Starmobile UP Ultra Review

Performance and Benchmarks

Running a 64-bit MediaTek processor clocked at 1.3 GHz and partnered with 2GB of RAM, the UP Ultra performed well during its entire time with us. We didn’t experience apps crashing, restarting, and actually enjoyed the device as it handled our usual tasks pretty well.

Being pegged as a multimedia device, its 16GB of storage could be limited but users could easily expand it up to 32GB via microSD.

After firing up our usual benchmarking apps, we ran them a couple of times to get the highest possible results. Below are the scores:

• AnTuTu: 27,996
• Quadrant Standard: 11,828
• Vellamo: 1,423 (Multicore), 922 (Metal), 2,047 (Chrome Browser)
• 3DMark: 123
• PCMark: 4,505

Connectivity and Call Quality

As mentioned previously, the UP Ultra comes with a free Smart prepaid SIM installed out-of-the-box. It supports LTE and was reliable as long as we were in a good spot. The bundled free data is a good move by the company to users that are always on the go.  Partner that with the free ifilx subscription and you have mobile entertainment wherever you are.

Call quality was reliable too as we didn’t experience any drops or intermittent signal.

Battery Life

The device runs on 2500mAh of battery and after running our standard battery benchmark, it was able to last for 7 hours and 43 minutes which puts it next to the Xperia Z5 Compact and Galaxy S6 Edge with 2700mAh and 2600mAh battery capacity, respectively. In terms of out video loop test, it was able to play video continuously for 9 hours and 22 minutes before running out of juice.  The parameters include looping a 720p video on Airplane Mode, 50% display brightness and 50% volume.

Conclusion

Starmobile’s UP Ultra is a capable device that asks little in return. For Php6,490, you get a speedy smartphone with a decent camera, good battery performance, and already runs on Android 5.1. It doesn’t have a Full HD display, but what it has is sufficient to have an enjoyable viewing experience whether you watch videos or play games.

Starmobile did a good job with this phone combining good performance and affordability. Bundling it with Php4,000 worth of free data for a year and 6 months of free iflix is like a cherry on top of the ice cream that further sweetens the deal. It’s a bit too light for us, but it’s a subjective matter and depends on the preference of the user.

Starmobile UP Ultra specs:
5.5-inch On-Cell HD IPS display @ 1280 x 720 resolution, 267ppi
1.3GHz 64-bit MT6735 quad-core processor
Mali T720-MP2 GPU
2GB RAM
16GB internal storage
Expandable up to 32GB via microSD
13MP rear camera with BSI and Samsung sensor
5MP FF front camera with BSI
Dual-SIM
LTE
2500mAh battery
146.5 x 74.9 x 8.1mm
145g
Android 5.1

What we liked about it:

• Responsive UI
• Hiccup-free performance
• LTE
• Comes with freebies
• Notification light
• Affordable price

What we didn’t like:

• The entire phone is too light for our liking