The Unihertz Luna smartphone borrows many design parts from the Nothing Cellphone 1, and improves on it in some methods by together with a extra colourful and brighter LED gentle array on the again. The system is powered by a midrange MediaTek chipset, and has a big 6.81-inch IPS LCD show, a triple digital camera array, a programmable key, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

It’s a big system, by all means. Whereas it gained’t shatter any benchmark assessments, it’s a good system for basic customers, particularly for these searching for one thing extra distinctive, one thing that stands out among the many myriad of sq. and rounded rectangle-shaped smartphones that may be discovered. That stated, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows, and we’ve lots to debate.

For those who like smartphones that stand out with distinctive options, you may also be desirous about these articles and opinions:

Unihertz Luna: Worth & Availability

The Unihertz Luna retails for $330 within the US. The system can be out there in different areas, together with the EU, Canada, Japan, in addition to Asia, Oceania, and the UK. The system is on the market for a similar worth throughout all of the areas, and we’ve seen the system out there with a $300 ($30 low cost) since its launch.

It’s additionally price mentioning that the Unihertz Luna is on the market in two colours, Black and White, in all of those areas.

What’s within the field

The Unihertz Luna is available in a classy field, that includes the identical symbols on the highest that may be discovered on the again of the system. Contained in the field, you’ll discover your typical person manuals and guarantee card, a SIM ejector pin, a tempered glass display screen protector, a USB-a to USB-C cable, and an 18W energy adapter. The telephone itself additionally comes with a clear silicone case.

In relation to the contents contained in the field, there’s actually not a lot we will complain about, particularly not at this worth level. The Luna comes with all the important equipment, and we’re glad to see the extra case, display screen protector, and energy adaptor contained in the field. Sadly, not many different producers bundle these these days, and it’s refreshing to see when firms do.

Design

• It appears nice
• Giant, cumbersome, and heavy
• It’s not ergonomic and uncomfortable to carry for lengthy intervals

Unihertz is an organization that makes slightly distinctive and odd gadgets that stand out with their particular options and appears, and the Luna falls proper in step with their mission. The Luna is every little thing however generic by way of appears, and it has a lot in frequent with the Nothing Cellphone (1).

In fact, there are substantial variations between the 2 gadgets, however the premise is comparable. Shiny lights on the again, flat facet edges, small curves, and a big show. The Luna additionally borrows many design parts from the iPhone 13. Simply check out that digital camera setup.

Borrowing designs aren’t a nasty concept, in any case, there are solely so many issues you are able to do with a rectangle-shaped smartphone that hasn’t already been completed by one firm or one other. In relation to the Luna, it has an excellent construct high quality, however the telephone is flawed by its large measurement and heavy weight. The Unihertz Luna is 10.4mm thick, in comparison with 8.3mm on the Nothing telephone, and it weighs a whopping 298g, 35g greater than my foldable Galaxy Z Fold 4.

It’s massive, cumbersome, and heavy. It’s not essentially the most comfy smartphone to carry, and as a lot as I attempted to adore it, I simply couldn’t recover from the big measurement and heavy weight whereas utilizing it. It’s not an ergonomic smartphone and is uncomfortable to carry and use day by day. Relating to ports, it has an IR sensor, NFC, a 3.5mm headphone jack, two customizable buttons on the left facet, and a fingerprint reader embedded within the energy button.

Specs

The Unihertz Luna helps T-Cellular and Verizon networks (and MVNOs solely). The system is powered by the MediaTek Helio G99 chipset, which ought to present a midrange efficiency, much like the Snapdragon 695 SoC. Nevertheless, it lacks 5G connectivity. The 8GB of RAM is lots to multitask and open a couple of apps within the background, and the 256GB of storage is welcome since there’s no microSD card slot to develop the storage.

Show

• 6.81-inch IPS LCD show with 60Hz
• Typically too dim to see clearly whereas outdoors

The Unihertz Luna sports activities a normal 6.81-inch IPS LCD show. It’s a 60Hz panel, so it gained’t really feel as clean as another 90Hz gadgets on this worth vary. It’s not a significant problem, and the telephone will present respectable efficiency, however it will’ve been nice to see at the least 90Hz on this system.

