Budget phablet grudge match – Micromax vs iBall vs WickedLeak

Ever since Samsung launched the Galaxy Note, we have seen many following the large screen trend in the Android handset sector. Indian manufacturers have been launching Chinese OEM based handsets sporting the 5-inch display screens like hot cakes and we have reviewed three of these handsets. We have scrutinised the iBall Andi 5c, the Micromax Superfone Canvas A100 and the WickedLeak Wammy Note in this one month itself. All these handsets feature almost similar specs in terms of processor speeds, display sizes and operating systems, but the price tags are pretty steep as compared to each other. Let’s pit these three handsets against each other and check out which one is better than the other and who emerges the final winner.

iBall Andi 5c

iBall Andi 5c

The 5C sports an IPS display panel at 5-inches with a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels. The processor is a 1GHz Cortex A9 and the memory is 512MB of RAM. The internal storage is 4GB and the battery capacity is 2300 mAh. The phone has a decent performance and the UI is pretty smooth. Images on the display are crisp—thanks to the IPS panel it sports. The aesthetics are good and the build quality is also superior. If you are looking for a phone on a low budget with all the connectivity features you could possibly have, or if you just want to show off a phone with such a large screen, then the Andi 5c can be considered. Though the phone sports just a single-core 1GHz processor, it is pretty smooth and fast enough for daily use. Media, entertainment, email, chat and web browsing are great on the large display. But the quality of the 5 megapixel camera is completely below average. Priced at an MRP of Rs 15,999, this device is a bit expensive, but we have news of an offer price of around Rs 12,999, which seems good enough for a phone with a large IPS display. Check out the full review of the iBall Andi 5c.

Micromax Superfone Canvas A100

Micromax Superfone Canvas A100

Flaunting the best aesthetics in this roundup, the Micromax A100 seems to be the phone you possibly won’t hide from others. The A100 runs on a 1GHz ARM V7 processor and an Adreno 200 GPU. The RAM is 512MB and the internal storage is 5GB. The user interface is smooth but gets a tad sluggish at times. The large display is actually 4.9-inches and not a full 5-inch, which makes the phone a little slimmer and easier to hold as compared to the other two with a wider form-factor. The display is standard and is not scratch-resistant, but the quality of the videos and photos on the screen is very bright and crisp and almost equals out an IPS display with great viewing angles. The only flaw we found was with the camera as the photos and videos when saved to the PC are actually inverted. Whilst many users of this phone complained about different issues from software to hardware, we did not experience any as yet. Micromax was informed about the flaws with the product and is to yet to get back with an answer. As far as the price is concerned, it sells at a mere Rs 9,900, which is the cheapest and best value we could see. If you are willing to forego the minor camera glitch, this phone is the best for your pocket. Check out the full review of the Micromax Superfone Canvas A100.

WickedLeak Wammy Note

WickedLeak Wammy Note

Another Samsung Galaxy Note knock-offs, the Wammy Note from WickedLeak, was seen earlier this week. The phone resembles the Galaxy Note to quite an extent, but fails to flaunt similar specs. The phone has a built-in analogue television, which we do consider as a bonus. The quality of the television reception was unacceptable though. The manufacturer also bundles an additional battery pack and this is a great add-on for those constantly on the move and have no time to charge. The Wammy Note features a 1GHz processor with a PowerVr SGX531 GPU. The RAM is 512MB and the internal storage is 4GB. The display, a 5-incher with a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels, is not scratch proof and has a bad viewing angle. The display also has disturbing miniscule dots all over it, which makes viewing bright images a nightmare. The operating system is stock and there is just one additional application installed on the phone. This helps keep the operating system lighter and the user has the option and space to install the apps of his choice. The storage can be expanded further to 32GB, but the microSD card slot is not hot-swappable like the other two, which means you would have to switch off the phone to install or replace the card. The camera featured here is an 8 megapixel, but the quality is pretty bad and it seems like the performance of a standard 2 MP or a 3.15 MP camera. Though the phone sports just a single core 1GHz processor, it is pretty smooth and fast enough for daily use. Media, entertainment, emails, chat and web browsing are good enough on the large 5-inch display. The issues with the display’s viewing angle, the flaw with the camera button location and the below average camera performance are the only problems we found on this handset. But the sleek look and additional bundled items such as a free battery and plastic back panel case help balance this. For Rs. 11,000, the Wammy Note does not impress us any more than the Micromax A100 that is priced at Rs. 9,999, as they both have equally disappointing flaws. Check out the full review of the WickedLeak Wammy Note. 

Micromax seems to be a winner

Verdict

Pitting the three phones with respect to their features and performance, we conclude that the Micromax Superfone Canvas A100 is the winner. The phone won in terms of performance, aesthetics, weight and price. The A100 is also a slimmer piece and has a good grip. The phone has a pretty smooth interface, but the only flaw is with the camera. We don’t think the product will fail completely as Micromax has been personally informed about the flaws and we are sure they will be working quickly on an operating system update. As far as price and performance is concerned, we would recommend the A100, but if you want an additional battery and a television add-on, the Wammy Note at around Rs 1,100 more is a good deal. The sheer performance of the camera and the display is a downer though. 

Image credit: Jagdish Limbachiya