Neffos X9
RM599
Pros
- Easy to use
- Lightweight
- Looks and feels good
- Good battery life
- Cheap
Cons
- Photography is so-so
- Not for heavy gaming
Camera
Now the Neffos X9 comes with dual camera setup. The main rear camera is a 13MP f/2.0 PDAF camera while the secondary rear camera is a 5MP depth detection camera. That means it’s the camera that takes “bokeh” shots. Front camera is an 8MP f/2.2 beauty/selfie camera. The dual tone LED flash is only available for the rear cameras.
Taking a photo with the Neffos X9 is a snap. It launches the camera app quickly and focus almost immediately. But the result is somewhat a little bit disappointing. Normal photos would sometimes get blurry and out-of-focus. You must have a steady hand if you wish to get a clear shot of your subject.
Colours aren’t that punchy but surprisingly the HDR function works well. In HDR mode, the camera takes 3 quick shots (normal, -1 underexposure, +1 overexposure) and combines the 3 photos together. The colours and tonal balance turns out well here. Not spectacular but usable. So when I wish to take nicer shots, I’ll turn on the HDR.
I also notice a slight blurry results at the edges when using the normal auto mode. I tried taking a few more shots in case I moved too much just to make sure. But it is still a little bit blurry. It is not obvious, but only visible when you look closely.
Now let the photos do all the talking…
As you can see, there are some hit and miss in the photos. Some are blurry but some prevails. Night shots are obviously “noisy” but a little editing can remove the noise or at lease minimize it. Shooting in HDR is much better than shooting it in standard mode. This way, you will get much better and more accurate colours.
So taking a photo with the Neffos X9 is okay. It’s not brilliant, but it’s not that bad either. The hit and miss is all based on luck. But taking still photos will be just fine.
Conclusion
So after 2 weeks of using the Neffos X9, I concluded that the Neffos X9 is a fine phone. It is suitable for the normal users and by normal here means, not hardcore gamers and not those who does video editing on their phones. It handles normal applications and social networking apps really well.
It is made for simple usage and probably targeted towards the working class people who are looking for something elegant but not wanting to splurge on a high-end device. Or it can also be used as a second phone, especially those who doesn’t want to mix work and personal in a single device (like me).
The Neffos X9 is responsive, sturdy and thin. The size is just right and it fits into my pocket comfortably. It being lightweight tends to make me feel like I’ve lost the phone because I can’t “feel” it in my pocket. But that’s a good thing. I know the phone is there but yet it doesn’t feel like it’s there. Make sense?
So would I recommend the Neffos X9 to anyone? Yes, if only you’re looking for a cheaper alternative when looking for a second phone. Yes, if you’re buying it for your child as his/her first smartphone. No, if you plan to play hardcore gaming on it. Bottom line is, it’s good for normal usage, good for budget, bad for gaming and so-so for photography.
The TP-Link Neffos X9 is selling at RM599 for the 3GB/32GB version.
