Amazing features of GIONEE X1S

The Gionee X1S is a new mid-range smartphone from Chinese OEM Gionee. The new phone is the first at a new price point just below the ‘A’ flagship line.

The phone itself comes in a white box that bears images of the X1S running across three sides. At the bottom of the back of the box are the stats: 5.2-inch HD IPS 2.5D display with Gorilla Glass 3, 4000mAh battery, 16MP Selfie Camera & 13MP rear camera with LED flash, 3GB RAM & 16GB internal storage with support for additional storage of up to 256GB, Android 7.0 Nougat OS with Gionee’s Amigo 4.0 skin, LTE support, Dual SIM support, and fingerprint scan support.

Other features listed on the back of the box include: Fingerprint shutter, IR remote control & split screen. A “12+3 months” warranty is also wedged in a corner above the stat box.

 It’s covered in transparent plastic but once you get past the top of the box lifts easily to reveal the phone. It too is covered in plastic. But the X1S itself is interesting. Gionee went for a rounded screen and a plastic and aluminum build. The battery is not removable.

The Gionee X1S has a well place fingerprint scanner on the rear.

The front-facing flash, sensors, earpiece and Selfie Camera are at the top of the X1S — our review unit came in a “Gold” color. At the bottom of the front of the phone are the multi window, Home and back buttons.

The USB 2.0 charge port is located on the far right below the phone, right beside the microphone. The headphone jack sits atop the X1S. On the back, the fingerprint scanner is located under the camera with the LED flash taking its place beside that.

At the bottom of the X1S, on the back, is the speaker, above which “Gionee” is printed. Atop that lies a sticker with the X1S’s IMEI number. On the right side of the X1S are the Power button and volume rocker. The sim tray and SD card slot are located on the left side of the phone.

Build quality and finish for the X1S is on-par for this price point. The materials used feel good to the touch and it feels solid in the hand. For most people, the X1S will not feel too bulky to hold — it has basically the same form factor as the sleeker Nokia 5, except its got a bit more girth.

Beyond the X1S, in the box, you’ll find the phone manual, some more paperwork, a sim tray opener, a USB 2.0 cable, earphones, a protective film for the display and an included free leather case.

Final Verdict: For all intent and purposes, the Gionee X1S is a great device for N63,000 RRP (recommended retail price). It should benefit from Gionee’s latest camera tech, its design is simple and efficient and you get a whole lot of hardware. How it performs in real world conditions however, is another matter entirely. We’ll have more on that in the full review.