MTS Smart Sprint review and description of the unlocking method. MTS Sprint, a step higher Impressions from work

Another carrier budget smartphone, but with a 4.5-inch screen and a decent resolution of 960 x 540. Another step in the right direction. Not only those who buy the first smartphone in their life can peacefully coexist with such a device.

You and I perfectly understand all the advantages of top models with their high-resolution screens, excellent cameras and powerful processors. But in terms of the total number of “phone owners,” there are relatively few such enthusiasts. Most people buy a smartphone, weighing the price tag against the contents of their wallet. And they take the cheapest one; it’s not for nothing that cheap “dialers” continue to enjoy considerable popularity. Smartphone for 3,500 rubles. You can’t call it “penny”, but MTS Sprint seems to me to be a reasonable compromise. And not even a compromise, but a completely worthy device.

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MTS SMART Sprint, manufacturer Fukda Telecom Group (China). The price of the device is 3,490 rubles. One SIM card, miniSIM format (regular). operating room Android system KitKat 4.4.2. Processor - dual-core MTK 6572, 1.3 GHz. 4 GB built-in memory, 512 MB RAM. MicroSD slot up to 32 GB. IPS screen 4.5 inches, resolution 540 x 960, pixel density 240 ppi. Battery 1 800 mAh.

Support 2G/3G (no LTE), 3G bands 900/2 100 MHz. The main camera is 5 MP with autofocus, the front camera is 0.3 MP. Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, GPS, FM radio available, only via external antenna(headphones/headset).

SIM-lock is installed, and the smartphone only works in the MTS network. Of the additional shells and other “slowers” ​​of work - only Celltick Start (starting shell). There are light and proximity sensors, automatic brightness adjustment. Weight - 142 g, plastic, standard design, color options - black and white.

Where do legs grow from?

We are, of course, grateful to the operators for their efforts to supply the mobile population with good smartphones at affordable prices. But the interest here is mutual. New trends in Russia took shape around the time the iPhone 3GS appeared on the market; I would consider that time to be the beginning of our promotion of a different business model with an emphasis on smartphones and data transfer. The great Steve Jobs not only “invented” the iPhone, he revolutionized the entire cellular industry, forcing operators to play by new rules. In the pre-iPhone era, mobile Internet existed as an additional service that operators struggled to monetize and did not always do so ethically. All sorts of clever content, WAP with its crazy prices, Nokia’s unadvertised collusion with cell phones (smartphones “jumped” to the default Wap-APN at every opportunity), etc., can be recalled and listed for a long time. To a large extent, it looked like guerrilla warfare and an outright gop-stop: I caught a subscriber and snatched money from him “for air” - life was good.

Apple smartphones solved the issue of monetization in a fundamentally different way. No Wap, only honest internet. But there is a lot of this Internet and often, iPhones literally live on the Internet. To some extent, the client’s arms were “twisted”; without Internet access, the smartphone lost a significant part of its functionality. The user is forced to buy an Internet package, which the operator is happy to sell to him. Exactly the same with Android smartphones, the scheme is almost identical. And now we are already seeing a movement towards smartphone + data package, minutes and SMS as a bonus. The advantage for the operator is a guaranteed subscription fee for each user of a smart device, this is important. Therefore, subsidies specifically for smartphones and tablets, cheap branded devices and all sorts of promotions. Look, MTS even decided to completely abandon the sale simple phones in their salons, only smartphones. Because selling a phone makes a one-time profit, and a sold smartphone feeds the operator for many more months.

On the other hand, you and I are also fine. We want all sorts of delights mobile internet and we get them for relatively little money. Voting with rubles for the operator who turned out to be more resourceful and put a “delicious treat” on the display window for a reasonable price before his colleagues. Let’s consider it a “lyrical digression” and move on to the actual review of the device.

Positioning

Price 3,490 rub. doesn’t quite fit into our ideas about a budget device, but the Smart Sprint itself is not exactly budget. Today this is the “top budget employee” category, so to speak. Natural development process model range cheap devices.

In the October issue of the MTS Communication World magazine, it was no coincidence that Smart Sprint appeared next to the operator’s previous generation smartphone MTS 982. In theory, now smartphones with 4-inch screens with a resolution of 480 x 800 should move to the mid-budget category, smartphones with a 3.5-inch resolution 320 x 480 are becoming entry-level devices with the prospect of soon disappearing, and the resolution of 240 x 320 can be forgotten like a bad dream.

Smart Sprint's target audience is very broad. From schoolchildren to those who want to get sufficient functionality plus visual comfort for minimal money. RUB 3,490 It may seem (and it seems to me) a little expensive for a device with such characteristics, but the price tag was agreed upon recently, when a dollar was no longer the usual 30-something rubles. The smartphone will not be able to handle “heavy” modern games; it will be suitable for satisfying other requests without any special complaints about performance.

Equipment and design

The “grocery set” is sparse: the smartphone itself, charger, connecting cable, User manual, warranty card. I continue to grumble about the lack of even the most lousy headset in the kit. The formal reason to complain is FM radio. Which is present in the advertisement (list of main parameters on the box), but it is impossible to use without a headset or headphones, since the phone does not have a built-in antenna.

The adapter surprised me with an output current of 0.8 A. It is clear that there is something rated at 1.5-2 A on the farm, but I have not yet come across a figure of 0.8. The 1,800 mAh battery takes four hours to charge from this “native” adapter. I was pleased with the battery itself; it is sufficient for a full day of very active use.

There is also no memory card (supports up to 32 GB), but that's okay. For some, the built-in memory is enough, but for those who don’t, they will buy a larger card. You still can’t hope for anything more than 4 GB in the kit.

The size of the smartphone is not intimidating and fits well in the hand. Compared to a smartphone with a 4-inch screen, our Smart Sprint is longer, but even less than the “extra” half-inch of screen. Smart Sprint has hardly increased in width due to the smaller width of the stripes along the edges of the screen.

