Archos 50 Diamond InDepth Review Specs & Pricing

Introduction

The Archos 50 Diamond was launched in late 2014 and released in early 2015. As a mid-range smartphone at the time, it received attention due to its impressive specifications for the price. Although it's now discontinued, we will walk through its features, capabilities, and evaluate how it stood up against its competitors.

Network

The Archos 50 Diamond was designed to support a wide range of network technologies. It featured support for GSM, HSPA, and LTE networks, ensuring good connectivity across most regions globally. It worked efficiently on 2G bands (GSM 850/900/1800/1900), 3G bands (HSDPA 850/900/2100), and had decent 4G LTE coverage in bands 1, 3, 7, and 20. With LTE Cat4 capabilities, the phone could achieve download speeds of up to 150 Mbps and upload speeds of 50 Mbps.

Design and Build

The design of the Archos 50 Diamond was conventional yet functional, with dimensions measuring 146 x 70.4 x 8 mm and a weight of 142 grams. It was lightweight and easy to carry which was a plus for users who preferred compact and manageable devices. The smartphone was available in two colors – Black and Electric yellow, both of which provided a vibrant, striking appearance.

Display

The device featured a 5.0-inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels, yielding an impressive pixel density of approximately 440 pixels per inch. The screen-to-body ratio was around 67.4%, offering an adequately immersive visual experience for users. The display was one of its most compelling features, delivering sharp, clear, and vibrant images, making it ideal for multimedia consumption.

Platform and Performance

Under the hood, the Archos 50 Diamond ran on Android 4.4.4 KitKat, supported by a Qualcomm MSM8939 Snapdragon 615 processor, built on 28 nm technology. The CPU structure included an octa-core processor comprising 4 cores clocked at 1.5 GHz and the other 4 at 1.0 GHz, of Cortex-A53 design. For graphics, it employed the Adreno 405 GPU. The phone was equipped with 2GB of RAM. Although modest by today’s standards, this configuration offered smooth performance for most mid-range applications and multitasking scenarios at the time.

Storage

The internal storage capacity was 16GB, which was adequate for the average user to store apps, media, and documents. Additionally, the storage was expandable via a microSDXC card, allowing users to provide extra space to manage their data requirements better. Such flexibility was something many users appreciated.

Cameras

Photography capabilities included a 16 MP autofocus rear camera with an LED flash, capable of recording 1080p video at 30fps – more than sufficient for documenting everyday moments with satisfactory quality. The 8 MP front-facing camera was great for selfies and video calls, making it a competitive choice against similar devices in its category at the time.

Battery Life

Powering the device was a non-removable Li-Po 2700 mAh battery, delivering respectable longevity with an endurance rating of about 60 hours. This meant the phone could easily last a full day under moderate usage, with sufficient hours left for the user by the end of the day.

Connectivity and Additional Features

The Archos 50 Diamond came with a variety of connectivity options: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP, GPS, NFC, FM radio, and a microUSB 2.0 port for data transfer and charging. The presence of a 3.5mm headphone jack was a standard and welcome feature for users who preferred wired audio. On the sensor front, it was equipped with an accelerometer, proximity sensor, and a compass.

Conclusion

Overall, the Archos 50 Diamond was a well-rounded smartphone during its time, packed with numerous desirable features for an affordable price point – approximately 200 EUR. While it has been discontinued and eclipsed by modern technological advancements, its balance between performance, camera capabilities, and display make it a worthy mention in the history of mid-range smartphones.