Xiaomi introduced a new lineup of smartphones in India which will focus on the ever-growing craze of selfies. The Redmi Y1 is the first smartphone launched in the lineup along with the Redmi Y1 Lite. Priced competitively, is the Redmi Y1 the new budget king?
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Got a lot of friends but not a lot of dough? Don’t let your budget dampen your festive spirit. We scoured the web for the best tech deals and curated this very special list for all your gifting needs. And all under a thousand rupees. Who says a budget can’t buy happiness?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0qo_QKsi8o
A USB Thumb drive that doubles up and works with smartphones and tablets. The 64 GB one costs just a tad over the 1k price, however, the 32 GB falls right in the spot.
| Weight | 9 GM |
| Memory storage capacity | 32 GB |
| Warranty | 5 years |
Gamers need this, but so do mouse fanatics and everyday browsers. The Roccat Taito Gaming Mousepad has a nano fibre weave and is extra smooth for the bottom of your mouse. The which textured rubber bottom prevents slippage from the desk. Available in two options, 5mm for Rs. 950, if you are looking for something more affordable check out the 3mm variant.
Designed for gamers and heavy users alike. This laptop cool pad is heavy duty and features an uber silent fan. The laptop stays put and you get a good typing angle. The featured unit also comes with a usb hub.
| Weight | 531 g |
| Dimensions | 34 x 31 x 5.4 cm |
| Fan Size | 140 mm |
The VR headset for them all. Designed initially for Lenovo Vibe X3, K5 Plus and K3 Note, But, can be used with other phones ranging in display size from 4.5 inches to 6 inches. You will also get download a bundled APP to get some awesome content or view 360 Degree video anywhere online.
| Weight | 159 g |
| Warranty | 6 months |
WiFi N on a budget, look no further, the N301 has you covered for well under Rs. 1000 the budget router is not cheap in function. 5 db dual omnidirectional antennas provide good range, and upto 50 devices can be connected flawlessly.
| Speed | 300 mbps |
| Wireless type | 802.11B, 802.11G, 802.11n |
No amount of tech is useful without the proper equipment to clean it. Sure a dirty rag and window cleaner works but only if you want to destroy your gadgets. Your rag has dust particles that will scratch your tech, while your typical window cleaner has harsh chemicals that will rot your plastics on your tech. So this kit is essential if you want to keep your tech going.
Like your coffee hot and want to have it over a period of time? This cup warmer might do you some justice while reminding you that you are always hungry for chocolate. Works on any usb port with any ceramic cup.
| Weight | 118 g |
| Material | Plastic |
A groomed up man is much better than otherwise, this trimmer will help you keep it clean or if you like a beard, this will keep it in shape.
| Warranty | 3 years |
| Cutting system | Steel blades |
| Usage | 45 min / 10 hr Charge |
No Specific brand and a Chinese accented english speaking menu sound. Who cares right? This Rupee 730 speaker is loud, works for around 5 hours on a full charge, has bluetooth, FM Radio and will play music from a Pen Drive or micoSD card and also plug in into your phone via a standard 3.5mm jack. Replaceable Nokia battery guarantees you will get a long battery life and you can buy spare batteries for under Rs. 100 .
| Battery | 520 mAh |
| Bluetooth Version | 3.0 |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth, FM, Tf Card, USB pen drive, 3.5mm Headphone jack |
Last but possibly the best in the list, VYPR CBL is durable and looks fancy, presently on sale, the leather cable for your iPhone is now only Rs. 999 while Micro USB is cheaper. The cable also has 1 year manufacturer’s warranty and the iPhone cable is MFI approved.
| Material | Leather Braided Copper Cable |
| Length | 1 meter |
| Compatible devices | All Apple devices with Lightning connector |
According to communication received from LG, the latest range of mid range offerings from the South Korean Tech giant, LG K7, and LG K10 are slated for launch this week. These smartphones will be available in South Korea starting January 14th.
Specifications of the model launched in Korea reveal the device to have a quad-core 1.2 GHz CPU, backed by 1.5GB, while internal memory is 16GB. In terms of camera, the device sports a 13MP rear unit and a 5MP front shooter.
