Discover the Philips S396 Specs Pricing Pros & Cons Unveiled

Overview of Philips S396

The Philips S396 is a smartphone that was released in June 2015. It is known for its solid build and simplistic design, making it a reliable choice for those seeking a basic yet effective mobile device. Despite being discontinued, understanding its features and capabilities can be beneficial, especially for users interested in legacy devices or for educational purposes.

Design and Build

The Philips S396 boasts a compact design with dimensions measuring 141.9 x 73 x 9.7 mm, and a weight of 151 grams. This makes it reasonably lightweight and easy to handle with one hand. The device supports dual SIM functionality, allowing users to balance work and personal life on the same device. The available color at launch was black, giving it a professional and minimalistic appearance.

Display

The smartphone features a 5.0-inch IPS LCD display, providing wide viewing angles and decent color reproduction. With a resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels and a 16:9 aspect ratio, the screen ensures clear and vibrant visuals for everyday tasks such as browsing, watching videos, and gaming. The screen-to-body ratio is approximately 66.5%, which was fairly standard for devices around its release period.

Camera Capabilities

The Philips S396 is equipped with an 8 MP main camera capable of autofocus and includes an LED flash to enhance photo quality in low-light conditions. It also allows for video recording at 1080p at 30 frames per second, ensuring decent video clarity for capturing memorable moments. The front camera is also 8 MP, which ensures satisfactory quality for selfies and video calls, a standard specification for mid-range phones of its time.

Performance

Under the hood, the S396 runs on the Mediatek MT6735P chipset featuring a Quad-core 1.0 GHz Cortex-A53 CPU and Mali-T720MP2 GPU. These specifications allow for smooth performance in basic applications and casual games. However, the device was not designed for heavy multitasking or high-performance gaming, primarily due to its 1GB RAM and modest processing power.

Storage

The phone comes with 8GB of internal storage, which can be limiting for modern use but typical for the time it was launched. To accommodate more apps, photos, and media, it includes a dedicated microSDXC slot to expand storage. This expandability feature makes it flexible for users who need more space than the default storage.

Battery Life

The Philips S396 is powered by a removable Li-Ion 2300 mAh battery. While this capacity might seem low by current standards, it was adequate for sustaining the device through a moderate day of light to average use, given the hardware configuration and less demanding software environment it operates on.

Connectivity and Network

On the connectivity front, the S396 supports GSM, HSPA, and LTE networks, providing reasonable speed and coverage for voice and data communication. It supports 2G, 3G, and LTE bands, making it compatible with many global networks. The data speeds can reach up to 42.2/11.5 Mbps on HSPA and 150/50 Mbps on LTE Cat4 networks, facilitating quick browsing and streaming experiences for users.

Operating System and UI

The device runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop, which was a popular operating system version at the time of its release. Android Lollipop offers a user-friendly interface with access to the Google Play Store, though it lacks some of the features and security updates of more recent Android versions.

Multimedia and Sound

The phone comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack, allowing users to connect headphones or external speakers easily. It also includes a loudspeaker, delivering clear sound for calls and media playback. Additionally, it features an FM radio, providing entertainment on the go without relying on internet connectivity.

Additional Features

The Philips S396 incorporates essential sensors such as an accelerometer, proximity sensor, and compass. These contribute to improving the user experience by enabling features like auto-rotate, call gesture detecting, and providing navigation assistance.

Conclusion

Although the Philips S396 has been discontinued, it still serves as an affordable option within emergent markets or for users looking for a simple, functional smartphone without the complexities of more modern devices. The combination of essential features, expandability options, and classic design makes it a noteworthy device in Philips’ smartphone history.