Mlais MX Base review

The Mlais MX Base is a notable pick among the vast sea of China-brand phones that aren't generally solid in the US/UK other than by importers. Its huge battery provides convenience worth taking seriously, especially if you're tired of having to top up your phone at 5pm.

We liked

As promised, the Mlais MX Base's stamina is superb. It trashes rival Androids in every test we submitted the phone to, including the most important one: real life.

This stamina doesn't come with a huge bulkiness tax either. It's only about 15g heavier than the Moto G, for example, and almost 2mm thinner.

Its screen is perfectly good too. There's a bit of backlight bleed, but in all other respects the MX Base has a respectable display that can go toe-to-toe with better-known budget 5-inch handsets.

We disliked

The Mlais MX Base isn't going to impress anyone with its build. The bland look and dated soft keys are one thing; but when a phone uses un-named front screen glass and refuses to turn on for no apparent reason to start with, it's a bit of a head-scratcher.

Mlais also makes some funny moves on the software side. While the MX Base's UI is extremely clean, it alters some of the basic ways you interact with the system, which can initially be a bit disorienting.

And while performance in general is good, a low-sensitivity touchscreen makes the MX Base seem less responsive than it could be. The camera is patchy too. While images are surprisingly punchy, they also tend to be very noisy thanks to lax noise reduction processing.

Verdict

The Mlais MX Base is not a mainstream phone. It has rough edges, things that these days would not be tolerated in the best phones from the bigger names. We're talking about a sub-Gorilla Glass top screen layer, and a touchscreen that's not as reliable and responsive as that on the Motorola Moto G (2015).

However, in other respects it's a surprise hit. Battery life is, as hoped, great, the display is both solid and highly customisable, and the processor has more power than some more expensive phones, let alone £89 (around US$135, AU$185) ones.

That said, the Mlais MX Base should only be seriously considered if you're gagging for better battery life. While some of the camera hardware is capable, a lot of shots end up very noisy. The Moto G offers a far more consistent camera experience. And even the battery isn't perfect, thanks to super-slow charging.

So yes, there are problems. But the Mlais MX Base gives you a glimpse of what phones might be like if flashy features weren't all that the manufacturers cared about.

First reviewed: November 2015