Gionee M7 Power

 Released 2017, November

199g, 8.6mm thickness
Android 7.1.1
64GB storage, microSD card slot
 0.7%253,876 HITS
 10BECOME A FAN
 6.0"
720x1440 pixels
 13MP
1080p
 4GB RAM
Snapdragon 435
 5000mAh
Li-Po

 PICTURES

 COMPARE

 OPINIONS
NETWORK Technology GSM / HSPA / LTE

LAUNCH Announced 2017, October

Status Available. Released 2017, November
BODY Dimensions 156.4 x 76.7 x 8.6 mm (6.16 x 3.02 x 0.34 in)
Weight 199 g (7.02 oz)
Build Front glass, aluminum body
SIM Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by)
DISPLAY Type IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
Size 6.0 inches, 92.9 cm2 (~77.4% screen-to-body ratio)
Resolution 720 x 1440 pixels, 18:9 ratio (~268 ppi density)
Multitouch Yes
Protection Corning Gorilla Glass 3
- Amigo 5.0
PLATFORM OS Android 7.1.1 (Nougat)
Chipset Qualcomm MSM8940 Snapdragon 435
CPU Octa-core 1.4 GHz Cortex-A53
GPU Adreno 505
MEMORY Card slot microSD, up to 256 GB (dedicated slot)
Internal 64 GB, 4 GB RAM
CAMERA Primary 13 MP, f/2.0, autofocus, LED flash
Features Geo-tagging, touch focus, face detection, HDR, panorama
Video 1080p@30fps
Secondary 8 MP, f/2.2
SOUND Alert types Vibration; MP3, WAV ringtones
Loudspeaker Yes
3.5mm jack Yes
COMMS WLAN Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, hotspot
Bluetooth 4.1, A2DP, LE
GPS Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS
Radio FM radio
USB microUSB 2.0, USB On-The-Go
FEATURES Sensors Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, proximity, compass
Messaging SMS(threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Mail, IM
Browser HTML5
- MP4/H.264 player
- MP3/WAV/eAAC+ player
- Photo/video editor
- Document viewer
 BATTERY Non-removable Li-Po 5000 mAh battery
Stand-by Up to 625 h (3G)
Talk time Up to 56 h (3G)
MISC Colors Dark blue, black, gold
Price About 260 EUR

Gionee M7 Power Review

TIMES OF NEWS

NOVEMBER 30, 2017

So far in 2017, we have seen a shift in smartphone design, with more and more
manufacturers slowly moving towards 18:9 displays. This usually involves narrower
borders around a phone’s screen, giving it a near bezel-less look. Gionee is the latest to
go with the trend, with the Gionee M7 Power. The advantage as a consumer is that you
get one more smartphone to choose from in the sub Rs. 20,000 segment.

What is different with this phone in particular, is that it has a big battery as well as a big
screen. Gionee’s Power models are well known for their long battery life, and the M7
Power seems to have what it takes to live up to this reputation. We put the Gionee M7
Power to the test to see exactly what it has on offer.

Gionee M7 Power design

Gionee M7 Power’s big 6-inch display has an 18:9 aspect ratio and HD+ resolution of
720×1440 pixels. Gionee has used an IPS panel and so the phone reproduces colours
well and has good viewing angles. The tall screen has thin borders on the sides but the
top and bottom are relatively thicker. Gionee has used the bottom for its branding,
placing the fingerprint scanner at the back and using on-screen navigation buttons. The
fingerprint scanner is quick to unlock the device, but we found its positioning – and that
of the the volume buttons on the right – a bit too high, which means you may find
yourself stretching your fingers.

Gionee has rounded off the corners, while the edges have been chamfered to make this
phone easier to grip. Its flat metal back hides a 5000mAh battery, while the plastic caps
at the top and the bottom eliminate the need for antenna lines. Thanks to its big battery,
the Gionee M7 Power weighs 199g and it will definitely make its presence felt in your
hand. The band that runs around the sides is made of plastic but the power and volume
buttons have a metallic feel to them.