The measurment of the phone will be 146.6 × 74.8 × 8.8mm and it will weigh 140g. On the outside will be a nice 5.3 inch, 720p display. The phone will come equipped with Android 5.1 Lolipop, and will pack a 2300 mAh battery to keep it going through the day. Connectivity options on the much awaited phone include Wi-Fi (802.11 b, g, n), Bluetooth 4.1, NFC, USB 2.0, and Micro SD. It will be available in three color options Indigo, Black, and White.
Pricing of the K10 is set at a tag of KRW 200,000( Approx Rs 11,037), but expect it to be priced a bit higher when it hits Indian shores.
ASUS launched a variant of ZenFone Go called ZC451TG in India today. The phone comes equipped with a 4.5 inch display and 480X854 resolution. It further has a 5 MP primary camera with auto-focus and F2.0 aperture and a front camera marked at 0.3 MP.
The handset is made available in four colours which include Charcoal Black, Pearl White, Rouge Pink and Flash Blue and is priced at Rs. 5,299. It can be purchased on Flipkart, and from ASUS Exclusive Stores and other retailers starting January, 2016.
The new ZenFone Go variant is powered by Android Lollipop 5.1 and has 8 GB of internal storage which is expandable up to 64 GB using microSD card. The phone further has 5 GB of ASUS web storage.
According to reports, Samsung is going to lower the shipment of its smartphones in 2016 by 12%. This means the company would be shipping about 420-430 million units next year. Samsung is going to focus less on its high-end S series, and more on its budget and mid-range phones. The J series and the A series ensured that Samsung performed well in 2015. However, the year also saw a fall in the over-all demand of smartphones globally.
While Samsung still continued to be a leading smartphone manufacturer despite the falling demands, the company is altering its course a little next year. There will be some new additions to the Samsung Galaxy A and J series. There are also big plans for the company’s flagship phones. Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, expected to arrive in 2016. Watch this space for all latest developments.
The tech world had its hands full with enough going on in 2015. Here’s a list of our favourite budget phones under Rs. 10,000 that came out this year. Let us know about your favourites in the comments below.
Micromax Canvas A1:
Micromax Canvas A1 has a 4.5 inch FWVGA (854 x 480 Pixels) display and is powered by a 1700 mAh battery. The processor is a MediaTek SoC with a 1.3GHz quad-core processor and Mali 400 GPU paired with 1GB of RAM. On the back, there is a 5 MP camera with LED Flash. For selfie convenience, the phone provides a 2 MP camera.The Canvas A1 has a beautiful wooden-like platform for the main camera on the back of the device. The device is priced at Rs. 5,069 on Amazon.
Moto E (2nd Gen) / Moto G (Gen 2)
Moto E (Gen 2) has a 4.5-inch qHD (540×960p) screen and a 1.2 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 410 processor. The handset features 1GB of RAM and 8GB of inbuilt storage capacity, expandable up to 32GB. A rear camera of 5MP is fitted onto Moto E, while the front has a 0.3MP shooter. Running on Android 5.0 Lollipop, the device comes with a 2,390 mAh battery. It comes with 8 GB of storage which is expandable up to 32 GB with a microSD card, and 1 GB of RAM.
Moto G (Gen 2) also requires a mention here. The device that came out late last year features a 5 inch, 720p screen with Corning Gorilla Glass 3, 294 ppi, 1 GB of RAM and 16 GB of storage. The device runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 chipset and includes an 8 MP rear and 2 MP front. The device is currently unavailable on Flipkart, but it could come back. You can check out our unboxing and hands on of the Moto G (Gen 2) here.
Xiaomi Redmi Note Prime:
The Redmi Note Prime is an enhanced version of the Redmi Note 4G. The Note Prime features a 5.5-inch HD IPS display (1280 X 720 resolution, 267 PPI), a Snapdragon 410 Quad-core 64-bit processor, 16 GB internal storage and 2 GB of RAM.