The design category is “none”, except that the lower part is pointed to make it easier to put the smartphone into your pocket. Personally, I consider the absence of “chrome-plated” buttons and “chrome-look” stripes to be a plus; there is no need for such decorations on a budget device. The back is matte plastic, almost soft touch to the touch. Fingerprints are visible, but tactile back cover more pleasant than the plastic with notches that rustles under your fingers. The MTS logo is of modest size and is not very noticeable.

Design

Traditional layout, no less traditional placement of elements. Rationality is at the forefront here, and we are unlikely to see anything radically new.

Except for the mysterious chrome “puck” next to the LED flash. There were assumptions about a vibration motor, but it turned out not to be it. Intrigue! Otherwise, everything is familiar and compact; it’s good that they made room for a decent 1,800 mAh battery.

There is one SIM card, a slot for microSD (supports cards up to 32 GB), the main camera eye protrudes beyond the dimensions of the case. The microUSB socket is on the top edge, and there is also a 3.5 mm jack for a headset or headphones.

The microphone is strongly shifted to the right, but the hole on the front panel will not be blocked by your palm during a conversation in any case. The three control buttons are clearly drawn, but the buttons are not backlit at all, which is a minus. A separate multimedia speaker (one) is present at the bottom, the sound is expectedly unimportant.

The power button and volume rocker are located side by side on the right side. The movement is clear, the buttons protrude exactly as much as needed and are easy to feel, no complaints. The assembly is also in order, without cracks or backlashes.

LED indicator There are no events provided in the device. There is a vibration indication, the vibration power is average and may not be felt in your outerwear pocket.

Display

As I already wrote at the beginning of the review, the IPS screen is 4.5 inches, resolution – 540 x 960, pixel density – 240 ppi. For a smartphone, this density is normal; there is no blurry fonts or thin lines. Although I have had time to get used to a higher resolution, I consider 540 x 960 for a 4.5-inch screen to be quite acceptable.

The IPS matrix is ​​practically insensitive to rotation angles, this is its great advantage. Colors are hardly distorted or inverted at the most extreme tilts, both vertically and horizontally.

There is some “cyanosis”, see the screenshot of the camera above. Almost pure white appears only at the maximum brightness level. This is probably an ineradicable feature of inexpensive displays, and only a color temperature controller can cope with this. Which is not yet provided in standard Android.

The brightness adjustment range is wide, the margin is sufficient, and in the sun (we managed to catch it in November) there are no problems. The lower border is also sufficient, and the display is comfortable to read even in complete darkness. There is a light sensor, and auto-brightness adjustment works correctly in different conditions. Not quite smoothly (jerks are noticeable to the eye), but “settles down” at the right level. That is, you can leave the “Auto” mode, and in the vast majority of situations there will be no desire to adjust anything manually.

In general, the feeling from the display is very positive and there’s nothing particularly to complain about. And this is the part of the smartphone that is always in front of your eyes; other shortcomings are much easier to put up with.

Cameras

Main camera 5 MP, front camera 0.3 MP. The main camera has autofocus and an LED flash. It would seem like a complete set of equipment. But not without surprises.

Some intrigue with the front camera. According to the description, this is a regular VGA 0.3 MP, the quality of selfies taken from the camera (see pictures above) is approximately the same. But test programs claim that the camera is 2 MP, and in the properties of the resulting photos we also see a resolution of 1008 x 1792 (1.81 MP). The jpg file size is also not VGA at all, on average about 200 KB. Experts' opinions on image quality varied widely from 0.3 MP to a very poor 1.3 MP camera, but certainly not 2 MP. It’s probably possible to increase this resolution by interpolation (programmatically adding intermediate pixels), but this is obviously a lost cause. The file “swells”, but the quality of the image does not improve. In this regard, the question is, why, even if the description says 0.3 MP, and I am inclined to agree with the description.

Now about the main camera, the Belarusian Seafood brand store is an example. In good lighting conditions, the pictures come out quite decent. The sharpness is so-so, and I would define the overall level of quality as a good 2 MP camera on an expensive phone from three or even four years ago. Not to blame Smart Sprint, the cameras of budget smartphones are all frankly weak, and the option in Smart Sprint is far from the worst. Why do they do it poorly if years ago they could do it much better? Deliberate sabotage as a way to “stimulate” the transition to an expensive model whose camera is doing well?

Entrance notice board during the day, in good lighting conditions. You can see for yourself the capabilities of the camera for shooting readable material. Autofocus worked fine here, but the trick (forgive the tautology) is that for some reason autofocus works every once in a while and unpredictably. And even when it works, it produces a picture of mediocre quality. Which indirectly “rehabilitates” budget smartphone cameras without autofocus: the problem is clearly not the absence of it, but the quality of the lens and matrix.

If the stars align and everything works, then the picture, even in poor conditions, can turn out to be very decent. The frame above is a cat on a laptop under a table lamp, without flash, in “Auto” mode. Here the automatic color correction did a surprisingly good job. Sharpness limps, but with short distance everything looks good. The trouble is that the result is unpredictable, and a photo taken on a smartphone is not a photo shoot with hundreds of frames for the sake of one successful one.

However, even predictable autofocus is not always useful. For example, in the absence of the “Macro” mode, the device confidently “pulls out” small objects from a distance of about 10 cm; it will come in handy on the farm.

About working with text. “Work” is a strong word; serious tools are suitable for serious tasks. But sometimes everyone needs to photograph a document, drawing, diagram, etc., and buying a camera or an expensive smartphone just for this is irrational. Smart Sprint copes well with this task, again thanks to autofocus. The picture above shows a fragment of the text of the press release; by clicking you can see the entire page. I was not too lazy to put the photo into FineReader and save it as a pdf file without any editing. The result is simply excellent, you can see for yourself. Conclusion: in good lighting conditions, A4 pages with large text in their entirety are “edible”; A4 pages with small text should be divided into two photographs.

About the outbreak. The LED is tiny, the effective illumination range is about one meter. Objects that slightly reflect light from such a distance glare a lot. In general, you will most likely find a flash useful as frontal illumination of an object in the shadows.

