Dual cameras in smartphones have become a new USP for budget and premium smartphones. From Apple and Samsung to brands like Xiaomi and OnePlus, dual cameras have become standard in new smartphones these days. But the fight is not limited to just these brands.
Flipkart, which added a new product to its niche Billion product brand, also capitalises on the popularity of dual cameras. Flipkart Billion Capture+ is the latest smartphone in the ever-growing industry of smartphones in India, and it competes directly against the likes of Motorola, Xiaomi, Lenovo and others.
While the Capture+ has some interesting specs at affordable price point, it is logical for consumers to pit it against the popular Android One-powered Xiaomi Mi A1, which has been well-received by consumers and critics alike. In fact, IBTimes India rated it the "best Android One series" in a recent review.
To make it easier for buyers to narrow down the options, here's a comparison between Xiaomi Mi A1 and Flipkart Billion Capture+.
Price & Availability
Xiaomi Mi A1 is priced at Rs 14,999 and it is available on Flipkart, Mi.com and Mi Home and partner stores. As for the new Billion Capture+, the handset comes in two variants.
The base model with 3GB RAM + 32GB ROM costs Rs 10,999 and the 4GB RAM + 64GB storage is priced at Rs 12,999. Since it is a smartphone by an e-commerce site, the handset is exclusively available on Flipkart. The first sale will be conducted on November 15 in India.
Design & Display
Complete with a metallic unibody design and an ultra-sleek finishing, Xiaomi Mi A1 is well crafted for handy use. On the front, we see the conventional bezels surrounding the display, which has a 2.5D curved Gorilla Glass cover. There's a USB Type-C port at the bottom with speaker grilles on both sides, a mic and IR Blaster on the top and the standard volume and power controls on the right side of the device.
On the other hand, we have the Capture+, also with a metallic back, 2.5D Dragontrail glass, a USB Type-C port and a premium finish overall. The display area is pretty identical to the one on Mi A1, and it's hard to tell which one is which just by looking at them.
The dual camera module and a fingerprint scanner on the back is standard on both phones.
Both phones also have the same 5.5-inch Full HD display, and there doesn't seem to be any difference here. No matter which phone you choose, you get the best display in this price range.
Camera
The main battle here is with the camera. Since both phones offer dual cameras at the back, let's take a look at their configuration.
Xiaomi Mi A1 comes with a 12MP wide-angle sensor and a 12MP Telephoto lens, and does a good job with bokeh shots and daylight photos as we noticed in our review. The front camera has a 5MP selfie snapper, which performs decently.
On the other hand, the Billion Capture+ has a 13MP (RGB) +13MP (Monochrome) snapper supported by dual-tone LED flash, which sounds like a decent setup compared to the Mi A1. On the front, there's an 8MP snapper. As great as the specs sound on paper, we'll reserve our final judgement until a hands-on review of the phone. But if the Capture+ can be as good as Mi A1, Flipkart has got itself a winner.
Flipkart is already betting huge on low-light photos with its Super Night Mode and bokeh with Portrait mode. Let's wait and find out.
Performance & Battery
Both Xiaomi Mi A1 and Billion Capture+ come with Snapdragon 625 chipset. While Mi A1 comes with just 4GB RAM and has 64GB storage model, the Billion Capture+ offers a cheaper alternative for buyers with a 3GB RAM variant in addition to the 4GB one as we mentioned at the beginning of this article.
Xiaomi Mi A1 comes with stock Android Nougat out-of-the-box and soon to get Android Oreo, followed by Android P when launched in 2018. The Capture+ also has stock Android 7.1.2 Nougat with Oreo update guaranteed for the device.
In terms of battery, the Mi A1 lasts whole day with its 3,080mAh battery, whereas Flipkart is claiming 2-days battery life with a 3,500mAh unit inside the Capture+ smartphone. The handset also has QuickCharge technology, which promises up to 7 hours battery life with 15 minutes charging. This is something Xiaomi lacks in its smartphone.
Finally, there is a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner on both phones. The one on Mi A1 works flawlessly, and it is without doubt that the Flipkart smartphone will do just the same. Dual SIM support with 4G VoLTE is standard on both phones.
Verdict
Since we've reviewed the Xiaomi Mi A1, we know that it is a great handset for its price. We are yet to test the Flipkart Capture+.
But if we have to go by the specs, Flipkart gains an edge over Xiaomi with its comparatively low-priced smartphone and matching specs.