You get a single speaker positioned alongside the 3.5mm headphone jack and Micro-
USB port at the bottom. Gionee has also added an Infrared emitter on the top, which
can be used to control compatible appliances.
Gionee M7 Power specifications and
features
The Gionee M7 uses a Snapdragon 435 SoC, which has eight Cortex-A53 cores and is
known to be efficient. Phones such as the Xiaomi Redmi 4 (Review) and the LG
Q6 (Review) are powered by the same processor. You also get 4GB of RAM and 64GB
of internal storage which is expandable by to 256GB using the Hybrid dual-SIM
slot. The phone has two Nano-SIM slots, one of which can hold a microSD card as well.
There is support for 4G and VoLTE on both SIMs but only one at a time. You get Wi-Fi
802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1, and USB-OTG.

Gionee ships its own Amigo 5.0 UI on top of Android Nougat. The UI has been tweaked
since we reviewed the Gionee A1 Plus, and the quick settings are now accessible by
swiping down from the notification area instead of the iOS-like Command Centre. You
don’t get an app drawer and all icons are available right on the homescreen. The
settings app is customised to some extent, which might take some time getting used to.
All custom features on the M7 Power are grouped separately allowing you to explore
them in one go.

Just like older Gionee phones, gesture control is built in, allowing you to double-tap to
wake the phone or draw alphabets when the screen is off to launch apps. There is an
App Clone option as well, which lets you run two instances of the same app. You can
also put the big battery of the M7 Power to use by enabling reverse charging and plug
other devices in like you would with a power bank.
Private Space is yet another addition to the software. It lets you hide contacts,
messages, notes and call recordings using a separate fingerprint or passcode. This
space can be accessed from the lockscreen by using the particular fingerprint, or by
doing a two-finger swipe in the aforementioned apps.

There is significant bloatware preinstalled on the phone, including UC News, Xender,

Gaana, Messenger, Truecaller, Flipkart and demo versions of a few games. Thankfully,
you can uninstall these to free up some space and reduce clutter.

Gionee M7 Power performance, battery life,

and cameras
We found the hardware on the M7 Power to be good and did not face any lag or
stuttering during the duration of our testing. The processor manages to run apps and
games well enough. Having 4GB of RAM is a good advantage and the M7
Power makes the most of it by holding apps in memory when not actively used.
Relaunch times are quite good as a result.

The processor isn’t exactly entry-level, but it does come in below the options more
commonly seen at this price level. We ran Antutu and managed to score 45,682 points,
while Geekbench 4’s single-core and multi-core tests gave us 679 and 2,590
respectively. During our use, the big battery on the phone went on for a whole day with
medium to heavy use with still around 50 percent left at the end. In our HD video loop
test, the M7 Power managed to go on for close to 17 hours.

Gionee has equipped the M7 Power with a 13-megapixel rear camera and a single LED
flash and an 8-megapixel selfie camera. The camera app is basic and has different
shooting modes to choose from. Apart from the usual Photo, Video and Panorama
modes there is Face Beauty, Group Selfie and a Card Scanner mode. You also have
different settings and a professional mode which lets you individually control different
parameters of the camera. The Auto Scene Detection option switches to night mode
and toggles HDR automatically based on lighting conditions. Gionee has also added a
2x zoom control in the camera app, which is done digitally.

Photos taken in daylight are sharp and have a good amount of detail, but you can see
grain on zooming in. Auto HDR does help in getting better output if you are patient, but
we did notice that the phone struggled with metering. Low-light photos are average –
the phone manages to keep noise levels low but at the cost of detail.
Tap to see full-sized Gionee M7 Power camera samples

Selfies are strictly average, and those taken indoors look grainy. The M7 Power has a
3D Photo option which requires you to move the camera around an object to capture it
in 3D. These didn’t turn out great and it looked like the phone records a short video
while allowing you to scrub through it. Video recording maxes out at 1080p for both the
cameras, and you also have the option to record slow-motion video.

