Coolpad might be a new name in the Indian Smartphone Market but it has a lot going on in its favor especially with mobiles like Note 3 & Note 3 Lite which completely disrupted the below 10,000 category and were a complete hit! A year back it was impossible to think of mobiles with 3 GB Ram & a fingerprint sensor in the below 10k mark and then Coolpad introduced it first with the Note 3 (Rs. 9,999) and then the Note 3 Lite (Rs. 6,999)
Coolpad MAX is a premium flagship which is significant for the company to propel into the big league & the dual space feature does make it unique and secure. It is completely different from the value for money Note series which has a plastic build. Priced at 24,999, it brings premium build and powerful specs for the consumers with Snapdragon 617, 4 GB RAM and 64 GB internal storage on board. This review comes after a month's usage of Coolpad MAX as my primary device and thus will be as detailed as possible with a special emphasis on Camera!
Coolpad Max comes with a 13 MP camera with ISOCELL, 6P lens, f/2.0 aperture, PDAF(Phase Detection Auto-Focus) and dual LED flash on the rear, and a 5MP camera on the front. The front camers is clear & bright enough for selfies and shoots upto 1080p video. While the rear camera specs may seem standard, I was surprised by the clarity and true to life colors of the rear camera. PS- I have stopped using my digital camera after clicking with Max and this is one of the main reasons Coolpad Max is my daily driver.
While the Auto mode is good enough with various extras available like HDR, Long exposure, GIF, Refocus mode among others, the "PRO" mode is what makes the camera unique. It offers DSLR like control like Manual Focus, Manual White Balance, ISO, Exposure and even the Shutter Speed! The PDAF focus is really fast and accurate & the 6P lens really does wonders in low light for extra details. On top of it, the fingerprint sensor acts like a shutter button which is really useful for selfies and pro shots. I would like to give it a rating of 9.5 for its awesome back camera. Check the amazing pictures which I have clicked with Coolpad Max <3
Coolpad Max features a metallic build based on aluminum alloy and I was struck by the build quality of the device. Max feels great in hand and is compact with a 5.5 inch Full HD display which is complemented with a 2.5D curved glass along with Gorilla Glass 4 which makes it scratch proof even without a screenguard/tempered glass. It is available in 2 variants - Royal Gold and Rose Gold.
There's no hint of plastic being used even for the buttons which are sturdy and easy to press. One thing I love about Max is the 2.5D curved glass which makes the screen a delight to look at with a smooth feel.
The placement of fingerprint sensor is at the back of the device with a metallic finish which is really easy and natural to reach. The 13 Megapixel is placed at the back in the middle of the device alongwith a dual tone flash. Overall the design is really refined and premium which can only be felt after holding the Coolpad Max once. I would like to give it a rating of 9 for it's premium design.
Coolpad Max is powered by 1.5 Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 along-with 4GB Ram which makes the performance smooth and fluid. I installed and tested over 60 games including the high end Asphalt 8, Modern Combat 5, GodFire, NFS, Real Racing 3, GTA San Andreas and played them in highest settings. Gaming on this device is fluid with no problems whatsoever and around 2-2.5 GB of RAM is usually free for apps. The 64 GB internal storage is more than enough for most users which again is expandable with a micro sd card (upto 64GB as I have tested).
Benchmark scores were average with 44,550 in AnTuTu, 25,202 in Quadrant 20FPS in GFXbench and 5,500 in 3DMark Ice Storm Extreme. LTE reception is great (as tested on Airtel 4G) and USB OTG is supported.
The Fingerprint sensor is as fast as you can imagine and opens the phone in milliseconds even when your hand is wet. Upto 5 Fingerprints can be recorded to unlock the mobile. The FP sensor is very nicely integrated for features like App lock and Shutter Button.
The Display is crisp and clear with a 1080P panel but the main highlight is the 2.5D glass which really makes the experience nice.
