BSNL Penta Smart PS501 has been recently announced at an affordable price from BSNL. It comes with 5-inch display with FWVGA 854x480p resolution, 1.2 Ghz dual core processor with 512 MB of RAM which is definitely less and does affect the performance to an extent but you this is the result of the price at this phone comes. In this review we tell you whether this device is worth the money you invest in it.
BSNL Penta Smart PS501 Full In Depth Review + Unboxing [Video]
BSNL Penta Smart PS501 Quick Specs
- Display Size: 5-inch display with FWVGA 854x480p resolution
- Processor: 1.2 GHz dual Core processor
- RAM: 512 MB
- Software Version: Android 4.2.1 (Jelly Bean) OS
- Camera: 5 MP camera.
- Secondary Camera: VGA front-facing camera FF [Fixed Focus]
- Internal Storage: 4 GB with 2.5 Gb approx. available to user
- External Storage: Expandable up to 32GB
- Battery: 1800 mAh battery Lithium Ion
- Connectivity: 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP, aGPS, 3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio
- Others: OTG Support – No, Dual SIM – Yes, LED Indicator – Yes
- Sensors: Accelerometer, proximity
Box Contents
Inside the box you get the handset, 1800 mAh battery, Screen guard preinstalled on the device, user manual, service center list, In ear headphones, Micro USB to USB cable, USB Charger.
Build Quality, Design and Form Factor
The build is plastic all around on this phone however it does not feel like cheap plastic but does not feel to premium as well. It is slightly thicker and heavier phone comparing it with other devices having the same display size or under similar price range. The design is simple as the phone is shaped in rounded rectangle form. The overall form factor of the device is good if not great, however the glossy plastic back cover attract the finger prints and scratches over time.
Camera Performance
It has rear 5 MP camera which does not have tap to focus and auto focus works only when you place the device at the right distance. It also cannot record HD video. The photo quality is day light is good and low light its average but don’t expect a lot of details in the photos. The front camera is VGA is just average but you can do a decent quality of the video chat from it.
Camera Samples
BSNL Penta Smart PS501 Camera Video Sample
Display, Memory and Battery Backup
It has 5-inch display with FWVGA 854x480p resolution its a IPS panel which makes it good in terms of viewing angles but the resolution of the display is much less for a 5 inch display device, but the font size is such that you wont notice the pixels, but when you read a document with large amount of text you will notice the pixels. In built memory of 4 Gb out of which around 2.5 Gb is available to the user but you also have the option to change the default storage disk, so that you can store apps and data on SD card as well. The battery is 1800 mAh which is good to last for one day usage but for moderate usage which includes more apps usage and less multimedia usage of the phone. If you like to play a lot of games and watch videos on this device you cannot expect one day of battery backup from this device.
Software, Benchmarks and Gaming
The Software UI is stock android with no changes in most of the apps UI as well, the transitions in home screens are snappy and but slows downs due to low amount of RAM but still the phone is usage and does not hang. Gaming experience is kind of limited on this phone as the RAM is less, but still you can play casual games like Temple Run Oz and Subway Surfer without any issues but forget about heavy graphic intensive games.
Benchmark Scores
- Quadrant Standard Edition: 2645
- Antutu Benchmark: 8920
- Nenamark2: 37.8 fps
- Multi Touch: 2 point
Sound, Video and Navigation
The overall sound quality is average but loudness of the sound is good, but due to the placement of the loudspeaker is at the bottom back, so it gets blocked accidentally at times. It has slightly lower resolution, although it does not cause any issue in day to day usage as it can play HD videos at well at 720p but 1080p videos does not get played on this device most of the times. It can also be used for GPS navigation with the help Assisted GPS, but it does not have compass sensor and it takes around 5-6 minutes on average to lock the GPS coordinates provided you have checked the right settings.
BSNL Penta Smart PS501 Photo Gallery
What We Liked
- Bigger display at affordable price
- Decent sound quality
- Good Viewing angles
What We Did Not Liked
- Heavy weight
- Average Camera
- Low RAM
Conclusion and Price
BSNL Penta Smart PS501 seems to be a pretty good value for money phone as its available for a price of around Rs. 6000 or slightly less and comes with decent hardware specs which includes dual core CPU, 5 inch IPS display but the only major drawback in this phone is the low amount of RAM which some times creates stability issues on large number of apps usage on the phone.
