iOcean X7S: The octacore version of the successful and popular X7 model. The following review contains benchmarking results from AnTuTu, GPS, WiFi test results, battery performance, sample photos from the 12.78MP camera, etc.  

Out of the box:

• X7S
• AC/DC charger
• Data cable
• Screen protector (attached)

The phone came in a typical-sized phone box –I appreciate this recent minimalistic packaging – less wastage. The box is plain white with glossy silver print on top, iOcean logo on either side, and a spec set printed (in gray) on the bottom. iOcean succeeded in classing up the packaging with their color scheme.

The box just says X7 on top, and the specifications are written in Chinese: My initial reaction was worry that the phone was in fact an X7 model, but upon checking About Phone found it was indeed the correct phone – X7S.

There is no accompanying set of headphones, not too big a deal. The screen protector could have been applied better – you will see later in the photos how there are bubbles on the bottom corners.

The charger is a standard wide-range input AC/DC converter, outputting 5V 1A through a USB port. There are no issues with the charger or data cable; they work perfectly fine.

Physical Specifications:

• Form Factor: 69 x 141 x 8.95 mm
• Weight: 150g
• Color options: Black/White

I did not have any preferences in regards to thickness, but I did find the phone to be quite light. Though if you are used to Chinese phones, note that this isn’t the thinnest or lightest of the bunch.

Looking at the phone from a view normal to the screen, the X7S has slightly rounded corners; the bottom has a very subtle arc, while the rest of the other edges are straight. The back cover is slightly smaller than the phone’s body creating a tiered look around the edges when viewed normal to the back’s surface. It is made of plastic material, very pliable, and has a matte texture, which feels almost velvety; it resists fingerprints and scratches (probably just to some extent). It snaps on to the phone at 15 points and there is a gap on the bottom right corner of the cover which is where the cover is pulled from, when removing it.

The camera lens is situated at the top, a few mm offset from the edge, and is dead center of the phone’s width. The lens is the thickest point of the phone, and protrudes slightly when looking at the phone from the side; the back cover’s hole for the lens fillets outward very slightly reaching to touch the perimeter of the lens.

The LED that acts as the flash is right next to the lens. The loudspeaker is situated at the bottom, also centered wrt the width; the back cover is equipped with a thin slit for this. It has an iOcean logo printed on the back, aligned with the center of the width, with the text direction parallel to the length of the phone.

Underneath the cover, it is a standard setup – micro SD slot, 2FF, 3FF sim slots placed side by side above the battery. The antenna for WiFi and Bluetooth are situated on the upper right edge; the GPS antenna is on the upper left edge; the 2G/3G antenna is all the way at the bottom edge. Screws are Phillips heads, so no need for special screw drivers should the need arise to dissect.