Review: Coolpad Conjr
The Coolpad Conjr is a decent, if imperfect, smartphone. The device is assembled from a fine selection of materials and has just enough visual flair to help it stand out from many of today's me-too Android slabs. The metal-and-glass design gives the phone an almost premium appearance and should appeal to those who are tired of cheap, plastic handsets.
The phone manages to cover the basics in mostly good form: the screen looks nice; the Conjr connects calls easily and calls sound very good; and the battery provides enough juice to push through a day's use. I wish data speeds were a bit more consistent on AT&T's network.
I'd call the CoolUI 8.0 skin a bit overwrought. It relies on the Android 6 Marshmallow basics, but uses Coolpad's fonts, icons, and other design elements. Some people may dislike that lack of an app drawer, but the home screen panels are still flexible when it comes to customization. Thankfully the phone runs smoothly despite the entry-level processor. The camera UI works well enough, but photos are inconsistent enough that I would not recommend the Conjr to people who want the best in imaging.
More than anything else, I think the Conjr's price tag is what's holding it back. The phone sells for $180, which is fair but not necessarily competitive. Big brands such as LG and Samsung have plenty of fine options in the sub-$200 space, and if you're willing to explore others such as Blu or ZTE there are plenty of bargains out there.
The only real selling point for the Conjr is that it's available unlocked and supports two SIM cards. Yet even that probably is not enough to convince the prepaid crowd to ditch the the affordable options at store shelves at Cricket and Metro. I'm having a hard time seeing how the Conjr is going to conjure up sales.
Our Ratings
Hands On with the Coolpad Conjr
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Coolpad Conjr