Verdict
The Gionee M7 Power is a good smartphone but at Rs. 16,999, it does seem to
be overpriced. We were impressed with the battery life, but the UI and the cameras
don’t live up to the standard set by the competition. Around this price, all rounders like
the Moto G5S Plus (Review) or Xiaomi Mi A1 (Review) would be more obvious picks for
most buyers. However, if battery life is your number one priority, then the Gionee M7
Power would be a better choice.

Gionee launches M7 Power,

aims to be in Indian
smartphone market’s top 5 by
March 2018
TIMES OF NEWS

NOVEMBER 16, 2017

Gionee aims to secure a spot in the top 5 tally in the Indian smartphone market by
March next year as it expands its product portfolio and strengthens retail presence in
the country. (File Photo)

Handset maker Gionee aims to secure a spot in the top 5 tally in the Indian smartphone
market by March next year as it expands its product portfolio and strengthens retail
presence in the country. The company, which competes with the likes
of Samsung, Xiaomi, Lenovo and others, has also ramped up its marketing budget to
around Rs 750 crore in 2017-18.

“India is a very important market for us. According to GfK data, we had the sixth
position. By March 2018, we are
looking at being among the top 5,” Gionee India Global Sales Director David Chang told
PTI. He added that the company is bringing in a slew of devices across price points to
address customers requirements.
According to a report by IDC that tracks shipments, Samsung and Xiaomi were tied at
the first spot with 23.5 per
cent share. Others in the top five include Lenovo-Motorola (9 per cent), Vivo (8.5 per
cent) and Oppo (7.9 per cent). GfK, which tracks sales numbers, does not publicly
announce these industry numbers.

“We want to bring in intuitive products. Our focus is on mid-range devices (Rs 8,000-
15,000) and handsets that have great battery and camera,” Chang said. Besides, the
company is investing significantly in expanding its reach to 75,000 retail points from
42,000 outlets currently.

Also read: Gionee M7 Power first impressions: Big battery at mid-range price of
Rs 16,999

The company had unveiled the Gionee M7 Power smartphone. The device, priced at Rs
16,999, features a 6-inch full-view display, , 13MP rear and 8MP front camera, 4GB
RAM, 64GB internal storage (expandable up to 256 GB) and 5,000 mAh battery. It will
start retailing from November 25.

The phone supports a 3D photo feature that allows users to click photos that show the
object with multiple angles for deeper details. “Going ahead, this feature will be included
in all our smartphones,” he said.

Handset maker Gionee aims to secure a spot in the top 5 tally in the Indian smartphone
market by March next year as it expands its product portfolio and strengthens retail
presence in the country.

The company, which competes with the likes of Samsung, Xiaomi, Lenovo and others,
has also ramped up its marketing budget to around Rs. 750 crore in 2017-18.

“India is a very important market for us. According to GfK data, we had the sixth
position. By March 2018, we are looking at being among the top 5,” Gionee India Global
Sales Director David Chang told PTI.
 He added that the company is bringing in a slew of devices across price points to
address customers requirements.

According to a report by IDC that tracks shipments, Samsung and Xiaomi were tied at
the first spot with 23.5 percent share. Others in the top five include Lenovo-Motorola (9
percent), Vivo (8.5 percent) and Oppo (7.9 percent).

GfK, which tracks sales numbers, does not publicly announce these industry numbers.

“We want to bring in intuitive products. Our focus is on mid-range devices (Rs. 8,000-
15,000) and handsets that have great battery and camera,” Chang said.

Besides, the company is investing significantly in expanding its reach to 75,000 retail
points from 42,000 outlets currently.

The company will unveil the Gionee M7 Power smartphone today. The device, expected
to be priced between Rs 16,000- 18,000, features 6-inch full-view display, 4GB RAM, 64
GB internal storage (expandable up to 256 GB), 13MP rear and 8MP front camera and
5,000 mAh battery. It will start retailing from November 25.

The phone supports a 3D photo feature that allows users to click photos that show the
object with multiple angles for deeper details.

“Going ahead, this feature will be included in all our smartphones,” he said.

As expected, Chinese smartphone player Gionee on Wednesday launched ‘M7 Power’

in India with edge-to-edge display and a unique 3D photo feature.

