Coolpad Max Review

Coolpad Max Review

Coolpad officially entered India in partnership with Dazen almost exactly a year ago, but that venture ended just months later. The two Chinese partners then carried on individually, and the company we now know as Coolpad has since then concentrated only on the sub-Rs. 10,000 market with the Note 3 (Review | Pictures) and two subsequent variants. Priced at an ambitious Rs. 24,999, the new Coolpad Max is a significant launch by the company, and could help propel it into the big leagues.

Unlike the Note 3 siblings, the Coolpad Max is trying its hardest to be premium. It has a metal body, curved-edge glass, a surprisingly packed spec sheet, and it even comes in a fancy box full of accessories. Let's see whether the company has what it takes to step up its game.

Look and feel

The Coolpad Max arrives in a fairly elaborate black box with gold lettering. You slide it open and then lift the phone out of its recessed tray. Below that, you'll find an arrangement of black boxes that hold the accessories. You get a Quick Charge-compatible charger, a flat USB cable, a wired headset, a clear plastic case, an adhesive screen protector, and a SIM eject pin. The presentation is clearly meant to impress buyers and drive home the phone's premium aspirations.

The device itself looks like a mashup of recent designs from Apple and HTC. Our review unit was a warm Royal Gold colour - there's also Rose Gold option, but the neutral grey version has not launched in India, which could put some customers off. Everyone seems to be going for this look nowadays, and we've been seeing it on a large number of low-cost Android devices. The phone's front face is covered in Gorilla Glass 4, which has bevelled edges. The glass is pretty reflective, and the edges catch the light every time the phone moves even slightly, which can become a little distracting. The earpiece grille, front camera and sensor window are above the screen, and the chin below it is blank thanks to the use of on-screen buttons.