The viewing angles are usually not spectacular, however shade accuracy is respectable. The massive display screen will probably be pleasurable for watching motion pictures and movies, however it’s not vivid. I typically struggled to see the contents on the display screen, even once I was inside, between the 4 partitions and lights over my head. This was even worse once I went outdoors and tried utilizing the system in direct daylight.

It’s honest to say, the show is usable and works effectively inside, however it’s not precisely nice when used outside. Content material will typically be laborious to see, and even on 100% brightness, it will likely be difficult to learn messages, browse the net, or do something. I want Unihertz used a brighter panel, as this makes it an actual problem for anybody searching for a sturdy work-phone that may very well be used inside or outdoors.

Cameras

The Unihertz Luna has three cameras, a 108MP major, a 20MP evening imaginative and prescient, and a 2MP macro shooter. The first digital camera takes okay pictures in broad daylight, and whereas it typically has sufficient element, the pictures are sometimes oversharpened and have an excessive amount of distinction. The colours are additionally a blended bag and are both oversaturated or too washed out more often than not.

The low-light efficiency may very well be higher, and the telephone can battle to focus. Typically the lights are too blown out, and the pictures include numerous noise. Evening mode helps somewhat bit, however it’s not the very best digital camera setup for capturing pictures in low gentle and at evening. Moreover, I need to add that you would be able to’t use the LED gentle strip on the again as a flash, which is a missed alternative.

The Evening imaginative and prescient digital camera usually takes clear pictures in pitch-black circumstances, and it’s truly fairly spectacular. It’s an excellent celebration trick, and it does truly allow you to see in full darkness, however I’m nonetheless struggling to determine the place this would possibly turn out to be useful. Do you really want this on a $300 smartphone? It’s nice that we’ve it, however I might’ve been happier with the extra helpful ultrawide sensor.

The selfies are virtually at all times blown out in direct daylight and in vivid circumstances, and the colours are washed out. The sharpness additionally takes a success, though the primary topic often comes out clear with loads of element.

General, the Unihertz Luna isn’t a digital camera smartphone. Whereas it might probably seize respectable pictures, you’ll virtually at all times need to open a picture editor and tweak the highlights, distinction, and the colours to make the pictures appear extra lifelike, because the captured pictures will lack most of these key options.

Digital camera Samples

Software program

• It comes with Android 12
• No bloatware
• Nice customization options for LED lights and facet buttons

The Unihertz Luna was unveiled with Android 12, and whereas I’d like to say that I’ve confidence in Unihertz updating this telephone to Android 13 sooner or later, Android 14 is true across the nook. Thus far, I haven’t seen any indicators of the corporate keen to replace this telephone, and I’ve doubts about whether or not it’ll obtain any OS updates within the close to future.

In relation to the software program expertise, I’ve had a nice time with the Unihertz Luna. The telephone has all the Android 12 options that everyone knows and love, and I took benefit of the built-in darkish mode and cut up display screen options at any time when I might. It’s a reasonably barebones OS, and Unihertz didn’t embody a lot bloatware, which is at all times nice to see. The telephone ran easily more often than not, and I solely ever skilled slowdowns and the sluggish conduct once I put it beneath a heavy load, once I performed extra demanding video games, or had too many purposes open.

Typically talking, the Unihertz Luna will do an excellent job, and I particularly like that the corporate allowed customers to customise the left-side buttons. Inside settings, customers can change the brief faucet, double faucet, and lengthy press options for every of the 2 buttons, enabling the likelihood to do actions, open apps, and even activate the flashlight.

Relating to the lights on the again, Unihertz supplied choices to activate the LED strip for notifications, activate visualization playback, and an ambient gentle characteristic that may sync to the lights to the content material proven on display screen – this will present a extra immersive expertise when gaming or watching motion pictures as the colours will change primarily based on the first shade of what’s displayed on the display screen.

