Huawei Ascend Y210D Features Pricing and Performance Review

Overview of Huawei Ascend Y210D

The Huawei Ascend Y210D is a budget-friendly smartphone that was first announced in March 2013. Despite being discontinued, it retains some relevance in discussions about early Android phones and affordable mobile devices of its era. With a simple design and basic functionality, the Ascend Y210D was targeted towards users who required a straightforward mobile experience without the frills of high-end smartphones.

Design and Build

The Huawei Ascend Y210D sports a compact and utilitarian design, measuring 117 x 62 x 12.4 mm and weighing in at 120 grams. Its size makes it easily portable and perfect for users who prefer smaller devices. The phone is equipped with a plastic body that is reasonably durable for everyday use. The dual SIM capability (Mini-SIM, dual stand-by) adds a layer of convenience, allowing users to switch between networks easily.

Display

The device features a 3.5-inch TFT display with a resolution of 320 x 480 pixels, resulting in a pixel density of approximately 165 ppi. This display size and resolution were quite standard for budget smartphones at the time of its release, offering adequate clarity and brightness for basic tasks such as texting and web browsing. However, it falls short of delivering high-definition experiences demanded by more graphic-intensive applications.

Performance

Powered by a Qualcomm MSM7225A Snapdragon S1 chipset with a 1.0 GHz Cortex-A5 CPU and an Adreno 200 GPU, the Ascend Y210D’s performance is geared towards handling basic smartphone tasks. The device features 256MB of RAM, which severely limits multitasking capabilities but suffices for executing simple apps. The operating system, Android 2.3.6 (Gingerbread), further reveals the phone’s positioning in the lower end of the market spectrum.

Storage and Expandability

With 512MB of internal storage, users will find the space restrictive, especially when accounting for system files that take up a significant portion of this storage capacity. However, the presence of a microSDHC card slot offers a way to expand storage, supporting additional data needs up to a reasonable capacity through external memory cards.

Camera Capabilities

The Huawei Ascend Y210D is equipped with a single 2 MP rear camera capable of 480p video recording at 30 frames per second. While it doesn’t offer the high resolution or advanced features found in modern smartphones, for its time, this camera was adequate for capturing basic photos and videos. The absence of a front-facing camera indicates its minimal focus on selfie culture, which was yet to peak during its launch period.

Battery Life

The device includes a removable Li-Ion 1700 mAh battery, which was expected to provide reasonable endurance for a day’s worth of moderate usage. The ability to replace the battery easily was a practical advantage, offering users the option to carry spare batteries for extended periods away from power sources.

Connectivity and Other Features

Essential connectivity options include Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1 with EDR for short-range wireless communication. The phone supports GPS, enabling basic location-based services. However, it lacks NFC and FM radio capabilities, which were less common in budget phones at the time. The inclusion of a 3.5mm headphone jack and a microUSB 2.0 port facilitate wired connections, while a loudspeaker provides basic audio output for calls and media playback.

Sensors and Additional Features

Aside from the conventional accelerometer sensor, the Ascend Y210D does not include advanced sensors like gyroscopes or ambient light sensors. This minimalistic approach aligns with its budget-friendly nature, maintaining affordability without compromising essential functionalities. The SAR value for the phone is rated at 0.78 W/kg (head) and 1.15 W/kg (body), adhering to safety regulations.

Conclusion

In summary, the Huawei Ascend Y210D was a typical budget smartphone of its time, offering essential features to users at a very accessible price point of approximately 70 EUR. It appealed primarily to first-time smartphone users or those looking for a no-frills device. While its specifications may seem dated by today’s standards, the Ascend Y210D played a role in the democratization of mobile technology, allowing more people to access the benefits of connected devices during the early 2010s.