Xolo A500S is the enhanced version of the previous Xolo A500 launched some time back from Xolo, it comes powered with dual core processor, 512MB of RAM and pretty good build quality and decent form factor. It seems to be one of the most affordable android smartphone which has decent performance both on application and gaming. In this review we help you find whether its worth the money you spend on it.
Xolo A500S Full In Depth Review + Unboxing [Video]
Xolo A500S Quick Specs
- Display Size: 4 inch TFT capacitive touch screen with 480 x 800 resolution
- Processor: 1.3 GHz Dual Core MediaTek Mt6572W
- RAM: 512 MB
- Software Version: Android 4.2.1 (Jelly Bean) OS
- Camera: 5 MP AF camera with LED flash
- Secondary Camera: VGA front-facing camera FF [Fixed Focus]
- Internal Storage: 4 GB
- External Storage: Expandable up to 32GB
- Battery: 1400 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, gyro, proximity
Box Contents
Handset, data cable, USB Power Adapter, earphone, battery, warranty card and user manual and one thing to note there is one additional screen guard included but there is one which comes applied on the device out of the box.
Build Quality, Design and Form Factor
Build quality of this device is impressive at this affordable price point and does not feel like a cheap, it has got a rubberized matte finish back cover with glossy shiny part on the top. It has been designed nicely as it as feels pretty light at 120 grams and the dimensions of the device at 125 x 63.2 x 9 mm which is does make it one of the thinnest android budget phone. The form factor of the phone is good, its not too big or small in terms of the display, so you can expect the same form factor as a candy bar phone. Its slim, light in weight and quite portable to carry around.
Camera Performance
The rear camera is 5 MP fixed focus with LED flash, the daylight performance of the rear camera is ok but not good enough and low light performance is not bad but average. The front camera is VGA and don’t expect much from it apart from average quality of video chat.
Camera Samples
coming soon…
Display, Memory and Battery Backup
The display is 4 inch TFT capacitive with 480 x 800 pixels resolution gives around ~233 ppi pixel density and its not very bright display and color reproduction is good but not great, viewing angles of the display are not very wide as it is TFT. The in built memory of the device is 4 Gb out of which around 1.45Gb available to the user for apps and storing other data, you also have the option to expand the storage with SD card, you can also install apps directly on the SD card as well, after selecting SD Card as default write disk. Battery backup is just average as it will last upto 1 day on moderate usage if you don’t play a lot of games and watch videos much, but with heavy usage you will not get more than 7-8 hours of usage.
Software, Benchmarks and Gaming
Software UI is stock android in terms of the looks, its snappy and there is no major lag in UI transitions. Gaming performance of the device is good if not the best as you can play casual games like Temple run oz, Subway Surfer etc smoothly, medium graphic intensive games like asphalt 7, Front line commando can be played as well but you will need to install them on SD card and but heavy games are not meant to be played on this device. The benchmark figures are mentioned below.
Benchmark Scores
- Quadrant Standard Edition: 3199
- Antutu Benchmark: 10644
- Nenamark2: 40.2 fps
- Multi Touch: 2 point
Xolo A500S Gaming Review [Video]
Sound, Video and Navigation
The sound output from the loudspeaker the is not too loud and the voice from ear piece was clear, but the loud speaker is placed at the back side of the device, so it will get blocked at times or at least will get muffled when you place the device flat on a table. It can play HD videos at 720p without any audio and video sync issues but some 1080p videos will not get played. It can also be used for GPS navigation with the help of assisted GPS and it does not have magnetic sensor for precise navigation. You will need internet connectivity to use navigation on the device as it requires some data download to lock the GPS.
Xolo A500S Photo Gallery
What We Liked
- Slim Profile
- Light Weight
- Decent Rear Camera
What We Did Not Liked
- Low volume from loudspeaker
- Display colors and brightness
Conclusion and Price
Xolo A500S seems to be a decent choice when it comes to phone which comes at the most affordable price of around Rs. 6000 approx. and it comes with decent hardware configuration and memory and you also have the option to install apps on the SD card. The build quality which you get at this price point is really good on this phone, however the camera at the back is a fixed focus camera which is a disappointment, it could have been better but yet again the low price can be valid reason for it.
