Chinese phone makers JiaYu and UMi both have quad-core MT6589 Android smartphones set to make an appearance in the next few months. Let’s take a look at two of the most popular the JiaYu G4 and UMi X2.
JiaYu G4
When JiaYu launched the dual-core G3 last year, they rewrote the rulebook on what a low-cost Chinese smartphone should offer. The JiaYu G4, which is expected to launch after March, is going to raise the G3’s already high bar.
Once on the market the JiaYu G4 will start at 999 Yuan ($160) in China for the base model, with international resellers expected to offer the phone at a higher $200+ price, but even at these largely inflated prices the G4 is going to offer remarkable value for money!
Being a 2013 Chinese flagship phone, the G4 will follow the proven MTK recipe and will feature the latest quad-core MT6589 CPU running at 1.2GHz and a choice of either 1GB or 2GB RAM. JiaYu haven’t been shy to show off the performance of the 1GB RAM version and benchmarks show the phone reaching 12,251 on Antutu.
One of the standout features on the G3 was the 720HD display, and for the G4 JiaYu have opted to boost the size to 4.7-inch but keep resolution at a respectable 1280 x 720 and PPI 312. The new panel will feature OGS technology which allows for a thinner display and an overall better user experience.
Camera’s will also be updated and the G4 will boast a 13 mega-pixel rear camera and 3 mega-pixel front camera. If the rear sensor proves to be as good as the unit on the Newman N2, then the JiaYu is going to be a very powerful device for photos let alone the usual smartphone features.
UMi X2
Gizchina News of the week
Last year UMi managed to steal JiaYu’s thunder by releasing the UMi X1 while JiaYu struggled with delays and problems with the G3. The X1 has proven to be a great phone with amazing hardware.
The UMi X2 is a complete redesign and features a body more like a Samsung device rather then than Xiaomi inspired model from last year. Pricing for the X2 appears to be on par with the JiaYu with purported retails prices set at the 1499 Yuan ($240) mark. The good news for international buyers is that reseller don’t tend to mark up UMi phones as much as JiaYu models.
As for hardware, the UMi X2 is practically a low-cost Oppo Find 5 and will feature a 5-inch 1080p display, 13 mega-pixel rear camera and quad-core MT6589 CPU running at 1.2GHz. There will only be one model of X2 which will feature 2GB RAM and 32GB of built-in memory.
Like the G4, the X2 will boast OGS technogly and a Corning Gorilla Glass screen, but in a much larger 5-inch size with a higher resolution of 1080HD 441PPI. The screen is said to be surrounded by an ultra-narrow border design which measures just 2.5mm.
Rear camera on the X2 is a 13 mega-pixel unit which is confirmed have a f/2.0 aperture and is able to recored video at 1080p.
JiaYu G4 Vs. UMi X2
[table id=20 /]Which do you choose?
From a hardware perspective there is very little to choose between the JiaYu G4 and UMi X2, with the only obvious differences between the 2 phones being the screen size and resolution.
But what is more important to you? Are you happy with the smaller 4.7-inch 720HD display on the cheaper JiaYu G4? Or are you willing to spend the extra money for the larger 5-inch 1080HD screen on the UMi X2? Let us know in the poll and comments below!
[poll id=”5″]
hey andi.. when is umi x2 appearing in market?
UMi say this month, we actually have more UMi X2 news coming soon.
please install features like ‘flip to mute’ , ‘Intelligent answer – answer calls just by bringing the phone close to ear’, ‘two windo option’, ‘Face-beautification feature’ etc in Umi X2 mobile sothat it prove smartphone defination.
It also depends on price, if both JiaYu G4 2GB & UMI X2 are both around $240 international shipped, then the latter wins easily.
None could be had for those prices internationally shipped, at least for months after its release.
Thankfully launches in India too!
i would gladly take umi , if it doesn’t have a lot of manufacturing troubles like x1 did.
