Compared to the era of feature phones, the lineup of unique terminals for each carrier has decreased, but Rakuten Mobile has released five original smartphone models so far. Starting with the 3.6-inch ultra-compact smartphone "Rakuten Mini", and the contrasting 6.4-inch large screen "Rakuten BIG s", all of them had their own size.
Rakuten Hand 5G, which appeared this time, maintains the size that is easy to handle with one hand of the 4G smartphone "Rakuten Hand" released in December 2020, while improving 5G compatibility, storage enhancement, camera and waterproof performance. It is a designed model.
The price is 39,800 yen, but points equivalent to up to 24,000 yen have been redeemed since the launch, so if you are a first-time user of Rakuten Mobile, you can actually purchase it at a cost of 15,800 yen.
I was surprised when I opened the box, but it was more than I imagined from the numbers for eyes familiar with recent smartphones around 6 inches. looks smaller. There are several criteria for evaluating compact models, such as screen size and weight, but if the width of the main unit is used as a standard, the Rakuten Hand 5G with a width of 63 mm is the smallest 5G smartphone that can be purchased in Japan.
Considering the scene where you hold and operate with one hand, the width of this main body is important among the indicators of "smallness". It's slimmer than the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 13 mini (approximately 5.4 inches/64.2mm wide) and the smaller BALMUDA Phone (approximately 4.9 inches/69mm wide) in terms of screen size alone.
When you actually pick it up, in addition to the narrow width that you can see numerically, the edges of the front and back are slightly curved, and both sides are narrowed down. It fits in your hand even better.
Rakuten Hand 5G has a screen size of about 5.1 inches. It is not as extremely small as the Rakuten Mini, but it is small enough to be used as a normal smartphone without any inconvenience, and it is easy to handle regardless of the user.
Looking at the outer box, the manufacturer is Tinno Mobile. It is a manufacturer that specializes in contract manufacturing, and a few years ago it was developing SIM-free smartphones under its own brand "Wiko" in Japan. Rakuten Mobile's original smartphones, Rakuten Mini and Rakuten Hand (4G version), are also made by the same company.
| Rakuten Hand | Rakuten Hand 5G | |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Snapdragon 720G | Snapdragon 480 |
| Memory (RAM) | < td>4GB4GB | |
| Internal Storage | 64GB | 128GB |
| External storage | Not supported | Not supported |
| OS | Android 10 | Android 11 |
| Display | About 5.1 inch organic EL 1,520 x 720 dots (HD+) | About 5.1 inch organic EL 1,520 x 720 dots (HD+) |
| Battery | 2,630mAh | 2,630mAh |
| External terminal | USB Type-C | USB Type-C |
| Communication method | 4G | 4G/5G |
| SIM | eSIM | eSIM ( Dual) |
| Out-camera | Approx. 48 million pixels + approx. 2 million pixels (depth) | Approx. 64 million pixels + approx. 2 million pixels (depth) |
| In-camera | Approx. 16 million pixels | Approx. 16 million pixels |
| Wi-Fi | IEEE 802,11a/b/g/n/ac | IEEE 802,11a/b/g/n/ac< /td> |
| Bluetooth | Version 5.0 | Version 5.1 |
| Waterproof/Dustproof< /td> | IPX2/IP5X | IPX8/IP6X |
| Biometrics | Fingerprint, face | >Fingerprint authentication, face authentication |
| Other functions | Osaifu-Keitai, earphone jack | Osaifu-Keitai, rapid charging |
| Size | About 138×63×9.5mm | About 138×63×9.5mm |
| Weight | About 129g | About 134g |
| Color | White, Black, Crimson Red | White, Black, Crimson Red |
The difference from the 4G version is not only 5G support, but also storage from 64GB to 128GB In addition to the increase, improvements such as improving the performance of the main camera and supporting quick charging have been made.
The chipset has been changed from "Snapdragon 720G" to "Snapdragon 480" with a built-in 5G modem. Looking at the model number, it looks like a downgrade, but the Snapdragon 480 is newer and is not significantly inferior in CPU and GPU performance.
For reference, we measured with the benchmark apps "Geekbench 5" and "3DMark". The CPU performance measured with Geekbench 5 is about 500 points for single core / 1,500 points for multicore. Graphic performance measured by 3DMark (Wild Life) is about 1,000 points. As for the actual operation feeling, although you may feel a little sluggish with flick input etc., it is at a level where you can handle it without problems for daily use such as LINE and internet search.