As a summary of the camera. A mediocre module, but with non-standard capabilities for a state employee, it was interesting to tinker with it. If you get used to the camera and practice in different conditions, you can get quite decent pictures. The resulting disadvantage is that in non-optimal lighting there are relatively many defects in the “point and click” mode.

Characteristics

Main technical specifications see below. Nothing special, but for budget smartphone With a screen of this resolution it is enough.

AnTuTu data for fans of “virtual parrots”, 12,193. Interestingly, Beeline Smart 2 has almost exactly the same number of these birds (12,671). Taking into account the slightly higher screen resolution in Smart Sprint, the number of virtual performance pens in their tails can be considered equal.

Generalized device data, Network Signal Info application. It also “organizes” convenient widgets of network activity on the screen, otherwise after each review they start asking me what it is and where to get it.

Device data from AnTuTu, image in “readable” resolution is available by clicking.

Finally, data from AnTuTu on the sensors installed in the smartphone. Smart Sprint is fine with this, they weren’t greedy.

CelltickStart

As far as I understand, this smartphone is the first to feature a starter package from Celltick; we will most likely see this in future “branded” MTS products.

From the user's point of view, the Celltick software add-on affects only the start screen of a locked device. In addition to the usual functions of unlocking the screen and setting the sound mode, Celltick adds a clock, operator logo and battery percentage to the screensaver. Plus, most importantly, six bookmarks quick access to the most necessary (according to Celltick) functions. For example, to the weather widget, social network, photo gallery, etc.

Celltick (or MTS, they have a contract with Celltick) have so far included offers of coupon services among the resources most needed by the client. But judging by the settings menu, these default settings can be changed. And add additional bookmarks if the standard Android interface suddenly stops satisfying you.

As for the Celltick company itself and its “start-up ecosystem”, popular among many operators around the world, we better go to the source, quote:

“The growing Start ecosystem has a variety of themes and plugins. In 2013, Celltick powered billions of mobile-initiated commerce transactions for virtual and physical goods serving more than 110 million active consumers across 25 countries. Celltick is a global leader in mobile initiated commerce. Celltick"s Start is a next generation personalized intelligent interface for Android devices. Celltick is unique in creating and managing mass market mobile marketing solutions for mobile operators, large media companies, device manufacturers and large brands. Celltick enables its partners to engage and monetize them users on the mobile. The company drives billions of transactions annually across more than 110 million active consumers across its different mobile platforms in over 25 countries. A rapidly growing company, Celltick has subsidiaries in Europe, Asia, South America and the U.S. , visit www.celltick.com ".

In a nutshell, this add-on is used by 110 million customers of operators and smartphone manufacturers in 25 countries around the world, the main “trick” is mass marketing and mobile commerce, Celltrick claims billions of initiated and completed purchases through their interface.

Impressions from work

I already wrote about the screen, the feelings are positive. With the exception of a slight blue, everything else is good. One of the Russian system fonts is a little unusual, but that’s just “by the way.” We were disappointed by the complete abandonment of button illumination and the lack of an LED event indicator.

Everything is fine with the radio unit, there are almost no complaints. There is no support for 4G (LTE), but the phone switches quickly between 3G and 2G, the transition to a cellular network after leaving the Wi-Fi coverage area occurs immediately and without any glitches, this is important. The Wi-Fi module is rather weak in its sensitivity, but not critical. Cellular module without any complaints.

The sound from the speakers is average, nothing special. Standard layout of one voice and one multimedia speaker. The ringer volume seemed insufficient to me, but within normal limits. And you need to play with different melodies to achieve the desired effect.

The 1,800 mAh battery is good, and in general, the smartphone demonstrated unexpected survivability for a budget device. Let's put it this way: in mode of moderately active use, I put another smartphone on charge before going to bed with a balance of 25-35%, Smart Sprint in the same mode, albeit at the limit, but survived until the evening of the second day. Perhaps that's all, the rest of the impressions are described above.

Budget smartphone with a 4.5-inch screen and 4G support. Two main advantages: excellent performance in LTE and price, otherwise nothing remarkable. Yes, two more SIM card slots. As a modern budget device, the device looks more or less decent, and it is in this quality that it should be considered.

Indeed, just a year and a half ago we saw budget devices with much worse parameters, and prices were bound to rise for well-known reasons. The price of the device is 3,990 rubles. on sale until September 30, then it will be sold for 4,790 rubles. We still have inertia of thinking, and 4G support seems to many to be a “premium feature” that should cost extra money. Fortunately for everyone, this is almost no longer the case. “For everyone” because both parties are interested in supporting 4G: we are happy with a much more stable Internet, and the operator is happy with the release of 2G/3G network resources, plus a device with 4G obviously sells better.

Specifications MTS Smart Sprint 4G:

Manufacturer: Haier Electrical Appliances Corp (China)
Operating system: Android 5.1 Lollipop
SIM cards: two, microSIM, SIM-Lock installed for both cards.
Screen: 4.5 inches, TN, 16.78 million colors, 854 x 480, pixel density 218 ppi
Cameras: main 5 MP with autofocus, front 0.3 MP (VGA).
Processor: .
Video subsystem: Mali-T720 M, 400 MHz.
Memory: 8 GB built-in (about 5 GB available), 1 GB RAM.
Memory card slot: microSD up to 32 GB.
Support 2G/3G/4G. Bands 2G 900/1800 MHz, 3G 900/2100 MHz, 4G (LTE FDD) 800/1800/2600 (bands 3/7/20).
Wireless interfaces: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, USB
Navigation: GPS, A-GPS
Battery: 1800 mAh
Dimensions and weight: 131 x 9.5 x 65 mm, 140 g.

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Information for those who want to immediately understand whether it makes sense to read the review to the end. Unfortunately, the “technical specifications” section does not reflect individual characteristics, which can greatly affect the convenience and comfort of the user.

