GADGET GIZMO REVIEW ..Phicomm Energy 653

GADGET GIZMO REVIEW Phicomm Energy 653

Expansion of 4G connectivity in India has lead to various phone manufacturers launching 4G ready smartphones. While there are 4G ready phones available in the mid-range segment, there are hardly any in sub `5,000 price range.Phicomm is the first one to launch a 4G ready smartphone (Energy 653), in this segment.

In terms of build quality , the phone feels well built. It has rounded corners with a glossy , removable back panel. As expected from the glossy finish, the rear panel quickly picks up smudges and fingerprint marks. The power and volume button are placed ergonomically on the right side while the 3.5mm audio jack and microUSB port are on top.

The front has a 5-inch IPS display with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels. Viewing angles are excellent and it shows natural colours. We did feel the brightness levels could have been better. Below the screen are three touch sensitive android buttons for home, back and menu that respond well, but they are not backlit.

This is the first phone to be powered by the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 processor that has 4G support for Indian bands. The quad core processor combined with 1GB RAM works well for basic tasks such as browsing, social networking and multimedia. We liked the fact that Phicomm did not load any bloatware on the phone. It comes with Android 5.1 and the UI is close to stock with bright icons.

We were able to play a 720p HD video seamlessly with MX player, but with a 1080p HD video, there were random frame drops. Battery life is good: with constant 3GWiFi connectivity, the phone lasted a full day of use with around 15 to 20% battery at the end of the day.

Photos from the 8MP rear camera are average --­ there is noise visible on the phone's screen itself on the photos so you can only use them for sharing on social networks. Front 2MP camera also has the same issue of noise and since it is a fixed focus unit, images are often blurred.

Being the cheapest 4G ready smartphone, the Phicomm Energy 653 has the first mover advantage. Camera performance is the only letdown and apart from that, the phone proves to be a good option in its price range.

karan.bajaj

19AUG15