Comprehensive Review Gigabyte GSmart G1315 Skate Features & Pricing

Overview of Gigabyte GSmart G1315 Skate

The Gigabyte GSmart G1315 Skate is one of the well-known smartphones released in 2011, targeting budget-conscious consumers who were looking for a reliable device with essential smartphone capabilities. Although it has been discontinued, the phone remains a point of interest for technology enthusiasts and collectors. It operates on the Android 2.2 (Froyo) platform, offering a basic yet functional mobile experience.

Design and Build

The GSmart G1315 Skate sports a compact design measuring 113.5 x 61.3 x 13.3 mm. Its weight of 118 grams makes it a portable device apt for daily use. The phone supports a dual SIM feature (Mini-SIM, dual standby), which was appreciable at the time for users who needed multiple network connections. It comes in classic shades of black and white, adding to its simplistic elegance.

Display

The device is equipped with a 3.5-inch TFT display, capable of rendering 256K colors. It offers a resolution of 320 x 480 pixels, providing a decently clear visual output. Though the screen-to-body ratio stands at approximately 52.4%, the display suffices for basic tasks such as browsing, messaging, and media viewing.

Hardware and Performance

Under the hood, the G1315 Skate runs on a Qualcomm MSM7225-1 Snapdragon S1 chipset with a 528 MHz ARM 11 CPU. While this might seem underpowered by today's standards, it was suitable for handling light tasks in 2011. The device lacks GPU support, indicating a modest performance in terms of graphical rendering.

Memory and Storage

The phone comes with 256MB of RAM and 512MB of internal storage, which may prove limiting for modern applications, but could adequately handle the simpler apps available during its time. It supports a microSDHC card slot, allowing for expanded storage to house additional media files and apps.

Camera

The GSmart G1315 Skate features a 5MP autofocus rear camera, which includes basic video recording capabilities. This was quite standard for smartphones at the time, allowing users to capture everyday moments with moderate quality. However, the device lacks a front-facing selfie camera.

Connectivity

The phone is equipped with essential connectivity features including Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g with hotspot capability, Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP support, GPS with A-GPS, and a stereo FM radio. It also offers microUSB 2.0 for charging and data transfer tasks, and includes a 3.5mm headphone jack for audio output.

Battery Life

The device is powered by a removable Li-Ion 1260 mAh battery. This capacity suffices for basic phone usage, providing up to 115 hours on standby and approximately 6 hours and 30 minutes of talk time depending on the usage conditions. The removable battery design allows users to carry spares for extended usage.

Network Capabilities

In terms of network technology, the GSmart G1315 Skate supports GSM/HSPA bands. It covers 2G bands - GSM 850/900/1800/1900 for SIM 1 and 3G bands - HSDPA 900/2100. The HSPA connectivity provides basic mobile internet experience suitable for email and social media applications.

Sensors and Additional Features

The smartphone incorporates fundamental sensors including an accelerometer, proximity sensor, and compass. It also features an HTML browser, allowing basic web navigation and access to online content, proving it was equipped to meet the basic demands of a smartphone user at the time.

Conclusion

Though the Gigabyte GSmart G1315 Skate has become obsolete over the years with the rapid advancements in mobile technology, it represents the early phase of smartphones offering essential functionalities at an affordable price point. Its simple design, combined with basic hardware specifications and decent connectivity options, makes it a noteworthy model in the history of smartphones designed for budget-conscious users.