Everything about the new MOONDROP MIAD 01 5G smartphone screams retro. In an era when smartphone manufacturers seem determined to remove every port, jack and cut out on their devices, the MIAD 01 is purpose built to be the exact opposite.
Seen on Liliputing, the MIAD 01 is an interesting phone purpose built for audiophiles. The $399 device is now available globally after launching in China this week.
For one, the sound focused phone features not one but two headphone jacks: a 4.4mm fully balanced jack and the more “standard” 3.5mm unbalanced headphone jack. The jacks put out 4VRMs for the 4.4mm and 2VRMs for the 3.5mm. Basically, this means that you can use both studio quality cans with the device and regular headphones.
Additionally, the phone has a Cirrus Logic Master HiFi DAC (digital to analog converter) and a 6-layer gold-sinking audio circuit with independent LDO power supply. According to Moondrop, the phone is capable of a dynamic range up to 132 dB and a signal-to-noise ratio up to 117 dB.
Moondrop, founded in 2015, is a Chinese company that focuses on HiFi audio products including headphones, earbuds and amplifiers for headphones being used with computers.
The MIAD 01 is the company’s first smartphone and it occupies a weird space beyond the audiophile features. The list $399 price is less than midrange phones like the Google Pixel 7a or the Samsung Galaxy A54. Beyond the audio components, its features are a mixed bag of high-end and cheaper bits.
Design wise, the phone looks like it would settle in nicely next to an original Game Boy with its textured surface, orange buttons and Nostromo-esque logos, it feels like something blasted from the past.
The phone features a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The processor is a MediaTek Dimensity 7050. We’ve had mixed reviews on MediaTek chips so that is hit or miss, but they are used in many smartphones made for China.
Storage wise, it features 12GB or RAM with built-in 256GB. The battery looks pretty decent featuring a 5,000 mAh battery. In comparison, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra features a 5,000 mAh and has for the last two Ultra phones.
There are cutbacks to hit that $399 pricepoint though. The cameras on the device are a 64 MP main camera and a 32 MP front-facing camera. The company seems to know that the cameras aren’t tops but then again, it is a phone built around its audio features.
The other cutback is in the OS. The MIAD 01 comes with Android 13, which is at least 2 years old at this point, and it’s unclear if it will supported going forward.
At the same time, it also ships without Google Mobile Services. This means it doesn’t ship with Google Play Store, Gmail, Google Maps or Chrome. That might be a selling point for some, for others you’ll need to sideload those apps.