REVIEWS / MOBILE PHONES / MICROMAX INFORMATICS LTD

Micromax Q80

18 Aug, 2011, 4:43 pm IST | by Roydon Cerejo | Mobile phones Mobile phones

Lot's of Yahoo weblinks

Lot's of Yahoo weblinks
The default WAP browser gets the job done if you have a slow connection
Place for the SIM and memory card, very similar to the HTC Flyer
The music quality is good but I wish the volume would have been a little more
Animated menu icons
Keypad is evenly lit
Lots of pre-bundled apps
The shortcut bar makes it easy to launch apps
The headphone and data ports
Looks elegant and built well
Push mail service
Quite a few options to choose from
Similar to the HTC Mozart
Very understated look
Stylish looks

micromax-q80-caught-on-video

PRICE IN INDIA

4,840
View Stores

TECH2 RATING

7.0

AVERAGE USER RATING

How we test

CONTACT

Micromax Informatics Ltd

 info@micromaxinfo.com

 1860 500 8266

 www.micromaxinfo.com

Micromax have established themselves as makers of reasonably priced, feature-rich mobile phones that one would actually consider over a lower priced Nokia or Samsung. We were quite impressed with the Van Gogh X450 as it offers tremendous bang-for-buck given the features and the bundled Bluetooth headset. Today, we have the successor to their popular Q75 smartphone, the Q80. Let’s see if it manages to surpass its predecessor.

 

Micromax Q80 caught on video



Design and Build
Micromax has completely redesigned the phone from the ground up and is not merely a minor face lift. The upper half of the phone has a glossy black bezel, which covers the LCD screen. The size has remained the same at 2.4 inches with a 320x240 pixel resolution. The Q80 now supports 3G, so there is a front facing VGA camera for video calls. The trackball on the Q75 was quite annoying, which is why Micromax have replaced it with a optical trackpad. The sensitivity is good and you can adjust that in the settings.

 

Looks elegant and built well

Looks elegant and is built well

 


This next bit is what I really don’t like about this phone. All the menu, options, call and other shortcut buttons are placed in the single row and very close to each other with barely any spacing between them. This makes it quite difficult, not to mention confusing when you quickly want to answer a call or enter the menu. There’s so much unused space between the trackpad and the row of buttons which could have easily been used to separate the call keys from the rest of the shortcut buttons. The QWERTY keypad is relatively comfortable, however I’m not too fond of the finish of the keys. The feedback of the keys is good making it fairly easy to type quickly. I really like the brushed aluminium finish that Micromax have used for the lower half of the phone, it makes it looks stylish and presentable.

Keypad is evenly lit

Keypad is evenly lit

 


The Q80 isn’t slim by any means and it does feel thicker compared to the Q75. The rear portion has the same matte finish, which doesn't attract finger prints at all. Other than the speaker grill and the camera, there’s nothing on the back. Oddly, even the volume rocker is missing. Micromax have taken a design cue from HTC this time for the battery and SIM card slot. Just like the Mozart, the battery is hidden by a plastic flap.

Place for the SIM and memory card, very similar to the HTC Flyer

Place for the SIM and memory card, very similar to the HTC Flyer

 


The two GSM SIM and memory card slots are placed on the top. The phone only supports up to 8GB external storage and comes with 68 MB onboard. Finally, we have the 3.5mm headphone jack and micro-USB port placed on the top. Overall, the build and finish of the Q80 is very good, which is an improvement over the Q75. I just wish, they would have added a volume rocker and arranged the shortcut keys a bit better.

Features
Interface
We are greeted with the same Java-based operating system we’ve seen on all their phones. The interface is quick and snappy and the new optical trackpad is a welcome improvement over the trackball. The response is a lot more accurate letting you quickly browse through the menu. The homescreen has a bar of shortcut icons for the menu, EZMail, Java apps, camera, messages and Wi-Fi.

The shortcut bar makes it easy to launch apps

The shortcut bar makes it easy to launch apps

 


Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a way to change the shortcuts in the settings. Micromax has included a dedicated ‘Yahoo!’ folder which consists of weblinks for mail, sports, finance, news, search, etc. We also have a file manager, calendar tasks, alarm, world clock and notes. Office applications include calculator, unit converter, currency converter and a text reader. 

Tags: review , Micromax Q80 review , Java , Micromax , smartphone , Q80 , review , optical trackpad , Java , QWERTY keypad , smartphone , dual sim , optical trackpad , EZMail , QWERTY keypad , push mail , dual sim , Burnout , EZMail , Opera , push mail , Facebook , Burnout , Nimbuzz , Opera , Q75 , Facebook , 3G , Wi-Fi , Nimbuzz , Bluetooth , Q75 , 3G , Wi-Fi , Bluetooth

Would you buy it?




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How We Test

The Tech2 Labs receives many products every single week and each of them is tested with the utmost care and highest level of objectivity. There’s a constant effort to reduce and totally eliminate subjectivity. Each product is tested according to set test processes so the same test scenario is used.

Verdict
The ratings awarded to a product are derived from a number of tests and calculations, keeping certain important factors in mind. These factors consist of features, performance, quality and value for money. In case of software and some other categories, build quality might be replaced with ease of use or ease of installation. Products are compared with other products in a similar price range or product category.

Features
The features component of the score is rated based on the kind of features present on a particular product. Features are a big part of what people look for when they’re buying a new product such as a phone or a camera.

Performance
The performance score is derived from the benchmarks and tests run on the product. In case of the subjective scores, an average of the scores given by the group of reviewers is considered.

Build Quality
The build quality of a product is important so that it doesn’t fall apart after some use. The build quality scores from the way the product is designed and the kind of materials used in the product.

Value
Value for money comes from the fact that a cheap product is able to provide most of the performance of a higher priced product. Once again, value for money is judged by comparing pricing and performance of products in a particular price range or category. 

There are many other aspects of the product that are looked at such as the bundled software and accessories. All of these scores are aggregated together to form the final score.

What do the ratings mean?

Ratings are simple - higher the score, the better the product. A brief listing of the features and what they mean are given below.

1 - 3

The product is bad in almost every aspect. We strongly advise against purchasing this product.

4 - 6

An average product that isn't the best you can buy, but isn't the worst either.

7 - 8

Product with this rating is highly recommended because it's priced sensibly, has a good set of features and performs well.

9 - 10

Exceptionally excellent product with features and performance unlike any we've seen in the past. A must-have for everyone!

What is the Average User Rating?

We at Tech2 take product reviewing very seriously and every product is tested with the utmost care and level of objectivity. The end user who buys a particular product and uses it over an extended period of time has his own take on a product and there might be nuances that he or she can shed light on. The Average User Rating is present to help readers get the complete picture of how good or bad a product is. The Average User Rating is calculated by averaging the ratings by the thousands of readers visiting Tech2.com every single day. To record your own rating of a product, simply click on the user rating bar. If you disagree with our ratings or our community's product rating, please don't hesitate from voicing your opinion in the comments section below the review.

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