Mobile Choice | Sunetra Chakravarti

The handset has very good battery life, a fantastic screen t and a price point that has made the competition the phenomenon that it is.... But slight niggles remain. Vodafone's lurid red apps are never too far away, the camera is not a patch.

Coolsmartphone | Dan

...there are obvious rivals at this price point especially the One Plus, but with a large 2K screen, 16 megapixel camera, fingerprint sensor and 4G+ networking support you will find it hard to beat the Platinum 7.

Android Authority | Adam Sinicki

It's not going to compete with the big-name flagships in the specs, camera or build-quality departments; but it is nevertheless a surprisingly-smooth operator with seriously impressive battery-game, near-stock Android and a very appealing price tag.

What Mobile | Thomas Wellburn

The Vodafone Smart Platinum 7 is a perfectly powerful handset that offers good value for money and plenty of features.

Trusted Reviews | Alastair Stevenson

A great smartphone, ideal for any Vodafone customer looking for a bargain.

TechRadar | Jon Mundy

Vodafone has delivered on its promise of a premium smartphone experience for a less-than-premium price. It might not be up there with the top ranks in any one area, but it's far closer than the mid-range also-rans where it really matters.

Stuff | Andrew Williams

OK, so the Platinum doesn't quite destroy everything in its price bracket like the classic Smart Ultra: the OnePlus 3 is flat-out nicer, even if it doesn't have quite as many screen pixels. Not quite a world-beater, then, but if you're only after a kick-ass screen and you're on a budget, this is still a fantastic buy.

Pocket-lint | Cam Bunton

the Vodafone Smart Platinum 7 is right up there as one of the best phones you can buy around the price mark. It's fast, has great build, stunning looks and great audio chops. It may not have the best camera in the world, and you have to be on Vodafone's network, but there's power and elegance beyond what the price tag suggests.

IT PRO | Alan Lu

A surprisingly excellent own-brand phone that holds its own against big name smartphones... The Vodafone Smart Platinum 7 is an unexpectedly good smartphone that excels in almost every way – it's certainly far, far superior to its budget sibling.

The Inquirer | Matt Farrington-Smith

Vodafone is onto a winner with the Smart Platinum 7. It combines ice-cool design with a hearty specs sheet and is fully capable of giving other mid-rangers a run for their money.

V3 | Matt Farrington-Smith

The Vodafone Smart Platinum 7 has commendable specs and a high-quality screen, and provides a lot for the low price.

The Journal | Quinton O'Reilly

The Platinum 7 manages to be a good all-rounder that is more than the sum of its parts. It doesn't excel in any one place, but it doesn't need to when it gets most things right.

Expert Reviews | Katharine Byrne

It's a shame, really, as I would have been willing to put up with the Smart Ultra 7's off-colour screen had its camera been better. Ultimately, though, the Smart Ultra 7 has just one too many flaws to make it a viable budget contender... That said, as a budget phablet on contract it's a reasonable deal.