Big tab gives a big bang

The Canvas P650 Tab from Micromax is big in every aspect - be it size, performance or price

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"Listen, when you are jotting down the review, could you please mention that the size of this tablet is huge? Not in a bad way, though," my best buddy said as he laid his hands on the Micromax Canvas P650 Tab. Indeed, the Canvas P650 Tab is big but it's also powerful. A perfect blend of design and features, the P650 adds steel to Micromax's tablet segment that was getting overshadowed by its range of smartphones. It not only performs extremely well but is also pleasing to the eye.

Stunning looks
Let's be honest. Handling a tablet is not easy. Carrying them and making calls can be a bit awkward at times but the P650's elegant design and finish might soothe those concerns. The P650's highlight design feature is its full aluminium body. The back cover is a delight to look at and hold. It is smooth and not prone to scratches. It has been kept nice and simple. It has been divided primarily into two parts. The primary camera and a small reset button rest on the top part, whereas the loud speaker is on the bottom part of the back cover. The volume rocker is placed on the right. Just below the volume rocker is the SIM card and microSD memory card slot, covered by a small panel. The power/lock key is on the top, with the USB port and a 3.5-mm jack. Both the power key and the volume rocker responded nicely. The front of the tab has an earpiece on top and a secondary camera. The three primary function keys have been integrated into the screen.

MICROMAX CANVAS TAB P650

• Operating system: Android Jelly Bean 4.2.1
• Screen size : 8 inches (20.3 cm)
• Processor : 1.2GHz Quad Core
• Camera: 5-MP rear autofocus, 2-MP front
• Battery: 4,800 mAh
  
  Calling facility: Yes

Powerful core
Running on a strong 1.2-GHz quad core processor, the P650 will not disappoint you in terms of performance. There were hardly any lags and multitasking was easy. The one-GB RAM is more than sufficient to handle frequent use of apps. The P650 runs Android 4.2.1 Jelly Bean, which dwells beautifully with the user interface. It has a massive internal memory storage of 16GB (11.07 GB available to the user), which can be further expanded to 32 GB with a microSD card. The tablet has a 4,800-mAh battery that easily lasted for a day-and-a-half after moderate use. Overall, the battery is not what you need to worry about.

Crisp display, decent camera
The P650 has an eight-inch (20.3-cm) display with a resolution of 1,024x768 pixels. Viewing angles on the P650 were pleasing. It is apt for watching videos and reading. The cameras on the Canvas Tab P650 were average and could have been far better. Pictures and videos taken in normal lighting appeared a bit blurry but usable. The performance of the rear five-megapixel camera and the front-facing two-megapixel one were disappointing in low light.

Connectivity
The P650 comes with calling facility. It can run on any 3G network with a normal SIM card. The earpiece wasn't loud enough but we would advise you to use the headphones in a crowded place.

Verdict
The Micromax Canvas P650 Tab is a sure-shot winner. It has justified its billing despite the big frame. Overall, there are more pros, compared to the minor cons. At Rs 16,999, the tab will face stiff competition as seen by the recent drop in prices of the Google Nexus 7 tab. But the P650's calling facility, splendid design and powerful processor might help it steal a march on its rivals.