For those of you wanting a smaller, 64bit MT6752 phone there is currently only one choice and that’s the THL 2015. We’ve been lucky enough to get an early review unit and here is our first hands on and impressions of the octacore phone.
Over the past few weeks we have seen plenty of 5.5-inch phones sporting the latest octacore MT6752 processor such as the JiaYu S3, Meizu m1 note and most recently the iOcean MT6752 Rock smartphone.
5.5-inch might be the standard that most smartphone companies consider to be the norm for flagship phones, but not every customer wants such a large device, and a smaller phone is preferable. At 5-inch the THL 2015 is currently the smallest Chinese phone on the market with an MT6752 chipset, LTE and 2GB RAM, so how does it feel?
Video: THL 2015 Hands on and First Impressions
THL 2015 First impressions
When I took the THL 2015 from it’s packaging I was quite surprised by the feel of the phone. The chassis looks and feels similar to the alloy frame of the Vivo Xshot, while the plastic rear cover has a coating that feels similar to metal and cold to the touch.
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Compared to the first renders we saw of the 2015, the actual phone looks better in the flesh, but that’s relative. It was ugly in the renders and it isn’t the best looking phone when in your hand (but nowhere near has bad as I expected).
Although the device does have only a 5-inch display, the borders are quite thick so we’re not getting the full benefit of the smaller display in terms of width, but the overall length is much shorter than 5.5-inch phones of a similar specification. The shorter length means that you can enjoy one-handed operation with a little more confidence.
Hardware includes the above mentioned screen, processor, 2GB RAM, LTE, 8 mega-pixel front camera, 13 mega-pixel rear, dual SIM, micro SD and 2700mAh battery. The 7.5mm thickness probably prevented a larger battery, and I’m not all that worried about the battery size as the screen is smaller.
What I do find odd is the pricing of the THL 2015. While the JiaYu S3 with similar specs and 5.5-inch display can be easily bought for $190, the smaller 2015 costs as much as $220. That’s not a whole lot of money for a flagship Android phone these days, but considering the competition I think THL are charging way to much.
A full THL 2015 review plus comparisons with the JiaYu S3 and iOcean Rock are planned. Keep posted.
dont know about other people but ill not buy THL [ th-Hell ] anymore.
never ever again.
y?
Xalis answer already ^
I’m with you, their software support is a joke and they are most likely to ignore a ground breaking bug than to acknowledge it and try fix it.
Similar story with Zopo these days too… My partners zp999 gets OTA’s quite often, but they never seem to actually change anything… Strange really, I can’t ever find a solid changelog either and she’s constantly reporting how crap the battery is on it…
She had a THL W100 before and I don’t think she ever got one OTA on that in the 18 months that she had it!
Which brands are providing OTAs and actually changing/updating things in the process ?
From experience I can say Xiaomi does, there were constant new features given to MIUI but recently not so much, mainly bug fixes.
There was a time that a major bug came up, with headphones plugged in swiping down to view the notifications would disables the touch-screen and then shut off the phone after a minute. Within a few days the bug was fixed.
Shamsung
II have owned two THL’s and both were very good devices in terms of support and build quality. The original Monkey King is still one of my favorite phones ever made.
Which smartphone(s) are you currently using ?
Personal phone is Mi4, which I love. Work phone is Doogee DG_2014 but looking at iOcean x8 as replacement.
Bet you didn’t get Lollipop on either
Considering the last THL Phone I had was in 2013, no they didn’t get Lollipop. But they were upgraded to the latest version of Android that was available at the time.
I owned two THL phones ( W100 and 4000) and i am very satisfied with their performance….
i am worry about the camera qua;ity and the finger print sensor
dont be worry just do not buy it (:
Can’t speak for the finger print sensor but the camera I wouldn’t worry about. THL uses Sony Cameras for their flagship phones. The camera in the 5000 is the IMX 214 with 2.0 aperture which is the same unit used in most flagship devices. This is most likely the same camera that is in this.
