Review: Kyocera Hydro Life for T-Mobile / MetroPCS
Kyocera did a reasonably good job with the Hydro Life. The hardware is quite solid — and not just because the phone is waterproof and semi-rugged. I like the overall appearance, and the phone is well put together.
As far as the basics are concerned, the screen is decent, signal performance solid, voice quality acceptable, and battery life excellent. Kyocera covered its bases with the essential suite of Google-made communications apps, which all function well (especially since Google has updated most in recent weeks).
The phone stumbles a bit when it comes to extras, though, with the camera rating poorly. The Life may offer plenty of ways to buy and consume content, but the slower performance of the processor impacts the experience a bit.
When you consider who this phone is for — and, more to the point, what it costs — then these shortcomings aren't as severe. Right now, MetroPCS is selling the Hydro Life for $29 (after rebate). It's hard to argue with any phone that costs so little. In other words, if you need a basic smartphone that performs well when it comes to the essentials, there's no better bargain than the Kyocera Hydro Life.
Our Ratings
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Kyocera Hydro Life
