Cherry Mobile Burst 2.0 Price, Specs, Features : How Does It Compare Against Cherry Mobile Flare 2.0 and Flare 2X?

Local electronics giant, Cherry Mobile, has more than 40 new smartphones that are hitting store shelves this coming Yuletide season. One of which is this, the Cherry Mobile Burst 2.0.

Available for just Php 4,699 at Kimstore (the most trusted online gadget store in the Philippines), Burst 2.0 is exactly Php 700 more expensive than the popular Cherry Mobile Flare 2.0 and pricier by Php 200 than Flare 2X -- which leads one to ask, "What exactly makes Burst 2.0 more special than those two best-selling releases by CM? Why would consumers want to spend a bit more cash to purchase it over Flare 2.0 and 2X?"

Before I answer those questions, let me give you Burst 2.0's key technical specifications. The Dual SIM Dual Standby handset runs Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean operating system with stock user interface with its 1.2 GHz Quad Core ARM Cortex A7 CPU and handles graphics with its PowerVR SGX544MP GPU in MediaTek MT6589 chipset. The phone sports a 4.5-inch FWVGA TN display with 854 x 480 pixels resolution (~ 217 ppi pixel density), 512 MB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage expandable via microSD card slot supporting up to 32GB, a sizable 2,000 mAh battery pack, 5 MegaPixel autofocus main camera with LED flash, HD video recorder, VGA front cam, and FM radio. As for connectivity, Cherry Mobile Burst 2.0 supports WiFi, Bluetooth, and 3G.

Looks-wise, the smartphone flaunts a rounded pebble-like (almost "natured-inspired") design language that's largely similar to that of the first generation Burst. The back plate has matte finish - helping prevent accidental slippage - with nice, glossy plastic accent or cap in the upper portion, which houses the camera module. In contrast, CM Flare 2.0 and Flare 2X both have a squarish design identity - albeit the latter is ever slightly rounder than the former - with glazed finish that's reminiscent of Cherry Mobile Omega 2.0 HD.

Now going back to the questions that I posted, looking at the specs sheet, obviously, what makes CM Burst 2.0 more special than those two more affordable phones running Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean OS is that it has a larger 4.5 inch TN display with 16:9 aspect ratio (vs. just 4 inch TFT on both Flare 2.0 and 2X with 5:3 aspect ratio), it runs a more updated operating system, it has a bigger 2,000 mAh battery pack versus just 1,500 mAh on both Flares (I'm not sure though if this would result in longer uptime in comparison to Flare 2.0 and 2X considering that Burst 2.0 has a bigger screen, which is more power hungry.), and its MT6589 chipset is more powerful than the ARM Cortex A5 and Adreno 203 based Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8225Q processor of the more affordable handsets. Interestingly though, the fresher release appears has less powerful imaging capabilities versus its siblings as its 5 Megapixel shooter only has a single LED flash compared to Dual LED on Flare 2.0's 5MP cam; Flare 2X, on the other hand, easily beats it with its 8 MegaPixel main camera.

So why spend a bit more to get Cherry Mobile Burst 2.0? Choose this handset if you want its large screen (although you can argue that Flare 2.0's IPS panel is a better display type), updated OS, big battery pack, and the overall smoother mobile experience that it gives (thanks to the MT6589 chipset that's similar to what powers the far more expensive Cherry Mobile Omega HD 2.0; Now, if only CM Burst 2.0 had more RAM to better complement its powerhouse processor). Oh, and if you ask me, I think it also looks better than both Cherry Mobile Flare 2.0 and Flare 2X -- then again, that department is purely subjective.