As the budget smartphone market gets more competitive, Karbonn,
one of the most successful Indian brands has launched the Titanium S99, its answer to the likes of Micromax Unite 2, the Moto E and the Lava X1. The Titanium S99 is undoubtedly the company’s best product in this price point, but how well does it compare against some very formidable competition?
Compact and easy to use
Owing to its relatively small screen and compact form factor, the Titanium S99 is an easy to use and handle smartphone. We have seen better looking phones but its rounded edges make it comfortable to hold. It has a 4.0-inch display on the front, along with a front facing camera. The back is removable, houses a 1,400mAh battery, dual SIM slots, a microSD card and also houses a 5.0-megapixel rear camera. Also present is a front-facing camera which does not have a very high megapixel count, but does give the device an edge over the Moto E.
Android KitKat!
The S99 runs the latest version of Android, 4.4 or KitKat, which is quite impressive at this price peak when you think that many so-called flagship devices are still waiting for the latest version of the OS. The interface is clean, smooth and worked without any lags whatsoever. The phone also handled task like movies and games
very well. The screen is low on resolution but viewing angles are very decent. Where it does arise small is in battery life and the camera. While the battery struggles to get through a day of normal use, the camera does not deliver good results, with poor image quality and washed out colours.
Smooth operator
The S99 worked smoothly and handled games well but stuttered when it came to handling multiple tasks. It is powered by
1.2GHz quad core processor has 512MB RAM and 4GB internal storage with 1.6GB available for use. The last is expandable by
using a microSD card. It is laden through a number of apps like Amazon Kindle, Clean Master, OLX, Saavn, Firstpost, FM radio,
Karbonn ebazaar, Klive, Money Control, and Opera Browser. The display is prone to scratches and it also gets dirty frequently, so do keep a clean cloth handy to buff it. The speaker quality is decent but gets muffled when held in hand or kept on a surface. On the connectivity face, the mobile phone supports 3G and come with GPS, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
Conclusion
At Rs 5,990, the Karbonn Titanium S99 is a decent handset on any given day and superior to the scores of budget smartphones that flock the market. Where it does tend to lose out is in parameters like onboard storage, camera and design, other than on the turn over side, it does provide you the newest zest of Android at an unbelievably low price. Those seeking alternatives can also consider the Lava Iris X1, Moto E, and the Micromax Unite 2, all of which come with the latest version of Android and are available at around the same price point.
Size |133x66x9.7mm
Weight | 120 grams
Memory | 4GB, microSD
OS | Android OS v4.4
Screen Size | 4.0-inch, Capacitive
Battery | Li-Ion 1,400 mAh
Talktime/Standby | Up to 5 hours/Up to 168 hours
GPRS-3G-BT-WiFi – Yes-Yes-Yes-Yes
Camera | 5.0-megapixel
Others | Amazon Kindle, Clean
Master, OLX, Saavn