Overall performance is stable and fast thanks to the 4 GB Ram even though the software (CoolUI) is heavily customized. Here are the games that I tested in the highest settings <3
Though at this price point, a better SoC would definitely have been better, Coolpad has worked heavily on the software features while also making sure that the overall performance is swift. I would like to give it a rating of 8 for it's performance.
Coolpad Max has a 2,800 mAh with QuickCharge 3.0 which easily lasts a day with light usage. In real life usage, I found the phone to quickly charge as much as 35% in 20 minutes which is great as the mobile can get fully charged within an hour. The charging cable also has a blue LED light which looks really cool and is useful in dark scenarios. Power users will need to charge their mobile at-least once to survive the day. I would give the battery life a rating of 7 as this could have been better with a 3,000 mAh+ battery.
Coolpad Max runs CoolUI 8.0 based on Android 5.1 Lolipop which is heavily customized to add much more useful features. Those who love Stock Android might not like the feel of the UI but it does have some really useful features and pretty cool themes to choose from.
The highlight of Coolpad Max is the Dual Space feature which is almost like using 2 mobiles and is a must for people who like to keep their personal and professional life apart. The Private Space, which is encrypted & secure can be accessed in a single touch where you can use a different Whatsapp, Facebook account alongwith a different call & camera app. The bestbpart is that when you connect your mobile to a PC, the files stored in the Private Space are not shown no matter what (as they are encrypted)
CoolUI 8 has many extra features like 3 Finger Scroll Screenshot, Inbuilt Screen Recording, Double Tap for camera feature,etc. Cool Manager App lets you block calls/messages, configure Ad-block and has a built in system cleaner. The best thing about CoolUI is the integration of the Fingerprint Sensor to secure everything i.e to access Private Space, to lock individual apps,etc there is no need to install another app. This is one of the best uses of FP sensor and Coolpad has done a commendable job to integrate the same even in the Camera App! I would like to give CoolUI a rating of 7 for its usability.
Coolpad Max comes with a 2A Quick Charger with a Micro-USB, Ear Pods, SIM tray ejector, Screen guard and even a Transparent back cover which is of a nice quality and is a nice move by the company as everyone needs one cover as soon as they get their mobile.
Coolpad MAX is a premium flagship which is significant for the company to propel into the big league & the dual space feature does make it unique and secure. It is completely different from the value for money Note series which has a plastic build. Priced at 24,999, it brings premium build and powerful specs for the consumers with Snapdragon 617, 4 GB RAM and 64 GB internal storage on board. This review comes after a month's usage of Coolpad MAX as my primary device and thus will be as detailed as possible with a special emphasis on Camera!
Camera -
Coolpad Max comes with a 13 MP camera with ISOCELL, 6P lens, f/2.0 aperture, PDAF(Phase Detection Auto-Focus) and dual LED flash on the rear, and a 5MP camera on the front. The front camers is clear & bright enough for selfies and shoots upto 1080p video. While the rear camera specs may seem standard, I was surprised by the clarity and true to life colors of the rear camera. PS- I have stopped using my digital camera after clicking with Max and this is one of the main reasons Coolpad Max is my daily driver.
While the Auto mode is good enough with various extras available like HDR, Long exposure, GIF, Refocus mode among others, the "PRO" mode is what makes the camera unique. It offers DSLR like control like Manual Focus, Manual White Balance, ISO, Exposure and even the Shutter Speed! The PDAF focus is really fast and accurate & the 6P lens really does wonders in low light for extra details. On top of it, the fingerprint sensor acts like a shutter button which is really useful for selfies and pro shots. I would like to give it a rating of 9.5 for its awesome back camera. Check the amazing pictures which I have clicked with Coolpad Max <3
Design & Feel -
Coolpad Max features a metallic build based on aluminum alloy and I was struck by the build quality of the device. Max feels great in hand and is compact with a 5.5 inch Full HD display which is complemented with a 2.5D curved glass along with Gorilla Glass 4 which makes it scratch proof even without a screenguard/tempered glass. It is available in 2 variants - Royal Gold and Rose Gold.
