Gaming phone Snail Mobile W3D goes on preorder: D-pad, 3D effects, and a 4200 mAh battery
While we were roaming the CES halls this year, we noticed a concept handset from Snail Games built with Android gaming in mind from the get-go. Yes, this means that the Snail Mobile W3D has a dedicated D-pad, face buttons, dual analog joysticks, and dual shoulder triggers on both sides, turning the phone itself into a mini PlayStation of sorts.
This way you don't have to game with the touchscreen only, obstructing half of the view in the process, which is the inevitable curse of mobile gaming. In fact, the concept is similar to Android's first gaming phone - Sony Xperia Play, but with a much larger screen, and modern hardware.
As can be expected from a Chinese phone maker, the Snail Mobile W3D is a pretty good value for money, too, especially considering the very generous 4200 mAh battery pack. The handset is up for preorder now on Amazon for $400, and at that price you are getting a largish, 5.5" 1080p display, 64-bit octa-core MediaTek 6595 processor, 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of storage plus a microSD slot, 13 MP rear and a 5 MP front-facing camera. Fun fact - the phone is also equipped with two microUSB ports, so you can transfer photos from one, while juicing the phone with a fast wall charger from the other.
That's not all there is to it, though - Snail's gaming phone offers a glasses-free 3D visuals, thanks to the eye-tracking cameras at the front, similar to Amazon's Fire Phone, so games can have a nice, natural 3D effect to them, without requiring an extra accessory to view. Last but not least, it is also a dual SIM device, as usual with Chinese handsets, and the company says the Snail Mobile W3D will be released September 29th, despite that the preorder page states December. Any takers?
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