The Pure XR is BLU’s new flagship smartphone. It is built from a solid metal chassis and has an almost bezel-less display frame. Unlike other phones with metal bodies, BLU has managed to add invisible antenna lines. The result is a clean and minimalist design, albeit one that doesn’t really stand out in an age where all smartphones aim for the “flat metal” look.
BLU has integrated “3D Touch” technology into the phone’s 5.5-inch Full HD Super AMOLED display. You’d be forgiven for already knowing the name, since BLU has made a blatant copy of Apple’s iPhone display tech. The implementation is almost identical. BLU’s customised Android interface can differentiate between taps, presses and harder presses and respond accordingly. App support hasn’t been detailed and is unlikely to be wide.
The Pure XR is powered by a MediaTek Helio P10 processor. It’s an octa-core 64-bit chip, designed to rival the more common Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 in high-end handsets. There’s a high 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage, a configuration that matches some of the most expensive phones on the market.
Camera gear is similarly impressive. The rear camera has a 16-megapixel sensor that supports real-time HDR and laser-assisted autofocus technology. It includes Magic Focus, a feature that allows you to choose the focus point of an image after you’ve captured it. The front camera is a wide-angle 8MP unit accompanied by “face beautification” software.
The rest of the spec sheet is typical for a budget flagship. There’s high-speed LTE, a fingerprint sensor, a large 3,000mAh battery and a Quick Charging system that refills to 50% capacity in 30 minutes. The Pure XR will come with Android 6.0 Marshmallow preinstalled. BLU hasn’t commented on when, or if, an Android 7.0 upgrade will be coming.
The Pure XR demonstrates once again that spending $600 on a smartphone is no longer necessary or even advisable. Spending more only gets you a more established and familiar name. Emerging manufacturers such as BLU are proving to be a problem for market leaders like Samsung.
The big-name brands have so far indicated they can’t lower their prices to match the onslaught of budget flagships flooding the market. The phones are proving popular with consumers who can now spend less to get the same technology. The Pure XR delivers for $300 what would have been acceptable at twice that only a few months ago.
“The BLU Pure XR offers everything someone can ask for in terms of performance and specs in a flagship smartphone,” said Samuel Ohev-Zion, CEO of BLU Products. “This device combines a striking design that offers curved glass and invisible antenna, powered by MediaTek helio P10 Octa-core processor, which sets a new standard for flagship smartphone at just $299.99.”
Companies like BLU manage to sell their devices so cheaply by accepting narrower profit margins, something that the market leaders are less willing to do. The components themselves also retail for less. MediaTek’s processors are competent chips but they’re a budget option compared to the more popular Qualcomm Snapdragon series.
BLU will be selling the Pure XR on Amazon.com and Bestbuy.com for $299.99, unlocked. It will work on T-Mobile and AT&T’s 4G networks in the US. Two colours are available, gold and grey. Availability outside of the U.S. has not yet been detailed.
