Unveiling the BenQ E55 Specs Pricing Pros & Cons

Overview of BenQ E55

The BenQ E55 is a feature phone that was announced and released in July 2008. This device comes with a compact design and a range of basic features, making it a suitable option for users seeking a straightforward mobile experience. Despite its status as a discontinued model, the BenQ E55 provides insights into mobile technology from that period, combining essential functionalities with an emphasis on communication utilities.

Design and Build

The BenQ E55 features dimensions of 94 x 48 x 19 mm, with a weight of 95 grams, making it lightweight and easy to carry around. The phone supports a Mini-SIM and is designed in a compact form factor suitable for single-handed use. Though simplistic in design, the red and brown color variants give it a touch of personality. The build quality reflects the standard of feature phones from the late 2000s, offering durability over design complexity.

Display

Equipped with a 2.0-inch TFT display, the BenQ E55 provides a resolution of 176 x 220 pixels, resulting in a pixel density of approximately 141 ppi. This display supports 256K colors, delivering adequate visual performance for basic phone functions, such as reading messages and viewing contact details.

Camera Capabilities

The device is equipped with a single 2 MP main camera that allows for basic photography and video recording. While it doesn't compare to the high-resolution cameras available on modern smartphones, it serves well for casual snapshots. Additionally, the BenQ E55 includes a VGA camera for video calls, which was a popular feature for devices of that era.

Battery Life

Powered by a removable Li-Ion 900 mAh battery, the BenQ E55 can offer up to 180 hours of standby time and approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes of talk time. While these figures may not seem impressive by today's standards, they reflect adequate battery performance for feature phones, especially given the less demanding applications at the time.

Network and Connectivity

The BenQ E55 supports GSM and UMTS technologies, with 2G bands of GSM 900/1800/1900 and a 3G band of UMTS 2100, providing decent coverage for voice and basic data services. The phone includes Bluetooth version 1.2 with A2DP support, allowing short-range wireless data transfer and audio streaming. However, it lacks Wi-Fi and GPS, which were not commonly integrated into feature phones then. USB 1.2 connectivity offers basic data transfer capabilities between the phone and a computer.

Memory and Storage

With an internal storage of 45MB, the BenQ E55 provides limited space for storing contacts, messages, and basic applications. However, users can expand the storage capacity using a microSD card through a dedicated slot, allowing for greater flexibility in managing additional media and data files.

Audio and Entertainment Features

For audio functionalities, the BenQ E55 includes a loudspeaker and supports vibration and downloadable polyphonic and MP3 ringtones. Its entertainment capabilities extend to basic gaming and support for Java apps (MIDP 2.0). However, it lacks a 3.5mm headphone jack, which might limit audio output options without the need for additional adapters.

Communication Features

The BenQ E55 is equipped with communication technology to facilitate messaging through SMS, EMS, MMS, and Email. It also includes a WAP 2.0/xHTML browser for basic internet access and exploring online content, suitable for light browsing activities typical of feature phones during its time.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the BenQ E55 presents itself as a representative of feature phones available in the late 2000s, providing straightforward utility for basic communication. While it may not meet modern smartphone demands, it remains a nostalgic piece of technology, emblematic of a period when mobile phone design focused primarily on basic communication needs. Despite its discontinuation, the BenQ E55 continues to hold historical appeal among enthusiasts and collectors interested in the evolution of mobile technology.