LAVA XOLO X900 Review

LAVA’s all new entry into the Android segment has caused quite a stir in the community by tying up with Intel who’re making their big debut into the mobile computing space. The XOLO X900 is the first smartphone to come equipped with an Intel Atom processor based on their Medfield technology. It could prove to give the Tegras and ARMs, among others a real run for their money. We’re here to tell you whether or not this well priced flagship mobile is worth the wait and worth your hard earned cash. Take a closer look.

Form Factor 

The XOLO X900 is a simple handset, much like the iPhone. So much so that it infact resembles Apple’s latest device to an extent. With it’s squared off look and simple button system, the XOLO is a simple and neat product that’s also quite lightweight. For a more detailed description of the device, you can head over to our ‘Unboxing’ feature here. 

Compared to the iPhone 4

While slipping in the micro SIM card we had no issues - the tray popped out easily and without much effort was reinserted. However, removing the card was a real task. We were required to use quite a bit of effort to remove the tray. Needless to say, as decent as the phone may look, we weren’t too impressed with the overall build quality of the XOLO, even though we had no issues with the dimensions. The 4-inch TFT LCD capacitive touchscreen features a 1064 x 600 pixel resolution, which keeps images quite sharp and focused, even if they’re smaller than those from most other handsets. Viewing angles are good even in bright conditions. 

Slightly rubberised for better grip

We do feel that the real estate up front could have been better utilized with either a larger screen or a reduction in the size of the handset. Nevertheless, as is, it doesn’t really hamper the design in any way. A light sensor/Proximity sensor and secondary 1.3MP camera are located on either sides of the speaker, above the display. Unfortunately, LAVA does not seem to have included a notification LED, which would have been quite helpful. A volume rocker and dedicated camera access/Shutter release button are located on the same side as the micro SIM card slot with a Micro HDMI Port on the left side, a micro USB for charging and PC interfacing at the bottom and a 3.5mm handsfree socket at the top near the power/screen sleep button. 

Features and Performance

Interface

We hoped for ICS out of the box with the XOLO, but sadly, the mobile segment is not at par with the budget tablets being launched in the country that are, oddly, all featuring ICS out of the box. Needless to say, the XOLO does not come with 4.0 out of the box. It will receive an update, but there’s no official word on the timeline. Intel’s Atom Processor (1.6GHz) is, simply put, blazing fast. It’s instantaneously gratifying when it comes to activating and accessing any and all features from simple swipes to switching screens, activating the camera, music player, gallery, etc. Opening high-res images in succession or accessing full HD videos is just as fast as on the One X or the iPhone 4. There’s no lag, no delay, nothing of that sort and that’s what makes the XOLO an exciting device to use. 

Impressive specs especially when you take price into account

Linpack Benchmark scores put it at an average of 88 in single thread runs and close to 90 in multi-thread runs, only proving just how fast this device really is. AnTuTu scored it at 5784, placing it just under the Samsung Galaxy S II, but much higher than Motorola’s Atrix 2 (scored 5222). 

Since it's running stock Gingerbread, it will most assuredly feature stock ICS up on its arrival. 

It's simple, but perhaps a little too much

What also was a major concern, which we could attribute to this particular device being a test piece, but can’t be certain of, is the unusual heating issue. When used outside of an AC environment for more than 7 minutes (average), the lower back portion of the handset where the battery or CPU is placed tends to heat up quite rapidly making it a little uncomfortable to hold. We tested this multiple times in multiple scenarios and environments and it was quite consistent and more so when the Wi-Fi was active. The heating also caused the network disruption almost as soon as the device reached a certain temperature, even in areas with no reception issues and others with the same service were at full strength. Hopefully this is not a generic issue with the X900. Should any of you readers and owners of the X900 have the same problem, please let us know. 

Media

The native music player is a little too basic with no enhancements, whatsoever. Of course, this is an easy fix as there’s no shortage of players available on the Google Play store. However, in terms of sound quality, the XOLO is quite a capable device. The decibel level it attains at peak volume is just about right. Tones are well balanced with lower frequencies coming in with a resounding thump in the bass and no bright tones in the higher range. With players, like PowerAmp and others you’ll be able to adjust the levels to quite an extent and further enhance your audio experience. LAVA has also preloaded the doubleTwist player, however if you wish to use the EQ presets etc. you’ll have to download the full version that’s not free. 

Great audio quality but a better player could have been provided

The video player is capable of reading quite a few formats, including some in DivX and AVI. MP4 (H.264), 3GPP, MOV Full HD (1080p) files, properly encoded, worked flawlessly via the native player.  The formats it doesn’t read will easily work on any third party player, like Mobo Player or RockPlayer that are free off the Google Play store.