Reviewer Hands-On Experience With $1,200 Holographic RED Smartphone

The RED Hydrogen One smartphone promises to be the first handheld unit to possess actual holographic capabilities. With a price tag of $1,200, it had better. Otherwise, the company would have trouble justifying how expensive it is. Recently, RED provided a YouTuber with the chance to take a look at the smartphone and so far, the feedback has been encouraging.

The phone was sent to YouTube tech personality Marques Brownlee, who is known for reviewing various products that range from cameras to electric cars. In the video he posted containing his impression of the Hydrogen One, it would seem that he is quite optimistic with regards to the smartphone’s potential.

While the bulk of the phone’s features were not shown in the video for obvious reasons, the YouTuber did comment on how RED’s phone is quite distinct in its appearance. With grooved sides and Kevlar plating on the back, it almost looks like a tactical communication unit that futuristic soldiers would use.

So far, however, the smartphone is not really doing anything that’s too out of the ordinary. Its modular nature was already done by the Moto Z series and while large, its size is not too far from the iPhone 7.

Regarding the holographic features, Brownlee was not allowed to show the display itself, which would not have translated well over to video anyway. However, he did include his own reactions as he watched and explained that he was simply at a loss for words.

Of course, there are plenty of skeptics who are not buying the Hydrogen One hype at all. Brownlee’s comments section is littered with people who display utmost contempt for the unit, for example. Then there’s the piece by SlashGear, which attempts to pop a hole in the whole holographic display thing.

Apparently, it will take more than the default smartphone display to actually bring out the four-view holographic images that RED is touting. This would mean that either an extra piece of hardware or an entire rig will be necessary to enjoy the full benefits of the absurdly expensive phone.