If you haven’t heard of it yet, the Starmobile Goal is a new smartphone from the company packing a 4.5-inch display, a dual-core CPU, dual SIM capabilities, and a price tag just under Php6K. We just got our unit, so read on and take a look at our unboxing and our first impressions.
When we took it out of the box, we got the impression that the Goal feels a lot like the CM Thunder in many ways, but it wasn’t immediately obvious since this unit is white. Take a look at the unboxing video down below:
After watching that, you’ll probably get an idea of what the Goal offers. For its price, it’s offering quite a decent package, and the specs are encased in a rectangular body.
Up front is the 4.5-inch 480 x 854 display. Above it are the sensor, the VGA camera and the earpiece, while down below are three capacitive buttons and the microphone. Turn it all the way to the back, you’ll find the removable backplate covering the battery. There’s some branding here, together with the speakers and the 8MP camera without the flash.
On the left is the volume rocker, while on the right side you’ll find the power button. Up top are the micro USB port and the 3.5 mm audio jack. The bottom is devoid of any buttons.
So far, the Starmobile Goal has left us with good impressions in terms of ergonomics and construction – as the similar CM Thunder also did with its build quality. The similarities don’t end there as this one will also be offered by Lazada for Php5,990USD 102INR 8,653EUR 97CNY 743. There are a ton of things that need to be tested – for example, how the 8MP camera fares up even without flash. All of these details we shall tackle in our full review.
Starmobile Goal specs:
4.5-inch 480 x 854 LCD display, 218ppi
1GHz dual-core MediaTek MT6577 processor
512MB RAM
4GB internal memory
micro SD up to 32GB, 4GB card included
8MP camera w/ 720p video, no flash
VGA front-facing camera
WiFi
Bluetooth
GPS w/ A-GPS support
Dual SIM / standby
FM Radio
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
1,800mAh battery
131 x 66 x 10.5mm (dimensions)
72g (weight)
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abuzalzal says:
It doesn’t look like it’s worth Php 6k to me
Another tubong-lugaw release from SM
jigsaw says:
ano naman ang tubong lugaw??? akala ko ba may freebies na kasama, kesa maghirap ka pang bumili sa labas
at mukha namang mas mura to kesa sa samsung at sa ibang android na fone eh
abuzalzal says:
Yung CM Hyper w/c retails @ Php 5k…has a
Bigger screen
Better cpu
Better gpu
Bigger battery (2000 mah)
Any SM marketing rep who can defend their pricing? And puhhhleaze, huwag bumanat ng “better after sales support” dahil pare pareho lang kayo
Anon says:
Mali. Mas maganda ang chipset nito kaysa sa CM Hyper. CM Hyper is using a MSM8625 or MSM8225 Snapdragon S4 Play chipset with Adreno 203 GPU, Cortex-A5 lang po ito.
Ang MT6577 is a dual-core Cortex-A9 SoC with integrated PowerVR SGX531 GPU.
Mag research ka muna bago ka sumabat, kasi napapahiya lang po kayo.
abuzalzal says:
Since you sound like a SM marketing rep….can you provide a link to back up your claim?
A set of benchmarks would be helpful… pero kung hanggang SALITA ka lang…just zip ur mouth mas maganda pa yun
Anon says:
Benchmarks are useless to compare the two chipsets directly, because you’ll need exactly identical hardware in all other aspects except for the chipsets to truly compare their capabilities.
Kaso lang, it’s common knowledge among Android junkies that Cortex-A9 processors are more powerful than Cortex-A5 processors, though the latter is more power-efficient.
An infographic for your use: http://indiatek.wordpress.com/2012/04/14/arm-cortex-a5-processor-overview/
Arstechnica article on the release of the Cortex A5, which clearly states it is WEAKER than the Cortex A9.
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2009/10/arm-fills-out-cpu-lineup-with-cortex-a5/
Do you want ice for your burn? How about a cushion for your butthurt? :)
abuzalzal says:
Nag post ka pa ng link kung wala ka rin pa lang benchmark na maipapakita to justify the Php 1k PREMIUM na pinapataw niyo…..
Back it up boy….. I don’t give squat about the jargons and technicalities that you mentioned… besides, puro MISLEADING MARKETING PROPAGANDA ang uso ngayon….All we need is at least a benchmark in Quadrant and Antutu
Meron ba? Meron??
ryan s. says:
@anon: bro, out of the topic question, mukha madami ka alam sa processors eh, konting payo naman, ano mas ok, galaxy s advance or htc desire x? salamat.. :) pwede din sumagot ung iba.. hehe..
koyalee says:
comment lang, pero bakit parang naghahanap ka ng away sa kalaban na wala naman dito? ikaw pa tuloy ngayon ang nagmumukhang rep ng ibang company -_-
techie says:
actually i support anon’s claim.
im currently using two phones, one of them utilizing the msm8265 processor and the other one uses the mediatek mt6577.
i tried to benchmark the two of them here are the results:
qualcomm- 6289
mediatek- 6794
and also i noticed lags in moderate-heavy games in the qualcomm processor.
scudder says:
nakakatwaw ka brad, sa SM diamond at SM goal na review ng yugatech naghahanap ka ng away at lahat ng taliwas sa opinyon mo inaakusan mong SM sales rep. iba ka din brad… ibang brand ka nagtratrabaho. LMAO!
