Spice Stellar 431

Spice has been steadily gaining traction in the Indian market in the budget segment, mainly due to its strong presence in offline retail. The vendor is also seeing dividends by being a partner in the Android One initiative, through which it is collaborating with Google in rolling out budget handsets.

While not in the same vein as Android One, the Stellar 431 is yet another entry-level handset that is indicative of how low prices have fallen over the course of the two years. Available for just 3,500, the Spice Stellar 431 offers a 4-inch screen with a resolution of 800 x 480, 1GHz dual-core CPU, 512MB RAM, 4GB internal memory, microSD card slot up to 32GB, 3.15MP camera at the back, 1.3MP front shooter and 3G connectivity. The 1,560mAh battery ensures that you get through the day on a single charge.

Also included is dual-SIM functionality, and the device offers a host of bundled content, including OLX, WhatsApp, Opera, AskMe and more. The phone itself is available in blue, although Spice will sell you four different variations of the back cover should you feel like customizing the handset. Installing a new back cover is as easy as removing the back cover and switching to a new one.

When it comes to the software, the Stellar 431 is running Android 4.4 KitKat, which while not beign the latest at least does not cause any undue lag on the device. Thankfully, Indian vendors do not customize their skins with unnecessary bloatware, with the device offering a near-stock user interface.

The limited hardware means that the device isn t going to set benchmarks scores ablaze anytime soon, but if you re in the market for an affordable handset for texting, video calls and browsing, you ll be hard pressed to find a device that is better than the Stellar 431 in its price segment.