The calling card of the Russian Highscreen brand, as many market experts and users believe, is large batteries and large displays. Specialists praise the company for creating attractively priced mobile devices and at the same time supplying them with many useful features. Highscreen smartphones, as some experts believe, are able to compete with premium brands in terms of technology.
Most experts recognize the fact that the Russian brand Highscreen produces mainly budget models designed for mass demand. But in terms of a number of characteristics, and most importantly, in terms of practical test results, some Highscreen devices are not inferior to, or even somewhat surpass, analogues from more expensive segments.
Today we will study the features of such a device as Highscreen Boost 2, which has become one of the most popular in the Russian mobile technology market. We will get acquainted with its key characteristics, study the opinions of experts and ordinary users. We will try to answer the question of whether a brand has appeared in Russia that can be a worthy competitor to the world's leading manufacturers of mobile electronics. Or is Highscreen devices - rather, it is a product exclusively of internal use for so far undemanding buyers, who have hardly mastered the relatively new market of smartphones and tablets?
General device information
The Highscreen Boost 2 is a mid-range mobile device (some analysts believe it is a budget model). The device is equipped with a screen belonging to the IPS class (resolution - 1280 by 720 pixels), two cameras (front - 2 megapixels, the main - 8). The phone supports the simultaneous use of 2 SIM cards, has 1 GB of RAM, as well as a powerful Qualcomm processor, which has four cores and a clock frequency of 1.2 GHz. The smartphone case is made of high quality polycarbonate.
The device is controlled by the Android operating system version 4.1.2 (known as Jelly Bean).
A distinctive feature of the Highscreen Boost 2 smartphone is its bundle with two batteries with different capacities. The first - 3 thousand mAh, the second - twice as much. If the batteries are used alternately, then the smartphone, as some experts note, can be used for about two weeks without recharging.
Design, appearance
Specialists who tested the Highscreen Boost 2 phone speak positively about its design. The device has a rectangular case with sharp corners. The material of manufacture is plastic (in some parts - matte, in others - glossy). In combination with the main part of the case, two different covers are used (each adapted for a large or small battery).
On the front of the phone is an elegant speaker, which is covered with a shiny metal mesh. Next to it are two sensors - lighting and movement (proximity), as well as a front-facing camera type.
If the smartphone has a battery with a capacity of 3 thousand mAh, then its dimensions will be as follows:
- length: 14 cm;
- width: 6.8 cm;
- thickness: 0.98 cm.
The weight of the device is 151 grams.
If the device has a battery with twice the capacity, then the thickness of the device increases by about 8 mm.
The weight of the device will increase slightly - up to 203 grams.
Regarding the convenience of wearing the apparatus, expert opinions differ. Some say that a smartphone with such a thickness (especially if it has a battery with a larger capacity) is inconvenient to carry in pockets of clothes. But many users who have left characterizing Highscreen Boost 2 reviews believe that this feature cannot be considered a drawback. The large size of the device is not a cost.
Just below the screen are a few touch-type buttons. The largest of them is round. It has a white backlight, blinks if the battery is discharged. On the left is the key with which the menu opens. On the right is a button with the "back" function.
On the left side of the smartphone is a button that controls the sound volume. The power button is located on the right side of the device. Testers note that it is convenient to use.
At the bottom of the case is a microphone, at the top is a micro-USB connector, as well as a slot for connecting audio devices.
On the back of the case is the main camera with a flash, as well as another microphone and a louder speaker. If a large-capacity battery is inserted in the smartphone, the camera plunges a few millimeters in depth relative to the housing cover.
The back panel of the smartphone opens quite simply (just pry it in the lower left area). After removing it, you can find a slot for a micro-SD memory card, as well as slots for SIM-cards.
Build quality
Experts who tested the phone felt some play in certain elements of the case. However, the plastic used in the manufacture of the outer shell of the device is not too sensitive to scratches. There is good screen protection with glass. Many of the users leaving reviews about Highscreen Boost 2, believe that the quality of the materials used in the assembly of the smartphone does not really matter. The most important thing is the functionality of the device.
Screen
The display size of the smartphone is 5 inches (which corresponds to 11 cm in length and 6.2 in width). Screen resolution - 1280 by 720 pixels. The density is 293 dots per inch. The display seems wide because of the thin frames: on the left and right sides, their thickness is about 3 mm, relative to the top - 11 mm, at the bottom - 17 mm. The matrix manufacturing technology allows you to look at the screen at any viewing angle and always see a high-quality picture. Many of the experts who decided to write a review dedicated to the Highscreen Boost 2 smartphone praise the device for the pleasant color scheme of the images on the display. The backlight of the display matrix is quite bright. True, in direct sunlight, the image becomes, according to the experts who conducted the test, not very clear.
Batteries
As mentioned above, the device comes with two batteries of different capacities. They differ in size. One with a larger capacity has the following dimensions:
- Length: 7.9 cm
- Width: 5.8 cm
- Thickness: 0.45 cm
The other has the first two dimensions parameters the same. Only the thickness is greater than 1 cm.
Experts note that the smartphone manufacturer chose not to directly indicate the expected battery life. Experts have found that it takes a long time to charge the batteries - about 20 hours.
To assess the quality of battery operation, smartphones were used by experts in several modes. In particular, some of the testers tested the batteries provided that the following applications were launched on the smartphone:
- video player (playing video with a quality of 720 pixels in different formats, the maximum level of screen brightness and high sound volume);
- a browser (in which various web pages opened).
