Vodafone Smart Platinum 7, we have tested it

Both Vodafone and Orange are two operators that in recent years have left us several models designed to take advantage of their high-speed networks. Equipment such as the Orange Nura or the Vodafone Smart Prime 6 have been an interesting alternative for users looking for mid-range or entry-level models equipped with the operator's apps. But Vodafone has decided to go a step further. Your Vodafone Smart Platinum 7 smartphone is a device that has several high-end elements, such as its 16-megapixel main camera or its 5.5-inch screen with Quad HD resolution. And all this with a design that moves away from simpler aspects and opts for the use of glass on the back or a double slot for the speakers on the front. Its price is placed at 336 euros . Enough to compete with the heavyweights of the market? We have had the opportunity to test this equipment in depth, we will tell you our impressions.

A tall screen

It is one of the aspects that we liked the most about the Vodafone Smart Platinum 7 . Its screen reaches a very high level, both in terms of brightness and when it comes to achieving vibrant colors . Of course, sometimes a little more naturalness is missing in the handling of color. The company has opted for an AMOLED- type panel , a technology that helps reduce consumption compared to IPS panels. In addition, the level of tactile finesse is at the height of what is expected in a premium terminal. The same must be said of its level of detail as the Platinum 7 reaches Quad HD resolution of 2,560 x 1,440 pixels , resulting in a density of 534 dots per inch. This formula makes it an excellent device for watching movies or videos, both in size and features. Of course, not everything is equally powerful on this screen. Fingerprints stay on the panel very easily, which will force us to often use a cloth to clean it.

Elegant design with very slim profile

The step forward in design is also noticeable. The Vodafone Smart Platinum 7 has an elegant cut, in which the side buttons with raised triangular drawings or the two thin lines for the speakers that are located above and below the screen stand out especially . This placement is a success to avoid losing quality and audio power when we have the mobile on a surface. It should be noted that the stereo sound of the mobile has good quality and the surround effect is more than remarkable, although it is distorted a lot if we take it to the maximum.

At the rear, Vodafone has opted for a glass case. This material creates a very attractive sensation at first glance, but having decided on a dark hue later becomes a handicap. Despite the fact that the resistance to fingerprints is quite good, after a while finger marks begin to remain and much of the premium halo of the smartphone is lost. What we did like a lot is its fingerprint reader, which is located just below the rear camera. Its operation is correct and most of the time it recognizes the contact the first time. The complete measurements of the Vodafone Smart Premium 7 are 154 x 75.6 x 7 millimeters, a very slim profile that has nothing to envy the big names in the market. In addition, it has a competitive weight of 155 grams.

A powerful mobile for day to day

The Vodafone Smart Platinum 7 has a technical set that is one step below models such as the Samsung Galaxy S7 or the Huawei P9 , but which is more than enough to enjoy powerful games and Android apps. Specifically, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 processor with eight cores has been chosen , four of them at a speed of 1.8 GHz and the remaining four at a speed of 1.2 GHz. This chip is combined with a RAM memory of 3 GB . In our tests with AnTuTu Benchmark or Geekbench 3, the Platinum 7 has scored good results with scores of 81,458 points and 4,962 points , respectively.

As for its internal memory, its 32 GB will allow us to save a good number of photos, videos, games and apps without having to worry about space. If necessary, it can be expanded through a microSD memory card up to 128 GB or through an online storage system such as Dropbox or Google Drive.

16 megapixel camera with 4K recording

The main camera of this smartphone raises its resolution to 16 megapixels. Despite this wide resolution, we have not found it one of the strengths of the phone, since its performance is more typical of a mid-range camera. Above all, we have noticed more limitations when it comes to handling color in scenes with higher light contrast. All in all, it is a lens that marks a good aperture of f / 2.0 (which improves the result in low light conditions) and that allows us to record video in ultra-high resolution 4K UHD . Without a doubt, a point that can give us a lot of play if we have a state-of-the-art television or if we are thinking of taking the leap in a short time.

Personally, its front camera has left me a better taste in my mouth. In this case, we are facing an 8 megapixel lens with a built-in flash . The endurance of this camera in different environments is very good and the quality of the selfies is remarkable. In addition, the use of flash is an aspect to highlight when we want to leave a memory of a party or a night out. We have also been surprised that from this camera we can record video in 2K quality , when usually the front cameras stay in Full HD resolution.

Operating system and applications

The latest version of the Android 6 Marshmallow operating system could not fail on this mobile . This will allow us to enjoy the latest news and security updates for this popular platform. Now, we have to bear in mind that we are dealing with an operator smartphone. On a practical level, that means that we will have to deal with a good number of Vodafone's own apps and features. For example, if we drag our finger several times on the screen to the right, we will have a panel with tips for using the Vodafone Smart Platinum 7. These tips appear in the form of cards, in a very similar way to that used by the Google Now assistant. We also find a Vodafone Start widgetdesigned to show us the latest news and offers from the company, as well as several proprietary applications such as My Vodafone (to be able to manage our rate and features) or Protect , to keep the phone safe.

Autonomy, price and opinions

The Vodafone Smart Platinum 7 uses a 3,000 milliamp battery with fast charge function . It is not a smartphone that stands out especially for its autonomy, although it maintains an average performance that has allowed us to use the model for about a day without having to look for a plug. Users who want to buy the Platinum 7 will have to pay a payment of about 340 euros , or take advantage of any of the firm's offers to get the terminal in installments. In short, it is a model that has left us a good impression in general. The Vodafone smartphonestands on the barrier between the premium mid-range and the high-end, with features that seek to differentiate it from other competitive offerings. A 5.5-inch Quad HD screen, an immersive audio system, its design with glass on the back ... These are some of the hooks with which one of the most powerful proposals that we have seen to date (if we talk of mobile operators).