Starmobile Diamond V7 Unboxing: It’s About Time!

Starmobile Diamond V7 Unboxing!

We first heard about the Starmobile Diamond V7 when Katrina Tioseco, Starmobile Head of Marketing, dropped by the show and shared with us their new line-up of products for Q2-Q3 2013. That line-up included the venerable and best-selling Starmobile Knight (which we think is still one of the best local branded smartphones to date), Starmobile Icon, and their first phablet, the Starmobile Diamond V3. It’s been a while since that announcement and we’ve actually reviewed almost all of the gadgets in their line-up. Today we complete the circle with our unboxing (and soon our full review) of the Starmobile Diamond V7!

Before we jump into the unboxing, let’s go over the specs again.

Starmobile Diamond V7 Spec Sheet

1.2GHz Quad-core Processor MediaTek
PowerVR SGX544MP GPU
1GB RAM
4GB Internal Storage, expandable up to 32GB via microSD Card
5.7-inch IPS Capacitive Display, DragonTrail Glass
720×1280 Resolution, 257 pixels per inch
18.0-megapixels rear-facing camera with LED flash, autofocus and BSI
8.0-megapixels front-facing camera with autofocus and BSI
Dual SIM, Dual Standby WiFi, WiFI Hotspot, Bluetooth, 3G, GPS/aGPS
Android 4.2 Jelly Bean
2,600mAH Battery
Comes with free Leather Flip Case and Capacitive Stylus
Comes with a free 8GB microSD Card
SRP: Php12,990

As you can see it’s quite pricey at Php12,990. It comes dangerously close already to other devices with major upgrades like the Lenovo P780’s 4,000mAh battery or the Sony Xperia SP’s LTE connectivity. Does it enough have enough muscle to command that price? Watch out for our full review for our verdict on that one, hehe.

By the way, this post will mostly be about the unboxing. If you wanna read our initial review, check out our previous post here.

Packaging and Unboxing

Starmobile has always been consistent with their boxes. Just like their previous offerings, the Starmobile Diamond V7 comes in a solid carton printed box. The product shot is up front and the specifications are at the back. Nothing really special but at least they’re consistent.

Opening it was standard fare. We removed the tape, pulled off the lid, and we were immediately greeted by the black and imposing (but sezzy) figure of the Starmobile Diamond V7. This is definitely a PHABLET. At 5.7-inches there’s really no turning back. This is a phablet through and through and those who don’t like big phones will not like this. Phablets have always been polarizing and that’s still the case with the Diamond V7.

Other than the phone we found a whole bunch of “freebies” inside the box! This includes the clear screen protector, an 8GB microSD Card, and a flip cover with a capacitive stylus. The flip cover is very similar to how Samsung does their flip covers. You replace the default back plate of your phone with this one so that the cover if really attached to the body of the device. There’s also a slot in between the front flap and the back for the stylus.

Here are some pictures for your appreciation:

As for our initial impressions of the Diamond V7, it’s the same as we first wrote about it a few months ago. The build is solid, compact, and hefty. It’s not the thinnest device out there but it also isn’t too thick that it’s hard to manage. You will have to use both hands to properly operate it though given the massive 5.7-inch form factor (as with any other device like this). The screen is absolutely gorgeous as it can go up to 720p which is perfect for video playback.

On the software side the Diamond V7 is a good performer. Transitions and animations were smooth and fast. Barely any traces of lag save for a few delays when starting up graphics and RAM intensive applications.

Starmobile Diamond V7 on the Unbox Podcast

If you wanna see the Starmobile Diamond V7 live on video, check out the most recent episode of the Unbox podcast. We’ve embedded the episode below for your convenience. If you wanna jump straight into the Starmobile Diamond V7 segment go to 41:20.

Full Review Coming this Weekend

We’re going to rush coming out with the review of the Starmobile Diamond V7 since it’s long overdue, hehe. Watch out for it this weekend. One of the features we’re very eager to test is the camera. It will be interesting to see if this really has the same winning optics as its smaller brother, the Starmobile Knight.