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Kyocera Hydro Plus
Kyocera Hydro Plus
Kyocera Hydro Plus
...


6/10
Informr score
The Kyocera Hydro Plus currently has an Informr score of 6 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 1 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

What's good

  • Water and dust resistant
  • Easy and comfortable to use for extended periods
  • Decent battery life

What's bad

  • Poor viewing angles
  • Slow internal and 3G speed
  • Poor photo quality

As the fifth in Kyocera's Hydro line, the Hydro Plus boasts the IPx5 and IPx7 dust and waterproof ratings. These ratings mean that when the ports are properly sealed, the phone should last 30 minutes when submerged in up to 1 meter of water. Aside from this feature, the rest of it is purely a budget offering. Not surprisingly, it is made entirely of plastic with a ribbed rubber coating on the plastic cover. The textured back along with the relatively small dimensions of 4.53 x 2.44 x 0.5 inches made it easy for reviewers to grip and use one-handed.

The 3.5-inch HVGA IPS screen has a very low resolution of 480x320 and, unsurprisingly, a low pixel density of 165ppi. As expected, experts di d notice that images looked very coarse and whites appeared speckled and grainy. Viewing angles were also sub-par and critics noticed that it was worse in direct sunlight, washing out colors with even the slightest tilt.

Performance-wise the Hydro Plus only offers the most basic specs: 1 GHz single-core processor, 512MB of RAM and 2GB of internal storage. As expected, it isn't the fastest phone on the market. While reviewers had no issue doing basic tasks like opening the app drawer, they noticed significant delay during other tasks like launching the camera or play games. The major disappointment for them, however, was the slow download speed on the 3G network. It took them over half an hour to download a game over 3G and nearly 30 seconds to load basic web pages. The battery, while relatively small, managed to last experts around a day of moderate usage due mainly to the low resolution screen and weak processor.

In the same vein, the rear 3.2MP camera understandably yielded unimpressive results. Experts experienced a fair amount of digital noise, graininess and blurred edges though they add that objects were easy to make out and sharper in good lighting. Video was equally mediocre as they struggled with focusing issues while recording.

Despite its low price experts still have a hard time recommending it to consumers. It's waterproof feature might attract potential buyers, but CNET states, "its slow internal and data speeds make it a drag to operate…you'll still get a device that performs better than the Hydro Plus and still have money left over."


Android
Operating system
Operating system
Android
1 GHz
Processor
Processor
1 GHz
3.5"
Screen Size
Screen Size
3.5"
3+ MP
Camera
Camera
3+ MP
1500 mAh
Battery


What the Critics Are Saying...


Cnet
Cnet

Though the Kyocera Hydro Plus is an inexpensive water-resistant phone with an included music service, skip it for better and even cheaper splash-proof alternatives.

- Lynn La, Cnet


Prices (Where to Buy)




Common Questions


We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the Kyocera Hydro Plus user manual here.


Kyocera backs up the Hydro Plus with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.


If your Hydro Plus has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact Kyocera support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find Kyocera's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.



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Quick view

Screen Size
3.5"

The Kyocera Hydro Plus's screen size is 3.5 inches with x pixels resolution.

Processor
1 GHz

There is a Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8655 Single core 1 GHz processor (CPU).

OS

The phone runs on proprietary operating system firmware.

Camera
3+ MP

You can take photos or capture video with the phone's onboard 3+ MP camera.

There's no secondary front camera.

Storage
No

Internal memory is No. An external, MicroSD, MicroSDHC (up to 32 GB) expansion slot is available for increased storage capacity.

Battery
1500mAh

The phone is powered by a Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion), 1500 mAh battery. Kyocera's performance ratings are 7.1 days standby time, 309 minutes Wi-Fi surfing.

Hydro Plus Specs

Overview
Release Date January 21, 2014
Regions Available USA
Operating System No

Compare Android Smartphones

Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8655 Single core 1 GHz
Internal Storage No
RAM 512 MB
Hearing Aid Compatible Yes
TTY/TDD Yes
Noise Cancellation No
SAR Unknown
Manufacturer Warranty 1 Year
Accessories Included AC Charger, Manual, Standard Battery
Cellular
Networks
1xRTT, EV-DO
Mobile / Cellular Data
Push-to-talk (PTT) No
Wi-Fi Calling No
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) No
SIM card size
No
Dual SIM No
Connectivity
USB Micro-USB 2.0
USB OTG Support No
GPS Type A-GPS
Infrared No
Bluetooth 2.1
Bluetooth Profiles A2DP, OPP/FTP, HFP, HSP
Bluetooth Audio Codecs SBC
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Mobile Hotspot Yes
Memory Expansion Slot Yes
Expansion Slot Info MicroSD, MicroSDHC (up to 32 GB)
NFC No
Data Tethering Compatibility Yes
Camera
Main Camera
Resolution / Aperture
3+ Megapixels
Zoom
Yes
Flash
Yes (LED)
Additional Rear Camera Info
Effects, White balance, Scene mode, Exposure value
Video Recording Formats
3GP / 3GPP, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4
Video Recording Parameters
Front Camera
Resolution / Aperture
Additional Front Camera Info
No
Video Recording Parameters
Display / Screen
Type Color
Technology LCD (IPS)
Colors 16.7 million
Resolution x pixels
Pixel Density 165 pixels
Size 3.5 inches
Secondary Display No
Sensors Ambient Light, Proximity, Motion / Accelerometer, Digital Compass
Multi-Touch Yes
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Additional Display Features Capacitive touch screen
Power & Battery
Battery Type Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion)
Battery Capacity 1500 mAh
Removable Battery Yes
Wireless Charging No
Fast Charging No
Video Playback Time Unknown
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Up to 309 minutes
Internet Use (Cellular) Unknown
Talk Time Unknown
Standby Time Up to 7.1 days
Mixed Usage
Physical Characteristics
Design Type Bar
Material Plastic
Colors Black
Dimensions [H x W x D] 11.5 x 6.2 x 1.3 cm (4.5 x 2.4 x 0.5 in)
Weight 118 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof Unknown
Rugged design Yes
IP Rating No
Headset Jack 3.5mm
External Speakers Yes
Input / Navigation
Sleep / Wake Key Yes
Home Key Yes
Input / Keyboard Type Touchscreen
Navigation Type Touchscreen
External Volume Control Yes
Fingerprint Sensor No
More
Additional Information Other Names (AKA):
Related Links Manual (PDF)
Kyocera Hydro Plus Reviews
Where to buy Kyocera Hydro Plus
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