Sorry but the 5000 has IMX 135 F2.0
What are you sorry for lol? The only major difference between the 135 and the 214 is the 214 has the ability to shoot 4k/HDR video. Everything else is near identical between the two. The 135 was used in most flagships last year. The 5000 took excellent pictures either way.
phone looks really awesome and most impressive point is that it is a 5 incher…..looking forward for the full review….cant wait to see how the 13 mp camera works……..
Just seen a review about this phone and it looks great. Can we trust THL for ROM updates and bugs fixing? Where should I buy it?
I had a THL T6 Pro for a couple of weeks and I remember the phone received an OTA update
Definitely not to be trusted on the update front! Look at the THL T200 for example, 6″ Screen, MT6592, 2GB Ram (in many ways a flagship device from them)
And it’s still on 4.2.2 jellybean…
Most MT6592 devices at least got Kit Kat, with some manufactures still hoping to release lollipop!
THL don’t give a sh1t!
While they may not have the latest version of Android they do have a very stable version of Jelly Bean on their phones. I know plenty of phones that have Kit Kat and are buggy and unusable at best. Sometimes newest isn’t always the best experience.
W8S still stuck on 4.2.1 as well
My W11 got a couple of software updates.
Like a lot of Chinese brands they are slow to update to the newest version of Android, but if you can live with that they do offer OTA updates and bug fixes.
Hi balcobomber25, thank you for your message above. Which device would you suggest me in the list below? I wanted you to know that my budget is around 280€ but I would prefer to save some money.
List of devices:
– Siswoo Cooper i7
– THL 2015
– Kingzone N3 Plus
– Redmi 2 Enhanced
– ZTE Blade S6 (recently released, it has pretty good specs for the price around 200€)
– Xiaomi MI4 16gb Black Version (my favorite in the list but below my budget, can’t wait months before to see a price drop)
– Xiaomi MI3 (maybe too big for me, I would prefer to use my phone with one hand)
– Xiaomi Redmi 2 Enhanced Version (cheaper but entry level cpu)
– IUNI U2 (released a couple of months ago, awesome specs for 4.7″ device but its battery is only 2200 mAh)
– Lenovo P70 (pretty good phone with 2GB, MTK6752 and a 4000mAh battery)
– Meizu M1 Mini (don’t know about its availability for international buyers)
I am looking for a device with a screen size between 4.7 and 5 Inch. I will use it for phone calls, internet and maybe gaming even if I am not a gamer. It will be my first smartphone.
Your help will be much appreciated.
Marco
I am biased toward Xiaomi, I have a Mi 4 and it’s the greatest phone I ever used. The Mi3 is very easy to use one handed and has more power than most flagships. I had the Kingzone K1 and it was an excellent phone in both quality and performance, I’ve heard the N3 is just as good. Never used IUNI but have used a few Gionees (who owns them) and they were all quality devices.
Go with whatever looks best to you. All of those are from reliable brands.
Thank you for your answer. MI4 looks tempting indeed but above my budget and I don’t see a price drop within 6 months. Moreover, I don’t know if 16GB version will be enough. I will think about what you said and make my decision.
dont know about other people but ill not buy THL [ th-Hell ] anymore.
never ever again.
y?
I’m with you, their software support is a joke and they are most likely to ignore a ground breaking bug than to acknowledge it and try fix it.
Xalis answer already ^
Similar story with Zopo these days too… My partners zp999 gets OTA’s quite often, but they never seem to actually change anything… Strange really, I can’t ever find a solid changelog either and she’s constantly reporting how crap the battery is on it…
She had a THL W100 before and I don’t think she ever got one OTA on that in the 18 months that she had it!
Which brands are providing OTAs and actually changing/updating things in the process ?
II have owned two THL’s and both were very good devices in terms of support and build quality. The original Monkey King is still one of my favorite phones ever made.
