Elephone responds to the $90 UMi ROME with its own super-affordable, all-metal handset

Just last week, Chinese manufacturer UMi announced the ROME – a metal-clad handset with some pretty impressive specs, carrying an MSRP of about $90 in China. What do we mean by impressive? Well, the phone packs an octa-core MediaTek MT6753, 3 GB of RAM, and a 5.5” 720 x 1280 display.

Its main competitor – Elephone – was quick to respond and has just announced the Elephone M3. It totes Mediatek's octa-core Helio P10 (a.k.a. MT6755) and sports an USB Type-C connector. Aside from that, we still don't have a lot of information on the M3. On its promotional renders, we can see the phone will rock a chamfered metal frame and it looks like it could possibly have a glass back, curved at its ends. The best thing is, of course, the price – the Elephone M3 is said to cost around $99 in China.

Keep in mind that said prices do not apply to Western markets. For example, if you are to hunt down a 3rd party retailer that would ship the UMi ROME internationally, you might find that the phone's price has magically jumped to around $110, and that's before any type of shipping costs or tax fees.

Get Visible as low as $20/mo for 1 year. Limited time offer with code: FRESHSTART

$20 /mo

$25

$5 off (20%)

Offer Ends 6.1.2026 at 11.59pm ET. New members get $5/mo off the $25/mg Visible plan, $35/mo Visible+ plan, or $45/mo Visible+ Pro plan for the first 12 months. Promo code FRESHSTART required at checkout.

Buy at Visible