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RED Editor's Choice 2018

Hydrogen One

RED Hydrogen One — Holographic Display Smartphone Review

Display 2560 x 1440 pixels (~515 ppi)
Camera 1080p at 30fps
Performance Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835...
Battery Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging
Expert Score
3.6
85% Confidence
Community Score
3.1
0% Confidence
AI Score
3.7
82% Confidence
Final Score
3.5
82% Confidence
Storage
RAM
Color
Regional
-8% In Stock
$1,195 – $1,295 $1,295

Lowest $399 Save $100 Best: Amazon

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Category Scores

Overall hardware score: 76/100 — fascinating technological novelty with glasses-free holographic viewing and rugged industrial styling, but hindered by aging hardware and a high launch price.

77
75
Performance Great

Snapdragon 835 handles standard applications wel...

85
Display Great

Innovative 5.7-inch QHD holographic 4V display o...

78
Camera Great

Dual rear and dual front cameras capture standar...

82
Battery Great

4500 mAh battery delivers solid endurance for st...

75
Gaming Great

Adreno 540 handles standard games competently.

70
AI Good

Basic processing for system functions and displa...

82
Security Great

Side-mounted physical fingerprint sensor integra...

65
Value for Money Good

Extremely expensive niche device for RED camera...

90
Design Excellent

Distinctive industrial aesthetic featuring conto...

55
Repairability Fair

Complex modular seals and bespoke holographic pa...

68
Software Support Good

Upgraded up to Android 9.0 Pie before project de...

85
Connectivity Great

4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C, an...

80
Audio Great

Stereo speakers featuring 'A3D Sound' spatial au...

88
Durability Great

Sturdy aluminum chassis and textured Kevlar back...

80
Charging Great

Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging via USB Type-C.

Specifications

Display 4
Size 5.7 inches
Type LTPS IPS LCD, Hydrogen 4V Holographic display
Resolution 2560 x 1440 pixels (~515 ppi)
Protection Corning Gorilla Glass
Processor 3
Chipset Key Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835 (10 nm)
CPU Octa-core (4x2.45 GHz Kryo & 4x1.9 GHz Kryo)
GPU Key Adreno 540
Memory 2
RAM Key 6GB
Type LPDDR4X
Storage 3
Internal 128GB
Expandable microSDXC up to 512GB (uses shared SIM slot)
Standard UFS 2.1
Battery 2
Capacity 4500 mAh non-removable
Wired charging Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging
Camera 2
Main Dual 12 MP, dual pixel PDAF
Features Hydrogen 3D holographic image and video capture
Front Camera 2
Sensor Dual 8 MP
Video 1080p at 30fps
Video 1
Max resolution 4K at 30fps
Connectivity 4
Network 4G LTE, HSPA, GSM
Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band
Bluetooth 5.0, A2DP, LE
USB USB Type-C 3.1, magnetic pogo-pin connector pins
Sensors 1
Fingerprint Side-mounted
Dimensions 3
Height 164.8 mm
Width 85.7 mm
Depth 10.0 mm
Weight 1
Weight 342 g
Materials 2
Frame Key Contoured aluminum frame
Back Woven Kevlar back panel
Colors 1
Options Aluminum Black, Titanium
Operating System 1
OS Android 8.1 Oreo, upgradable to Android 9.0 Pie

Expert Review

By Dickens, Charles

Design

The RED Hydrogen One sports a bold, aggressive industrial aesthetic featuring ribbed aluminum sides, physical contoured grip indents, and a woven Kevlar back panel.

Display

It features a 5.7-inch QHD (2560 x 1440) LTPS IPS LCD screen equipped with Hydrogen 4V holographic nanotechnology for glasses-free 3D content.

Performance

Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset paired with 6GB RAM, offering capable performance for day-to-day media tasks.

Gaming

Adreno 540 GPU handles standard mobile titles smoothly.

Camera

Equipped with dual 12MP rear cameras and dual 8MP front cameras designed to capture specialized 3D holographic photos and videos.

Battery

A 4500 mAh battery provides dependable power output across full day workloads.

Software

Runs clean Android OS with custom RED Hydrogen media channels and holographic media player applications.

Ai

Basic on-device processing manages display rendering adjustments and spatial sound algorithms.

Connectivity

Includes 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0, USB Type-C, and modular pogo pins for hardware attachments.

Pros

  • Pioneering 5.7-inch Hydrogen 4V glasses-free holographic display
  • Distinctive industrial aluminum and Kevlar rugged design
  • Modular pogo-pin accessory connection interface
  • Immersive A3D spatial audio simulation
  • Generous 4500 mAh battery capacity

Cons

  • Extremely heavy build profile (342g)
  • Outdated Snapdragon 835 chipset at launch price tier
  • Holographic content ecosystem is severely limited
  • Discontinued product line
The RED Hydrogen One is a pioneering media-centric smartphone created by high-end cinema camera manufacturer RED. It introduces 'Hydrogen 4V' nanotechnology enabling glasses-free holographic 3D content viewing, paired with a Snapdragon 835 processor and a rugged, grip-friendly industrial design.

Verdict

The RED Hydrogen One stands as a bold, experimental milestone in mobile display innovation.

Final: 3.5/10 Best for: General users Segment: Flagship

Product Intelligence

5.7-inch QHD Holographic 4V Nano-Technological Display Modular Pogo-Pin Accessory Ecosystem Interface Industrial Aluminum and Kevlar Chassis Design A3D Spatial Sound Audio Processing 4500 mAh Battery Endurance

Who Should Buy

RED cinema camera operators, tech collectors, and early adopters fascinated by unique experimental display technologies.

Who Should Avoid

Mainstream smartphone buyers looking for contemporary flagship processors, modern camera quality, or long-term software support.

Key Takeaways

  • Pioneering glasses-free 3D holographic display experiment
  • Rugged, heavy industrial grip profile
  • Equipped with older Snapdragon 835 processor at launch

Buying Recommendation

A fascinating collector's piece for mobile technology history enthusiasts rather than a daily driver.

Competitor Comparison

DeviceScorePriceNotes
Essential Phone PH-1

Upgrade Path

Upgrade From Standard 2017 Flagships
Benefits
  • Unique holographic viewing capability and heavy-duty industrial styling

Downgrade Path

Downgrade To Standard Media Phones
Benefits
  • Lighter weight and conventional flat display panels

Pricing & Price Intelligence

In Stock
Current $1,195 – $1,295
Lowest $399
Highest $1,295
Historical Low $599
Launch $1,295
Average $850
Savings $100
Discount -8%
Confidence 60%
Trend Down

Price Analytics

Best Deal Amazon $1,195
Best Value Amazon
Stability Low
Buy Timing Good time to buy

Prices are trending down with low stability. Compare offers at Amazon before buying.

Regional Pricing

US $1,295

Store Comparison

Store Price Shipping Availability Rating
Amazon $1,195 In Stock Buy

Variant Pricing

Colors

  • Aluminum Black $1,195 – $1,295
  • Titanium $1,195 – $1,295

Storage

  • 128GB $1,195

Ram

  • 6GB $1,195 – $1,295
Low: 599 High: 1295 Avg: 947 Volatility: 36.75%

Track Price

Alternatives

Essential Phone PH-1

Alternative experimental modular flagship from the same era

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