iApple Products

Micromax has just launched the new Canvas Spark smartphone priced at Rs 4,999 and available exclusively on Snapdeal. The Canvas Spark's biggest USP is price and the fact that it comes with Android Lollipop 5.0. Other than the Moto E (2nd generation) and the Intex Aqua L, this is one of the few budget smartphones to come with the latest build of Android and given the pricing, Micromax has clearly outplayed its competitors.

Specs: 4.7-inch qHD screen (960×540 pixels) with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | MediaTek MT6582 1.3-Ghz Quad-core processor | 1 GB RAM | 8 GB ROM |  8 MP rear, 2MP front camera | 2000 mAh battery

Rs 4,999

The good

What really works in this smartphone's favour is the camera. The 8MP rear camera is great for the budget range, although it doesn't work quite so well in the night  — you can check out the sample shots below. Don't expect to do some great photography tricks with this one, but you should get clear and sharp pictures, which is seriously all that is needed. However, there is a noticeable lag in the camera, when you're switching modes. And the zoom mode doesn't really give the best shots.

Then of course, there's the Android L. If you're willing to look past some of the extra apps that Micromax has pre-loaded onto this, it's a fairly smooth experience.

What I liked the most was Android L's floating and off-screen notifications. You can easily swipe any notification to the left if you don't want to look at it. You can also go to the Notifications settings and block notifications for any particular app and choose which ones should show in Priority mode as well. It's a little tedious to actually set off notifications for each app, but it's worthwhile if you want to save your battery. Also Micromax has added a battery saver mode, which limits background data use, and apps like email, etc that relying on syncing won't get updated unless you open them.

Add to this the Material Design in Android L which gives the Canvas Spark's OS a refreshing look for a budget smartphone. What lets down the Android L is the qHD screen and you can't help but wonder if Micromax could have launched the Canvas Spark with HD screen, perhaps. Tempting, but perhaps not yet.

In terms of design, the Canvas Spark is not as bulky, and Micromax has given the plastic back-cover a non-glossy, matte-feel finish, which ensures that smartphone doesn't look tacky. However, the pinkish-golden plastic frame on the side, doesn't look so great and also raises the questions of how long it will last.

If you're okay with pinkish-gold on the side, the Canvas Spark is basically following a design that we've come to see on many smartphones ever since the launch of the iPhone 6. From a distance, it looks good and seriously let's not forget that this is a low-budget smartphone.

What doesn't impress

The front camera on the other hand is disappointing. Sure it's a 2 megapixel resolution and you can add filters or click photos in the beauty mode. But the results are plain weird. Personally, the beauty mode tends to make people look really flawless, which can be quite disconcerting.

The lack of space (this is only an 8 GB smartphone) doesn't help and in addition to this some of the extra apps that come pre-installed in the Canvas Spark are just frustrating. You don't really need them and you can't help but wonder at the lost space. With only 4 GB space available on the smartphone, you will need a microSD card for all your extra apps, extra photos.

The screen is the other big let-down. Sure it is 2 inches more than the Moto E (2nd generation), but the qHD resolution doesn't impress. YouTube videos look dull on this and the screen is prone to fingerprint smudges. A screen-guard won't be such a bad idea if you tend to be not so careful with your smartphone and use it without washing your hands first.

Where performance is concerned, I did feel that the smartphone wasn't the most responsive at times. In terms of benchmarks (if you care for those even on a budget smartphone) the Micromax Canvas Spark has an Antutu score of 19698 putting it behind the Asus ZenFone 5 and the Xiaomi Redmi Note to name a few. In Quadrant, it scores 5793 ahead of the HTC One X (the original). But to be fair, this is a budget smartphone and probably aimed at many first time users. In that sense, the Canvas Spark's user experience is well-above average.

Left to right: Quadrant and Antutu Benchmark scores for the Canvas Spark.

The verdict 

For those on a budget, the Canvas Spark is a decent option to consider. It's got a decent rear camera, Android L which works fairly smoothly and frankly for Rs 4999, this is a worthy device on the list. Add to that it has more space than a lot of the original Android One smartphones offered and that should be a definite point to keep in mind, if you want an Android device with the latest OS.