The UMI Plus E is the predecessor of the UMI Plus smartphone. Its "E" is said to stand for "extreme" - well, it does pack a 6 GB RAM and the newest Helio P20, so in a sense it could be considered as a monster among mid-range smartphones.
Price
The retail price of the UMI Plus E varies from where you buy it. Whatever the place, its retail price is said to be around $240-250. Yes, it is surprising, considering that it features 6 GB of RAM.
Design
The body design of the UMI Plus E is very similar to the UMI Plus. But unlike the UMI Plus, it only comes in black which according to many tech enthusiasts makes it look a more bit like a premium model - specifically the iPhone's Jet Black color. Though it is a premium-looking smartphone, its size makes it a little difficult to actually use with one hand only.
For its back design, it is mostly covered metal, except for the top and bottom which could probably mean it has some type of antennas underneath. It also attracts a lot of fingerprints and is prone to scratches. There is also a 13 MP rear camera which sticks out a little.
In this case, you might want to avoid placing it on a flat surface because not only it will rock right to left as you type because its lens will be in direct contact to the surface and will eventually get scratched. And according to tech enthusiasts, the best way to counter this is to get a phone case.
For its side design, the phone's frame is a continuation of the back design, so it is also made out of metal. On its right side is where the power button and volume key is located which are also made out of metal. And on the left, you will find a SIM card tray (which you can either install 2 SIM cards or a SIM card and a SD card) and button that you can set for any app to open whenever you press that button.
For its top design, there is a 3.5 mm audio jack. In terms of sound performance, it is said to have really great sound quality - much better than any smartphone under $250. The only problem is that though it is quite loud, there isn't much of a bass.
For the bottom design, you will find a microphone, a speaker, and a USB C port. Now, its speaker is kind of a big deal. According to users, it USB C port is a bit longer than other average USB C ports. So you may have to specifically buy a USB C cable from UMI, because if not, you will notice that each time you use other USB C ports that are not of UMI made, it tends to easily fall out. This was also the case with the UMI Plus smartphone.
For its front design, it has a notification light that changes colors, a speaker, a 5 MP font camera, and a fingerprint scanner on its home button which takes half a second to unlock. Now, with its screen sensitivity, the UMI Plus E has an issue. Well, sometimes you may have to touch the icon twice before you can actually open it. It does not actually really happen all the time, but it happens.
Display
The UMI Plus E features a 5.5 inch screen with 1080 resolution that is covered with a scratch resistant glass. Its colors are nice and vibrant, but struggle a little with contrast. And under sunlight, the screen display tends to be less visible - something to be expected from mid-range smartphones.
Platform And Memory
The UMI Plus E runs on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow and is powered by the Helio P20 - the latest version of the Helio chips. The UMI Plus E is also the first smartphone to feature the Helio P20. It features 6 GB of RAM and a 64 GB inbuilt storage capacity.
Regarding its software performance, it is really great and experiences no lag at all. And for its gaming performance, it is excellent. Users have reported that it can handle any 2D and 3D games thrown at it.
Camera
For its rear camera, the UMI Plus E features a 13 MP camera and is able to shoot in 4k. It also has great aperture which makes it really good for blurring backgrounds. About its photo capturing performance, it does quite well in daylight, but in low light conditions, there is a bit of noise and the focus is kind of soft. For its video, it is average. There is also said to be some bugs with its camera app that causes it to crash from time to time.
For its front camera, it features a 5 MP camera. In daylight, it is average. However, in low light conditions, it is really not that good and you will only feel disappointed. But hey, it is expected for a mid-range smartphone, right?
Battery
The UMI Plus 3 houses a 4000 mAh battery. Now, with its battery performance, it is said to be good, but the exact number are unknown because each source claims a different number. But for the source I based it on, it is said to last 5 and a half hours of screen-on time.
The Verdict
For a $250 smartphone, I think you are getting your money's worth if you buy the UMI Plus E. A 6 GB RAM with a 5.5-inch screen is great for gaming, watching videos, and reading PDFs. Yes, it may have some issues, but still, its specs and features for a $250 smartphone is mind-blowing.
