If you are still a fan of physical QWERTY keyboards on smartphones, then the Astro Slide 5G is the right device for you. It has the slide-out keyboard from classical phones, but it’s built into a modern touch-screen smartphone that carries a Dimensity 800 chip.
The Astro Slide 5G was announced on CES 2022 earlier this week with a swivel keyboard powered by a hinge mechanism. The keyboard is backlit so it can easily be used in the dark as well. As for the display, it is a 6.39″ AMOLED panel with 1080p resolution and thick bezels on the top and bottom. The screen is protected by Gorilla Glass 3.
Apart from your usual QWERTY keys, the keyboard also includes programmable buttons that let you perform different functions on the phone. There is also a fingerprint sensor on the back of the phone.
Under the hood, it features MediaTek’s Dimensity 800 5G SoC with up to 8GB RAM and 128GB storage, though there is a microSD card slot for expansion as well. The main camera sensor on the back is a 48MP Sony sensor and the front camera is a 13MP lens. The 4,000 mAh battery has support for 30W fast charging.
Speaking of charging, there are two USB C ports on the phone (one on each side). There is also a dual Nano-SIM slot and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Planet Astro Slide 5G will be available in a single Blue color option for an eye-watering £862 (~Rs. 205,000). It will start shipping to customers in March this year.
Planet Astro Slide 5G Specifications
- Chipset:Â MediaTek Dimensity 800 5G
- CPU:Â Octa-core (2×2.4 GHz Cortex-A76 & 6×2.0 GHz Cortex-A55)
- GPU:Â Mali G57 MC3
- OS: Android 11
- Supported Networks: 2G, 3G, 4G LTE, 5G
- Display:
- 6.39″ AMOLED with 1080 x 2400 pixels resolution; Gorilla Glass 3
- Memory:
- RAM: 8GB
- Internal: 128GB
- Card slot: yes
- Camera:
- Rear: 48 MP
- Front: 13MP
- Colors: Blue
- Fingerprint sensor: Rear-mounted
- Battery: 4,000 mAh, 30W fast charging
- Price: £862
