UMI comes back - at least on paper, UMI has now overcome the long dry spell without 64 bit Smartphones and shown with the previous three units for three categories of what the new UMI has to offer. Unfortunately here not everything went according to plan, so UMI lot of springs has yet to leave. The current flagship UMI IRON I investigated and looked to see whether here actually something has changed on the basic setting of UMI in the past few days for you.
Outstanding workmanship, quality materials, innovative features - so that UMI brags regarding the IRON. It has everything to offer, what a middle-class flagship currently so must bring: a MT6753 as SoC, 3GB of RAM, a Sony IMX214 sensor in the camera. So you can do little wrong, but does not even stand out from others. Therefore, the Iron Will shine with other qualities: a back cover made of metal, a notification LED strip, a "Better-than-fingerprint" -Sicherheitsfeature and much more. Not every promise is automatically directly a great feature. Sometimes less is more, and then UMI has leant the IRON with some promises perhaps a little too far out of the window. Specifically, I tried to take in my review under the microscope and to give you so that a clear view of the device these many promises. I would like to thank at this point to thank UMI that I could belong to one of the first that can hold this device in your hands.
Delivery
Here UMI its new line remains faithful. As with the Emax also IRON is packaged in a flat box containing several accessories. In addition, come with the device but also two Flipcover in black and white, which at the front have an embossed with the words "IRON". In addition, UMI still delivers with a real glass protective film, which is really very very hard and against all dangers such as keys or the like Protects. The actual box of IRON has the same color as the eMax, so is somewhat gray-green-brown-yellowish. The structure is something like fabric feels and looks classy and chic. On the front of the UMI logo emblazoned with the words "Rootjoy" below. The logo was stamped on the box and has a silver color scheme. On the sides of the top, left and right, there is nothing special, but look on the right side of the "inner box" in black paint out that also the UMI logo bears on the front side. The back of the outer box is still home to a variety of technical data, which is also imprinted in silver-shiny color. In addition, there is still room for the obligatory label with IMEI numbers which was missing but with me due to the pre-production samples.
accessories
Taking out now the inner, black box, this is made very simple and minimalist. Apart from the UMI-logo on the front and on the right side can be seen only the matt black cardboard. You lift the lid, however, it is finally the object of desire. On the right side, the IRON is already packed, while the left half is home to diverse accessories. This includes a USB charger with EU plug, a USB OTG adapter and a micro-USB cable, which plugs are made of metal and suitable for Smartphone raise up a very high-quality impression. According to the manual also a tool to eject the Sim-shaft should be found in the box, this has been lacking, however, with me. But this is certainly attributable to the early delivery of the tester.
design
Metal and glass - it should actually consist IRON. In reality, however, also plastic is used as the material for the back cover. Although the majority is actually made of metal, but the upper and lower stepped region is made of painted plastic which feels quite cheap. After all, has not only used superficially on back cover metal, but also the inner frame, so the chassis is made of metal and some struts and a clever construction very stable. This also proves the bend test, since even with excessive force, the projector will not turn. Here UMI would be meeting the requirements of the processing quality. After all, it is said so that the IRON is processed like a Swiss Army knife.
Unfortunately, there are also areas of the furnace, where this can not be signed at all. So, the plastic parts are for example attached to the camera and the speaker on the frame is not flush to the metal back cover, which is quite strongly influenced the appearance. Moreover creak and move the plastic parts when you exert pressure on it, which is very cheap. Generally, however, the feel is very good and the great, metallic area on the back of his hand very flattering.
The design is quite simple but yet elegant and not common. The front is white, with a black border was used on the right and left of the display, what a frameless look results. Below the display there are no sensor buttons that are integrated in the display as a software key, but the Notification LED. When IRON this is indeed designed as a small bar, similar to the OUKITEL K4000 Pro, which looks very chic. The bar can shine in red, blue and green and pulsates most. She is also quite bright, so you can always see when a notification is received. Above the Dispalys can be found in the center of the speaker for phone calls and left of the camera and the sensors for brightness, approximation and even the pulse sensor. Right from the earphone has even implemented a LED flash for the front camera UMI.
The reverse bears the upper third of the UMI logo and at the bottom of the model is - IRON - to read, and the "Designed by UMI in China - UMI Technology & Android smartphone". At the bottom is still the speaker. At the top left the camera is housed and right of the dual-tone LED flash and an additional microphone. The frame of the smartphone is busy classic. Right there is the SIM drawer, in which you also need a micro-SIM or alternatively can accommodate a MicroSD memory card, a nano-SIM card and. So you can not use dual SIM and memory card at the same time. On the left side on the upper half of the power button and the volume rocker can be found, while can be found at the bottom of the port for the microUSB connector and at the top of the headphone connector.
