Micromax's online-only sub-brand, YU Televentures, welcomed a new member to its affordable smartphone family and aptly named it Yunique. Touted as the most affordable 4G LTE smartphone with an HD screen, the Yunique is poised to take on rivals in the budget smartphone space with ease. YU spoke about the newly-launched handset during the launch event in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Here is our first impression on the YU Yunique smartphone.
Design
The YU Yunique has not undergone any massive design overhaul; instead it shows close resemblance to YU's own Yuphoria smartphone, albeit with some differences. As described by YU during the launch, the Yunique features a symmetrical design with Saturn rings and 3 element keys.
The power button on the Yunique is placed between the volume keys on the right side of the device. All three buttons are connected in a single string. The edges are rounded and the plastic panel is soft and feels a little slippery in hand. The micro USB slot for charging and transferring files is placed at the centre bottom and the headphone jack is on centre top.
The removable back panel is made of plastic that covers the non-removable battery along with the dual SIM card and microSD card slots.
On the rear-side of the device, there's a Saturn ring outlining the rear camera and a long speaker grill at the bottom to serve the audio purposes.
Display
The YU Yunique features a 4.7-inch display with 1280 x 720 pixel screen and Gorilla Glass 3 protection. YU says that the Yunique is the most affordable smartphone with a HD screen. Other smartphones with the same price tag offer lower resolution.
In addition, Yunique also features full lamination technology that gives better readability and clearer images. The handset casts slight reflection while using in sunlight but does not tamper with the readability.
Camera
The YU Yunique features an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera with LED flash and f/2.0 aperture. Users can record up to full HD resolution, while most phones in this price range are limited at 720p. The camera offers different modes and list of settings to favour your perfect shot. The front camera is fitted with a 2MP sensor with f/2.4 aperture.
Battery
The YU Yunique is powered by a 2,000mAh non-removable battery. According to the company, the handset can deliver up to 7 hours of talk time, sufficient for a day.
Software
The YU YUNIQUE runs on Google's latest stock Android 5.1 Lollipop OS out of the box instead of the usual Cyanogen OS custom ROM. But if you wish to tweak your phone, you can install the Cyanogen OS on YUNIQUE, as it supports Cyanogen OS 12.1 FOTA download.
Under the hood
The YU Yunique is powered by a 64-bit 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor, Adreno 306 GPU for graphics, 1GB RAM and 8GB expandable memory up to 32GB. Out of 8GB of storage, the system apps consume 4.61GB, leaving 4.04GB for consumer's use. Users will be highly dependent on the microSD card for extensive storage. As for the RAM, only 329MB is free. The system consumes 384MB and the built-in apps take 185MB space.
Pricing and Availability
YU has nailed it in terms of pricing. The Yunique smartphone is priced at Rs. 4,999, making it currently the worthiest handset for its price. The handset is not freely available but continues the flash sale method exclusively on Snapdeal. Buyers must register in order to participate in the sale. The first flash sale is scheduled for 15 September at 12 noon.
Verdict
The YU Yunique makes quite an appeal with its Yuphoria-like design. Besides, the specifications of the handset make it a worthy handset at Rs. 4,999. The Yunique fairly compares with the likes of Xiaomi Redmi 2, Lenovo A2010, Huawei Honor Holly and Moto E (Gen 2) Micromax Canvas Spark. The HD screen and 4LTE support make an exceptional appeal in the sub-Rs 5,000 category. The handset also runs on the latest software and the short time we spent with the handset did not return any lags while launching apps. It can be a good investment if you are switching from a feature phone to a smartphone.
