Eight-core model in an attractive case with an additional information display

At the very end of last year, the Vobis company, which owns the Highscreen brand, announced the start of sales of a new smartphone called Ice 2. According to the accompanying information, “the new product continues the flagship series of Highscreen Ice smartphones produced under this brand.” This time, the screen and the back of the device are covered with Gorilla Glass 3, which makes the device quite expressive in appearance and allows developers to classify the smartphone as a fashion model. It should be noted that this is not the first Highscreen model recently called a flagship in press releases. After it, the recently released Zera U model (a review of this device is already being prepared) and the just announced Highscreen Hercules, a “light and thin flagship,” were also dedicated to flagships. But things will come to them later, but for now let’s return to the Ice 2 model, which went on sale at the end of last year at a very considerable price and has become even more expensive since then.

The price for the Highscreen Ice 2 smartphone was initially set high. Even at the start, the smartphone was sold for a considerable 15 thousand rubles, but now its price is already 17 thousand, which is quite a lot for devices of this brand even in modern times. What prompted this decision by Vobis is not entirely clear, but there is certainly something to compare a smartphone with similar characteristics to. Take, for example, the Fly Tornado One, which is similar in characteristics, positioned as a model of the same level as today’s hero of the review, but which can now be easily found in retail at a price of up to 13 thousand rubles. And even more advanced in terms of characteristics, Alcatel OneTouch Idol X+ with a five-inch Full HD screen on a more powerful platform did not exceed the 13 thousand mark, although in many respects it is more interesting than Highscreen Ice 2. So is there anything unusual in the new Highscreen device, besides the catchy design with glass panels installed on both sides of the body? Let's figure it out.

Main characteristics of Highscreen Ice 2

	Highscreen Ice 2	Micromax Canvas Nitro	Fly Tornado One	TCL Idol X+	Huawei Honor 6
Screen	4.7″, IPS	5″, IPS	5″, IPS	5″, IPS	5″, IPS
Permission	1280×720, 312 ppi	1280×720, 294 ppi	1280×720, 294 ppi	1920×1080, 440 ppi	1920×1080, 440 ppi
SoC		MediaTek MT6592 (8 cores ARM Cortex-A7 @1.7 GHz)	MediaTek MT6592m (8 cores ARM Cortex-A7 @1.4 GHz)	MediaTek MT6592 (8 cores ARM Cortex-A7 @2.0 GHz)	HiSilicon Kirin 920 (4x ARM Cortex-A15 @1.7 GHz + 4x ARM Cortex-A7)
GPU	Mali 450MP	Mali 450MP	Mali 450MP	Mali 450MP	Mali-T628 MP4
RAM	2 GB	2 GB	1 GB	2 GB	3 GB
Flash memory	16 GB	8 GB	8 GB	16 GB	16/32 GB
Memory card support	microSD	microSD	microSD	—	microSD
operating system	Google Android 4.4	Google Android 4.4	Google Android 4.4	Google Android 4.2	Google Android 4.4
Battery	non-removable, 2500 mAh	removable, 2500 mAh	non-removable, 1920 mAh	non-removable, 2500 mAh	non-removable, 3100 mAh
Cameras		rear (13 MP; video 1080p), front (5 MP)	rear (13 MP; video 1080p), front (2 MP)	rear (13 MP; video 1080p), front (2 MP)	rear (13 MP), front (5 MP)
Dimensions and weight	138×68×8.7 mm, 135 g	141×71×9.3 mm, 155 g	140×70×7.9 mm, 151 g	140×69×7.9 mm, 120 g	140×70×7.5 mm, 130 g
average price	T-11847571	N/A	T-11057176	T-10632117	T-10891267
Highscreen Ice 2 Offers	L-11847571-10

• SoC MediaTek MT6592, 1.7 GHz, 8 cores, ARM Cortex-A7
• GPU Mali 450MP, 4 cores, 700 MHz
• operating room Android system 4.4.2
• Touchscreen IPS, 4.7″, 1280×720, 312 ppi
• Random access memory (RAM) 2 GB, inner memory 16 GB
• Map support microSD memory
• Micro-SIM support (2 pcs)
• 2G communication: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
• 3G Communication: WCDMA 900/2100 MHz
• Data transfer 2G, 3G (HSDPA+, up to 21 Mbit/s)
• Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n (2.4 GHz), Wi-Fi hotspot, Wi-Fi Direct
• Bluetooth 4.0
• GPS (A-GPS)
• Camera 13 MP, autofocus, LED flash
• Camera 2 MP (front), fixed. focus
• Proximity sensor, lighting sensor, accelerometer, magnetic compass
• Li-ion battery 2500 mAh
• Dimensions 138×68×8.7 mm
• Weight 135 g

Equipment

Highscreen Ice 2 is sold in a very small rectangular box made of hard white cardboard. The packaging is quite simple in design: there are no bright colors, minimal inscriptions, but no style can be discerned here, just ordinary cardboard that serves only a utilitarian purpose. There are no compartments inside, all the accessories are simply dumped in one pile at the bottom of the box.

The kit consists of a compact charger(5 V, 1 A), a Micro-USB connecting cable with a built-in LED, an inexpensive wired stereo headset with a flat wire and in-ear rubber ear pads, as well as a proprietary metal key and a thin paper user manual.

Appearance and ease of use

The design of the Highscreen Ice 2 smartphone is discreet, but from a distance the device looks quite neat and aesthetically pleasing. Back cover, like the front panel, is covered protective glass Corning Gorilla Glass 3. Chinese factories have finally launched mass production of this version of the case for their customers, and second-tier manufacturers, such as Fly and Highscreen, have the opportunity to inexpensively order such a spectacular design for their products. So, simultaneously with Highscreen Ice 2, a very similar Fly Tornado One went on sale - a new trend has emerged among B-brands.

In general, a design with two glass panels has long been used on the market by top manufacturers such as Apple and Sony, but in fact this is one of the most impractical options - both because of the slipperiness of such a coating and because of its soilability. The smartphone, most of the surface of which is made of glass, tends to slip out of your hands and perfectly collects fingerprints. However, from the outside, such a case looks more impressive than ordinary plastic, and now we see the arrival of “glass” cases in the budget sector mobile market. Although, of course, any effectiveness can be ruined by some annoying absurdity, like a huge shiny inscription that covers half the body.

Both glass panels are naturally completely flat, and the side edges of the smartphone are also straight, without curves. The role of the “metal” rim along the side perimeter here is played by a budget option- painted plastic. True, it didn’t turn out too believable: the surface of the rim is matte, it doesn’t look at all like real chrome plating of the metal, and it looks exactly like silver paint should look: cheap.

If the smartphone were heavier, then due to the straight edges and slippery glass panels it would be uncomfortable to lift it from the table and hold it in your hands, but the mass of the device is small, and this allows you to hold the device more securely in your fingers. In terms of dimensions, the smartphone body is not large, although with a 4.7-inch screen it has almost the same dimensions as five-inch smartphones, such as the Fly Tornado One. That is, in fact, a larger five-inch screen would fit quite comfortably into this case - the side frames could be made thinner. The Highscreen Ice 2 body cannot be called particularly thin either.

On the back surface of the smartphone there are the usual camera windows and a single LED flash (there was no standard flashlight program for it in the smartphone). Below is a grille for sound output from the speaker, made in the form of a regular slot in the glass. There is only one speaker, it is located at the back, so the sound comes in the opposite direction from the user. There are no protrusions near the grille; the sound is greatly muffled by the surface of the table when the smartphone is lying on it with the screen facing up.

In addition to the familiar elements, on the back of the smartphone you can find a small OLED display that can display some information, such as the current date, time, weather and battery charge. The solution turned out to be strange: you can force something to appear on this display only by pressing the power button, but then the main screen also lights up. Accordingly, you will not achieve any energy savings in this way.

The minimum frequency of information changes when automatically displayed on this display is 10 minutes - there is no way to force the smartphone to issue alerts on an additional screen more often. In addition, it turns out that the smartphone will always have to be kept on the table with the screen down, which is unusual, and the front glass can get scratched faster this way. To be fair, it is worth noting that the developers have provided barely noticeable edges, which are formed by a plastic insert around the main screen, but it is still somehow unusual to place the smartphone face down, only to observe another, small display. Probably, you can find some convenient scenario for using this additional screen: for example, looking at it every 10 minutes by placing the smartphone vertically on the stand - but it still looks too far-fetched. If it were possible to set the information on the display to change more frequently or add an option to activate (and wake up only the rear screen!) by tapping on the glass, then such a solution could be useful in everyday use.

