Mlais M52 Red Note Android 5.0 4G LTE Smartphone Phablet 5.5" HD IPS OGS Screen USD $129 @ GearBest

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ShipShapeRC on 15/06/2015 - 11:36 gearbest.com (282 clicks)
Last edited 15/06/2015 - 11:44 by 1 other user

GBPHA5

I was looking at this deal for a better known model (Mlais M52) vs the lesser known mstar s700 both on sale for for a similar price https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/198490 Both deals seem good buying to me. What are the thoughts on of the community?

• Screen: 5.5 inch HD IPS OGS capacitive screen, 1280 x 720 pixels
• SIM Card: Dual SIM card dual standby, Dual micro SIM card
• CPU: MTK6752 Octa Core, 64 Bit, 1.7GHz
• GPU: ARM MALI-T760
• OS: Android 5.0
• RAM+ROM: 2GB+16GB
• Cameras: 8.0MP 88 degrees wild-angle front camera, 13.0MP back camera, AF with True Flash LED
• Support Gravity/Light/Proximity Sensing System
• Bluetooth/GPS/Wifi/FM/MP3/MP4 Function Supported

Networking:
2G: GSM 850/900/1800/1900MHz
3G: WCDMA 850/900/1900/2100MHz
4G: FDD LTE 800/1800/2100/2600MHz

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• 

  exc3113nce on 15/06/2015 - 11:47

  +1

  Specs look almost identical (pretty much same everything including networks) to the MSTAR just with a better camera.

  • 

    Benjamin7711 on 15/06/2015 - 12:14

    Apparently the MSTAR has finger print scanner on the back, this one doesn't seem to

• 

  tatnal on 15/06/2015 - 11:48

  +1

  Battery slightly larger (3200mAh)

  • 

    scrimshaw on 15/06/2015 - 12:24

    battery capacities can be easily fudged by the manufacturer. One may tell lies, the other tells the truth.

    • 

      wisc on 15/06/2015 - 16:20

      or one guy tells lies, one guy tells bigger lies more likely…

  • 

    smurfinaus on 15/06/2015 - 14:28

    Some guys tested this. Apparently the true size for this one is actually more around 2200-2600mah…

• 

  ShipShapeRC on 15/06/2015 - 12:01

  My initial searching I found accessories for this phone much easier to find.

• 

  Vita85 on 15/06/2015 - 12:04

  +1

  Mstar looks much nicer.

• 

  save a penny on 15/06/2015 - 12:07

  Mlais phones are known for bad WiFi and reliability mstar looks good value like the ulephone be pro

• 

  SnakeCasablanca on 15/06/2015 - 12:08

  Have one myself and got one for my Dad. Recommended. Amazing phone for the price.

• 

  [Deactivated] on 15/06/2015 - 12:22

  How would warranty issues work in this case?
  Would potentially having to deal with offshore warranty and shipping charges negate the savings as opposed to buying something within Australia?

  • 

    COR80 on 15/06/2015 - 14:52

    I'm on my second sub-$200 China phone, and basically concede/take the view that if something goes wrong then it's a throwaway. Got about 14 months out a Doogee before it inexplicably crapped itself, but seeing how I got 2012/13 premium-phone specs on a $120 phone in 2014, I wasn't excessively pissed off. From other peoples experience, trying to get a phone from GearBest or Tinydeal etc (both of who I have purchased the cheap phones from) repaired or even refunded might require a wait of several months.

• 

  zhen on 15/06/2015 - 12:51

  +1

  Mlais M52 Red Note vs Mstar S700

  http://www.devicespecifications.com/en/comparison/ffd333441

• 

  sillyhead on 15/06/2015 - 13:01

  My wife has one of these. Its still on KitKat which at least is reliable. The camera is very average and the GPS is a bit weak. Its still impressive for the price. Ours you have to root to update to lollipop which is really too complicated for an average Joe like me. I've heard they now ship with lollipop. I have the mlais m4 in lollipop and its buggy as hell.

• 

  bambamboo on 15/06/2015 - 14:24

  I own one of these - running KitKat - and it's been super reliable. Everything works for me - but camera is slow - so if you want to take photos of moving objects, forget it. But for still objects (eg. group photo shot) it's fine. Wifi has less range than my Moto G 1st Gen. GPS is slightly worse than my Moto G as well, but works well enough. Mine's rooted, have carliv recovery installed, adblock (adaway) - have write to SD card permissions - so, since KitKat is so rock solid reliable, have stayed on it. If you buy these new ones, they come pre-installed with a buggy lollipop ROM - so you need to learn some technical stuff on http://forum.xda-developers.com/android/general/mlais-m52-re… to update the ROM to the latest lollipop - and unless you're willing to modify your device, you'll have a buggy phone. BUT if you update everything, it's a super phone - and they fixed the camera issues with the latest updates.

  I bought mine from gearbest - but it took forever to arrive - more than a month. So I advise against the free shipping method. Also, the S-View case works - but it's annoying because dust accumulates around the circle - and it leaves a "circle" on the screen. I think I prefer a solid case with no hole - even tho it tells time/plays music etc.

  • 

    SnakeCasablanca on 15/06/2015 - 14:46

    Surprised with the Gearbest mailing time… I got mine in about 2 / 2.5 weeks of order and so did my dad. Maybe it was a stock issue? But yeah I got an older version and I need to root it and get the rom from the website to upgrade to Kit Kat (Havent bothered). But my dad's came with an OTA update ready to go so they must have fixed that. He has had no probs with Lollipop that I know of.

• 

  bambamboo on 15/06/2015 - 14:27

  You can also install Xposed Framework + Gravitybox (+modules that you want to tweak) - and that works too…but you need to root the phone first. Easy enough to do if you can follow instructions.

• 

  bambamboo on 15/06/2015 - 14:39

  One more thing - it's pretty much vanilla android AOSP. The dual sim - only the 1st sim is 4G - the second sim is 2G - which is annoying (would like 3G…but oh well). I've got a 64GB micro sd card installed - which the phone recognises - not sure how big you can go with the SD card, but i know 64GB works! AND the keys are backlit! So, if you're comparing with a Lenovo K3 Note - it doesn't come with bloatware, and it has backlit keys. I think it's a cheaper AND better phone. And there's a M52 community on XDA - so there's support. I think if you're a tinkerer - and you're willing to learn to root/update your phone, it's the best bang-for-buck phone out there at the moment.

• 

  wisc on 15/06/2015 - 16:22

  -1

  and someone should say it:
  with free spyware c/o the Chinese government…!
  your choice… US Government spyware or Chinese…

• 

  sillyhead on 15/06/2015 - 21:12

  Yeah as said our M52 is pretty ussuable for cheap.
  Im having a alot of troubles with my MLAIS m4. I would not expect much support from gearbest. Im trying to send it back for a refund. Its just too dodgy a phone, like the android dailer crashes all the tiem and i miss out on calls, compass is faultly and gps is weak as piss, not good for google maps, which I need. they opened a support ticket but they're just just padding it out and wont give me a return address to send it. Buyer beware with this mob. I wouldn't put much money down with them…

  • 

    sillyhead on 15/06/2015 - 21:20

    Hold up as i was typing an OTA update for m4 is out. So theres hope.. Don't think a software update is going to fix my compass, sick of having to face east to keep my phone happy.