Our friends over at Verizon Wireless have sent us the Kyocera Hydro Elite for us to review. It started off originally being $99.99 after a $50 mail in rebate with a 2-year contract, now it is free with contract. It seems to have fallen into a mid to low-end range device, it has some unique features. From waterproofing to a Smart Sonic Receiver, but the rest of the specifications seem standard to an Android smartphone. Let’s dive into our full review of the Verizon Kyocera Hydro Elite!
Hardware
The Kyocera Hydro Elite features a 1.5 GHz Dual–Core Processor with 1.5GB of RAM. It is running Android 4.1.2 with a Kyocera user interface and a good amount of applications are pre-loaded. It is not the best processor on the market, considering the new 2.26Ghz processor from Qualcomm is in the LG G2. But the Hydro Elite is not meant to be the most high-end device on the market, but it’s performance is not the fastest. In comparison to the LG Lucid 2, it is much slower and that is also a lower end device. Multitasking will slow the device down a bit, but you can still use it. In terms of playing graphic intensive games, it is not the greatest experience. However, if you’re looking for a device that it is similar too, the processor is on par with the original Lucid and the Stratosphere. The skin that Kyocera has put on, seems to slow it down a bit as well. For a first time smartphone user it should be okay for the tasks and usage that would be done.
In terms of connectivity Wireless Charging is on board and that will charge your 2100mAh battery. For connecting to a headset or to a wireless speaker, Bluetooth 4.0 is included. WiFi a/b/g/n 2.4GHz/5GHz for a strong internet connection. Verizon’s insanely fast 4G LTE network is on board as well. This way you can get a great connection for streaming movies or searching the web. For storage you get 16GB of internal storage and a micro SD card slot is here as well.
The 4.3-inch Capacitive HD touchscreen is not 1080pHD, but it is 720p. In fact it has a full resolution of 1280 X 720 and this equals out to around 340 pixels per inch. This is the same resolution of the display on the Moto X, and while it is vibrant and colorful. I was a little disappointed with the brightness levels, but you still have some nice viewing angles.
The camera situation on the Verizon Kyocera Hydro Elite is an interesting story and similar to other lower end smartphones. There is a 1.3 megapixel front facing camera on the front and it is meant for taking selfies or making video calls. Images with the front facing camera are very dark and not a lot of light is picked up. The auto focus immediately zones in on the face which is correct, but the images can look a little distorted. On the back you have an 8 megapixel camera with an LED flash; it features digital zoom and auto focus. In low light conditions the lens realizes that it has to compensate for the LED flash. However, if you are using the LED flash at a close object, it will create a large amount of whiteness over the image. It really depends on each image, it could be a great image or one that isn’t that great. Video quality is up to 1080pHD at 30 frames per second.
Design
The Kyocera Hydro Elite is the same size as the Droid Mini, it is not the thinnest device at 0.43-inches thick. They gave part of the design a high-end feeling and the rest feels a little low range. The top of the device is home to a headphone jack and a power/sleep button. The left hand side is home to the volume rocker and the right hand side has the micro USB port. I thought this was a strange place to put the port, it is usually found on the bottom of the device. On the back of the phone you will find the 8 megapixel camera with an LED flash, a microphone, and a speaker grill. This is all on top of and surrounded by a smooth plastic build, it has a nice line design on it. It is meant to give it a high-end feeling and it does accomplish this. However, it is paired with a non smooth “grippy” plastic material under it. On this piece you have a Verizon, 4G LTE, and Kyocera logo. This is the removable battery cover as well, this acts as an insulator and has the wireless charging connectivity. Under here you will find the SIM card slot, micro SD card slot, and the 2100mAh battery. Above the display you have another Verizon logo and the 1.3 megapixel camera, while below the display you have another Kyocera logo. The buttons to control the software are built-into the OS, like on the Nexus 4.
The Verizon Kyocera Hydro Elite is a rugged phone, as it has a IPX7 rating. This means it can be submerged in up to 3 feet of water for up to 30 minutes. However, you shouldn’t purposely put your smartphone or any device into water. It is nice to have this in case it gets some water on it. You will notice that none of the ports have any covers, as there is a nano coating that protects the device from water. This is not a completely rugged device, it is not dust proof or drop proof. The Casio Gz’One Commando is the more rugged option on the carrier.
Software
The Verizon Kyocera Hydro Elite is running Android 4.1.2 with a Kyocera user interface. The performance is average for a mid to low range smartphone and at times the animations can slow up and during multitasking it may force quite. But for a first time smartphone it offers a nice option and that is starter mode. Similar to the easy mode features on other devices, it makes the device very easy to use. It is a great way to ease into Android and starter mode runs a little better on the device. Regular mode is the standard Android experience with a large amount of customization done by Kyocera. You have some new backgrounds, widgets, and a redesign of some icons. Google Chrome is the standard browser on the device, I was very happy to see that. In terms of pre-loaded applications you get Amazon, Kindle, Amazon MP3, Amex Serve, Amazon Appstore, Audible, Battery, Caller Name ID, DiXiM Player, Eco Mode, Facebook, File Manager, Games, Google App Suite, Google Play Suite, IMDb, Mobile hotspot, Movie Studio, My Verizon Mobile, NFL Mobile, News & Weather, Polaris Office 4.0, Verizon Tones, Slacker Radio, Video Calling, Sound Recorder, Viewdini, Voicemail, VZ Navigator, VZ Security, Weather, YouTube, and more!
Bottom Line
The Verizon Kyocera Hydro Elite is a standard smartphone. I’m happy it got the price reduction and that it is now free on contract. For those looking for a simple, very standard smartphone, that has some unique features it might be for you. You might want to check out some of Verizon’s other devices, maybe the Lucid 2 or the Droid DNA. As the later one is now on a low price on the carrier. It has design that mashes to styles together, can withstand some water, a 4.3-inch display that gets the job done, an average 1.5Ghz processor, 16GB of internal storage plus a micro SD card slot, Android 4.1.2, and more. For More Information On The Verizon Wireless Kyocera Hydro Elite, Please Click Here. We would like to thank Verizon Wireless for providing us with a copy of the “Verizon Wireless Kyocera Hydro Elite”.