The same story applies to incoming events: when a call comes in, both the secondary and main displays light up, both display information, and both consume energy. At the same time, to inform about missed notifications, the usual LED indicator is usually quite sufficient, and, by the way, it is also present here - its role is played by the glowing circle of the central button under the screen. The indicator is customizable; different button illumination colors can be assigned to different events.

As for the quality of the small OLED screen, it shines quite brightly and is clearly visible in any lighting, but you can also note obvious flickering; the display is not of the highest quality.

The front panel is also completely covered with flat protective glass Gorilla Glass 3 with small plastic edges around the edges. At the top of the glass there is a recess cut out to accommodate the telephone speaker grille; next to it you can see the sensors and the front camera window. There is no LED notification indicator at the top - its role, as mentioned above, is played by the central button glowing in different colors and the OLED display located on the back side.

The buttons under the screen are touch sensitive; they do not have signatures or icons - just glowing dots. This, of course, is not very convenient, but in the settings menu you can choose the relative position of the Menu and Back buttons to your taste, and the captions will not conflict with the assigned function. The dots have a bright white backlight, the duration of which can also be changed in the settings.

Mechanical controls are located along the side perimeter of the case. The lock key is awkwardly embedded right in the middle of the top edge, where you can’t reach it with your fingers. This miscalculation is partly smoothed out by the ability to activate the display by double tapping, but you can’t put the screen back to sleep in this way - you still have to reach for the top button.

Slots for Micro-SIM SIM cards are located next to each other on the left side; they must be opened using the usual method of pressing secret locks using a key/paper clip.

The microSD slot is organized in a different way: it is covered with a silver plastic cover, which must be pryed off with something sharp to open it. The universal Micro-USB connector is located at the bottom, and the 3.5 mm audio output for headphones is embedded at the top. Right next to it is the same lock button, and it is very inconvenient to press when the headphone plug is sticking out of the jack. The smartphone connectors are not covered with covers, and the device is not protected from water and dirt. You won't find a strap mount here either.

As for the colors, it is known that in addition to the white version (Arctic White), as in our photographs, gray (Night Gray) and blue (Galaxy Blue) body options are also available for sale.

Screen

The Highscreen Ice 2 smartphone is equipped with an IPS touch matrix, the screen is created without an air gap (OGS). The screen dimensions are 58x103 mm, diagonal - 4.7 inches, resolution - 1280x720 pixels. The pixel density is 312 ppi.

The width of the side frames from the edge of the screen to the edge of the body is approximately 5 mm, at the top - 16 mm, at the bottom - 19 mm. All frames are wide; by this parameter, the smartphone cannot be called elegant. U Sony Xperia Z3 Compact, for example, the screen is almost the same (4.6 inches), but the body is incomparably smaller in size.

The brightness of the display can be adjusted manually, or you can use automatic adjustment based on the operation of the light sensor. In the settings, you can also enable the economical screen backlight mode. Multi-touch technology here allows you to process up to 5 simultaneous touches. The smartphone also has a proximity sensor that blocks the screen when you bring the smartphone to your ear. Nothing is said about the ability to operate the screen with gloves; activation by double tapping the glass is supported.

Detailed examination using measuring instruments conducted by the editor of the “Monitors” and “Projectors and TV” sections Alexey Kudryavtsev. Here is his expert opinion on the screen of the sample under study.

The front surface of the screen is made in the form of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface that is scratch-resistant. Judging by the reflection of objects, the anti-glare properties of the screen are slightly worse than those of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) screen (hereinafter simply Nexus 7). For clarity, here is a photograph in which a white surface is reflected in the switched off screens (on the left - Nexus 7, on the right - Highscreen Ice 2, then they can be distinguished by size):

The screen of the Highscreen Ice 2 is slightly lighter (brightness according to photographs is 118 versus 114 for the Nexus 7). The ghosting of reflected objects in the Highscreen Ice 2 screen is very weak, this indicates that there is no air gap between the layers of the screen (more specifically, between the outer glass and the surface of the LCD matrix) (OGS - One Glass Solution type screen). Due to the smaller number of boundaries (glass/air type) with very different refractive indices, such screens look better in conditions of strong external illumination, but their repair in the case of cracked external glass is much more expensive, since the entire screen has to be replaced. The outer surface of the screen has a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating (very effective, even slightly better than that of the Nexus 7), so fingerprints are removed much easier and appear at a lower speed than with regular glass.

With manual brightness control and when the white field was displayed in full screen, the maximum brightness value was about 410 cd/m², the minimum was 50 cd/m². The maximum brightness is quite high, and, given the excellent anti-glare properties, readability even on a sunny day outdoors will be at a good level. In complete darkness, the brightness can be lowered to a comfortable value, although from the point of view of extreme energy saving, the minimum brightness is too high. There is automatic brightness adjustment based on the light sensor (it is located to the left of the front camera eye). IN automatic mode When external lighting conditions change, the screen brightness both increases and decreases. In complete darkness, the auto-brightness function reduces the brightness to 50 cd/m² (normal), in an artificially lit office (approximately 400 lux) it sets it to 170 cd/m² (just right), in a very bright environment (corresponding to lighting on a clear day outdoors , but without direct sunlight - 20,000 lux or a little more) increases to a maximum - up to 410 cd/m² (which is what is needed). As a result, the auto-brightness function works adequately. At any brightness level, there is no significant backlight modulation, so there is no screen flicker.

IN this smartphone An IPS type matrix is ​​used. The microphotographs show a typical IPS subpixel structure:

For comparison, you can see the gallery of microphotographs of screens used in mobile technology.

The screen has good viewing angles without a significant color shift even with large deviations of the gaze from perpendicular to the screen and without inverting (except for the very darkest when the gaze is deviated to the right) shades. For comparison, here are photographs in which the same images are displayed on the screens of Highscreen Ice 2 and Nexus 7, with the screen brightness initially set to approximately 200 cd/m² (across the white field across the entire screen), and the color balance on the camera is forcibly switched to 6500 K There is a white field perpendicular to the screens:

We note some unevenness in the brightness and color tone of the white field. And a test picture:

Saturation is normal, but color balance varies greatly between these devices. Now at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the plane and to the side of the screen:

It can be seen that the colors have not changed much on both screens, but the contrast on Highscreen Ice 2 has decreased to a greater extent due to the greater brightening of blacks. And a white field:

The brightness at an angle of the screens decreased (by at least 4 times, based on the difference in shutter speed), but in the case of Highscreen Ice 2 the drop in brightness is noticeably less. When deviated diagonally, the black field brightens greatly and acquires a purple tint or remains approximately neutral gray. The photographs below demonstrate this (the brightness of the white areas in perpendicular to the plane screen direction is approximately the same!):

And from another angle:

When viewed from a perpendicular perspective, the uniformity of the black field is not ideal; in some places the black color is noticeably brightened:

The contrast (approximately in the center of the screen) is normal - about 770:1. The response time for the black-white-black transition is 25 ms (12 ms on + 13 ms off). The transition between halftones of gray 25% and 75% (based on the numerical value of the color) and back takes a total of 39 ms. The gamma curve, constructed using 32 points with equal intervals based on the numerical value of the shade of gray, did not reveal any blockage in either the highlights or the shadows. The index of the approximating power function is 2.24, which is not significantly higher than the standard value of 2.2. In this case, the real gamma curve deviates little from the power-law dependence:

Color gamut is close to sRGB:

The spectra show that the matrix filters moderately mix the components with each other:

As a result, visually the colors have a natural saturation. The balance of shades on the gray scale is a compromise, since the color temperature is high and the deviation from the blackbody spectrum (ΔE) is above 10, which is not considered a very good indicator even for a consumer device. However, color temperature and ΔE change little from hue to hue - this has a positive effect on the visual assessment of color balance. The balance is shifted due to an excess of blue and green components, which increases the brightness of the screen while consuming less power. (The darkest areas of the gray scale can be ignored, since color balance there is not very important, and the error in measuring color characteristics at low brightness is large.)

