.

On storage front, all the four Android smartphones are available in two variants, but Obi Worldphone seems to be at par as it offers 3GB RAM variant which the rest do not give. Also, Xiaomi misses out to give expansion facility.

Camera and Battery

Considering the megapixels offered by all four smartphones, they appear equally powerful. But the differentiator here is the camera features of Obi SF1 that make its camera more powerful in comparison with others. Features such as Opti Zoom, Chroma Flash and UBI Focus make the images more creative, clean, and beautiful. These features are missing in the other devices. However, the others do offer basic features like HDR, face detection, beautify etc.

On the battery front, all the four offer comparable power. Hence, none of these devices will run out of battery before the day ends. However, with Obi Worldphone SF1, charging the device is also not a pain as the company offers quick charge feature that can re- energize the device in a lesser time.

Final statement

Obi Worldphone SF1 is different from the rest with its unique design, CGG4 protection, better visual quality, camera features and quick charge feature. This way Obi Worldphone gives a tough competition to Xiaomi Mi 4i and races ahead of Meizu and Asus on almost all the aspects. Looking at the price tag, all the four devices cost between INR 10000 – INR 12000. Within this range Obi Worldphone sounds a better deal.

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Lenovo S60 vs Obi Worldphone SF1

With increasingly commoditizing market, the smartphone makers are finding it hard to get customers’ attention by counting their device strengths. Obi Worldphone and Lenovo with their recently launched devices, specifically Obi Worldphone SF1 and Lenovo S60, have gone beyond the usual spec war. While Obi is stressing on its model’s capacity to add to its user’ style statement, Lenovo is emphasizing on its device’s ability to enhance individual’s social life. Since the price of the two devices is about the same, lets see if there is anything that really distinguishes the two.

While Obi SF1 takes a lead on account of OS, processor, resolution, GPU, pixel density, storage and battery, Lenovo S60 is relatively thinner and lighter. Moreover, Obi offers Corning Gorilla Glass 4 protection with Oleophobic coating that will keep the device new and scratch free. Although cameras of both the devices are same, Obi SF1 seems to have an edge on this front too, as its camera features include UBI Focus, Opti Zoom and Chroma Flash. Furthermore, Obi’s Dolby Audio surround sound feature makes the device stand out with sharp and clear sound.

Overall, even if we discount the design aspects, Obi SF1 simply out shines Lenovo S60 with its great specifications. Looking at the price, if Obi SF1 costs $199 and Lenovo S60 costs $184, which is about the same. So, with little extra, one can have a lot more stylish and powerful device.

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Obi Worldphone SF1 Comes with Lot of Promise

Competition and the need to stand out is forcing smartphone makers to consistently improve and look for new ways to differentiate. Obi Worldphone has recently launched two devices SF1 and SJ1.5 that are being talked for their design value. Particularly, Obi Worldphone SF1 makes a claim to have combined unique design with no-compromise on technology at exceptionally attractive price point. SF1 had its global launch in San Francisco this year followed by regional launches in East Asia(Vietnam, Thailand), Middle East(Dubai, Saudi Arabia) and lately in India. Therefore, in this review we are focusing on Obi Worldphone SF1 to see what all it comes with.

Look & Feel

In the very first look SF1 takes no time in impressing you with its elegant design and the ‘Designed in San Francisco’ engraving at the back sort of indicates why. Apparently, the device has been designed by the renowned SFO-based design firm Ammunition Group. Its black metallic body with rounded edges and slightly raised glass is both classy and also comfortable to hold in one hand. With 146x74x8mm dimensions, the smartphone weighs just 147g which is quite light for your pocket.

Display

The 5 inch screen of SF1 puts you into surprise when you see your fingers easily moving from one edge to another. The raised screen, which gives the device its unique look, has the latest Corning Gorilla Glass 4 protection. The full HD (1080 x 1920 pixels) resolution would ensure visual experience of sharp and rich colour images. Moreover, even when you are under direct sunlight, you have the advantage of still being able to read the screen well.

Performance

SF1 is tightly packed with specifications that make you doubt its price. It runs on Android 5.02 (Lollipop) OS powered by 1.5 Ghz Octa-Core Qualcomm MSM8939 64-bit Snapdragon 615 processor. The octa-core does not just mean eight cores, but four 1.7GHz cores and four 1Ghz cores, which means processor keeps moving between high capacity and low capacity cores depending upon the load facilitating both high performance and power savings. The device comes in two 3GB (32GB storage) and 2GB (16GB storage) variants, can be further expanded to 64GB using microSD card. It also comes with Adreno 405 GPU 64 bit, which makes HD gaming experience exceptional due to its compatibility with 2D and 3D games. Furthermore, SF1’s dual SIM tray comes along with the MicroSD card tray, making it a single address from where one can reach out to the world and also let entertainment stuff get into your device.

Additional Features

Cameras: SF1 has 13 MP back camera and 5 MP front cameras. Despite of there being LED flash on both the sides, the front-facing LED flash takes the lead with its just so apt placement for a perfect selfie lightning. The professional touch in its output comes through its Sony IMX214 Exmor sensor and Qualcomm ChromaFlash, UbiFocus and OptiZoom. Its hybrid auto focus enables split-second perfect focus in any light through phase-detection technology.

Battery: Obi Worldphone SF1 is equipped with a Quick Charge 3000 mAh Li-Po battery that gives up to 20 days of standby time, up to 28 hours of talktime, up to 10 hours of video playback time and up to 100 hours of music playback time. The quick charge technology allows the battery to get charged in much lesser time than normal.

Audio: SF1 also comes with superior audio. Its Dolby Audio Surround Sound interprets your playlist in a powerful, real and clear version. Moreover, its noise cancellation facility through dual microphones ensures high quality sound even in noisy settings.

Final Take

Going by its premium design and superior technology, it is clear that the device has got immense potential. Furthermore, its indicative price of USD199 makes the device even more attractive. Although the device was launched in San Francisco on 26^th August 2015, it is still not out in the market for sales in any country. However, this is certainly a device whose performance would be carefully watched once it is out due to its association with some prominent industry names.

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Obi Worldphone SF1 vs Asus Zenfone2 Laser (ZE500KL)

Recently launched Obi Worldphone SF1 is getting lot of attention for combining the best of design and technology at unusually attractive price points. At the same time, Asus’ Zenfone2 Laser (ZE500KL) has been getting attention due to its very inviting tag line “experience tomorrow”. All these grand claims notwithstanding, it is important to look at the specifications of both the devices to understand who stands where. The following table indicates the specifications of the two smartphones.

As the specifications indicate, Obi SF1 has more advanced versions of Operating System (OS) and Snapdragon chipset, bigger storage and higher battery capacity in comparison to Zenfone 2 Laser. Moreover, with an enhanced combination of pixel-merging technology and GPU, SF1 gives better visual experience as well. Although both the devices have Gorilla Glass 4 protection, but Obi SF1 has a leg up over Zenfone 2 due to its Oleophobic coating that does not allow fingerprints.

Furthermore, SF 1’s camera comes with additional features such as UBI Focus, OptiZoom, and ChromaFlash. SF 1 also has Quick Charge 1.0 and Dolby Audio Surround that provide it an edge over Zenfone2. The most important fact is the price that could be the game changer. Obi SF1 can save you almost $50 equivalent. So, why pay more when a device with a great design and superior technology also comes at a remarkable price.

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