Display
5.5 inch, 1920 x 1080 pixels, Miravision - more there really is not to say to display the UMI IRON. The Panel is of average quality and sharpness is also very good. Colors are pretty crisp and the contrast is fine. Those who want more, the full support of Miravision aufrund has the ability to customize the display according to your own taste. The brightness of the display is quite good, so you can read it even outdoors. On the other hand, the display can be adjusted pleasantly dark but also, so you do not get eye pain in dark environments.
All in all, the display of IRON really average and thus well. Especially the support of Miravision but is a significant increase, resulting in a visible improvement to other devices. Ghost Touches or similar also do not occur and the digitizer works reliably.
hardware
Again, the IRON is absolute average. The drive comes a MT6753 Mediatek is used, which is clocked at 1.3GHz and has 8 cores. In addition, 3GB of RAM to be used, so it is necessary to worry about multitasking and apps remain active for a long time in the background. The performance in the normal user interface or the browser is very good. It runs everything perfectly smoothly and without problems. Scrolling through web pages is no more a problem as scrolling through the Launcher. From time to time, however, the system when opening apps begrudge a commemorative moment to give even notice the difference to the somewhat stronger MT6752. But he is not so bad and not annoying. So you can with a clear conscience also recommend the MT6753.
Significantly, however, the difference is in the 3D performance. Although this is not bad, but you can tell a difference but the Mali T760 in MT6752. Some games makes itself in the form of slight lag noticeable only in really demanding situations.
software
UMI donated the IRON directly innately Android 5.1 as operating system, which is already times very laudable. I must also say that the system is very well implemented and hardly causes problems. Systematic bugs can be really do not realize there are only sometimes in detail on minor issues, but in so far 4 or 5 updates - were also eradicated - most of them via OTA. You really have to say that the user experience is very well done and the system is soft and liquid. It all functions of Android 5.1 have been implemented and UMI donated even MAXX audio as system-wide equalizer, which is very gratifying.
With one app, the device is also free of bloatware, and this one app for cleaning the system can disable itself easily.
To Uhealth app I can not say anything yet, because my version does not work yet. However, it is still pending an update that I need to install my flash tool. Presumably then brings the hoped functionality as Heart Rate Monitor with. I will of course provide you promptly with an update and extend this article accordingly.
EyeVerify
As "Better than fingerprint" a function has been teased, was puzzled over the long. In fact, UMI has here implements a slimmed retina scanner, which compares with the shading of the iris using the front camera, the biometric properties of the eye and creates a distinctive pattern. Once the feature was finally replenished after some time via OTA update I was really curious about the feature. To read the pattern the device for some time you have to keep quite close to his eyes and made some pictures. Here you can see very well how UMI, the problem is tackled with the dark environment. Once the front camera is activated, the display brightness is automatically controlled so that the camera always has enough light available. I think that is a very clever solution that is many times more pleasant than to use the front flash.
But how does this feature actually proposes now in everyday life? I must say that the claim "bettern than fingerprint" it does not do justice. It is simply to keep completely uncomfortable the device at each unlocking a few centimeters in front of the face. On the one hand it looks very ridiculous and secondly it is simply inconvenient. If the device is on the table, it is not possible and during walking the unlock attempt is usually not successful. Having to constantly help out here with the unlock pattern or PIN is very annoying and I have abandoned the feature after a day directly again, because it is simply unnatural and awkward. If it is properly served, the unlock does indeed quite reliable and also the matter of the brightness actually works, but I find Eyeverify in any way more attractive than a fingerprint scanner, quite the contrary. Presumably this is not implemented with the normal camera differently due to the implementation, but really usable, it is thus maybe not. Here must either do one more thing, or one saves this feature
Multimedia and HiFi
As might be expected makes the playback of videos from different sources are not too many problems, to be exact namely, none.
Exciting is rather the audio playback of IRON. Promised is indeed a very high-quality amplifier chip from Texas Instruments, which is to deliver pristine sound. In fact, UMI has this chip actually incorporated in my view. The sound is really great and thanks MAXX audio also be adjusted according to personal taste. In addition, the issue is also very noisy, which is interesting mainly for the connection of speakers. In my test sample that is still a pre-production model, there is a problem with the jack, the low frequencies can not get through with headphones with remote control by the one that was but probably fixed now on the hardware side and will no longer be in the final product pop up.
The internal speaker, however, is a pretty cheap Tröte that overrides very quickly and hardly reproduces bass. Here me UMI really disappointed, because that does not fit to the otherwise audiophile occurrence of IRON.
receiving
As with the eMax pretty good job has been done in this area. The IRON has pretty much anywhere reception where you expect it. Of course, this antenna can not accomplish spells or miracle, but it's a good, praiseworthy part of the smartphone. This applies both to the reception of mobile networks as well as Wi-Fi networks.
