Just look at the image above and you will see the two very similar looking UMi Zero and DOOGEE DG900 smartphones. Are looks more than skin deep on these two Chinese smartphones, or is the premium price of the UMi worth the extra.
It is quite common practice for Chinese phone makers to use the same design as one another when launching a new phone. Usually this happens either by simply buying in their phones from the same OEM factory or by cloning one another.
In the case of the UMi Zero and DOOGEE DG900 the phones both looks the same but as they are made from different materials we don’t know if the two companies worked together on the design or that it has all been an amazing coincidence.
From the sides and rear the DOOGEE DG900 and UMi Zero both look like the slender Gionee Elife S5.5, but with the front of a Nokia Lumia phone. Beyond the looks the two phones are different in material and hardware. Let’s take a closer look!
DOOGEE DG900
We have heard quite a bit already about the alloy bodied UMi Zero, so this time around let’s start with the DOOGEE DG900.
Starting with the body, the DOOGEE DG900 is a plastic bodied phone available in either all black, while or a mix of while with gold sides. Plastic might sound cheap compared to an alloy body, but even high-end phones such as the Oppo Find 7 and Vivo Xshot still use a mostly plastic shell. Not that it matters much with the DG900 though as the only plastic you will feel is along the edges and the front and rear of this phone are covered in 5-inch Corning Gorilla Glass 3 panels.
The front sheet of Gorilla glass is layered over a 1920 x 1080 FHD display, not a Super AMOLED but an IPS panel. The rear panel is fitted over a rear touch sensor to scroll through menus and snap photos with a tap of the rear. True one handed operation.
Camera’s on the DOOGEE are right up there too and according to specs the front is an 8 mega-pixel and rear a 16 mega-pixel. I think you will probably find that the sensor are actually 5MP and 13MP, still more than good enough.
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On the inside we have 16GB internal memory, room for a 64GB SD card, a 1.7Ghz Mediatek MT6592 octacore processor, 2GB RAM, Android 4.4 Kitkat and a 2500mAh battery.
UMi Zero
If you are reading this then the chances are you have already read up on the overall specs of the UMi Zero and will know them quite well. If you have missed the detailed specs then we basically compare them to a more polished version of the spec found in the DOOGEE DG900.
What that means is that we get the same overall design and dual Gorilla Glass 3 panels, but the bits in-between have been tweaked slightly fore more performance and a higher quality finish.
To start with the body on the Zero is of “Superbody” construction which is basically what UMi are calling their all alloy chassis. The screen, while a 5-inch 1080FHD unit is a Super AMOLED model, there is fast charging and the octacore Mediatek MT6592 processor is the Turbo SoC running at 2.0Ghz.
The rest of the features are very similar to the DOOGEE but lacks the interpolated camera software, and rear touch panel.
UMi Zero Vs DOOGEE DG900
[table id=161 /]UMi Zero Vs DOOGEE DG900 – Final word
So we have two very similar phones with similar hardware so which to buy? Well the DOOGEE DG900 has a rear mounted touch panel and interpolated camera software, although the main stand-out feature is the price at which is just $229.99.
The UMi Zero is the same phone with a little more work gone in to the finish and specification. The alloy body is a nice touch, but I’m not sure it is worth the high-price. What is good though is the Super AMOLED display and the fast charger features, but for $299.99 I would have like to have seen LTE included.
In the end the choice is up to you. If you were to choose between the DOOGEE DG900 and the UMi Zero which would you buy and what are your reasons? Let us know in the comments below!
I vote for the Nubia Z7 mini… better than these 2 phones, at my opinion, and a great price too…
If i must choose between these 2 phones, i would take the UMi for its metal body and its Super amoled screen…
My choice would also be the UMi. I like the size of it in all dimensions. 137mm is nice for an 5″ phone imo.
Looking at the bezel it’s almost impossible to be 5″, it looks like it’s actually 4.7″.
both overpriced
I still don’t understand why the hell would anyone copy Mi3 design, it’s ugly, impractical and annoying to hold in your hand.
Also, phones who used this design are not the top sellers, so there’s no ride the wave excuse. Mi3 was the lowest selling Mi beside Mi1, Lumia is a joke (market share wise).