On the camera front, the Note Prime sports a 13MP rear with f/2.4 aperture and a 5.5MP front. Finally, the device runs on a 3,100mAh battery pack. The device is being manufactured in Sri City, Andhra Pradesh, in partnership with Foxconn Technology Group. The device is available on Amazon India for Rs. 8,499.
Priced at Rs. 8,999, the Coolpad Note 3 sports a 5.5-inch (13.97 centimeters) TFT IPS capacitive touchscreen with 1280 x 720 pixels resolution. Under the hood you have a 64-bit 1.3GHz Cortex-A53 MT6753 Mediatek octa-core processor with 3GB RAM and 16GB internal memory expandable up to 64GB and dual SIM.
On the camera front you have a 13MP primary camera and 5MP front facing camera. The device is fitted with 3000mAh battery and a fingerprint sensor at the back.
Yuphoria boasts an all-metal design with a matte finish at its back. It sports a 5-inch IPS HD display with 1280×720p resolution and 294ppi. The screen has a protective coating of Gorilla Glass 3. Inside is a 64-bit 1.2GHz Quad-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 along with Adreno A306 GPU. It packs 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal storage capacity, which is expandable up to 64GB.
The device features an 8MP rear shooter paired with a 5MP front. Battery capacity is sufficient at 2,230mAh. It offers 4G LTE connectivity, which allows faster internet browsing. All of this comes at a handsome price of Rs. 8,499.
You can check our our unboxing and hands on video of the Yu Yuphoria as well our benchmark tests.
The dual SIM Galaxy On5 sports a 5-inch (126.7mm) HD touchscreen display and is equipped with a 1.3GHz quad core processor under the hood. It features a 1.5GB RAM and an 8GB storage, a portion of which is occupied by the OS. On the camera front, the On5 has an 8MP primary camera with auto-focus and a 5MP front.
The device comes with an Ultra Data Saving mode that compresses data and saves up to 50% data charges for greater networking and browsing. The handset also comes with RadioMix which is an Apple Music-like streaming service that lets you stream millions of songs and also offers curated music based on your preference. The Galaxy On5 is priced at Rs. 8,990. Check out our unboxing and hands on with the Galaxy On5 to know more about the handset.
Meizu M2/ M2 Note
The Meizu M2 comes with a 64-bit MT6735 Quad-core processor, four advanced 1.3 GHz Cortex A53 cores and the Mali-T720 GPU. On the camera front, it is equipped with a Samsung 13 megapixel CMOS camera, and an upgarded 5MP front camera with the FotoNation beatifying system.
The device runs on the Flyme OS 4.5 based on Android 5.1 and also has the new 64-bit CPU. The M2 comes with a 5 inch display and 720 pixels resolution. Other features include, TD-LTE FDD-LTE 4G, supports two Nano-SIM cards, and microSD card with a storage capacity of 144 GB. The Meizu M2 is priced at Rs. 6,999 and is currently sold out on Snapdeal.
The M2 Note is another device launched by Meizu that falls under the 10K bracket. This device comes with a 5.5 inch full HD display with 1920 X 1080 pixels resolution, powered by the MediaTek MT6753 octa-core 64-bit processor and 2GB RAM. Other features include a 16GB internal storage with an extendable microSD card slot, a 13MP f/2.2 primary camera with a dual – tone flash and a 5MP wide-angle selfie camera and supported by a 3,100mAh battery.
The M2 Note is available for a price of Rs. 9,999 on Amazon India.
With all the news of smartphones getting bigger, costlier, and more tech-savy, we tend to forget about the good old feature phones that remind us of a simpler time. Though companies like Samsung are working on the next flagship smartphones, they still make time out to focus on ultra low budget phones so that everyone’s happy.
Here’s a list of some popular feature phones under Rs. 4000 for those in the market looking for something cheap and good. We’ve steered clear of Chinese companies offering substandard products and brought you a list of the best:
We start the list with a brand we know and (used) to love before it went extinct. The Microsoft-owned Nokia 105 was launched in 2013 and got an upgrade in 2015, with a little more internal storage, a rounder shape, and better audio. You also get 15 hours of talk-time, which is an improvement over its 2013 model that gave 12.5 hours. The phone is priced at Rs. 1495 on Snapdeal and Rs. 1249 on Amazon. It is available in Red and Cyan colours. The Nokia 105 is one of the best feature phones in this range and is a favorite amongst many.