The technical specifications are listed above, and a description of the smartphone can also be found on the MTS online store website. In a nutshell: to pay 3,990 instead of 4,790 rubles for a smartphone. (saving 800 rubles), you must pay in advance for the subscription according to the tariff or the Internet package in advance for 2-4 months, depending on the tariff.

About the device itself. The TN display is average in terms of color rendering; when tilted, the colors are greatly distorted and go blind in the sun. Safety glass no (plastic). Resolution is 854 x 480 with a pixel density of 218 ppi; for a 4.5-inch screen this can now be considered the lower threshold for comfortable viewing.

LTE support, radio module works great. The battery is removable, 1800 mAh, lasts a full day of normal use, but with more active use it may not last until the evening.

The device is light, compact and quite suitable for a lady. Especially considering the good choice of colors for the back cover (black, gray, white, gold). The assembly is good, everything is tight, without cracks or backlashes.

2 SIM cards in microSIM format, there are no restrictions on the functionality of SIM cards in different slots, and data transfer in all standards works on both, selection through the menu. SIM lock is installed on both slots. There is a slot for a memory card, microSD up to 32 GB. Built-in memory 8 GB (about 5 GB available), RAM 1 GB. The Android 5.1 Lollipop operating system is practically without additional shells and slow-down “decorations”, only the easily disable Celltick starter package is installed.

There are two cameras, the main one is 5 MP with autofocus, the front one is 0.3 MP, both cameras are unimportant. There is an LED flash, but it is weak. The entire photo part is frankly budget-friendly and in most cases will not work as a replacement for a digital point-and-shoot camera.

Performance is average (20,000 AnTuTu parrots), but the interface hardly slows down. Toys - depending on your luck, I wouldn’t count on playing with maximum settings.

Positioning

The target audience is broad but vague. At first and/or undemanding glance, it is a full-fledged, yet inexpensive smartphone with a full set of features. Despite the traditionally “no” design, four color options (black, gray, white, gold) significantly expand the segment of potential consumers. Similarly, with support for two SIM cards, operator models usually do not pamper us with such functionality. And, of course, LTE as a sign of modernity and advancement.

Offhand, the consumer gets almost everything no worse than in much more expensive models, and this is “everything” for very little money. Which, in fact, determines the positioning of the device. Starting from a schoolgirl and ending with a relatively demanding, but very cash-strapped lover of modern technology.

Equipment and design

The kit includes the smartphone itself, a headset, a power adapter for an output current of 1 A, a connecting cable, and a “User Guide.” There is no memory card included (microSD cards up to 32 GB are supported). It charges from a standard 1 A adapter in about three hours, from a 2 A adapter - two hours. In general, the supplied 1 A adapter can be used; its advantage is its compactness, and the difference in charging time is small.

There is nothing to write about the design, everything would be absolutely standard and without any attempts to stand out from the monotonous mass, but the choice of colors helps out. At least something catches the eye. The back is made of smooth plastic, not particularly easily soiled, the plastic is not glossy. It may slip slightly in your hand, but it does not rustle under your fingers. The MTS logo is unobtrusive and does not catch the eye.

If the color of the side buttons can be considered a design element, then yes, they are made of metal-like plastic and stand out against the background of the body. Generally, appearance I would describe it with the phrase “neutral-accurate.” It can look interesting with a white plastic back.

Design Features

As I already wrote, there are no questions about the assembly. Everything is tight, without cracks, does not move, does not crunch in your hands. The back cover is pressed in just a little bit, but not critically. The layout is standard, a monoblock with a tray-shaped back cover.

Flash (one LED) - under the camera eye, when assembled everything is very neat, the camera does not protrude, it is almost flush with the back cover. The battery is removable.

The multimedia speaker grille is poor. It was not placed on a fold, but they also did not provide protrusions in the cover to provide clearance. Accordingly, when the phone is lying even on a flat surface, the sound is greatly muffled. Despite the fact that the speaker volume is already below average.

At first it seemed that one of the slots was universal: either a SIM card or microSD. Upon closer examination, I saw a “ladder” socket, microSD on top. By the way, if you decide to remove the microSIM from the first slot, then look for a toothpick. The socket is tight and there is nothing special to cling to; a screwdriver or other metal object can accidentally damage the contacts.

The volume rocker and power button are together on the right side. They protrude above the surface just right, and there are no complaints about the clarity of operation. There is only one microphone (at the bottom) and is strongly shifted to the right. A good design for those who are used to holding the phone in their left hand during a conversation. The headset/headphone jack is on top, the microUSB jack is also on top.

The three virtual buttons are marked with standard symbols; I didn’t find the option to swap them in the menu. The backlight of the buttons is white, dim, and does not irritate in the dark. There is no LED event indicator.

Display

Here there is something to complain about, one of the obvious weaknesses of the device. Thank you that even though the diagonal is 4.5 inches, they could stuff 4 inches into a budget phone. As I already wrote, a resolution of 854 x 480 with a pixel density of 218 ppi for a 4.5-inch screen can now be considered the lower threshold for comfortable viewing. By the way, there is multi-touch, but it only supports two simultaneous presses. I didn’t find any protective glass (didn’t look hard enough?), according to all sensations, it’s plastic. Accordingly, it gets very dirty. But it is unlikely to ripple when dropped.

In the screenshots everything is good and blissful, in reality there is “soap”, especially in thin fonts. It’s not very noticeable, but the text looks blurry and somehow sloppy, or something. It’s not very critical, but someone who switches from a smartphone with a higher pixel density will feel the difference immediately. As a small consolation: most programs are still “tailored” to approximately these resolutions, and you most likely will not have to delve into the settings.

It's sadder with viewing angles. Colors are distorted to the point of inversion even with relatively small rotations of the display in the vertical plane. When turning in a horizontal plane it is tolerable, there is less distortion. That is, it’s quite comfortable to watch a movie alone in landscape orientation, but sitting next to each other is unlikely to work. However, this is a good reason to put a girl on your lap; you need to see the positive in everything.

