Intex Aqua Ace Review: Specifications Aren't Everything

Just a short while after reviewing the Intex Aqua Trend (Review | Pictures), we have another model from the same company in our hands for review. The Aqua Trend underwhelmed us, especially considering how many strong alternatives are available at or even below the same price. Intex is well known for selling low-cost but somewhat flimsy products, especially PC peripherals. However, a lot of companies have managed to drive prices down in the smartphone industry without compromising on features or materials, and so Intex's classic formula might not do it any good here.

Today, we have a slightly more premium model, the Intex Aqua Ace, in for review. Priced at Rs. 12,999, this phone will find itself going up against some very polished, premium products. We're hoping Intexcan impress us and show that it's able to compete in a market very different to the one it has thrived in so far.

Look and feel
Immediately upon opening its box, we're struck by how derivative the design of the Intex Aqua Ace is. The metallic rim running around the sides is highly reminiscent of Sony's product lineup (with hints ofApple thrown in) and has been used by multiple manufacturers over the years. Picking it up for the first time, we were struck by how light this phone felt - it's all plastic, including the rim. While some phones manage to feel reassuring even though they're light, this one feels quite insubstantial.

Our white and gold review unit looks okay, but it won't turn heads. The front is quite plain, except for the earpiece and black patches where the front camera and sensors are. The screen has narrow borders on the sides, and the area below it is blank because of the use of on-screen buttons. The rear is quite minimalist; thankfully devoid of garish branding.

The Micro-USB port for data and charging is up on top, next to the standard 3.5mm audio socket. There appear to be two speaker grilles on the bottom, though only one of them is actually a speaker - the other is only for symmetry. The power and volume buttons are on the right, placed slightly lower than we'd have liked. Also on the right is a tray for a microSD card. Mirroring it on the left is another tray which can hold two Micro-SIM cards. At least you don't have to sacrifice one SIM for additional storage, or vice versa.

The front and back are apparently made of Gorilla Glass 3, and we found that the Aqua Ace, much likesome of Sony's models, slid around way too easily when lying flat on a table. We were disappointed to see that the plastic rim around the edges started picking up scuffs and scratches within a day of perfectly ordinary usage.