In addition to that scaling, the processor can power down into a ‘deep sleep’ that works in a similar way to a laptop’s hibernate mode, after it’s idle for a sufficient amount of time. Although its spec sheet lists scaling from 100MHz to 1.6GHz (in 100MHz increments), the benchmark apps we used flag this implementation of the chip bottoming out at 600MHz. Just like the ARM chips that most Android devices use, the x86 Atom can intelligently lower its clock rate to save battery when the extra processing power is not needed. Athough the Atom is a single-core processor, it utilizes the same hyper-threading technology as Intel’s desktop chips, and Android actually treats it like a dual-core processor. The San Diego is powered by a single-core 1.6GHz Atom Z2460 x86 processor, paired with 1GB of RAM and a PowerVR SGX 540 GPU clocked at 400MHz. ![]() Once I noticed this, I found it impossible to ignore, but others may not have the same problem. I have one major irritation with the back of this phone: the camera housing sits around 5mm (0.2 inches) off-center, which makes it looks like someone made an error in manufacturing. I’m not a fan of on-device branding, but it has to be said it’s a great novelty to see the Intel Inside logo away from the confines of my laptop. There’s also an 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash which sits above the Orange and Intel logos. I found the volume rocker and power button a little too stiff for my liking, and the two-stage shutter key was a pain to push all the way in - far too spongey. Up top you’ll find the usual power button, headphone jack, and noise-cancelling mic, and down below the Micro USB port for charging and syncing, a loudspeaker, and a microphone. On one side you’ll find a two-stage shutter key, Micro SIM slot, and volume rocker, and on the other a Micro HDMI port. It’s almost exactly the same height and width as the Sony Xperia P - 123mm (4.84 inches) by 63mm (2.5 inches) to be exact - but doesn’t have any of P’s industrial design magic to hide the fact that its footprint is relatively huge, and comparable to devices with larger displays like the Galaxy S II.Īesthetics aside, you’ll find everything you would expect from an Android smartphone. Measuring 9.9mm (0.39 inches) thick, it’s certainly not the thinnest smartphone around, but the San Diego is very ergonomically sound, and doesn’t feel bulky at all. ![]() If you need more than the 16GB of internal storage that the San Diego provides you might want to start comparing cloud storage services. It’s non-removable, so there’s no access to the 4.6WHr battery behind it, and there’s also no microSD slot to be found. While I owned and loved many of the old Windows Mobile handsets, their build quality is not something I’m nostalgic about.Ī sheet of soft-touch gray plastic lines the back of the San Diego and makes the device feel very comfortable in your hands. The sides of the device are clad in a very cheap silver plastic, which is reminiscent of the sort that used to cover the old HTC smartphones of the mid 2000s. Beneath the display there’s a line of four capacitive keys, and up top there’s a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera capable of shooting 720p video. ![]() Up front is a 4.03-inch WSVGA (1024 x 600 pixel) display, which is a very unusual size and resolution for a smartphone, and the first clue that this isn’t your average Android device. It’s just so generic it’s almost unreal - no surprise given its origins as an Intel testbed. I’ve had more than one person tell me "it looks like a toy," and that’s not because of poor build quality or even (for the most part at least) poor materials. ![]() It’s just a black and silver slab, with predictable lines and unappealing curves. Manufactured by Gigabyte - a big player in the PC parts industry and a logical partner for Intel - there’s nothing particularly offensive about the San Diego, but there’s very little to pique your interest either. Orange has stuck so closely to Intel’s formula that the San Diego feels almost anonymous.
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