Techie
3:09 AM | Monday | 15 March 2010

The Torque DQ500

We're definitely no strangers to cheap mobile phones that look like some of their more expensive relatives. Take the Torque DQ500, for example. One look and you'll instantly see that it has an uncanny resemblance to the E63s and E71s out there. But is this all it can offer? Or is there more to the DQ500 besides its looks and cheap price tag?

The DQ500 is a bit thinner

Looks and size

Notice that it looks very similar to the Nokia E63 and E71. It sports a full QWERTY keypad, and its battery cover and boundaries are made of metal, giving it a glossy, metallic look and a robust feel at the same time.

We compared the DQ500 to the E63, and surprisingly, the E63 is thicker and also wider, although it's lighter by a few grams. Overall, the DQ500 is very easy to handle and looks good, too, which is a must if it is to fool anyone that it's something more expensive than its price tag of less than P4,500.

The DQ500 has a brighter display

Their menu icons are quite similar

Display 

The DQ500 features a large 2.2-inch, 65K color LCD display at 220x176 pixels. It's also quite bright, brighter compared to the E63's LCD display. The menu's icons and overall look is also similar to the E63's and E71's, showing that the DQ500 does not only look similar to these more expensive handsets on the outside but on the "inside" as well.  

Messaging and dual-SIM capabilities

The DQ500, just like other handsets from Torque, has dual-SIM capabilities which enable users to use two SIMs at the same time. It's easy to get used to this, as its interface and call and messaging options offer easy navigation to its dual-SIM options. For example, two call keys are already present above its QWERTY keypad, where you can make calls instantly using either of the SIM cards inserted. Also, the phonebook allows for sending SMS and MMS or storing contacts on any of the SIM cards.

As for messaging, the DQ500 gives users the option to use any one of the SIM cards inserted. Navigationg and changing settings are straightforward. However, we did have problems using the QWERTY keypad. Certain keys (like the letter A) are hard to press. This makes texting frustrating. We're not sure if this problem is only limited to the unit we received, which is brand-new, but if this affects all DQ500 units, then Torque may want to rethink making another QWERTY phone again.

Multimedia and connectivity

The DQ500 is well-endowed in terms of multimedia capabilities. For starters, it has a 1.3-megapixel camera, hardly a wow factor but a lot better than the VGA cameras other cheap mobiles have. Megapixels aside, you'd be surprised that its camera also features options like Effects (sepia, grayscale, etc.), White Balance, Timer, and Scene Modes. It also has an MP3 player and a video player that supports MP4s and 3GPs. Heck, it even has an FM radio. But as expected, the DQ500 lacks a 3.5mm audio jack, and its built-in speakers are decent at best. Still, we say it's quite stocked multimedia-wise.

In terms of connectivity, the DQ500 doesn't have Wi-Fi capabilities (absolutely no surprises here) because if it did, it would push its price tag above China-phone range. Still, this doesn't mean that it lacks connectivity options. It has WAP 2.0, a micro-USB port as well as the mobile-phone staple Bluetooth 2.0.

Battery life and memory

Not possessing many of the features of other phones from more established brands, we expected that the DQ500 will not be that power-hungry. However, we're still a bit surprised that it went almost three full days of extensive use on a single charge. And oh, another plus factor is that it can also be charged via USB.

The DQ500 has built-in memory for storing 1,000 names and a micro SD slot for more memory (maximum 2GB).

Verdict 

It may be dirt-cheap, but that doesn't mean the DQ500 doesn't have much to offer. Yeah, understandably, it lacks many of the sought-after features handsets in higher price ranges possess, but it still has, for its price, many features, making it a rather "gifted" phone in its price range. It also has the looks to boot, giving others the impression that it's not something below P4,500. So if you're someone who doesn't really need many fancy features in a phone and is looking for a cheap, reliable, and good-looking handset with multimedia features, the Torque DQ500 is definitely a good buy.

Click here to view the Torque DQ500 in our Buyer's Guide.