The Micromax In 2b is a budget smartphone that punches above its weight class. Equipped with a relatively new Unisoc T610 processor, this phone offers a surprising level of performance, running smoothly and handling multitasking with ease. Even though it features a basic camera setup and a 10W charger that takes its sweet time, the In 2b stands out in its segment due to its clean Android experience and impressive gaming performance, outperforming even some higher-priced smartphones. While its cameras might not be its forte, the Micromax In 2b delivers a compelling experience, making it a strong contender for those looking for a budget phone with solid performance and a bloatware-free experience.
Micromax In 2b price and variants
The Micromax In 2b comes in two variants: a 4GB RAM + 64GB storage model priced at Rs. 8,499 and a 6GB RAM + 64GB storage option priced at Rs. 9,499. These prices are slightly higher than the official launch prices. Notably, the In 2b supports expandable storage, allowing you to boost its storage capacity by up to 256GB using a microSD card.
This phone seeks to compete with popular budget models like the Poco C3, powered by the MediaTek Helio G35 SoC, and the recently launched Realme C21Y, boasting similar specifications. The Poco C3 also supports microSD cards up to 512GB.
Micromax In 2b design
Available in green, black, and blue color options, the Micromax In 2b sports a basic design reminiscent of the Redmi 9 Power. Despite weighing in at 190g, making it relatively heavy, it boasts a comfortable grip thanks to the fine wavy grooves on its textured plastic back panel. The textured design effectively keeps fingerprints and smudges at bay, and the same can be said about the flat Rainbow Glass screen on the front, which is a pleasant surprise in this price segment.
The 6.52-inch LCD display is surrounded by noticeable bezels, with the bottom chin being the thickest. The display incorporates a waterdrop-style notch housing the 5-megapixel selfie camera.
The fingerprint scanner is conveniently located on the back, offering instant unlocks with ease. The smartphone also offers 2D face recognition, which proved to be reliable when there was adequate lighting.
In a common trend among entry-level smartphones, the In 2b sports its speaker grille on the back. A small dimple beside it prevents the speaker from being muffled when the phone is placed on a flat surface.
Micromax In 2b specifications and software
The Micromax In 2b features a relatively new Unisoc T610 SoC, a processor with two high-performance ARM Cortex-A75 cores and six power-efficient Cortex-A55 cores, all clocked at 1.8Ghz. While Unisoc might not be a household name, it has been around for some time. Since many first-time smartphone users in this budget segment might not be overly concerned about the processor brand, this shouldn’t be a major deterrent.
Micromax has a history of collaboration with Unisoc silicon, and other brands like Realme have also begun experimenting with Unisoc processors in the sub-Rs. 10,000 segment. As the review reveals, the Unisoc T610 does not disappoint.
The In 2b packs up to 64GB of eMMC 5.1 storage and 6GB of LPDDR4x RAM. Connectivity options include dual-band Wi-Fi ac, FM radio, Bluetooth 5, USB-OTG via its Type-C USB port, and a triple-slot card tray. The phone is fueled by a 5,000mAh battery and supports 10W charging.
The Micromax In 2b runs a stock version of Android 11, with minor customisations in the Camera and Settings apps. You can fine-tune the display’s colours and customize gestures like Easy Answer (answers a call when the phone is lifted to the ear) and Easy Bell (lowers the ringtone volume once the phone is picked up). Notably, there are no preinstalled third-party apps or promotional notifications—a refreshing change from some competitors.
Micromax In 2b performance and battery life
The 6.52-inch LCD panel boasts an HD+ resolution (1600×720) with a waterdrop-style notch at the top. Its sufficient brightness in direct sunlight, coupled with good viewing angles, renders text and images surprisingly sharp for an entry-level smartphone. Despite my initial concerns about the back-mounted speaker placement, it proved to be adequately loud for calls and gaming.
In everyday use, the Micromax In 2b delivers a smooth experience, swiftly opening apps and handling multitasking efficiently. It feels like a mid-level budget smartphone in terms of performance, possibly due to its clean software and optimized performance.
Benchmark scores highlight the In 2b’s impressive performance within its price segment, achieving 1,55,434 in AnTuTu, 348 in Geekbench’s single-core test, and 1,180 in the multi-core test. These scores are comparable to the Samsung Galaxy F22 and significantly better than the Nokia G20, both of which are priced starting at around Rs. 12,000.
Gaming performance is also a highlight. The Micromax In 2b handled most 3D games smoothly without any noticeable heating issues. Call of Duty: Mobile ran flawlessly at the default Low graphics and Medium frame rate settings, offering a lag-free experience with no touch sampling latency. Asphalt 9: Legends also performed smoothly at the Default graphics setting, showcasing detailed textures. Although cranking up the quality to High resulted in a frame rate drop, the game remained playable.
The Micromax In 2b houses a 5,000mAh battery, which lasted 12 hours and 14 minutes in our HD video loop battery life test. While this falls slightly below average for an entry-level smartphone, in real-world scenarios, the In 2b consistently lasted me a day and a half, even with an hour of gaming—quite impressive. The bundled 10W charger is relatively slow, requiring 3 hours and 9 minutes to fully charge the battery from completely empty.
Micromax In 2b cameras
The Micromax In 2b features a dual rear camera setup comprising a 13-megapixel primary camera and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. Selfies are handled by a 5-megapixel front camera. The camera interface offers standard shooting modes, including a Night mode, and conveniently places important controls within reach. The AI scene recognition toggle, often found in most camera apps’ viewfinders, is located deeper in the settings. Keeping AI switched on often lead to exaggerated colors and ruined photos, so this might be a welcome change for some users. Independent toggles for AI are available both in the regular Photo mode settings and the selfie Photo mode settings.
Daylight photos produced decent results, though colours appeared slightly dull. HDR performance wasn’t stellar, leading to several photos with blown-out highlights, even though most retained a good dynamic range. Details were decent, but noticeable noise was present.
Close-up shots were slightly blurry and took some time to focus even in daylight, making Portrait photos even slower to capture. These portrait photos offered decent detail but displayed strange artifacts in the blurred backgrounds, rendering them unusable. Selfies were crisp but exhibited clipped highlights when shot in bright conditions. Close-ups showcased decent detail but appeared slightly soft.
Photos taken in low light lacked detail and exhibited noticeable noise. While still better than the images captured using Night mode, which resulted in a blur of details, the low light photography was not a strong point. The In 2b can capture videos at 1080p 30fps but lacks stabilization. Videos recorded during the day were mediocre in quality, while videos shot at night were riddled with noise, resulting in a jittery and generally unusable outcome.
Verdict
Despite a recent price hike, with prices starting at Rs. 8,499, the Micromax In 2b delivers a solid core set of specifications but offers a software experience and performance far exceeding expectations for its price point. It even rivals some slightly higher-priced smartphones. Gaming performance is not a disappointment, allowing smooth gameplay with medium quality graphics – a feat many other entry-level smartphones struggle to achieve.
The main shortcomings are the slow charging speed and camera performance. Photos and videos are average in quality, lagging behind the Poco C3 in this aspect. The recently launched Realme C21Y offers similar hardware with an additional 2MP macro camera, adding another option to consider.
If you’re on a tight budget and require a smooth, clean software experience with minimal bloatware, and camera performance isn’t a top priority, then the Micromax In 2b undoubtedly deserves a spot on your shortlist.
