Huawei's all about the D Quad at this year's Mobile World Congress, but that's not everything in the manufacturer's arsenal. Having seen the first devices from its D (Diamond) and P (Platinum) series, we've been wondering how the third-tier G (Gold) handsets would turn out. Huawei's booth holds the answer to our lingering question in the form of the Ascend G 300, a predictably lower- to mid-range smartphone packing a 1GHz single-core CPU, 4-inch WVGA display, 5MP rear camera along with other modest specs.
While it's clear that Huawei's major focus is on bumping up its specs and becoming a major player in relevance and performance, we've only seen that strategy reflected on its top two tiers. The G 300, in contrast, doesn't feel any different in build quality than its older budget-conscious cousins; it employs the company's signature gray / white (or gray / black) look on the back. The edges and sides of the device are slightly different, varying by its color: the versions in black are soft-touch plastic, while its white counterpart is completely smooth, much like the rest of the phone. The battery cover felt rather flimsy, and one unit on hand looked as though it were coming apart, the cracks far too distanced for our comfort. The OS on hand is Android 2.3, accompanied with the usual MWC promise of being "upgradeable to ICS," and uses the same homegrown skin we saw a couple months ago on the Huawei Honor.
Of course, this one will likely hit at a low price point, so don't be tempted to compare this particular handset with some of the vendor's more premier options. It's not going to be as polished, but it's not meant to be. So while the 10.5mm-thick device will be perfectly reasonable for many, power users won't be waiting in line for this one to come out at a yet to be determined time. Still curious? Keep scanning your eyes below to find the gallery and movie.
Dana Wollman contributed to this hands-on.
While it's clear that Huawei's major focus is on bumping up its specs and becoming a major player in relevance and performance, we've only seen that strategy reflected on its top two tiers. The G 300, in contrast, doesn't feel any different in build quality than its older budget-conscious cousins; it employs the company's signature gray / white (or gray / black) look on the back. The edges and sides of the device are slightly different, varying by its color: the versions in black are soft-touch plastic, while its white counterpart is completely smooth, much like the rest of the phone. The battery cover felt rather flimsy, and one unit on hand looked as though it were coming apart, the cracks far too distanced for our comfort. The OS on hand is Android 2.3, accompanied with the usual MWC promise of being "upgradeable to ICS," and uses the same homegrown skin we saw a couple months ago on the Huawei Honor.
Of course, this one will likely hit at a low price point, so don't be tempted to compare this particular handset with some of the vendor's more premier options. It's not going to be as polished, but it's not meant to be. So while the 10.5mm-thick device will be perfectly reasonable for many, power users won't be waiting in line for this one to come out at a yet to be determined time. Still curious? Keep scanning your eyes below to find the gallery and movie.
Dana Wollman contributed to this hands-on.
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