Let's summarize. The screen has a fairly high maximum brightness and has good anti-glare properties, so the device can most likely be used outdoors without any problems, even on a sunny summer day. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable level. It is acceptable to use a mode with automatic brightness adjustment, which works adequately. The advantages of the screen include the absence of flicker and air gaps in the layers of the screen, an excellent oleophobic coating, an acceptable color balance when visually assessed, as well as a color gamut close to sRGB. Significant disadvantages include average uniformity and low stability of black to deviation of the gaze from perpendicular to the screen plane. Nevertheless, taking into account the importance of characteristics for this particular class of devices, the quality of the screen can be considered high.

Sound

The developers mention in the official specifications on their corporate website the presence of a special Wolfson sound chip in the device. If this is so, then this device does not help much in this case. Sonically, Highscreen Ice 2 is unremarkable. The device has only one main speaker built in, the maximum volume level is average, the sound is rather muffled, the frequency spectrum does not differ in width, the low frequencies are practically inaudible. The same applies to the sound in headphones; the sound is muffled and not very clear. In conversational dynamics, the interlocutor's voice, timbre and intonation remain familiar and distinguishable.

To control the sound quality, it is possible to use the familiar BesLoudness speaker volume amplifier and the BesAudEnh headphone sound enhancement system. To play melodies in the smartphone, a standard audio player is used Play Music with the ability to choose from several preset equalizer values.

The smartphone comes standard with an FM radio, and there is also a voice recorder. The radio can record programs from the air; it does not work without headphones connected as an external antenna. Write down telephone conversations off the line regular means a smartphone can't.

The main rear camera is equipped with a 13-megapixel Sony IMX214 BSI sensor with f/1.8 aperture with autofocus and an ordinary LED flash. The settings menu is simple in structure, all items are collected in a scroll-like list that rolls down, the text is drawn on a transparent backing directly on top of the viewfinder image, which makes it difficult to immediately make out what is written. In addition to the standard shooting mode, only a panorama has been added, as well as shooting with two cameras, however, such a shot is not taken simultaneously, but in two stages: first the front module shoots, and then the resulting picture in a small frame is added to the image on the viewfinder of the main camera, and only then is it taken second frame. That is, this is, in fact, a kind of built-in photo montage that assembles the final photo from two different shots.

The camera can shoot video; there are several resolutions to choose from, up to a maximum of 1920x1080. Examples of test videos are presented below.

• Video No. 1 (41 MB, 1920×1080)
• Video No. 2 (50 MB, 1920×1080)

	The camera copes well in low light conditions. She will be able to work out the text.
	Close-ups are no worse for the camera, although in the shadows you can see the “neat” but strong work of the noise reduction.
	The camera works intelligently with details: it emphasizes large ones and hides small ones.
	Long-range plans are worked out as much as possible: large details are highlighted, small ones are blurred. But in the middle plans, even the branches of the tree are highlighted.
	The sharpness drops noticeably towards distant plans.
	A good option for treating asphalt and plain surfaces in general.
	It can be seen that the camera handles contrasting details well, while the rest are simply blurred by noise reduction.
	As the shot is removed, the sharpness drops quite quickly, but in a very original way.
	In this case, the camera was sharp enough for almost all shots.

If it were not for the blur zone on the left side of the frame, which is sometimes quite significant, the camera could be called good. Of course, the pictures it produces are far from artistic, but they are quite suitable for documentation. Program elements do not quarrel, as is often the case, but, on the contrary, work in close symbiosis. Sharping is good at highlighting large details, but does not bother with small ones. Noise reduction carefully smoothes out noise along with small details, which allows you to avoid an unpleasant mess. And after it, sharpening no longer makes attempts to highlight something, which in such cases usually spoils the image.

The camera can be praised for the well-coordinated work of the program - the idea is not new, but it is executed well. Otherwise, the camera is quite average and is only suitable for documentary photography, and not the most demanding one.

Telephone and communications

The smartphone operates in modern 2G GSM and 3G WCDMA networks; the device does not support LTE (4G). Can be arranged as standard wireless point access via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth channels, there is a Wi-Fi Display mode, the Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n module supports only one band (2.4 GHz). NFC is not supported. A flash drive can be connected using an OTG adapter. The device works with GPS/A-GPS, without support for the domestic Glonass and Chinese Beidou. The device has a sensor magnetic field, on the basis of which the electronic compass of navigation cartographic programs usually operates.

No spontaneous reboots/shutdowns were observed during testing, there are no problems with this, the interface works quickly, no delays or slowdowns were noticed. The layout and location of the keys are standard: languages ​​are switched by pressing a special button with a globe image; there is no separate dedicated top row with numbers. The phone application supports Smart Dial, that is, while dialing telephone number A search for contacts is also carried out immediately, but the continuous input method such as Swype, which is loved by many users, is not here.

The smartphone supports working with two SIM cards, and in general, working with them in the menu is organized according to a familiar principle: you can designate any of the SIM cards as the main one for organizing voice calls, transferring data or sending SMS messages. A SIM card in any slot can work with 3G networks, but only one of the cards can function in this mode at a time. To change the assignment of slots, cards do not need to be swapped - this can be done directly from the phone menu. Work with two SIM cards is organized according to the familiar Dual standard SIM Dual Standby, when both cards can be in active mode waiting, but cannot work at the same time - there is only one radio module.

Performance

The Highscreen Ice 2 hardware platform is based on the well-known eight-core MediaTek MT6592 single-chip system (SoC). A special feature of the SoC is that its configuration includes eight full-fledged processor cores operating at frequencies up to 2 GHz (in this case, 1.7 GHz). True, only ARM Cortex-A7 cores are used.

The Mali-450MP video accelerator is responsible for graphics processing here. Own memory less than 10 GB is available for the user's needs, it can be increased using a microSD memory card up to 32 GB (some 64 GB cards can also be supported despite the limitations of the official specifications). Volume random access memory is 2 GB, which is quite modern. Connection mode external devices to the Micro-USB (OTG) port in the device is supported.

According to the testing results, the platform showed very good results, the performance of the smartphone is above average (about 30K in AnTuTu v 5.x). There is nothing special to add here; the eight-core SoC MediaTek MT6592 has long been firmly established on the market, we have already studied it well using the example of many devices tested over the past year. It has never broken any performance records and will never break it again, but smartphones based on it are not too expensive. It will gradually be replaced by the new MT6595; we have already examined some of these devices. The new platform surpasses its predecessor so significantly that comparing them is simply pointless. The destiny of SoC MediaTek MT6592 is middle and further down the levels, but not top-end or flagship. Nevertheless, the smartphone described today is quite powerful; the performance of the eight-core platform will be enough to perform most tasks for a long time.

Testing in latest versions comprehensive tests AnTuTu and GeekBench 3:

All the results we obtained when testing the smartphone in the most latest versions popular benchmarks, we have summarized them in tables for convenience. The table usually adds several other devices from different segments, also tested on similar latest versions of benchmarks (this is done only for a visual assessment of the obtained dry figures). Unfortunately, within the framework of one comparison it is impossible to present the results from different versions of benchmarks, so many worthy and relevant models remain “behind the scenes” - due to the fact that they once passed the “obstacle course” on previous versions of test programs.

Testing the graphics subsystem in 3DMark game tests,GFXBenchmark, and Bonsai Benchmark:

When testing in 3DMark, the most powerful smartphones now have the ability to run the application in Unlimited mode, where the rendering resolution is fixed at 720p and VSync is disabled (which can cause the speed to rise above 60 fps).

	Highscreen Ice 2	Micromax Canvas Nitro (Mediatek MT6592/ Mali 450MP)	Fly Tornado One (Mediatek MT6592m/ Mali 450MP)	TCL Idol X+ (Mediatek MT6592/ Mali 450MP)	Lenovo Vibe X2 (Mediatek MT6595m/ PowerVR G6200)
3DMark Ice Storm Extreme (more is better)	4851	4823	4385	4312	8566
3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited (more is better)	7008	6590	6204	7337	14067
GFXBenchmark T-Rex HD (C24Z16 Onscreen)	15 fps	14.6 fps	14.3 fps		17.0 fps
GFXBenchmark T-Rex HD (C24Z16 Offscreen)	12 fps	11.5 fps	10.9 fps		17.8 fps
Bonsai Benchmark	2151 (31 fps)	1764 (25 fps)	12096 (30 fps)	1656 (24 fps)	3549 (51 fps)

Browser cross-platform tests:

As for benchmarks for assessing the speed of the javascript engine, you should always make allowance for the fact that their results significantly depend on the browser in which they are launched, so the comparison can only be truly correct on the same OS and browsers, and this is possible during testing not always. For Android OS, we always try to use Google Chrome.

