Cherry Mobile Flare X2 Has 4GB of RAM and Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 Processor!

The 2016 follow-up to the one of the best handsets ever released by a Pinoy handset company doesn't only look far better than its predecessor but comes with even more powerful internal hardware.

Cherry Mobile Flare X2 - which was launched via the company's 'Light Up Your Desire' event at the City of Dreams Manila on Monday night, October 17, 2016 - brings a slew of notable enhancements to the very popular Cherry Mobile Flare X from last year.

If you remember, the first generation Flare X model became a hit among avid mobile gamers and power users largely because of its top-notch internal hardware, which made smooth 3D gaming and overall touch experience possible. This year, we can say the same thing about the Flare X2.

Under the hood, this stunning Q4 2016 release runs its Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS with a 64-Bit 1.4 GHz Octa Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor (incorporating a beastly Adreno 505 GPU) that's complemented by a whopping 4GB of RAM for lag-free multitasking and a sizable 32GB of internal storage that you can beef up via the secondary SIM slot that also supports microSD card memory expansion. For me, the phone's processor and large amount of RAM are particularly amazing considering the SRP of this product.

On the outside, this handset features a 5.5-inch Full HD IPS display, a 16 MegaPixel autofocus camera with Phase Detection AutoFocus (PDAF) that locks in on the subject in a split second, an 8 MegaPixel front cam for selfies, and - get this - a Fingerprint Scanner for unlocking the device with but a touch of a finger.

Cherry Mobile Flare X2's default camera app supports a number of shooting modes, which you can choose from depending on your subject. You can also tweak it to your liking as it has a comprehensive yet easy-to-use manual settings. Oh, and if you're wondering, the front cam also has Beauty Mode for taking selfies.

As a Flare Premium model, this smartphone has an elegant design and finish -- making it look more expensive than it actually is. Flare X2 has scratch-resistant Dragontrail Glass panels on both front and back, sandwiching a real metal mid-frame. This build will definitely give it an air of corporate sophistication -- especially when you put it beside the Flare X, which had a predominantly plastic shell.

According to our friend Mr. Lonson Alejandrino - Product Marketing Manager of Cherry Mobile, the CM Flare X2 - just like the handset it superseded - is ideal for budget-conscious heavy mobile gamers as well as power users who demand top-level performance from their handsets.

"I've played NBA 2K17 on this smartphone and it ran the game smoothly. So I think this model can definitely handle the most specs-intensive games you can download from the Google Play Store currently," he told me.

Dual SIM (micro + hybrid nano) Dual Standby and 4G LTE enabled Cherry Mobile Flare X2 will be up for purchase starting November 2016 with price tag of Php 7,999. It's more expensive than its predecessor by Php 1,000 but I guess given the improved hardware and design, it will still give consumers great value for their money.