Which smartphone(s) are you currently using ?
Personal phone is Mi4, which I love. Work phone is Doogee DG_2014 but looking at iOcean x8 as replacement.
From experience I can say Xiaomi does, there were constant new features given to MIUI but recently not so much, mainly bug fixes.
There was a time that a major bug came up, with headphones plugged in swiping down to view the notifications would disables the touch-screen and then shut off the phone after a minute. Within a few days the bug was fixed.
Bet you didn’t get Lollipop on either
Considering the last THL Phone I had was in 2013, no they didn’t get Lollipop. But they were upgraded to the latest version of Android that was available at the time.
I owned two THL phones ( W100 and 4000) and i am very satisfied with their performance….
Shamsung
i am worry about the camera qua;ity and the finger print sensor
dont be worry just do not buy it (:
Can’t speak for the finger print sensor but the camera I wouldn’t worry about. THL uses Sony Cameras for their flagship phones. The camera in the 5000 is the IMX 214 with 2.0 aperture which is the same unit used in most flagship devices. This is most likely the same camera that is in this.
Sorry but the 5000 has IMX 135 F2.0
What are you sorry for lol? The only major difference between the 135 and the 214 is the 214 has the ability to shoot 4k/HDR video. Everything else is near identical between the two. The 135 was used in most flagships last year. The 5000 took excellent pictures either way.
phone looks really awesome and most impressive point is that it is a 5 incher…..looking forward for the full review….cant wait to see how the 13 mp camera works……..
Just seen a review about this phone and it looks great. Can we trust THL for ROM updates and bugs fixing? Where should I buy it?
I had a THL T6 Pro for a couple of weeks and I remember the phone received an OTA update
Definitely not to be trusted on the update front! Look at the THL T200 for example, 6″ Screen, MT6592, 2GB Ram (in many ways a flagship device from them)
And it’s still on 4.2.2 jellybean…
Most MT6592 devices at least got Kit Kat, with some manufactures still hoping to release lollipop!
THL don’t give a sh1t!
My W11 got a couple of software updates.
Like a lot of Chinese brands they are slow to update to the newest version of Android, but if you can live with that they do offer OTA updates and bug fixes.
While they may not have the latest version of Android they do have a very stable version of Jelly Bean on their phones. I know plenty of phones that have Kit Kat and are buggy and unusable at best. Sometimes newest isn’t always the best experience.
Hi balcobomber25, thank you for your message above. Which device would you suggest me in the list below? I wanted you to know that my budget is around 280€ but I would prefer to save some money.
List of devices:
– Siswoo Cooper i7
– THL 2015
– Kingzone N3 Plus
– Redmi 2 Enhanced
– ZTE Blade S6 (recently released, it has pretty good specs for the price around 200€)
– Xiaomi MI4 16gb Black Version (my favorite in the list but below my budget, can’t wait months before to see a price drop)
– Xiaomi MI3 (maybe too big for me, I would prefer to use my phone with one hand)
– Xiaomi Redmi 2 Enhanced Version (cheaper but entry level cpu)
– IUNI U2 (released a couple of months ago, awesome specs for 4.7″ device but its battery is only 2200 mAh)
– Lenovo P70 (pretty good phone with 2GB, MTK6752 and a 4000mAh battery)
– Meizu M1 Mini (don’t know about its availability for international buyers)
I am looking for a device with a screen size between 4.7 and 5 Inch. I will use it for phone calls, internet and maybe gaming even if I am not a gamer. It will be my first smartphone.
Your help will be much appreciated.
Marco
I am biased toward Xiaomi, I have a Mi 4 and it’s the greatest phone I ever used. The Mi3 is very easy to use one handed and has more power than most flagships. I had the Kingzone K1 and it was an excellent phone in both quality and performance, I’ve heard the N3 is just as good. Never used IUNI but have used a few Gionees (who owns them) and they were all quality devices.
