BenQ is back in the mobile phone business with the F3 and A3 devices, after saying that it’s looking away from the handset and laptop markets. The company has a stronger presence in projectors, monitors and cameras at present.
After seeing smaller brands like Xiaomi and Micromax not just rise on the back of Android, but also offer stiff competition to bigger names, the temptation was perhaps too strong. At any rate, it’s here with the two aforementioned handsets sporting 4.5-inch touchscreens and sleek bar-style form factors.
The new smartphones work on Android, of course, and have the usual sort of features you’d find in a handset on shelves hosting mid-range ones. You may discover the specs to be incapable of blowing you away if you unwisely compare them to the more expensive devices they don’t pretend to be.
Main features of the BenQ F3:
– Jelly Bean 4.2.2
– 1.2GHz MediaTek MT6589 quad core processor
– 1GB RAM, 4GB ROM, 32GB microSD support
– 4.5″ 960 x 540p screen
– 13MP camera, f/2.2 aperture, HDR, zero shutter lag
– 2MP front camera
– 2100mAh battery
– 131.6mm x 66.9mm x 8.9mm, 119g
Key specifications of the BenQ A3:
– Jelly Bean 4.1.2
– 1.2GHz Snapdragon MSM8225Q quad core chip
– 1GB RAM, 4GB internal memory
– 32GB memory expandability
– 4.5″ 960 x 540p display
– 8MP rear camera, 2MP webcam
– 2000mAh battery
– 133.9mm x 66mm x 9.99mm, 135g
Engadget reports that the contract-free F3 is up for grabs in Taiwan at NT$7,990 (approx. $270), and the A3 sells for NT$5,990 (approx. $200). It’s not clear whether BenQ will be spreading the love to other markets across the globe anytime soon.