Playing video

To test the omnivorous nature of video playback (including support for various codecs, containers and special features, such as subtitles), we used the most common formats, which make up the bulk of the content available on the Internet. Note that for mobile devices it is important to have support for hardware video decoding at the chip level, since it is most often impossible to process modern options using processor cores alone. Also, you shouldn’t expect a mobile device to decode everything, since the leadership in flexibility belongs to the PC, and no one is going to challenge it.

According to the testing results, the subject was not equipped with all the necessary decoders that are needed to fully play most of the most common multimedia files on the network. To successfully play them, you will have to resort to the help of a third-party player - for example, MX Player. True, it is also necessary to change the settings and manually install additional custom codecs, because now this player does not officially support the AC3 sound format.

Format	Container, video, sound	MX Video Player	Standard video player
DVDRip	AVI, XviD 720×400 2200 Kbps, MP3+AC3	plays normally	plays normally
Web-DL SD	AVI, XviD 720×400 1400 Kbps, MP3+AC3	plays normally	plays normally
Web-DL HD	MKV, H.264 1280×720 3000 Kbps, AC3		The video plays fine, but there is no sound¹
BDRip 720p	MKV, H.264 1280×720 4000 Kbps, AC3	The video plays fine, but there is no sound¹	The video plays fine, but there is no sound¹
BDRip 1080p	MKV, H.264 1920×1080 8000 Kbps, AC3	The video plays fine, but there is no sound¹	The video plays fine, but there is no sound¹

¹ sound in MX Video Player was played only after installing an alternative custom audio codec; The standard player does not have this setting

Further testing of video playback was performed Alexey Kudryavtsev.

We did not find the MHL interface, like Mobility DisplayPort, in this smartphone, so we had to limit ourselves to testing the output of video files on the screen of the device itself. To do this, we used a set of test files with an arrow and a rectangle moving one division per frame (see “Method for testing video playback and display devices. Version 1 (for mobile devices)”). Screenshots with a shutter speed of 1 s helped determine the nature of the output of frames of video files with various parameters: the resolution varied (1280 by 720 (720p) and 1920 by 1080 (1080p) pixels) and frame rate (24, 25, 30, 50 and 60 frames/ With). In the tests, we used the MX Player video player in the “Hardware+” mode. The test results are summarized in the table:

720/30p Fine No 720/25p Fine No 720/24p Fine No

Note: If in both columns Uniformity And Passes Green ratings are given, this means that, most likely, when watching films, artifacts caused by uneven alternation and frame skipping will either not be visible at all, or their number and visibility will not affect the viewing comfort. Red marks indicate possible problems related to the playback of the corresponding files.

According to the criterion of frame output, the quality of playback of video files on the screen of the smartphone itself is good, since frames (or groups of frames) can (but are not required) be output with more or less uniform alternation of intervals and without skipping frames. It appears that the screen refresh rate is slightly higher than 60 Hz, as sometimes one frame in the case of 60 fps files was displayed a little longer than the rest. When playing video files with a resolution of 1280 by 720 pixels (720p) on a smartphone screen, the image of the video file itself is displayed exactly along the border of the screen, one to one in pixels, that is, in the original resolution. The brightness range displayed on the screen corresponds to the standard range of 16-235 - all shade gradations are displayed in shadows and highlights - which is what is required for correct playback of typical video files.

Battery life

The lithium-ion battery installed in Highscreen Ice 2 has a capacity of 2500 mAh, standard for modern smartphones. Based on the test results, the device demonstrated confident average level autonomy, in this regard there are no particular complaints about the smartphone, but the device does not break any records; the Indian device Micromax Canvas Nitro with exactly the same battery capacity showed much more impressive figures. On an eventful working day, Highscreen Ice 2 will work for about a day, nothing more. In the section about the battery, it is possible to use the energy saving mode, which is familiar to the general mass of Chinese devices on this platform, without any settings, with just a tick. Naturally, the tests were carried out without using energy-saving functions.

	Battery capacity	Reading mode	Video mode	3D Game Mode
Highscreen Ice 2	2500 mAh	13:20	7:00 am	3 hours 40 minutes
Micromax Canvas Nitro	2500 mAh	16:30	9:30 a.m.	4:00 am
Philips Xenium I908	3000 mAh	9:30 a.m.	7:30 a.m.	3 hours 20 minutes
Fly Tornado One	1920 mAh	13:00	7:30 a.m.	3 hours 30 minutes
Huawei Honor 3x	3000 mAh	12:30 pm	8 hours 40 minutes	5:00 a.m.
Huawei Honor 6	3100 mAh	16:40	9:30 a.m.	4 hours 50 minutes
Lenovo Vibe X2	2300 mAh	13:00	6:00 am	3 hours 15 minutes
TCL Idol X+	2500 mAh	12:30 pm	7:20 am	3:00 am

Continuous reading in the FBReader program (with a standard, light theme) at a minimum comfortable brightness level (brightness was set to 100 cd/m²) lasted until the battery was completely discharged for about 13.5 hours, and when continuously watching videos in high quality (720p) with same brightness level through home Wi-Fi network The device lasted no more than 7 hours. In game mode, the device did not last up to 4 hours. A full battery charge takes less than 3 hours.

Bottom line

Apart from an expressive body with glass panels and an additional OLED screen on the back, the Highscreen Ice 2 smartphone has nothing special to boast about. The hardware platform here is of an average level, far from new, the same as that of the mass of modern Chinese mid-rangers. The screen is average in terms of characteristics, but at the same time it is also smaller size than most competitors, selling even at a lower price. The camera and battery life are average, the sound is even below average. The software platform does not have any modifications - just a “bare” Android OS. It does not have its own shell, advanced work with gestures, and there is not even basic support for Swype on the keyboard, which is critical for many users who are addicted to this input method. The presence of glass panels on the body and an additional OLED screen may seem very attractive and important to some, but not to others, but in any case, Highscreen Ice 2 looks a little overpriced compared to its competitors, although in modern times not so much. As a result, we have a confident mid-level smartphone, offered at a price that is at the highest level for its level.

When several new smartphones can pass through your hands in just one day, over time it is very difficult to find a device that could surprise you with something or at least interest you. But sometimes such phones still come across. Today it is precisely this device that we will talk about. As you might have guessed from the title, its name is Highscreen Ice 2. Despite the fact that the smartphone was announced in 2014, it is still an excellent option for purchase. Why? Let's figure it out.

Video review of Highscreen Ice 2

Design and ergonomics

Exactly yours appearance Highscreen Ice 2 won me over. From the front it’s a regular smartphone (and on the sides too), but from the back it’s something new. We came across the “space” version, which the company calls Galaxy Blue, but, in any case, there is also Arctic White and Night Gray. True, this is not the main feature of the phone. Also on the back panel you can find another additional screen (just like on old calculators), which displays the current time, weather and other various notifications (believe me, the thing is very unusual, but interesting). And in general, since we’ve already talked about the cover of the smartphone (it’s made of glass here, by the way), let’s go over it in full: it has the company logo (and, in this case, it really fits the theme, and is beautifully drawn), the camera, flash, noise reduction microphone and main speaker.

The screen diagonal here is 4.7 inches, but the Highscreen Ice 2 is completely comparable in size to my 5-inch LG G2. In principle, this can be easily explained, because engineers have placed touch keys under the screen of our today’s hero. There is one controversial point regarding these keys - their designation. If the middle circle is still somehow clear (the key is responsible for returning to home screen), then the points on the left and right are quite difficult to figure out. That is, through trial and error, I still managed to understand that the left point is a challenge context menu, and the right one is to return one step back, but remembering this combination is not so easy. Bring back my 2007, arrows and house! But seriously, this is a matter of habit, and after a few hours you use your smartphone as if it were your own.

Now let's go through the side edges. On the left there is a paired adjustment key (I personally found it convenient to reach it with my finger) and a slot for microSD memory cards hidden under a flap, and on the right there are two slots for SIM cards.

In turn, the engineers placed a microUSB connector and a microphone at the bottom, and a headphone output and a power control button at the top. I have one small complaint about the latter - it’s quite difficult to press and feel. The new one also has this “disease,” but both it and Highscreen Ice 2 provide for unlocking the screen by double tap. But for our hero of today’s review, this trick doesn’t always work the first time. As for the body materials, both the back and front of the smartphone are covered with third-generation protected Gorilla Glass. There is an oleophobic coating. The side edges are just plastic.