Hey Andi, this is the moment when JIAYU realised, that they made the G4 in the wrong way and they made a Big Mistake. Because the UMI X2 will have WCDMA 900/2100 support, this advantage making it more up ahead then the G4 (WCDMA 2100 ONLY !!! this is stupid) and in the other way UMI have the same OGS technology but with 1080p 441ppi π ! So once the European buyers realise that UMI X2 matching/covering the whole BAND requirements for almost all European WCDMA Networks they will buy the UMI instead of the G4 and I don’t want to mention the other advantages that UMI X2 have instead of JIAYU G4, you already did that in that beautiful post and also to all others reading my post, please check the VOTE and you will see which is better π
Oh eyah, I forgot to mention that the UMI will be also in Titanium Grey Color and not only White !!!
how sure is that the Jiayu will only support WCDMA 2100? I’d appreaciate if you give a source. Thanks.
Since they all use the same MT6589 SoC, that means the same built-in radio hardware, so same supported frequencies?
Is this true? I hope not I just ordered a G4 from Merimobile… if it doesnt support networks in the UK I had better cancel that order. π
So, according to https://www.gizchina.com/2013/02/12/umi-x2-network-support/ the UMI will only be able to run wcdma 2100. Jiayu and UMI are even again – however, I would have rather liked to see them on par by both supporting 900/2100 each π Fortunately, 900MHz isn’t as common as 2100 – still, that doesnt help if you’re depended on that range π
@Nova5lag: check http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_UMTS_networks to see what band your carrier uses
I will say only this WCDMA 900/2100 (Perfectly suitable for the European market, cause almost all of the Networks requires WCDMA 900/2100 Mhz ) which is the biggest advantage, that UMI X2 have against the Jiayu G4 and the other advantages Andi already mentioned them … 2GB RAM, 32GB ROM, 5.0″ 1080p OGS, 8,9mm body thinner border then the JIAYU … with one word BETTER
umi x2 will suit in india regarding sim network 2g or 3g i am eagerly awaiting to buy
I’m more interested in how the Umi X1s compares to Jiayu’s G4. For 999 yuan, specs are fairly similar except for screen size (4.5 vs. 4.7) which in turn affects overall dimensions…
Also, Andi, how would you compare build quality of these two brands in general? Oh well, way too many 999Y phones expected for release – doesn’t facilitate any decision π
From last year’s phones I would say JiaYu are slightly better on quality.
Keep posted we will have a comparison soon
That sounds nice! Keep up the good work – I really appreciate the information you gather!
Is the MTK6589 able to display a 1080p video? I saw with the MTK6577 dual core generation that HD videos were easily using all processor power and not smooth at all, so what about this new MTK6589? Is it able to play smoothly an HD/Full HD video?
http://www.mediatek.com/_en/03_news/01-2_newsDetail.php?sn=1088
Please read it, it will answer all your questions. And the Short answer is YES it supports 1080p screens π
Thanks fot the link π
thx for the link, What about dual active functionality? all phones with this chip will get dual active?
Yes
That’s really great new features, a lot of people expected this and this is a big plus, i hope the energy consumption won’t go too high, that;s the only thing i’m concerned with
Yes it supports the 1080p screens, but the problem is HOW it supports. I saw many smartphone MT6577 with 720p screen that had more lag(in app and games) then the phones with lower screen resolution. I hope that this MTK6589 will be able to support 1080p screen in decent way,because if the choise is between a 1080p laggy phone, and a 720p smooth phone, I choose the 720p.
P.S. There arent’s MTK 6589 whith MHL/HDMI and OTG support? It would be nice..
P.P.S. I’m sorry for my English,I’m Italian,btw compliments for your site, I see it every day for china-phone news π
I know 1080 is supported by this chip, but HOW?
@Rafy
Exactly my point. It’s worthless I have a 1080p screen and I’m not able to use all of those pixel in a decent way. I too prefer a 720p screen able to play smoothly videos and games.
Exactly! And i seriously doubt its capability to render fhd content at all times. The very best of qualcomm chips(snapdragons S4pros SOCs with adreno gpu) based om ARM a15 architecture (currently) are able to render 1080p content without framerate drop and noticeable lag. Will an a7 based 1.2ghz SOC be able to do it without any significant drops in performance? I dont think so…
However at this price point, it blows everything out of the water…
If stuff like wifi and gps are inbuild in this new chip, that means no more problem with wifi strong and similiar problems which has a lot of nowadays Chinese phones?
