The Nokia Asha 502 an upgraded 501 is no doubt a better option. This dual SIM handset sports a 3 inch screen and sails on Nokia Asha platform 1.1. It is priced at under Rs. 5,900 just a little more than the Nokia Asha 501.
Box Pack
The box contains the 502 handset, travel charger, earphone (bright red), battery of 1010 mAh capacity and User Guide / Warranty booklet. A free 4GB class 4 micro SD card is also included (you will find it inside the micro SD card slot).
Design, Display and OS
The Nokia Asha 502 comes with a completely new design, looks much better than its predecessor the Asha 501. On a closer look you will find that there is an additional layer for transparent plastic that covers up the phone. It does give an elegant, classy and unique look. Build quality and finishing is very good.
The Nokia 501 had curvy edges whereas the 502 edges are less curvy. It seems as if Nokia has placed a less curvy transparent shell over the 501. The 502 however is slimmer than the 501 (12.1mm) model.
502 handset weight with battery is 101 grams, thickness is 11.24mm, breadth is 59.75mm and length is 99.71mm. The single navigation button has been replaced with a touch button as compared to 501 that comes with a physical button. Power / Volume rockers are placed on the right side and 3.5m audio port plus micro USB port on the top.
The touchscreen display is 3 inches supporting resolution of 320×240 pixels. Touch is smooth and responsive, supports orientation and double-tap to wake up. There are two sensors accelerometer and proximity. Screen supports 2 point multi touch.
Performance
There are dual SIM slots with dual standby mode, you need micro SIMs. Other features are Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. This handset supports 2G (GPRS/EDGE); 3G is not supported. 502 runs on Nokia Asha software platform 1.1 with 64MB memory.
Performance is good. There is 64MB memory and micro SD card support of up to 32GB. It is a basic budget phone so don’t expect too much out of it. The handset does support social sites; Facebook and Twitter apps come pre-installed.
Nokia Asha 502 supports Whatsapp that also comes pre-installed. The Nokia Asha 501 initially did not support whatsapp but the support has now been added. There are few basic games that also come pre-installed.
Camera
There is only one camera placed on the rear side. It is 5MP fixed focus with LED flash support. The camera quality no doubt is better than as seen on the 501 model. Check the sample images at the end of this article. The video recording quality (320×240 pixels) is no good.
Others
The sound is loud and clear. 1080p and 720p video playback is not supported. It is a bit difficult opening up the back cover as compared with 501. The Asha 502 screen is not scratch resistant; mild scratches are clearly visible. OTA (Over the Air) software updates are supported. There is built in FM Radio.
Battery
The 1010 mAh BL-5A battery according to Nokia gives talk-time of up to 13 hours. You can play music MP3’s for up to 40 hours.
Verdict
Look wise the Nokia Asha 502 looks much better than its predecessor. The price difference between these two handsets is approx Rs. 1000. Asha 502 comes with 5MP FF camera that does a reasonable job when it comes to still photography.
If you are planning to get a basic phone 502 (available in 6 different colors ) is definitely a better option as compared to the Nokia 501.
Image Gallery
Sample Images
Nokia Asha 502 review and unboxing video
Sample video shot using Asha 502
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