MyPhone Rio is arguably the most successful line up from a local branded phone last 2014. They've established their reputation very well that gained a massive following due to their hip design, durability and game changing specs to price ratio. This 2015, they just released the MyPhone Rio 2 with very high expectations. Fortunately, we were able to secure a unit for review during the grand launch of the Rio 2 Lite and this phone to share with you what we think about it. So let's begin with the part 1 of this review!
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| Meet the awesome Rio 2! |
Unboxing
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| I'm now excited to open this! |
The MyPhone Rio 2 comes in a lot better minimalist looking packaging. The presentations was very good which make it feel like you're opening a premium device. It also showed there that this includes a free Globe SIM with free internet for 1 year!
Inside the box
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| Accessories |
- 1 A Adapter
- USB Cables
- In Ear Monitors with mic
- User Manual
- Warranty Card
- Globe SIM w/ free 1 year internet (100 MB / 15 days)
The package included with the Rio 2 is standard. You get a newly designed 1 A USB wall adapter, a durable looking USB cables, an in ear monitors with mic (not an earbud anymore), user manual, warranty card and a Globe SIm with free 1 year internet (100 MB / 15 days) Unlike other phone brands, MyPhone did not include a screen protector as a freebie. That leads me to the speculation that the display of the Rio 2 might not be prone to scratches. (We'll find out more about that in the full review as I won't use a screen protector and case)
Design
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| An aspirational phone indeed! |
When I first saw the Rio 2 at the launch, it was love at first sight! The phone is very well designed, not thick (8.6 mm), have thin bezels and appears to be an elegant looking phone. It's display has a lot to do with it as it looks amazing for the price. (We'll talk more about that in the full review) I also like the way they improved the back cover, its now easier to open and it feels that this won't have scratches easily due to its matte like design. The rear camera is slightly protruding, so better be careful with it to avoid lens scratches. The unit also feels light, ergonomically good to hold and won't fall from your hand easily. I believe that even those nit-picky people might like the new look of the Rio 2.
Build Quality
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| The improved matte back cover of the Rio 2 |
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The 2,800 mAh battery is non-removableI
t also shows that there's 2 SIM slots and the microSD card slot |
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| 3.5 mm jack at the top |
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| The right side, showing the power button and volume rocker |
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| micro USB port below |
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| The slightly protruding rear camera with flash |
When it comes to the build quality, the new Rio 2 had some improvements over its predecessor. The very first thing I noticed is they're now using a matte like back cover that won't chip off easily compared to the old Rio. The plastic used now also feels more durable and the display now uses a real glass.
Accidental Drop Test
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| Rio 2 drop test |
I accidentally dropped the my 4 days old Rio earlier, elbow high on the top edge. The fall was hard enough to remove the back cover case from the unit. Normally, regular phones that experience this accident doesn't only suffer dents, but shatters the screen too. Fortunately, as testament to the durability of the Rio 2 there's just an un-noticeable chrome paint chip off / small dent with the naked eye and amazingly the screen didn't even have a scratch. Personally, seeing my new phone with a tiny dent hurts, but I'm really glad to know that this phone is durable enough to take some hard drops. The lesson there is to use a case for added protection. (I visited a MyPhone stall earlier, but they don't have a case yet for the Rio 2)
Photo Quality Teaser
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| Rear camera sample |
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| Front camera sample (pardon my face) |
Specifications
- Display: 5 inches HD IPS w/ Full Lamination, 720 x 1280 (320 ppi) (Update: Confirmed that it doesn't use Gorilla Glass 3, but it is still scratch resistant based on my mild test)
- Processor: 1.3 MT6582 GHz quad core
- GPU: Mali 400 MP
- RAM: 1 GB
- ROM: 8 GB expandable
- Rear Camera: 8 MP Sony f/2.2 Sony IMX 179 Sensor w/ Blue Glass
- Front Camera: 5 MP
- Battery: 2,800 mAh Li-polymer
- OS: Android 5.0 Lollipop
- Connectivity: WiFi / Bluetooth / 3G / HSPA+
- Others: Dual SIM
- Thickness: 8.6 mm
- Price: PHP 5,499
As of the moment...
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| Almost 20K! Several thousands higher than the old Rio |
So far so good, I'm loving the Rio 2 experience! While the Antutu benchmark is not as powerful compared to Infinity Lite and other octa core phones, the real world performance tells a different story. The apps opens faster, feels more responsive and doesn't lag. That could be due to the optimization they've done with this phone and that Android 5.0 Lollipop goodness. Both the rear and selfie camera is great so far and this is the display to beat in its price range for me. It is still an upgrade to the old Rio due to the form factor, build, OS, camera and display.
In the coming days I'll be testing it more to see how does its non upgraded CPU and GPU fare up in terms of heavy gaming, heavy usage battery life, audio quality, benchmarks and complete camera samples in different conditions.
Full Review: Click Here!
