Sturdy build, 4G, not bad camera, Android 4.4 KitKat
Screen could be better
Vodafone recently released a brace of own-brand 4G handsets (the other being the Vodafone Smart 4 Turbo) and of the two, this is the big 'un, with a 5-inch screen and more powerful processor. But is it worth the extra cash?
Chassis & screen
Power and Turbo eh? The main reason for the over-reaching monikers is 4G, the first time Vodafone's included it in any of its own-brand phones. Vodafone doesn't make them of course, that honour goes to Chinese firm Yulong and as we've seen with the previous Smart 4, the casing is solid and functional, but not particularly inspiring. There's no Gorilla Glass to protect the display and the rear casing is a thin plastic similar to what we used to see on Samsung handsets before they started improving them.
The sub-HD screen is a bit of a disappointment, delivering just 960x540 pixels, which boils down to 220ppi. For a screen this size, the numbers matter, and anything sub-HD starts to look distinctly sub-par, with just a little bit of fuzziness to edges and less oomph than we'd like.
Software & processor
Good to see that it's running the 4.4.2 KitKat version of Android, so at least Vodafone hasn't skimped on giving you the latest version of the operating system, though there's no indication of how soon it will receive the next update. As we've come to expect, Vodafone has given the interface a light, red-themed skim which serves to identify it as a Vodafone device, but doesn't add a lot else.
There are a few proprietary apps and widgets including Vodafone Discover, which offers blog posts, info and updates from Big Red, Flipboard style. Bloatware? You decide.
The quad-core processor is clocked at 1.3GHz and backed by 1GB RAM. That's a bit of an advance on the basic version of the Smart 4 (dual core 1.2GHz and 512MB RAM, since you ask) but not a lot. It is fairly fast though, even if it doesn't have the fast-as-thought pace of the most powerful models.
Photography
The 5-megapixel camera comes with autofocus and flash and is capable of some okay quality pics if you take your time and watch your light. The on-screen settings have been given a nice clear layout that relies heavily on sliders and gets away from the usual lists. Extras include face detection, HDR and panorama, as well as a built-in QR code scanner.
There's also a basic VGA resolution camera on the front for video calls and selfies, which comes with a couple of extra settings -- face beauty to go easy on the contours of your face, and multishot to allow you to hedge your bets when taking a quick snap of yourself.
There's only 4GB of memory on board, which seems a bit stingy, but you can add up to 32GB via microSD card. The large 3,000mAh battery held up pretty well, comfortably delivering well over a day of steady use.
Conclusion
The Vodafone Smart 4 Power beefs up the previous Smart 4 with 4G, a slightly more powerful processor and a bigger battery, and outdoes its sibling the Smart 4 Turbo on just about every front for just a few quid more. The sub-HD screen's a bit of a disappointment though and it's got stiff competition from the new 4G version of Motorola's Moto G.
Software: Google Android 4.4.2 KitKat
Processor: Quad core 1.3GHz
Memory slot: Yes
Display: 5in LCD, 960x540 pixels
Connectivity: Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0
Ports: microUSB, 3.5mm headphone jack
Camera: 5 megapixel, LED flash, autofocus; VGA front-facing camera
Video playback: MPEG-4, H.264, H.263, Xvid, WMV
Audio playback: MP3, eAAC+, FLAC, WMA
Radio: Yes
Battery: 3000mAh
Size: 141x74x10mm
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
