Cherry Mobile G1 hands-on, first impressions

Fresh from the local launch of the Cherry Mobile G1, we take a closer look at the company’s latest Android One device to hit the Philippine shores. Here’s our hands-on and first impressions on the new 5-inch handset from the country’s homegrown smartphone manufacturer.

Up front, the Cherry Mobile G1 sports a 5-inch display with a resolution of 1280 x 720 and utilizes an IPS panel for better viewing. It also boasts a Dragontrail glass which promises a tough exterior, making it resistant to scratches.

The back panel has a very familiar design as it’s made of plastic with the brand’s name printed on it.

What’s prominent here is the 13-megapixel rear camera situated right smack in the middle of the back panel. The sensor is accompanied by dual LED flashes right below it so it should handle shooting in dimly-lit areas.

At the bottom we have the microUSB port flanked by the speaker grille.

Two physical buttons, (power/lock screen and volume rocker) present here are lined up and are found on the upper right side of the handset.

Finally, the 3.5mm audio jack is nestled up top. We can also see here the design implemented by Cherry Mobile — two chrome linings surround the body which positively accents the entirety of the device. In addition, the corners are rounded which makes it sit at the palm of the hand comfortably.

Looking at it flat on a surface, the smartphone carries a curvy overall form factor which is common in its category.

Lastly, the plastic back panel can be popped open to reveal the dual-SIM card slots (micro-SIM) and the extra tray for expanding the storage. We’re also glad to report that its 2500mAh battery is removable.

With the short while that we’ve spent with the Cherry Mobile G1 and exploring its Android 5.1.1 OS, the device was snappy enough and switching between apps was a smooth-sailing affair. Of course, we’d have to fully test the phone to come to any conclusions so stay tuned for that.

Cherry Mobile G1 specs:
5-inch IPS display with Oncell Technology @ 1280 x 720 resolution
Dragontrail glass
64-bit 1.2GHz Snapdragon 410 quad-core processor
Adreno 306 GPU
2GB RAM
16GB internal storage
Expandable up to 32GB
13MP rear camera with dual LED Flash
5MP front camera
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth 4.0
GPS
Dual-SIM
4G LTE
Android 5.1.1 Lollipop
Battery: Lithium Ion 2,500mAH (removable)