Considering that the smartphone has not very large dimensions (as of mid-2015) and a non-removable cover, it would be logical to assume that the assembly here is top level. This is true. The Ice 2 reliability test passed without any problems: nothing bends, creaks or plays.

Display

As I wrote above, the screen diagonal here is 4.7 inches, and the resolution is 1280 x 720 pixels (in PPI this is 312 pixels per inch). Matrix - IPS. This means that the viewing angles of the device are maximum, and in the sun the display remains highly readable. There are no particularly interesting parameters in the settings, everything is standard. You can enable automatic brightness adjustment, activate ClearMotion (image smoothness enhancer) and other banal functions.

But you can control light notifications (set the colors with which the indicator will flicker) and key backlighting. By the way, the indicator in a smartphone is the “Home” key. And, of course, I would like to say separately about the charger. It also glows, both red and blue (depending on the charging state).

Camera capabilities

There are two of these cameras here, as befits every self-respecting smartphone. Let's start with the main one. It received a 13-megapixel SONY IMX 214 module and an F/1.8 aperture. Yes, this is far from the best camera I’ve ever seen, but for “taking a photo of food/cat on Instagram” it’s definitely suitable (and if you still have straight hands and an installed photo editor, then everything is fine). But for taking photos of yourself/your loved one, there is only a 2 megapixel camera. But experienced “selfists” know that the number of megapixels is not the main thing, the main thing is the ability to use them. Anyway, here are some examples.

Examples of photos:

Example video:

Performance and Software

Now let's move on to perhaps one of the most interesting parts (especially for geeks) in almost any review - let's talk about the performance and software of the smartphone. In general, Highscreen Ice 2 is a flagship, so it would be logical to assume that its technical characteristics are at a decent level. So the hero of our today's review works under the control of the eight-core MediaTek MT6592 processor. clock frequency which is 1.7 GHz, there is 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of built-in memory, and the Mali-450MP4 GPU accelerator is responsible for cool graphics in games. It is clear that this configuration is quite enough to run even the most demanding applications from Google Play. A bestseller called Dead Trigger 2 comes with low graphics settings by default, but even if you activate medium settings, everything works just fine (and does not slow down even in dynamic scenes). The situation is similar with Modern Combat 5 - the game behaves excellently. In tests, Highscreen Ice 2 behaves as follows:

• Epic Citadel

• 3DMark

As for the software, Highscreen Ice 2 will not surprise users with anything special. “Bare” Android 4.4.2 with some features is installed here (if I’m not mistaken, these “nice things” are available on any smartphone running a MediaTek chip). For example, in the settings there is an item that allows you to turn your smartphone on and off according to a schedule (something like the “Do Not Disturb” mode, but in a more global sense).

At the time of writing this review, it is not possible to upgrade your smartphone to Android 5.0 Lollipop. Although the manufacturer clearly does not forget about this device, because during my use the device several times suggested that I install some updates (all of them were up to 12 MB in size, so they did not bring any serious changes, but it was still nice).

Autonomy

I was pleased with the autonomy of the smartphone. In the sense that this is a typical representative of the Android device family. The device lasts for a day without any problems, but the 2500 mAh battery, alas, is not enough for more. In short, the situation is as follows: owners of Highscreen Ice 2 will need to remove the phone from charging in the morning and connect it back to power in the evening.

It is clear that with a more active load (“heavy” games, videos on YouTube, etc.) you will have to look for a charger after three (or four) hours.

Verdict

To be honest, the Highscreen Ice 2 smartphone surprised me. And I was surprised in a good way. For about $300 (6,700 hryvnia) you can get a device with a really interesting and not boring appearance (this is now, you know, a rarity), a good screen (and this is not a “phablet”, the display here is 4.7-inch) and productive stuffing. Special attention deserve the included headphones. Well, firstly, I don’t want to throw them away right away, and secondly, I really liked their sound. This is rarely seen now. Personally, I was more than just pleased with the phone. But such a price tag throws the smartphone into a category where there is simply fierce competition.

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Product mentions 3

Hello, dear readers of my blog on the website of the online store for computer and household appliances DNS!

Today in my review - enough interesting smartphone Highscreen Ice 2. It is interesting primarily for its extraordinary appearance and the presence of an additional OLED display located on the opposite side of the main screen. Plus, of course, the smartphone has quite powerful electronic components and a good screen based on a liquid crystal matrix made using IPS technology.

Brand Highscreen belongs to the Russian company Vobis, and the production of electronics under this brand is carried out in mainland China. Until recently, the pattern of relations between Russian customers and Chinese manufacturers was as follows: manufacturers offered electronic kits or blanks, from which the Russian side put together a kit, which later turned into a smartphone with the Highscreen label. Of course, the Russian side made adjustments to the existing blanks in accordance with the set of characteristics that it needed. Russian customers could, for example, ask manufacturers to increase the processor frequency, install a different screen or graphics chip, or supply more powerful battery. There have also been more breakthrough ideas designed to make Highscreen smartphones “the most, most” extraordinary. Let's remember, for example, the wonderful Boost series smartphones with two batteries included, one of which has a capacity of 6000 mAh! Now the relationship between customers and manufacturers has changed somewhat, moving to an ODM cooperation scheme. Now Russian designers and constructors completely develop the design and layout of devices, order the characteristics of the electronic filling, and the manufacturer does what the customer needs. As a result, we have an inexpensive final product produced on a market with cheap labor and a fairly developed culture and production technology. It is also worth saying that Highscreen does not install its own shells and applications on smartphones, limiting itself to pure operating system Android, which has a beneficial effect on the stability of devices and requires less hardware resources during operation.

In general, this is my first experience with Highscreen and I am not at all disappointed with its results.

PACKAGE

In the smartphone packaging Highscreen Ice 2 The manufacturer has moved away from its tradition of delivering smartphones in yellow cardboard containers with a monochrome drawing. This smartphone is sold in colored cardboard boxes, the color of which matches the color of the device body. So far, smartphones have been on sale Highscreen Ice 2 white, gray and blue body colors, but on the official Highscreen website I found a limited edition of gold-colored smartphones on sale, produced in an edition of only 2000 pieces and at the same price as other colors. One way or another, in this review I have a gray smartphone and its box is also dark gray. About the box we can say that it is very small and made of durable cardboard. In terms of style and difficulty of opening, it reminded me of a brand with a bitten fruit, but the quality of the packaging of that brand is, of course, higher.

On top of the box is a smartphone with ice crystals scattered on its screen.

There is no information on the sides of the package, except for a sticker with serial number smartphone and IMEI.

But the bottom of the box is already more interesting - it contains the main technical Highscreen characteristics Ice 2 as well as information about the bonus - free 128 GB of 4SYNC cloud storage. After registering on the 4SYNC website, you are given 1 TB of free storage for a period of 30 days; time will tell how much will actually be available with a smartphone later.

The bottom of the box is sealed with two branded stickers, indicating that no one has opened this box before you.

The smartphone inside the package is in a plastic bag.

CONTENTS OF DELIVERY

Package Included:

2. power adapter,

3. micro-USB cable,

4. stereo headset,

5. compartment removal tool micro- SIM cards and microSD cards,

6. user manual,

7. warranty card.

The tool is very tiny and easy to lose, but even if it gets lost, you shouldn’t despair, the compartments can be opened with a paperclip or any thin object.

The HKC0055010-3A charger is essentially the most common and interchangeable with any similar device. It provides constant pressure 5 V current up to 1 A. When it is new, all its glossy surfaces are covered with a special film in order to avoid accidental scratches.

The Micro-USB cable is not quite ordinary and has one interesting feature: it lights up near the micro-USB connector when voltage is applied to the cable. The color of the backlight also changes: when charging is in progress, it lights up in red, and when the smartphone is fully charged or the cable is not connected to the micro-USB connector, it turns blue. Agree, it’s an interesting design solution that even many famous brands don’t have!

The headset is quite remarkable in appearance because it has bright red wires. The wires have a flat cross-section, which is why they do not tend to twist, and their insulation is soft and reminds me of rubber. The telephone headset has a 4-pin plug, this is explained by the fact that it also includes a microphone located in a small black box on the wires, which also contains a button for answering a phone call. Agree that this is quite convenient, since you don’t have to take your smartphone out of your pocket while listening to music.