The Gionee M7 Power is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 octa-core processor

coupled with 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage, which is expandable up to 256GB
via microSD card.

The M7 Power features a 13MP rear camera and an 8MP front camera. It comes with a
massive 5000mAh battery.

“‘M7 Power’ is another intuitive product which, in the true sense, is a device that
promises to empower users with superior quality and seamless experience with many
firsts to its credit — from the 3D photo concept to a FullView infinity display,” David
Chang, Global Sales Director, Gionee India, told reporters here.

Gionee M7 Power full specifications

 4G VoLTE dual-SIM, Android 7.1.1 Nougat with Amigo OS 5.0, Fingerprint sensor
 6-inch FullView HD+ (720 x 1440 pixels) 18:9 2.5D curved glass display, Corning Gorilla
Glass 3
 Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 processor
 4GB RAM, 64GB internal storage, expandable up to 256GB
 13MP rear camera with LED flash, f/2.0 aperture, PDAF
 8MP front-facing camera
 5000mAh battery with fast charging

The Gionee M7 Power is priced at Rs. 16,999 in India. It comes in Gold color with laser-
engraved finish, Black and Dark Blue colors with laser-drilled finish. It will be available
starting November 25. Pre-order begins November 17 through Amazon.

Pre=booking customers will get one-time screen replacement warranty for 6-month
period. Gionee India has also partnered with Reliance Jio and PayTm for exciting offers.
It comes with 10GB extra data from Jio per month for 10 months on recharge of Rs. 309
and above, for all new or existing Jio customers who purchase M7 Power.

“Gionee has strategically decided to tap on its power to create smart products with
exclusive features, especially customised and localised for our growing consumer base
in India,” Chang added.

Gionee launches M7 Power; allows users to ‘Do More

– Be More’
November 16, 2017Channel InfolineMobile

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Bolstering its product portfolio in the Indian market, Gionee India – one of the leading handset
manufacturer in the country, unveiled its latest mobile marvel Gionee M7 POWER in India today.
Bringing its brand ethos to life i.e. of launching products that are as unique as the people who use
them, Gionee India is all set to launch its first handset that offers FullView Display and the
exclusive 3D photo feature. These unique features will enable users to explore a whole new side to
the world of visual experience and photography. With the launch of M7 POWER, Gionee further
solidifies its positioning in the Indian market after securing a loyal customer base of 1.25 crore
Indians.

M7 POWER distinguishes itself with next-generation full-view display, long-lasting battery and super
performance. Equipped with a built-in 5000mAh high-quality Battery powered by intelligent
management system, the phone possesses a 4GB RAM and a 64GB ROM to offer an upgraded
user experience, assisting to multi task without latency.
This predominantly consumer friendly and durable device will be competitively priced at INR 16,999,
and will be available in three striking color options, i.e. Blue, Gold and Black across all retail
stores in India starting November 25th, 2017.

The device can be pre-booked on Amazon starting November 17th to November 24th,
2017. Customers who pre-book the device would avail exclusive offers that would entail a 6 months
warranty for free one-time screen replacement, extra INR 3000 off on exchange and 10GB extra
data from Jio for 10 months on recharge of INR 309 and above. Additionally, there will be no cost
EMI on credit cards starting INR 1417 per month.

Commenting on the launch, David Chang, Global Sales Director, Gionee India stated, “We have
grown exponentially as a brand in the country over the last five years. India is at the cusp of
smartphone revolution with new user base multiplying by manifolds and existing users graduating to
newer and smarter devices. Betting big on this wave, Gionee has strategically decided to tap on its
power to create smart products which are loaded with exclusive features, especially customized and
localized for our growing consumer base in India. M7 Power is another intuitive product which in the
true sense is a device that promises to empower its users with superior quality and seamless
experience with many firsts to its credit from the 3D photo concept to a full view infinity display.
Thus, reinforcing our ambition to be featured among the top 5 brands in 2018!”

Gionee M7 POWER is fortified with Full View Display complemented with Gorilla Glass 3 on the
front side, which makes it clean and chic. With an 85% of higher screen-to-body ratio, M7
POWER’s wider field of vision offers a stunning visual experience while watching videos, playing
games, reading and using the split-screen function.

