Karbonn A1+ review and unboxing – disappointment guaranteed

Karbonn A1+ (plus) is an upgraded version of the Karbonn A1. The A1 plus is a dual SIM Android 2.3.6 phone with 3MP camera, 2G connectivity and powered by a 1GHz processor. The handset comes for an attractive price of Rs. 4,250 cheaper than the Ninja 3.

When compared with Ninja 3 the Karbonn A1+ features are almost identical. Now why is the A1+ cheaper than A57? Well because there is no 3G support only EDGE / GPRS is supported. And since the handset supports only the 2G network you can use EDGE / GPRS from any of the 2 SIM slot. Moreover the A1+ also competes with the Micromax Smarty A25.

Design, Processor, OS and Memory
The box pack does look attractive. It contains the handset, battery, earphones (cheap ones as usual), USB to Micro USB cable, Battery charger, User manual and warranty card. The SAR level mention on the box pack is 0.663 watt/kg.

The handset has got a pretty decent look with 3 touch sensitive buttons at the bottom. The capacitive touchscreen display is of 3.5 inches, same as on the Ninja 3 with a resolution of 480×320 pixels.

The handset is powered by a 1GHz processor (Spreadtrum SP6820A 1GHz) the GPU is Mali 300. The A1+ runs on Android 2.3.6 OS and the RAM is 256MB (105MB used and 126MB Free).

The handset is smaller in size but not as small as the Micromax A25. The screen is 3.5 inches the side are with colour combination glossy white / silver. The rear side is glossy white. The handset does look bulky and is not at all slim. The built quality is good, looks sturdy.

Connectivity
Only 2G networks are supported, so if you are heavily dependent on the net, you should seriously avoid this phone, unless you have no issues surfing over a 2G network. There is Wi-Fi with hotspot support, a micro USB port that again can be used for sharing net (Tethering), Bluetooth and 3.5mm audio jack. There is no built in GPS.

3MP Camera
The camera is 3 megapixel fixed focus with video recording in VGA mode. There is front facing VGA camera that can be used for video calling via skype using Wi-Fi.

Performance
Expect the Karbonn A1+ to perform as well as the Ninja 3. The memory I guess will be low so you need proper management to get the most out of it. It’ a low cost device, don’t expect too much out of it and this is especially not for heavy gamers.

Marathon Battery
A 1500 mAh battery powers this phone. The mAh capacity is a little more (100) than on Ninja 3. The handset will easily last for over a day of heavy usage.

Review
I handset is good for users who will be downloading limited apps and games. I find the Micromax A25 much better than the A1+. The Hardware on A1+ is SP6820A with mail 300 GPU (1 core) which not so powerful.

The handset could not install quadrant and antutu and many more commonly used benchmarking tools, the reason – the app is not compatible with the version even though it runs on Android 2.3.6. Gingerbread OS.

Games
I could install Angry birds game but it lagged at that too in the initial stage. I could install Temple run but it failed to run, the screen would just freeze. I think there will be compatibility issues with other apps and games.

Movies/Sound
The sound is loud and good quality. I could not play AVI files, MP4 files did play. This handset cannot play high quality media files, you will need to convert to suitable resolution.

There is Gsensor, proximity and light. I lost interest in this handset as soon as I saw that the benchmark apps are not compatible. Overall a very disappointing handset, Micromax A25 is much better.

Karbonn A1+ key features and Specifications

1GHz (Spreadtrum SP6820A 1GHz with Mali 300 GPU). Dual SIM.
256MB RAM, internal storage 165MB Free and micro SD card slot.
Android 2.3.6 OS.
3.5 inch HVGA (480×320 pixels) with 2 point multi touch.
3 MP camera without flash + front VGA camera.
2G (EDGE/GPRS), Wi-Fi (Hotspot), micro USB (Tethering), Bluetooth, GPS and 3.5 mm jack.
Sensors : G-Sensor, light and Proximity sensor.
SNS ready, pre-installed apps / TV channel apps and access to Google Play.
Marathon battery of 1500 mAh capacity with (heavy) usage time of over 1 day.

Karbonn A1+ v/s Ninja 3 – the difference