Comprehensive Review Huawei Ascend Y320 Specs Pricing Pros & Cons

Design and Build

The Huawei Ascend Y320 features a compact and functional design tailored for budget-conscious users. With dimensions of 123.3 x 63.2 x 11.1 mm and a weight of 123 grams, the phone is lightweight and easy to handle, making it an ideal choice for users who prefer a device that fits comfortably in the hand and pocket. The phone uses a plastic body available in black and white colors, offering a simple aesthetic that appeals to a wide range of users. The device is equipped with a Micro-SIM slot, which was standard for smartphones released during this period.

Display

Sporting a 4.0-inch TFT display, the Huawei Ascend Y320 offers a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels, which translates to a pixel density of approximately 233 ppi. While the screen size and resolution are modest compared to modern smartphones, at the time of its release in 2013, it provided a reasonable display quality suitable for basic daily use like browsing, calling, and messaging. The screen-to-body ratio is approximately 58.4%, and the display supports basic touch interactions.

Performance

Under the hood, the device is powered by a Mediatek MT6572 chipset built on a 28nm architecture, featuring a dual-core 1.3 GHz Cortex-A7 CPU and a Mali-400 GPU. This configuration was designed to handle basic tasks efficiently, making it suitable for users who primarily needed a phone for calls, texts, and light internet browsing. The phone comes with 4GB of internal storage and 512MB of RAM, providing limited capacity for apps and media. However, the presence of a dedicated microSDHC slot allows users to expand the storage, which is essential given the small internal memory.

Camera

The Ascend Y320 is equipped with a basic 2 MP rear camera capable of capturing images and video. Given its modest specifications, the camera is adequate for simple photography needs in good lighting conditions but lacks advanced features such as autofocus or a flash. The absence of a front-facing camera means the device is not suited for selfies or video calls, reflecting its status as an entry-level smartphone.

Battery Life

Powering the device is a removable Li-Ion 1350 mAh battery. Due to the low-power requirements of the hardware, the battery offers satisfactory endurance for a day of moderate use, which includes making calls, sending messages, and browsing the web. The benefit of a removable battery is that users can carry a spare battery for extended use without access to a charging source.

Operating System and Features

The Huawei Ascend Y320 runs on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, a version that provides access to a wide variety of applications through the Google Play Store. Despite being an older version of Android today, it was widely used at the time of the phone's release and catered well to entry-level smartphone users. The device includes basic sensors like an accelerometer and a proximity sensor, enhancing its ability to rotate screen orientation and perform other simple functions based on user input.

Connectivity

For connectivity, the Ascend Y320 includes GSM and HSPA technology, supporting 2G (GSM 850, 900, 1800, 1900) and 3G (HSDPA 900, 2100) bands. While it lacks LTE support, the existing capabilities are sufficient for basic web browsing and network activities typical of its time. Other connectivity options include Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n for wireless internet access, Bluetooth 3.0 with A2DP for audio streaming, GPS for location services, FM radio, and a microUSB 2.0 port for charging and data transfer. However, it doesn’t offer NFC capabilities.

Audio

The phone features a standard 3.5mm audio jack, allowing users to connect standard headphones for audio playback. It also contains a loudspeaker useful for speakerphone calls or media consumption in a quiet environment. These audio features are fundamental yet dependable for enjoying music or videos on the go.

Price and Availability

Initially announced in October 2013 and released in December 2013, the Huawei Ascend Y320 was priced competitively at around 100 Euros, making it one of the more affordable options for entry-level smartphone users at the time. As of now, the device has been discontinued, but during its availability, it attracted users who were new to smartphones or needed a second, budget-friendly handset.

Conclusion

In summary, the Huawei Ascend Y320 served as a practical choice for those seeking basic smartphone functionality without the bells and whistles of higher-end devices. It is a device with a straightforward design, simple camera capabilities, and reliable performance within the constraints of an entry-level handset from its time. Despite being discontinued, it remains a testament to the evolution of budget smartphones and Huawei's role in making smart technology accessible to a broader audience.