ALL-ROUNDERS UNDER 35K
Ashutosh Desai and
Savio D’Souza review three mid-range smartphones that tick the right boxes when
it comes to looks, performance and build – and at times, even challenge the
best flagships in the market today.
POCO F1
The F1 is the debut handset launched under Xiaomi’s
sub-brand ‘Poco’, and in a way, it defines what consumers can come to expect
from the manufacturer under this name. To begin with, the smartphone comes in
two build variants. At the entrylevel price of ₹20,999, you get an all-plastic back, while the top-end model—the
Armoured Edition, priced at ₹29,999—comes
with Kevlar, the same tough material that is used in bullet-proof vests. Both
variants are solidly built, complete with scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass.
You also get a silicone cover in the box, but it
offers no real protection against accidental drops. In fact, the device feels
better to handle without this cover.
Its notch-display is capable of high-brightness
levels that make text and images legible even under sunlight. You can adjust
colour tones—warm or cool—and even use its reading mode to reduce blue-light
emission that causes eye strain. The F1’s screen renders crisp text and punchy
colours that are at par with the Huawei Nova 3, though the latter is capable of
richer blacks that allow for better overall contrast.
Still, this device works well for Full HD movie
viewing. The speakers are tuned for videos and handsfree calls but not for
music listening; with ear/headphones, the audio is balanced and reproduced
clearly across the aural spectrum.
When you plug in your headset, you can even use the
F1’s equaliser feature to finetune your listening experience.
Calls are clear, and the device manages to latch and
hold onto cellular towers quite quickly though we have always found the Huawei
device to be the best when it comes to network handling.
When it comes to its user interface, the Poco F1 runs
Xiaomi’s MIUI 9.6 that comes with a bunch of features baked into the stock
installation: You get a call and voice recorder for phone calls and
interviews—and you can even set markers in the audio recording during playback;
its screen recorder lets you create videos of your action on the handset, and
you even get an FM receiver for radio.
For security, you get a fingerprint scanner at the
back that is quick to unlock the handset, and facial recognition that works in
the dark thanks to an infrared camera that sits to the left of the notch, just
above the display.
Its user interface also includes a feature called
Second Space that allows you to create multiple “desktops” with different apps
for each space. This is like using two handsets, each with a different set of
apps. You can switch between these spaces by means of a password, and even by
separate fingerprints for added security. It should be noted that Second Space
is not the same as Dual Apps that lets you run multiple versions of WhatsApp (one
for each of its dual SIMs), Amazon, Skype, and Instagram with
two different logins on the same handset. Quite a few manufacturers let you run
dual instances of apps, which is usually limited to a few services only. MIUI
lets you run dual instances for most apps that require a login.
Those who love clicking pictures will also not be
disappointed by the F1. The dual rear cameras are capable of evenly-exposed
shots, and you even get detailed captures—with little grain—in low light. The
device is equipped with multiple shooting modes: up to 4K videos with time
lapse and slow motion, photo mode with AI that detects the subject for optimum
shots, portrait mode with DSLR-like bokeh, panorama for extra-wide vistas, as
well as a manual mode that allows you granular control over white balance,
focus, shutter speed and ISO levels.
Besides, you also get over a dozen colour filters
that work with the rear and selfie cameras. The front camera is also capable of
portraits with bokeh, and you also get a beautification mode that lets you
sharpen your jawline, make your eyes look bigger, and even smoothen your skin
tone. The cameras are supported by a post-processing feature that lets you crop
images; adjust their brightness, contrast and saturation; apply effects and
enhance them with stickers, text and doodles. Overall, you get great shooters
that are capable of detailed snapshots; in fact, photos clicked with the F1 are
good enough of 6x4-inch prints.
For review, we were sent the Armoured Edition that
comes with the fastest Snapdragon 845 processor, 8GB RAM and 256GB
storage—putting it in direct competition with Android handsets that cost more
than twice as much. The entry-level F1 comes with the same processor, 6GB RAM
and 64GB storage, and you will see only a very miniscule drop in performance
when it comes to multitasking and process-intensive apps.
This hardware, Xiaomi says, is aided by “Liquid Cool”
technology that dissipates heat quickly to allow the handset to run at peak
speeds for extended periods. While we couldn’t test the efficacy of this
cooling tech, we did not face any overheating issues; the Poco F1 performed
admirably when it came to advanced 3D games, and even scored one of the highest
recorded points in benchmark tests. Add to this mix a battery that gives you
over a day’s use on a single charge as well as some very practical apps/
features and there is no reason to look at any other Android smartphone under ₹30k if you are willing to try
your chances at Xiaomi’s flash sales.
SAMSUNG GALAXY
A6+
The A6+ sports a metal unibody design with toughened
glass that feels solid and looks premium; its back panel has a matte finish
that doesn’t accumulate smudges and also offers a good grip. However, you might
want to use a screen guard to protect against scratches.
Its touchscreen is capable of high brightness levels,
which allow you to use the phone even under sunlight. In fact, the A6+ has the
best display when compared to the two other phones in this review; it renders
crisp text and sharp images with punchier colours. This colour profile can be
changed to a natural palette, or you can just fine-tune RGB levels from the
device’s display settings. You also get the standard “blue light filter” for
strain-free reading.
Its side-facing speaker is powerful and is better
suited for hands-free voice calls. Music, however, is best enjoyed with
ear/headphones. Playback is balanced across the aural spectrum, and you also
get the option to boost audio quality with the Dolby Atmos optimisation.
