As the
dust starts to settle after all the hullabaloo created by the Xperia series,
HTC One series, the Lumias and the other big names of the world, a handset
stealthily entered the Indian market, which is not just cheap but has all the
features that that a gadget lover wants in his machine. The name, dear readers, is Spice Stellar Mi-425.
But
before we divulge into a review, I must tell you that in this article I am not going
to try to compare Mi-425 with any of the above mentioned names. The reason is
simple- they are four to five times costlier than this phone. But I would not
hesitate in stating that this handset has almost all the features that aforementioned
handsets possess. Let’s find out how much veracity my statement has.
The Pros
First
let’s have a look at the specs: the Spice Mi-425 has a 4.0 inch screen with a
resolution of 800x480, which, by any standard, is a good screen quality. This
mobile phone has a 1GHz processor, which is as good as you want. This handset
has two cameras: a 5 MP one on the rear side of the body and a VGA one on the
front side. In the battery segment the Spice Mi-425 has a Li-Ion 2000 mAhbattery. This handset saves unlimited phone book entries and has a memory
expansion capacity of 32 GB.
Turning
our attention towards the software segment of the phone, it has Android
Gingerbread OS on board and has the potential to get upgraded to the latest ICS
4.0 OS. For the users, it offers full version of the Google Play so that they
are able to download their favorite apps and games. It comes pre-loaded with
many Google apps including YouTube, Gtalk, and Gmail and social networking
clients including Facebook. It has an Android browser to better the user’s net
surfing experiencing. You can also download VoIP clients to have cheap Internet
calls.
Spice
Mi-425 is a 3G enabled handset, which has a Dual band 2G connectivity. The phone
is a dual-SIM handset that gives the users additional liberty to keep two
numbers with them. Mi-425 has Bluetooth v2.1 then it has a Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n and can perform as Wi-Fi hotspot,as well. There
is USB connectivity to transfer files.
Below are some of the specimen of the 5 MP camera that this handset has:
Below are some of the specimen of the 5 MP camera that this handset has:
The Cons
Though the
appearance of the phone is quite pleasing to the eyes, you may feel slightly
disappointed with its weight .
The inbuilt
memory is so trifling that the phone asks you to insert a microSD card as soon as
you try to take your first pic. Spice should have included a microSD card
within the box.
When you zoom the camera the pixels start to
crack, which is again a concern for camera lovers.
The Pricing
The
price for this feature-rich phone is just 9999 INR, yes that is true, it is not
in the five digits. If you compare this phone with phones like Lumia 800, which
does not have a front camera, the conspicuous advantage comes to strike you. Even
in the battery segment the Mi-425 scores some valuable points. The size of the
handset is also bigger than the said mobile. Plus it costs you three times less
than the Lumia 800.
The Verdict
All the
above mentioned cons get trivialized once the price tag comes to the fore. With
this phone you pay a medium sum of money and get features of a real high end
smartphone, what else one can ask for. The verdict is all in the GREEN.
To let you know about the video recording capabilities of the handset, here is an example -
To let you know about the video recording capabilities of the handset, here is an example -
Hey folks you comments are most welcome.
how much spice mi-425 scored in bench mark test
ReplyDeleteHi Deep999... The device scored 2845 in the benchmark test using AnTuTu. Pl let me know if you want more details specifically :-)
DeleteCan you elaborate on the score please? Where does it stand in comparison with other smartphones?
DeleteWhat is RAM and ROM of this device?
ReplyDeleteRAM 512MB, ROM 512MB
DeleteNice review.
ReplyDeleteHow is the screen performance in the sun light?
The screen performance in the sun was better than my expectation, i would give it 8 on 10. Impressive.
ReplyDeleteHi Deep999... The device scored 2845 in the benchmark test using AnTuTu. Pl let me know if you want more details specifically :-)
ReplyDeleteHi,
DeleteHave you figured out the gpu and/or cpu of this phone
Thanks
1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor
DeleteGPU - 245 MHz
Vrinda, amazing details on the phone. great job..thanks..can you pls confirm and give details if mi 425 uses the same processor as Mi 410?
Deleteyes.. both have same processor, clocking 1 GHz speed
DeleteWhat is 3G speed have MI-425?
DeleteHi this is arvinder....wisht to know which device is better....Karbonn A9 or Spice Mi425 because both have the same specifications..