+1
quality of the WiFi and GPS chipset will make or brake the JIAYU G4. Until this has been tested and/or confirmed the only safe poll choise is the Newman N2
I’m also a little worried about network compatibility with these phones. Would either (or both) work on UK networks, and if so would it depend on which specific UK network?
Sadly even the qualcomm quadcores can barely keep with 1080p, so jiayu aall the way.
hey andi.. when is umi x2 appearing in market?
UMi say this month, we actually have more UMi X2 news coming soon.
please install features like ‘flip to mute’ , ‘Intelligent answer – answer calls just by bringing the phone close to ear’, ‘two windo option’, ‘Face-beautification feature’ etc in Umi X2 mobile sothat it prove smartphone defination.
It also depends on price, if both JiaYu G4 2GB & UMI X2 are both around $240 international shipped, then the latter wins easily.
None could be had for those prices internationally shipped, at least for months after its release.
Thankfully launches in India too!
i would gladly take umi , if it doesn’t have a lot of manufacturing troubles like x1 did.
Hello,
When can we expect the quad core version from Zopo with 5.7″ display??
Hey Andi, this is the moment when JIAYU realised, that they made the G4 in the wrong way and they made a Big Mistake. Because the UMI X2 will have WCDMA 900/2100 support, this advantage making it more up ahead then the G4 (WCDMA 2100 ONLY !!! this is stupid) and in the other way UMI have the same OGS technology but with 1080p 441ppi π ! So once the European buyers realise that UMI X2 matching/covering the whole BAND requirements for almost all European WCDMA Networks they will buy the UMI instead of the G4 and I don’t want to mention the other advantages that UMI X2 have instead of JIAYU G4, you already did that in that beautiful post and also to all others reading my post, please check the VOTE and you will see which is better π
Oh eyah, I forgot to mention that the UMI will be also in Titanium Grey Color and not only White !!!
how sure is that the Jiayu will only support WCDMA 2100? I’d appreaciate if you give a source. Thanks.
Since they all use the same MT6589 SoC, that means the same built-in radio hardware, so same supported frequencies?
Is this true? I hope not I just ordered a G4 from Merimobile… if it doesnt support networks in the UK I had better cancel that order. π
So, according to http://www.gizchina.com/2013/02/12/umi-x2-network-support/ the UMI will only be able to run wcdma 2100. Jiayu and UMI are even again – however, I would have rather liked to see them on par by both supporting 900/2100 each π Fortunately, 900MHz isn’t as common as 2100 – still, that doesnt help if you’re depended on that range π
@Nova5lag: check http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_UMTS_networks to see what band your carrier uses
I will say only this WCDMA 900/2100 (Perfectly suitable for the European market, cause almost all of the Networks requires WCDMA 900/2100 Mhz ) which is the biggest advantage, that UMI X2 have against the Jiayu G4 and the other advantages Andi already mentioned them … 2GB RAM, 32GB ROM, 5.0″ 1080p OGS, 8,9mm body thinner border then the JIAYU … with one word BETTER
Umi X2 is on pre-sale on aliexpress:
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/UMI-X2-MTK6589-Quad-Core-2GB-RAM-Smart-Phone-5-0-Inch-IPS-1080P-Retina-Screen/742650842.html
umi x2 will suit in india regarding sim network 2g or 3g i am eagerly awaiting to buy
I’m more interested in how the Umi X1s compares to Jiayu’s G4. For 999 yuan, specs are fairly similar except for screen size (4.5 vs. 4.7) which in turn affects overall dimensions…
Also, Andi, how would you compare build quality of these two brands in general? Oh well, way too many 999Y phones expected for release – doesn’t facilitate any decision π
From last year’s phones I would say JiaYu are slightly better on quality.
Keep posted we will have a comparison soon
That sounds nice! Keep up the good work – I really appreciate the information you gather!
