The BLU G9 Pro is an interesting phone right from the get go. It has a powerful processor, the MediaTek Helio P60, that is normally reserved for premium-level phones and interesting design choices, like a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, that make it stand apart from the herd. This combination of quality and strangeness, or quality and individualism, has earned the G9 Pro the distinction of being a best smartphone. With the best smartphone, read our Renny smartphone ringer review to take your calls on speaker.
Why We Like It – BLU G9 Pro Review
BLU may not be a household name in the mobile phone market, but with the release of the BLU G9 Pro it’s safe to say it’s trying its hardest to make it so. The G9 Pro is probably the most “budget” a budget phone can be, but also the most powerful a budget phone can be. Compare the specs in the Blu G9 to our Blackberry Z10 review (Verizon). If you want a phone with a wider screen, take a look at our Huawei Ascend Mate 2 review instead.
- 24MP Front Camera
- Rear-Mounted Fingerprint Sensor
- Wireless Charging
- Portrait Mode is Bad
Performance
The G9 Pro boasts a powerful 24MP front camera which is a nice addition for those who will be using it primarily as a selfie camera. It has a triple camera rear set-up consisting of a 16MP main camera, a 5MP depth camera and a 20MP night mode camera. Unfortunately, portrait mode on the front camera is horrendous. The UMIDigi X features an incredible camera for a budget phone, if phone cameras are your decision maker. Moving on to performance, 2.0 GHz Octa-Core MediaTek Helio P60 makes the phone faster and more fluid over its predecessor, the BLU G9.
Related: See our BlackView BV9900 review
Design
In a bold design choice, the fingerprint sensor on the G9 Pro is rear-mounted, located about three-quarters of the way up on the phone. Not only does this bring some novelty , it also sets it apart from the herd of in-display fingerprint sensor phones. In an amazing turn of events, the G9 Pro has a USB-C port and a headphone jack. Just another bold and novel design choice from the people at BLU. And you don’t have to throw-away your old headphones. If bold design choices are your thing, consider the Razer Phone 2 where bold design and performance choices lead to features like better gaming.
Value
The BLU G9 Pro features wireless charging. This is another nice addition as wireless charging is a feature normally reserved for higher-end, flagship phones. By all accounts, the G9 Pro is about as solid as a mid-range phone, or budget phone, can get. By now, many companies have mid-range cell phones. Even Samsung has the Samsung Galaxy A70 which is the mid-range version of their trademark Galaxy S series. But not many can match what the BLU G9 Pro is offering at a measly $200.00.
Related: Check out our Blu Joy cell phone review
BLU G9 Pro Review Wrap Up
The people at BLU are leading the way not only in the cheapest budget phone available, but also on bold design and performance choices. There was a time when Apple was the leader, but now it seems they have fallen into a comfortable routine. Let’s hope BLU, when they become a household name, don’t fall victim to the same trap.
