Read our Uhans U100 Review, a phone designed to copy the looks of a luxury smartphone at the cost of a budget phone.
Uhans are a phone maker that are not really too concerned with the hardware of a phone and like to take a little more time building something that is different from the norm. Take the Uhans U100 for example, it is a phone that costs just $100 but it’s main selling point is a leather cowhide rear panel! In comparison to rivals this is a strange move by Uhans but they already have a niche following.
The design of the Uhans U100 is a real talking point, and splits opinion right down the middle. It’s a love or hate design, and Uhans know it. They realise that not everyone is going to fall in love with the U100, and this actually works in favour of Uhans. With such outlandish designs they have already started to build a cult following of design conscious smartphone users, a niche that really only they (and a few phones from Doogee) can really fill.
The fact that Uhans also realise they are a niche brand is refreshing to me too. All so often we see phone makers build a phone with the opinion “If its cheap enough people will buy it” as we have seen time and time again this is not true, and Uhans understand that. Knowing they see slow growth and a small niche market yet they continue to make phones, gives me hope that they are not a fly by night phone maker.
Uhans U100 Review – Design
So after my glowing opinion of Uhans as a brand I obviously love the design of the phone right? Actually no I don’t. While I don’t see it as ugly, it isn’t a design I would be happy to show off to my friends or family, and it’s not a design that appeals to as a customer.
But not everyone shares my opinion and there are customers out there looking more style and design over the latest specs.
It’s the cowhide leather rear of the phone that really grabs your attention first, that and the big shiny “Uhans” plaque around the camera and flash. It’s not a subtle phone in any understanding of the word.
The leather rear is highlighted further still with large chromed side strips that look like metal but feel like a plastic with metal look coating. The smooth curve on the rear of the phone is also the polar opposite to the harsh angles and edges on the front.
The most obvious comparison people come to is that the Uhans U100 looks like a Vertu or similar phone, but it also looks like a really upmarket mens electric shaver (from the 90s) too.
Uhans have made the U100 a design that will really appeal to the same people who which a Channel bag looks good i.e gaudy metal and over the top leather. If that’s your thing the you will love the U100.
For such a visually aggressive phone, the hardware is quite tame. There are no cutting edge features, no fingerprint scanners, no eye scanners, everything is quite normal for a phone that costs $100.
Up front the display is a 4.7-inch HD display with capacitive buttons along the bottom chin. Above the display is a 2 mega-pixel OV camera, and an LED notification light. Speakers are located on the front but limited to the metal ‘v’ section below the buttons.
Along the right side of the phone is a power button, and a volume control is located on the left. The base is left blank, and the top has a USB plug and 3.5mm headphone jack.
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An 8 mega-pixel and single LED flash take up their position on the rear. You will have noticed there are no trays for the SIM or SD cards, this is because the leather panel is removable giving access to the dual SIM cards, micro SD card slot and BAK manufactured 2200mAh battery.
Uhans U100 Review – Hardware
As style is the main selling feature of the Uhans U100 the hardware is simple stuff, and that’s fine. The Mediatek chipset is the MT6735P, this version of the quad-core SoC runs at only 1.0Ghz, which along with the smaller display, means the 2200mAh battery hasn’t much to worry about. The chipset has built in FDD-LTE support for bands 1/3/7/8 and 20.
Uhans have opted the RAM to 2GB LPDDR3, while the internal memory is 16GB, 11.57GB is available space out of the box, and an SD slot will take up to 32GB cards.
As mentioned above the display is a 4.7-inch HD panel. It’s quite a basic screen not featuring OGS, and the blacks are more a dark grey, this is obviously one area that Uhans have saved significant money.
It’s hard to know what to write about that hasn’t already been said about this type of specifications set up. If you are a power user then you won’t even be looking at this phone, but for regular phone users who only require the basics then performance is spirited enough.
During my time with the phone I found WIFI and LTE signal strength to be fine, but the receiver speaker and external front speakers are a little tinny.
The 2200mAh battery is small compared to the thickness of the device, and rival phones, but for the specs its fine and you can easily get through a full day of normal smartphone usage.
Uhans U100 Review – Camera
Camera specs on various reseller sites say that the rear camera is a 13 mega-pixel while the front is 5 mega-pixels. This isn’t quite true and even the official Uhans website lists the actual camera specs as 8 mega-pixel rear and 2 mega-pixel front.
Those inflated camera specs come from the software features that allow the phone to create higher resolution photos. This is a common feature on a lot of Android smartphones.
The speed of the camera can be described as slow. The auto focus is slow, and the time of capture and saving the image is slow. Even the shutter noise sounds slow. Taking photos of still life is all you can expect to achieve with the Uhans U100 and only when there is sufficient light.
