The Cherry Mobile Snap was the first Android Smartphone I have reviewed with a retail price under Php 2,000.00. For this entry, I am going to talk about my experience with the Jade, another entry-level Android smartphone from the top local mobile phone brand.
SPECIFICATIONS:
OS: Android 4.2 (Jellybean)
Processor: 1 GHz MTK Dual-Core processor
Display: 320 x 480 pixels, 3.5” HVGA Capacitive Touch Panel
Wireless Connections: EDGE, Bluetooth 3.0, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Memory: 512MB ROM, MicroSD up to 16GB, 256 MB RAM
Connectors: Micro USB port
Camera: 3.0 Megapixels (Main), VGA (Front)
SIM Card Slot: 2x Regular SIM required
Battery: 1,300 mAh
SRP: Php 1,999.00
Availability: Cherry Mobile Concept Stores and Kiosks, Mobile Phone Shops
THE UNBOXING OF THE JADE
Nothing much to see here except for the usual accessories and user manual. However, if you buy this unit until December 31, you can get a SIM holder freebie. I don’t know exactly what that is, but at least there’s a freebie, right?
LOOKS LIKE A FEATURE PHONE
When this was shown to me without the packaging, I mistook it for an old Cherry Mobile touchscreen phone model with TV functionality. Upon booting up the phone did I realize that the phone is running on Android 4.2 Jellybean. I also noticed that the screen looks brighter and better than the Snap
Holding the Jade is like holding the Snap, only glossy this time. If you’re kinda OC, you will be forced to wipe the smudges off the black glossy body of the Jade.
PERFORMANCE
Let me read the Jade’s specifications again: 1 GHz Dual-Core Processor… Wow! This phone is on Dual-Core already? That should be great, right? It should, however, reality started to sink in during my usage of the Jade. Within my first day of usage I already got the warning sign that my memory is almost full and I need to delete some applications. Well, since it is an entry-level Android phone, it is expected to have 512MB of ROM and 256MB of RAM which is not enough for my kind of usage.
So I deleted my other apps and went on using it. My experience of using the Jade is more pleasant than the Snap. Moving from one app to another is more fluid than the other phone even when the memory is full. No problems in making and receiving calls on both SIM Card slots though I find it a bit hard to text with its onscreen keyboard since I have fat thumbs.
I tried playing a few casual games and they were fine, but unfortunately I had difficulty installing Temple Run 2 and I was not able to play that. Videos from my MicroSD card were playable but not that smooth.
CAMERA
The camera of the Cherry Mobile Jade is pretty ok for its price. 3 Megapixels is certainly better than my experience with the Snap. Here are some samples:
BATTERY
I complained about the battery of the Snap which only had a rating of 1,100 mAh. The Jade has a little bit more at 1,300 mAh which is not too much of a difference. Nevertheless, the additional 200 mAh on the Jade’s battery is still a welcome addition. With heavy use on social media, web-browsing, viewing YouTube videos and of several phone calls, the average battery of the Jade lasted around 6-7 hours on an average. Less heavy usage gave me around 3 hours more before conking out.
BOTTOMLINE
A dual-core powered smartphone with a price tag of Php 1,999.00 will definitely attract a lot of people. But since the Cherry Mobile Jade has limited specs like internal storage and memory, it clearly sends a message that it is being sold as an entry-level phone and it is not meant for power-users like me.
I think newbies will like the Jade. In fact, I recommend buying the Jade over the Snap. For Php 300 more, you’ll get a faster processor, better camera and an Android Jellybean mobile operating system.
LIKES:
- Android Jellybean Smartphone for only Php 1,999.00
- Dual-Core Processor
- 3 Megapixel Camera
DISLIKES:
- Low Internal Storage
- Low RAM
Aiming to have this mobile, my christmas will be merrier if given a chance
I’m gonna buy that one before this month ends. Hope it’s still available.
But if you will be asked to choose between MyPhone Rain 2G and Cherry Mobile Jade, what will you choose?
Hi Toffer,
I can’t comment onthe MyPhone Rain, but I’m prety ok with the Jade’s performance for my plain usage.
shared..do i have a chance now to win?
I’m a JADE USER and i disagree with some writings/reviews of the one who post this.. First, JADE can’t last for only about 6-7hours.. upon using my phone(Jade) playing games, surfing the net, text messaging those stuffs.. it can last a whole day .. secondly, it has also front camera 2.4 MEGAPIXELS (source is antutu benchmark) , it’s Nenamark2 scores 48.1 high enough and much better than other sony xperia and HTC phones.. OVerall, the erformance of JADE was pretty impressive.. it’s very friendly to users.. i agree with u that it’s main disadvantages is the presence of low RAM and ROM but there is a solution to that.. so there..
nice phone..bumili ako at sulit..gusto ko yung sound quality..samahan lng ng good earphones panalo na. taeng sales lady pinipilit ako bilihin ang CM Snap e konti nlng eto na mabibili ko..hahaha..baliw lng..
meron bang play store yang jade? that cherry mobile jade has a play store?
hi. it runs on android so yeah, it does have the Play Store where you can download apps
How to Move Apps from Internal Memory to SD Card? I mean when downloading apps, napupunta agad sya sa Internal Memory. Pls reply asap.
Conrad,
you can go to Settings, Apps, then open the application. you’ll see an option there to move the app.
Hi po ask ko lng po kung may nkaka akam jade user dun po ako kc gusto ko po mgamit ang maximum performance n pwede nya ibigay young CPU number 2 nga kc offline pa may alam po ba kayo paano paganahin gun? Thanks po
May G-sensor ba ung Jade???
ung jade ko sir.ang daling nasira…dinala ko sa center ng jade sa SM dasma..hndi nman nila inayos….nag auto shutdown kaagad …sira n agad….hanggan ngaun….pno b pde gwin ko dto…kbibili ko lang..ayaw nman nyong palitan….
sir pde nyo palitan ung defective nyong product?
im also jade user and it is so cool
but one thing I want to ask.
how to make screenshot?
Still better to choose CM Snap, nakakapaglaro ako ng Temple Run 1&2, Oz. Even Subway Surfer. Same RAM amount sila and I think its because of dedicated GPU ng Snap which is Mali-300. Di ko alam kung meron dedicated ang Jade.
hi!!!
1 week ko plng nabili yung cherry mobile jade…nabagsak ko basag agad yung screen ?? ask ko lng kung may screen replacement ang cm jadE?
may blacklist features po ba ang cherry mobile jade???? answer po plzzz
pwede po ba Hangul sa Jade ?
hi poh..bkt d puedeng mainstall-lan ng temple run 2???dba 4.2 jelly bean..ang jade..
May g-sensor ba to?? kaya nya ba ung temple run?
pm me if gus2 nyo ma swap ang internal storage into external storage(sd) card.. ibibigay ko yung instruction kung pano.. 🙂
add me: www.facebook.com/raicy.shadyren
Hi! Ok ba tong jade sa viber and skype?