Conclusion

Were we wrong to call 2015 the year of commoditised Android phones? Can $99-$199 devices really offer a good user experience? The short answer would be yes, but it’s a bit more complicated.

When we first Googled “Mlais M52”, we ended up reading an article on the Miles M52 experimental aircraft that could have beaten Chuck Yeager’s Bell X-1 to the sound barrier, had Britain not gone nearly bankrupt in 1947. The good news is that you’re not likely to go bankrupt if you choose to get a commoditised Android phone from China, because some of them offer truly staggering value for money, like the M52 Red Note. The bad news is that brand recognition, support and image are just as important for many consumers as the spec, if not more. If you’re more interested in specs than badges, you may find this device very appealing.

The Mlais M52 is a grunt, an inexpensive yet powerful phone that should appeal to frugal users who don’t want to spend a lot of money on a phone, but still want a lot of power and practicality. If it was a car, it would be a big American pickup, while Samsung and Apple flagships would be the equivalent of pricey European coupes. It offers great performance, on par with flagships of yesteryear, for the price of a Moto G or less. Oh, and one more thing – this sample was provided by Gearbest, who also have a discount coupon for our readers – so if you’re interested in buying one, you can actually order it for $136 with free shipping (Coupon GBM52).  Of course, customs and sales tax or VAT may apply, but in any case you’re looking at Moto G money. The regular price will be $159, while $149 is the presale price.

We admit it, we are spoiled by flagship phones and this is the first Chinese phablet we every laid our hands on, so the team’s expectations ranged from good to terrible. Funny as it may sound, the Red Note’s biggest problem may be its incredibly low price, because we suspect a lot of people will dismiss it outright, thinking it’s simply too cheap to be any good. After spending some time with the Mlais M52, our scepticism was gone. If someone was to stick a big brand badge on the M52, add a fancier finish on the back, they could easily charge $100 more for it and we’re sure people would still buy it, thinking it’s a steal. In fact, we showed it to a Moto G 2nd generation user, a programmer, who thought he was tinkering around with a €300 device.

We liked it, not as an inexpensive device with a lot of caveats, but as a good device, regardless of price. The Red Note not perfect, far from it, but you really can’t do much better in this price range, so the Mlais M52 gets a resounding thumbs up.

Mlais M52 Pros and Cons

Pros:

Excellent performance
Good all-round spec
Near-stock Android experience with no bloatware
Clean design with a few nice colour options
Exceptional value for money

Cons:

Durability (glossy finish, glass)
Long-term support and serviceability
Display brightness
Mediocre rear speaker