Skip to main content

Look out, flagship phones: The Blu Pure XL is the latest $350 phablet with killer specs

Android phones continue to fall in price, especially when they come from startup operators like OnePlus, Nextbit, Obi Worldphone, and Blu. The last name on the list just launched a new 6-inch Quad HD phablet with an octa-core processor, named the Blu Pure XL, for $350.

Although Blu isn’t well known, low price and impressive spec sheet of its new phone are impressive. Inside the Blu Pure XL is an octa-core MediaTek Helio X10 processor, 3GB of RAM, and 64GB of onboard storage. Those specs combine to offer enough power to surpass flagship Android smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S6 that cost nearly double the price.

On top of all that power, the Blu Pure XL has a 6-inch 2560 x 1440-pixel screen, which is sharper than the one you’ll find on the iPhone 6 Plus. It even matches the screen resolution of most $500+ Android phones.

If that is not enough to whet your appetite, the BLU Pure XL also features a 24-megapixel camera with optical image stabilization and support for 4K video recording. It’s got an 8-megapixel camera on the front side, too, for excellent selfies. Blu also added a 3,500mAh battery, which is larger than the pack inside the Galaxy Note 5.

On the back of the Blu Pure XL, there is a fingerprint sensor, which looks similar to the sensor in the leaked images of the Nexus 5 (2015). The smartphone’s specs round out with front-facing speakers, quick charging, and a MicroSD card slot for expandable storage. High-fidelity audio is also available on the smartphone. ZTE included a similar feature on its $450 Axon phone. Finally, the Blu Pure XL runs on Android Lollipop 5.1, underneath the company’s own skin.

The Blu Pure XL sounds like quite the deal, considering it is less than half the price you would normally pay for a powerful 6-inch phablet. It even supports AT&T and T-Mobile LTE bands in the United States.

The Blu Pure XL will be available in gold or grey when sales start on September 29.

Editors' Recommendations

David Curry
Former Digital Trends Contributor
David has been writing about technology for several years, following the latest trends and covering the largest events. He is…
Huawei’s gorgeous Pura 70 phones just got expanded availability
Huawei Pura 70 pink, green, white, and black colors.

Huawei Pura 70 Huawei

After being announced for China in mid-April, the Huawei Pura 70 series is now confirmed for the EU market. Those in the European market can expect to preorder the Pura 70, Pura 70 Pro, and the top-tier Pura 70 Ultra starting May 2 for 999 euros, 1,199 euros, and 1,499 euros, respectively. This pricing is in line with what we saw in China, with the Ultra coming in at 9,999 yuan ($1,400) and the base Pura 70 at 5,499 yuan ($760).

Read more
The Honor Magic 6 RSR is my new favorite Android phone of 2024
Someone holding the Honor Magic 6 RSR outside.

There's no doubt that 2024 has already been an exciting year for Android phones. Samsung wowed us with the Galaxy S24 series at the beginning of the year, the OnePlus 12 and 12R are two of the best phones available right now, and Google is expected to impress later this month with the Google Pixel 8a.

But for the last few weeks, I haven't been thinking about any of those phones. Why? Because I've been using the Honor Magic 6 RSR. After launching in China this past March, the Magic 6 RSR is now available in the EU, and that's allowed more folks than ever to get their hands on the phone. And that's great, because the Honor Magic 6 RSR has quickly become my new favorite Android phone of 2024.
It has some of 2024's best smartphone hardware

Read more
5 phones you should buy instead of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus
A Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus laying on concrete.

Looking to upgrade your phone this year? You may be considering Samsung’s new Galaxy S24 Plus, which is the middle child of the S24 lineup. Given how solid the S24 Plus is, that's not a bad idea at all.

But is the Galaxy S24 Plus the best phone you can get? Maybe not, as there are plenty of other great choices that you can choose from as well. Here are some of the best alternatives to the Galaxy S24 Plus that you should take a look at before spending your hard-earned dollars.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Read more