The brightness of the display outside is definitely not enough even with light clouds; in the sun the screen “blinds” and becomes almost unreadable. It’s good in cloudy weather and indoors, I was especially pleased with the work automatic settings brightness So smoothly that at first I even doubted the existence of this function.

Out of the box, the display clearly suffered from blueness, and this is where MiraVision came into its own. The MiraVision proprietary technology has appeared, as far as I understand, in smartphones based on the latest MTK chips and allows you to customize image parameters on the screen. Brightness, contrast, color temperature and a bunch of other parameters.

Play around with the settings for about 10 minutes and you will achieve a decent result for yourself. MiraVision shows changes in real time simultaneously in two pictures “was” and “became”, which greatly simplifies the process and makes it not boring.

Another feature is the obviously empty space at the top of the screen, which occupies about 20% of the usable area. Neither a widget nor an icon can be dragged there. Why did they do this?! “It doesn’t affect the speed,” but it causes fair irritation. Screen space is a valuable resource for the user, and the user must be respected.

Cameras

There are two cameras: a main 5 MP with autofocus and a front 0.3 MP (VGA, 640 x 480) without it. On the forum I read something like “for its class, a 5 MP camera is normal!” Brothers, you haven’t seen normal 2 MP cameras without autofocus in phones from three or four years ago, which took pictures much better. Unexpected regression or concerted actions by smartphone manufacturers? This is a question for Eldar.

Traditionally an “advertising” photo of a children’s playground. You can see for yourself that despite autofocus, sharpness is a complete problem, and there’s no cure for it. No, I didn't forget to take it off protective film from the lens of this miracle. But with the white balance everything is more or less (we are looking for the positive).

You don’t have to experiment with non-standard types of lighting; nothing good will come of it anyway. In ideal conditions (outside in cloudy weather) it can be quite good. If the object is not small and framed correctly.

Evening/night shots in poor lighting cannot be taken without a flash; the real “range” of the flash is one meter, no more. But at least the flash photos don’t come out disgustingly purple.

You will be able to take a photo of the notice on the door and then you will be able to read it. Again, subject to shooting during the day in good lighting. Or shoot with flash. It seems to me that shooting advertisements is the only rational use of the flash in this device. And, of course, there is no point in torturing text recognition systems.

If the stars align on good lighting, a large and bright object, then the picture can turn out to be of the “it’s not a shame to post it on social network” level. I'm afraid this is the maximum that can be achieved from this camera. I didn’t delve into the settings or understand the panoramic scenes, because no one will need it. The obvious use of a camera is to take a photo when you really need it or really want it, but there is nothing better at hand.

The front camera is there and working. I chose the two most successful selfies out of a dozen taken. The front camera delivers its honest 0.3 MP without any tricks with interpolations, the result is as expected. In the heat of the moment, I almost wrote “it could be worse,” but that would have been slander. It’s good for Skype, but it will also save girls a lot of time on makeup; no one will see the difference anyway (we’re looking for something positive, remember?).

Characteristics

The main characteristics are given at the beginning of the review. MediaTek MT6735M 1 GHz quad-core chipset with LTE support, video - Mali-T720M, 400 MHz, 1 GB RAM.

For some reason AnTuTu refused to give me “confirmed” results, but it doesn’t matter. According to numerous reviews, the test program readings range from 18,600 to 20,200 “parrots,” so the figure is consistent.

As for the results, they are natural. The MediaTek MT6735M processor version is the “younger brother” of the MediaTek MT6735 with a frequency cut to 1 GHz (compared to 1.5 GHz in the MediaTek MT6735), and, as they say, the Mali-T720M video subsystem also operates at 400 MHz instead of 600 MHz in the “big brother” » Mali-T720.

A “branded” start widget (launcher), which is now included with all branded and not only branded smartphones sold in MTS stores.

From the user's point of view, the Celltick add-on only affects the start screen of a locked device. In addition to the usual functions of unlocking the screen and setting the sound mode, Celltick adds a clock, operator logo and battery percentage to the screensaver. Plus, most importantly, six bookmarks for quick access to the most necessary (according to Celltick) functions. For example, to a weather widget, a social network, a photo gallery, etc. In case of a missed event, another indicator bookmark with a warning is added.

This starter package is unlikely to affect the speed of operation; after configuration (disabling unnecessary notifications, etc.) it consumes about 1.5-2% of the battery life. If you don't need Celltick or are annoying, you can easily disable it. In the upper right corner of the menu screen, then go to the “Settings” section, scroll to the very bottom line.

Impressions from work

There are no complaints about the radio unit; it works surprisingly well. I was even puzzled (in a good sense of the word) by the instantaneous activation of data transmission on the cellular network after leaving the Wi-Fi coverage area. One of the noted oddities is that Wi-Fi turns off when the display goes to sleep. There is a corresponding switch in the menu, but the device does not respond to it. Wi-Fi sensitivity is good, I would say above average.

Voice calls in 4G work fine, both incoming and outgoing. Since CSFB works (dismount in 2G/3G), there is a pause, and when incoming call noticeable. On the caller's side, this looks like silence in the handset lasting 6-8 seconds from pressing the “call” button to the first ring.

For LTE network It holds up well and switches to 3G quite quickly, although there is some thoughtfulness present. The signal strength indicator displays a true picture of the surrounding radio reality and does not over-exaggerate, which I have often observed on other devices.

The device has good data transfer speeds in LTE. It is clear that everything depends on the specific place and time, but for each operator’s network I have several favorite “reference points” that are familiar to me. And I know approximately what speeds at these points can and should be expected from a normally working smartphone.

GPS works and starts quickly, no complaints. See the rest of the impressions above in the text of the review, it seems like I didn’t miss anything significant.

The device has two SIM cards, and both slots are locked for the operator - a subtle perversion and an unexpected solution. If I'm not mistaken, this is the first such experiment on Russian market. Traditionally, in operator smartphones, the second slot is eliminated at the production stage, and in operator models for two SIM cards, the second slot is made GSM-only or with blocked data transfer. The explanation of MTS marketers for this new approach looks like “to make life easier for the user of the service and home numbers MTS".

