IFA 2017 | Archos announces the Diamond Alpha+ smartphone

Well-known in Europe, the French brand Archos usually launches mid-range and low-end devices. This year, they also unveiled a premium QHD+ Android tablet with a 10.1-inch display that is scheduled to hit the market this fall using the Archos Diamond Tab name. In addition to this Rockchip 3399-powered slate, there is also a brand-new premium Android smartphone with 6 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage that Archos plans to unleash next month in Europe.

Dubbed the Diamond Alpha+, this 5.2-inch Android handset has a premium metal case with rounded corners and a dual camera setup on the rear that is similar to the Nubia Z17 devices. Both mobiles have a red frame around the two cameras on their backs, but the Nubia Z17 family features a dual LED flash instead of the single LED employed by the Diamond Alpha+. 

The Archos Diamond Alpha+ sports a Qualcomm Snapdragon 653 processor, 6 GB RAM, and 128 GB internal storage. There is also support for additional storage space via a microSD slot. This handset has a Corning Gorilla Glass-protected IPS display whose full HD resolution provides an excellent balance between image quality and autonomy, using less energy than a QHD panel of the same size.

Mobile photography enthusiasts will probably love this phone. Its front camera has 16 MP, and the two Sony cameras on the back have 13 MP each. According to the official press release, this handset can shoot 4K videos at 30 fps.

The Diamond Alpha+ has USB Type-C connectivity and a 3,000 mAh battery. Archos did not mention the Android version installed on this handset and some websites claim it only runs Android Marshmallow. We can only hope that this is not the case and the Diamond Alpha+ hits the market with Android Nougat on board.

Archos plans to launch the Diamond Alpha+ in Europe by the end of October. The price they announced is EUR€399.99 or about US$474.40. Unfortunately, it might not reach the US market via official channels.

In late 2016/early 2017 (depending on the market), Samsung launched the Galaxy C9 Pro with the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 653 on board for a price tag of around US$100 more, so the Diamond Alpha+ is quite a good deal, especially since its competitor from South Korea has no dual camera setup and only 64 GB internal storage.