Uhans U100 Review – ROM
This being a phone designed for style first, it is not surprising that the launcher and icons have been switched to what Uhans consider to be stylish. App icons have a simple neon look to them and with certain backgrounds this can make it difficult to see what the icons are actually showing.
The only changes seem to be in the launcher and icons, and there is no app draw, and if you didn’t like them you can always download something else. Once inside the settings then everything looks like standard Android 5.1.
Uhans U100 Review – Gallery
Uhans U100 Review – Conclusion
As already pointed out, Uhans are not designing phones to please the masses, they are building phones for people who want style over function and that is what they have achieved with the U100.
Those same people who like expensive leather bags and purses, but can’t afford genuine Channel, Gucci etc, will be drawn to the Vertu styling of the Uhans U100. It does everything you want it to do, but not quite to the same standard as other $100 phones and not as the same speed either.
Buy this phone for the looks only, not the performance or features.
“a phone for looks, not function”
And the truth is that its look is disgusting for most people. 😀
lol
I think Andi meant that if ever someone likes this phone, it’s going to be for the looks and DEFINITELY not the function 😉
Yes, I got it. 🙂
Are you ~13 years old child, thinking what will like most people?
Most people = crowd.:) Most people buy phones of no design at all.
Never mind…..
I wouldn’t use this phone not even if they paid me for it, absolutely ugly phone.
what a piece of garbage:
whoever made this phone should feel ashamed.
Wise words
thanks buddy.
BTW, i want to know your opinion:
go look at the official MI Facebook page, there is a new post in which they show a phone with Lei Jun saying “are you OK?”
is that the new MI5 or the old MI Note?
what do you think?
It’s the Mi note alright.
Are you ok? = How are you all doing?
Translated ;P
lol
“a phone for looks, not function”
And the truth is that its look is disgusting for most people. 😀
lol
I think Andi meant that if ever someone likes this phone, it’s going to be for the looks and DEFINITELY not the function 😉
Yes, I got it. 🙂
This comment was deleted.
Never mind…..
I wouldn’t use this phone not even if they paid me for it, absolutely ugly phone.
what a piece of garbage:
whoever made this phone should feel ashamed.
Wise words
thanks buddy.
BTW, i want to know your opinion:
go look at the official MI Facebook page, there is a new post in which they show a phone with Lei Jun saying “are you OK?”
is that the new MI5 or the old MI Note?
what do you think?
edit: it’s probably simply the MI Note.
It’s the Mi note alright.
Are you ok? = How are you all doing?
Translated ;P
lol
i think the poor cam and lack of any teeth in those specs is enough to give a violent seizure/breakdown to EVEN THE MOST casual smartphone user !
this is a horror-show i hope other phone makers will take lesson from and NEVER EVER, even by mistake , repeat or in ANY WAY even slightly recreate, AT ALL !
the ONLY way Uhans can achieve any solid lime-light , is , by inserting SOLID POWER within those pretty looks !
how about a phone with 3gb ram , FHD display (amoled maybe , with AT-LEAST 400 PPI) , 16mp OV (with dual tone flash , 6p lens and blue filter as well , INEW L3 has that and for considerably lesser costs. OIS will be a uber bonus! ) / 5mp OV with flash and 5p lens setup. (bet they are cheaper than sony sensors. they can go for toshiba for further cost cutting) , MTK 6755 (to save cost on CPU) , 3500+ mAH Battery , USB type C , SD card slot for ATLEAST 64 GB and Fingerprint sensor within the home button (a V-shaped home button adds to aesthetic appeal !) … AND keep that girly leather style on , whatever they desire !
for UNDER $160 (along with all that shipping and shit costs !)
This phone will no doubt fetch more applauds and commendations along with more acclaim and customers !
Uhans should go for the fact that a good phone should have BRAINS ALONG WITH BRAWNS !
this will fetch a guaranteed score 0f 8.5+ from the demanding AND unforgiving Gizchina admins ! Uhans can have my word on THIS ~!
Something as what you explain above YASIR I would grab even up to 220,
I must admit I like the design I really do , I would hope they would combine it with that bent 2nd screen desing Doogee tried some months ago.
thanks 🙂
i chose the components based on what i have observed in the market over the past year and how they would cost the OEM kindly and profitably into making a device which they can then flaunt around and offer for a ground-breaking and market disrupting price , esp from a market like china where AGGRESSIVE pricing is the epicenter of corporate showdowns.