Is the MTK6589 able to display a 1080p video? I saw with the MTK6577 dual core generation that HD videos were easily using all processor power and not smooth at all, so what about this new MTK6589? Is it able to play smoothly an HD/Full HD video?
http://www.mediatek.com/_en/03_news/01-2_newsDetail.php?sn=1088
Please read it, it will answer all your questions. And the Short answer is YES it supports 1080p screens π
Thanks fot the link π
thx for the link, What about dual active functionality? all phones with this chip will get dual active?
Yes it supports the 1080p screens, but the problem is HOW it supports. I saw many smartphone MT6577 with 720p screen that had more lag(in app and games) then the phones with lower screen resolution. I hope that this MTK6589 will be able to support 1080p screen in decent way,because if the choise is between a 1080p laggy phone, and a 720p smooth phone, I choose the 720p.
P.S. There arent’s MTK 6589 whith MHL/HDMI and OTG support? It would be nice..
P.P.S. I’m sorry for my English,I’m Italian,btw compliments for your site, I see it every day for china-phone news π
I know 1080 is supported by this chip, but HOW?
@Rafy
Exactly my point. It’s worthless I have a 1080p screen and I’m not able to use all of those pixel in a decent way. I too prefer a 720p screen able to play smoothly videos and games.
Yes
That’s really great new features, a lot of people expected this and this is a big plus, i hope the energy consumption won’t go too high, that;s the only thing i’m concerned with
Exactly! And i seriously doubt its capability to render fhd content at all times. The very best of qualcomm chips(snapdragons S4pros SOCs with adreno gpu) based om ARM a15 architecture (currently) are able to render 1080p content without framerate drop and noticeable lag. Will an a7 based 1.2ghz SOC be able to do it without any significant drops in performance? I dont think so…
However at this price point, it blows everything out of the water…
If stuff like wifi and gps are inbuild in this new chip, that means no more problem with wifi strong and similiar problems which has a lot of nowadays Chinese phones?
+1
quality of the WiFi and GPS chipset will make or brake the JIAYU G4. Until this has been tested and/or confirmed the only safe poll choise is the Newman N2
I’m also a little worried about network compatibility with these phones. Would either (or both) work on UK networks, and if so would it depend on which specific UK network?
JiaYu has better quality! But only the 2gb ram version
don’t buy again plastic phone!
Sadly even the qualcomm quadcores can barely keep with 1080p, so jiayu aall the way.
Hello,
When can we expect the quad core version from Zopo with 5.7″ display??
Umi X2 is on pre-sale on aliexpress:
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/UMI-X2-MTK6589-Quad-Core-2GB-RAM-Smart-Phone-5-0-Inch-IPS-1080P-Retina-Screen/742650842.html
I think Xiomi Mi 3 is superior over G4 and Umi X2.
More expensive though too.
Yeah exactly, why you are mentioning a phone which will be with at least $200+ expensive than the UMI X2 ?!
Oxymoron
JiaYu has better quality! But only the 2gb ram version
don’t buy again plastic phone!
I like the design of the Jiayu G4. A pity is, that all future smartphones’ screens are getting bigger and bigger. 4.3″ is really max for me
Yes the phones are getting bigger and super big I’m waiting a quad core 4inch and 2gb ram HD screen it will be nice but this will happen at 2014 for sure. For now the JiaYu G2S is good. ..
If the 4.7″ HTC flagship proved to be successful we may see finally a reverse of this trend. Cross your finger.
Though I personally am fine with 5″ as long as they keep the form factor right.
So, UMi X2 has to be compared to the flagship edition of the JiaYu G4, mainly because of the RAM and internal memory.
They share the GPU model, but the X2 mounts a bigger screen (0.3″ more) with an higher density (129 more pixels per inch), which translates into a far better resolution (1080p vs 720p). The question is: can it bear this? Like others before me said, I’d prefer a smooth 720p rather than a laggy 1080p. Also, the battery is slightly smaller on the X2 (500 mAh less). With a Full HD screen, this will probably be sensed I guess.
What leaves me astonished is that, even if UMi gave info on the release date, which is near, we still miss some detail and a physical model. Some things are going to be fundamental to me, like dimensions and maximum supported microSD capacity.
When you get your hands on a X2, can you please make some smoothness tests with some hardware intensive games plus some battery durability tests over various ways of use (idle with 3G, gaming, etc.)?
