a smartphone with a real keyboard (first impression)

On the day before the Mobile World Congress, we were introduced to a special new device in Barcelona; the Astro Slide 5G.

Astro Slide 5G Transformer

During a press event prior to the start of the Mobile World Congress, we were introduced to a new type of smartphone. It is the Astro Slide 5G Transformer, from manufacturer Planet Computers. We go back a few years in time, because we once again see a smartphone with a full slide-out keyboard. We have played with the device for a while and can now share a first impression with you.

The Astro Slide stands out because of its fairly large housing. That’s not very surprising, the smartphone has a full-fledged keyboard that is housed under the screen. This does not consist of small mini keys, but of real mechanical keys that are also illuminated. We have to say; it types really well and quickly feels familiar. However, this is mainly when the device is on the table. Typing in the hand is just a bit less pleasant because the keyboard is actually too large for that. The Slide weighs a hefty 325 grams.

The whole mechanism feels a bit rickety and unstable. With a thickness of 19 millimeters, it is also thick. We also experience the screen of the Astro Slide as very mediocre. It flickers very slightly, so even my Sony A7 III camera struggles to capture this normally. The screen also feels cheap. Planet Computers supplies its own apps, but otherwise the Android interface has remained very intact.

Incidentally, we were immediately surprised by the version of the operating system. The Astro Slide still runs on Android 11. Android 13 should be released ‘soon’, but then Android 12 will have to appear first. The device has a 6.39-inch AMOLED screen, has two USB-C ports, dual-SIM with memory card support and the option to use eSIM.

The Astro Slide 5G Transformer has one camera; a 48MP lens. There is 128GB of internal storage that you can expand, and there is 8GB of RAM. On board you will find the MediaTek Dimensity 800. There is a 3.5 millimeter connection for the headset and there is a 4000 mAh battery that can also be charged wirelessly.

We can say that at first glance and on paper the Astro Slide seems to be a nice choice. However, we still see some areas for improvement. Certainly the screen, but also the build quality. It seems that Planet Computers wants to recoup the investment; the device costs 1133 euros. Whether it’s worth…