Specs
When it comes to low budget phones, both feature and smartphones, Karbonn leads the pack. The Karbonn K22 Plus is an ultra low budget feature phone that looks sleek and stylish, and packs in a lot for less. It comes with FM Radio, USB connectivity and up to 8 GB expandable memory slot. It features a 1.3-megapixel camera. With a 1050mAh lithium-ion battery, the phone provides only 5 hours of talk time on a full charge.
With a 2.4-inch scree, the phone provides great colours and and a clean display. It is available in Black, Grey and White and you can find it on Amazon (Rs. 1290), Snapdeal (Rs. 1099) and Flipkart (Rs. 1190).
Specs
Samsung Guru Music 2
The Samsung Guru Music 2 emphases music for a reason. The phone gives a loud and clear sound quality and comes with an FM and MP3 player. Other features also include dual-sim, 800mAh lithium-ion battery providing talk-time of 11 hours, and an expandable memory up to 16 GB. Go for this if you want a phone that can store all your favorite music and still gives you enough space for everything else.
The Samsung Music 2 is available in Amazon and Flipkart for Rs. 1698 and Rs. 1599, respectively.
Specs
Samsung Metro Duos 360
This phone falls in the 3k range and with that you get some neat features that include a 2.4-inch screen with 3.1-megapixel camera. The 312 MHz Single Core processor lets your phone run smoothly without lags. and a 1000mAH lithium-ion battery providing a talk-time of about 12 hours.
The handset is available in Amazon and Snapdeal.
Specs
Panasonic GD22
The Panasonic GD22 falls just below the 2k mark and perhaps the best feature about this phone is a 1800mAh lithium-ion battery that gives a talk-time of 15 hour. Other features are standard for a phone in this range. The 2.4-inch TFT display offers a comfortable viewing with a resolution of 240 x 320 pixels and a pixel density of 167 ppi,
The phone is available in Amazon and Snapdeal and is offered in Black, Grey, Red and White.
Specs
Nokia 225
Another great Nokia device under the 4k range is the Nokia 225. The handset boasts of great features that make it worth buying if you have a budget between Rs. 3000 – Rs. 4000. The phone’s main attraction is its sharp 2.8-inch LCD display that brightens everything up. It also comes with a powerful 1200 mAh battery that will give you a whopping 21 hours of talk-time which is the highest in this list.
Nokia 225 can be found on Amazon and Snapdeal for Rs. 3055 and is available in Black, White, Yellow, and Red.
Specs
Planning to buy a cheap, affordable phone right now but don’t know where to start looking? We’ve made a list of 5 phones under Rs. 10,000 that you can look up.
The Redmi 2 Prime is a simple, elegant looking phone that packs a lot at at a very low cost. The phone is powered by a 64-bit Cortex-A53 processor and 2 GB RAM with 1.2GHz MSM8916 Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor, Adreno 306 GPU, with 16GB internal memory that is expandable to 32GB.
It has a 4.7 inch HD IPS Display with 1280 x 720 pixels resolution and 312 ppi pixel density and an 8-megapixel primary camera and 2-megapixel front. The takeaway of this phone is its 2200mAh lithium-polymer battery that will provide you with enough for your daily needs. It also comes with the latest Quick Charge technology that will speed up your charge by 30%. If these are the features you’re looking for, you can purchase it from Flipkart, Amazon, and Snapdeal for Rs. 6999.
The Lenovo A6000 Plus is a loud phone that comes with twin Dolby-Digit Plus speakers and boasts of crisp, clear sounds. So if you’re looking for a phone that provides the best clarity for music, videos, and games, then this is the phone for you.
The A6000 Plus is powered by a 64-bit quad core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor, Adreno 306 GPU and has a 2300mAh battery that should last about 13 hours on 3G. It has a 5-inch, IPS capacitive touchscreen display with 1280 x 720 pixels resolution.