Go with whatever looks best to you. All of those are from reliable brands.
Thank you for your answer. MI4 looks tempting indeed but above my budget and I don’t see a price drop within 6 months. Moreover, I don’t know if 16GB version will be enough. I will think about what you said and make my decision.
W8S still stuck on 4.2.1 as well
What’s the point of being 5″ when your bezels are that thick?
Some guys like a little more junk in the trunk.
@Gizchina:disqus
Everytime I see a new hands on I get so f***ing jealous! Reviews are also great but this is the most exciting moment of getting a new “toy”… wish I could do that also 😛
What’s the point of being 5″ when your bezels are that thick?
Some guys like a little more junk in the trunk.
@Gizchina:disqus
Everytime I see a new hands on I get so f***ing jealous! Reviews are also great but this is the most exciting moment of getting a new “toy”… wish I could do that also 😛
I have the Vivo Xplay 3S and they have quite a consistent bi weekly OTA firmware update. They are really on the ball!
The bezels are so thick, it is embarrassing to whip the phone out in public.
I have the Vivo Xplay 3S and they have quite a consistent bi weekly OTA firmware update. They are really on the ball!
Its still too big. Is it too much to ask for to get a flagship 4.7 inch phone?
If you want that your choices are limited to iPhone and a few older flagships like IUNI U2 and Nexus 4. The difference between 5 inches and 4.7 inches can be negligble on some units in terms of overall dimensions. Here’s an example of 3 5 inch phones and 1 4.7 inch:
Xiaomi Mi4: – 139.2 x 68.5 x 8.9mm
Iphone 6 – 138.1 x 67 x 6.9mm
Honor 6 – 139.6 x 69.7 x 7.5mm
Galaxy S4 – 136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9mm
The overall size is less if it is 4.7 inches. I wouldn’t mind a 5 inch android phone like the sharp aquos crystal which has no bezels, but I don’t want to shell out 500 bucks for a phone. I also want a phone that can fit comfortably in pockets, not a mini tablet.
The overall size isn’t always less because the screen size is less. It depends how much space the display actually occupies on the phone. A phone with very thin bezels can have a bigger display in the same size body. As far as pockets go that will vary from person to person. I sometimes carry my Nexus 7 in my front pocket, a 5+ inch phone fits more than comfortably for me.
I still believe smartphones have gotten too big
Everyone is entitled to their opinion.
Is it worth the $40 more then a Elephone P6000? Planning to pick that one up.
A lot of people have had problems with Elephone’s build quality and software. I have seen a lot of posts on the various forums of Elephones failing after a few months use. I believe one of the test units on this site also had several issues, can’t remember which one though.
On the P6000 review here the phone was describeb as very sturdy. Good built quality.
The only problem i have read about for that phone is issues with touch registering, and there is already a patch for that. Om;y android 5 rom is still beta version.
I was talking about an older Elephone review here, the P2000. Maybe they have got better over the past year but on most forums you can find complaints about a wide range of problems from them. Build quality is actually excellent with their phone, the problem is they usually use cheaper parts on the inside, which is how they are able to offer good looking phones for lower prices. It’s a problem with many of the smaller brands.
My problems were with the USB / speaker on 2 x Elephone P8’s. To add to your point about Elephone quality – check out their website for accessories. There you will find “spare parts” – i.e. a USB board for the Elephone G4. An accessory – really?
http://www.elephone.cc/ca-accessories-9.html
Sadly you are not alone, I have read a lot of comments like these. Apparently one of the biggest things that fails is the SIM/SD card readers rendering the phone next to useless.
The bezels are so thick, it is embarrassing to whip the phone out in public.
You’re embarrassed about the bezel? I’m more embarrassed about the cheeezy “TECHNOLOGY HAPPY LIFE” slapped across the back…that just ruined it for me LOL.