Actually, I'm inclined to think of two options:

Modifying an initially dual-SIM device into a single slot costs money and is probably reflected in the purchase price. Why waste money if you can just lock both slots under the operator?

An excellent solution from a marketing point of view. Many people will see the “2 SIM” advertisement, but how many will realize that both slots are locked to MTS? God forbid, if 10% of the buyers, because the solution is unusual for the market.

And, of course, it is possible (and likely) to combine both assumptions in different proportions, depending on the company's priorities.

Resume

In this inexpensive smartphone there is clearly a desire to give the buyer the maximum possible for a minimum of money. Accordingly, some components are prohibitively budget-friendly, but they are there, and this fact cannot be taken away from the Smart Sprint 4G, the description does not lie. The device is “doomed” to popularity due to its price with the declared set of functions, see the “Positioning” section. In principle, I don’t see anything wrong with this approach, and in the “state budget” category the device looks good.

A comparison with the MTS Smart Run 4G smartphone suggests itself. With comparable characteristics at first glance, Smart Run 4G, released in July-August, is radically better in many respects, but they are asking 6,490 rubles for it, that is, 2,500 rubles more. more (the promotional period for Smart Sprint 4G is until September 30), or by 1,700 rubles. more after September 30. For some, a couple of thousand is enough to have lunch in a cafe, but for others, this same couple of thousand rightly looks like 30-50% of the price of a smartphone. Everyone has their own capabilities and their own priorities. Read and compare, the choice is yours.

Finally, a video on how to unlock MTS Smart Sprint:

Smart Sprint 4G receives customer reviews. Many people are interested in this product. Especially those who plan to use SIM cards from MTS. Nowadays there are a lot of “branded” gadgets on the market. mobile devices from operators cellular communications. Some are happy with them, some are not. So what can we say about MTS Smart Sprint 4G? How good is this gadget? Should we really pay attention to it? What might you encounter?

Description

The MTS Smart Sprint 4G smartphone receives varied reviews. Therefore, to say exactly how much it is good device, difficult. This phone was developed and released by MTS. Next advantageous offer for modern residents.

A special feature of this device is that it is already sold with a SIM card. And this fact makes many people happy. Only in some cases can you find a smartphone without a SIM. This proposal is still relatively new. But at the same time, the phone earned a lot of reviews. What pleases and upsets users? What characteristics leave consumers satisfied or disappointed?

Appearance

The MTS Smart Sprint smartphone receives a variety of options. There are both good and bad. The first thing many people pay attention to is the appearance of the device. It is not much different from a typical representative of modern smartphones.

The size of the gadget cannot be called small - 13.1 centimeters in length and 6.5 in width. It is also far from the most. It is 9.5 millimeters thick. It “feels” in the hand and weighs a little more than 140 grams.

Buyers do not emphasize any other features. Available in several colors:

• black;
• gray;
• white.

There are no sharp corners or similar components. Many buyers indicate that it is convenient to walk with such a phone - it fits in a pocket without difficulty, the corners do not put pressure on the skin, but the device is still felt. It is difficult to forget exactly where your smartphone is.

Screen

Next important point- screen. The MTS Smart Sprint 4G smartphone earns average reviews for it. There are both pros and cons to this gadget. In general, opinions can be called neutral.

The advantages of the screen are the size and image quality. The display has a diagonal of 4.5 inches and a resolution of 854 by 480 pixels. Not too much, but not too little either. This, as buyers say, is enough to use the Internet with maximum comfort, for example. Or watch the video.

The picture on the screen is clear. The display is capacitive, touch. It distinguishes more than 16.5 million colors. But at the same time, the smartphone’s scratch protection is poor. Many people say that if the display is scratched, it will be difficult to replace it. Just like it is very problematic to repair any other component in the model being studied.

Phone memory

Memory is another important characteristic for modern gadgets. There are two of them in the smartphone. There is an operational one. It is only 1 GB in MTS Smart Sprint 4G. There is regular memory used for user data. There is already more of it - 8 GB. For these characteristics, MTS Smart Sprint 4G Sim Lock does not earn the best reviews. The device being studied is not suitable for gaming. RAM is not enough for most modern applications. But some games run here. If you do not plan to play only new games, then 1 GB of RAM is enough.

There isn't much regular memory either. Modern users point out that 8 GB is not enough. At the same time, many are pleased with the possibility of increasing this space. The smartphone has a memory card slot for a maximum of 32 GB.

If you try to use a large volume, the phone starts to slow down and glitch. Therefore, most buyers point out that such experiments are undesirable. The maximum memory capacity of 40 GB for data on the phone is sufficient for the average gadget.

Camera

The MTS Smart Sprint 4G Sim Lock White smartphone is not only the ability to make calls from several SIM cards. This device, like many gadgets, allows you to take photos and videos. And not of the worst quality.

The camera of the smartphone under study is average - 5 megapixels. This is not the greatest indicator for modern phones. The pictures come out, as buyers say, not of the highest quality, but not terrible either. You could say "on duty". The camera has a flash and autofocus. The phone is not suitable for shooting on the move or underwater.

Accordingly, customer reviews of the MTS Smart Sprint 4G Sim Lock in this area are average. It’s suitable for ordinary amateur shots, but the shooting quality is not up to ideal.

operating system

An important point is the operating system that is installed in a particular phone. At the moment, there are only a few options that are offered to buyers. Reviews of the MTS Smart Sprint 4G smartphone are positive for the software installed on it.

The thing is that the gadget is equipped operating system based on Android. The version is one of the latest - 5.1 Lolipop. For this phone you can find a lot interesting applications and games. As buyers say, there is only one drawback - the power of the device.

The interface of the smartphone is standard. There are no distinctive features or features. The user can be sure that working with Android on a branded phone of a mobile operator is no more difficult than on a regular gadget.

