Sharp Aquos Crystal Specs Prices Pros & Cons

Overview

The Sharp Aquos Crystal is a smartphone that was announced and released in August 2014, offering a unique design and a set of features that were quite notable during its time. Although it is now discontinued, it holds a place in the history of smartphone innovation due to its bezel-less display design, which was ahead of its competitors at the time.

Design and Build Quality

The Sharp Aquos Crystal stands out with its striking design that emphasizes the display above all else. With dimensions of 131 x 67 x 10 mm and weighing only 141 grams, the device is comfortable to hold and use, despite the noticeably wide top and bottom bezels. Its most talked-about feature is the almost edge-to-edge screen that covers ~78.5% of the body. The build combines a glass front with a plastic back and frame, hitting a balance between aesthetics and cost-saving measures.

Display

The device sports a 5.0-inch TFT display with a resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels, offering a pixel density of around 294 ppi. While AMOLED technology was not incorporated, the display was still impressive for its time, primarily due to its near borderless design, giving users an immersive viewing experience.

Hardware and Performance

Under the hood, the Sharp Aquos Crystal is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 chipset with a Quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A7 CPU and an Adreno 305 GPU. This setup was quite typical for mid-range devices of that era, providing adequate performance for everyday tasks like browsing, social media, and light gaming. However, more demanding applications could pose a challenge.

Memory and Storage

In terms of memory, the device comes with 1.5GB of RAM, which is modest by today’s standards but was serviceable for the level of multitasking expected from a phone of this caliber. Internal storage is limited to 8GB, but the presence of a dedicated microSDXC card slot allows for expansion, thus giving users flexibility to store more media and applications.

Camera

Main Camera

The main camera of the Sharp Aquos Crystal features an 8 MP sensor with autofocus capabilities. Supported by an LED flash, it offers features like panorama and HDR, capable of capturing 1080p videos at 30fps. The camera performance is typical for its category, providing satisfactory results in well-lit conditions but struggling in low-light environments.

Selfie Camera

The 1.2 MP selfie camera is quite basic, aimed at facilitating video calls rather than photography. Its specifications reflect the lesser emphasis on front-facing cameras during the period of its release.

Battery Life

Equipped with a non-removable Li-Ion 2040 mAh battery, the device promises up to 13 hours of talk time. Given the hardware specifics and software optimizations of the Android 4.4.2 (KitKat) operating system, users could generally expect a full day of moderate use before needing a recharge.

Network and Connectivity

The device supports a range of connectivity options, including CDMA, EVDO, and LTE networks, offering decent internet speeds for the time. Additional connectivity features include Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP and LE, and GPS. Unfortunately, NFC and radio features are not available, which may limit some forms of connectivity and entertainment options.

Software

The Sharp Aquos Crystal runs on Android 4.4.2 KitKat, an operating system that was widely acclaimed for its user-friendly interface and smooth performance. Despite being an older version today, KitKat was quite efficient in memory management and offered a host of features that catered to a broad range of users.

Sensors and Additional Features

The phone is equipped with basic sensors such as an accelerometer, proximity sensor, and compass, serving the essential needs of applications that depend on motion sensing and navigation data. However, it lacks more advanced sensors such as gyroscope and barometer, which have become commonplace in modern smartphones.

Conclusion

In summary, the Sharp Aquos Crystal was a remarkable entry in the smartphone market during its time, primarily due to its innovative design. While the device might not meet current high-performance expectations, its aesthetic and novel approach toward maximizing screen real estate was a significant influence in smartphone design. Available in black and white, and priced at about 180 EUR during its launch, the Aquos Crystal packed a unique design in an affordable package, making it an attractive choice for users interested in aesthetics and usability over raw performance.