Justin says:
@abuzalzal: Gawa ka nalang ng sarili mong review. Mas marami pang matutuwa sayo. Kesa bash ka ng bash jan. Ahahaha
Cring says:
Yep, gaya nga ng sabi nila, ikaw lang ang nagmumukhang sales rep ng CM dito. Either that or you’re a CM Fan-tard. xD
Also, just make your own review, but you’ll always be the CM sales rep/CM fan-tard for everyone here. HAHA! Sorry but you lose. xD
Anon says:
Benchmarks are useless to compare the two chipsets directly, because you’ll need exactly identical hardware in all other aspects except for the chipsets to truly compare their capabilities.
Kaso lang, it’s common knowledge among Android junkies that Cortex-A9 processors are more powerful than Cortex-A5 processors, though the latter is more power-efficient.
An infographic for your use: http://indiatek.wordpress.com/2012/04/14/arm-cortex-a5-processor-overview/
Arstechnica article on the release of the Cortex A5, which clearly states it is WEAKER than the Cortex A9.
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2009/10/arm-fills-out-cpu-lineup-with-cortex-a5/
Do you want ice for your burn? How about a cushion for your butthurt? :)
weryou@ says:
Nice. thanks for the info!
Cheapy says:
Napaka cheap ng review lalong lalo na ang video. Eeeeeew!
chelsea says:
kung maka comment ka parang sino itong mka “eeww”.
nagbabasa kaba dre?? “All of these details we shall tackle in our full review” di pa ito tapos kasi wala pang FULL REVIEW! ulol
Mog says:
The Cloudfone Thrill 430x and the CM Flare use the same Qualcomm processor (dual core Cortex A5 with an Adreno 203 GPU) which definitely does feel a bit slower than MTK6577 phones, but not to a huge degree. Also the Adreno 203 is slightly faster than the SGX531, which is an ancient mobile GPU that dates back to 2006. Even the iPhone 3GS had the more powerful SGX 535 back in 2009.
abuzalzal says:
Si Mr Anon sales rep hindi niya mapatunayan na ang Mediatek + PowerVr combo ay mas superior sa Qualcomm 1.2 + Adreno gpu …… puro “better at more advanced ” ang bukambibig
IF it has AT LEAST a sizeable advantage sa Antutu (say, 2k point differential) siguro pwede na rin…
I’m sorry but Benchmarks matter….it doesn’t show the whole picture but at least may idea ka sa kung paano sila mag perform sa real world
Justin says:
It sounds like you’re a CM sales rep. Isip isip din dude. Haha, puro bitterness in life ka eh. Gumawa ka nalang ng sarili mong review about hatred sa SM at about how prestige yang pinaglalaban mo. Nonsense. Haha
Justin says:
Sakit sa tenga nung music sa video! WTF!
mang kanor says:
bat ba kayo narito?? para mag basa about sa latest na news regarding tech or para mambully ng reviewer?? ugaling bundok!
Note to reviewer:
Sana mas calm and relaxed na background music gamitin mo para walang reklamo mga reader. Pero it’s a nice way to do unboxing video. No words, just texts. Minsan pag masyadong madaldal ang nag uunbox ang sarap din paluin ng tubo.
chacha says:
may comparison kayo nito sa SM Crystal?
OKay na rin, maganda parang MP, kaya lng pano ung flash ng Cam okay kaya kahit wala? post sana ng sample pics later
Eric robert santos says:
Im having problem typing sms. It seems theres lag wh typing. Anyone experiencing same problem?
wehehe says:
may pa benchmark at chipsets pa kayo pang 4 pics 1 word nyo lang naman
RaGe says:
I just find it funny na detalyado na na-explain ang difference ng dalawang hardware architectures pero benchmarks pa rin ang pinagpipilitan.
Oh well, ang latang maingay walang laman.
Karen Bernarte says:
Hndi ko maintndhan topic sa comment sa taas.
Sir Abe! 6K lang budget ko, no more no less. Im considering to buy this, sapalagay nyo po ba worth.. will be waiting po for ur full review muaaaaaah :*
Mark says:
Guys, na-ru-root ba ang starmobile goal? ang nakikita ko lang sa web astra at crystal
Jo says:
haha pede palagay ng like d2? panalo ung comment ni
Rage!…..
base on my experienced mtk6577 is much better but on gpu adreno is better then sgx531
so kung smooth ang hanap mtk6577>snapdragon s4
Carlo says:
I just bought a Cherry Mobile Flame. I also had another Cherry Mobile phone (I forgot the model). Both are dualsim. All I can say is that Cherry Mobile sucks. The signal strength is not so good, it easily drops where the signal is weak or if you are in a close room.
When I bought a Starmobile Crystal however, I was very much impressed that the signal is so strong. My room is located in a basement and the signal from my Starmobile never goes dead.
ernalyn says:
bkit po mdling mlowbat sang sm goal?or sa battery LNG tlga.kc bagong bili KO plng nito
nico says:
sir…I have question po. I have this Starmobile Goal. I let my nephew to play with it..accidentally He had screenshots while he play. Actually I don’t know how is it done…I ask starmobile staff how to screenshot sa starmobile and they answer they don’t know. Pa help naman po paano po mag screenshot,,di ko naman matanong yung 3 year old nephew ko paano nya nagawang magscreen shot.
On game meron syang screenshot..sa menu meron din.nagkaroon sya ng screenshot folder sa gallery nya. 1 month old palang yung Goal sa akin. wala din sa manual. please help me…need ko po talaga…
message me: nicola****@****.***
thanks