Android Within 10k

[lr7745]

My phone (Samsung Star 2) was stolen yesterday, so I've got to get a new phone. I've used android before (Mmx a60 - while it worked) and loved it, so I want a Android within a budget around 10k.

1. Budget - 10k.
2. Display type and size?
3. Form Factor? bar, slider, flip? Bar.
4. Preferred choice of brand? None (except Mmx/Karbonn/Spice)
5. Preferred input method (QWERTY, touchscreen, numpad, touch-n-type) - Touch, obviously.
6. What camera option you want? Please specify need for flash, autofocus, front facing camera - None (although flash would be good)
7. Preferred operating system? (Android, Symbian, iOS, Windows Phone etc) - Android.
8. Preferred connectivity options (3G, Wifi etc)Please specify clearly - 3G, WiFi (Hotspot if possible), Bluetooth.
9. Preferred applications (Flash, Swype, GPS, etc)? None, really.
10. Primary use of handset (multimedia, camera, mails, internet, gaming etc) - Multimedia, Internet, and very very rare gaming.
11. Any specific mobile phones in consideration? Huawei Ascend G300, Huawei Ideos X5 U8800 Pro (Not the older X5)
12. Any other info that you want to share - Is Huawei a good brand? I don't want Indian brands as I've had HORRIBLE experience with my Mmx a60, which died within 4 months.... Or should I still consider them...
Also, ICS is required. Both the phones I've picked are GB but ICS upgradable, and there are a few good custom roms for the G300 as well (work is going on for a JB rom), but didn't like the amount of dev-ing going on for the X5 pro (add to that the fact that the ICS upgrade for the X5 pro is buggy) so my primary choice is the G300. So what do you guys say?

 

[bhushan2k]

ascend g300 is very good phone under 10k...it might also get jb update as gsmarena quoted "planned upgrade to 4.x"..still doubt thought...as 512mb ram phones are incomplete for jb update said by many manufacturers...under-powered gpu (obviously to support cortex a5 proccy) n cam sensor compared to Ideos x5 u8800 (adreno 200 vs 205, non hd recording vs 720p hd recording)...still under 10k..it's good deal...

 

[lr7745]

ICS is quite good enough for me, I don't think it's gonna get JB officially, either, but I saw work going on for a CM10 in the phone's Modaco forum. Anyway the X5 pro ram is 512 mb too.... And since I don't game much or shoot photos/videos (just a quick snap in a week or so), I don't think the cam is gonna matter too much, either... I just need a phone capable of decent multitasking, and a big screen....
I have one query, though.... Is the Huawei support any good in India?
I was flipping through flipkart and I saw the Mmx A110 Canvas 2. Is it any good? And more importantly, can it last a year?

 

[coderunknown]

ascend g300 is very good phone under 10k...it might also get jb update as gsmarena quoted "planned upgrade to 4.x"..still doubt thought...as 512mb ram phones are incomplete for jb update said by many manufacturers...under-powered gpu (obviously to support cortex a5 proccy) n cam sensor compared to Ideos x5 u8800 (adreno 200 vs 205, non hd recording vs 720p hd recording)...still under 10k..it's good deal...

i have used Android 4.1.2 and 512MB ram is more than enough. One need a fast processor and an equally capable GPU for JellyBean. G300 if OP want slightly bigger display sacrificing 720p recording.

 

[lr7745]

i have used Android 4.1.2 and 512MB ram is more than enough. One need a fast processor and an equally capable GPU for JellyBean. G300 if OP want slightly bigger display sacrificing 720p recording.

So JB should run ok on the Adreno 200? Since I don't need 720p recording, the GPU is where it boils down to, as I'm ok with both the screen sizes.

 

[bhushan2k]

i have used Android 4.1.2 and 512MB ram is more than enough. One need a fast processor and an equally capable GPU for JellyBean. G300 if OP want slightly bigger display sacrificing 720p recording.

that's great.. just a curious to know..which phone have u used for jb?? my friend's defy+ lags on custom jb rom...he tried many roms...m defy+ running on cortex a8 + powervr sgx 530 is definitely powerful than g300 running on underpowered cortex a5 + adreno 200...

but g300 is a great deal for 10-12k price tag considering the fact that OP's priority is not a camera but a good multitasking which must be improved after ics update...

 

[lr7745]

Well, I've almost decided to go ahead with the G300, but there's only bugging me.... will it be able to play 720p videos with mxplayer??

 

[coderunknown]

So JB should run ok on the Adreno 200? Since I don't need 720p recording, the GPU is where it boils down to, as I'm ok with both the screen sizes.

Adreno200 is getting really old but can handle JB just fine. And the latest experimental release (CM10) is said to be even more smooth.

that's great.. just a curious to know..which phone have u used for jb?? my friend's defy+ lags on custom jb rom...he tried many roms...m defy+ running on cortex a8 + powervr sgx 530 is definitely powerful than g300 running on underpowered cortex a5 + adreno 200...

LG Optimus One. if i am not wrong the rom i used (back to ICS) didn't have triple buffering on yet was really smooth.

 

[coderunknown]

Well, I've almost decided to go ahead with the G300, but there's only bugging me.... will it be able to play 720p videos with mxplayer??

AFAIK Cortex A5 based chipset can't decode 720p video natively but software rendering is possible.

 

[Tejas.Gupta]

I used custom 4.0 on Optimus one and also on Galaxy Fit both 600Mhz...Works like charm !

 

[lr7745]

Off topic, but if this is succesful, I'm gonna explode with joy and happiness....
WP8 rom alpha for the G300 (Dual boot CM10 and WP8 ftw), which I've decided to get, will probably get in Dec or early Jan (using a Nokia 101 till then).....

 

[bhushan2k]

LG Optimus One. if i am not wrong the rom i used (back to ICS) didn't have triple buffering on yet was really smooth.

that's great...btw how did u know that tripple buffering is off in that jb rom..found on developer page?? i guess it is on by default by the os itself and we can not make such deep tweakings even if u using custom rom..correct me if m wrong...