This may be one of the few phones in recent years that can catch my attention. It has a headphone jack (still two!) and supports SD cards.
Enough talk, let's take a look#
Speaking of appearance, this may be the most innovative phone in recent years, without a doubt.
Performance & Sound Quality#
To put it simply, the performance is better than any other player on the market, and the sound quality is superior to any other phone on the market.
In plain language, it can't match the mainstream phones in the same price range in terms of performance, and the sound quality is not as good as dedicated players in the same price range.
Of course, it's not that simple. For a small company outside the industry, achieving this level is already impressive.
System#
As a small company, the software provided by the company is basically close to stock Android, even more so than Sony's. It works well for daily use and I haven't encountered any major bugs in the two weeks of using it as a backup phone.
However, the company is actively improving the system. In early May, they released the first OTA update, which included a simple AudioConsole. But personally, I didn't find much improvement with these two updates (laughs).
Experience & Comparison#
I have used a few devices, which can be divided into three stages.
- Portable players
- The main problem during this stage is that I have to carry an extra device when I go out. As someone who always carries two phones, there is simply no space for it. So I mainly use it in fixed scenarios, and on the go, I use my phone with Bluetooth earphones.
- Phone + dongle
- The problem during this stage is that I have to attach a not-so-light dongle to my phone, which is troublesome and I often forget to bring it.
- Water phone (current)
- This is currently the most convenient option for me. I can directly connect my earphones to the phone without the need for any additional devices.
I have to say, within a limited budget, the water phone has achieved a good balance between convenience and sound quality. The price of 2499 may not be very cost-effective, but it is basically the limit that this small company can achieve in the current supply chain.
The MediaTek Dimensity 7050 SoC ensures smooth performance for daily use, even better than any other player I have used before. However, I'm not sure if it can handle large files since I don't store them on the water phone (after all, I don't expect a small device like this to handle large files).
The dual CS43131 DAC configuration is comparable to dongles in the 500 to 1000 price range. The built-in power supply of the water phone also provides more stable power than a dongle connected via USB. The sound quality is similar to the water solution I have used before, considering the price, I don't expect it to be much better. At least it meets or even exceeds my expectations.
Conclusion#
I have to say, the water phone has solved my pain points. Although the current system is very basic, it can be considered as close to stock Android with a global SRC bypass. It's not a big deal, and I have seen the company's OTA updates, so they will gradually improve it.
If you ask me if I recommend it, my answer is no. This is a product designed for a specific target audience and is not suitable for most people.