Coolpad in 2016 : A Retrospective

While the Cool 1 represents the latest and greatest by the Coolpad, the brand launched an enviable line up over the last year. From category leading budget devices to the very unique triple SIM Mega 3, we also saw the emergence of a new design language. Here’s a quick retrospective on everything we saw from the brand in 2016.  

Coolpad Note 3 Lite

2016 began with the launch of the Note 3 Lite. The follow-up to one of the most popular devices of 2015, the handset packed solid internals and a design that was functional and rugged enough to survive day-to-day use.

We found the software optimisation to be fantastic resulting in a good usage experience, a bright and vibrant display that looked great even outdoors. The camera on the Note 3 Lite punched above its weight and the device quickly became incredibly popular in the sub Rs. 10,000 segment.

Coolpad Note 3 Plus

Next up was the Coolpad Note 3 Plus. The device kicked up the screen size by half an inch as befitting the Plus moniker. This time around, the screen too saw a resolution bump to Full HD which came highly appreciated.

The Note 3 Plus powered by a 1.3Ghz MediaTek processor and 3GB of RAM, the device was well received especially at the price point of Rs. 8,999.

Coolpad Max

With the Coolpad Max, the company dived head on into the high-end smartphone segment. Priced at Rs. 24,999, the phone brought in a Snapdragon 617 processor, 4GB of RAM as well as 64 GB of storage.

Packing features like a Gorilla Glass 4 coating, a 13MP rear facing camera with an ISOCELL sensor, we found the Coolpad Max to be fantastic smartphone albeit priced on the higher end of the spectrum.

Coolpad Mega 2.5D

When we reviewed the Coolpad Mega 2.5D, we’d found the handset to be geared towards millennials who are all about design language and selfie capabilities.

The Coolpad Mega 2.5D brought an all new design for the company. Stepping up from the utilitarian language seen on some of the earlier devices, it took inspiration from the high-end Coolpad Max. The 5MP front facing camera took above average shots but the focus was clearly on the design which the handset nailed with aplomb.

Coolpad Note 5

Launched towards the end of the year, the Coolpad Note 5 integrated the design sensibilities of the Mega 2.5D with the hardware of the Coolpad Max.

The Note 5 exhibited excellent battery life and could easily last almost two days on a charge. In addition, the design and display were top-notch. We found the Coolpad Note 5 to be a surprisingly good competitor to Xiaomi’s Redmi series.

Coolpad Mega 3

In a surprising turn of affairs, Coolpad introduced a product that was rather unexpected. The Coolpad Mega 3 was the first triple SIM device from the manufacturer.

Targeted at travelers and those who need to carry multiple SIM cards for business, the phone would seamlessly switch between the slots and networks. Meanwhile, the phone also maintained a dedicated SD card slot which is becoming increasingly rare.

Coolpad Note 3S

And finally we had the Coolpad Note 3S, a phone that once again upped the design language of Coolpad’s offerings. The curved 2.5D glass and dotted pattern that creates a unique reflection under sunlight made the Note 3S stand apart from the competition.

While 2016 proved to be an eventful year for the company, they’ve already kicked it up a notch with the Cool 1 that was co-developed with LeEco. With dual cameras, a high-end processor and good build quality, what’s not to like? Check out our Coolpad Cool 1 review for more on the phone.