Companies and their PR dept NEED to think along the same wavelength as us , the consumers , do … if they want to genuinely make devices earnest and honest to the customer’s needs.
whats the Bent 2nd screen you are talking about ? can i have a link related to that ?
https://www.gizchina.com/2015/07/24/doogee-titan-t3-boasts-dual-display-and-vertu-inspired-styling/
oh .. the T3 !
yep , i waited on that a looong time but doogee are clumsy with timings :/
its a brilliant concept imo as well 🙂 !
no way they can make a phone like that for that price
to each his own , brother 🙂
imho small companies like Uhans won’t have any chance to get components for cheap like Xiaomi or Letv or Meizu do.
Also they usually don’t make big numbers so a small profit per unit doesn’t make any sense business wise.
Small companies should work on providing what big companies fail to provide (lte bands, open source, sd card slot, removable battery…)
they should definitely abandon the idea of fighting the big dudes over the price. (still in my opinion)
fair enough …
look what i said to Joel , “Companies” should think along our wavelengths. so im not cornering Uhans but telling this to every other company … ofc , whether the message gets relayed , is another matter.
yes, i understand.
my argument was about the ideal phone with the specs you listed (a phone that many people would love to have) and a price (I’m assuming international price since you mentioned the shipping cost) that in my opinion is way too far from reality.
i agree with you about what companies (uhans) should do, i just don’t think that the price you mentioned is realistic for that kind of project, especially if the companies are not big like the ones i mentioned before.
ok , what about $180 max , live Bluboo xtouch :p
That’s easily a $250 phone, maybe more depending on the brand.
defo above $200.
Looks like a freaking leather space shuttle with no round edges.
6.5 for design?!?!
Yep this is definitely a paid review
So, you didn’t read the review then?
He is saying it is a specific design meant for a specific clientele. That is why he gives it a 6.5, because they are doing something different from the norm. If this was a “paid” review why would he give them a 3 for the camera? Let’s think logically people.
you dingbat, if it was a paid review it would get a lot more. The design is niche, some people love it, some people hate it. The reviewer already stated he did not like it, you should try reading in full before commenting.
i think the poor cam and lack of any teeth in those specs is enough to give a violent seizure/breakdown to EVEN THE MOST casual smartphone user !
this is a horror-show i hope other phone makers will take lesson from and NEVER EVER, even by mistake , repeat or in ANY WAY even slightly recreate, AT ALL !
the ONLY way Uhans can achieve any solid lime-light , is , by inserting SOLID POWER within those pretty looks !
how about a phone with 3gb ram , FHD display (amoled maybe , with AT-LEAST 400 PPI) , 16mp OV (with dual tone flash and PDAF , 6p lens and blue filter as well , INEW L3 has that and for considerably lesser costs. OIS will be a uber bonus! ) / 5mp OV with flash and 5p lens setup. (bet they are cheaper than sony sensors. they can go for toshiba for further cost cutting) , MTK 6755 (to save cost on CPU) , 3500+ mAH Battery , USB type C , SD card slot for ATLEAST 64 GB and Fingerprint sensor within the home button (a V-shaped home button adds to aesthetic appeal !) … AND keep that girly leather style on , whatever they desire !
for UNDER $160 (along with all that shipping and shit costs !)
This phone will no doubt fetch more applauds and commendations along with more acclaim and customers !
Uhans should go for the fact that a good phone should have BRAINS ALONG WITH BRAWNS !
this will fetch a guaranteed score 0f 8.5+ from the demanding AND unforgiving Gizchina admins ! Uhans can have my word on THIS ~!
Something as what you explain above YASIR I would grab even up to 220,
I must admit I like the design I really do , I would hope they would combine it with that bent 2nd screen desing Doogee tried some months ago.
thanks 🙂
i chose the components based on what i have observed in the market over the past year and how they would cost the OEM kindly and profitably into making a device which they can then flaunt around and offer for a ground-breaking and market disrupting price , esp from a market like china where AGGRESSIVE pricing is the epicenter of corporate showdowns.
Companies and their PR dept NEED to think along the same wavelength as us , the consumers , do … if they want to genuinely make devices earnest and honest to the customer’s needs.
whats the Bent 2nd screen you are talking about ? can i have a link related to that ?
no way they can make a phone like that for that price
to each his own , brother 🙂
http://www.gizchina.com/2015/07/24/doogee-titan-t3-boasts-dual-display-and-vertu-inspired-styling/
oh .. the T3 !
yep , i waited on that a looong time but doogee are clumsy with timings :/
its a brilliant concept imo as well 🙂 !
imho small companies like Uhans won’t have any chance to get components for cheap like Xiaomi or Letv or Meizu do.
Also they usually don’t make big numbers so a small profit per unit doesn’t make any sense business wise.
