Amoi N820 Big V Review and first impressions


Amoi N820 Design

amoi n820 big v design

Amoi have given the N820 Big V a similar design to the Samsung i9300 but with a less prominent ‘chin’ area where the buttons are located.

For a device which is going to spend most of it’s time either in your pocket or in your hand the feeling and texture of the rear panel on the Big V are spot on with the very rounded ‘arc’ design of the rear lending itself well for sitting comfortably in the palm of your hand.

amoi n820 front camera and design

As mentioned earlier the front of this Chinese phone has no logo, which gives a simple and clean look, but you do get a front facing camera, hidden light sensor plus a very flat overall front which makes cleaning the screen very easy.

amoi n820 big v hands on xiaomi m1 comparison

Compared to the Xiaomi M1 the Amoi N820 is slightly larger and has a bit of extra space below the Android home, menu and options buttons which you will either love or loathe.

amoi n820 xiaomi m1 comparison

The rear of the Amoi N820 features the rear camera which sits off to the side rather than in  the center as most phone companies are going for these days and the cover is coated in a rubberized plastic which gives nice grip in your hand.

amoi n820 big v specificationCompared to the Xiaomi M1 the Amoi is a little thinner, but does have a protruding camera which might get knocked and bumped a little more often than some designs, it will also mean the N820 will always sit on it’s lens while place on a desk or table, which could also cause problems.

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16 Comments

  1. Fel
    August 19, 2012

    hi does it run google play and gorilla glass? couldn t find the latest updates on it. U really wonder if the G3 ever surfaces and its already outdated and lost a good bit of its appeal

  2. Smileyguy
    August 19, 2012

    Is this phone available in China already? Where can I get this in China? Thanks in advance for your answers.

  3. partha pratim dutta
    August 19, 2012

    chinese have done wonders for even the poor people of the world. their business encompasses all sections of the socoety on the world. hats of to them.

  4. Dexter
    August 21, 2012

    Hey, I recently founf this site and all these cheap awesome phones. But, i have 1 question: if you buy a chinese phone like this, will you need an adapter to charge it some where else than china? I dont know how they look there or if they are just like the ones in Sweden? Thanks.

    • August 21, 2012

      They come with a 2 pin plug usually.

  5. chibuy
    August 23, 2012

    Hi Andy, i gvive up on jiayu g3 so im gonna get this n820 but i cant find any complete review, this phone has google market preinstalled or not?
    Thanx

  6. mike
    August 23, 2012

    Thanks for the review but what do you mean by the glass is too thick?

    • August 24, 2012

      It isn’t like touching the actually apps and controlling the screen. The glass just sort of feels like its in the way. Strange to explain, and it doesnt bother everyone.

  7. pandajaune
    August 24, 2012

    hi,
    thanks for the review.
    do you think amoi will update the phone to correct the red x bug?
    also it is weird not to find the n820 on the official website.

    • August 25, 2012

      I hope so as it really is annoying!

  8. Darren
    September 24, 2012

    Excellent website, really useful info on here.

    I’m from the UK and decided to take a punt on this phone. I’ve ordered the device through Etotalk and will update readers further when I receive the device

  9. Steve
    October 15, 2012

    hi Andi,
    Still have the N820? I am really trying to get it from some online shops but cant get a reliable one so far. any suggestions? where did you get your review unit? and you havent written any updates about stock or availability since the review, how come?

    • October 15, 2012

      Sorry I don’t have one. They should be in stores soon though I’ll keep you updated

  10. October 24, 2012

    Anyone who is interested in the N820, check out suppliers on aliexpress.com
    They retail for ~$200 USD.
    Of course, buy at your own risk – check the feedback of the suppliers.
    I bought mine from UGoodBuy Android Store on aliexpress.com , and they delivered appropriately – but once again, at your own risk.

    As with questions about Google Play, mine did NOT come with it. It came instead, with 360 Store (I hazard a guess, that’s the software company). It’s really similar to Google Play, but I ended up unhappy, and rooted the phone to Build 6.0 c.f. Build 5.8, and this allowed me to install Google Play.
    Anyone who is interested about N820, refer to the forums. There is a section there, and also more instructions on rooting and Google Play, etc.

  11. K V P
    October 27, 2012

    Is this Amoi N820/821 has notification led for missed call or when charging? Some site says, but some doesn’t. Can anybody using this phone confirm?

    Thanks

  12. Joost
    November 2, 2012

    Hi, I am thinking of buying the N820. I would also like to use this phone for navigation purposes in my car. Would you recommend this phone for navigation purposes as well? I read some posts on other forums that the N820 GPS is not working. Would you recommend another Chinese phone with a more accurate GPS?