ReplyDeleteDetails given here
Deletehttp://india-mobilewatch.blogspot.in/2012/06/spice-mi-425-vs-karbonn-a9-comparison.html
Dear Arvinder, the Spice Mi-425 has bigger display, it has a conspicuously bigger battery, and according to my choice it is a little better looking than A9, so you should go for it.
ReplyDeleteA good review.
ReplyDeleteI am planning to buy a7 from karbonn. But i came to know spice is releasing 3 hansets by june 6, so should i wait for some more time.
Also a7 is available for 6346 on webiste of indiatimes shopping and my budget is 7000 max.
Thanks,
Hitesh
Thanks for the review,could you please consider making a hands-on video review for the same.
ReplyDeletePlease reply, so that i can decide which mobile to buy. So basically my questions are as follows:
ReplyDelete1. Spice -mi425 only supports MP4, Cant we play ,other format videos on it?
2. Is Spice 425 (with 140mb internal RAM)slower in its operations? Will it hang with so low internal memory?
3. which is a better mobile in quality – Spice or Karbonn?
it can play the videos of any format,just u need to install an appropriate software to run it from google store
DeleteHello vrinda,
ReplyDeleteI want to know the screen quality and want to know can we play 720p videos on spice mi425.
Hi Dev,
DeleteI tried playing a 720p sample video on Mi-425. It failed :-(
hi vrinda... nice phone..can u make a video of it plzz.. to know the application and d working of phone.. plz try it...
ReplyDeleteHi Sushant..Will try to upload some videos on our YouTube channel soon. Keep tracking channel by vrinda2020
DeleteHere you go
Deletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Wq0PHl8UgQ&feature=youtu.be
Will try to upload a couple of videos more..
Hey sushant.. created one more video :-)
Deletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNa2c0LHAUU&feature=youtu.be
Can you upload few photos as well.does the camera have TEXT photo mode?
DeleteHey!!! Sorry to ask a question that's already been posted again but are you sure that the RAM is 502 MB because on all the seller sites there's no mention of it. Infact the only mention of Memory is that its 150 MB ???
ReplyDeletehi to all ok let me put this as brief as possible.
ReplyDeletei purchased this phone yesterday and i am pretty satisfied with all its feature
-firstly screen is very big and display is also very good with above average pixel density.
-you cant play hd video on it nor diff formats but still video quality is also above average and specially in this price range
-camera is the stealer it clicks very sharp and nice images though a little zoom will effect its quality but still a good camera
-touch and processor are very smooth handles multitasking with ease. a very minute lag but unnoticeable
-music is decent too 9(only con till now)
-battery backup is solid one you can use this phone all day long without hesitation
-build quality and durability is good
last verdict- excellent phone in price range below 13k. one of the best phone if you are looking for your first android phone.
GO FOR IT
Thanks Mr. Solanki, you really seem to like your handset.
Deletedoes it have gorilla glass.Hows music thru' in ear headsets?
DeleteIf it has Gorilla Glass, Beats In-Ear and such high end phone features, it is hard for Spice to price it under 10K :)
DeleteHi
ReplyDeletePerhaps Karbonn has also promised a ICS upgrade recently, so it is difficult to choose between the two phones now.
igyaan.in calculated the quadrant benchmark of Karbonn A9 to be 1509.
Can you please do a benchmark analysis with the same software so that the two values can be compared. Or conversely you can do a benchmark of Karbonn A9 with Antutu, for comparison with that 2845 value.
Also please tell the SAR value in W/kg of MI-425.
Thanks.
other softwares on play store will play other video formats so why worry
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteCan you please tell me one thing, If you GPRS is active on one sim, can I received call on other sim?
Hi Mr. Pritesh,
DeleteThe question you asked is a good one, and the answer is obviously yes, you can always receive calls when the GPRS thing is functioning on either of the SIMs.
Thanks you Avinash
DeleteHi omkar here, i wana ask what gpu it has? I mean what make? Its definitely nt adreno as it can play 720p video. So which one is it? Its a very important questn as it wud decide whether the phone can handle multimedia(movie) nd graphics(game) properly. Not being able to play 720p video is a big drawbak. I thnk it has to do with its gpu. Nice quick review.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much!!
ReplyDeleteI'm actually going to purchase this right now!
Does Airtel GPRS work on this phone....My friend is not able to download the settings....
