Remember the Sharp Aquos Crystal X and the more recent Aquos Xx? Well, the Japanese company has unveiled a brand new device in the series. Aptly dubbed the Sharp Aquos mini, it doesn’t just look sleek and compact, it’s also quite a capable smartphone, much like the other devices in the lineup.
Interestingly, this is the first time Sharp unveiled only one new device in the Aquos series. In the last couple of years, the company actually introduced two devices in the lineup: a higher-end model, and a more entry-level device. Regardless, the Aquos mini belongs in the former category, which is good news for anyone that is looking for a capable compact smartphone.
The Aquos mini is packed with a 4.7-inch 1920 x 1080 IGZO display (which the company claims is more power-efficient than conventional LCD panels), a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor paired with 3GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable storage, a 13MP rear camera with an f/1.9 lens, a 5MP front-facing camera, and a 2,810mAh battery. While these are “okay” specifications for an Android smartphone, the Aquos mini does have several interesting features.
One of which is a display with variable refresh rate: the Aquos mini’s IGZO panel’s refresh rate can go as high as 120Hz when needed, and go down to just 1Hz when the phone is idle. While it’s not clear just how much power can be conserved with such a display, it should improve battery life regardless. The Aquos mini also has an IP68 rating – which makes it both dust and water-resistant to a certain extent – and a unique system that can recognise if the device is squeezed – this can be used to perform certain basic actions.
Unfortunately, as was the case with previous Sharp Aquos smartphones, it’s very likely that the Aquos mini won’t be available here in Malaysia. Nonetheless, it retails at 44,800 Japanese yen, which is approximately RM1,740.
