Mobiistar X1 Notch: Feature-packed, but found lacking in performance

The X1 Notch offers a host of features above its price category of sub-Rs 10,000

Mobiistar, a Vietnamese smartphone brand, entered the Indian market in May last year. 

Its latest budget offering, the X1 Notch, comes with a full-view notch display has dual SIM, dual VoLTE feature that lets users to keep HD calls active on both SIM cards, the company said in a statement.

The device will be available in two variants -- 2GB RAM+16GB ROM and 3GB RAM+32GB ROM for Rs 8,499 and Rs 9,499 respectively. There are three colours to choose from for the model: Gradient Shine, Midnight Black and Sapphire Blue.

The package comes with headphones and a charger. 

The company has partnered with Reliance Jio and according to the new offer, Jio users will get a cashback worth Rs 2,200 with the newly-launched Mobiistar devices.

How does it measure up against the host of Chinese brands in the budget category? We take stock of its features and performance here.

Design and display

The phone has a plush look and feel in your hands. As the name goes, it is one of the few phones in the budget category that comes with a notch and is bezel-less. The phone is equipped with a 5.7-inch LCD IPS display and has an HD+ screen resolution of 720 x 1,498 pixels and a pixel density of 292 PPI.

One of my friends mistook it for an iPhone from a distance given its size and the placement of the rear camera. The 'gradient shine' version is a rush of shades of blue and purple and lends the phone a certain funkiness. Those who like to engage just one hand while using their phones would like this device.

Mobiistar X1 Patch. Photo: Sukanya Roy

Performance 

You might exit your messaging app but the keyboard will persist in the screen for a few seconds thereafter. This Mobiistar device suffers lags from time to time. The phone houses MediaTek's MT6739 quad-core processor having a clock speed of 1.28GHz. 

The X1 Notch has a fingerprint sensor at the back and a face recognition unlock tool too. For a budget smartphone, they work pretty fine. Quite sincerely, the face app cautions the user that someone who looks like you might also be able to unlock the device.

The phone runs with Android, v8.1 (Oreo) OS but with the usual modifications that slow down the device a bit.

Camera

The X1 Notch comes with a 13MP selfie camera that is capable of autofocus but is not equipped with a flash. The rear camera is also 13MP and has digital zoom, auto flash, face detection, touch to focus features. Both the cameras click grainy pictures in low light conditions. In daylight, one gets better pictures but the colours aren't sharp. One can shoot videos up to 1080 pixels and the cameras support Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS).

Battery

The device houses a 3020 mAh, Li-Po Battery which is non-removable. It takes more than an hour to go from zero per cent charge to fully charged and is not enough for a full day of use. The battery drains quite fast if you have apps running in the background.

Verdict

The X1 Notch offers a host of features that are generally above its price category. However, in the budget range, one would expect a smartphone to last long hours after full charging. Also, the cameras must be able to click decent pictures. These are two counts on which the X1 Notch falters. Ultimately, it asks the buyer to make a choice: great features vs not-so-great performance.