Spice Stellar 470 Unveiling Features Pricing Pros and Cons

Overview of Spice Stellar 470 (Mi-470)

The Spice Stellar 470 (Mi-470) is a smartphone that was introduced to the market in October 2014. Although it is now discontinued, it captured attention at its launch due to its blend of practical specifications and budget-friendly pricing strategy. In this article, we will delve into the specifications and features of this device in detail, examining what made it stand out in the market during its time.

Network and Connectivity

The Spice Stellar 470 supports GSM and HSPA network technologies, accommodating both 2G and 3G bands. Specifically, it supports GSM 900 / 1800 for both SIM 1 and SIM 2, and HSDPA 2100 for 3G connectivity. With a maximum speed of HSPA 21.1/5.76 Mbps, this device was positioned to provide decent mobile internet access back when 3G was the prevalent technology.

Launch Details

Announced and released in October 2014, the Spice Stellar 470 was one of the many devices launched during a pivotal year for mobile technology as smartphones were rapidly evolving. Despite its eventual discontinuation, the phone managed to gain a user base interested in affordable but feature-rich devices.

Design and Build

The phone sports dimensions of 137.8 x 68.6 x 7.9 mm and weighs 140 grams, making it relatively lightweight and compact for its era. It comes with a dual SIM slot configuration (Mini-SIM and Micro-SIM), which was a compelling feature for users needing separate SIMs for personal and professional use or different network providers.

Display Characteristics

Equipped with a 4.7-inch TFT display, the Spice Stellar 470 offers a screen resolution of 540 x 960 pixels in a 16:9 aspect ratio, with a pixel density of approximately 234 ppi. Although it doesn’t deliver full HD resolution, the display specs are adequate for basic tasks like browsing and media consumption.

Hardware and Performance

Under the hood, the Mi-470 is powered by the Mediatek MT6582 chipset, built on a 28 nm process. It includes a quad-core 1.3 GHz Cortex-A7 CPU, paired with a Mali-400MP2 GPU. This combination was sufficient for running the Android 4.4.2 KitKat operating system smoothly. While not designed for high-end gaming or multitasking, it handles everyday applications and functions with reasonable efficiency.

Memory and Storage

The device comes with 1GB of RAM and an internal storage capacity of 8GB, which can be expanded via a microSDHC card slot. At the time, the inclusion of expandable storage was a critical feature for consumers looking to store more media and applications without relying solely on internal memory.

Camera Capabilities

The main camera of the Stellar 470 is an 8 MP shooter with autofocus. Coupled with features like LED flash, panorama, and HDR, it can record videos at 1080p@30fps, capturing decent quality photos and videos for its class. The selfie camera, though modest at 3.2 MP, fulfilled basic functions for video calls and self-portraits.

Audio and Media

On the audio front, the device comes with a standard 3.5mm headphone jack and has a loudspeaker. These features ensure that users can enjoy multimedia content with standard wired connection options.

Communication Features

The Spice Stellar 470 supports various communication features such as Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, and hotspot capabilities, allowing users to connect to various wireless networks. Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP and EDR support offers a moderate range of connectivity for accessories. The absence of NFC might be seen as a limitation, but with GPS, users can rely on the device for location services. The inclusion of an FM radio adds to the media versatility of the phone. Connectivity is facilitated via a microUSB 2.0 port which also supports OTG.

Sensors and Additional Features

The phone includes basic sensors such as an accelerometer and a proximity sensor. While these sensors provide fundamental functionalities for the OS, they represent a basic sensor suite when compared to modern devices.

Battery Life

Powering the device is a Li-Ion 1500 mAh battery, providing a standby time of up to 120 hours and a talk time of up to 4 hours. For music playback, the battery can last up to 22 hours. Though these figures sound modest by today’s standards, they were quite typical for entry-level devices of its time.

Color Options and Environmental Compliance

Available in Black and Blue, the device offered a simple yet versatile color palette. As for its SAR values, it measures 0.89 W/kg (head), which falls into the safety limits defined by regulatory bodies worldwide.

Conclusion

The Spice Stellar 470 (Mi-470) is a reflection of the smartphone era back in 2014, targeting budget-conscious consumers who desired a practical yet decently configured smartphone. Its mainstream features and modest pricing helped it to carve out a niche in a competitive market. While it may not hold up against today’s technological advancements, it remains a noteworthy mention for its price-to-performance ratio during its production run.