SPECIFICATIONS

Operating system: Android 4.4.2;

CPU: 8-core, MediaTek MT6592, 1.7 GHz;

Video processor: Mali-450MP4, 700 MHz;

Screen 1: 16 million colors, 4.7" 720x1280, HD IPS, OGS;

Screen 2: monochrome OLED;

Number of SIM cards: 2;

SIM card type: Micro-SIM;

Battery: Li-ion 2500 mAh, non-removable;

Networks: GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850/900/1800/1900 MHz), 3G/HSPA+ (900/2100 MHz);

Main camera: 13.0 MP, AF, flash;

Front-camera: 2.0 MP;

Volume of permanent memory: 16 GB;

RAM capacity: 2 GB;

Expansion slot: microSD (SDHC compatible);

Audio jack: 3.5 mm;

Wi-Fi®: IEEE 802.11 b/g/n, access point;

Bluetooth: Yes;

Navigation: GPS, A-GPS;

FM tuner: yes, with RDS support;

Equipment: Smartphone, charger with detachable cable, telephone headset, tool for removing SIM card trays, user manual, warranty card;

Additionally:

Proximity sensor

Light sensor

Dimensions: 138x67.6x8.7 mm

Weight: 135 g

Analyzing the characteristics of the smartphone Highscreen Ice 2 we can say with confidence that it turned out to be quite powerful and will fully satisfy the needs of its owner in the next couple of years, especially considering that the manufacturer did not skimp on the amount of RAM, installing it at once 2 GB (which is typical for smartphones and tablets with screen resolution 1920x1080), and also equipped it with 16 GB flash memory. Unfortunately, I cannot say this about my first Lenovo smartphone P770, which has already occupied almost the entire system area of ​​​​non-volatile memory and now even updates are not downloaded.

Eight-core installed in Highscreen Ice 2 MediaTek processor MT6592 is capable of processing a huge number of operations per second and this moment this is one of best processors in terms of productivity/energy savings. If processor resources are not in demand, then the “extra”, unused Cortex-A7 cores go into sleep mode. The Mali-450MP4 graphics processor is by no means top-end, but it still copes quite well with graphics in games and any applications. However, you shouldn’t hope for full compatibility of the hardware with the software - I downloaded and installed one of the games, which eventually informed me that it was not compatible with this device.

APPEARANCE

A protective transport film is glued to the front and back surfaces of the new Highscreen Ice 2 smartphone, which must be removed before using the device.

Top and bottom surfaces of the smartphone Highscreen Ice 2 covered with third generation Gorilla Glass, which has increased resistance to scratches and impacts. This is definitely not something you see often budget smartphones. The coating does not collect very many fingerprints, and the smartphone very much reminded me of the SONY Xperia Z model, which I also had the opportunity to test once. Just as thin and slippery, it tends to slip out of your fingers in cold weather. The mirror brand logo is located under the glass on the back side and looks very neat.

Highscreen Ice 2 In general it looks very elegant and is made very carefully - there are no cracks or creaks in the case, the quality of the plastic parts is also excellent.

On the right side there is a volume rocker and a slot for a microSD card, covered with a decorative cap. On the left are two slots for micro-SIM cards

At the top there is a power on/off button and a headset jack, and at the bottom there is a micro-USB socket for charging or transferring files and a miniature microphone hole.

On the back side at the top there are: a 13 MP camera, an LED flash, a second microphone hole for implementing an external noise suppression system and a speaker slot. Yes, I almost forgot the most important thing! Here is the same second OLED display that I talked about at the very beginning of the review. It periodically displays information about the time, date, battery charge, weather and temperature, as well as the presence of unreceived email messages. During a telephone call, the name of the subscriber is displayed in a creeping line, if he is included in your contact book, or simply the phone number. This screen is the main feature of the smartphone Highscreen Ice 2, which is not found in any other smartphone, unless, of course, you compare YotaPhone 2, which has a screen of a completely different type and purpose. This screen is, of course, a great idea from the designers, but it would be even cooler if it were colored and not bluish-gray.

On the front side, in addition to the main display, there is a light and proximity sensor, a camera eye for selfies and speaker, covered with a protective metal mesh.

Below the screen there are three touch buttons with white backlight, the central one looks like a circle, and its backlight color changes depending on the events that have occurred.

The color and speed of the pulsation can be changed through the menu, assigning your own backlight color to certain events and applications. If the phone is charging, this indicator glows red; if the battery charge level reaches 90% or higher, it turns green. When there is a missed call, it flashes blue by default.

Due to glass and additional display Highscreen Ice 2 It looks very stylish and is clearly more expensive than its cost.

The mini-SIM cards I had, which I wanted to install in the smartphone, naturally did not fit into it.

I had to install a working MTS SIM card and get a new Beeline SIM card.

Smartphone screen Highscreen Ice 2 It is made using IPS technology; moreover, it does not have an air gap between the protective glass and the liquid crystal matrix. Due to this, it looks darker than a regular IPS screen, and in bright sunlight it glares less and the information on the screen is quite readable. Gorilla Glass 3 with oleophobic coating collects fingerprints much less than regular ones protective films, and they are easier to wash. When viewing the screen from different angles, no color distortion occurs, only the brightness changes. The screen resolution is not very high, corresponding to the HD standard (1280x720 pixels), but I did not notice any pixelation on the 4.7-inch screen. The pixel density per inch is 230.

Checking the screen for operation with multiple touches confirmed the possibility of simultaneous operation with 5 points.

INTERFACE AND SOFTWARE SHELL

The Highscreen Ice 2 smartphone has the bare Android 4.4.2 Kit Kat OS installed, so initially the number of applications is minimal.

They take up only two desktop screens.

Of course, you can set any existing photographs as wallpaper, as well as moving screensavers.

If you pull the top of the screen down with your finger, the notification area opens, which provides easy access to quick settings for communication, screen, and sound options.

In addition to the usual Android settings, they have additional options that are unique to Highscreen Ice 2. First of all, this is the Oled tab. Here you set the interval for turning on the display, the speed of the running text, settings for displaying temperature and weather in your city, as well as turning on the display of caller names. The display, I must admit, is very pleasant, although I would like to use it more often and for more options.

The options that need to be displayed on the OLED screen are also included here.

Audio settings have toggle options to improve the sound quality of the headphones and increase the speaker volume.

There is an interesting item in the screen settings - “Wireless monitor”.

If you have a smart TV at home with a Wi-Fi module that supports this function, then you can easily display a picture from your smartphone on its screen. I easily displayed an image from Highscreen Ice 2 on TV SAMSUNG UE55J5500, and at home I was able to connect to the WD TV Live set-top box and see the picture on the monitor from it.

Returning to the topic of multi-colored light notifications under the main display, I will say that their settings look like this:

The number of colors is limited, but in fact you don’t need more, since it’s simply not possible to make out subtle shades of color on a small luminous ring. I just wish the backlight level of this indicator was a little brighter.

There really is enough space on the smartphone for almost any application, and if there is still not enough space, you can use microSD card memory up to 32 GB, however, it is possible that a larger card, for example 64 GB, will work. These screenshots show data on free and used memory already after I downloaded and installed some utilities for testing the performance of the smartphone.

Some information about the phone can be viewed in the settings.

More detailed information can be found using special utilities; for example, the 3DMark performance test produced the following data:

The Hardware Info utility provides even more detailed and interesting information.

For example, I was interested in the information about the sensors installed in the smartphone, among which was a digital compass.

Determining location via GPS, by the way, in Highscreen Ice 2 it works simply excellent, satellites are located literally in a matter of seconds (about half a minute), providing very high accuracy in the region of 2-4 meters. Those who talk about problems with GPS in processors manufactured by MTK probably have not tried this smartphone, or, most likely, the company has simply done some kind of work on the mistakes, since the smartphone easily and confidently finds 8-10 satellites in urban conditions developments.

CAMERAS

There are two cameras, as expected in a normal smartphone. The one that is usually used to take photographs and videos is made on the basis of a 13 MP CMOS sensor SONY IMX214, and the one intended for Skype conversations and selfies is very simple and has only 2 MP.

The camera settings are very rich.

Light sensitivity can be increased to 1600, although it is not clear who will need this, since already at ISO 250 the camera is ungodly noisy, which is clearly visible in night shots.

The resolution of the main camera can be changed from QVGA and VGA to 13 MP.

Video resolution is low, 480P, 720P and 1080P, in the same tab for video you can enable the electronic image stabilizer EIS.

