Announced merely six months after the Liquid Jade the S version brings notable upgrades in several major areas. A more powerful chipset, featuring an octa-core processor and a higher-grade graphics processor is the key change, but the doubled operating memory and onboard storage are also important updates. The new SoC is not just about higher performance though, it also brings LTE support to the mix.
Meanwhile, other key features have been retained starting with the 5-inch display. True, it's not FullHD, but qHD resolutions aren't unheard of in the price segment and 720p gives enough density without rising the price too high. The dual SIM capability will be appreciated by a certain type of users, even if the second card needs to fight with the microSD for the shared slot space.
The Acer Liquid Jade S sports prominent styling too. While certain design elements may not be to everyone's liking, it's definitely not just another nameless black rectangle of a smartphone. It's also light and pleasantly thin - a rarity in a price range where build is usually sacrificed at the altar of lower price.
Acer Liquid Jade S key features
Dual SIM slots, quad-band 2G connectivity for both SIM cards, quad-band 3G and Cat. 4 LTE for download speeds up to 150Mbps
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, hotspot; GPS with A-GPS
64-bit Mediatek MT6752M chipset with an octa-core Cortex-A53 processor clocked at 1.5GHz
Mali T760MP2 dual-core GPU
2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage on board, expandable up to 32GB via microSD card in place of SIM 2
5-inch IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen display of 1,280 x 720 pixels resolution, Gorilla Glass 3 protection
13MP main camera with fast f1.8 lens, autofocus, and LED flash; 1080p@30fps video recording
5MP front facing camera
DTS-HD certified audio
Android 4.4.4 KitKat with thorough customizations from Acer, promised upgrade to Lollipop
FM radio receiver
2,300mAh battery capacity
Compact, light body; striking design
Main disadvantages
Non-removable battery
Power button is in an uncomfortable position
No NFC
You can't have dual-SIM and microSD at the same time
So, as evidenced by the above list, the Acer Liquid Jade S addresses the predecessor's shortcomings and adds up to a convincing smartphone package on paper. The capable hardware is complemented by unusual styling that may not please everyone, but is certainly a conversation starter.
