Gionee M7 launched - Helio P30, 18;9 display, dual rear cameras

Gionee's Marathon series is as niche as it gets, with the company launching the series as a means of offering upper mid-range devices with incredible battery capacities. The M7 is the latest entry in the series, and while it looks to be a decent device, it's also apparent that the company may be looking to go mainstream with this one.

The Gionee M5 and M6 both housed monster 6020 mAh batteries on 6-inch displays, and while the M7 retains that display size, it takes a huge battery downgrade, dropping to a 4000 mAh battery. That may be considered a baffling decision by hardcore fans but it's one that may not be as illogical as it sounds, as the Helio P30 on the M7 is manufactured on a 16nm process, as opposed to the 28nm Helio P10 on the M6. It's, therefore, likely that the company decided the increased SoC efficiency offsets the drop in battery size.

Here's a rundown of what the M7 ships with:

• 6-inch, 18:9, FHD display
• Helio P30
• 6 GB of RAM
• 64 GB of storage
• Dual rear cameras (16 MP + 8 MP)
• 8 MP selfie shooter
• 4000 mAh battery

The M7 is available in a host of colors including Black, Maple Red, Star Blue, Sapphire Blue, and Champagne Gold. It goes on sale in China on September 26, with a price tag equivalent to about US$420.