Archos 55 Cobalt Plus test: an attractive look but a fairly average quality/price ratio

New year, new range at Archos.After the Helium in 2014 and the Diamond in 2015, here is the cobalt.The first two models, 50 and 55 Cobalt Plus, were presented at CES 2016 and position themselves between the two ranges previously mentioned, between entry and mid -range, with the objective of seducing occasional multimedia consumers.But are they really able?

We have received the largest of the two at the editorial staff and we are ready to give you our impressions but, before that, we return to a few important points.The first is obviously the price.The 55 Cobalt Plus was sold at € 169.99, 20 € more than announced in Las Vegas.And here is what he brings in exchange:

Nothing really exceptional here, apart from perhaps the presence of the 4G chipset first price of Mediatek in a smartphone sold more than 150 €...This does not bode well on the performance side but let's first dwell on the design of the 55 Cobalt Plus.

A premium look, apparently at least

Suffice to say right away, Archos was very much inspired by his competitors.We especially think of Huawei/Honor.Is it a bad thing?Not necessarily.If you wear Mate 7 or the Honor 7 in your heart, there is a good chance that you like the design of the 55 Cobalt Plus even if it will be necessary to ignore the metal.Eh yes !Do not trust the lines that cross the hood.Nothing to do with antennas, they are purely decorative here.If we can call it decoration...They are especially there to deceive and strengthen the printing of metal.The metallic paint would undoubtedly have been enough since we find it rather successful.

The whole design is rather pleasant to look at.We also appreciate the 2.5D glass which enhances the minimalist facade, with only a few sensors and the speaker of the calls in addition to the screen, as well as the treatment provided to the right edge.That of food is striated rather than smooth like that of the volume just above.A nice detail with an eye but also useful since it helps to differentiate the two buttons to the touch.Note also that they are well placed, at the thumb for right -handers, even if the ergonomics of the 55 cobalt more is far from being as flawless as its appearance.

He first suffers the size of his screen.Despite relatively fine borders, it is a real phablet with the drawbacks that this implies in manipulation.Large or small hands, whatever.In any case, it will often be necessary to use both.The location of the loudspeaker, on the lower slice to the left of the micro-USB (the right grid is a trompe-l'oeil, another...), does not allow you to take full advantage of it in game.You will also notice that the camera exceeds on the back.It is not dramatic but the smartphone does not arise flat and archos could probably have avoided it since the smartphone is not particularly fine.

Finally, note that the hood is removable but that this does not allow access to the battery.It is visible but a strip of plastic prevents it from removing it...Shame !Removing the cover is therefore only used to access the microsim and nanosim/microSD ports.Note that the operation is a little delicate despite the notch planned to facilitate it as it is well hung.At least he should not be dislodged at the slightest fall...In summary, Archos did a good job on the visual and assembly but not necessarily well thought out ergonomics.

A screen that lacks radiance behind the beautiful 2.5D window

For display, Archos has bet on an IPS 5.5 inch slab at the HD definition.The resolution therefore does not reach vertices (267 pixels per inch) but it is sufficient for most uses.It is only on web pages with small characters that you should be able to distinguish pixels but the whole is generally readable.It is therefore not the most annoying.The colors seem a little dull, in addition to lacking depth, and that worsens if you look at the screen aside.

The problem could undoubtedly have been avoided with a higher brightness and/or an assembly type Zero Air Gap, but the manufacturer has obviously preferred to bet everything on the 2.5D glass.Too bad, even if it participates in the successful design of the 55 cobalt plus and the feeling is pleasant to the touch.

Android lollipop pure and hard

Let us now dwell a little on the bone, even if there is not really a surprise since it is Android 5.1 lollipop, delivered as always without an overlay.The interface is closer and closer to that of the Nexus with the arrival of the Google panel to the left of the office.You will nevertheless notice the menu of apple applications with vertical scrolling from Marshmallow but we will still have to wait for the full experience at Archos.And it will probably not be on the 55 Cobalt plus given its update policy...