The phone runs on Android v4.4.4 KitKat, with 2GB RAM and 16 GB internal memory expandable up to 32GB. The Lenovo A6000 Plus is available on Flipkart for Rs. 7499
This is one of the most popular low budget phones currently out there. The 2nd gen Moto G has a large 5-inch screen and has a great build that is comfortable to hold with dual speakers on the front that provide great sound quality.
The 8-megapixel camera in the Moto G 2nd gen is an improvement over its predecessor. It features a Quad-core 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor, and runs on Android v4.4.4 KitKat that can be updated to Android 5.0 Lollipop. The phone’s 2070mAh battery will last you a whole day on medium screen brightness. The Moto G 2nd Gen is available on Flipkart for Rs. 9999.
At Rs. 5999, the Karbonn Titanium Machfive offers an impressive 2 GB RAM and 16 GB internal storage. The phone has a 5-inch HD capacitive touchscreen display with 1280 x 720 pixels resolution, an 8-megapixel rear camera and 5-megapixel front with LED flash.
The Machfive is powered by a 1.3GHz quad-core Mediatek processor with Mali 400 GPU. The phone has an impressive 2200mAH lithium-ion battery. Perhaps the best feature of the phone is the front camera with LED that is a sure winner for selfie lovers. You can find the phone here.
Yureka Plus is the third smartphone in the Yu series after Yureka and Yuphoria. The Yureka Plus comes with a Full HD display and is powered by a 64-bit Octa Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor, 2 GB RAM and 16 GB internal storage, which means the phone can handle its games quite well, though, issues of heating may arise like it did with the Yureka and may dran considerable amount of battery life.
Other features include a 13-megapixel primary camera and 5-megapixel front, 2500mAH lithium-ion battery, and is available in Moonstone Grey and Alabaster White. The phone runs on Android v5.0 Lollipop and is available on Amazon for Rs. 8999.
Remember that there are a lot more smartphones out there that are available under Rs. 10,000. This list is just to get you started. Once you have an idea of what you’re looking for, you can explore away. If you have any more suggestions for phones under Rs.10,000, leave them in the comments below.
Having a smartphone with endless battery is something most of us dream about. Karbonn has launched the new Aura 9 smartphone with a 4,000mAh battery in India, today. This phone is priced at Rs. 6,390 and offers up to 10 hours of talk time and 300 hours of standby time.
The Karbonn Aura 9 comes with a 5-inch HD (1280×720 pixels) IPS-LCD display and a 1.2GHz quad-core processor with 1GB of RAM space. It has an internal storage of 8GB that is expandable up to 32GB via a microSD card slot.
On the camera front, it comes with an 8MP rear camera with LED flash and a 5MP front camera. Other connectivity options include dual-SIM card slots, 3G support, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0. The device is run on the Android 4.4 KitKat OS and also supports the Smart Gesture Control feature that allows for quick navigation, even when the phone is locked. Apart from the powerful battery, another ineteresting feature is that the Karbonn Aura 9 will come with a support for 21 regional languages.
Here are the specifications:
| Features | Karbonn Aura 9 |
| Display | 5-inch HD, IPS-LCD display |
| Resolution | 1280×720 pixels |
| Processor | 1.2GHz quad-core |
| OS | Android 4.4 KitKat |
| RAM | 1GB |
| Storage | 8GB internal storage with microSD card expandable up to 32GB. |
| Rear Camera | 8MP with LED flash |
| Front Camera | 5MP |
| Connectivity | dual-SIM card slots, 3G support, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 |
| Battery | 4,000 mAh |
| Price | Rs.6,390 |
Watch this space for more updates.
A few days back, iGyaan leaked the news about an upcoming budget smartphone by Micromax. We reported that the new device included a sleek gold and black design, Snapdragon 615, and a 13MP rear camera.
While we were wrong about the chipset, we got the rest of the details right. In an iGyaan Launchpad episode, iGyaan’s Founder, Bharat Nagpal sat down with Shubhajit Sen, CMO of Micromax to discuss the new Canvas Xpress 2.
