Coolpad Note 3S Quick Review: A Rs 9,999 Smartphone That Cuts Corners With a Downgraded Display

More than a month after unveiling the Coolpad Note 5 for the Indian audience at Rs 10,999, Coolpad today launched Coolpad Note 3S, strategically priced at Rs 9,999 to complete the full circle of devices within the 6k to 15k range. This is the budget smartphone segment in India and one that has seen the maximum sales within the Indian market. Coolpad Note 3S shall be available Dec 7 onwards exclusively on amazon.in. The smartphone is based on Android 6.0 with the Coolpad proprietary Cool UI 8.0 interface.

5.5” inch HD Display

The device comes in two colors: gold and white and we got the chance to hold the dapper gold model. It looks elegant with the same 2.5D glass curved glass on top as in Coolpad Note 5 but with an additional transparent plastic covering at the back that enhances the bling value. This however could get dampened with regular use as grease and smudges take over, also making it more slippery to hold. We are a tad disappointed with the 5.5” inch HD display as people are now accustomed to Full HD screens in the same size. So for a thousand rupees less than the Coolpad Note 5, a compromise on screen quality is somewhat difficult to bear.

Octa-core processor, 3GB RAM and 32GB Internal Storage

Coolpad Note 3S comes with the Snapdragon 1.36GHz octa-core processor MSM 8929, which did a decent job while playing regular games, multitasking on the net and opening multiple apps. Movie-watching was not bad either. 3GB RAM is also now a standard on most smartphones these days and it shows its worth while multitasking various apps. The 32GB internal storage can be further expanded to another 32GB via memory card and it also supports OTG USB connectivity.

5MP front and 13MP rear camera with auto focus

This is not a phone for selfie lovers as the 5MP front camera without flash reveals. However, it does a decent job with regular daylight photos and videos. As is now the norm, there’s a fingerprint scanner below the rear camera to unlock the device. Pretty snappy it is at that as it unlocks the device in 0.5 seconds flat.

Battery, connectivity and network support

The 2500 mAh battery is a dampener as you may not be able to last even half a day with full on 4G usage. The smartphone supports 4G Volte so you can straightaway insert your Jio SIM and enjoy free internet and calling facility. It works on WLAN 802.11 b/g/n and also supports Bluetooth 4.0 for connectivity. As far as device sensors are concerned, it comes with the usual mix: accelerometer, magnetic, proximity, light and fingerprint sensors. The device weights 167 gms but didn’t feel that heavy in hands.