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The Nexbit Robin is a cool new Android smartphone that began its journey to the market as a successful Kickstarter project. Even though it is an offspring of a startup, the Robin is surely not lacking in credentials. Based in San Francisco, Nextbit has a duo of former Google execs (also co-founders), as well as an ex-SVP of Design and User Experience as part of its leadership team.

Attractive design is not the only feature that sets apart the Robin from its many competitors in today's crowded marketplace. Nextbit has implemented an innovative cloud storage solution, which automatically stores rarely used apps in the cloud when the device's onboard memory reaches its full capacity.

A Few Nerdy Bits

The Nextbit Robin comes with a lengthy sheet of specs. Below are some of the most important technical bits about the smartphone.

The Robin is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 chipset, coupled with 3GB of RAM. Both components were standard for many high-end Android devices until the arrival of the Snapdragon 820.

It has 32GB of built-in memory and 100GB of free cloud storage provided by Amazon.

The display is a 5.2-inch IPS LCD unit with Full HD resolution (1,920 by 1,080 pixels), covered by Corning Gorilla Glass 4.

The main camera of the smartphone is a 13MP unit with dual-tone flash and phase detection autofocus. It can capture 4K video.

The front-facing camera is a 5MP snapper.

The Nextbit Robin packs a duo of front-facing speakers with dual amplifiers.

Connectivity options of the handset include 4G LTE, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, NFC, and USB Type-C, among others.

The smartphone sports a 3,000 mAh battery, which supports Quick Charge 2.0 by Qualcomm.

Nextbit Robin boots Android Marshmallow out of the box. The OS has been customizes by the manufacturer.

The Robin is 7 millimeters thick. It weighs 150 grams.

In the Metal

One of the coolest things we like about the Nextbit Robin is its design. Sporting an almsot perfectly rectangular shape from every angle (its corners are just a tiny bit rounded), the smartphone looks like nothing else currently available on the market today. That's quite a feat to achieve, as today's smartphones tend to feature increasingly generic looks.

In addition to a striking shape, Nextbit has also peppered the Robin with a host of small design touches that add even more to its character. They include beautifully depressed round speaker grilles at the front, slightly raised volume buttons with glossy finish, a power/lock key with contrasting color, a quartet of LED lights on the back, and a subtle Nexbit logo on the back of the device.

The Robin is available in two distinct colors — Mint and Midnight. Both options suit the device's original design quite well.

The build quality of the Nextbit Robin is solid. The smartphone features a body made of polycarbonate with matte finish, so it will handle wear and light bumps well. Its screen is covered by Corning Gorilla Glass 4, so scratches are not likely.

The battery life of the Nextbit Robin leaves more to be desired — the device's 3,000 mAh unit will make it through a day of moderate use. Heavier use will result in at least one extra trip to a charger. The handset supports Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0, so it can get hours of usage after only a few minutes on the charger.

Oddly, Nextbit does not supply a charger in the retail box of the Robin — only a USB cable. Users who are looking to take advantage of the device's fast charging capabilities will have to spend extra on a compatible adapter.

Despite its edgy styling, the Nextbit Robin handles quite well. The soft finish of the device's body should help prevent accidental drops.

Display

The 5.2-inch 1080p IPS display of the Nextbit Robin is bright and crisp, though nowhere near as sharp as the QHD panels found in today's premium smartphone. The viewing angles are also stellar as expected from an IPS display.

Contrast and sunlight legibility are two areas where the screen of the Robin could have been better. Overall however, the display delivers quality that's in line with the device's price range.

Accessories

There are three official protective case options on offer for the Robin. The name of each accessory roughly matches the level of protection it offers — Bumps, Bruises, or Scratches.

Nextbit has applied the same attention to detail to the protective cases for the Robin. The Bumps and Bruises feature precise cutouts for the LED lights on the device's back.

Another cool accessory option for the smartphone are the high-end AIAIAI TMA-2 over-ear headphones with modular design. A result of collaboration between Nextbit and the Danish manufacturer, the TMA-2 headphones feature lightweight body, excellent sound quality, and a pleasantly understated design. The headset's mint-colored cable is a cool nod to the Nextbit partnership.

Android in the Cloud

The Nexbit Robin boots the latest Android Marshmallow by Google out of the box. In order to deliver is unique cloud storage solution, the manufacturer has dressed the OS in its own homescreen launcher.

Nextbit's user interface lacks an app drawer and homescreen widgets, so it resembles that of an iPhone. Users can access the Android widgets by pinching the homescreen.

The Robin's cloud storage solution has a dedicated spot in the device's settings menu. It requires a login with an email address and has a neat graph that shows the amount of available phone and cloud storage to the device's owners.

Nextbit Robin users can choose the type of content to back in the cloud — available options include apps and photos. The cloud storage kicks in once the device's built-in memory is full.

By default, Nexbit's cloud solution will backup Robin apps that are used the least, though there is an option to "pin" apps, so that they remain permanently on the device. Apps that are backed up in the cloud are greyed out.

Camera

Nextbit Robin is equipped with 13MP camera sensor that sits behind a lens with f/2.2 aperture. The snapper features phase detection autofocus and dual-tone LED flash.

The camera's user interface matches the sleek exterior design of the Nextbit Robin, coupled with intuitive layout of the controls. Manual mode is also available for those who wish to take more control over the photographic experience.

The quality of the images captured by the Robin is stellar for its price range. Its photos feature good exposure, nice colors, and a plenty of resolved detail. The dynamic range is also good, though not on par with the best in the business.

Thanks to the zippy hardware on board, the camera of the Robin feels quite snappy on most occasions. HDR shots naturally take a bit more time than regular ones.

Videos captured by the Nextbit Robin have similar quality as its still images. Overall, the device is great at capturing memories in good light, but it will struggle in darker scenes.

For a deep dive at the camera of the Nexbit Robin, feel free to take a look at the full report by DxOMark.

Wrap Up

The Nextbit Robin is one of the most appealing mid-range smartphones available today, thanks to a combination of original design, robust hardware, smart cloud storage solution, and cool accessories. That's quite a feat to achieve by the ambitious startup company, as today's competitive market leaves almost no room for newcomers.

In terms of hardware performance, the Robin did just as expected — it delivered zippy and fluid performance at all times. The camera also delivered a solid experience considering the device's price range.

We only wish that the battery life of the handset was a bit more convincing, as getting a full day of heavy use can be a challenge. Nexbit released a major update for the device recently, which includes a number of tweaks aimed at improving the Robin's battery endurance.

Nextbit's cloud storage solution is innovative, but also with its limitations. Its functionality depends on the phone being constantly connected to a Wi-Fi or cellular network with good quality. In any case, it is a handy to feature to have due to the versatility it offers (users can store apps or only media). Also, it's worth noting that 32GB of onboard memory will likely be sufficient enough for most users.

The Nexbit Robin is reasonably priced at $399. It comes unlocked and compatible with AT&T and T-Mobile. Android tinkerers will also appreciate the fact that they can unlock the device's bootloader without voiding its warranty.

The Robin's price tag puts it in competition with the likes of LG Nexus 5X by Google, as well as a host of 2015 top-shelf Android offerings. The newcomer is easily a top pick in this company thanks to the characterful design and innovative storage solution it brings, all without sacrificing any essential functionality.

It's worth noting that until recently, Amazon offered the smartphone for the promotional price of $299. Such a price tag makes the device a no-brainer, so it's worth keeping an eye out for similar deals going forward.

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Photos by Stefan Vazharov

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