Wrote the entire article without a single mention of the odd looking, ugly fingerprint scanner. Well done, Andi.
Its still too big. Is it too much to ask for to get a flagship 4.7 inch phone?
If you want that your choices are limited to iPhone and a few older flagships like IUNI U2 and Nexus 4. The difference between 5 inches and 4.7 inches can be negligble on some units in terms of overall dimensions. Here’s an example of 3 5 inch phones and 1 4.7 inch:
Xiaomi Mi4: – 139.2 x 68.5 x 8.9mm
Iphone 6 – 138.1 x 67 x 6.9mm
Honor 6 – 139.6 x 69.7 x 7.5mm
Galaxy S4 – 136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9mm
The overall size is less if it is 4.7 inches. I wouldn’t mind a 5 inch android phone like the sharp aquos crystal which has no bezels, but I don’t want to shell out 500 bucks for a phone. I also want a phone that can fit comfortably in pockets, not a mini tablet.
The overall size isn’t always less because the screen size is less. It depends how much space the display actually occupies on the phone. A phone with very thin bezels can have a bigger display in the same size body. As far as pockets go that will vary from person to person. I sometimes carry my Nexus 7 in my front pocket, a 5+ inch phone fits more than comfortably for me.
I still believe smartphones have gotten too big
Everyone is entitled to their opinion.
Is it worth the $40 more then a Elephone P6000? Planning to pick that one up.
A lot of people have had problems with Elephone’s build quality and software. I have seen a lot of posts on the various forums of Elephones failing after a few months use. I believe one of the test units on this site also had several issues, can’t remember which one though.
On the P6000 review here the phone was describeb as very sturdy. Good built quality.
The only problem i have read about for that phone is issues with touch registering, and there is already a patch for that. Om;y android 5 rom is still beta version.
I was talking about an older Elephone review here, the P2000. Maybe they have got better over the past year but on most forums you can find complaints about a wide range of problems from them. Build quality is actually excellent with their phone, the problem is they usually use cheaper parts on the inside, which is how they are able to offer good looking phones for lower prices. It’s a problem with many of the smaller brands.
My problems were with the USB / speaker on 2 x Elephone P8’s. To add to your point about Elephone quality – check out their website for accessories. There you will find “spare parts” – i.e. a USB board for the Elephone G4. An accessory – really?
http://www.elephone.cc/ca-accessories-9.html
Sadly you are not alone, I have read a lot of comments like these. Apparently one of the biggest things that fails is the SIM/SD card readers rendering the phone next to useless.
Wrote the entire article without a single mention of the odd looking, ugly fingerprint scanner. Well done, Andi.
Why didn’t they give in the same 5000mAh battery that was in last year’s THL 5000?
Why didn’t they give in the same 5000mAh battery that was in last year’s THL 5000?
The original renders were hideous looking but seeing it now i actually don’t mind it. I am one who doesn’t really care about thin bezels so that doesn’t bother me. But the price tag does. It will have to come down before I would even consider it.
Hi mate, I would like to buy the THL 2015. Do you think that its price is too high? I am also considering the Lenovo P70 (http://shop.lenovo.com/ae/en/smartphones/p-series/p70/) which has similar specs compared to THL 2015. I also like the Redmi 2 Enhanced version but in my opinion it will be sold around 180$. Maybe it would be better to go for one of the phones mentioned above for more power. Your opinion is welcome.
I don’t think the price is too high, in fact I have seen it on preorder for as low as $219 on some sites. There are cheaper phones with similar specs but that doesn’t mean this phone still isn’t a great value. THL has a good track record of offering quality phones.
“cheaper phones with similar specs” which ones?
Siswoo Cooper i7, iOcean Mt6752 and Kingzone Z1 are all selling for around $199 with the same chip and similar specs.
