Karbonn A7 Review

Connectivity

The Karbonn A7 is a dual SIM dual standby (GSM + GSM) handset with 3G support on one SIM. You also get Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS. Call quality is average as the earpiece and speaker just about get their work done. We’d have liked a crisper sound though. Browsing WAP sites is quick but don’t expect the device to render full-blown web pages with ease. The additional Dual SIM settings options let you choose the desired network connection for Internet access. GPS locking is quick when outdoors but you’ll have to be patient if there are a lot of buildings around. To sum it up, this phone has everything you’d need in a budget Android, but isn't the easiest or most fun to use.

MicroUSB port at the bottom

Misc. Apps

Miscellaneous content includes the App 2 SD application, Office Suite and a File Browser. For all your other apps and games you do have the Play Store though. Unfortunately, Shadow Gun, Dead Trigger and other such memory intensive games aren’t available for this device via the Play Store.

Dual LED flash

Camera

The A7 comes with a 5 megapixel rear camera with dual LED flash and a VGA front camera. The rear camera may be competitive with other budget Androids in the megapixel count, but in reality the images are subpar. There’s no autofocus, and it’s best to restrict the camera’s usage to casual photography and simple shots that you'd like to upload to Facebook and Twitter. The front camera is extremely laggy as well, but it just about works for a video chat and taking self shots.

Average snaps

Battery Life

The A7 comes with a 1420 mAh battery under the hood. The low-powered processor coupled with the low-resolution display result in a decent battery life. Under normal use you’ll easily get about a day’s usage from the phone. In our video loop test on automatic brightness, the device lasted for a respectable 8 hours and 10 minutes; much better than the lowly 5 hours that the more expensive Desire C managed. It’s also worth mentioning that our device did shut down unexpectedly a few times, but that could be a problem specific to our review unit.

Worth a buy?

Verdict and Price in India

The Karbonn A7 is priced at Rs. 7,490. A couple of online stores are selling it even cheaper than that . At its price, the handset competes with the likes of the Galaxy Y, the Spice Mi-350n and the Wave Y. The A7 has better features at around the same price, and apart from the ho-hum display, it makes for an interesting budget Android option.