Alternatively, you can adjust bass and treble or finetune output with the
built-in equaliser. The device’s good display, along with its good audio quality
makes it ideal for watching hi-def video content.
The Samsung Experience UI is mostly standard across
all the brand’s handsets. You get a voice recorder (not for recording calls),
an FM radio, Samsung Max for privacy protection, Secure
Folderto safeguard data and apps, and Dual Messenger to run two accounts
of Facebook, Skype and WhatsApp simultaneously.
This smartphone supports Samsung Pay Mini,
which lets you make UPI payments, store debit/credit card details, and manage
your Paytm and MobiKwik accounts. It will let
you scan QR codes to pay bills and transfer money, but it cannot be used
like Samsung Pay for contactless payments with a card machine.
The UI also includes a watered-down version of
Bixby—Samsung’s AI assistant—but without support for voice commands. Instead,
you get a card-based interface—accessible with a swipe on the homescreen—that
displays weather updates, news, trending videos and more. Overall, the Bixby experience
is underwhelming without voice support. The A6+ also has a fingerprint sensor
and a face recognition mode to unlock the screen. Both work as advertised, but
the latter is not consistent in low light.
The handset’s dual rear cameras are capable of
detailed captures with a natural colour palette; you get preset scene modes for
action photography, night shots and panoramas, and the camera app also includes
an AR Stickers and a “live focus” mode to take portraits with bokeh. Pictures
are evenly exposed without loss of detail, though you might face some problem
with focusing at times. Also, there is a visible drop in quality—with some
increase in noise—when it comes to photos taken in dim settings. Overall, the
photos from the A6+ are good enough for sharing online, but lack detail and
appear grainy when viewed at actual size. That said, selfies clicked with the
A6+ front cam are impressive. Snapshots have a warm colour tone with a fair
amount of details when the beautification mode is disabled.
While we do not see any alarming shortcomings in the
Samsung Galaxy A6+—you get an excellent display, a good set of cameras, web and
data security options, as well as a battery that gives you over a day’s worth
of service on a full charge—it runs on a processor that is underwhelming in
comparison to the high-performance chips on the Poco F1 and Huawei Nova 3. This
makes the handset seem overpriced, especially in contrast to the entry-level
version of the Poco F1 that retails at a lower price.
HUAWEI NOVA 3
The Nova 3 is a beautiful handset that sports a metal
frame and a glossy glass back with a two-tone finish. It feels sturdy to hold,
but at the same time, its smooth exterior makes it slippery to grip; you get a
transparent soft silicone case in the box that provides the much-needed grip,
but at the cost of dulling the phone’s plush look.
Its notch display is not as bright as the screen on
Samsung Galaxy A6+, but we didn’t face any visibility issues under bright
lights.
By default, the Nova 3’s colour profile is set to
display vibrant colours with excellent contrast when compared to the Samsung
and Poco handsets. But you can opt for a muted colour profile, and even set the
handset to scale down automatically from Full HD+ to HD+ resolution to extend
battery life.
The speaker on the device is the least powerful of
all three in this review though it is good enough for hands-free calls in quiet
settings. It comes with its own “Histen” sound optimisation, which cannot be
disabled. Though, you can switch to a “standard” mode to finetune output with a
10-band equaliser. Overall, music sounds nuanced with clear vocals, smooth mids
and punchy bass lines. Also, along with its high-contrast, wide-screen display,
the Nova 3 lends itself well for movie watching.
When it comes to its UI, Huawei’s proprietary EMUI is
packed with options: You can run two instances of WhatsApp, Facebook and Snapchat with
different IDs, and you get the option to switch to a secure profile called
Private Space which is similar to Poco F1’s Second Space; we found the latter
has a better implementation of the feature.
Notably, the Nova 3 lacks an FM radio and call
recording, but you get proprietary apps like a screen recorder, a Health app
to track your step count and calories burned; the HiCare app
to find Honor service centres and connect with a phone expert, as well as
an SOS app that can send text alerts to contacts. For
security, you get a responsive fingerprint sensor, and an infrared-based face
unlock feature that works instantly even in the dark.
When it comes to shooters, the Nova 3 is the only
device in this review that’s equipped with dual rear and front cameras. Its
rear snappers are comparable to the Poco F1; they capture lots of detail, with
natural colours and excellent contrast. You also get scene modes like
monochrome, light painting, document scan, 3D panorama, an iPhone-like “moving
picture” mode that lets you capture a still with a short video clip
simultaneously, as well as a Pro mode lets you finetune settings like exposure,
white balance, shutter speed and focus.
Selfies with the front shooters are second to the
Poco F1 that are the best in this review. Colour tones with the Huawei Nova 3
are balanced and details are noticeable when beautification is disabled. You
even get a wide-angle and portrait mode for group shots and bokeh effects.
Overall, you get a decent set of snappers with lots of post-processing options
to improve photo and video output.
The Huawei Nova 3 looks premium, packs in
flagship-grade hardwarewith performance that’s almost as good as the Poco
F1—and comes with a decent set of cameras. Network handling is the best in its
class and you get over a day’s use on a full charge. We would still place this
device lower than the OnePlus 6 handset that costs as much, and definitely as a
lesser choice when compared to highest-specced Poco F1 Armoured Edition.
TOI15SEP18
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