In addition to its FullView display, M7 Power is a savvy choice; given the “ultra-long battery life” that
is the DNA of the M Series, which helps ensure worry-free all-day use. M7 Power’s slim body
houses a 5,000mAh high-quality Li-poly battery that offers a high-power density of 680 Wh/L.
Gionee’s exclusive intelligent power management system efficiently controls power consumption.
The extremely long battery life enables users to enjoy the best moments in life or at work to the
fullest without worrying about “low battery”.

M7 Power’s Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ Octa-core Processor offers a basic frequency of up to

1.4GHz. The 4GB RAM ensures smooth and glitch-free operations whether for gaming or mobile
office applications, enabling users to perform multitasks with ease. All this enables M7 Power to be
extremely practical and stand out among competitor products in the same price range.

M7 Power also excels in photo taking, equipped with a 13MP rear F2.0 camera and 8MP front
camera, allowing it to quickly record user moments even under poor lighting conditions. Take selfies
through the front camera with advanced software algorithms. M7 Power will automatically blur the
background, making the selfie look more beautiful.

The 3D photo feature of the M7 power stands out as one of the key highlights. The user needs to
go around an object to form a three-dimensional dynamic picture, post which a live photo can show
the object with multiple angles for deeper details. Turn the phone or slide screen to enjoy the 3D
picture -stroll around like you are in the middle of the scene. A brand new and fun experience for
everyone.

M7 Power’s design beauty extends beyond its FullView display. The body of M7 Power is designed
as an entire piece, available in three colours: Gold, Blue, and Black. A laser-engraving
technique distinguishes the stamped aluminium body of the gold M7 Power, and laser drilling
delivers a high-tech look on the black and blue M7 Power. These processes allow the metal body to
have a diamond-like lustre too, showing different shades under different lights and at different
angles.

Furthermore, as security remains the top priority for Gionee, M7 Power offers Private Space
2.0, fingerprint security and app lock to fully protect user security. Multi-function fingerprint
identification can quickly unlock the phone in a safe and easy way. When taking a selfie, you can
start the shutter by a simple touch, making the whole process more convenient. More functions are
added on the fingerprint sensor; besides camera shutter, you can turn on Torch, Recorder or
Camera in shortcut while screen is off or locked Embedded with Amigo 5.0, the M7 POWER has
a WhatsApp clone feature that enables users to create three WhatsApp accounts, allowing them to
differentiate their personal and professional life.

The device allows a user to split screen, making it possible to juggle different activities on one
screen at one time. Rooted with Intelligent eye protection, the device has a blue light filtering which
protects the user’s eyes and reduces fatigue, making a long time use of the phone more
comfortable.

Extending more power in the hands of the consumers Gionee India has also joined hands with
PayTm and Jio to announce an exciting offer with this launch. Every purchase of Gionee M7
POWER will come with 2 PayTM Cashback Voucher Codes entitling customers with INR 250 cash
back on a base buy of INR 350 from PayTM Mall. New or existing Jio Customers who purchase M7
POWER will get 10 GB data each month for a period of 10 months on any data recharge of INR 309
and above.

Gionee unveiled eight exciting new smartphones for China and global markets, each featuring
a dazzling FullView display, making Gionee the first mobile phone manufacturer to offer this
breakthrough technology on every product in its portfolio. New models are S11S, S11, S11 lite, M7
Plus, M7, M7 Power, M7 mini, and F205.

Chairman Liu Shared Gionee’s FullView Strategy at Launch Event.

The company launched its new lineup at the Gionee Global Product Launch Event – Winter 2017, in
Shenzhen, China, and attended by nearly 500 members of the local and international media, as well
as special guests, including brand ambassador and celebrated actress Liu Tao and renowned
portrait photographer Jesse.

