Conclusion

The Mlais M7 is yet another in a flood of Asian phablets based on MediaTek’s 64-bit chipsets, so there is no shortage of alternatives in the same price range. About $200 is the sweet spot for most of these value phablets.

Unless you absolutely need a 1080p panel, NFC, or a best-in-class camera, the Mlais M7 is a very good choice. We especially appreciate the relatively compact design – you’d be hard pressed to find a smaller 5.5-inch phablet on a budget. Most of its direct competitors, along with some much pricier big-brand phablets, are 5-10mm taller. At 8.6mm, the thickness is just average, but the slim steel frame and gently chamfered rear help create the illusion of a thinner device. One potential downside of the compact design is the somewhat limited battery capacity. That said, the looks won’t knock you off your feet, but the conservative design also means fewer people will dislike it.

Mlais decided to make a quasi-flagship on a budget, so there is no 1080p display on board, the camera sensor is not the latest and best model out there, and there is no NFC. However, the Hong Kong-based outfit invested the saving wisely, into a rugged stainless steel frame, Gorilla Glass 3 and a good finish in general. Would it have been better off going for a 1080p display and sacrificing 1GB of RAM and the fingerprint scanner in the process? Possibly, because 2GB is still enough for most users (especially in this price range), and support for fingerprint scanners in Android will remain limited until Android 6.0 rolls out.

At the end of the day Mlais ended up with a competitively priced phone that doesn’t leave much room for complaints. The list price is $189, but you can order it for $173 from Gearbest, using the M7GB coupon.

Mlais M7 Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Compact design, one of the shortest 5.5-inchers around
• Stainless steel frame, Gorilla Glass 3 on top
• Value for money
• Display quality
• Good camera for this price range

Cons:

• Slow charging
• At 2600mAh, the battery fails to impress
• No NFC
• Minor software quirks
• Moody HDR mode