The newly supported dual eSIM is an advanced feature that is only supported by the iPhone 13 series. A normal eSIM compatible machine can save multiple eSIM profiles, but only one line can be activated. If you have a dual eSIM compatible device, you can stand by for two lines at the same time, and you can use one for work and one for private use.
Rakuten Hand 5G's compatible bands cover all major bands of other companies, including platinum bands, for 4G. 5G is only n77, but it will be sufficient for simultaneous standby of other companies' lines with VoLTE while mainly using Rakuten Mobile.
The appearance is almost the same as the 4G version, except that the white/black frame part has changed from a metal-like plated coating to the same color as the back. It can also be distinguished by the fact that the earphone jack has been abolished.
Looking at the FeliCa logo on the back, it seems that the FeliCa antenna, which was almost in the center of the previous model, has moved slightly upward. Osaifu-Keitai has become a little easier to use in that you can hold the payment terminal over it without having to switch hands after operating the screen.
Rakuten Hand 5G is equipped with a dual camera with approximately 64 million pixels + approximately 2 million pixels. The sub-camera with about 2 million pixels is used as a depth sensor for background blurring, etc., and the angle of view can only be switched by digital zoom.
When AI correction is disabled, the image quality is not peculiar, and the image quality is sufficient for recording. Indoors, the image tends to be a little dark, but after focusing with touch focus, a slider that can correct the brightness appears, so if you lighten it up a bit before shooting, it will look better. .
Comparing the difference between ON and OFF of AI correction in a night view scene, it was an impression that it clearly changed to a "shining" photo that is favored by SNS etc. When you apply correction, you can see differences such as darker colors and emphasized warm colors.
Like other Rakuten original smartphones, the unique customization of the UI is modest and close to stock Android. However, there are plenty of pre-installed apps, and many Rakuten services such as Rakuten Ichiba, Rakuten Edy, and Rakuten Pay are lined up on the home screen.
It seems that there are new discoveries for those who want to accumulate points by using the so-called "Rakuten Economic Zone" services, so much that they are overwhelmed by the variety of services they offer.
Among the original apps, I would like to pay attention to "Rakuten Browser". It is a unique web browser provided by Rakuten Mobile and can be downloaded from the Play Store on other Android smartphones.
At the moment, it is treated as a beta version, and has the atmosphere of a very ordinary lightweight browser. Speaking of the part that feels like Rakuten, is it possible to change the search engine to "Rakuten Web Search"?
According to the description of the store, "In the future, we plan to provide a service that allows you to earn Rakuten Points by using this app, and highly convenient functions that link with various Rakuten Group services." About. In the near future, it may become a must-have app for Rakuten users.
Speaking of small smartphones, it is a terminal suitable for digital detox that is not overly immersed in content and not overused. In recent years, there are many impressions that are proposed as. However, when I tried using Rakuten Hand 5G, I noticed that it was surprisingly compatible with Rakuten Mobile's unlimited phone and data communication rate plan "Rakuten UN-LIMIT VI".
Rakuten UN-LIMIT VI is for light users with a basic charge of 0 yen and free calls up to 1 GB for people who mainly make calls and rarely use data communication, and the upper limit is 3,280 yen even for people who communicate in large amounts for videos and games. A plan with benefits for heavy users. And there are parts where models like the Rakuten Hand 5G match both usages.
Surely, if you look at the smartphone alone, a large screen model should be suitable for those who want to enjoy entertainment such as videos and games with 5G high-speed communication. However, if you think about the combination of smartphone + tablet, smartphone + notebook PC, there is also an advantage to choosing a compact model like Rakuten Hand.
For those who want to use it as a phone that can make free calls with "Rakuten Link" rather than data communication, such as switching from a feature phone or having two phones for calling, the slim body that does not get tired even when holding a long call is well suited. I guess. Even for those who want to use tethering frequently and use it as a set with a notebook PC or tablet terminal because it is cheap as a large-capacity plan, it can be said that it is an exquisite compact size that can be easily carried around without being a luggage.
It seems like a niche demand if you say it's for the second one, but in the case of Rakuten Mobile, it's easy to use from 0 yen per month due to the fact that it's a late carrier, so it's not easy to suddenly switch from another company with MNP. Instead, there are quite a few users who first make a new contract and try using it in a wait-and-see manner.
If you include the point redemption from the campaign, the burden is actually less than 15,800 yen, so it's a perfect model for a Rakuten Mobile debut trial.