In hopes to battle the likes of MediaTek and Qualcomm in the entry-level smartphone chipset segment, Intel has recently unleashed a fea...
In
hopes to battle the likes of MediaTek and Qualcomm in the entry-level
smartphone chipset segment, Intel has recently unleashed a
feature-packed chipset without the staggering price tag that usually
come with the giant chipmaker's PC offerings. This is where the
Intel Atom X3 comes in. Now that it's being equipped by a slew of
devices, Intel's hopes of conquering the range of budget devices
might prove successful. And now, first in line to bring it here is
Ekotek, and we have the Ekophone Rogue 3 here in the
flesh.
Ekophone
Rogue 3 Specs
Display:
4 Inch 800 x 480 resolution
CPU:
1.0 GHz Intel SoFIA Atom X3 dual core processor
GPU:
Mali 400
RAM:
512 MB
ROM:
4 GB
Back
Camera: 2 MP
Selfie
Camera: VGA
Battery:
1,350 mAh
OS:
Android 4.4 Kitkat
Connectivity:
WiFi b/g/n, 3G, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, dual SIM
Sensors:
g and light
Others:
Flashlight
Dimensions:
124.6 x 64.7 x 9.9 mm
Price:
Php2,699 (promotional offer: add Php100 for 8GB microSD, Php300 for
Ekophone Atlas, Php350 for both)
Unboxing
and Inclusions
The
Ekophone Rogue 3 arrives in traditional Ekotek packaging – all
flared up with an artistic design. There's the mark of the first
Intel SoFIA chipset upfront, and the key features are printed at the
back to give you an idea of what you're about to purchase. True
Specs, as Ekotek puts it for your peace of mind.
Take
it apart and there sits the Ekophone Rogue 3 nicely in its platform,
and inside are the usual inclusions that come standard with
smartphones nowadays. There's a micro USB cable, a wall charger,
headset, the manual itself, a neat pamphlet, and a sticker. As we've
mentioned with our Ekotab Encore 3G review, Ekotek does away with
after sales service with genuine reassurance, and it shows from their
promise right from the get-go.
The
manual is also clean and straightforward, and it will do the
uninitiated good when they browse through it. We've really grown fond
of Ekotek's inclusions and packaging, and we hope they'll retain it
with their future handsets.
Build
Quality and Design
The
Ekophone Rogue 3 is a no-frills device, to say the least. It's feels
nice and compact when held, and it's really very light. The back
panel features a glossy coating that's somewhat prone to
fingerprints, so you might find yourself wiping it quite often if you
didn't resort to having at least a universal case.
Moving
forward, the power button is located at the left, while the volume
rocker goes to the other side. MicroUSB port is up top with the 3.5mm
jack, while the microphone goes down south. Buttons are also crisp to
add.
Word
of note, though - the capacitive navigation keys aren't really
backlit, so you may find yourself fumbling a couple of times to get
to where you want to be. It's colored silver if that's compensation
enough.
Display
As
far as the display goes, it's one of the weakest links of the
Ekophone Rogue 3. Sure, 4 inches of screen real estate is workable,
even with today's standards. However, it's not playing well with
Android 4.4 KitKat. The notification area is missing the control
panel that you have to creep into it. We're hoping it could be fixed
via OTA. Viewing angles are also par for the course in this price
segment, and color reproduction spells the same.
Still,
we're thankful that Ekotek bundles it with a screen protector so you
don't have to go DIY or employ services, props.
Software
and User Interface
The
Ekophone Rogue 3 features a close-to-stock Android experience.
There's 4.4 KitKat in tow, and there are very minor additions
including MX Player and WPS Office, both of which you can uninstall
on a whim if you want to go all vanilla. Still, we'd recommend you
keep MX Player, ditch WPS, and download the updated Google Camera,
Google Docks, Google Keyboard, Messenger, Play Music and Chrome.
Those are pretty much the essentials when it comes to apps nowadays
anyway.
Performance
Let's
get this out of the way first – the Intel Atom X3, along with the
Ekophone Rogue 3, is built for those looking to get initiated in the
Android scene. To begin with, Intel's entry-level chipset is still in
its infancy, and we had to put it to the test to see how it fares.
While
we appreciate its benchmark results, real-life usage yielded somewhat
mixed results. There are some occasional hiccups with the UI, and
cycling through apps isn't what you'd call seamless. 512MB of RAM
just won't cut it anymore if you're planning to multitask. Still, for
standard telephony and browsing usages, it does bode well for the
Ekophone Rogue 3.
Apps
take a bit of time to launch sometimes, and just don't forget to
close some of them while you're at it. Casual games like Plants VS
Zombies and Angry Birds are playable though, but stutters and FPS
drops are present during occasions.
Camera
Its
camera would be reminiscent of midranged Gingerbread smartphones of
old – focus is fixed and details are sparse, but workable
nonetheless. Although it's quite the handy thing during good lighting
conditions, as with any in this day and age. We're not really
reaching here, a 2MP primary shooter and a VGA selfie snapper won't
really go the distance. Check out the sample shots:
 |
| Indoor shot |
 |
| Great outdoor shot |
 |
| Close up shot |
 |
| Selfie shot |
Battery
Life
1,350mAh
of battery life wouldn't be too surprising for a phone in this
segment. Whatever the case, how long it's going to last will depend
on your usage. We managed to go over a day and back with it, although
that was minimal usage – calls and text, just a little bit of
social media during the commute, and more of a media playback device
in the long run. Oh, and we're liking Ekotek's touch on the battery,
it really does make for a sweet treat.
Telephony,
Quality of Network and Calls
The
Ekophone Rogue 3 comes with Dual SIM capabilities, so you can go
ahead and use it as a 3G hotspot or make calls with it. So far,
network reception is enough for you to make clear calls without
stutters. Of course, you're going to have
to consider the proximity of the cell tower your cell service is
under. But overall, it's straightforward decent.
Audio
Audio
performance is thankfully a wonder through its speakers. It's good
enough to fill you in with your regular playlist, and it should be
enough if you want to watch videos with it. The bundled headset is
adequate at best, but you can use your own if you already have your
preference.
Verdict
Pros:
Straightforward
design
Loud
audio
Impressive
after-sales service
Close-to-vanilla
Android
Cons:
Viewing
angles could be better
Fixed
focus camera
Capacitive
buttons aren't backlit
As
we said, the Intel Atom X3 chipset is still in its infancy, and it's
targeted to the budget-oriented demographic so our expectations were
kept on the average. Experience on the overall software and
performance are adequate, and speaker loudness spells the same. We
weren't too fond of the camera, especially the front. Considering
that the Philippines is the Selfie capital of the world, Ekotek could
have gone the extra mile and done better on that end. Furthermore,
the display also needs improvement due to its less-than-satisfactory
viewing angles.
The
dual SIM capability and a microSD card slot are welcomed features.
While they're not exactly what you can consider as huge demands,
those two features can really come in handy when the situation
arises. So props for that. We're not displeased that it doesn't have
4G LTE connectivity either – it's still not the standard, and it
will most likely kill that battery in a flash.
Still,
we have to keep in mind the demographic of a device in its magnitude. It's one
of the most affordable devices that can get you initiated in the
Android space. Also, as the Ekophone Rogue 3 marks as the start of
Intel's strategy into the entry level segment, it also becomes a
perfect choice for those who want to be an early adopter.
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