During the event, Chairman Liu shared his insights about the smartphone industry, and affirmed that
Gionee’s strategic use of FullView display on all of its models, not just its high-end models, puts the
brand at the forefront of the technological breakthrough driving market growth.
“Gionee’s strategy of producing a complete line of FullView display smartphones is also a strategy of
product innovation and product differentiation,” said Gionee Chairman Liu Lirong during his
speech. “In addition to features like long battery life, security, and quad-camera photography, we will
also be carrying forward other hallmarks of Gionee products. These include innovative functions,
materials, and interactive experiences. Gionee will continue to make breakthroughs. This is how our
products embody Gionee’s brand philosophy of ‘technology for a better life.”

To equip its latest models with FullView display, Gionee leveraged its vast R&D and manufacturing
resources, extensive sales network, and strong supply chain integration. This required close
cooperation with Samsung to implement its AMOLED screen technology, which has become the
benchmark for smartphone screens in the industry. Gionee is one of the few smartphone makers to
get a steady supply of this state-of-the-art technology.

Following Chairman Liu’s speech, Jesse, the photographer most famous for his portraits of “The
Handsomest 85-year-old Grandpa,” shared his appreciation for the new-generation camera
capabilities found on Gionee’s new smartphones, along with his insights about how to shoot great
photos. In turn, Miss Liu Tao shared her thoughts about the stylish designs of Gionee’s latest
smartphones, as well as how to take a beautiful selfie and look fashionable.

S11 to Lead Gionee’s Overseas Offerings:

Among Gionee’s new models, S11, S11 lite, M7 Power and F205 will be sold worldwide, with S11
being the flagship product for overseas markets, targeting young, influential, fashionable consumers
who rely on mobile devices to access the Internet, especially social media, play games, take photos
and stay in touch with friends.
Gionee equipped the S11 with its four camera that include 16MP + 8MP dual camera in the front,
16MP + 5MP dual camera in the rear and real-time hardware-level bokeh that will recognize you as
the object and blur the background, and upgraded beauty modes.

S11’s 5.99-inch, bezel-less FullView display with 18:9 aspect ratio provides a more satisfying
interface for watching videos, playing games, browsing the Internet, reading, taking and sharing
beautiful photos.

The S11’s stylishly curved body shape perfectly fits in the hand, and is crafted using nine types of
manufacturing innovations, including a 20-step sophisticated process, create a unique pattern, which
combined by micron-level texture, with the width and density as small as 5μm, which let the body
surface could reflect light with prismatic 3D effects.

Powered by an octa-core P23 processor, this high-end phone comes with 6GB RAM and 64GB
ROM. The storage is expandable up to 256GB via microSD card. It runs on Amigo 5.0 based on
Android 7.1 with a battery capacity of 3410mAh.

S11S sets the benchmark for Gionee photography enthusiasts:

Gionee equipped the S11S flagship of the S Series in China with its four camera that includes an
impressive 20MP + 8MP fixed-focus dual camera in the front and 16MP + 8MP auto-focus dual
camera in the rear- the best camera capability in Gionee’s portfolio. S11S also includes customized
photo processor DSP, provides enhanced HDR Effect and wider dynamic range, hardware-level
bokeh and other S Series capabilities and features.

S11S also features S Series’ new high-tech design aesthetic. Its stainless steel frame provides a
stronger case than aluminum alloy, and its highly polished surface appears more luxurious, while
providing a comfortable grip.

The slim frame allows for a higher screen-to-body ratio, a 6.01-inch FullView Display with Samsung
AMOLED screen and FHD+ 2160*1080 resolution, providing a more enjoyable game and movie
experience.

S11S’s long battery life of 3600mAh with Intelligent Power Management System and fast-charging
capability provides users with up to 13.5 hours of non-stop usage- a 20 percent improvement over
the previous model. This is complemented by the phone’s large memory combination of 64GB ROM
+ 6GB RAM with expandable storage up to 256GB, and Helio P30 processor that provides a
smoother operation overall.

S11S offers a higher level of payment security with bank card binding as well as NFC payments
such as bus card swipes. Additionally, the phone has higher data security with Anti-theft 2.0 and
Private Space.

