Micromax In 1 review: Clean software gives this budget smartphone an edge

Micromax’s new In lineup has been relying heavily on the ‘Made in India’ factor, at least when it comes to marketing. This made us wonder if the brand’s smartphones were going to actually be good devices or if they’d just ride on the patriotic wave. Naturally, I was very interested when the Micromax In 1 came in for review and spent over a week with the device, and here’s what I have to say about it. But before that, here’s a quick look at the specifications.

Micromax In 1 specifications: 6.67-inch IPS LCD display | MediaTek Helio G80 | 4GB/6GB RAM with 64GB/128GB storage respectively | 48MP+2MP+2MP rear camera with 8MP front camera | 5000mAh battery with 18W charging.

Micromax In 1 review Price in India: Rs 9,999

Micromax In 1 review: Design

Micromax In 1 is a good looking smartphone. I got the purple unit for review, though the blue one looks more appealing. There’s a plastic back here with an ‘X’ design that changes patterns as light falls on it from different angles. The plastic back doesn’t feel very sturdy, but it does fall in line with the build quality you get at this price point.

The buttons here are tactile and do not feel wobbly. While I am not a fan of the additional Google Assistant button that a lot of brands are adopting, the placement here is better than most others, where the power and Assistant buttons are at the same height on either end. The way Micromax has placed these buttons avoids accidental presses as is the case on other phones .

The Micromax In 1 features a plastic back with an ‘X’ design that shifts pattern with changing light angles. (Image Source: The Indian Express/ Chetan Nayak)

One thing I disliked about the design is that the fingerprint sensor is still on the back. With almost every brand having moved to the side-mounted mechanism, I expected the same here. The fingerprint sensor on the back may be preferred by some, but a side-mounted sensor would have given the phone a cleaner look. Overall, this is a good looking phone for the price.

Micromax In 1 review: Display

There is a 6.67-inch IPS LCD panel and it is a good display that’s bright enough. Viewing angles are good, but don’t expect the screen to perform very well under direct sunlight, something most phones in this segment struggle with already. The brand has gone with a Full HD display panel here. As a result, text and other elements are crisper.

The Micromax In 1 has a 6.67-inch FHD+ screen with good colours and great viewing angles. (Image Source: The Indian Express/ Chetan Nayak)

Micromax In 1 Review: Software and performance

Micromax In 1 comes with stock Android and I believe this is one of the greatest strengths of the phone. The segment this device targets is full of feature-packed phones, all of which have one common con in the form of resource-heavy, and often bloated skins. However, the stock implementation on the In 1 feels lightweight and the phone breezes through multitasking. Animations feel fast and completely stutter-free. The phone is still at Android 10 though.

There are other stock Android phones in the segment, but they are often let down by poor performance due to a lower-end chip. The Micromax In 1 does better thanks to the MediaTek Helio G80. The G80 isn’t the fastest chip the brand could have put in here, but it isn’t bad either. Day-to-day tasks and entry-level games and apps run just fine in this phone.

Micromax In 1 Review: Camera

Micromax In 1 features a triple camera setup with a 48MP main camera and two 2MP cameras. Images from the main sensor are good enough for the price. The colours pop without looking extra saturated and the focusing speed was pretty good too. There is no ultra-wide sensor here, not even a low-resolution one, and that is a bit of a bummer.

The phone features a triple camera on the back with 48MP+2MP+2MP sensors. (Image Source: The Indian Express/ Chetan Nayak)

We almost ignored the two 2MP sensors as they are usually no good on most phones and feel nothing more than a marketing gimmick. However, the macro photos on the Micromax In 1 are pretty decent for the price and did surprise us a bit. The front camera is pretty average and is enough for basic video calls and selfies in good lighting.

Check out some of our samples by clicking on the photo below.

Battery Life

Thanks to a 5,000mAh battery you can manage to get over a day’s use on the Micromax In 1 even on heavy usage, with light to moderate usage, you might be able to stretch out to two days or more before you run out of juice. The stock software also helps in keeping battery optimisation on point. However, the phone supports only 18W charging so expect longer charging times ranging between 1.5-2 hours depending on how low your battery is when you start charging and whether you use the phone when it charges.

Verdict

The Micromax In 1 is not a perfect device, but a great step in the right direction. Good performance, looks and clean software give this phone an edge over competitors, making this a good recommendation in the segment. If you’re looking for a good, reliable budget device around the Rs 10,000 to Rs 12,000 mark, both the memory variants of the Micromax In 1 are strong contenders in the segment.