More for Less? The Torque Droidz Atom S Review

Torque Droidz Atom S I honestly wasn’t expecting much from Torque’s Droidz Atom S when I got it, since it has almost the same specs as any other budget phone in the market. However, once I turned it on, I immediately appreciated its clean interface and its lack of pre-installed apps that you never get to use, so I thought that there’s probably more to this phone that meets the eye.

Table of Contents

Torque Droidz Atom S Specs

OS: Android 4.3 Jellybean Processor: 1.2Ghz dual-core Mediatek MT6572 Display: 4-inch capacitive display at 480×800
Wireless Connections: Wi-Fi, 3G HSPDA+, 2G EDGE, Bluetooth
Memory: 4GB internal memory expandable to 32GB via microSD, 512RAM
Connectors: microUSB v2.0
Camera: 5MP rear camera, 2MP front camera
SIM Card Slot: regular SIM x2
Battery: 1450mAh battery
SRP: Php3,399

The Unboxing

Torque Droidz Atom S The Torque Droidz Atom S package comes with the unit, the battery (not in photo), a USB charging cable, a USB charging head/travel adapter, in-ear earphones, and user guide, a warranty card, and a free screen protector.

Look and Feel

Similar to many other phones in its price bracket, the Droidz Atom S is made out of glossy material, which is nice and sleek to look at in spite of it being a fingerprint magnet. It weighs just right and can be easily manipulated by one hand — just make sure to hold to it properly as its curved edges and smooth finish makes it easy to drop. Torque Droidz Atom S Torque Droidz Atom S Torque Droidz Atom S The volume rocker is on the right edge while the power button is at the top. I personally prefer having the power button somewhere else, as my hand tends to press it while playing games on landscape mode. Aside from that, the Droidz Atom S feels pretty solid and sturdy.

Display

Torque Droidz Atom S

Scene from HBO’s Game of Thrones

For a phone with a resolution of 480×800, the display of the Droid Atom S is a pleasant surprise. It’s bright and sharp, and is still visible under direct sunlight. It delivers high contrast games such as Speed Racing in brilliant 3D and does the simple graphics of 2D sprite games such as Brave Frontier justice. Videos are also clear, although of course, there’s noticeable pixelation at times.

Torque Droidz Atom S

Speed Racer

Torque Droidz Atom S

Sound

The first time I watched a video on the Droid Atom S, I was surprised that no sound came out. It took a bit of turning the unit on and off and even taking out the battery and putting it back in before I heard some crackling. However, once the audio was pretty loud and clear when it finally got going, so hopefully, the issue is only with the unit that I got. With regard to calls, voice quality is clear, if a bit-tin like.

Performance

Torque Droidz Atom S AnTuTu benchmarks the Droidz Atom S at 11512, which is okay for a dual-core phone. It also says that it’s not built to play 3D games, but I would beg to differ, as I didn’t experience any hiccups while playing Speed Racer. What I did have, though, were odd lags while downloading apps from Google Play, that at one point I had to download from the browser instead from the store app itself. As for battery life, this phone can go for days on standby and a full day on regular use. Heavy Internet and app users would need to bring a power bank, though, as multi-tasking easily drains its juice.

Camera

The phone’s 5MP rear camera can hold its own. Colors are good, though at times slightly washed out and on the bluish hue. Torque Droidz Atom S IMG_20141223_082117 As expected, shots from low-light environments came out a bit grainy, but I appreciated how it could still evenly balance light and shadow. Even with the assistance of its flash, the shot didn’t come out too harsh or too bright.

Torque Droidz Atom S

Without flash

Torque Droidz Atom S

With flash

On the other hand, the 2MP front camera was a bit of a “meh” since it had a VGA feel to it, so selfie-lovers out there wouldn’t probably be too happy about it.

Torque Droidz Atom S

2MP Front Camera

Conclusion

The Torque Droidz Atom S is a solid budget phone that goes beyond what’s expected of it. Sure, there are lags, but it is capable of running some HD games, and has a pretty solid rear camera. I just really hope that audio isn’t the weakness of this unit, because with what it can do at its price, it would really be a shame.

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