Customers may also select from seven of the built-in patterns or create their very own. These are principally simply completely different visible results and colours, however it’s good to see that Unihertz lets customers set their very own colours utilizing the sliders.

General, the software program expertise is respectable for essentially the most half, however I want Unihertz supplied extra up-to-date software program for a tool that was simply unveiled. I hope the corporate can preserve and replace its system sooner or later, though, because it stands, that continues to be a thriller.

Battery Life

The battery of the Unihertz Luna is surprisingly good. The Luna has a big 5,000 mAh battery, and it might probably usually final for a few day, or two days once I preserve the battery. It may be charged supplied 18W energy adapter. The lights on the again devour fairly a little bit of energy, so it’s finest advisable that you just flip them off when you don’t want to indicate them off to your pals, however that’ll largely depend upon the brightness you set it at. The LEDs are extraordinarily vivid, even on the bottom settings; due to this fact you won’t save numerous battery in any case.

The telephone lasted a cushty day on a single cost throughout my use. I usually browsed the net, used a couple of social media apps, and performed a couple of much less graphics-intensive video games akin to Brawl Stars. The telephone lasted me all day, however I did discover the telephone would typically drain 10-15% battery in a single day for seemingly no purpose. The idle battery drain is a priority, however Unihertz did say my system was a pre-production unit. Subsequently it may very well be an remoted problem.

Unihertz Luna: Ought to I purchase it?

Purchase it if…

• You desire a telephone that stands out with vivid and colourful LED lights on the again
• You’re not an influence person and wish one thing unconventional

Don’t purchase it if…

• You you’ll be able to’t deal with massive and hefty telephones
• You don’t need to showcase the LED lights on the again
• You need to take pictures

The Unihertz Luna isn’t a nasty telephone, however it’s laborious to advocate. The telephone can do some gentle gaming, and it usually performs effectively for on a regular basis duties, akin to multitasking, looking by means of social media, and messaging family and friends. Nevertheless, except for the brilliant LED lights, it has nothing that’d make it stand out among the many crowd. It’s a troublesome promote, particularly as there are many different nice smartphones that nail the smartphone expertise rather well.

The primary system that involves thoughts is the Galaxy A23 or Galaxy A24. It has aggressive {hardware}, a slim kind issue, and Samsung is understood to supply higher software program assist for its gadgets. The system sports activities One UI 5 primarily based on Android 13, with loads of built-in options.

The opposite nice possibility for the same price ticket could be the Google Pixel 6a, which is cheaper than ever, because of the just lately launched Google Pixel 7a. The Pixel 6a has among the finest digital camera setups, a flagship chipset, and loads of reminiscence. It’s a superb midranger, and whereas it lacks a couple of key options, it’s nonetheless among the finest telephones you should buy at this time for about $300.

For those who’re keen to spend extra, the Nothing Cellphone 1 and the Samsung Galaxy A54 are equally nice gadgets. The Galaxy A54 is powered by the Exynos 1380 chip and it has as much as 8GB of RAM, and a triple digital camera setup consisting of a 50MP major, 12MP ultrawide, and a much less helpful 5MP macro. It’s not an ideal system, however it takes higher pictures, has quicker charging, weighs much less, and is much extra transportable. Whereas the Galaxy A54 may cost $150 greater than the Unihertz Luna, Samsung, and different retailers and carriers typically have reductions, making the telephone an interesting various for under barely extra.

• 

  Nothing Cellphone 1

  Nothing Cellphone 1 comes with a 6.55-inch 120Hz OLED show with slim bezels, a customized Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G+ processor, 900 LEDs on the again, twin 50MP shooters, wi-fi charging, and extra.

• 

  Samsung Galaxy A54 5G

  The brand new Samsung Galaxy A54 5G comes with a two-day battery life, a superb triple digital camera setup, and assist for 25W quick charging, It has a compact design and a 6.4-inch Tremendous AMOLED show and a microSD growth slot to retailer your apps and pictures.