XOLO Q700s Unveiled Specs Prices Pros & Cons

Overview of XOLO Q700s

The XOLO Q700s, launched in January 2014, was a mid-range smartphone targeted at consumers looking for affordability without sacrificing basic functionality. While it has been discontinued, this device was quite popular in its time for its decent specifications and build at a reasonable price point. Though technology has rapidly advanced since its release, understanding the Q700s provides a glimpse into the evolution of budget smartphones.

Design and Build

The XOLO Q700s featured a sleek design with dimensions of 136 x 64.6 x 8.9 mm, making it comfortable to hold and use with one hand. Despite its budget nature, the phone aimed for a premium look with colors available in Golden and Silver. The weight of the device was not disclosed; however, its build quality was often praised for being solid despite its price.

One remarkable feature was its Dual SIM capability which was quite a sought-after feature at the time, allowing users to have two separate phone numbers and networks on a single device.

Display

The phone boasted a 4.5 inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 480 x 854 pixels. This offered a pixel density of about 218 ppi, which was standard during its time. While modern displays offer much higher densities and resolutions, the display on the XOLO Q700s was adequate for tasks such as browsing, messaging, and watching videos.

The screen-to-body ratio was approximately 63.5%, which was acceptable before edge-to-edge displays became the norm.

Performance

Powering the XOLO Q700s was the MediaTek MT6582M chipset, a quad-core 1.3 GHz Cortex-A7 processor, accompanied by a Mali-400MP2 GPU. This hardware setup provided enough power for day-to-day applications and multitasking between activities. However, it wasn't tailored for heavy gaming or intensive applications, which was acceptable for its segment during the time of release.

The device came with 1 GB of RAM and 4 GB of internal storage, expandable via a dedicated microSDHC slot. This allowed users some flexibility to store more apps, photos, and media than the inbuilt storage might otherwise permit.

Camera

On the photography front, the XOLO Q700s equipped an 8 MP rear camera with autofocus, LED flash, and panorama capabilities, allowing for decent daylight captures and 1080p video recording at 30fps. Although not outstanding by today's standards, this sensor provided enough quality for casual photographers during its era.

The VGA front camera was quite basic, serving the needs of video calls and the occasional selfie, but not suited for the more demanding front-facing photography we expect in modern devices.

Battery Life

Fueling the device was a removable Li-Ion 1800 mAh battery. The phone promised a standby endurance of up to 600 hours on 2G and 450 hours on 3G, alongside a talk time of up to 23 hours on 2G and 9 hours on 3G networks. The option to replace the battery was a plus point, providing users extended usability by easily swapping out for a fresh battery.

Network and Connectivity

The XOLO Q700s supported GSM and HSPA networks and had 3G capabilities with speeds up to 21.1/5.76 Mbps. Connectivity features included Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, a hotspot for wireless tethering, Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP, GPS for navigation, a microUSB 2.0 port for charging and data transfer, but unfortunately, it lacked NFC connectivity. Additionally, it featured an FM radio which was a staple in many phones at the time, and also came with a 3.5mm headphone jack for standard audio output.

Software and User Experience

The device ran on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, offering a user-friendly interface and a good degree of functionality for the time. However, it should be noted that updates beyond this version were limited, which is a significant factor for those considering devices for long-term use.

Sensors and Other Features

Simplistic in its sensor offerings, the XOLO Q700s was equipped with basic sensors such as an accelerometer and proximity sensor. These facilitated basic device functionalities and interaction but lacked more advanced sensors introduced in smartphones in later years.

Conclusion

In summary, the XOLO Q700s was a compelling option in the budget smartphone market of 2014. Its design, Dual SIM capability, reasonable performance, and replaceable battery made it a practical choice for users seeking basic smartphone functionality without breaking the bank. As with any budget device, compromises were evident, especially when put against today's technology, but its affordability and feature set captured the market segment it targeted effectively.