320GB of storage isn't magic — it's the Saygus V2 (hands-on)

Dual SD cards are the hallmark feature of this Android 4.4.4 phone

Three hundred-twenty gigabytes of storage. It's an impressive number for a smartphone, especially when you write it in numeric form like this — 320GB. In a phone. Almost sounds magical, or like you'll be carrying around a hard drive with a phone strapped to it.

Pick up the Saygus V2 — pronounced V-Squared — and you'll find, well, a pretty normal Android smartphone. Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor and running Android 4.4.4, this five-inch, 1080p device isn't exactly magic, though it does have a few interesting features. Chief among them is that it sports a pair — two — microSD card slots. So with the 64 gigabytes of on-board storage and a couple of 128GB cards, you find yourself at 320GB of potential total storage. You've also got a nifty fingerprint recognition system on the side of the phone. Some cool stuff is here,

So, yeah. No magic.

A couple other interesting things about the V2, however:

  • It's got a Kevlar back and the whole smash is pretty darn light.
  • It's running stock Android 4.4.4, with Lollipop to come.
  • It's got an IP7X rating and says it's the first to have that. Really it just means it can hang out in a meter of water for a half-hour.
  • You can boot from the SD card, if you so desire.

Saygus also says it'll offer a rootable version for those who are so inclined. That's not necessarily a good thing, though. Actually, it could be pretty bad, as our own Jerry Hildenbrand explains:

The file permissions have also been modified to allow apps and programs to be executed while stored on the removable storage. Plenty of folks relish these sort of modifications, but they do come with some valid security concerns. Scripts and files downloaded from the Internet (whether purposefully or as a gift from a clever webmaster) can be run with elevated permissions, and certain exploits have been found that will automatically execute. Remember, Google has blocked things of this nature because of security concerns. You'll need to be extra-responsible using a phone modded this way.

So, yeah. Root responsibly.

Other than the dual microSD card slots, we're not exactly going to go nuts over this guy. It's a cool option, though, and great at parties if you find yourself in such company. It ticks a number of boxes the hardcore fans will want to see, and maybe a couple we're a bit wary of.

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CategoryFeatures
Screen5-inch 1920 x 1080 display (445 ppi), Corning Gorilla Glass 4
ProcessorQualcomm Snapdragon 801 @ 2.5 GHz
OSAndroid 4.4.4
Size67 x 137 x 9.7mm
WeightApprox. 5 ounces (141g)
Rear camera21MP with OIS, dual flash
Front camera13MP with OIS
RAM3GB
Storage64GB on-board, 2x microSD card
Wifi802.11 ac
Bluetooth4.0
AudioStereo Speakers, Harman Kardon Sound Technology w/ 3D Audio
Battery3100 mAh removable, Qi charging
Phil Nickinson