Watch the whole conversation here:
In December 2014, Micromax launched Canvas Xpress to compete with Motorola’s bonafide hit, the Moto E. Today, the company has launched its successor, the Canvas Xpress 2, which feels more of a jab at Xiaomi, based on the specs and its jaw-dropping price tag of Rs. 5,999. The pricing is surprising because the Canvas Xpress was launched at a price of Rs. 6,999.
The phone is superior to its predecessor in all aspects – display, camera, processor, battery and pricing. The Canvas Xpress 2 has a 5-inch HD display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3, a huge improvement considering its predecessor had a 4.5 inch FWVGA(854×480) display. The phone has a 13MP rear and 2MP front camera, which is at par with what the Redmi 2 offers. Micromax also upgraded the processor by using a 1.4Ghz Octa-Core MediaTek 6592 processor. The phone offers 8GB of internal storage, which can be expanded upto 32GB, with 1GB of RAM.
Micromax has made a huge improvement in the Canvas Xpress 2 by increasing the battery from 1,950 mAh to 2,500 mAh. The device comes with Android KitKat 4.4 and supports 2G and 3G network.
Although this latest offering by Micromax should attract buyers, it will be a tough sell because of the Redmi 2, which lags a bit in the display size and camera section, offers value-for-money at the same price of Rs.5,999.
Micromax will sell the Canvas Xpress 2 exclusively at Flipkart. The registrations will start today and the device will go on sale from 4th August. The company has also announced exclusive deals for Vodafone users.
Specification |
Micromax Canvas Xpress 2 |
| Display | 5 “(12.7 cm) IPS, Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Resolution | 1280 x 720 HD |
| Chipset | MediaTek 6592 |
| Processor | 1.4 Ghz Quadcore |
| GPU | NA |
| RAM | 1 GB |
| Storage | 8 GB |
| Expandability | 32 GB |
| Rear Camera | 13 MP |
| Rear Camera Video | 1080p |
| Front Camera | 2MP |
| Front Camera Video | NA |
| Battery | 2,500 mAh battery |
| Operating System | Android 4.4 KitKat |
| Connectivity | GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, WCDMA 900/2100 MHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS |
| Miscellaneous | NA |
| Price | Rs. 5,999 |
If our source is to be believed, this is Micromax’s next big thing. However it is going to be an ultra budget device. Details are sketchy at the moment, however it appears to have a black and gold design with a metal frame. The phone is expected to be below the 10k price bracket considering their own Yureka sells for Rs. 8,999.
The second image illustrates the device slightly better and also shows off the 13MP rear camera. The Micromax logo appears to be in a gold colour as well. The rear appears to have a rubberised back cover. Our source (who refuses to be named) also tells us that the device will be a Snapdragon 615 handset and may possibly run Cyanogen OS.
We know that this device will be competitively priced and may be sold through an online exclusive partner. The details of RAM, storage and display etc. are presently unknown. We are trying to get more information or at least a name for the handset. The leaked smartphone is expected to launch soon, however, all this must be taken with a pinch of salt. It is just as likely that this could be a prototype or a test device.
Micromax officially declined to comment on the same.
There are no surprises that the first lot of the Yuphoria sold out within seconds. The inception of YU as a brand is relatively recent. However, Micromax, its parent company, has been around for a while. Yu was started as an online exclusive spinoff resulting in deeper competition for the likes of Xiaomi and others who mastered this domain. The success of the Yureka has proved that Indian brands are ready to change their old decaying methods
The Yuphoria is YU’s new handset. However, the company is not pegging it as a sequel, more like a different segment hero. The Yuphoria is their budget end of the spectrum, but YU as a company have ensured that people don’t think of this handset as a budget handset.
The Yuphoria is priced at a low Rs 6999/- however it packs in a big bang for its buck. Good construction is what YU and Rahul Sharma played off well while launching this device. Packed with more than you can expect from a budget handset. However, the market is now saturated, with the likes of Honor, Xiaomi, and Lenovo. So what makes the Yuphoria different and why is it getting attention? For Starters, in its entirety the Yuphoria handset will be assembled in India. It was made clear at the launch that the initial lot would come from China, however, post the first few thousands, the Yuphoria will be assembled in their local plant in India.
