- Analysis by KJ David
Frankly speaking, the Vodafone Smart E9 (the sequel to the 2017 Smart E8) is not a very smart 2018 smartphone. In fact, hardware cons like a self-effacing 1.28GHz quad-core Mediatek MT6739 processor 
and a paltry 1GB-only RAM count make sure that it stays within the realm of practical and senior-friendly Android phones. While you're here, check out some popular senior-friendly phones featured here on Phonerated. Its hardware specs also include a mere 8GB internal memory that can be expanded by only up to 32GB , which obviously puts it on the back foot versus some other 2018-released entry-level models -- those that support 64GB or even 128GB microSD cards, that is.
A couple of other setbacks lurking within the E9's mishmash of pros and cons include its lack of support for NFC (Near Field Communication) , a wireless protocol widely used for mobile payments that was all but a standard Android facet as we were writing this technical review. Furthermore, it packs no more than 2000mAh of battery power , a capacity that's awkwardly lower than its E8 predecessor's already underwhelming 2200mAh power cap.
Those disappointing facets aside, the Smart E9 is not without a few redeeming pros, one of which is the fact that it runs on the Go Edition of Android 8.1 Oreo 
, which means that it is preloaded with stripped-down versions of key Android apps as a method of conserving memory and mobile data allocation. Additionally, Android Go is designed to demand less processing power, making it a fitting platform-of-choice for budget-class smartphones -- check out some other Android Go phones here.
Another appreciable touch for this Vodafone model is its pre-integrated Emergency Mode , which lets users instantly ring emergency services or family members in times of distress. Also, even though the 480p (960 x 480 FWVGA+, to be more particular) resolution of its 5-inch LCD display sounds sub-standard, its wider-than-usual -- the usual being 16:9 -- 18:9 aspect ratio comes off as a nice touch, considering the rest of its pros and cons. Its 4G LTE network connectivity is a welcome feature as well.
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Regrettably, the Smart E9's cameras underscore its low-end feature set. At the back, it touts a typical 5-megapixel main camera with standard flash and autofocus, while up front sits a rudimentary 2-megapixel fixed-focus secondary camera for selfies .
With an Anthracite finish topping it off, simplicity is definitely the name of the game for the Smart E9, making it a viable choice for practically-minded shoppers looking for nothing but essential smartphone features.
On-paper Star rating: 
It's all well and good that the Vodafone Smart E9 can record high-resolution 1280 x 720 videos, but we were disappointed not to find any evidence of the Smart E9 featuring an HDMI port (which is convenient to watch HD videos on your shiny HDTV.)
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These days, we would hope for more than only 2-megapixel (fixed focus) of selfie camera resolution.
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Not too long ago, this smartphone's processing specs would have seemed ok, but in comparison to most recent smartphones, a 1.28GHz Mediatek MT6739 processor with just 1GB of RAM looks a little pale, compared to recent smartphones with their multi-core gigahertz processor and large RAM.
It's frustrating that we could not find its weight information.
Not only does it have a 1.28GHz processor clock speed, it also features 4 CPU cores.
- Also read: List of the fastest Android smartphones
The Vodafone Smart E9 is not sold with a memory card but it supports up to 32GB of memory expansion, which will be convenient to save videos and pictures taken with the built-in 5-megapixel camera.
It records video clips at 30 frames per second, which is a high-enough fps rating by today's video phone expectations.
** This phone is also known as: Vodafone E9
*** These pros and cons are computer-generated based on our algorithm and the data we have on file for this cell phone. If you find an error, please let us know.
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