By the way, I love your articles and tests. It’s thanks to you I’ve became interested over chinese smartphones, and you are my principal reference point for those. Can you email me as soon as you do an hands-on complete review, or you get some news about the X2? Thanks a lot!
Dimension is 135 x 68 x 8.9mm
You can safely assume that it will support 64GB MicroSD, I don’t think they’ll skimp anything after all those specs.
I hope someone will come up with an app to lower screen resolution, it’s theoretically possible.
i doubt that this size is realistic: a 5″ screen is already 111×62.3mm in size, i.e. 11mm longer than a 4.5″ screen. The X1 is 129 in lengthβ¦ Also, if ones compares the photo leaks of X1 vs X2 (https://www.gizchina.com/2013/02/07/spy-photos-umi-x2-turns-up-with-x1/), it’s hard to believe that the X2 will be 135mm…
At least the width and the thickness is already confirmed, as for the height I’ll just put these here
http://s7.postimage.org/k9ykewpvf/102812ungn09m0qxo74noq.jpg
http://s7.postimage.org/r1ozhreuz/102121qycs3bcfdgg3ubs9.jpg
making easy calculation, based on this photo, i got 140mm length of x2, which is quite okay too. but the width is almost identical. maybe 1mm more.
I think Xiomi Mi 3 is superior over G4 and Umi X2.
More expensive though too.
Yeah exactly, why you are mentioning a phone which will be with at least $200+ expensive than the UMI X2 ?!
Oxymoron
hi Andy, can you explain how the pricing works in china. When the umi x2 price at 1499 rmb. is it the ex factory price or the retail price. I am asking because the price in aliexpress is listed as US$299 to 400. i will be going to shanghai in March so i may pick up a umi but if the price is the same as in aliexpress, i can pre-order it now.
The prices we list are the Chinese retail prices i.e if you buy the phone through official channels. International resellers are buying these phones up at retails (or close to retail) then adding their mark up and shipping, which means a $160 phone could reach as high as $280 with shipping for an international customer. However, the good news is that many smaller Chinese phone makers are looking at offering phones internationally and you will see lower prices in the coming months π
I like the design of the Jiayu G4. A pity is, that all future smartphones’ screens are getting bigger and bigger. 4.3″ is really max for me
Yes the phones are getting bigger and super big I’m waiting a quad core 4inch and 2gb ram HD screen it will be nice but this will happen at 2014 for sure. For now the JiaYu G2S is good. ..
If the 4.7″ HTC flagship proved to be successful we may see finally a reverse of this trend. Cross your finger.
Though I personally am fine with 5″ as long as they keep the form factor right.
So, UMi X2 has to be compared to the flagship edition of the JiaYu G4, mainly because of the RAM and internal memory.
They share the GPU model, but the X2 mounts a bigger screen (0.3″ more) with an higher density (129 more pixels per inch), which translates into a far better resolution (1080p vs 720p). The question is: can it bear this? Like others before me said, I’d prefer a smooth 720p rather than a laggy 1080p. Also, the battery is slightly smaller on the X2 (500 mAh less). With a Full HD screen, this will probably be sensed I guess.
What leaves me astonished is that, even if UMi gave info on the release date, which is near, we still miss some detail and a physical model. Some things are going to be fundamental to me, like dimensions and maximum supported microSD capacity.
When you get your hands on a X2, can you please make some smoothness tests with some hardware intensive games plus some battery durability tests over various ways of use (idle with 3G, gaming, etc.)?
By the way, I love your articles and tests. It’s thanks to you I’ve became interested over chinese smartphones, and you are my principal reference point for those. Can you email me as soon as you do an hands-on complete review, or you get some news about the X2? Thanks a lot!
Dimension is 135 x 68 x 8.9mm
You can safely assume that it will support 64GB MicroSD, I don’t think they’ll skimp anything after all those specs.
