Few months ago, many consumers were in two minds about buying a low-priced smartphone especially of Indian brands because of issues of performance and service support. Since, majority of these handsets are being sourced from China, there was always a question mark about their trouble-free performance. But, this perception has been changed in the last few months with the emergence of very good entry-level and mid-range smartphones from the stable of Indian handsets makers. Intex is one of the leading Indian players in budget smartphone segment and have come out with various smartphones in the last few months, which have been performing very well.
We had the opportunity to play with Intex Aqua 4X for few days and we can sum up the performance of this smartphone in terse one sentence – Ideal for the starters who want to dabble with Android experience.
If a customer is switching from feature phone to smartphone and has shoe-string budget then Intex Aqua 4X would be the ideal choice as it is priced at Rs. 2,999 and runs on Android Jelly Bean 4.2.2 OS. It comes with basic hardware, which should be acceptable if you are spending Rs. 3,000. This smartphone has following specifications :
- 4 inch display with 800 x 480 pixels resolution
- 1.0 GHz dual core MediaTek MT6572 processor
- 256 MB RAM and 512 MB internal storage
- 2 MP rear camera and 0.3 MP front facing camera
- 1300 mAh battery
We are not convinced with storage options provided in the Aqua 4X. Probably to cut the cost, the company had to compromise with the storage. Being targeted for the entry level users, the Aqua 4 is ideal for calling, chatting, using social networks and those apps which do not require much space. Moreover, the first time buyers would be comfortable in using limited number of apps on this device.
Design
From design perspective, the Aqua 4X looks impressive and gives feel of good quality smartphone in your hands. We are impressed with the back of the handset, which is not only sleek but very soft also. This handset has front facing speakers and the front camera is placed on the top and main camera in center on the rear side. To make the smartphone look simple but elegant, the MicroUSB slot and 3.5mm jack have been placed on top; power button and volume rocker have been put on the right side of the handset. The left hand side of the phone is plain to keep the form factor neat and sleek.
Display
The Intex Aqua 4X is equipped with a 4 inch, 800 x 480p display that performs reasonably well indoors. Like any other low budget or mid-range smartphone, you cannot accept that it will work well in sunlight. This is asking for the moon at this price range. But this smartphone has reasonably good viewing angles of the screen. Infact, one should not ask for more at this price-point.
Camera
The 2MP camera on this phone is good only for your postings on the social networks and do not expect the camera to perform wonders with its limited range. Still, you can click good images in daylight. As far as front camera is concerned, it is quite basic and has been provided for the sake of providing it for capturing some sort of selfies if you have appetite for this craze.
Software
The Aqua 4X runs on jaded Android Jelly Bean 4.2.2 OS despite the fact that nowadays almost all the budget devices run Android KitKat OS. Still, the users will not be disappointed with the older version of operating system as this version will also take them to wonderful experience of Android apps. It is smooth experience to run Android apps on this smartphone and we did not notice any lag while running the app or switching the app.
The Aqua 4X comes pre-loaded with Intex Games Club and also Intex Zone, which provide useful numbers of Intex and also gives information about service centers of Intex. The third-party apps such as Opera Mini Browser, Zapak, Xender and OLX perform well on this smartphone. But, you should avoid playing resourceful games on this device as you will be interrupted several times. This smartphone is not meant for gaming and that is quite understandable with its hardware capability.
Performance
The call quality of Aqua 4X is quite good and you can listen to your favourite songs and FM radio in clear audio. This phone is ideal for those users who want a sleek smartphone with small but good display, 3G connectivity, and can fulfill tasks for social networking, and easy access to Android apps.
Verdict
The majority of the users who can’t afford more than Rs. 3,000 on a smartphone, can get from Aqua 4X what they desire. It is cup of tea for budget customers and will not disappoint them who do not expect it to perform like a mid-range or higher smartphone.