M7 Plus to top the Gionee lineup :

Gionee’s new M7 Plus represents the highest level among its products for China market, equipped
with a dual security chipset that guarantees the security of payment, system and data; battery
capacity up to 5000mAh; and 6.43-inch, Samsung AMOLED 18:9 FullView display. In addition, this
flagship smartphone comes with 6GB RAM and 128GB ROM, powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon
660 processor.

M7 Plus is expected to appeal to professionals who need next-level security. The model also offers
capacity to transfer amounts via Alipay IFAA2.0 standard. M7 Plus also is the first Chinese brand
phone to offer wireless charging, the first to have artificial intelligence, and Automatic Speech
Recognition to cancel orders,and provide fast payment with a single touch.

Pricing and Availability of the eight new launched products

Products Price(CNY) Availability

S11S 3299 December 2017

S11 1799 December 2017

S11 lite 1299 January 2018

 M7 Plus 4399 January 2018

M7 2799 December 2017

M7 Power 1599 December 2017

M7 Mini 1399 December 2017

F205 999 December 2017

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Gionee M7 Power review: For the love of battery
By

Gionee M7 Power review: This one is for

road warriors


Shobhit Varma

New Delhi
 December 29, 2017
 UPDATED 12:18 IST

 FOLLOW
 EMAIL AUTHOR



  READ LATER

Gionee is on a mission to be amongst the top 3 smartphone manufacturers in India by 2018. The
beleaguered brand hopes to recapture lost market share through a revamped product portfolio and a
new vision centred around smartphones with FullVision displays. The Gionee M7 Power is the first
salvo in this attack and comes with a massive battery and a display that embraces the edge-to-edge
mania.
Bezel-less smartphones are no longer flights of fancies restricted to high-end smartphones. 2017
has seen the launch of many affordable smartphones with edge-to-edge displays like the Oppo F5,
Honor 9i and Honor 7X. The M7 Power aims to distinguish itself from the others via its mammoth
battery which stands tall at 5,000mAh.
Does Gionee's latest smartphone have what it takes to cut it with segment heavyweights? Let's find
out:
BUILT LIKE A TANK
The Gionee M7 power is made out of aluminium and feels quite premium. The biggest highlight of
the smartphone (save for the battery life) is its tank-like build quality. The smartphone is impeccably
put together and exhibits no creaks and rattles even under pressure. In fact, if thrown at someone, I
am pretty sure the phone could cause serious damage.
The M7 Power is also built like a brick - literally. While smartphones these days are shedding
pounds and are trimming their waistline, the M7 Power, at 8.6mm thick and weighing in at 199 grams
completely defies that trend. The bulk is not necessarily a bad thing - it helps the smartphone stand
out from the crowd and inspires a lot of confidence.

