Coolpad Cool Play 6C Review: Another Chapter In The Story Of Affordable Yet Powerful Smartphones

Coolpad Cool Play 6C has been launched in China with a price tag of RMB 849 (Rs 8,300 roughly) and it is a watered-down version of Coolpad Cool Play 6 which invariably has been the best mid-budget smartphone we have seen in ages.

What makes Coolpad Cool Play 6C even great than its predecessor is the fact that it brings dual-selfie cameras into the entry-level segment while not compromising with the performance hardware from any angle. From 3GB RAM to a tried and tested SD 425 SoC, Coolpad Cool Play 6C asks for attention and we find no reason in giving it the same.

At RMB 849 (Rs 8,300 roughly) there hardly exists a competitor for Cool Play 6C and it also manages to distinguish itself from its big brother with dual-cameras on the opposite side. However, there has never been a perfect smartphone and nothing has changed in this regard with this launch.

However, the sweet story of having a well-packaged entry-level smartphone has finally unveiled its first chapter with Coolpad Cool Play 6C, to say the least.

Coolpad Cool Play 6C Specifications

5-inch (1280 x 720) Full HD IPS display with 2.5 Curved Glass, 16:9 aspect ratio and 294 PPI.

1.3GHz Octa-Core Snapdragon 425 Processor Coupled with Adreno 308 GPU

3GB RAM and 32GB Internal Storage, expandable up to 128GB via microSD

Android 7.1.1 (Nougat) out of the box with Journey UI, upgradable to Android 8.0

Dual SIM (nano + nano) and Fingerprint sensor

13MP rear camera with dual-tone flash, PDAF, f/2.0 aperture, HDR, Night Mode, 30 fps video support, long exposure, panorama, Gesture Shot, smile detection and more.

8MP+5MP dual front camera with autofocus, f/2.2 aperture, and 120-degree wide angle lens

2500 mAh non-removable battery

4G VoLTE, Bluetooth 4.1, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n (2.4GHz and 5GHz), USB 2.0 Type-C and 3.5mm audio jack

Dimensions: 143.9×70.8×8.1mm;Weight: 160g

Coolpad Cool Play 6C Price And Availability

The smartphone has been priced at RMB 849 (Rs 8,300 roughly) and is available in Black and Gold color options. While pre-orders have already begun on JD.com Coolpad Cool Play 6C will go on sale on November 25th in China.

As for its launch in India, Coolpad Cool Play 6 has already been launched in August and the pricing wasn’t changed for India. We expect the Play 6C to also make a touchdown this year itself and man, if it does, Xiaomi and Lenovo will have a tough contender to face in the sub-Rs 10,000 category.

Coolpad Cool Play 6C Review

What we like about Coolpad Cool Play 6C

• The built-to-perfection metal unibody design oozes a premium feel, despite those huge bezels while the curved edges make it easy to handle as well as operate with one hand.

• The 5-inch screen offers great viewing angles and results are way above the benchmarks in this segment. While colors are sharp indoors, under direct sunlight, visibility, as well as brightness levels, are also up to the mark. There is also an eye care mode for usage low-light environments.

• On the software front, the Journey UI doesn’t have unnecessary bloatware and with Android 7.1.1 Nougat at heart, the OS feels pretty smooth.

• For heavy users, while the SD 425 doesn’t ooze confidence for performance seekers, it isn’t as deficient either and has been the go-to chipset in this segment. However, coupled with 3GB RAM and expandable storage, the hardware package will handle anything you throw at it, if not everything.

• Coming to the biggest USP of Coolpad Cool Play 6C, the 8MP+5MP dual front cameras offer the best results and by best we mean better than the best. In outdoor conditions, there is unnoticeable noise and the results are sharp, without using the host of beautification options.

• As for the rear camera, the 13MP shooter delivers benchmark results and it especially has an edge over its competitors under low-lighting conditions. Through as much exposure as might like, the color production still prevails.

What we didn’t like about Coolpad Cool Play 6C

• Back-lit capacitive keys have again being ignored.

• We really doubt the 2500mAh battery’s capabilities under heavy usage as it doesn’t come with quick charge support.

• The front camera struggles to focus in low-lighting conditions

• We really miss Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) in the rear camera.

• No NFC Support

Verdict

Coolpad Cool Play 6C, with all of its limitations, is still the best smartphone we have seen at this price point and there is no reason why we shouldn’t recommend this device to our readers. What you get is a capable performer be it while multitasking with heavy apps or capturing the perfect shot. Moreover, for those looking for multimedia consumption, we don’t have a reason to stop you from buying the Coolpad Cool Play 6C, sans a small battery.