XOLO Q1100 handset was launched about a month ago. The handset packs in features such as a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor and an 8-megapixel rear snapper. We have the handset for some time now and have already posted the hands-on images along with our first impressions of the device.
Here’s our detailed review of the XOLO Q1100.
XOLO Q1100 specs :
- 5 inch display
- 1280 x 720 pixels resolution
- 1.4 GHz quad core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor
- 450 MHz Adreno 305 GPU
- 1 GB RAM
- 8 GB internal memory
- 8 MP primary camera
- 2 MP front facing camera
- Google Android v4.3 Jelly Bean
- 2000 mAh battery
Design and hardware
The XOLO Q1100 is designed like a plastic slab. It comes with rectangular form factor which is tapered around the bottom and curved at the edges. It comes in black and is a bit plasticky.
This handset definitely could have done better on the design front. It is a bit thick though not bulky. It also comes with a flip cover, which would remind one of recent Samsung handsets, but its not a job well done.
It has metallic themed buttons jutting out of the sides, but instead of giving the handset some sheen, they actually make it look a bit on the ugly side.
The front of the XOLO Q1100 is taken up mostly by the 5-inch screen. It has the usual back, home and settings buttons at the bottom. The bezels are not too thick, yet not too thin.There’s a small notification LED in the speaker grill at the top along with the 2MP camera.
The back of the handset is plastic and doesn’t feel too great. It gets smudgy over time. The back of the handset houses an 8MP snapper. The volume rocker is located at the left, while the power button is located on the right.
The 3.5 mm audio jack is located at the top, while the MicroUSB slot is located at the bottom.
All in all, the XOLO Q1100 is not a stunner – we find the design thick and not too attractive.
Display
The XOLO Q1100 comes with a 5-inch 720p display, the handset lights up good and the viewing angles on this handset are great. The colors are pretty vibrant actually. We would rate the display as a sharp one for a mid-range phone.
But the display gets smudgy easily and when this happens, it kind of loses sensitivity. Overall, the display is a mix of good and bad.
User Interface
The XOLO Q1100 comes with Android 4.3 on board. Indian handset makers are definitely lagging behind when it comes to upgrading their handsets to the most recent Android iteration. The handset offers plenty of stuff in terms of the UI.
The XOLO Q1100 comes with a Qualcomm Battery Guru app built-in. It tells you a lot of different ways to save battery and optimize your device. But most importantly, it will refresh the phone regularly to make sure that that you are making the best of the battery. The low battery mode was actually awesome and useful.
XOLO has also put a few official apps such as XOLO power, XOLO warranty registration and XOLO secure.
Performance
The XOLO Q1100 is a pretty cool device. The highlight here is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor inside. This is where the XOLO Q1100 essentially stands out. In this price range, handsets are generally equipped with MediaTek processors which perform at a lower level. As you can see from its benchmark scores, the XOLO Q1100 does pretty well for itself. Beating the Samsung Galaxy S3 is definitely a biggie for any mid-range handset.
XOLO has a fad for powerful processors, just like people have fads for heavy cars. But, just having a Snapdragon 400 processor on board doesn’t make the handset work well. The thing is, you need optimization to make full use of any processor.
There were generally no lags and we have no complaints when it comes to the XOLO Q1100’s performance.
Battery Performance
The XOLO Q1100 comes with a 2000 mAh battery. With the battery, for ideal performance optimization matters more than power. The XOLO Q1100 offers you everything at your disposal. The handset has not only a built-in Qualcomm Battery Guru app for doing so, but XOLO has in fact, endowed the handset with its own XOLO Power app that is made for this purpose.
The Low Battery mode works amazingly. It can actually allow you to play low-def games even when your battery is less than 15 percent, which is something pretty awesome.
The battery usage of the handset lasted pretty and we were left impressed.
Camera
The XOLO Q1100 comes with an 8-megapixel snapper at the back. It works well both indoors and outdoors. While the low-light input could have been better. XOLO has put in some real stuff when it comes to the camera performance. We were pleasantly surprised to find out how the camera performed.
The camera app, though is a wholly different thing. It is actually different from any regular Android app. XOLO has put in a set of complicated controls and it takes you a while to adjust to it. We actually couldn’t, in our time with it.
But whatever the camera app lacks, the camera makes up for it. Here are some different filters applied to a particular image.
Sunset Mode
ASD
Beach
Snow
Fireworks
Candlelight
Auto
Here are some other shots we took from it.
The camera performs better than any mid-range smartphone camera we have seen recently.
Connectivity
As far as connectivity goes, the handset didn’t give us much problems, other than it did tend to lose signal in low-signal areas.
Verdict
The XOLO Q1100 comes with a Rs. 14,999 price tag. While that sounds like a cool price, but recent unveils have kind of changed our perspective on that. The handset competes with the Moto G, which is available for around Rs. 13,000. While the XOLO Q1100 truly has some good things on offer, we can’t really prefer it to the competition as of now. The only thing that works in its favour is that this handset is lighter and bigger.
Pros
- Great Processor
- Great camera
- Superb battery usage options
Cons
- Plastic form factor
- Smudgy screen
- Complicated camera controls
- Non-ergonomic design
To buy XOLO Q1100 visit here or in case you want to buy a Moto G then visit here.