Battery

But the next component of the phone earns a variety of opinions. MTS Smart Sprint 4G Sim Lock, the description and reviews of which are presented, is far from the most powerful smartphone. But the battery of the device is not bad.

In talk mode, it lasts up to 8 hours; with active use, recharging will be required after approximately 2 days. Many say that this is not enough. Therefore, they indicate that the gadget’s battery is weak. In fact, not needing to charge for 48 hours is a good indicator for a modern phone. If you wish, of course, you can even discharge the device in a day. It is enough to use it extremely actively. This fact will have to be taken into account.

Another feature is that the battery is removable. Many are happy - you can easily replace the battery if necessary. In fact, most reviews indicate that the phone's components are not all right when it comes to replacing components. Even with a battery. This brings a lot of inconvenience.

Performance

MTS Smart Sprint 4G, reviews, descriptions, tests, reviews and opinions about which are presented to your attention, as consumers say, is not fast. Sometimes, when working with the device, you may experience brakes. Especially if the phone is actively used and launched at the same time large number applications.

Some people, over time, begin to get annoyed by the slowness that arises in response to assigned tasks. Not critical, but not entirely convenient either. In general, the smartphone works stably, but if such failures occur, you have to wait some time for a response from the gadget.

However, the Internet here works really well. The 4G signal is received perfectly. Most buyers are satisfied with this characteristic. Mobile is suitable for comfortable work on the Internet. Especially if you take into account all the other characteristics - you don’t need a lot of RAM, the camera is not that important, and the performance is not the worst.

Price

The MTS Smart Sprint 4G smartphone receives positive reviews for its price category. The point is that this device can be called budget. It has different prices in different regions. But on average, such a phone will cost 3-5 thousand rubles.

We can say that MTS Smart Sprint 4G is a budget version of a modern device based on Android 5.1. The phone is ideal for study and work. Schoolchildren and students, business people will like this device. There is nothing superfluous in it, and the price will not hit your pocket.

Buyers also emphasize that for their price category The smartphone under study is of relatively high quality. It has some drawbacks, but it works reliably.

SIM cards

What else can surprise MTS Smart Sprint 4G, the review and unlocking of which is worthy of attention? The main dissatisfaction of buyers is that the gadget under study is designed exclusively to work with SIM cards from MTS. That is, if a person wants to change their mobile operator, they will have to buy another phone. This fact scares many people away. After all, it’s not very convenient to purchase a smartphone, even at a low price, that performs its functions only in relation to one telecom operator!

But don't be upset. The point is that anyone can do the so-called unlocking of the phone. Either officially or independently. This will allow you to replace the SIM card if necessary without purchasing a new smartphone.

How is unlocking carried out? The official way requires the following steps:

1. The buyer must take with him the gadget, a receipt, and a box with the device.
2. You need to come to the nearest MTS salon, prove that you purchased the phone and write an application for unlocking.
3. Next, either the office employee will carry out the procedure himself, or he will leave a request, after processing which the buyer will receive a message with an unlock code. The first option is more common.

Nothing else is needed. True, we'll have to wait. It should be noted that the operator has no right to refuse the service. Therefore, in case of refusals, you need to complain about illegal actions.

You can also unlock your phone yourself. For this, reviews of MTS Smart Sprint 4G Sim Lock are positive. However, many do not risk unlocking themselves. It can lead to problems using any SIM cards.

Results

What conclusions can be drawn from all of the above? The MTS Smart Sprint 4G phone is a budget-priced smartphone that is intended primarily for work purposes and Internet surfing. Not too powerful, not the weakest. A decent device for its price category. The only nuance that is recommended to be resolved immediately is unlocking. Otherwise, you will have to use only SIM cards from MTS.

Should I pay attention to this product? Yes, if you do not plan to search for a gaming gadget that will work with the latest innovations in the gaming industry. MTS Smart Sprint 4G is not the best best phone, but not terrible either. Optimal quality for a device price that is affordable to almost everyone! It is also recommended to take a closer look at this product if you want to buy a budget gadget that will allow you to work with a 4G connection. Now it’s clear what MTS Smart Sprint 4G Sim Lock is. Descriptions and reviews of this product are also reviewed. You can evaluate all the pros and cons of the device studied.

I haven’t written reviews on smartphones for a very long time, because no one sent them. This time I was lucky. The sample I am reviewing today is MTS Smart Sprint.

Main technical characteristics:

• Processor: dual-core MediaTek MT6572 with a frequency of 1.3 GHz;
• Video accelerator: Mali-400 MP;
• RAM: 512 MB;
• Screen: 4.5-inch IPS matrix with a resolution of 960x540 pixels, 240 dpi;
• Cameras: 5-megapixel main with autofocus and LED flash and 0.3-megapixel front;
• Data storage: 4 GB (1.27 GB available to the user) with support for microSD memory cards up to 32 GB;
• Wireless modules: GSM 900/1800 MHz, UMTS 900/2100 MHz, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, GPS;
• One slot for a standard SIM card (costs SIM-LOCK, use only MTS SIM cards);
• OS: Android 4.4.2;
• Battery: Li-Ion 1800 mAh;
• Dimensions and weight: 136x68x11 mm.

Equipment and appearance:

The package is standard: the smartphone itself, battery, charger and USB cable. Unfortunately, there are no headphones here. Or maybe it’s for the better - anyway, manufacturers don’t want to put a high-quality headset in a box.

I received a smartphone for testing, dressed in a white casing. The main part of the smartphone houses a 4.5″ IPS display. Viewing angles are not ideal, of course, but within normal limits. At the top there is a speaker protected by a metal grille, a light and proximity sensor and a 0.3 megapixel front camera. At the bottom there are 3 touch buttons: “Menu”, “Home” and “Back”. The microphone hole is very noticeable. Apparently, because I’m unusual in looking at a smartphone with a white casing, and therefore this hole immediately catches my eye. At the top end there are standard micro-USB connectors and a 3.5 mm jack for headphones.

