Gionee Elife S5.5 review: Genie in a bottle

27 June 2014
Phones like the Gionee Elife S5.5 have come a long way. Well, they’re coming from China but this is not stating the obvious as a figure of speech. We’ve seen good-looking phones made in China that...

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  • r
  • rnagic
  • IEs
  • 28 Jul 2014

I had this phone for about 4 days. It was everything I could have hoped for in a design, but everything else was just unacceptabl. Horrendous lag, 5 hours of battery life, and weak signal strength.

The signal strength was the odd one. I had a nexus 4 which ran on the same bands as the vivo iv, but the vivo struggled to hit the HSPA bands. The GPS signal shared the same problems.

    • P
    • PP
    • 23 Jul 2014

    Why front camera is giving mirror images?

      • D
      • AnonD-77892
      • UNA
      • 14 Jul 2014

      An upgraded version of S5. WOW! xD

        • B
        • Beck
        • SvB
        • 07 Jul 2014

        Or, you can buy Blu Vivo IV for 299$, on Amazon, e-bay.
        Identical phone.
        Allview Soul x2 is gionee rebranded, at the same price, about 467$

          • k
          • karan
          • utu
          • 06 Jul 2014

          It got the KitKat update and battery life is now improved and now s5.5 feels more vivid and snappy

            • D
            • AnonD-188438
            • C2x
            • 03 Jul 2014

            Angry Mobile Nerd, 02 Jul 2014Yeah it was kind of stupid for Gionee to make the "...... moreThere's nothing wrong with the ad, pretty clever to beat Samsung on it's weak points. The thing is the plastic Samsung uses on it´s devices is pretty bad, fragile and has soft painting. The plastic bodies on the E7 and E7 mini are plastic but in a policarbonate kind that reflects in much more quality and solidness.

            It's the obligation of the S5 be better than the s5.5 cause it costs almost the double, manufactured by the biggest Android seller in the world. A agree S5 has lots of features but most of them are unusable when in practice or unnecessary.

              • D
              • AnonD-241421
              • Mtq
              • 02 Jul 2014

              this cellphone will be sold under prestigio brand in eastern and middle europe in month or two

              http://www.pcekspert.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/prestigio_grace_1-300x295.jpg

                • A
                • Angry Mobile Nerd
                • bEx
                • 02 Jul 2014

                Kettzy, 01 Jul 2014It proves out to be nothing but "Just a pretty phone&q... moreYeah it was kind of stupid for Gionee to make the "...and not made of plastic" dialogue at the end of the commercial seeing every other damn phone they make IS made of plastic.

                Us educated folks all know we'd still rather have the S5 over the s5.5, but this commercial is airing in a developing country where their minds are probably more persuaded by the flashy marketing. Good marketing is the enabler for a bad product to be successful, and in all honesty, it's a pretty good commercial, especially for Gionee (it terms of production value/quality).

                  • K
                  • Kettzy
                  • bER
                  • 01 Jul 2014

                  It proves out to be nothing but "Just a pretty phone" afterall. In India they've dared to compare this piece of glass sheet with Galaxy S5, which may be made of plastic but is way way ahead and better than this.

                    • D
                    • AnonD-188438
                    • 8U$
                    • 30 Jun 2014

                    It is the exactly same phone that BLU Vivo IV and Allview X2 Soul and I really don't like the shared design and hardware but the different software should balance the thing.
                    What's this crap about change the so called weak MT6592 for a Qualcomm variation? It's not even clever to do this.
                    Audio test problems is some bad news, I was hoping to get some MT6592 audio parameters for comparison.
                    Android 4.2.2 is a good version but want to see the support of Gionee in this case. Heard that Gionee is working already on a KitKat update.

                      • D
                      • AnonD-274519
                      • pWQ
                      • 30 Jun 2014

                      Ugly phone, but I guess someone would love the looks of this device. Audio quality test problems doesn't sound good...

                        • v
                        • vijayshimla
                        • Kcw
                        • 30 Jun 2014

                        This review is redundant.. Gionee is in process of upgrade to this phone with a Snapdragon processor to replace power hungry octa core at present in this phone and a 2250 mAh. Battery..which should make a better phone..especially for battery power for whole day..

                          • J
                          • JSP15
                          • LL%
                          • 30 Jun 2014

                          it looks the same as BLU vivo IV http://www.gsmarena.com/blu_vivo_iv-6406.php

                            • b
                            • baby
                            • YTd
                            • 30 Jun 2014

                            Everythings fine the price please

                              How can you find such a phone beautiful it looks like a cigarette lighter it might have that option with those thick bezels they could fit a gas tank in them. You either can't see or have a very bad taste. Android 4.2.2! Will it ever get updated with such chipset inside scoring worse than an average midrange phone? What about the battery life bring a pedal charger and start burning calories to charge it. You could lose some weight.

                                • c
                                • chris
                                • q}G
                                • 28 Jun 2014

                                I would also compromise on thickness for battery. To not be running around looking for wall outlets! Some smartphone makers still don't get that. Why??

                                  • G
                                  • Gibby
                                  • Ixj
                                  • 28 Jun 2014

                                  Missing a few features, less experience with IU and probably not the most robust but hey - what a GOODS LOOKING phone! :)
                                  Samsung - please take note.
                                  I'd compromise on thickness for things like card slot / removable back, memory....but a good effort I say.
                                  I'll never get the option to see our use one in the western world though :S

                                    • D
                                    • AnonD-4254
                                    • X0E
                                    • 28 Jun 2014

                                    GSM Arena Staff: Hi Guys,

                                    I couldn't find the audio quality test? You've mentioned it in the Drop down menu for page selection in the review.... but on the actual page, there's no mention of it.

                                    Could you please add it? :) Thanks.

                                      • D
                                      • AnonD-134749
                                      • KAe
                                      • 28 Jun 2014

                                      AnonD-209094, 28 Jun 2014No card slot says it all. I tested a few chinese phones... moreUse nova launcher problem solved

                                        • D
                                        • AnonD-9805
                                        • uPG
                                        • 28 Jun 2014

                                        Where is the audio quality test? Yet it says audio quality on the page menu drop down