If you enable the gyroscope option, the screen will display a yellow stripe, which will turn purple when the level coincides with the horizon, as well as a blue stripe, displaying the vertical angle of the smartphone relative to the horizon point.

During shooting, you can turn on the HDR mode, as well as special effects, such as: sepia, negative, contour... To take a picture in HDR, you need to hold the smartphone longer than usual, the picture in the shadows is highlighted and becomes a little clearer, but moving parts due to the overlap of two frames may become translucent.

On a bright day, the main camera takes good pictures and has decent detail, but at the same time, the so-called “watercolorization” is observed, leading to blurring of details on darker monochromatic surfaces. Video is shot at 30 frames per second (24 for FullHD) with an audio sampling rate of 48 kHz in MOV format. There are few examples of pictures and videos, but I hope they will help you get a general impression of the level of the cameras and software used. For quick shooting of unexpected events, a smartphone is quite suitable.

Shot on a clear day:

Shot in low light conditions (1/10 sec is the longest exposure):

Photo with 2 MP camera:

Shooting indoors under artificial lighting:

Shooting on a bright day with a lot of deep shadows:

HDR shooting on a bright day with a lot of deep shadows:

One of the processing effects when shooting:

Examples of videos shot with FullHD resolution day and night:

TESTING

To test the performance of the smartphone, I used several well-known utilities, including, of course, 3DMark, in which Highscreen Ice 2 scored 4830 points.

In the AnTuTu Benchmark v5.7.1 test, it was difficult for the hero of our review to compete with the leaders from well-known manufacturers and he expectedly lost to them, but there is no reason to be upset, in general the smartphone scored 30,513 points, which the majority of budget Android devices have never even dreamed of.

At the end of last year, the Vobis-Computer company, which owns the Highscreen brand, presented at Russian market flagship smartphone Ice 2, which compares favorably with the company's previous models with a glass body, the presence of a second display for notifications and a dedicated Wolfson 8918C audio chip. The new product went on sale at a price of 14,990 rubles, which, given the weakening of the ruble, is not so much. We'll find out in the review whether the device is worth the money.

Technical characteristics of Highscreen Ice 2:

• Network: GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850/900/1800/1900 MHz), WCDMA (900/2100 MHz)
• Platform (at time of announcement): Android 4.4 KitKat
• Display: 4.7", 1280x720 pixels, IPS OGS, 312 ppi, Gorilla Glass 3
• Additional screen: OLED, 23 x 5 mm
• Camera: 13 MP, autofocus, flash, Sony IMX214 sensor
• Front camera: 2 MP
• Processor: 8 cores, 1.7 GHz, MediaTek MT6592
• Graphics: Mali-450 MP4
• RAM: 2 GB
• Internal memory: 16 GB
• Memory card: microSD
• Two SIM slots
• Bluetooth 4.0
• A-GPS
• Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n)
• Wolfson 8918C audio chip
• Battery: built-in, 2500 mAh
• Dimensions: 138 x 67.6 x 8.7 mm
• Weight: 135 g

Unboxing and video review

Equipment and design

The phone comes in a fairly stylish package, including a charger block (1A), a cable with a kind of light that lights up red or blue when charging, a wired headset with vacuum headphones and a flat wire, a metal clip for removing SIM cards, instructions and a warranty card. The smartphone is packed in a transport bag and covered with films, the front of which invites you to turn the device over and evaluate its second screen. Of course, the screen is a big word. Here we have a small OLED display that can display notifications and alerts.

Highscreen Ice 2 comes in Arctic White, Galaxy Chameleon Blue with glitter, and Night Grey. The latter can be called the most calm and universal.

The front and back panels of the Ice 2 are covered with Gorilla Glass 3. This is quite cool for a mid-range device. The frame is made of plastic - a metal structure would be more appropriate here, the feeling from the smartphone would immediately be more “flagship”. In its current form, Ice 2 feels high-quality, but quite simple, which is reminiscent of Huawei Honor 6.

The front side is given over to a 4.7" IPS display without an air gap. It is of very high quality and good quality, the black color merges with the front panel, the image appears as if on the surface of the screen, the viewing angles are not satisfactory, and the inversion is quite small. There is the possibility of unlocking display by double tapping, which again is not so often seen in mid-level devices. Under the screen there are three touch buttons backlit controls. The left dot is responsible for functions, the right one is for returning to the previous screen, the central ring takes you to the home desktop and, when held for a long time, shows the latest running programs. The central button also has a built-in 7-color LED that displays notifications from various applications and the status of the smartphone when charging/discharging. Above the screen is a 2-megapixel front-camera and a speaker.

The location of the control elements is non-standard and raises questions. For some reason, the power key moved to the top end, closer to the 3.5 mm audio jack. You will always have to reach out to her. And if you don’t have to do this to unlock the screen (a double tap on the display saves you), then you will have to do this to lock it, which is inconvenient. The volume control buttons are in their usual places, and above them there is a slot for microSD memory cards. On the opposite side there are connectors for two micro-SIM cards. The bottom end is given over to a microUSB port and a microphone. The second microphone is located on the rear panel, above the second display. Here you can also notice a fairly loud, but average in quality multimedia speaker (overlapping on the table), a 13-megapixel camera and flash.

As you already understand, the design of the smartphone is non-separable (a 2500 mAh battery is hidden inside), the device seems very strong and monolithic. It feels in the hand like the first generation Sony Xperia Z, only without any strange films and with a simpler frame. In general, Highscreen has turned out to be a very solid and high-quality smartphone in appearance and touch, which even an experienced gadget lover is not ashamed to pick up. What about the software?

Software

Highscreen Ice 2 is based on Android 4.4.2 KitKat and has a launcher Google Start and minimal additions from the manufacturer. This is the already mentioned double-tap for unlocking the screen, as well as several other features that can be found in the settings. The main one is, of course, the second display and its parameters. Here you can set intervals for automatically turning on the OLED panel, select displayed notifications from necessary programs and services, as well as activate the weather display. The main disadvantage of the second display, in this case, is the inability to constantly operate it, as is done with YotaPhone 2, for example. Of course, it also uses a much larger screen, and the display technology is completely different, but the essence is roughly comparable - displaying notifications and important information. It turns out that there is not much sense in the second display - all necessary information You can check it on the main screen without waiting for the additional one to turn on. Perhaps constant activity or the inclusion of an additional panel will be implemented through tapping in one of the upcoming updates. That would be helpful.

In the sound settings, you can note the sound enhancer for headphones and the speaker volume amplifier. In the screen settings, you can enable the ClearMotion video smoothness enhancer, display notifications on the lock screen, unlock with two touches, and also configure light notifications (7 colors with different flickering speeds and the ability to select applications). In the battery settings there is a power saving mode that limits the processor frequency to reduce the temperature of the device and increase the time battery life. Otherwise, we have a regular Android smartphone with basic programs. Of the applications preinstalled by the manufacturer, there are only cloud storage 4Sync, when registering in which you can get 128 GB of memory for storing any data as a gift.

Camera

The phone uses a 13-megapixel autofocus camera module with a Sony IMX214 sensor. The application interface is very advanced and is not limited to basic settings(for example, there is a mode for shooting simultaneously with front and rear cameras). Focusing in photo mode is done both automatically and by touch, with the latter defaulting to taking the photo immediately afterwards (this can be turned off if desired). It’s nice that when you touch it, the exposure is immediately adjusted, not all flagship smartphones other brands still do this.

In video mode, only touch focusing is available, but you can take photos while recording. In the settings there is an option to enable electronic image stabilization, but it does not work the best (everything is floating). As for the quality of photos and videos, it is very average for photos (heavy grain and noise) and below average for videos. Examples before your eyes.

Benchmarks and Performance

The smartphone is built on the MediaTek MT6592 chipset with an 8-core processor and a frequency of 1.7 GHz, has 2 GB of RAM and a Mali-450 MP4 graphics accelerator. The filling, in general, is typical and sufficient for the middle class. The main thing is that the smartphone works quickly, lags are minimal, and even when installing a large number of applications at the same time, the phone does not go into deep thought. Still, Highscreen did the right thing by choosing a panel with HD resolution rather than Full HD.

