Sunday 25 May 2014

Lava Iris 504Q+ review

 

Lava has launched upgraded version of its once high demanded model Lava 504Q smartphone in the Indian Market few days ago. It is named as Lava Iris 504Q+. Iris series really consists of some  good smartphones. It has a sleek body along with MTK processor cloaked at 1.3GHz and Android OS. Device is really great in terms of specs, looks, build, design and performance. Here I am going to evaluate this phone in the light of hands on experience .So here we go:





Form and Feel Factor
Its quite slim, mere 7.9 mm thick and weighs 149 grams. It comes in unique color  and contrast combination to give it a masculine feel. Lava is focusing a lot on the build factor to give its smartphones a premium look and feel. For the first time I have seen a metallic back cover which is coated by plastics. It has a very neat and clean finish which can be attributed to absence of hardware keys on the front. It has three capacitive touch sensitive keys at bottom. Power/standby key and volume rockers has been place on different sides. Build quality of the device is superb. It's sturdy bundled metallic back cover add a lot of additional protection as well.

Display
Its possesses 5.0 inch HD IPS OGS display with Scratch Resistant Asahi Dragon Trail Glass. To know the toughness of Asahi Dragon Trail Glass you may visit the link at the end of post. The display works great and has great contrast. Color vibrancy is also so good. The native resolution supported is 1280 x 720 pixels at 5.0 inches which makes it a great for viewing HD movies and playing HD games. No pixelation effect was seen as such.

Processor and hardware
Performance of Lava 504Q+ is rocking. It has 1.3 GHz, Quad Core  Mediatek MTK6582 processor. GPU is Mali-400MP2. The optimisation has been very limited which makes it for heavy games to work freely on the device. It features a 1GB of RAM along with 8GB of internal storage. Micro SD card slot is also there to enhance the storage upto 32 GB. Multitasking on this smart phone is buttery smooth. Credit goes to its 1 GB RAM and a quad core processor cloaked at 1.3GHz.

Operating System
It comes preloaded with Google Android Jelly Bean 4.2.2 operating system. Along with 1GB RAM, it performs tasks at awesome speeds with superb fluidity. It has smooth user interface which is really very user friendly and easy to use. Home screens can be added and reduced in number to accommodate more stuff. Lock screens get a multi windows interface that provides a quick access to apps and utilities. Its compatible with most of applications and work easily and flawlessly on this smartphone.In nut shell, I can say that experience of device is very good. OTA updates capability adds more to the charm of this sleek and robust phone.

Performance and usage
I have tested a lot of applications and tried to stress it beyond limits, but no hanging or freezing problem or jerky behavior was encountered. The 5.0 inch display is a major plus point of this device even the touch sensitivity of the device is very precise and all the gestures are very accurately registered and translated by the device. In terms of Antutu benchmark Lava Iris 504Q+ offered 16994 marks putting it above well established branded smartphones. As compared to its predecessor, Lava Iris 504Q, this smartphone has significant improvements in benchmarks. The call performance of this device is also another major plus point for the device. The calls are received and made without any issue. The earpiece and loudspeaker volume is good and the microphone also makes sure the receiver gets to hear every world loud and clear. There is an extra mic for noise cancellation too.

But I was quiet disappointed when I noticed data signal elopes itself at  moments. After that phone needs to be restarted to get data connection/signal again.That's something very annoying and defeats the purpose of true smartphone. At very first sight it seems to be software related problem which can be rectified with some update from Lava. But at the same time probability of trouble in hardware can not be ruled out.   

Camera and multimedia
It is having 10 MP rear camera (Auto Focus) along with 2MP front HD camera (Fixed Focus).
Results are far better than other phones in simillar price segment. The camera has  BSI with Sony Exmor RS Sensor . BIS Sensor boosts up the colors and details in low light conditions. Its capable of recording Full HD 1080p videos @ 30 FPS.Both outdoor and indoor image performance rocks. LED flash comes in to play wherever needed and performs far better than other phones in same segment.On multimedia front this device features support for all generic android formats. There is also stereo FM included which also supports HD recording.



Battery
Its having removable 2000 mAh Li-Polymer battery which give a quiet decent performance of one day full usage with optimum usage.


 Lava Iris 504 Q+ Specifications
Network                      2G/3G
Operating System       Android 4.2.2
Dimensions                72.5×146.7×7.9 mm
Display                       5.0", HD IPS LCD 1280 x 720
Display Protection      Scratch Resistant Asahi Dragon Trail Glass
Input Method              Capacitive Touchscreen
Processor                    1.3 GHz, Quad core
Memory                      1 GB RAM 8GB internal memory
Connectivity               Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
Multimedia                 Multiformat audio Video player
Camera                       10MP BIS SONY EXMOR rear (AF),2 MP front (FF)
GPS                            GPS +AGPS
Additional features     Free Intelligent flip cover  + One free screen guard
Battery                        2000 mAh
Warranty                     1 Yr
Price                            INR 12500  ( Best Bargain price is 12000 INR) 



When we see the similar phones in sub 13000 category, following pros and cons can be concluded:

Pros
10MP rear camera with SONY EXMOR sensor (really impressed a lot)
Intelligent Flip cover ( Premium looking)
Metallic back cover
Absence of per-installed crap ware.
Gesture support

Cons
Free screen guard is a waste as it is little oversized and thus does not stick well at capacitive buttons end. Air remains entrapped at lower end, due to which it peels off itself.

No official word about Kitkat update.

Data connection disconnects itself occasionally.  Then a restart is needed to get data signal. (seems to be some software related glitch which must be fixed). I shall also check it on some other unit if i get it from somewhere.


Nutshell
The handset seems to be well built and looks and build quality are rock solid. The handset comes with a premium looking Intelligent flip cover. When it comes to internal storage the handset comes with an impressive 8 GB on board memory. The handset comes with an impressive 10 mega pixel rear camera with auto focus besides a front facing 2 megapixel camera for video chatting.
The handset is posing a stiff competition to recently launched Moto G and others in its segment. With better camera and premium looks, it will surely beat other handsets from other Indian smartphone vendors. Lava Iris 504Q+ is available at attractive price of INR12500 in retail. At such price it offers features and functionality in a sleek and slim profile. The only issue one may think is that of Customer Care Services in India. And that too varies from state to state.

At present, as per me, Lava 504Q+ offers a very good package in 5 inch screen segment. The price is also lucrative. Performance is good beyond any doubt and the battery life is also decent. I personally love this phone and think that its a best available "Money + Performance" preposition right now.

But two above mentioned points in the "CONS" need to be addressed by Lava very soon before it becomes too late for them to encash the revenue generation from otherwise awesome product. Regarding second point, I would like to remind Lava that even Micromax's low range phone "A120 Colors" has been promised Kitkat update. Lava should save its well made and designed  product from Micromax's A120's side effects as it also falls in 9000 bucks category.

Link for Asahi Dragon Trail Glass in Lava 504Q+

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