Aside from the rock solid build and confidence inspiring heft, there is not much that stands out about
the M7 Power's design. The bezels are not as slim as they should be in a bezel-less smartphone
and the overall look is quite safe and uninspiring.
What is really peculiar is the fact that there are three different textures on the back panel. The rear
camera and LED flash are surrounded by glass, the area underneath has a high gloss textured finish
(diamond-like lustre in Gionee's words) and the bottom panel is completely plain.
The rear mounted fingerprint sensor is quite accurate but not as fast as the competition and the
bottom mounted single loudspeaker is surprisingly loud but distorts at high volumes.
AVERAGE DISPLAY
Let's cut to the chase - a resolution of 1440 x 720 ( HD +) on a 6-inch display just does not cut it in
2017 when FullHD has become the norm. The fact that the panel flows from one edge of the device
to the other and has a tall 18:9 aspect ratio is not enough to offset the low resolution and weak
brightness levels.
Most of the M7 power's bezel-less competitors such as the Honor 7X and Oppo F5 come with
FullHD+ displays which are crisper and brighter. On a positive note, the display's colour palette is
natural, touch response is adequate and viewing angles are on point. The tall 18:9 aspect ratio is
also great for multimedia consumption and gaming.
ACCEPTABLE PERFORMANCE, EXCELLENT BATTERY LIFE
The Gionee M7 power is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 processor paired with 4GB of
RAM, the Adreno 505 GPU and a mammoth 5,000mAh battery with fast charging support. There is
64GB of internal storage on board which can be expanded via a microSD card (of upto 256GB).
Let's get the negatives out of the way first. Performance is only acceptable at best and in line with
most under Rs 20,000 bezel-less smartphones out there. Somehow the industry has made
consumers decide between outright performance and 18:9 displays and no phone has been able to
marry the two aspects yet in the mid-range category.
The M7 Power aims to distinguish itself from other bezel-less
smartphones via its mammoth battery which stands tall at
5,000mAh.
The decidedly mid-range internals handle day to day tasks well enough (though even those suffer
from the occasional lag) but struggle when pushed. Saying that, the Qualcomm powered M7 Power
does fare better in the performance front than other MediaTek powered bezel-less phones like the
Oppo F5.
Gaming is quite a mixed bag as expected. The M7 Powers handles causal games with aplomb but
heavy titles like Asphalt 8 suffer from dropped frames and are best played at lower graphic settings.
The smartphone surprisingly does not heat up much even when pushed.
Where the M7 power truly shines is battery life. Gionee claims the smartphone can last for two days
on a single charge. While most such manufacture claims turn out to be nothing but snake oil, the M7
power is actually capable of lasting two days on a single charge - even with moderately intensive
use.
The M7 power is truly for road warriors. In the two weeks I used the phone as my daily driver, I never
ran out of charge by the end of the day. In fact, I regularly had around 50 to 60 percent battery left by
the time I plugged in the smartphone at night - with intensive use involving Google Maps,
photography and heavy browsing.
UNPOLISHED SOFTWARE
The Gionee M7 power runs on Android 7.1.1 Nougat with Gionee's custom Amigo OS on top. There
is no news as of now regarding the Android 8.0 Oreo update for the smartphone. The software
experience is quite underwhelming - there is a lot of bloat and Amigo OS as a whole is quite
cluttered.
In a day and age where manufacturers are either shifting towards stock Android or making a
concerted effort to clean up their Android skins, Amigo OS comes across as quite dated. It has
several Chinese-English translation errors and a lot of bloat on-board like UC Browser, UC News,
Xender and so on.
On a positive note, Amigo OS is quite snappy and responsive and there are a lot of user-centric
features such as 'App clone', 'Private space' and 'Smart eye protection'. There are a myriad of
gestures as well whose usability ranges from useful to nothing but gimmicks.
MEDIOCRE CAMERAS
Gionee has always touted itself to be a brand focused on selfies and big batteries. While the M7
Power definitely impresses when it comes to battery life, the same sadly cannot be said about its
imaging prowess. The Gionee M7 Power has a 13MP auto-focus camera at the rear with an aperture
of f/2.0 and an LED flash which is accompanied by an 8MP fixed focus front facing camera with an
aperture of f/2.2.
The rear camera produces decent pictures in well-lit conditions with accurate colours but struggles
quite a bit in low light. Images shot in low-light have a distinct lack of detail and appear slightly dark.
A lot of noise and graininess creeps in as soon as the sun goes down.
The biggest highlight of the smartphone (save for the battery life)
is its tank-like build quality.
The 13MP front sensor perform quite similarly - producing quite respectable images in good lighting
conditions but giving up the ghost in low-light. Images also tend to be a bit soft in general - no matter
what the lighting.
The M7 Power also comes with a feature called '3D Photos' which allows the phone tp form a three
dimensional dynamic picture of any object. This feature is actually quite gimmicky - the end result is
quite low res and not very impressive. It is a good feature to show off to your friends but not much
more.
SHOULD YOU BUY THE GIONEE M7 POWER?
The M7 Power is a rather frustrating device. While the smartphone does have absolutely excellent
battery life and superb tank-like build quality, the unpolished software, sub-par cameras and low
resolution display pull it down quite a bit.
If you can live with bezels, smartphones like the Moto G5S Plus and Xiaomi Mi A1 offer a far more
rounded package in this price range. However, the Gionee M7 Power is a rather unique device that
will definitely appeal to those never want to run out of charge whilst binge watching their favourite
Netflix shows on the go.