The results of synthetic tests demonstrate performance comparable to flagships of the first half of last year, such as the HTC One M7 and Samsung Galaxy S4, for example. In AnTuTu 5.6 the device scores 32,009 points, in Geekbench 3 - 444/2394, in Vellamo - 1949/1461/888, in Basemark OS II - 533, in GFXBench T-Rex for HD/Full HD - 15/12 fps, in 3DMark Unlimited - 7037 points, in Epic Citadel High Quality - 59 fps. As you can see, the graphics part let us down the most, that is, you won’t always be able to play the most modern toys in maximum quality.

Information about the make, model, and alternative names of the specific device, if available.

Design

Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Materials used, colors offered, certificates.

Width Width information - refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	67.6 mm (millimeters) 6.76 cm (centimeters) 0.22 ft (feet) 2.66 in (inches)
Height Height information - refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	138 mm (millimeters) 13.8 cm (centimeters) 0.45 ft (feet) 5.43 in (inches)
Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units measurements.	8.7 mm (millimeters) 0.87 cm (centimeters) 0.03 ft (feet) 0.34 in (inches)
Weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement.	135 g (grams) 0.3 lbs (pounds) 4.76 oz (ounces)
Volume The approximate volume of the device, calculated based on the dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped.	81.16 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 4.93 in³ (cubic inches)
Colors Information about the colors in which this device is offered for sale.	White Grey Blue
Materials for making the case Materials used to make the device body.	Plastic Glass

SIM card

The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.

Mobile networks

A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.

Mobile communication technologies and data transfer speeds

Communication between devices on mobile networks is carried out using technologies that provide different data transfer rates.

Operating system

An operating system is a system software that manages and coordinates the operation of hardware components in a device.

SoC (System on Chip)

A system on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device on one chip.

SoC (System on Chip) A system on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components, such as a processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation.	MediaTek MT6592
Technological process Information about the technological process by which the chip is manufactured. Nanometers measure half the distance between elements in the processor.	28 nm (nanometers)
Processor (CPU) The primary function of a mobile device's processor (CPU) is to interpret and execute instructions contained in software applications.	ARM Cortex-A7
Processor size The size (in bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of the registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have more high performance compared to 32-bit processors, which for their part are more productive than 16-bit processors.	32 bit
Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands with which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute.	ARMv7
Level 1 cache (L1) Cache memory is used by the processor to reduce access time to more frequently used data and instructions. L1 (level 1) cache is small in size and works much faster than both system memory and other cache levels. If the processor does not find the requested data in L1, it continues to look for it in the L2 cache. On some processors, this search is performed simultaneously in L1 and L2.	32 kB + 32 kB (kilobytes)
Level 2 cache (L2) L2 (level 2) cache is slower than L1, but in return it has a larger capacity that allows caching more data. It, like L1, is much faster than system memory (RAM). If the processor does not find the requested data in L2, it continues to look for it in the L3 cache (if available) or in RAM memory.	1024 kB (kilobytes) 1 MB (megabytes)
Number of processor cores The processor core executes software instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing multiple instructions to be executed in parallel.	8
CPU clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).	1700 MHz (megahertz)
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) Graphics processing unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphic applications. IN mobile devices it is used most often by games, consumer interface, video applications, etc.	ARM Mali-450 MP4
Number of GPU cores Like a CPU, a GPU is made up of several working parts called cores. They process graphical computing different applications.	4
GPU clock speed Running speed is the clock speed of the GPU, measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).	700 MHz (megahertz)
Amount of random access memory (RAM) Random access memory (RAM) is used by the operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost after the device is turned off or restarted.	2 GB (gigabytes)
Type of random access memory (RAM) Information about the type of random access memory (RAM) used by the device.	LPDDR3
Number of RAM channels Information about the number of RAM channels that are integrated into the SoC. More channels means more high speeds data transmission.	Single channel
RAM frequency The frequency of RAM determines its operating speed, more specifically, the speed of reading/writing data.	666 MHz (megahertz)

Built-in memory

Each mobile device has built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed capacity.

Memory cards

Memory cards are used in mobile devices to increase the storage capacity for storing data.

Screen

The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.

Type/technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the quality of the information image directly depends.	IPS
Diagonal For mobile devices, screen size is expressed by the length of its diagonal, measured in inches.	4.7 in (inches) 119.38 mm (millimeters) 11.94 cm (centimeters)
Width Approximate screen width	2.3 in (inches) 58.53 mm (millimeters) 5.85 cm (centimeters)
Height Approximate screen height	4.1 in (inches) 104.05 mm (millimeters) 10.4 cm (centimeters)
Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side	1.778:1 16:9
Permission Screen resolution shows the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. Higher resolution means clearer image detail.	720 x 1280 pixels
Pixel Density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be displayed on the screen with clearer detail.	312 ppi (pixels per inch) 122ppcm (pixels per centimeter)
Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for color components in one pixel. Information about maximum quantity colors that the screen can show.	24 bit 16777216 flowers
Screen area Approximate percentage of screen area occupied by the screen on the front of the device.	65.49% (percentage)
Other characteristics Information about other screen features and characteristics.	Capacitive Multi-touch Scratch resistance
	Corning Gorilla Glass 3 OGS (One Glass Solution) Oleophobic (lipophobic) coating

Sensors

Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that a mobile device can recognize.

Rear camera

The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on its back panel and may be combined with one or more secondary cameras.

Sensor model Information about the manufacturer and model of the sensor used by the camera.	Sony IMX214 Exmor RS
Sensor type Information about the camera sensor type. Some of the most widely used types of sensors in mobile device cameras are CMOS, BSI, ISOCELL, etc.	CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor)
Sensor size Information about the dimensions of the photosensor used in the device. Typically cameras with larger sensors and lower pixel densities offer more high quality images despite the lower resolution.	4.69 x 3.52 mm (millimeters) 0.23 in (inches)
Pixel size Pixels are usually measured in microns. Larger pixels are able to capture more light and therefore provide better low-light photography and wider dynamic range than smaller pixels. On the other hand, smaller pixels allow for higher resolution while maintaining the same sensor size.	1.11 µm (micrometers) 0.001110 mm (millimeters)
Crop factor The crop factor is the ratio between the dimensions of the full-frame sensor (36 x 24 mm, equivalent to a frame of standard 35 mm film) and the dimensions of the device's photosensor. The indicated number represents the ratio of the diagonals of the full-frame sensor (43.3 mm) and the photosensor specific device.	7.38
ISO (light sensitivity) The ISO value/number indicates the sensitivity of the sensor to light. Digital camera sensors operate within a specific ISO range. The higher the ISO number, the more sensitive the sensor is to light.	100 - 1600
Svetlosila F-stop (also known as aperture, aperture, or f-number) is a measure of the size of a lens's aperture, which determines the amount of light entering the sensor. The lower the f-number, the larger the aperture and the more light reaches the sensor. Typically the f-number is specified to correspond to the maximum possible aperture of the aperture.	f/1.8
Flash type The rear (rear) cameras of mobile devices mainly use LED flashes. They can be configured with one, two or more light sources and vary in shape.	LED
Image Resolution	4224 x 3168 pixels 13.38 MP (megapixels)
Video resolution	1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels)
	30fps (frames per second)
Characteristics Information about additional software and hardware features of the rear (rear) camera.	Autofocus Continuous shooting Digital zoom Digital image stabilization Geographical tags Panoramic photography HDR shooting Touch Focus Face recognition White Balance Adjustment ISO Setting Exposure compensation Scene Selection Mode
	Blue filter glass

Front-camera

Smartphones have one or more front cameras of various designs - a pop-up camera, a rotating camera, a cutout or hole in the display, an under-display camera.

Image Resolution One of the main characteristics of cameras is resolution. It represents the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in an image. For convenience, smartphone manufacturers often list resolution in megapixels, indicating the approximate number of pixels in millions.	1600 x 1200 pixels 1.92 MP (megapixels)
Video resolution Information about the maximum video resolution that the camera can record.	640 x 480 pixels 0.31 MP (megapixels)
Video recording speed (frame rate) Information about maximum speed recording (frames per second, fps) supported by the camera at maximum resolution. Some of the most basic video recording speeds are 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, 60 fps.	30fps (frames per second)

Audio

Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.

Radio

The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.

Location determination

Information about the navigation and location technologies supported by your device.

WiFi

Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for transmitting data over close distances between various devices.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between various devices of different types over short distances.

USB

USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to exchange data.

Headphone jack

This is an audio connector, also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.

Connecting devices

Information about other important connection technologies supported by your device.

Browser

A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.

Video file formats/codecs

Mobile devices support different video file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital video data.