I hope someone will come up with an app to lower screen resolution, it’s theoretically possible.
i doubt that this size is realistic: a 5″ screen is already 111×62.3mm in size, i.e. 11mm longer than a 4.5″ screen. The X1 is 129 in lengthβ¦ Also, if ones compares the photo leaks of X1 vs X2 (http://www.gizchina.com/2013/02/07/spy-photos-umi-x2-turns-up-with-x1/), it’s hard to believe that the X2 will be 135mm…
At least the width and the thickness is already confirmed, as for the height I’ll just put these here
http://s7.postimage.org/k9ykewpvf/102812ungn09m0qxo74noq.jpg
http://s7.postimage.org/r1ozhreuz/102121qycs3bcfdgg3ubs9.jpg
making easy calculation, based on this photo, i got 140mm length of x2, which is quite okay too. but the width is almost identical. maybe 1mm more.
will these phones work in the usa?
hi Andy, can you explain how the pricing works in china. When the umi x2 price at 1499 rmb. is it the ex factory price or the retail price. I am asking because the price in aliexpress is listed as US$299 to 400. i will be going to shanghai in March so i may pick up a umi but if the price is the same as in aliexpress, i can pre-order it now.
The prices we list are the Chinese retail prices i.e if you buy the phone through official channels. International resellers are buying these phones up at retails (or close to retail) then adding their mark up and shipping, which means a $160 phone could reach as high as $280 with shipping for an international customer. However, the good news is that many smaller Chinese phone makers are looking at offering phones internationally and you will see lower prices in the coming months π
will these phones work in the usa?
Wil these phones work in india ?
Most china phones are international unlocked, so yes, will work worldwide π
N wht about the service centers….i dont think these companies have service centers in india….??
Wil these phones work in india ?
Most china phones are international unlocked, so yes, will work worldwide π
N wht about the service centers….i dont think these companies have service centers in india….??
WHAT WILL BE THE WHOLESALE PRICE OF JIAYU G4 AND UMI X2
No that will be the Chinese Mainland price.
WHAT WILL BE THE WHOLESALE PRICE OF JIAYU G4 AND UMI X2
No that will be the Chinese Mainland price.
what is TBA in spec detail
To Be Available
To be anounced
Thank you
what is TBA in spec detail
To Be Available
To be anounced
Thank you
When will they launch these smart phones in India, any idea?
When will they launch these smart phones in India, any idea?
Am eagerly waiting to buy umi x2.hey andi i heard its gonna be availablei in India from March.Is it true
thanks
andy
Am eagerly waiting to buy umi x2.hey andi i heard its gonna be availablei in India from March.Is it true
thanks
andy
Some people on this page really need to grow some brains and check google for some answers.
Some people on this page really need to grow some brains and check google for some answers.
TBA – To be announced
TBA – To be announced
Hi. I am Andrew from Ukraine. I plan to pre-order G4 Advanced (black) these days. What do you think, if using EMS delivery (7-20 days) from China can I get the shipment in the middle of April?
Hi. I am Andrew from Ukraine. I plan to pre-order G4 Advanced (black) these days. What do you think, if using EMS delivery (7-20 days) from China can I get the shipment in the middle of April?
Does anyone know about NFC capabilities on JiaYu or Umi phones?
Does anyone know about NFC capabilities on JiaYu or Umi phones?
Hey guys, Please tell me what phone is better jiayu g4 or umi x2 , i want buy next week and i dont know what to do, i appreciate your answer, thanks.
Hey guys, Please tell me what phone is better jiayu g4 or umi x2 , i want buy next week and i dont know what to do, i appreciate your answer, thanks.
please do not go for UMIX2 becouse after sale services is very poor, lots of problem in handset, if you call to cc they told you send mobile at your own expense and they will revert you after 25 days. neither they give any replacement in any sense. Poor people,poor management, poor handset quality, only configuration are good but very very poor built quality.
Go for another brand they might be good but my experience with UMI people are very bad and i made a complaint against them in consumer court for fraud like non replacement.
please do not go for UMIX2 becouse after sale services is very poor, lots of problem in handset, if you call to cc they told you send mobile at your own expense and they will revert you after 25 days. neither they give any replacement in any sense. Poor people,poor management, poor handset quality, only configuration are good but very very poor built quality.
Go for another brand they might be good but my experience with UMI people are very bad and i made a complaint against them in consumer court for fraud like non replacement.