Unfortunately UMI waived but despite World Mode LTE chipset to implement the LTE band 20 with the frequency of 800MHz. All those who live in rural areas know that this band is particularly well suited for the high wavelength for the coverage of large areas. Therefore coincides with the absence of this band often the support for LTE generally away. Here, everyone has to decide for himself whether he LTE at all and the specific band in particular needed.
When GPS reception the IRON also shows no peculiarities. As you might expect a fix is already after a few seconds came about and the accuracy is usually 2-5 meters. Here UMI has therefore not sloppy and everything is as you would expect from a MT6753 smartphone.
camera
With regard to the back camera of the UMI IRON I'm really ambivalent. There is a Sony IMX 214 sensor is used, which dissolves with 13 megapixels. The used aperture size of F2.0 and the flash on the back consists of two differently colored LEDs. On the hardware side you so very well equipped. But how it looks with the software? Again, UMI has made no blunders. Although the images are not perfect one hundred percent, but they are moving at a good level.
The colors are bold and details are presented beautifully. Unfortunately, the auto focus does not operate precisely enough, so you often have to focus yourself and even then it does not always produce good results, because the sharpness is simply not satisfactory. This problem occurs especially in imperfect lighting conditions, which is a shame. Perhaps this is still gefixed with a software update. Even so, I am really satisfied with the camera, because UMI has given itself in any case trouble. Also, stay in videos obtained details and the camera can also be good with fluctuating lighting. Overall, the camera in conjunction with a further optimized software can be really great.
With the front camera, a slightly different picture. The resolution is 8 megapixels here, but the picture looks very washed out. The skin is very significant blur even without beauty and fashion colors look very gray. The whole picture looks as if it were covered by a gray veil, which is a real shame. The built-in flash on the front is also more of a feature for advertising than really useful. He is not particularly bright and is only effective if you want to do all by themselves, a picture and the camera keeps very close to his face. For group photos in dark parties he is rather useless.
battery pack
Let's wounds to a next point. Sure, hardly a cell phone really offers a complete perfect package, but why you can get just a good camera or a good battery always? In many smartphones currently you get neither of these, which is not too pleasant, but both are in a smartphone to find rare in the middle class. So also with the IRON. As just mentioned, the camera is pretty good and so as to not expect the battery satisfactory. According to the specifications of UMI and the imprint on the battery is the capacity between 3,180 and 3.350mAh. Theoretically, this is a very good value and likely to loose enough for one day duration. Unfortunately, the useful life of everyday significantly less. If you start the day at 6 clock reaches the battery usually only to 19 clock. Depending on whether one uses the device more or less, it may be slightly longer or shorter. For a nice evening it is not enough definitely.
Physically, I do not believe that the cell has truly more than 3.000mAh. It is very small, flat and also more easily. The weight of the battery is at just 42 grams, which would correspond with an average energy density of 50mAh per gram only 2.100mAh. While I will not go so far as to say that this statement is really true, but it clearly shows the trend. From my experience, I believe that the capacity of the battery is more likely between 2,500 and 2.800mAh. In addition, the device in use on the back is still relatively warm, which indicates an increased power consumption due to poor optimization. Here I would have also hoped for a lot more due to the lower clocked MT6753.
The lie in the battery capacity seems well to include at UMI now do so. Since the UMI Zero capacity is incorrectly specified and still partly covered up by false ID codes on the batteries. This point really disappointed me very much because otherwise the IRON is a great phone, but if you do not get away with it throughout the day, it brings a much. Of course, one must also say that I belong more to the power users who use their device very intense. But I had already significantly longer maturities with a 3.000mAh cell.
Conclusion
Is UMI on the road to recovery? This question I would clearly affirm. Nevertheless, far from talk of an integrity-based, honest business be who wants only the best for its customers. The battery lie is clear again the dominant element on this phone and also not really meaningful Eyeverify feature in my view is more of a public relations ploy than a really useful feature. Even the build quality was very advertised with, can not fully convince, because once something creaks, moves or makes noise, you have made a mistake. Clear, no question, the design is great and feel at first glance too, but in some respects it has yet geschlampt significantly.
But there are also positive points to be highlighted. Thus, the screen is really good and also the chassis completely made of metal impresses with quality. The notification LED below the display also looks very chic and the camera makes compelling images. In addition, the performance really great and for all who operate multitasking excessively, 3GB RAM are in my view quite reasonable. The system, based on Android 5.1 is running, always smoothly and without problems. Outstanding feature is the audio quality that is really noticeable better than with most other smartphones.
If one weighs both sides, one comes to the conclusion that we need to know what you want. Anyone looking for a long-distance runner, will likely not find it here. But those who do not constantly have the device in hand, rather occasionally enjoy good music and want to shoot beautiful photos, is not bad advice with the IRON. The design is an eye-catcher in every case and the performance does not let you down. Currently you can the device, for example, for purchase at Pandawill for around 170.99 Euro, which is already a very good price for the performance offered.
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