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Kata M4 Unboxing And First Impressions - Flagship Enough?

OPPO
Infinix
Kata recently launched a line of new phones for the holidays and we couldn't wait to write about them especially for the M4 because it is clear that it was inspired by one of best smartphones that was released early 2016 - the Huawei P9 or even the Nexus 6P!
Kata M4 Unboxing And First Impressions - Flagship Enough?
Look familiar right?

With an SRP of just PHP 13,999 with materials made of metal and 2.5D with specs that mirror similarly priced competitors. Will this be the sub PHP 14K phone to get before 2016 ends?

Disclaimer: This M4 is a seeded unit from Kata Philippines for an honest review.

Kata M4 Specs

Display: 5.5 Inch FHD IPS 1920 x 1080 resolution at 401 ppi
CPU: 1.3 GHz 64 Bit MT6753 octa core processor
GPU: Mali T720
RAM: 3 GB
ROM: 32 GB expandable via micro SD card slot
Main Camera: 18 MP f/2.2 w/ AF and LED flash
Selfie Camera: 13 MP f/2.4
Battery: 2,800 mAh
OS: Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS
Connectivity: WiFi, 3G, LTE, Bluetooth 4.0, FM Radio, GPS, A GPS, dual SIM
Sensors: Accelerometer, light, proximity
Others: Fingerprint sensor, Colors: grey silver, gold
Dimensions: 152.5 x 77.7 x 7.2 mm
Weight: 175.5 g
Price: PHP 13,999

Sale Alert: Kata M4 Is Down To PHP 9499!

Unboxing / Accessories

Everything inside!
Everything inside!

The M4 comes with the familiar packaging found with most Kata phones with the signature fish logo and branding on all sides. 

Inside the box, you'll find a regular 1.5A regular USB wall charger, USB to micro USB charging / data cables, earbuds with microphone for calls / music, SIM ejector tool, and documentation. Decent build quality all around but nothing spectacular accessories wise.

Build Quality / Design

It looks great!

In front is a 2.5 glass covered display that is smooth to touch. The back is clearly inspired by one of the biggest smartphone players from China! The fingerprint scanner shape and placement along with the black patch on top is a clear nod to the prominent Chinese brand that inspired the look of this phone! 
Inspired by Huawei's P9 or even Nexus 6P!
At first glance, the 2.5D glass, the aluminum body and the chamfered edges look absolutely premium but at closer inspection and at hands-on it is clear that Kata was in a hurry in designing this phone. The chamfered edges and the black patch are sharp which indicates a clear need for refinement especially at this price range.
3.5 mm headphone jack, also visible in this image is the ejectable SIM slot at right
3.5 mm headphone jack, also visible in this image is the ejectable SIM slot at right
Twin speaker grills!
Volume rocker and power button at left
Volume rocker and power button at left
LED, proximity sensors and secondary camera!

The phone however feels solid and it didn't feel like it would fall apart after a single drop. We do love the 2.5D glass though. Ports placements are okay and in standard places. However, the buttons are located at the left side which will take time to get familiar with.

Initial findings

1. It's 5.5 inch FHD screen with 2.5D curved is bright but the color gamut is obviously limited as the i5 has a better reproduction of color gradients (Colors of darker shade to lighter shade) even with a lower res HD screen.
2. The design looks great far away but when inspected closely it is rough around the edges.
3. Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box and is snappy with normal use and with multiple applications running in the background.
4. The main camera and selfie looks decent in daylight for the price, but we'll need more testing to accurately comment on its quality.
5. It is OTG compatible, but there's no LED notification, and capacitive keys backlight
6. Fingerprint scanner is accurate and quick!
7. When running benchmarks or when downloading huge files, the Kata heats to near uncomfortable levels at the metal frames where your fingers usually are when one handing this phone.

Camera teaser

Main camera sample in HDR
Main camera sample in HDR
Selfie camera sample
Selfie camera sample

As of the moment

We have mixed feelings with this phone. We have to do more testing to see if the downsides outweigh the positives! Come back for the full review soon!

For our review: Kata M4 Review - Flagship Like Aesthetics
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