Just because you don’t like the Mi3 doesn’t mean others don’t. My wife has one and here and I both think it’s one of the most beautiful phones available.
You have no clue what your talking about with the Mi3 sales. The Mi3 has sold over 10 million units as of the end of July. (and that doesn’t count the massive demand and sales going on in India right now). It is the 10th best selling phone in the world. The only other phones above them not made by Xiaomi are made by Samsung and Apple. Keep in mind this is a phone that isn’t marketed in the US, the second biggest cell phone market in the world. If they invade the US sales would be on the level of the Iphone and S4. Don’t let facts get in your way though.
Just because your wife like it doesn’t mean that it’s not a design that’s not so popular. Mi3 is also one of the least performing Mi even though it was the cheapest S800 phone.
Source for your “The only other phones above them not made by Xiaomi are made by Samsung and Apple.” pls
It must be popular with how many units they are moving. As for sources here are 3:
http://vulcanpost.com/7364/xiaomis-mi3-and-hongmi-are-now-among-worlds-top-10-smartphones/
http://www.androidauthority.com/xiaomi-has-two-phones-in-the-top-10-364586/
https://www.gizchina.com/2014/04/04/xiaomi-breaks-top-10-best-selling-smartphones-globally-twice/
Should probably do some research next time before making bold claims that you can’t back up.
Yes, tenth among of ten, 9 which have same design philosophy. Guess which is different from the rest?
Maybe it’s there because of price (guess what? It’s the only $300 s800 phone on that list) and maybe it could have been higher had the design more hand friendly? No one know, but fact is what I said above.
And, do you think if Xiaomi priced Mi3 like the rest of the phone there it’ll sell as well? Dream on.
10th among the hundreds of phones (possibly thousands) sold every month from companies in China and out. Meaning more Mi3’s are sold than LG, HTC, Nokia, Sony, and any other brand not named Samsung or Apple.
Fact is what you said above is your opinion not a fact. 10 million+ people around the world have a completely different opinion as they all bough the phone and continue to do it in record numbers. Price probably does have it a lot to do with it, the fact that is an amazing phone also has something to do with it. But you’re original statement of:
“Also, phones who used this design are not the top sellers, so there’s no ride the wave excuse. Mi3 was the lowest selling Mi beside Mi1”
Is complete BS!
Not completely, it’s still sold lower than Mi2 and Redmi.
Also the fact that Mi4 abandon this ugly design (and hardly any top phone maker use it nowadays) says something.
You are going down swinging on this one. The Mi2 sold over 15 million units, the Mi3 is expected to surpass that number when it completes its rollout in India. Keep trying though it’s funny to keep reading your failed attempts at being right.
Basically what it all comes down to is you don’t like the phone which is your opinion and your entitled to it, but the phone is one of the top selling in the world. You can keep going on and on about the ugly design that no top phone maker uses (even though Sony and Nokia use a similar square concept) but it’s not going to change the fact the Mi3 is insanely popular.
Haha okay whatever you say mate (Mi2 was limited in its distribution compared to Mi3 but w/e).
I’m just glad that only unimportant company like Umi and Dogee who use such ugly design. Oh and Nokia too I guess lol.
You left out Sony, Gionee, THL and Huawei. All of them have phones with a boxy design similar to the Mi3. But guess they are all “unpopular” too.
Who said that? Don’t put words in my mouth. None of them have sharp edge and stab the shit out of your palm.
Neither does the Mi3. The edges on a Mi3 are rounded…
I am guessing you never actually held one.
Haha, BS. Are we even talking the same phone? Do you even know what edge mean?
I do, but you seem to know me better than myself so believe what you want to believe.
I believe that you have no clue what you are talking about. But have a good day.
Not my fault that you can’t spot the difference between Mi3/Lumia like design with something like Xperia Z series beside they’re boxy (uh wow!).
I can’t believe someone like this actually exist. Glad that you’re not in charge of designing phone, really.
Can’t believe you don’t know the difference between an opinion and a fact.
Opinion – “Also, phones who used this design are not the top sellers, so there’s no ride the wave excuse.”
Fact – The Mi3 is one of the top 10 selling phones in the world this year.
Opinion – No one like the design of the phone, it’s not popular.
