I've gone hands on with nearly every member of Blu's Life family at this point, and they've all lead up to this phone. The first four members of the Life line – the Play, View, One, and Pro – vary mostly in form factor, though the Pro also features a faster processor than its siblings. Up until the now, the general gist of the Life line has been: quad-core processor, 1GB RAM, and a 720p display. Not awful, but far from the flagship phone that many users desire (to be fair, the prices are also far from flagship, too).

That changes with the Life Pure, Blu's first real flagship device, which brings two specifications that many users are going to appreciate: a 1080p display and two gigabytes of RAM. Here's a look at the full spec sheet:

Display: 5-inch 1920x1080, with Nex Lens and Infinite View Technology

5-inch 1920x1080, with Nex Lens and Infinite View Technology Processor: Quad-Core 1.5GHz MediaTek MT6589T

Quad-Core 1.5GHz MediaTek MT6589T GPU: PowerVR SGX544

PowerVR SGX544 RAM: 2GB

2GB Camera: 13MP rear shooter, 5MP front

13MP rear shooter, 5MP front Storage: 32GB

32GB Ports: microUSB, 3.5mm headphone jack

microUSB, 3.5mm headphone jack Wireless: 3G 850 / 1900 or 850 / 2100; Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0

3G 850 / 1900 or 850 / 2100; Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 OS: Android 4.2.1

Android 4.2.1 Dimensions/Weight: 142x69x7.7, 128g

142x69x7.7, 128g Battery: 2000mAh

2000mAh Price: $350

Right out of the box, the Life Pure feels different than any other Blu device I've used. Each member of the Life family has its own distinct fit and finish (well, aside from the One and View, which are basically identical aside from size), but the Pure is in a league of its own. If someone were to merge the iPhone 5 with the Nexus 5, the result would be something very similar to the Life Pure – a trait that seems to stay consistent throughout the software experience as well, but we'll get to that shortly. Aesthetically, It's a sleek, thin device with a boxed-off unibody design. The undersized power button and headphone jack are both on top of the unit, the volume rocker is on right side about a third of the way down, the microUSB port is sandwiched between the two bottom-facing grills (one speaker, one mic, like the Nexus 5), and the microSIM slot is found on the left. The back of the unit is very clean and minimal, with the device's 13MP rear shooter on the top left and a small Blu logo on the bottom. The unit Blu sent me is flat black and very reminiscent of the Nexus 5, though the phone also comes in white (completely white, not that panda crap).

All of the Blu phones I've used had beautiful displays, but that's even more true on the Pure's 5-inch panel. Full 1080p is generally quite becoming as it is, but Blu's Nex Lens and Infinite View technologies make it even more gorgeous. Colors are rich and vibrant without being oversaturated, text is sharp and crisp, and the entire panel just pops off the front of the screen. Every time I turn on a Blu device, I'm always amazed at how beautiful the display is. It's simply a pleasure to look at.

The Pure's software is the first major overhaul I've seen on a Blu device since the Life Play, which still retained a somewhat stock-ish feel. From the lockscreen to the launcher and beyond, however, the Pure is something different entirely. It's slightly reminiscent of MIUI, in that there is no app tray – all apps are just thrown onto the homescreens (yes, like on iOS). While simple and convenient, this also has its downsides: no widgets. I personally don't care for this method, but iOS users coming to the Android side of things will certainly feel right at home; long-time Android users, however, will likely want to jump ship to something like Nova or Apex. Nothing wrong with that.

In the short time I spent with the Life Pure before the announcement, I didn't notice any hint of lag, though I have to admit I wondered how the MediaTek chip and PowerVR SGX544 GPU would handle the increased pixel count. Turns out that it powered through every task without an issue – even a round of Dead Trigger 2 proved to be a fast, fluid experience (even with a Rager up in my face and no less than five zombies surrounding me). I know that a lot of users scoff when they hear "MediaTek," but it gets the job done, and it does it without sacrificing battery life.

I can say without a doubt that the Life Pure is Blu's best phone to date. The 1080p screen is absolutely gorgeous, and the extra gigabyte of RAM is always welcome addition to any phone – the more you use it, the more you'll be glad it's there. The overall form factor is thin and light, and it's incredibly sleek. At just $350, it's hard not to recommend this phone as at least an option for someone who's looking to buy off-contract without breaking the bank.