The Yuphoria promises a lot and packs a decent set too. No, it is not game changing in performance, but its got a good lineup.
For a price of Rs. 6999/- one begins as thinking of this handset from YU as a no-brainer.
Specification |
YU Yuphoria |
| Display | 5-inch IPS HD |
| Resolution | 1280×720 pixel (294ppi) |
| Additional | Protected by Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Processor | 1.2GHz Quad Core, ARM Cortex- A53 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 | 64bit |
| GPU | Adreno A306 3D Graphics Core | 400 MHz |
| RAM | 2GB |
| Internal Memory | 16GB |
| Expandable Up to | 64 GB |
| Sim Cards | 2 x LTE Enabled Sim Card Slots |
| Primary Camera | 8MP |
| Secondary Camera | 5MP |
| Connectivity Options | 4G LTE |
| Battery | 2,230mAh |
| Operating System | Cyanogen 12.0 (Android 5.0 based) |
| Price | Rs. 6,999 |
[pullquote_left] The included screen protector is a great freebie [/pullquote_left]
The YU Yuphoria may be a budget handset, but it feels like a lot more. The phone has fantastic construction for its price, an all metal frame, made from stamped parts, which have been laser welded into place. The edges give the phone a lot of rigidity and strength, which in turn gives a reassuring feeling to the holder. The back has a soft touch rubberized back panel, which is not prone to fingerprints. The fat lens cap, however, is like an oil slick ; slippery and constantly smudgy.
The design is very Lumia-like and resembles good-old Nokia Lumia handsets with the metal frame shape and fat lens in the back centre. There is a very slight, almost negligible, lip on the front glass of the handset that may attribute to some protection for the front glass. However the included screen protector is a great freebie, especially for a device that may not see case manufacturers running after it.
The Yuphoria is not a benchmark king, but then again it costs Rs 6999. We ran several benchmark tests, and the results were average. We weren’t surprised by the performance because the Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 is fairly limited in capability. However the way cyanogen is built, and the use of Android 5.0.2 on the inside will make day to day operations a breeze. Expect no lag in the usage of the device, while switching from and to backgrounded apps, making calls, browsing the internet.
The 64-bit architecture comes into play here, and while you won’t get the best “extreme” performance scenarios, the handset can handle high-end games at lower graphics.
No special points for guessing that Cyanogen 12 works well on the Yuphoria. The Lollipop version of Android with Cyanogen’s custom tweaks have made sense for this budget device, eliminating daily bothersome lags. Post many days of use, the operating system on the device remains smooth.
Many things are easier thanks to Cyanogen. You get tap to wake and sleep, but you don’t get screen-off gestures that let you turn on the flashlight or jump into the camera.
Benchmark results were off the usual expectations, and low. If you are expecting a performance workhorse, this truly is not your price segment, nor is the Yuphoria your device. This device runs smoothly through the day and will keep up with almost all sorts of usage as long as you are not going to work it too hard. It tends to heat up, however, the plastic back panel doesn’t let you bear the brunt of it. The metal frame appears to have been insulated to prevent it from getting hot.
YU’s promotions prior to the launch of the Yuphoria included a music demo which showed off the loudness of the speakers. No, do not expect that at all. However, the AAC Technologies manufactured speakers are loud and clear and placing the Yuphoria flat on the table causes them to muffle out.
The camera is an interesting mix while the Yuphoria has a smaller MP size it has a wider aperture lens. You also get a big 1.4-micron pixel size that drastically improves low light performance. However, when the images are viewed on a larger screen, noise is apparent.
The front facing camera is equipped with a 5 MP sensor that allows for higher resolution imagery however images are still noisy. Contrast is pretty good, and colour saturation is more accurate than many in this segment, but still off.
Cyanogen’s camera app is the same as what you saw in the previous version and adds just a few changes. Functionality remains simple, and you can swipe down to add effects/filters and jump to the settings to enable face detection etc. The camera is fast and snappy especially for a shooter in this class. YU paid special focus to the camera at the time of launch, however, it may not be a magical clicking machine that they promised, but it does overtake many in the region.