Fact – It has sold over 10 million units as of July and is one of the most in demand phones in India (one of the largest markets).
The first fact I admit I was wrong, I didn’t deny that before.
The second one is not a fact, it may be popular but you can’t prove that it was because of the shitty design or because of the price/perf ratio and despite all that it’s still not as popular as Mi2 which marketed in smaller market (which mean Xiaomi lost some, or more like lots, of its loyal fanbase in China, we don’t know why).
Round and round we go with you recycling the same false information.
What I can prove is that 10 million+ people have chose the Mi3 over similarly priced phones and continue to do so on a daily basis. Most people who buy a phone that expensive buy it because they like the looks and the performance. In it’s first year (2012) the Mi2 sold just over 7 million units. The Mi3 hasn’t even been out a year yet and has sold over 10 million. But keep trying.
Point out the damn false information.
Is the sales better than Mi2?
Is the market smaller than Mi2?
Do you have any way to prove that those 10+ million people buy this ugly phone because of its looks? I’d like to see you try.
Though no matter what you say or do, Xiaomi stopped using this shit design anyway. So you can win this argument, I don’t really care lol.
“all that it’s still not as popular as Mi2 which marketed in smaller market (which mean Xiaomi lost some, or more like lots, of its loyal fanbase in China, we don’t know why)” – false information. The Mi2 and Mi3 were marketed the same exact way. They start out just being available in China an then roll out to international markets. The Mi4 is following that same exact schedule. Within a year ofthe Mi2 being released it was available in over 35 markets around the world. Which led to them going from just over 7 million sold to just over 17 million. The Mi3 is following that same path. They are just now entering India and have plans to launch in Mexico and Europe later this year.
Can you prove those 10 million people don’t like the design? I would love to see you try. Your argument that millions of people are buying a phone the think is ugly because its cheap is absolutely hilarious. They may have upgraded their design but the phone is still being produced and sold by the millions. But thanks for the laughs.
“Within a year” is a good vague estimate to win this argument, as expected of you.
It’s absolutely hilarious if you think $500 difference to other similarly spec-ed phone does not make people tolerate things like design. You’ve been laughable since the start, thank you too.
What? I dont know where u got this stuff but ur a joke. Mi3 is selling bad? It is uglly? Im sure u havent seen one at all..
I really like the Umi Zero’s design, so I would pay the extra price. Just hope it will look exactly as advertised. And I can’t figure it out: how big is the Umi’s screen? For a 5 inch phone it’s dimensions are way too compact 🙂 Especially if you look at the pictures, and notice it doesn’t have very small bezels.
shame on you! both company no LTE support!
Umi Zero of course….camera sensor is Imx214 on both cams, same as Xiaomi Mi4.
UMI Zero on pre-sell at antelife for $229.99! Specs don’t match above though. No SAMOLED screen?
http://www.antelife.com/umi-zero-mtk6592t-otca-core-2-0ghz-5-0-inch-fhd-ips-ogs-corning-gorilla-glass-screen-3-android-4-4-3g-smartphone-black.html
Doogee as well:
http://www.antelife.com/doogee-turbo2-dg900-smartphone-mtk6592-1-7ghz-octa-core-android-4-4-2gb-ram-16gb-fhd-corning-gorilla-glass-3-screen-13-0mp-sony-camera-black.html
So at the same price which one? Look forward to proper reviews with GPS and camera tests…..please 🙂
Where? with amoled display?
Fr me d design is gud becoz of d slim waist line. But really d price is just too much fr umi its perfect fr d price of 235$ to 250$ max u can get Huawei p7 here in k.s.a fr 300$ wic is having 4g n nfc plus resale value.
Could someone please tell me does doogee have a notification led or not?
I have bought it and it seems it is not present or it is not working..
i have a umi zero. for 180 euro
I own the UMI zero for 2weeks. Suddenly the battery inflated, popped out the back glass cover.
Then you realize that there is no battery replacement commercially available on internet, I suppose the battery is custom made by them (hand made by the factory employees as there is no case….)
you also realize that UMI support asks, as they have no contact page (they have one but does not work…)
I dont know about Doogee DG900, but I suppose the same issues apply: not able to replace battery, questionable battery quality, not able to open the back cover to have access
I suggest to avoid both telephones
Antonis