As the commoditisation of hardware hits new lows, we’re seeing increasingly better hardware at rock bottom prices. As smartphones become mass market items, we’re seeing every brand trying to grab a piece of the pie. The Panasonic P85 is the Japanese company’s attempt to provide high quality hardware at a price that appeals to the mass market consumers.
Panasonic P85 specifications
- 5-inch (1280 × 720 pixels) HD display
- 1GHz quad-core processor
- 2GB RAM, 16GB internal storage, expandable memory up to 64GB with microSD
- Android 6.0 (Marshmallow)
- 8MP rear camera with LED Flash
- 2MP front-facing camera
- 5mm audio jack, FM Radio
- Dimensions: 145×72.2×9.35mm; Weight: 146.7g
- 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 and GPS
- 4000mAh built-in battery
Up front, the Panasonic P85 is visually appealing with a large 5 inch panel set amidst black bezels that fade away once the display is switched off. The phone feels well-built despite being predominantly plastic. Up above the screen and below it are white plastic panels that include the earpiece, front facing 2 MP camera,
Over on the right side lies a centrally placed power button and above it is a combined slot for both the SIM card slots as well as the microSD card slot. In addition to the primary SIM slot, the secondary slot is of the hybrid kind and you’ll have to chose between the SIM slot and the microSD card for expansion. Meanwhile the left side sports the volume rocker that is perfectly located for easy access and lets you manipulate it even when the phone is in your pocket.
The back of the phone has a gentle curve that sits well in the hand. The back panel is clean and brings emphasis to the camera module placed up top while a symmetrically placed single LED flash is placed below it.
The entire design of the Panasonic P85 is designed to be ergonomic and that’s the impression that you get when you hold the phone in your hand. All the buttons are easy to reach out to and the 146 grams weight fades away when in the pocket.
In terms of software, the Panasonic P85 uses a near stock build of Android 6.0. Other than a few games, there’s not much pre-installed on the device and this makes sure that the handset performs quite well. The combination of a 1Ghz processor and 2GB RAM ensure that the phone keeps running pretty smooth. For a device of it’s class, the Panasonic P85 performs admirably well and other than a few instances where apps took longer than expected to start, performance was satisfactory. Other specifications include 16GB of storage that is expandable via the memory card slot.
The device comes with a standard set of connectivity options including WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS and 4G VoLTE as well. Perhaps the most important feature in the category has to be the large 4000 mAh battery which lasts for almost 2 full days of use. A low powered processor and large battery in combination give predictable results and you’ll be suitably satisfied with battery life on offer.
Priced at Rs. 6,499, the Panasonic P85 offers good competition in a market that is notoriously price sensitive. The phone balances design, ergonomics and decent performance to offer a well-balanced device for anyone looking for an entry-level smartphone.