So let's go back to Lollipop.We have already mentioned the office and its various panels.The notification center with the quick setting pane is also there, as is the multitasking manager with card presentation, the three buttons navigation bar with Google Now shortcuts in the middle or the sleek keyboard with integrated emojis.Archos does not change anything, and he adds nothing either except his video application.A double tap or a reduced interface for one hand would have been welcome.

The advantage is at least that it does not unnecessarily climb the memory of the smartphone.From the 16 GB promised, there are 10.40s left for the ignition user and it should be sufficient to download the applications he needs on the Play Store.Note that other Google applications are also present of course.

Honorable performances for the MT6735, but disappointing for the price

There may even be another advantage in the total absence of overlay.Android turns pretty well.There are few slowdowns.The interface is reactive.And this is probably not only due to the technical platform of the 55 Cobalt plus since it is based on a chipset to say the least modest even if it is accompanied by 2 GB of RAM: the MT6735P.With its quad-core of Cortex-A53 to 1 GHz for the CPU and its Mali-T720 for the graphic treatment, it is even the least efficient 4G chipsets of Mediatek as evidenced by the scores obtained on the benchmarks.

The system therefore seems particularly well optimized.And it is even felt until multimedia.Against all expectations, the phablet manages to offer good moments of entertainment.He even does quite well on video, supported by the very complete reader of D'Archos.Video flows are decoded to full HD without too much worries and with many codecs.The balance sheet is a little less glorious in play but we were still able to play our star game, namely Dead Trigger 2, without problem with acceptable graphics.Unfortunately, it was not the same song on Angry Birds Go!, At the limit of the unplayable sometimes and playable with some slowdowns other times.

In any case, the Mediatek chipset seems to be better exploited here than on the other platforms that we have been able to try.Still happy given the price difference, you will tell me.The MT6735P is generally found in smartphones sold around 100 €...The 55 Cobalt Plus is well above!It is therefore good to know that it is still possible to enjoy your big HD screen.Small disappointment on the audio side on the other hand, mainly because of the location of the speaker that we have often covered by playing.On the other hand, it is better to use a helmet for an optimal experience and this defect may push you there.So it's not worse in the end...

The photo is really not the thing of the 55 Cobalt plus

Let's finish this test with the photo.And as much to say right away, it was not a pleasure.The 13 -megapixel main sensor from 55 Cobalt Plus is disappointing in more ways than one.Not only does he struggle to capture the scenes in detail, but in addition he does not do so homogeneously.The more we approach the edges, the less there are.And Archos software drives the nail by smoothing the textures in addition to accentuating the contours.You will also notice the mismanagement of the brightness on the shot below, completely overexposed, but this is only one example among others.

We have also been entitled to scenes under exhibitions.Obviously, this mismanagement of the brightness is not without consequence on the white balance and the colors.And we have not even mentioned the specific problems in the grip in low light: slowness of the camera, hazardous focus, too dark shots...

Some of these problems can be corrected by changing the settings of the photo application but the operation promises to be tedious in view of the catastrophic organization of the menus.We would have appreciated finding more shortcuts in the viewfinder or a manual mode but, archos having once again content with what Google offered, it is obviously not a question.Too bad since it would have been very useful...

The easiest way is to shoot on the fly and hide the disaster behind a filter.Finally, if your only goal is to feed your Instagram or Facebook account.If you wait more, you will have to opt for another model.

A rather average quality/price ratio

Archos may have treated appearances but the 55 Cobalt more is quickly caught up in his discount equipment.Even if it will be able to serve as a multimedia support on occasion, it must be recognized that the screen is rather commonplace, the chipset a little pain and the camera at the limit of the catastrophic.The assessment is hard, but the market conditions too and it is now possible to find much better for around € 170 by looking a little: the M2 Note at Meizu, the Pulp Fab 4G at Wiko or the Honor 4X.

You will even have much more choice just by giving up the big screen, which could ultimately be only a small sacrifice next to what you will win.Too bad that Archos did not leave the price at 149 € as he had announced to CES...