Micromax A114 Canvas 22 Specs Pricing & Pros and Cons Unveiled

Introduction to Micromax A114 Canvas 2.2

The Micromax A114 Canvas 2.2 is a smartphone that was launched by Micromax in December 2013. During its release, it was aimed at users looking for a balance between performance and affordability. In the competitive market of smartphones, the Canvas 2.2 managed to carve out a niche for itself with its decent specifications and attractive price point.

Network Capabilities

The Canvas 2.2 was built to operate on GSM and HSPA technologies. It supports 2G bands GSM 850, 900, 1800, and 1900 both for SIM 1 and SIM 2, allowing efficient network management across different geographic regions. For 3G, it supports HSDPA 2100 bands, offering a speed of HSPA 21.1/5.76 Mbps. This made it suitable for most network operations available globally at the time of its release.

Design and Build Quality

One of the aspects of the A114 Canvas 2.2 that stands out is its design. Measuring 145 x 73 x 9.7 mm, it is relatively slim and fits comfortably in the hand. Weighing 147 grams, the device is light enough to be portable while having a sturdy build. It features a dual SIM slot, which was a major selling point, given the increasing need for managing personal and professional contacts on the same device.

Display Features

The A114 Canvas 2.2 boasts an IPS LCD display, a popular choice at the time for its better color reproduction and viewing angles compared to TFT displays. With a screen size of 5.0 inches and a resolution of 540 x 960 pixels, the screen-to-body ratio of approximately 65.1% provided a satisfactory visual experience for multimedia consumption and general navigation.

Hardware Specifications

Under the hood, the Canvas 2.2 is powered by a Mediatek MT6582M chipset, built on a 28 nm process. Its CPU is a quad-core 1.3 GHz Cortex-A7, which, combined with a Mali-400MP2 GPU, offered a decent performance for everyday tasks and light gaming. The device came with 1GB of RAM and internal storage of 4GB, with actual user availability of around 2GB. It supported storage expansion via a dedicated microSDHC slot, which allowed users to add more space for their data and applications.

Camera Performance

The main camera of Micromax A114 Canvas 2.2 features an 8 MP autofocus sensor capable of capturing images with satisfactory clarity. It is equipped with a dual-LED flash to aid in low-light photography. The camera could record videos in 1080p@30fps, which was quite adequate for the segment it catered to. The front camera had a 2 MP sensor, modestly meeting the needs for video calls and basic selfies.

Sound and Connectivity

Micromax equipped the Canvas 2.2 with a loudspeaker and a 3.5mm headphone jack, offering flexibility for audio output. In terms of wireless connections, it supported Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n with hotspot capabilities, Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP support, and GPS for navigation. It did not feature NFC, which was in line with other budget smartphones of its time. An FM radio with recording capabilities further improved the user experience in terms of media consumption.

Battery and Performance

The Canvas 2.2 is powered by a removable Li-Ion 2000 mAh battery, offering a standby time of up to 290 hours and a talk time of approximately 7 hours. This was considered average, serving the requirements of a typical day for most users at the time. The removable nature of the battery provided an added convenience for users to carry spare batteries for extended use without needing to find a power outlet.

Software and User Experience

Running on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, the software experience on the A114 Canvas 2.2 was quite user-friendly, leveraging Android's intuitive design. Although it's an older version of Android by today's standards, Jelly Bean had several features that improved user navigation and performance, such as Google Now and Project Butter for a smoother user interface.

Conclusion

At its price point of approximately 150 EUR, the Micromax A114 Canvas 2.2 offered a well-rounded package with feature sets that met the basic needs of smartphone users at that time. It was well-received for its dual SIM capabilities, decent build quality, and balanced performance-to-price ratio. Despite being discontinued, it remains a notable example of Micromax's strategy to provide budget-friendly smartphones in a highly competitive market.