Coolpad Mega 5A first impressions: Coolpad Mega 5A appears to be a decent budget device, but it looks hard to recommend at the moment.
Coolpad has now launched Mega 5A, which has dual rear cameras, 18:9 aspect ratio display and face unlock feature. Coolpad Mega 5A is priced at Rs 6,999, and the phone will go on sale in eight cities across India from August 16. This is an offline exclusive device.
We spent some time with this new budget device, and here’s our first impressions of the Coolpad Mega 5A:
Coolpad Mega 5A: Design and Display
Coolpad Mega 5A sports a removable plastic back cover, though it has a metallic finish. A textured band that runs horizontally on top through the two rear camera lens differentiates it from other similar offerings. A speaker grille is present at the bottom. A 3.5mm headset jack and a USB Type 2.0 port can be found on top.
The design is comparable to what one should expect on a budget device. However, Coolpad’s Mega 5A is slippery and I would recommend a back cover. The fingerprint scanner was mostly buggy. I had to press my finger really hard against the sensor for it to recognise and unlock the phone.
Coolpad Mega 5A sports a removable plastic back cover, though the paint is such that it gives the phone a metallic feel.
Coolpad Mega 5A features a 5.47-inch HD+ screen with 18:9 aspect ratio. The viewing angles are good and icons look fine. However, I struggled to use the phone in bright outdoors. Still, it is good to see a FullView or 18:9 aspect ratio display on a Rs 7,000 phone.
Coolpad Mega 5A: Camera
The rear camera includes 8MP+0.3MP lens with LED flash support. I was disappointed with the camera performance. Low-light photos remain an issue on most budget phones, but those taken in bright outdoors also failed to impress. The colours looked washed out and I was not happy with the details. The camera refuses to focus in low-light and pictures taken using flash appear too bright and artificial. The 5MP selfie camera does a decent job for the asking price.
Coolpad Mega 5A camera sample. (Image resized for web)
Coolpad Mega 5A camera sample. (Image resized for web)
Coolpad Mega 5A: Processor, battery, and memory
Coolpad Mega 5A is powered by 1.3GHz quad-core Spreadtrum SC9850K, coupled with 2GB RAM and 16GB storage. The internal space is expandable up to 128GB via a microSD card slot. The phone is capable of handling daily tasks well. However, I noticed visible lag when I had multiple tabs open.
The phone also tends to heat up really quickly, even with most basic tasks such as using the camera for say two minutes.
A textured band that runs horizontally on top through the two rear camera lens differentiates it from other similar offerings.
The 2,500mAh battery is among the stronger feature of Mega 5A and it should easily last for a day with moderate usage. Though I did not use the phone extensively, I was happy with the battery life in my limited time. I mainly used the phone for browsing social media platforms, listening to music, and watching videos on YouTube.
Coolpad Mega 5A: Early impressions
Coolpad Mega 5A appears to be a decent budget device, but it looks hard to recommend at the moment. However, I would like to reserve the verdict for full review. Coolpad’s highlight for now is the battery, and the overall price.
Still, the strongest performer in the under Rs 7,000 category is Xiaomi’s Redmi 5A, which continues to sell well. The Redmi 5A has a starting price of Rs 5,999 for the base 2GB RAM option going up to Rs 6,999 for the 3GB RAM version.