Price and specifications of Allview P5 Quad advantages, disadvantages, and a comprehensive explanation

Overview

The Allview P5 Quad was a smartphone that captured the attention of budget-conscious consumers upon its release in February 2013. Despite being discontinued, this device was appealing at the time for its balance between affordability and functionality. Manufactured by the Romanian company Allview, the P5 Quad was part of a lineup that targeted users looking for a dual SIM smartphone with respectable specifications.

Design and Build

The Allview P5 Quad presented a classic design typical of the early 2010s. With dimensions of 136.5 x 67 x 9.8 mm and a weight of 140.7 g, it was comfortable to hold and use with one hand. The phone was available in two colors, black and white, offering users a bit of personal choice. A 4.5-inch display dominated the front of the phone, contributing to a screen-to-body ratio of approximately 61%. The dual SIM functionality was a significant advantage for users who needed to separate personal and work communications without carrying multiple phones.

Display

Feature-wise, the Allview P5 Quad sported an IPS LCD screen with a resolution of 540 x 960 pixels, translating to a pixel density of roughly 245 ppi. Though not high-definition by today's standards, the display was vibrant and clear enough for daily tasks such as browsing the web and checking emails. The 4.5-inch display size struck a good balance, being large enough for media consumption yet compact for portability.

Performance

Under the hood, the P5 Quad was powered by a Mediatek MT6589 chipset built on a 28 nm process. It featured a quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A7 CPU, complemented by a PowerVR SGX544 GPU. This combination provided decent performance for the time, capable of handling multiple tasks and light gaming. Coupled with 1GB of RAM, multitasking was smooth for general applications, though limits were reached with more resource-heavy tasks.

Software

The P5 Quad ran on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, an operating system that was well-regarded for its smoothness and improved user interface compared to its predecessors. Android 4.1 introduced features like Google Now and enhanced notifications, contributing to a more intuitive user experience. As with many other smartphones of its era, users could access a multitude of apps via the Google Play Store.

Camera

Photography enthusiasts would find the Allview P5 Quad's camera capabilities satisfactory for basic needs. The main camera was an 8 MP shooter with autofocus, LED flash, and HDR capabilities, capable of recording videos at 1080p@30fps. While it lacked advanced features found in higher-end models, it was competent for capturing everyday moments. The 1 MP front-facing camera sufficed for video calls, though selfies were a secondary consideration at the time of its release.

Storage

The internal storage of the Allview P5 Quad was limited to 4GB, which was modest even by 2013 standards. However, users could expand the storage via a microSDHC card slot, allowing for more space to store apps, photos, and media. This was a crucial feature, alleviating the constraints of the onboard storage.

Battery Life

Equipped with a removable Li-Ion 2100 mAh battery, the Allview P5 Quad offered a practical solution for users who needed to swap batteries on the go. In terms of battery performance, it provided a standby time of up to 230 hours, and talk time of up to 6 hours and 40 minutes on 2G networks, and up to 5 hours on 3G. The modest power requirements of the hardware, combined with the efficient Android Jelly Bean OS, offered satisfactory battery life for a day's use.

Network and Connectivity

The Allview P5 Quad supported GSM/HSPA network technologies, with 2G bands at GSM 850/900/1800/1900 and 3G bands of HSDPA 900/2100. Connection speeds reached up to HSPA 21.1/5.76 Mbps, aligning with average speeds of the day. Other connectivity options included Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP and EDR, GPS for navigation, and microUSB 2.0 for data transfer and charging. However, NFC was not supported. An FM radio with RDS rounded out the multimedia offerings.

Additional Features

Sensors on the P5 Quad included an accelerometer, proximity sensor, and compass, which collectively offered an enhanced user experience across various applications and utilities. The presence of a 3.5mm headphone jack was a standard but crucial feature for listening to music and other audio media without requiring a wireless connection.

Pricing and Market Position

When it was made available, the Allview P5 Quad was priced at around 170 EUR, placing it firmly in the budget smartphone category. This pricing strategy appealed to consumers seeking an affordable but feature-rich device. By offering dual SIM capability, decent performance, and a reliable camera setup, the P5 Quad embodied a value-for-money proposition.

Conclusion

In retrospect, the Allview P5 Quad served as a notable example of early 2010s smartphone engineering, catering to an audience that prioritized dual SIM functionality and cost-effectiveness. Its specifications and features, while not groundbreaking, met the essential needs of users at the time, marking it as a practical choice in a competitive market segment. Although technology has rapidly advanced since its release, the P5 Quad remains a testament to Allview's commitment to offering accessible technology solutions.