Philippine-based smartphone brand Cherry Mobile today formally announced the prices of its new Flare S7 series of devices, including the Flare S7 Deluxe.
SEE ALSO: Cherry Mobile Flare S7 Plus, Flare S7 Deluxe, Flare S7 prices revealed
They’re expectedly affordable, as we reported yesterday. Suppose you find yourself choosing between one of the cheapest notched phones in the Philippines and Xiaomi’s entry-level Redmi 6 — which we’ve reviewed and found to be one of the best budget phones out there. Read on to find out which phone offers better value and why.
Why choose the Xiaomi Redmi 6?
Both the Xiaomi Redmi 6 and Cherry Mobile Flare S7 Deluxe opt for plastic casings, which is completely understandable given their low price points. And while there’s nothing regrettable about getting a plastic-clad budget handset even today, especially if the build quality feels solid enough, the Flare S7 Deluxe looks decidedly less attractive. Its glossy body also seems impossible to keep clean of fingerprints.
The Redmi 6, by contrast, comes in a non-slippery finish that doesn’t pick up prints too readily. It doesn’t have a cutout at the top of the screen either, which may be a welcome sight for the notch-averse.
The Xiaomi Redmi 6 comes in a non-slippery finish that doesn’t pick up fingerprints easily.
The 5.45-inch LCD screen of the Xiaomi Redmi 6 is slightly smaller than what the Cherry Mobile Flare S7 Deluxe rocks, but it’s no less sharp. And the smaller screen means a more compact footprint that’s easier to use with one hand and slip into a pocket.
And then there’s the MediaTek Helio P22 chip inside. It’s built on a smaller 12nm manufacturing process for better performance at elevated temperatures when the processor is operating at its maximum speed of 2GHz.
READ ALSO: Xiaomi Redmi 6 review: Good budget phone gets better
The Helio P22, which also runs comparably similar to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 and Snapdragon 625 under gaming loads, sports PowerVR GE8320 graphics that will give you smooth frame rates on heavier games like NBA 2K18 and PUBG Mobile at mixed settings.
The MediaTek 6739 in the Cherry Mobile phone will fare worse, largely due to its fewer CPU cores (four), slower clock speed, and weaker graphics processor. Pay no attention to the fact that both phones have at least 3GB of RAM — the Helio P22 is by far the superior chip all around. It also gets double the storage from the get-go at 32GB — and is priced at P6,990 or around $129.
SEE ALSO: Redmi Note 6 Pro, Xiaomi’s first 4-camera phone, now official
The bigger 3,000mAh battery combined with the smaller screen will make for longer usage as well. It can last you a day and a half with reasonable use — but power users will probably need to reach for the charger by bedtime.
Xiaomi Redmi 6 specs
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- 5.45-inch LCD display, 1,440 x 720 resolution (18:9)
- Octa-core MediaTek Helio P22 processor
- 3GB/4GB RAM
- 32GB/64GB expandable storage
- Dual 12-megapixel and 5-megapixel rear camera with LED flash
- 5-megapixel front camera
- Fingerprint reader (rear-mounted)
- 3,000mAh battery
- Android 8.1 Oreo
Why choose the Cherry Mobile Flare S7 Deluxe?
If you prefer having two cameras on the front for bokeh-style images with background blur, the Flare S7 Deluxe might produce better portraits. The extra camera sensor in the notch is dedicated to acquiring depth information, while the 12-megapixel main sensor should produce sharper stills than the Redmi 6’s 5-megapixel selfie shooter.
READ ALSO: 6 alternatives to the Cherry Mobile Flare S7 Plus
Of course, the Type-C connector at the base is a welcome addition as well, and guarantees a certain level of future-proofing. But without support for fast charging, it’s hard not to question its presence and lack of meaningful utility.
Finally, there’s pricing. The Cherry Mobile Flare S7 Deluxe comes in at P5,999 or $111 compared to the P6,990 or $129 base model of the Xiaomi Redmi 6 with 3GB RAM and 32GB storage. Cheaper is always a good description to throw around with people on a budget.
Cherry Mobile Flare S7 Deluxe specs
- 5.85-inch LCD display, 1,520 x 720 resolution (19:9)
- Quad-core MediaTek 6739WA processor
- 3GB RAM
- 16GB expandable memory
- Dual 13- and 2-megapixel rear cameras with LED flash
- Dual 13- and 2-megapixel front cameras
- Face unlock
- Fingerprint sensor (rear-mounted)
- 2,800mAh battery
- Android 8.1 Oreo
Our recommendation
If you can spend extra, get the Xiaomi Redmi 6. It will perform better at almost every task.
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