There's no hint of plastic being used even for the buttons which are sturdy and easy to press. One thing I love about Max is the 2.5D curved glass which makes the screen a delight to look at with a smooth feel.
The placement of fingerprint sensor is at the back of the device with a metallic finish which is really easy and natural to reach. The 13 Megapixel is placed at the back in the middle of the device alongwith a dual tone flash. Overall the design is really refined and premium which can only be felt after holding the Coolpad Max once. I would like to give it a rating of 9 for it's premium design.
Performance -
Coolpad Max is powered by 1.5 Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 along-with 4GB Ram which makes the performance smooth and fluid. I installed and tested over 60 games including the high end Asphalt 8, Modern Combat 5, GodFire, NFS, Real Racing 3, GTA San Andreas and played them in highest settings. Gaming on this device is fluid with no problems whatsoever and around 2-2.5 GB of RAM is usually free for apps. The 64 GB internal storage is more than enough for most users which again is expandable with a micro sd card (upto 64GB as I have tested).
Benchmark scores were average with 44,550 in AnTuTu, 25,202 in Quadrant 20FPS in GFXbench and 5,500 in 3DMark Ice Storm Extreme. LTE reception is great (as tested on Airtel 4G) and USB OTG is supported.
The Fingerprint sensor is as fast as you can imagine and opens the phone in milliseconds even when your hand is wet. Upto 5 Fingerprints can be recorded to unlock the mobile. The FP sensor is very nicely integrated for features like App lock and Shutter Button.
The Display is crisp and clear with a 1080P panel but the main highlight is the 2.5D glass which really makes the experience nice.
Overall performance is stable and fast thanks to the 4 GB Ram even though the software (CoolUI) is heavily customized. Here are the games that I tested in the highest settings <3
Though at this price point, a better SoC would definitely have been better, Coolpad has worked heavily on the software features while also making sure that the overall performance is swift. I would like to give it a rating of 8 for it's performance.
Battery -
Coolpad Max has a 2,800 mAh with QuickCharge 3.0 which easily lasts a day with light usage. In real life usage, I found the phone to quickly charge as much as 35% in 20 minutes which is great as the mobile can get fully charged within an hour. The charging cable also has a blue LED light which looks really cool and is useful in dark scenarios. Power users will need to charge their mobile at-least once to survive the day. I would give the battery life a rating of 7 as this could have been better with a 3,000 mAh+ battery.
Software -
Coolpad Max runs CoolUI 8.0 based on Android 5.1 Lolipop which is heavily customized to add much more useful features. Those who love Stock Android might not like the feel of the UI but it does have some really useful features and pretty cool themes to choose from.
The highlight of Coolpad Max is the Dual Space feature which is almost like using 2 mobiles and is a must for people who like to keep their personal and professional life apart. The Private Space, which is encrypted & secure can be accessed in a single touch where you can use a different Whatsapp, Facebook account alongwith a different call & camera app. The bestbpart is that when you connect your mobile to a PC, the files stored in the Private Space are not shown no matter what (as they are encrypted)
CoolUI 8 has many extra features like 3 Finger Scroll Screenshot, Inbuilt Screen Recording, Double Tap for camera feature,etc. Cool Manager App lets you block calls/messages, configure Ad-block and has a built in system cleaner. The best thing about CoolUI is the integration of the Fingerprint Sensor to secure everything i.e to access Private Space, to lock individual apps,etc there is no need to install another app. This is one of the best uses of FP sensor and Coolpad has done a commendable job to integrate the same even in the Camera App! I would like to give CoolUI a rating of 7 for its usability.
Accessories -
Verdict -
Coolpad Max is a polished and well designed uni-body mobile with an amazing Camera and overall performance thanks to its 4GB Ram. Gaming is smooth and there is no heating problem in Coolpad Max. Fingerprint sensor is just excellent with system-wide integration.
Thought a bit pricey, it does have some unique secure features for professionals like Dual Space. It's not as value for money as the Coolpad Note series, but Coolpad Max offers a better build and secure features with a much better camera and overall performance.