Sometimes, a phone with a big screen isn’t a phablet. It’s just a big phone.

And we figured that out with the Asus Zenfone 6. It sure has some phablet-like features, but doesn’t fully qualify to be one.

The Xolo Omega 5.5 is another big phone. It also comes with a 5-inch sibling, with almost the same specs, but the bigger 5.5 strives to be a nice option for those looking for a bigger screen in the entry-level segment.

Design and build

There’s nothing spectacular about the design, we must admit. It looks like any other Android smartphone that you’re likely to see in this segment. However, this phone can be identified by the neat metallic rim running around the phone, adding a touch of class to the otherwise ordinary design.

The ergonomics are simply superb. For a big phone, the grip is very good, thanks to a curved back design that sits snugly in your palm. The removable back features a glossy finish, but thankfully it isn’t slippery at all. Under the back panel, you have access to two SIM slots, a microSD port and a removable battery.

On the whole, the build feels pretty sturdy, and we’re glad that Xolo hasn’t cut any corners in terms of build quality. The manufacturer has decided to throw in capacitive buttons instead of on-screen ones, which we feel is a good thing for convenience’s sake.

Specs and performance

Under the hood, the Omega 5.5 packs an octa-core processor – a MediaTek MT6592M, to be precise. We have always preferred smart phones with Intel or Qualcomm chips in the price range, so we were a bit sceptical about the performance of this 1.4GHz processor. Luckily, coupled with the 1GB RAM, the chip works just fine for everyday usage. Sure, it does start slowing down when you start multitasking heavily, but then that’s not really what budget phones are meant for.

The display features a resolution of 1280x720 pixels, which is apt for this segment, and the quality is quite bright and sharp. Again, we’re glad that there’s no compromise on this front.

The rear-facing 13-meg snapper takes good pictures in daylight, and takes suprisingly good low-light images. They tend to get a little noisy, but only in the darkest ones. The Exmor RS sensor does pay off, after all.

We got just under a full day’s worth of juice from the Omega 5.5’s 2,600mAh battery, which is quite standard for this segment.

Verdict

The sub-₹10k segment has some great phones such as the Moto E, and now the Yu Yureka. While the Yureka features some goodies such as 4G connectivity, a Qualcomm chip and a Gorilla Glass on the front, the Xolo Omega 5.5 comes with the company’s own skin, Hive. In terms of pure specs, we wouldn’t call the Omega 5.5 as the best one around town, but it’s definitely a very ergonomic, simple and comfortable phone to own.

₹9,999

Love – Build quality; Camera

Hate – Slightly underpowered

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