You know how most phones brag about having crazy super zoom or nice photography, but in reality, you are just paying a lots more for things that you don’t need. The Sharp AQUOS wish5 is different. This one’s all about keeping you safe, lasting all day, surviving whatever life throws at it, and yes — it’s fully 5G ready for Singapore. Oh, and the best part? It’s only S$289 — probably the cheapest 5G phone I’ve come across that supports eSIM. Pretty amazing.
The phone supports 1 physical SIM + eSIM — which is rare for such an affordable 5G phone. The SIM tray can hold 1 physical SIM and a microSD card, so you can expand storage without giving up your SIM slot. Handy if you want both extra space and a local SIM for travel.
First things first — the display is 6.6 inches LCD (HD+, 720 × 1612 pixels) with a 120Hz refresh rate. Scrolling is buttery smooth, videos look good, and it’s bright enough most of the time. One thing to note: because it’s an LCD, the screen can get a bit dim under strong sunlight, so outdoor visibility isn’t as strong as high-end AMOLED phones. Battery life? Excellent. The 5,000mAh battery easily lasts more than a day, and Sharp’s Intelligent Charge stops charging at ~90% to help the battery last longer over time. Under the hood, you’ve got the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 with 6GB RAM + 128GB or 8GB RAM + 256GB, plus microSD up to 2TB. It runs on Android 15 , and yes — it’s a full 5G phone, working with Singapore telcos whether you’re on Standalone (SA) or Non-Standalone (NSA) networks. So you’re future-proofed no matter which SIM you pop in. There is also Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC support. It supports both VoLTE and VoNR.
If you like the clean, simple look of a Google Pixel, you’ll appreciate this phone. The interface looks very similar to Pixel, without too many extra UI changes. You can also access Gemini, Circle, and search tools, just like the more expensive Android phones out there. It feels really natural if you’re used to Google’s ecosystem.
The main camera’s 50.1MP wide (f/1.8, 79°) with a 1.9MP depth sensor. Daytime shots are crisp, and night performance is better than you’d expect for a mid-range phone. It can even do 8x digital zoom, which reminds me a bit of the Google Pixel 4 — great for capturing faraway subjects without losing too much detail. Selfie camera is 8MP (f/2.0, 78°) — fine for social media and calls, though not the sharpest in low light. Video recording goes up to HD at 60 fps, and surprisingly, video stays stable even when I’m walking. For a mid-range phone, that’s pretty impressive. One thing to watch out for: photos taken in really low-light environments might result in a lot of noise and blur, so don’t expect Pixel-level night shots here.
Built for Real Life
It’s IPX9 waterproof (can handle high-pressure water jets and heat up to 80°C), also IPX5/IPX8/IP6X rated, and meets MIL-STD-810H military durability standards — including drops on concrete. I haven’t try to drop or abuse as I take care of my phone.
Looks Good, Feels Good
Designed by Miyake Design, it has a “free curve” shape that’s comfy to hold. The glass finish makes it look premium, and you can pick from five Japan-inspired colours: MISORA (Blue), NADESHIKO (Pink), WAKABA (Green), YUKI (White), SUMI (Black). About 60% of the casing is recycled plastic, and the paint uses low VOC levels to reduce environmental impact.
Safety and Call Features That Are Genius
Here’s my favourite part — if you’re in trouble, just shake the phone and it sets off a loud alarm. Doesn’t matter if it’s in your bag, it’ll still go off. At the same time, it calls your emergency contacts and sends them your location in a text. It also has an AI call assistant that screens for scam calls. If it thinks something’s dodgy, it blocks it. You can even record the whole voice conversation or use automated answering to screen the call. And if someone leaves a voicemail, it can convert it into text so you can read it later. Honestly, this feature combo gives real peace of mind — whether you’re at work, travelling, or just avoiding spam calls.