What good is a smartphone that makes no calls? The Yuphoria does not have that problem. The phone has been designed to accept 4G Sim Cards, which might be an excellent option. However, considering the rollout speeds of India’s 4G capabilities, you might be many models down by the time you get to use it.
The LTE band support makes the phone great for travel, again something that may only be useful depending on how much you travel. The connectivity is good, and dropped calls appear to be a non-issue with the Yuphoria.
BatteryUnlike the Yureka, the Yuphoria has great battery life and there are no signs of the heating issues mentioned before.
Talk time standards were good when tested with 3G network, giving an average of 6 hours of talk time in a day of use.
The battery also charges quickly, giving you a full charge in about 1.5 hours. However, it’s not the fastest we have seen. The supplied “fast charge” charger would be the best way to charge this handset.
Battery Test |
2G |
3G |
WiFi |
NO Connection |
| Phone Calls | 8 Hr | 6 Hr | N/A | NA |
| Gaming | N/A | N/A | 7 hours | 8.5 hours |
| Music Playback | 10 Hr | 10 Hr | 9 Hr | 13 Hr |
| Internet Only | 10 Hr | 6 Hr | 4.5 Hr | N/A |
In a market that is a mess, with all kinds of phones from all kinds of companies, there seems to be some hope. The YU Yuphoria illustrates that you don’t need to pack loads of money to get a good smartphone experience. That’s what the Yuphoria is; A Good Smartphone Experience. But, it also just stops there, leaving a large void for improvements. As technology becomes more and more affordable, you might see what you call today “high end” trickle down to this price bracket sooner than you expect.
[pullquote_left] The Yuphoria will not impress the true geeks, the power hungry or even the benchmark crazy [/pullquote_left]
The Yuphoria makes for a good first smartphone, a good built premium feel smartphone, a good gift, a great new Android phone if you are replacing something in this price bracket, or even a second phone to already have a special device. The Yuphoria will not impress the true geeks, the power hungry or even the benchmark crazy. The Camera is good, the battery is good and phone call capabilities are excellent. Cyanogen makes for the best experience of “Raw Android,” and the Yuphoria gives it at a mighty impressive price tag.
Just like any other domain, you do have alternatives from Lenovo and Xiaomi. But none of them run Cyanogen, and none of them are made of metal.
Samsung’s next Tizen OS-powered smartphone is yet to get an official announcement from the Korean electronics giant. But thanks to an online leaks, we now have an idea what Samsung will offer with its upcoming Tizen-based smartphone. A set of pictures are circulating online which are said to be of the upcoming Samsung Z2.
The leaked images of the tentatively titled Samsung Z2 give a hint of its design. The Z2 seems much like Samsung Galaxy S3 mini with identical display size and body (plastic frame and metal texture). The Tizen Store is also shown in the picture, which displays some of the popular downloads like Opera Mini, WhatsApp and more.
Past rumours suggest that the next Samsung device running company’s Tizen OS will feature a 32-bit quad-core CPU with 1GB of RAM and Tizen 3.0 UI. The device will sport a qHD (540×960) TFT-LCD display and will pack a 2000mAh battery.
The phone will be another entry-level offering with basic features. The company aims to make room for itself in the Android-ruled market. The smartphone will launch in more countries than just Bangladesh and India, which first saw the release of Samsung Z1. Samsung is expected to bring out the Z2 in the first half of 2015.
With the all-in-one desktop you can now get the sleekness of a laptop with the power of a traditional tower desktop. An all-in-one desktop should have a brilliant display, high resolution, latest configuration, most performance efficient processor and come at a budget price!
Voting is now Closed! The Winner for the Best All-in-One Budget Desktop in the iGyaan Tech Awards 2014 is Dell inspiron 120 touch.
The winner of the giveaway is announced HERE.
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If you are a photographer looking for high display pictures with brilliant quality images, all within a respectable price, then we have compiled a list of the Best Budget DSLRs.
Voting is now Closed! The Winner for the Best Budget DSLR in the iGyaan Tech Awards 2014 is Nikon D 3300.
The winner of the giveaway is announced HERE.
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