On the right side there are buttons for locking the screen (on/off) and volume control. They fit very tightly to the body and therefore these buttons can be easily pressed if necessary.

Now about the back of the smartphone: a 5-megapixel camera lens, a little to the left of it there is a flash, and in the lower right part there is a speaker for music.

Under the cover there is a 1800 mAh battery, connectors for regular SIM card and microSD.

The plastic material in which the smartphone is clad is very cheap, and therefore very easily soiled. After 1.5 weeks of use, the back cover became slightly dirty, and it was not so easy to wipe off the dirt. Plus, the body is also white...

But, despite this, the smartphone body turned out to be successful in terms of holding in the hands. It does not slip, the edges are smooth and straight. Thanks to this, the device will not slip out of your hands.

Hardware and features of its operation:

This smartphone has a dual-core MediaTek processor with a clock frequency of 1.3 GHz, a Mali-400 MP video accelerator and 512 MB of RAM. Thanks to installed Android version 4.4, the smartphone can easily carry out tasks with 512 MB of RAM, without freezes or interruptions. But, I’ll immediately make a reservation that they are more or less simple. Whether this is so, I tried to find out for a week.

Conducting a successful test in Antutu was not easy for me right away. The program would crash, or the test would stop for no apparent reason. Perhaps this is due to the firmware, which has shortcomings (more on that later). Only after 3 attempts the test was completed successfully. And here are his results:

The applications themselves run smoothly, without lag, but only if there are not many of them running. Still, the presence of a limited amount of RAM affects it. You can safely play simple 3D games, for example, Plants vs. Zoombies or Subway Surf.

I even tried to run the rather “heavy” game Real Racing 3. Yes, the graphics are not smooth, but there were no periodic interruptions during the game. However, after completing the first race the game crashed.

There were no problems with the operation of the radio modules (Wi-Fi, GSM/UMTS, Bluetooth), everything works stably.

Job GPS module I was very surprised in the good sense of the word - a “cold” start took no more than 30 seconds, and a “hot” start took 10-12 seconds. MediaTek chipsets often encounter problems with GPS operation, but this smartphone turned out to be a kind of “exception to the rule.” The Swarm app, which I use often, almost always correctly automatically gave me the places where I wanted to check in. The location was instantly determined in Yandex.Maps.

I also checked the operation of the system and applications in the ART environment. Unfortunately, I didn’t notice a significant increase in performance. This may be due to limited technical characteristics. So there is no point in using this environment on an ongoing basis. Yes, and it’s worth remembering that in Android versions 4.4 this environment is experimental and may not ultimately produce any performance improvements.

Multimedia operation:

Now a little about the operation of multimedia, and, more specifically, the level of performance when watching video. There were practically no complaints; the third-party player MX Player even played Full HD video (compressed using YouTube). Normal playback was achieved with hardware decoding (with occasional missing frames), but with software decoding the image and sound were out of sync. The player copes well with standard SD-quality video in both types of decoding.

The device copes with music playback with a “solid B” - the speaker volume is slightly above average, but sometimes “overload” defects were felt when listening. I did not test the performance of music in headphones due to the lack of them in the package.

Firmware operation, interface features:

The firmware itself turned out to be practically stock; only the lock screen was modified. The software also includes MTS applications. Fortunately, they can be safely removed.

It is possible to update the firmware over the air. Only time will tell whether it will work in practice.

The work of the firmware itself upset me. During the entire testing period, I had to juggle the battery 4 times in order to use the smartphone again. I did this twice because some application froze (browser Google Chrome or a social network with geo-positioning Swarm) and 2 more times when trying to simply “wake up” the smartphone by pressing the power button.

Screen:

This device has a 4.5-inch IPS matrix with a resolution of 960x540 pixels. To be honest, I didn’t feel full-fledged IPS here. The viewing angles here are not very wide. When leaning to the left and right side created the effect of a bluish-grayish tint, which occurs in screens with a TFT matrix.
Plus, the light sensor does not work well - when setting the auto-brightness mode, the smartphone constantly changed the brightness of the image.

Camera:

The smartphone has a 5-megapixel regular camera module with an LED flash and a 0.3-megapixel front camera module. The quality of the images is, to put it mildly, not impressive. Interpolation, yes, yes. It is she who turns 3-megapixel photos (in my opinion, photos are “capable” of that much) into 5-megapixel ones.
In low light conditions, the camera works specifically and gives appropriate results after shooting. I won’t say anything at all about autofocus and 4x zoom - “it seems to be there, but it seems not.” In normal terms, the first does not improve the clarity of the photo at all (even when trying to photograph the text and then try to see it), and the second, after maximum enlargement, gives a completely incomprehensible blurred photo. In terms of autofocus performance, it is quite possible that the problem, again, is of a software nature.

The front camera can only be used for Skype or Viber, but not for selfies.

Examples of photos taken with a regular and front camera:

An example of shooting a video on the street:

Autonomy:

Let me remind you that the smartphone has a battery with a capacity of 1800 mAh. Like last time (when testing the MTS 978 smartphone), I used the Battery Widget Reborn application to show the battery discharge graph. And, of course, your data on operation under various energy consumption modes. And here are the results this time:

By the way, the smartphone is fully charged, according to Battery Widget Reborn, in 5 hours 13 minutes.

Flaws:

In addition to the shortcomings described above (camera, firmware operation), there is also a problem with pressing the touch control buttons (“Home”, “Back”, “Applications”). It doesn't happen the first time. What causes this problem is unclear. Also, sometimes clicks on the button were processed incorrectly touch screen(mostly this was felt when typing a character on the keyboard).

Conclusion:

MTS Smart Sprint is an ultra-budget smartphone. We must not forget that for that kind of money (and its cost at the time of writing the review was 2990 rubles) you will not get a device without any pitfalls. Such a smartphone is quite suitable for those people who prefer the option of using a smartphone as a tool for communicating on social networks, listening to music and watching videos that are not very demanding in terms of quality. Big screen, affordable price- these are the main criteria for purchasing.