The Story Of Aquos Sense7 Plus Review Specs And More

Getting To Grips With The Sharp Aquos Sense7 Plus

Just bought one of these a few months back. Not the most exciting phone, but it does its job if you're coming from somewhere older or just want a no-nonsense Japanese market device without spending serious money. I spent way too long reading reviews before pulling the trigger, so here's what I actually learned after using it. The specs on paper aren't flashy. Snapdragon 695 processor, 6.4-inch IPS LCD with a 90Hz refresh rate, 128GB storage, 4GB of RAM. You're getting an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, which is nice to have if you're clumsy like me. The camera setup is a 50MP main sensor with an 8MP ultrawide and a 2MP depth lens on the back. Front-facing is 8MP. Sharp tends to tune their color science a bit warmer than Samsung or Apple, so photos come out with slightly more yellow tones right out of the camera. Nothing wrong with that, just something to be aware of.

The Story Of Aquos Sense7 Plus Review Specs And More

People seem confused about why this phone exists. It's a domestic Japan model, meaning you'll need a compatible adapter or an unlocked device from a reseller if you're outside Japan. That alone is the biggest hurdle most buyers don't account for. The 5G bands support Japanese carriers primarily, and while it works internationally on LTE, 5G will be hit or miss depending on where you are. I learned this the hard way when I tried using it with a UK SIM and found half the bands just didn't register properly. Battery life is solid. The 4,930mAh cell easily gets you through a full day of moderate use. I usually end the day with about 20 percent left after check emails, some web browsing, and a couple of hours of YouTube. Charging is standard 18W fast charging through USB-C. It'll do zero to about 60 percent in under an hour, but the rest takes its time because therge throttles down significantly past that point. That's pretty standard for phones in this price range, though some competitors offer faster rates. The software experience is where it gets interesting. You're running Android 12 out of the box with Sharp's own overlay. It's not as cluttered as some Chinese UIs, but there are definitely some quirks. The fingerprint sensor is capacitive and placed lower on the display than I'd prefer. My fingers are average length and I sometimes miss it when the phone is lying flat on a surface. I got used to it within a week, but it's worth noting.

One thing I genuinely ran into was an edge case that nearly made me return the device. The phone has an infrared blaster on the top edge, and for the first two weeks I kept accidentally triggering it in my pocket because it brushes against the inside of my case. Every time it would randomly switch on and try to control TVs or AC units. The workaround was simple once I figured it out: go into settings, find the IR remote app, and disable the shortcut that activates it from the power button hold. That solved the problem entirely, but Sharp really should have made that more obvious in the manual. Display quality is decent for the category. The 90Hz feels smoother than 60Hz but it's not going to blow anyone away. Brightness peaks around 550 nits, which is adequate for indoor use but struggles a bit in direct sunlight. If you're outside a lot, you might find yourself squinting at times. The IPS panel also has slightly washed-out blacks compared to OLED devices, but that's expected at this price point. Color accuracy is fine for casual use, though if you do photo editing you'll want to calibrate it or rely on a monitor anyway. Audio is another area where Sharp does something slightly different. The phone has a single bottom-firing speaker, but it's surprisingly loud and clear for the size. No stereo pairing here, and don't expect rich bass. Call quality is crisp though, with good noise cancellation on the microphone side. I've taken calls in busy cafés and people on the other end couldn't tell I wasn't in a quiet room.

If you're looking for something to replace this with, the Aquos Sense7 itself is cheaper and has nearly identical specs, or you could look at the Xperia 10 series if you want something more refined but similarly priced. The Sense7 Plus mainly exists to give you a bigger battery and slightly larger screen without jumping up to flagship territory. Whether that trade-off is worth it depends entirely on what you're comparing it against. Build quality feels solid. The polycarbonate back doesn't scratch as easily as glass, which is a plus if you toss it in bags with keys or coins. The frame is plastic too, so it's lightweight at about 190 grams. Not the heaviest phone you'll hold, but you'll notice the difference if you're switching from something like an iPhone 14 Pro Max. Camera performance in low light is where the limitations really show. The sensor size is small, and without computational photography matching what Google or Apple does, night shots come out a bit noisy and soft. Daytime photography is perfectly fine for social media posting or sharing with family. Just don't expect magazine-quality results. The video recording tops out at 1080p at 60fps, which is fine for casual use but falls behind similarly priced phones that offer 4K.

Overall, this phone isn't trying to be anything spectacular. It's a practical device for people who want Japanese build quality, decent battery life, and a functional camera without paying premium prices. The 5G situation, the software quirks, and the camera limitations are real constraints. But if you know what you're getting into, it holds up reasonably well over months of daily use.