If a phone doesn’t have a unique feature (read: gimmick) or isn’t top of the line, chances are it’s going to come and go like the latest fashion trends. Except everyone won’t be clamoring to get it, it will simply be forgotten. However, Hisense has done something smart… very smart and no it’s no gimmick. The Hisense Infinity Elegance 1 is cheap. Not because it was made cheaply, but because it feels like Hisense cut their profit margins on the Infinity.
The Hisense Infinity Elegance 1 is class but at a decent cost.
So, what do you get for R3,999? An aluminum covered 5.5-inch IPS panel that looks and feels very nice while in your hand (It might be because it’s GOLD 😉). It has a 13MP camera and a 5MP sefie cam. There is 32GB of internal storage, a microSD slot AND a fingerprint scanner. Quite impressive for what is, ultimately, a mid-range smartphone. If this little baby had arms they’d likely be swinging at those more premium names.
The Hisense Infinity Elegance 1 didn’t break a sweat in my day-to-day use, and when I actively tried to trip it up it was fairly late down the road when it eventually started to show signs of strain. The joys of bloat-less Android. Why do manufacturers still insist in putting their useless software on smartphones?!
I was a bit disappointed with the camera quality of the Elegance 1 and the trade-off mentioned at the start of this review becomes apparent. To keep the cost down you have to sacrifice somewhere. Images on the Hisense are immediately less crisp when compared to similar models and the phone seems to struggle to adjust to its environment. A fault which is avoided if you enjoy fiddling around with settings before taking photos. For everyone else, if you want a mid-range smartphone purely for camera capabilities: there are alternatives.
Another slight disappointment (only because I had tested the Oukitel earlier) is the battery life. By no means bad, the Hisense Infinity Elegance 1 is completely average. So, expect to carry a battery pack or 2 if you are going to be using the phone heavily throughout the day.
If you want a phone that looks amazing, does what you need it to do within an average day (playing Candy Crush for 3 hours a day is NOT average!) and most importantly won’t break your pocket when purchasing. The Hisense Infinity Elegance 1 is a solid little device. With looks to match the name, the Elegance 1 is a fantastic addition to the Hisense range. Sitting comfortably atop the growing pile that is the mid-range smartphone range.
Disclosure: I was sent a Hisense Infinity Elegance 1 to review, the unit was returned to the supplier once the review was completed.