ReplyDeleteNo need to download the settings, its smart phone, just go to : wireless networks- mobile networks - access point names - select airtelgprs with apn airtelgprs.com.
Deletehi sir, Vrinda, does it support some software like nimbuzz,fring,skype etc.plz reply soon. thanks
ReplyDeleteYes.. It supports. I tried Nimbuzz and Skype. It even supports video chatting over Skype :-)
DeleteThanks for the update Vrinda. can you advise lag (if any) over skype? need to know since i travel a lot and need to stay connected. also, how is 3G on this phone ?(if you can advise over MTNL nw)
DeleteHello VRINDA , i'm a big fan of yours . my worry is GPRS speed , its spec. says class 12 . is it good enough ? THANX in advance.
ReplyDeleteClass 12 means 32 - 48 kbps upload / 32 - 48 kbps download.
DeleteSamsung Galaxy S III, the most advanced smartphone has Class 12 GPRS. Mi-425 also supports same class 12 GPRS.
Thanx a lot now i m gonna definately buy it.
Deletei have purchased it from saholic.com for Rs 9700 and i am getting 8gb card for free
ReplyDeletethanks for the update. does saholic also give warranty? how was the experience coz plang to buy it frm them.
DeleteHello sir, I want to know that spice mi 425 has 140 mb internal memory will affect on phone's working and i have read on the mobile indian site that battery backup of this phone is not good, is it true
ReplyDeleteCan anybody please tell me the ics update release date
ReplyDeleteHi Vrinda! I have a few questions about this phone:
ReplyDelete1) Since it cannot play HD videos will high quality games work good in this phone?
2) I have heard that its wifi gets disconnected frequently, is that true?
3) Can we trust Spice for build quality and durability?
Excellent review and question handling Avinash and Vrinda. Keep up the great work!
ReplyDeletecan u please tell , how'z the gaming in this mobile,
ReplyDelete,did u tried any heavy game on it???
Mr Vrinda. Where can i buy it from.can u give me contact no. or location adress.
ReplyDeleteIf you are comfortable buying it online, you can try www.saholic.com, else you can visit any Spice Hotspot outlet near your area.
DeleteHello vrinda madam , if you have used this phone please tell me does it hangs while making or ending calls ? Some users are reporting this problem. & also can we see an android jelly bean update on this device is it compatible? Thank you
ReplyDeletePlzzzzz tell me howz its music quality thru headset..
ReplyDeleteIs it jelly bean compatible any chances of spice releasing it
ReplyDeleteSpice hasn't planned Jelly Bean update for this phone.
DeleteIs it jelly bean compatible any chances of spice releasing it
ReplyDeleteHi, Just want to ask one question.
ReplyDeleteIs the difference in quality between multinational brands like samsung and indian brands is the reason for difference inprice or it is not that important factor in smartphones available now a days. I.e. difference in the workmanship and quality of components used in duifferent cell phones.
Hi Mukesh,
DeleteBefore I start to answer your question, I would like to mention that the brands that call themselves Indian brands are not purely Indian brands. I am saying this because I know that the handsets that they manufacture are not manufactured by them actually, they are just assemble specimen of cheap Chinese parts. Some companies ( some big Indian names) can’t even manufacture the chassis of a mobile handset. As far as the price is concerned the whole world knows the currency status of countries like India and China. you can guess the hardware quality of such Indian Names for yourself.
A very tricky question :-) I would say, one should not consider brand name while purchasing a mobile phone, especially an Android phone, unless you are sure that there is something in the device that is highly “brand-specific” to satisfy some of your needs. I’m talking about brand specific UI, apps etc… If you don’t have any such requirement, you can buy a phone from any brand that satisfies your hardware and software requirement. And just party with the money you save :-)
Deleteis it support msworld,pdf edit document
ReplyDeleteDoes it support class 10 - 16GB or 32 GB microSDHC card or sandisk ultra/extreme sdcards?
ReplyDeleteanyone using this phone pls tell how does gprs nd 3g work on this phone.are u happy with the gprs capabilities of the phone? pls reply
ReplyDeleteIt is one of the best smartphone in range of Rs.10,000 with excellent features.
ReplyDeleteWhat is 3G speed of MI-425 have?
ReplyDeleteCan anyone tell me what is the message storage capacity of this Mobile Spice MI-425,bcoz i require unlimited storage capacity or atleast 2000 sms's.
ReplyDelete