Small companies should work on providing what big companies fail to provide (lte bands, open source, sd card slot, removable battery…)
they should definitely abandon the idea of fighting the big dudes over the price. (still in my opinion)
fair enough …
look what i said to Joel , “Companies” should think along our wavelengths. so im not cornering Uhans but telling this to every other company … ofc , whether the message gets relayed , is another matter.
yes, i understand.
my argument was about the ideal phone with the specs you listed (a phone that many people would love to have) and a price (I’m assuming international price since you mentioned the shipping cost) that in my opinion is way too far from reality.
i agree with you about what companies (uhans) should do, i just don’t think that the price you mentioned is realistic for that kind of project, especially if the companies are not big like the ones i mentioned before.
ok , what about $180 max , like Bluboo xtouch :p
That’s easily a $250 phone, maybe more depending on the brand.
defo above $200.
Looks like a freaking leather space shuttle with no round edges.
6.5 for design?!?!
Yep this is definitely a paid review
So, you didn’t read the review then?
He is saying it is a specific design meant for a specific clientele. That is why he gives it a 6.5, because they are doing something different from the norm. If this was a “paid” review why would he give them a 3 for the camera? Let’s think logically people.
you dingbat, if it was a paid review it would get a lot more. The design is niche, some people love it, some people hate it. The reviewer already stated he did not like it, you should try reading in full before commenting.
Trust me its not a phone for looks either….
Trust me its not a phone for looks either….
I think, reviewer is to critical about camera. In some light situations it take even better photos that my other phone – Nokia N8. Of course, take some samples, not only one and choose best..
Other review – more positive in camera aspect: https://translate.google.lv/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://www.android-hilfe.de/thema/uhans-u100-mt6735p-4-7-1-0-ghz-lte-2-16-gb-sony-imx175-extravagantes-alu-chassis-oras-review.735801/&prev=search
Phone’s design is interesting and different from usual plastic/metal “pancake” standard.)
Yes, it’s not gamers powerhouse, but for everyday tasks – OK.
I have purchased the U200 and I love the look of it, and I can say it also performs well, very well for a $100 phone. I have no problems running any apps, it has performed better than much more expensive phones I have purchased in the past, such as Galaxy note. The only exception is with some games I have tried, which are of obviously resource heavy, such as star trek, and marvel contest of champions, which are very slow to load, but once they load they play just fine. For my general usage, this phone is more than adequate, even if I was into playing games it would do the job.
For me the battery lasts all day, sometimes 2 days, but I am a very lite user.
I bought one of my kids the U100, and he loves it also, he installs everything, plays lots of games, listens to music, and has had no complaints.
The camera however is not too great. It really struggles in low light, even in medium light it can have trouble to focus. When the flash is used, it causes the subject to have a blue hue. As long as you have decent lighting, then the picture quality is just fine.
Speakers are pretty much as you would expect on a phone, I never expect much, and would not try to use a phone to listen to music, but they are ok and do the job.
If you like it for the looks, you won’t want to put it in a case, so you will need to take extra care to protect it. It is more sturdy than most though, I have dropped mine a couple of times with no issue.
My only real complaint is UHANS customer service, which is pretty much non existent. I contacted them with an issue, and it took them weeks to reply to me each time, I waited for 2 months for the last reply, which is not acceptable. So if you ever have any issues with your phone, don’t expect any support. This may well influence my decision to buy a UHANS phone in the future.
I have purchased the U200 and I love the look of it, and I can say it also performs well, very well for a $100 phone. I have no problems running any apps, it has performed better than much more expensive phones I have purchased in the past, such as Galaxy note. The only exception is with some games I have tried, which are of obviously resource heavy, such as star trek, and marvel contest of champions, which are very slow to load, but once they load they play just fine. For my general usage, this phone is more than adequate, even if I was into playing games it would do the job.
For me the battery lasts all day, sometimes 2 days, but I am a very lite user.
I bought one of my kids the U100, and he loves it also, he installs everything, plays lots of games, listens to music, and has had no complaints.
The camera however is not too great. It really struggles in low light, even in medium light it can have trouble to focus. When the flash is used, it causes the subject to have a blue hue. As long as you have decent lighting, then the picture quality is just fine.
Speakers are pretty much as you would expect on a phone, I never expect much, and would not try to use a phone to listen to music, but they are ok and do the job.
If you like it for the looks, you won’t want to put it in a case, so you will need to take extra care to protect it. It is more sturdy than most though, I have dropped mine a couple of times with no issue.
My only real complaint is UHANS customer service, which is pretty much non existent. I contacted them with an issue, and it took them weeks to reply to me each time, I waited for 2 months for the last reply, which is not acceptable. So if you ever have any issues with your phone, don’t expect any support. This may well influence my decision to buy a UHANS phone in the future.