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JiaYu S2 Mini Review, plus Benchmarks and Gaming Test!

AndiMarch 14, 2014

After receiving the JiaYu S2 yesterday, we have spent the whole day with it today. Benchmarks and gaming video, plus day 1 impressions.

JiaYu S2 mini review – Day 1 Impressions

After receiving the JiaYu S2 yesterday and filming the unboxing and hands on, I quickly set about setting the phone up with my usual apps and settings ready to put it through its first day of real use today.

JiaYu S2 Battery

First off let’s start with the battery. The 2000mAh battery in the JiaYu S2 is a sore point with many readers, some of whom have stated that they would forgo the 6mm body for something slightly thicker for an increase in battery size. After a day of use though, I have to say that battery life is pretty darn good! Starting the day at 6:30am, I have used the JiaYu S2 for Wechat, left 3G and WIFI on constantly, taken numerous photos, searched the web, ran the following benchmarks and gaming test, and even used the phone to entertain my son this evening. It is now 7pm and the JiaYu S2 still has 23% of battery life left! Not bad at all!

JiaYu S2 Screen

The screen on the JiaYu S2 is stunning! It has some of the best viewing angles of any phone I have used (including premium priced device) and can be turned up to very bright levels. Today, with sun shining and using the phone to browse the web while walking to the gym I had no issues with viewing with the screen turned to it’s brightest. Leaving it on it’s brightest though does wear the battery down, and for most of the time just less than half screen brightness has worked well for me.

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JiaYu S2 Camera

I have to say the rear 13 mega pixel camera on the JiaYu S2 is the weak link in the phone. It is slow, and low-light photos are very noisy. In it’s current state I would say that the iNew V3 has a better performing camera. I have contacted JiaYu who acknolwedge my phone (a pre-production sample) is running the final hardware, but not the final Android build, and I should expect big improvments.

JiaYu S2 Benchmarks

The below video goes through Antutu, Antutu X, Nenamark and Quadrant benchmarks. I also confirmed the specification of my JiaYu S2 to be the top of the range model with 2GB RAM and 32GB of internal storage.

If you don’t have time to watch the video then the JiaYu S2 benchmarks are as follows:

Antutu: 26,807
Antutu X: 25,993
Quadrant: 14,997
Nenamark: 49.0fps

JiaYu S2 Gaming Test

Again I recorded a video of the JiaYu S2 while taking Real Drift for a spin. Just as we have seen in all octacore Mediatek phones we have tested so far, the JiaYu S2 runs the actual game super smooth, but struggles with the 3D intro animation.

JiaYu S2 Impressions so far.

So far I am really impressed with the JiaYu S2. Battery life is better than expected, the display is wonderful, performance is spot on and build-quality is amazing! I really hope the rear camera gets some improvment with the newer ROM as it really is the weak link.

If I haven’t mentioned it here (GPS, Front camera, etc) it is because I haven’t tested it yet, but don’t worry I will included all these details in the full JiaYu S2 review in the coming days. Also, I will add photo samples tomorrow once I have taken a few more in various lighting conditions.

What do you think of the JiaYu S2 so far? Could this be your next phone?

[ JiaYu ]

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About the author
Andi

Max Iao
March 14, 2014
Nice review Andy, Jiayu are doing a great job with their new phones! Pity about the camera quality, hope it does improve significantly in the final version. Would you consider doing a ‘best camera phone’ review? Most of the new phones released have great screens, styling and similar hardware, would be interesting to see which phones in each price bracket have the best cameras. If you send them all to me I’ll do the review for you 🙂
Peter Pan
March 14, 2014
- aaa
  March 15, 2014

Max Iao
March 14, 2014
Nice review Andy, Jiayu are doing a great job with their new phones! Pity about the camera quality, hope it does improve significantly in the final version. Would you consider doing a ‘best camera phone’ review? Most of the new phones released have great screens, styling and similar hardware, would be interesting to see which phones in each price bracket have the best cameras. If you send them all to me I’ll do the review for you 🙂

ARUN SUBRAMANIAN
March 14, 2014
Hi Andi…dissapointment with camera being weak link..after all these years..tell me,even if it is pre-production model,how can software improve the hardware of camera…not significant…guess have to wait for 1 more year.
Guest
March 14, 2014
- Guest
  March 15, 2014
Patrick
March 14, 2014
Cruel to read about a phone I would really like to buy, but won’t due to lack of 900 MHZ WCDMA. I already have a China phone with WCDMA just on 2100 MHZ and it isn’t fun to have data connections constantly switch between 3G (2100 MHZ) and horribly slow 2G (GSM 900 MHZ). I hope that Jiayu will follow the lead of Iocean and will release 2100/900 WCDMA versions of its phones.
- Michał Cieślicki
  March 15, 2014
  It is having a GSM: 900/1800MHz and WCDMA: 850/900/2100MHz radio.
  Look at the table at the end of the following article:
- Andy Mctaggart
  March 17, 2014
  Andy !!! Please stop ignoring the most MANDATORY FACT, because we all know that JIAYU have one of the greatest builds, but we all also know that the missing UMTS/WCDMA 900 Mhz is the biggest issue of ALL JIAYU phones so far….
  So please in your next JIAYU S2 review put UMTS/WCDMA full specification details because from the given picture down below all the readers in this blog are wondering “is it really supports WCDMA 850/900/2100 Mhz like the written in the GizChina picture down below or JIAYU lie again all of their potential customers and buyers”:

