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Huawei Ascend D1 review

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Huawei Ascend D1
Huawei Ascend D1
Huawei Ascend D1
Huawei Ascend D1
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When it comes to smartphones, the 3.5-inch screens of yesteryear are no longer the norm. These days, a phone needs to have a 4-inch screen or larger in order to catch anyone’s attention. And the Huawei Ascend D1 is representative of this current trend. It ships with a 4.5-inch HD IPS+ touchscreen display and runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. It’s one of the most well-equipped smartphones available on the market in its price range. But does it have what it takes to be considered the best one of them all?

With the D1, Huawei is trying to compete with the likes of Apple and Samsung and their respective flagship handsets. In a head-to-head comparison, it does come up as superior in certain aspects. It uses a fairly large high-quality color screen and runs on a powerful quad-core processor that’s not so hard on the battery. It also boasts a number of other high-end hardware features like an 8MP camera with dual-LED flash, 1GB of RAM, Dolby Mobile 3.0, and support for both HSDPA data and USB On-the-go.

But it isn’t without drawbacks. It ships with only 8GB of internal storage space—and less than 6GB is user available—plus, it lacks support for 4G LTE networks. Some reviewers have knocked it for using a mini-SIM instead of the standard-sized variety, and there are a few who have complained about it being entirely too big for one-handed use. If none of those sound like deal breakers, then the D1 might very well be a wise choice.

Need to Know: Huawei Ascend D1

1. 1.5GHz quad-core processor and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. (The Good)

2. 8-megapixel camera with dual-LED flash. (The Good)

3. No 4G LTE. (The Bad)

4. Internal storage space is less than 6GB. (The Bad)


Android
Operating system
Operating system
Android
1.5 GHz
Processor
Processor
1.5 GHz
4.5"
Screen Size
Screen Size
4.5"
8+ MP
Camera
Camera
8+ MP
1780 mAh
Battery



Prices (Where to Buy)




Common Questions


We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the Huawei Ascend D1 user manual here.


Huawei backs up the Ascend D1 with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.


If your Ascend D1 has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact Huawei support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find Huawei's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.



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Quick view

Screen Size
4.5"

The Huawei Ascend D1's screen size is 4.5 inches with x pixels resolution.

Processor
1.5 GHz

There is a Texas Instruments OMAP 4460 Dual-Core 1.5 GHz processor (CPU).

OS

The phone runs on proprietary operating system firmware.

Camera
8+ MP

You can take photos or capture video with the phone's onboard 8+ MP camera.

There is also a secondary front facing camera with 1+ megapixels resolution.

Storage
No

Internal memory is No. An external, MicroSD, MicroSDHC (up to 32 GB) expansion slot is available for increased storage capacity.

Battery
1780mAh

The phone is powered by a Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion), 1780 mAh battery. Huawei's performance ratings are 16.7 days standby time.

Ascend D1 Specs

Overview
Release Date June 30, 2012
Regions Available USA
Operating System No

Compare Android Smartphones

Processor Texas Instruments OMAP 4460 Dual-Core 1.5 GHz
Internal Storage No
RAM 1 GB
Hearing Aid Compatible No
TTY/TDD No
Noise Cancellation Yes
SAR Unknown
Manufacturer Warranty 1 Year
Accessories Included AC Charger, Manual, Standard Battery
Cellular
Networks
GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+
Mobile / Cellular Data
Push-to-talk (PTT) No
Wi-Fi Calling No
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) No
SIM card size
Yes
Dual SIM No
Connectivity
USB Micro-USB 2.0
USB OTG Support No
Infrared No
Bluetooth 3.0
Bluetooth Profiles A2DP
Bluetooth Audio Codecs SBC
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Mobile Hotspot Yes
Memory Expansion Slot Yes
Expansion Slot Info MicroSD, MicroSDHC (up to 32 GB)
NFC No
Data Tethering Compatibility Yes
Camera
Main Camera
Resolution / Aperture
8+ Megapixels
Zoom
Yes
Flash
Yes (Dual LED)
Additional Rear Camera Info
Auto focus, Effects, Geotagging, ISO, White balance, Scene mode
Video Recording Formats
3GP / 3GPP, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4
Video Recording Parameters
HD (1280 x 720 pixels)
Front Camera
Resolution / Aperture
1+ Megapixels
Additional Front Camera Info
No
Video Recording Parameters
Display / Screen
Type Color
Technology LCD (TFT)
Colors 16.7 million
Resolution x pixels
Pixel Density 326 pixels
Size 4.5 inches
Secondary Display No
Sensors Ambient Light, Proximity, Motion / Accelerometer, Digital Compass
Multi-Touch Yes
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Additional Display Features Capacitive touch screen
Power & Battery
Battery Type Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion)
Battery Capacity 1780 mAh
Removable Battery Yes
Wireless Charging No
Fast Charging No
Video Playback Time Unknown
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Unknown
Internet Use (Cellular) Unknown
Talk Time Unknown
Standby Time Up to 16.7 days
Mixed Usage
Physical Characteristics
Design Type Bar
Material Plastic
Colors Black
Dimensions [H x W x D] 12.9 x 6.4 x 0.9 cm (5.1 x 2.5 x 0.4 in)
Weight 130 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof Unknown
Rugged design No
IP Rating No
Headset Jack 3.5mm
External Speakers Yes
Input / Navigation
Sleep / Wake Key No
Home Key Yes
Input / Keyboard Type Touchscreen
Navigation Type Touchscreen
External Volume Control Yes
Fingerprint Sensor No
More
Additional Information Messaging: SMS, MMS, Google Talk
Multi-Use Smart Phone / PDA: Yes
Graphics: Yes
Themes: Yes
Backlit Illumination: Yes
Zoom / Magnification: Yes
Screen Orientation Lock: Yes
Predictive Text Entry: Yes
Voice Commands: Yes
Keypad/Screen Lock: Yes
Multiple Numbers Per Contact: Email address, Other fields
Contact Groups: Yes
Voice Activated Dialing: Yes
Photo Caller ID: Yes
Web Browser: Yes
Email Client: Yes
Email Protocols: POP3, IMAP, SMTP, Microsoft Exchange
PC Synchronization: Yes
TV Out Info: HDMI
DLNA Support: Yes
Audio Formats: MP3, MP4, eAAC+, WAV
Video Playback Formats: 3GP / 3GPP, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4
Streaming Video: Yes
Custom Ringtones: No
Vibration Alert: Yes
Downloadable Ringtones: Yes
Ringer ID: Yes
Speakerphone: Yes
Data Tethering: Yes
Mobile Hotspot: Yes
Radio: Yes (FM)
Viewable document types: DOC, DOCX, PPT, PPTX, XLS
Games: Downloadable
Apps: Downloadable
Included Software / Apps: -
Calendar, World Clock, Alarm, Calculator, Weather, Maps, NotePad, Voice Memos / Recorder

Other Names (AKA):
Related Links Manual (PDF)
Where to buy Huawei Ascend D1
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