A battery with a capacity of 6 thousand mAh on one of the tests showed the following results. With the video player running, he worked for about six hours. With a working browser - about twelve.
If none of the applications was launched (but the phone was used for communication and sending SMS), the high-capacity battery provided continuous operation of the device during 40 hours during the tests. Of course, everyone that aims to study Highscreen boost 2, the review contains different data regarding the battery life. But in general, we can say that the batteries provide a very long-term functioning of the device without a cut.
Many experts also note that after the batteries were “calibrated” (that is, several charging procedures were performed), their operating time increased by about 20%. At the same time, as testing experts note, other smartphone users will experience different results during the long-term operation of the device.
Phone memory
Smartphone Highscreen Boost 2 is equipped with a built-in RAM module with a capacity of 1 GB. Of these, about 500 MB are in actual access. The amount of internal flash memory is 4 GB. Actually less is available - about three. In the phone’s settings, you can set the place where to install the downloaded applications: to the built-in flash memory, to an external micro-SD card, or to entrust the choice of the optimal file location to the operating system in automatic mode. The maximum amount of additional memory that the smartphone supports is 32 GB.
Camera
As mentioned above, the phone has two cameras: the main and additional (front). The first has a resolution of 8 megapixels, the second has 2. There is an autofocus function, there is a flash, the main element of which is an LED (however, its effective operation is observed at a distance to the subject, not exceeding 1.5 meters). The photo resolution is 3200 by 2400 pixels, for video this figure is 1280 by 720 (with a shooting intensity of 25 frames per second).
Experts note the high detail of photos taken on the smartphone’s camera. Among some of the shortcomings is the instability of the white balance.
The video function allows you to create clips in 3GP format using the AVC codec. Audio quality is 96 kilobits / sec.
Phone performance
As mentioned above, the smartphone runs on a Cortex A5 processor, based on 45 nm technology. This chip has 4 cores, each - 1.2 GHz.
The device’s performance is estimated by experts as sufficient in terms of running games and most applications.
Multimedia features
The smartphone has a built-in player for audio files, as well as a radio. Testing experts highly value the quality of sound reproduction, high volume.
The built-in video player can play MP4 and 3GP files.
Summary
According to experts, the main advantages of the phone are a large screen and long battery life on two capacious batteries. The smartphone also has a technological advantage in the form of a matrix made by IPS technology and capable of reproducing a video stream in HD mode.
The main disadvantage of the device is called large dimensions. It is noted that the phone does not have many direct competitors. Among the devices that could claim this status are Lenovo P780, as well as Philips Xenium W8510 (both have a battery capacity of more than 3 thousand mAh).
Experts believe that the price of the device more than compensates for any shortcomings of Highscreen Boost 2 (from 10 500 rubles). It is lower than many analogues with similar functions and characteristics.
User reviews
What do users say about the smartphone?
Very many, like experts do, note the battery life of the device due to the capacity of the batteries. In tests conducted by some users, even the main battery of the smartphone withstood the load of 4 days with fairly intensive use of the device.
Many phone owners praise him for the high quality of communication, good audibility of the interlocutor's voice. Wi-Fi connection, as noted by users, works without failures. Praised for good performance.
Many users are impressed by the fact that this smartphone is of Russian origin. They are pleased to see that the domestic manufacturer is able to supply devices on the electronics market that are not inferior to many foreign counterparts.
Updated smartphone version
A few months after the release of Highscreen Boost 2, the Vobis company, which produces smartphones of this line, released an updated version of the device. In it, experts say, many of the features of the original model have been significantly improved. It's about the Highscreen Boost 2 SE smartphone. Feedback from users on this device, as well as the attitude of specialists to it, make it possible to say that the Vobis company is sensitive to the opinion of the market and is able to adapt its products to user requests.
What's new in this smartphone model? We will try to compile a small review describing the main changes that are in Highscreen Boost 2 SE.
The dimensions of the smartphone remained unchanged. But a suitable Highscreen Boost 2 SE case can always be found in any communication salon.
The phone has improved hardware. In particular, a high-performance Snapdragon 400 chip was installed, the amount of RAM (now 2 GB) was added, flash memory also became larger (instead of 4 GB - as many as 8). The camera has been improved: now its resolution is 13 megapixels.
Analysts note the fact that the Highscreen Boost 2 SE price is slightly higher than the previous model (from 12 500 rubles).
The appearance of the new model is almost no different from that of the old. Unless the color of the front panel element has changed in its lower part. In the previous version of the phone it was a dark shade, in the new - light.
Many experts and users who wrote reviews about Highscreen Boost 2 SE believe that the device reproduces sounds very high quality. Sensors (lighting and movement) work very well.
The device screen in the hardware has not undergone significant changes. In the software - it became possible to adjust its color gamut, such parameters as saturation, brightness, as well as contrast.
The delivery package of the new model of the smartphone also includes two batteries, differing in power by half. Experts testing the device note that the battery life of the device in the new version has increased.
Apart from the more perfect main camera, the characteristics of the front camera are improved. Her viewing angle has increased. Also on the phone Highscreen Boost 2 in the new version has a more powerful flash.
Many experts believe that the quality of photographs has improved: they have become brighter, the quality of color reproduction has increased.
According to many experts, the smartphone Highscreen Boost 2 SE copes with the launch of games and applications. The device, therefore, can be described as high-performance. Many of the experts who compiled a Highscreen Boost 2 SE review noted the fact that the manufacturer did not fail with the modernization of the chipset responsible for the speed of the device.