Phablets (phones plus tablets) seem to push the boundaries in terms of just how big smartphones can go before making tablets redundant. The case in point is the Spice Stellar Pinnacle Mi-530. The 5.3-inch display is rather ungainly to handle but as one gets the hang of it, one realises there might be a section of users who are looking for a budget bridge between the phone and the tablet. In all likelihood, the Stellar Pinnacle could be the solution.
Running a 1.2 GHz dual core processor and packing an internal memory of 16 GB and 1 GB of RAM on a qHD display (960 X 540 pixels), the phone is both gigantic and a little heavy at 196.3 gm. Though the display is massive, the resolution is poor hence, the first impressions of the phone may not be overwhelming because of the poor pixel density. But that said, one cannot lose track of the fact that this is a budget phone and some corners have been cut.
The phone has an 8 MP rear-facing camera and a surprising 5 MP front-facing camera, which is the highest this writer has seen on any smartphone thus far. The camera performance, unfortunately, is a bit shoddy, especially in low light circumstances. Some photos clicked using both the front and the rear-facing camera came out a bit grainy.
Thankfully, the best thing about this phablet is its battery life. The 2,550 mAh battery kept the phone going for more than 8 hours on a 2.5G network, and for a phone this big that is pretty good.
One of the more interesting aspects of the phone is it comes with personalised smart controls such as a ‘direct call’ feature that will automatically call the number of the SMS conversation you are reading when the phone is brought near the ear or the ‘flip to mute’ function is used.
The phone plays all popular media formats. So watching videos or listening to music is not a problem. However, the display is poor and does not render great outdoors.
The MRP on the box of the phone, received for review, was Rs. 19,990 but the phone is said to be currently retailing at less than Rs. 14,000. It is worth checking out especially if you want a budget device that will come in handy more for its tablet-like functionalities. Now with Google Play store selling e-books, buying a smartphone with a big enough display makes all the more sense.