ARUN SUBRAMANIAN
March 14, 2014
Hi Andi…dissapointment with camera being weak link..after all these years..tell me,even if it is pre-production model,how can software improve the hardware of camera…not significant…guess have to wait for 1 more year.
The title made me think that Jiayu has produced a mini version of S2
Guest
March 14, 2014
Cruel to read about a phone I would really like to buy, but won’t due to lack of 900 MHZ WCDMA. I already have a China phone with WCDMA just on 2100 MHZ and it isn’t fun to have data connections constantly switch between 3G (2100 MHZ) and horribly slow 2G (GSM 900 MHZ). I hope that Jiayu will follow the lead of Iocean and will release 2100/900 WCDMA versions of its phones.
- Michał Cieślicki
  March 15, 2014
  It is having a GSM: 900/1800MHz and WCDMA: 850/900/2100MHz radio.
  Look at the table at the end of the following article:
- Guest
  March 17, 2014
  Andy !!! Please stop ignoring the most MANDATORY FACT, because we all know that JIAYU have one of the greatest builds, but we all also know that the missing UMTS/WCDMA 900 Mhz is the biggest issue of ALL JIAYU phones so far….
  So please in your next JIAYU S2 review put UMTS/WCDMA full specification details because from the given picture down below all the readers in this blog are wondering “is it really supports WCDMA 850/900/2100 Mhz like the written in the GizChina picture down below or JIAYU lie again all of their potential customers and buyers”:
- Guest
  March 17, 2014
Camera is a bit factor to consider. Let’s wait and see
Nam Tu
March 15, 2014
The title made me think that Jiayu has produced a mini version of S2

Darren Tan
March 15, 2014
Camera is a bit factor to consider. Let’s wait and see

z1george
March 16, 2014
The only good thing to come with the new S1,S2 and upcoming G6 to be hyped all summer
Is simply put – it drives the good old G3,G4 prices down from 180-200 to less than 120$
They had a full year for development
How stupid of me to believe they will work the parts with actual benefit to the user
Namely camera and GPS
A year passed and they haven’t moved 1 mm where it matters
We have enough no name devices with the full hype palette
Thin (battery dies mid day)
Octacore ( scoring 25,000-30,000 Antutu scores means nothing in real life)
My main disappointment actually is ruining the G2F WCDMA version screen resolution
They have a potential world class competitor in their hands there
Could sell it directly worldwide for 99,99$ and make money on it.
They could have an entry into the hand of the first time buyer in Africa , South America etc
These buyers would later in 2015,2016 buy a high end device from Jiayu.
What a wasted opportunity to hit big outside China.
All those octacore , thin devices – we have enough more then we will ever need.

श्री Shree
March 16, 2014
Jiayu G2F released so much time and in last review you promised for detailed review but till awaited and Jiayu G4C thick and thin version also releases price and config information post is here but no review either these are available on site. But I am looking unavailable S2 review is here. Jiayu may say Android is not full developed so Camera point is weak or like this. There is no information about sale price and availability please highlight on this point. Every time on software and led flash Jiayu weak and MIUI firmware is better option only. Jiayu is good option in Chinese Branded phones but may be more better.

श्री Shree
March 16, 2014
MIUI rom for Jiayu

Guest
March 16, 2014
The only good thing to come with the new S1,S2 and upcoming G6 to be hyped all summer
Is simply put – it drives the good old G3,G4 prices down from 180-200 to less than 120$
They had a full year for development
How stupid of me to believe they will work the parts with actual benefit to the user
Namely camera and GPS
A year passed and they haven’t moved 1 mm where it matters
We have enough no name devices with the full hype palette
Thin (battery dies mid day)
Octacore ( scoring 25,000-30,000 Antutu scores means nothing in real life)
My main disappointment actually is ruining the G2F WCDMA version screen resolution
They have a potential world class competitor in their hands there
Could sell it directly worldwide for 99,99$ and make money on it.
They could have an entry into the hand of the first time buyer in Africa , South America etc
These buyers would later in 2015,2016 buy a high end device from Jiayu.
What a wasted opportunity to hit big outside China.
All those octacore , thin devices – we have enough more then we will ever need.

श्री Shree
March 16, 2014
Jiayu G2F released so much time and in last review you promised for detailed review but till awaited and Jiayu G4C thick and thin version also releases price and config information post is here but no review either these are available on site. But I am looking unavailable S2 review is here. Jiayu may say Android is not full developed so Camera point is weak or like this. There is no information about sale price and availability please highlight on this point. Every time on software and led flash Jiayu weak and MIUI firmware is better option only. Jiayu is good option in Chinese Branded phones but may be more better.
श्री Shree
March 16, 2014

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