Micromax Canvas A1
Verdict
Key specs
Critic consensus
“The Micromax Canvas A1 is a decent enough smartphone for the price range. It runs stock Android, officially has Google’s stamp of approval, boasts quick performance and decent build quality. Sure, the display and the camera isn’t too great, but at this price range it’s hard to find anything else that comes close.In terms of competition, there’s the Nokia Lumia 525 and 520, which are close to the same price range, but run Windows Phone. Then there’s the Xiaomi Redmi 1S, which is incredible value for money but a little hard to get. There’s also the Moto E which is a better alternative in my opinion. There’s also the Huawei Honor Holly but I honestly havent checked out that phone yet.Then there’s the other two Android One smartphones, the Spice UNO and the Karbonn Sparkle V, which offer exactly the same experience but with different designs. Your choice there will have to be about which company offers better service and customer care in your area.”
“We think the Micromax Canvas A1 is the best smartphone made by the company. It is dwarfed by the specs of the Canvas Knight or the Canvas Nitro, but is actually a way better overall experience in terms of usability, stability, and longevity. In fact, it looks way more expensive and sophisticated than its price suggests. It’s also great value thanks to the price, while the promised updates from Google are the cherry on top. The only drawbacks are the camera, which is not terrible, but could be better, while the smudges.It’s also a vindication of the notion that stock Android is the best form of Android. Customisations are great but not at the cost of user experience. It’s a sure recommendation in the budget category over the likes of the Moto E and the Xiaomi Redmi 1s, and if you are looking for a budget smartphone this winter, look no further.”
“The Micromax Canvas A1 is a very good smartphone and provides surprisingly good performance, but it needed to be priced a bit lower. The magic price point for these devices would have been lower than Rs. 5,000 in order to really make an impression in the Tier I markets. It is a godsend for Tier II and Tier III markets though and provides top of the line performance at a considerably low price point.”
“The Micromax Canvas A1 and the entire Android One experience it offers is very good. The phone promises a kind of confidence not easily achievable in this price range. However, for users the tough choice will be in figuring out whether to opt for this phone or something else that offers similar or better specs at a slight different price.”
Watch before you decide
What people say
Only a few ratings so far, not enough to show a trend yet.
1 rating so far
I had bought this phone on Amazon.in. It got delivered to me on Nov 5th 2014. It was perfectly ok till Jan 24th 2015. Suddenly one fine day it the power button/display switch off button stopped working and responding. It is an extremely dreadful situation. Once the display is off, there is no way...
In Depth
The Micromax Canvas A1 is one of the three smartphones initially introduced as part of Google’s Android One initiative. As with the other Android One phones, the Micromax comes with the latest version of Android and will update to the newer versions before other non-Google sponsored devices. This can potentially give it a huge advantage over others within the budget market. With that said, it isn’t a fit for consumers who want something eye catching. It offers a typical rectangular shape with curved edges. Although its body is made entirely of plastic, reviewers add that the construction itself is quite solid though it errs on the bulky side. It also comes with a removable back cover so users can easily switch out the batteries and add a microSD card.
The 4.5-inch WVGA display offers a resolution of only 480 pixels. Although reviewers wouldn’t describe it as very crisp, they go on to say that the colors are vibrant and viewing angles are on par with many other budget phones. Still, they did have some issues viewing it during bright light situations and noticed that it also attracted dirt and smudges.
Equipped with a 1.3GHz quad-core processor and 1GB of RAM, the Canvas A1 isn’t a powerhouse by any means but it performs well. Critics didn’t experience any major issues when browsing the web or scrolling through the UI. Of course, once they began using heavy-duty apps they experienced some slowdowns, especially when playing graphically intensive games. The major issue, however, is the lack of internal storage. While it comes with 4GB only 2.2GB is actually usable. This severely limits the amount of apps users can download and also required critics to expand the memory with a micoSD card in order to take pictures. Battery life is also a bit of a disappointment as it lasted critics less than 10 hours on a single charge during moderate usage.
The back of the phone houses a 5MP camera. At best, reviewers describe it as average as images lack detail and the camera itself is slow to focus with these issues getting worse in low light settings. Still, Firstpost adds, “…most people using the Canvas A1 won’t be printing their pictures, but only sharing them on Instagram or Facebook. For which it is more than good enough.”
Reviews are generally mixed when it comes to the Canvas A1. India Today states, “Currently, it is inadvisable to buy the Canvas A1 as its core hardware is underwhelming despite having a great software experience.” On the other hand, Tech Tree says, “…the Canvas runs quite smooth…the handset is sturdy and offers a good screen…taking price into consideration the Micromax Canvas A1 is a good choice for first-time smartphone users.”
What people actually want to know
When was the Micromax Canvas A1 released?
The Micromax Canvas A1 was released on September 15, 2014.
How long does the battery last on the Micromax Canvas A1?
The Micromax Canvas A1 has a 1,700 mAh battery.
Does the Micromax Canvas A1 support wireless charging?
No, the Micromax Canvas A1 does not support wireless charging.
Does the Micromax Canvas A1 have a headphone jack?
Yes, the Micromax Canvas A1 has a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Does the Micromax Canvas A1 have NFC?
No, the Micromax Canvas A1 does not have NFC. Contactless payments and tap-to-pair will not be available.
Questions & answers
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