Camera And Internal Storage
The phone comes with a primary camera of 8MP resolution, on the rear, and a 2MP unit on the front for video calls and other uses. At the given price point, this set of cameras does sound very lucrative and is bound to attract buyers of all age and fairness. Not many phones, under the 10k INR mark, come with an 8MP camera. On the storage front, the phone disappoints with the availability of only 4GB of ROM, a feature seen across a wide range of budget phones. However, the phone has a memory card slot and can work with those up to 32GB in capacity. We definitely would have liked to see 8GB of on board storage. Most budget manufacturers see the storage department as one to cut costs, and by far, no other manufacturer than Micromax has gone a step ahead to include better storage.
Processor And Battery
The phone comes with a 1.2GHz dual core processor, unlike most other domestic releases which carry quad core ones. The phone isn’t meant for hardcore gaming and/or multimedia, but the phone is meant to be more of a utility/productivity device. The pricing of the phone is in agreement with the same. But we must add that for a few hundred rupees more, you can avail the XOLO Q800 and the XOLO Q700, both are phones which carry quad core processors. Depending on your style of usage, the Q800/Q700 might suit you better than the A29. The A29 comes with a 2000mAh battery, which should be good enough to get you through the day. Given the phone’s expected usage, we think that the phone will be at par with other mainstream devices as far as battery life goes.
Display And Features
The phone comes with one of our favourite screen sizes of 4.7 inches. This 4.7 inch panel packs a qHD resolution of 960×540 pixels, which means the phone will have a decent (but not too good) pixel density. Why we like 4.7 inched phones is because they’re big enough for multimedia and gaming, easy to hold and comfortable to carry around (includes fitting in your pocket comfortably). For reference, you can take the Nexus 4’s screen, which also measures 4.7 inches. Other features of the phone include the Hungama music app, which comes as a part of the Hungama-Karbonn tie-up and lets users enjoy free music up to a certain limit.
Key Specs
Comparison
Given the phone’s value proposition and other factors like the cost and form factor, we can compare the phone to various other dual core phones from domestic as well as Chinese manufacturers. This might include Micromax, Lava, etc. among domestic manufacturers, and UMI, Zopo, etc. among Chinese ones.One phone which pops in your mind almost instantly is the Micromax Canvas 2, which was a benchmark in the Indian market. Another phone, much more affordable, is the Celkon Signature A107, which comes with almost the exact specifications but sells for a lower price.
Conclusion
The phone comes with a great form factor, and is easy to handle. Given the dual-core 1.2 GHz processor, the phone won’t be the most powerful in the world, but it also won’t let you feel it is underpowered, given that you don’t expect miracles. The phone is priced at 8,990 INR, which means that the phone is among the pricier dual core phones around. But the phone probably contains enough goodies to attract enough customers and be a hit in itself. At the same price, you can avail the A27+ phone which comes with a 1GHz dual core processor, another thing which makes the A29 look better!