Thank you for your recommendations. I am looking for a phone with a screen size between 4.7 and 5.1 Inch maximum. Siswoo Cooper i7 seems to be a great phone but its battery is only 2100 mAh. What do you think about that? Another thing, Siswoo is a new company with no track record. THL 2015 seems to be a great phone but I don’t know where I can buy it. Do you know a good reseller?
The 2015 hasn’t officially been released yet but there are some sites that do have it listed, some may even have it available for pre-order.
http://www.1949deal.com/thl-2015-mtk6752-octa-core-64bit-1-7-ghz-android-5-0-smartphone-3gb-ram-16gb-rom-5-5-inch-fhd-ips-screen-4g-lte-black.html
As for battery life that is a small battery but these new 6752 chips are supposed to be low power chips. If it’s true then battery life shouldn’t be an issue. We won’t know though until there are some long term tests done on devices with this soc.
Thank you for your reply. What’s your thought regarding the Lenovo P70 with 2GB RAM?
The original renders were hideous looking but seeing it now i actually don’t mind it. I am one who doesn’t really care about thin bezels so that doesn’t bother me. But the price tag does. It will have to come down before I would even consider it.
Hi mate, I would like to buy the THL 2015. Do you think that its price is too high? I am also considering the Lenovo P70 (http://shop.lenovo.com/ae/en/smartphones/p-series/p70/) which has similar specs compared to THL 2015. I also like the Redmi 2 Enhanced version but in my opinion it will be sold around 180$. Maybe it would be better to go for one of the phones mentioned above for more power. Your opinion is welcome.
I don’t think the price is too high, in fact I have seen it on preorder for as low as $219 on some sites. There are cheaper phones with similar specs but that doesn’t mean this phone still isn’t a great value. THL has a good track record of offering quality phones.
“cheaper phones with similar specs” which ones?
Siswoo Cooper i7, iOcean Mt6752 and Kingzone Z1 are all selling for around $199 with the same chip and similar specs.
Thank you for your recommendations. I am looking for a phone with a screen size between 4.7 and 5.1 Inch maximum. Siswoo Cooper i7 seems to be a great phone but its battery is only 2100 mAh. What do you think about that? Another thing, Siswoo is a new company with no track record. THL 2015 seems to be a great phone but I don’t know where I can buy it. Do you know a good reseller?
The 2015 hasn’t officially been released yet but there are some sites that do have it listed, some may even have it available for pre-order.
http://www.1949deal.com/thl-2015-mtk6752-octa-core-64bit-1-7-ghz-android-5-0-smartphone-3gb-ram-16gb-rom-5-5-inch-fhd-ips-screen-4g-lte-black.html
As for battery life that is a small battery but these new 6752 chips are supposed to be low power chips. If it’s true then battery life shouldn’t be an issue. We won’t know though until there are some long term tests done on devices with this soc.
Thank you for your reply. What’s your thought regarding the Lenovo P70 with 2GB RAM?
Seems Andy forgot the zp920 when speaking about phones smaller than 5.5 inch.
Maybe not a great phone, but details matter, and it would be nice to have it reviewed for comparison.
Seems Andy forgot the zp920 when speaking about phones smaller than 5.5 inch.
Maybe not a great phone, but details matter, and it would be nice to have it reviewed for comparison.
Hello andy! I’ m still searching for 5jnch dualsim dual 4g, 1080p, min2700 mah battery. Honor 6 had everything except dual 4 g. In your reviews please mention how a phone works with. Thank you!
Give the Xiaomi Mi Note a shot but I don’t think it has dual 4g.
Hello andy! I’ m still searching for 5jnch dualsim dual 4g, 1080p, min2700 mah battery. Honor 6 had everything except dual 4 g. In your reviews please mention how a phone works with. Thank you!
Give the Xiaomi Mi Note a shot but I don’t think it has dual 4g.
You’re embarrassed about the bezel? I’m more embarrassed about the cheeezy “TECHNOLOGY HAPPY LIFE” slapped across the back…that just ruined it for me LOL.