Thin is in: Elite Evo Air

The Evo Air has one big thing going for it: style. It's almost oozing with the stuff. And that's high praise. Local mobile phones are different from the big names since they evolve rapidly. Change is a constant in this business where they throw out new models more
frequently than Indian film actresses have wardrobe changes in an item song. New is gold.

What Elite has done here has taken cues of some of the leading flagships and incorporated that seamlessly into their Evo Air device. Marketers know the first thing to help consumers decide on a purchase is what they see first which would be the packaging. It's a massive science of textures, colors and size. Elite hit the button with their darkly transparent plastic box that houses the gadget and its accessories. We're not sure how cost effective this is but the plastic case brings about a different appeal for those jaded by the typically brightly colored paper boxes.

But then you open it and pick out the device itself. It's quite a stunner. The CNC machine cut body is aluminum that has a slightly curved edge for a smooth, tactile response. Front and back are glass and very sleek buttons grace the sides. It's a functionally appealing design that doesn't bring in unnecessary detail. Everything is where and how it needs to be. The 5 inch HD display is just the right size for being big enough to read everything, small enough to fit most hands. At 5.8mm thickness, it's very sleek. The camera stays flush with the back leaving an even, smooth, unobtrusive finish. It gives off a premium air and it looks the part. Does it play the part?

Photo: Ehsanur Raza Ronny

What's the power?

You get standard budget-flagship equipment. A Quad-core MTK 1.3 GHz processor backed up with 2GB RAM and 16GB internal memory provides just the right amount of juice. The OS is 5.0 Lollipop out of the box and we're hoping it gets an upgrade. They left the interface mostly uncluttered and favored a nearly stock-looking android. The rounded icon edges go hand in hand with the slightly rounded design of the phone's edges.

Does it shoot?

A 13Mp front and a 5MP back camera means all your shooting needs are covered. What's cool for all us Facebook aficionados is that the front camera is a 87.5 degree wide angle f2.2 lens that takes good images in low-ish light. For selfie lovers, you can take shots in the dark with the front LED flash.

Photo: Ehsanur Raza Ronny

How long does it last?

A 2100mAh battery  may not seem really big but the AMOLED screens are good at conserving power. I've managed to run it a whole day without needing to recharge.  My daily driver currently is a Nexus 5 that is thoroughly abused for email and using the office suite. A similar battery in the Nexus doesn't last as well as it does in the Evo Air. I've maxed out the Evo Air's processing power with pretty graphics heavy games. Recently I've gone on a bit of blood thirst with games like Mortal Kombat instead of my usual fare of driving games. While the back gets a little typically hot, the frame rate remains firm and the device continues to function flawlessly.

Photo: Ehsanur Raza Ronny

What's in the package?

Comes with the usual power adapter, screen protectors and data cables. There's a opaque plastic back cover which we'd avoid because it looks bad. Why ruin the good looks. Be careful as you hold it though, the smooth edges are slippery.

Verdict:
This device has all the hardware you'd expect and need in a sub 15k taka phone. In fact, it has plenty that most people won't ever need. Where it creates trouble for other devices is in the packaging and design. It looks like a premium device and feels like one. And in a market that changes phones as frequently as babies change diapers, style is the biggest selling point. And when it comes with capable hardware, it's quite the contender.

Photo: Ehsanur Raza Ronny

SPECS
Display: 5 inches, HD AMOLED with Gorilla Glass 3
Camera: Rear-13 MP with Wide Angle (f2.2), Front- 5MP camera covering 87.5 Degree
OS: Android OS 5.0
CPU: MTK6582 Quad Core 1.3GHz
GPU: Mali 400
Sensors: Accelerometer, proximity, compass
ROM: 16GB, RAM: 2GB
Battery: 2100 mAh
Price: Tk. 14,666/-

Review and photos:
Ehsanur Raza Ronny