Smartron t phone P review: A smartphone with 5,000mAh battery | HT Tech

Smartron t phone P review: A smartphone with 5,000mAh battery

Smartron t phone P packs a massive 5,000mAh battery, but is it enough? Find out in our review.

By: MARCIA SEKHOSE
| Updated on: Feb 11 2018, 15:00 IST
Is 5,000mAh battery big enough?
Is 5,000mAh battery big enough? (HT Photo)
Is 5,000mAh battery big enough?
Is 5,000mAh battery big enough? (HT Photo)

Smartron made its mark in the Indian smartphone market quite recently and is popularly known for its Sachin Tendulkar-dedicated phone, srt. The company recently launched a new budget Android smartphone called t phone P.

Boasting a big 5,000mAh battery, Smartron aims to deliver a phone that doesn't need to be plugged in after a few hours of use and doesn't compromise on features that other Android phone offers. It has a 5.2-inch HD display and is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 435 processor coupled with 3GB of RAM.

Priced at 7,999, the smartphone competes with a range of Android smartphones, especially the popular Xiaomi Redmi 5A and other Xiaomi phones in the budget category. We have been using Smartron t phone P for quite some time and here are out key takeaways:

Design

Smartron t phone P doesn't look a lot different from other Android smartphones in this price range. While the front with a 2.5D curved glass gives a nice look and feel, the rear is just like any other Android phone. The metal body, however, ensures sturdiness.

While we don't expect any radical changes, it will be really encouraging to see some budget smartphone players making an effort in this direction. Fortunately, some players are doing so. One of the most recent examples is Honor 9 Lite which offers a premium smartphone-like look and feel.

Coming back to Smartron t phone P, the smartphone has capacitive touch buttons, two dots and a small circle, on the front bottom. Although not a big difference, such subtle tweaks make the front a bit unique.

The smartphone is also a little on the heavy side, but that's the case for most of the phones with big battery. In comparison with battery-heavy smartphones like Gionee Marathon M5, Smartron t phone P feels lighter and less bulky. Thanks to a compact 5.2-inch screen size, it fits into one's palm comfortably. The volume and power buttons including the rear fingerprint sensor are all within one's reach.

Smartron t phone P has a metal back panel.
Smartron t phone P has a metal back panel. (HT Photo)
image caption
Smartron t phone P has a metal back panel. (HT Photo)

Camera

Smartron t phone P's camera is a mixed bag. The 13-megapixel rear camera thrives when the light conditions are conducive. But on several occasions the camera fails to focus properly on the subject. The camera comes with various preloaded modes, including a Manual mode which gives users more control on photography elements such as ISO, exposure, white balance, interval, and focus. Amongst various camera modes, I most enjoyed using a Multi Exposure feature which lets you take two photos and merge it into one.

A casual shot (resized for web)
A casual shot (resized for web) (Marcia Sekhose)
image caption
A casual shot (resized for web) (Marcia Sekhose)
A photo taken in low-light conditions (resized for web)
A photo taken in low-light conditions (resized for web) (Marcia Sekhose)
image caption
A photo taken in low-light conditions (resized for web) (Marcia Sekhose)

The 5-megapixel front-facing, however, is quite good. The results are good and the beautify mode doesn't disappoint either. Although adding modification, it still gives off a natural look. There's a wide selfie mode which lets you take pictures from the left and right side for a broader view.

Battery life, performance

Smartron t phone P's highlight is its massive 5,000mAh battery. The phone takes about two hours to fully charge. Smartron promises battery life for two days.

Based on my usage, the phone lasted well over a day and a half. My usage included approximately two hours of listening to music, playing videos on YouTube, and frequent browsing on social apps like Instagram and Facebook. If you're a light user, you may be able to draw more from the battery.

While Smartron t phone P's has an excellent battery life, the overall performance of the phone is underwhelming. I didn't face any difficulties with the phone initially but as I spent more time I came across some major issues. For instance, the phone lags a lot when it comes to shuffling between apps.

Smartron t phone P feels thicker and heavier.
Smartron t phone P feels thicker and heavier. (HT Photo)
image caption
Smartron t phone P feels thicker and heavier. (HT Photo)

We played a few graphic-intensive games such as Marvel: Contest of Champions and Mobile Legends and the results weren't really impressive. The games suffered lags in between resulting in an uncomfortable experience. Smartron t phone P seems to be better suited for lighter games such as Subway Surfer and Temple Run.

There was another worrisome issue of the phone heating up especially during calls. Even after five minutes into the call, the phone starts heating up making it rather uncomfortable to continue the conversation. The call quality remains good throughout but it gets quite difficult holding the phone for so long.

Verdict

Apart from a big battery that lasts more than a day, Smartron t phone P has nothing special to offer. Moreover, performance is a big letdown. Xiaomi Redmi 5A is a much better at this price point.

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First Published Date: 11 Feb, 14:56 IST
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