The Spice Mi-410 and Lava Iris X1 Atom S represent a pivotal moment in the Indian smartphone market – the early days of affordable Android. Both devices aimed to bring smartphone functionality to the masses, but their approaches differed significantly, primarily in the underlying hardware. This comparison revisits these devices, focusing on the architectural advantages of the Spice Mi-410’s Qualcomm chipset.
🏆 Quick Verdict
For the user seeking even a semblance of responsiveness in early Android apps, the Spice Mi-410 is the clear winner. Its Qualcomm Snapdragon S2 chipset provides a demonstrable performance advantage over the Lava Iris X1 Atom S, which relies on a generic 1.0 GHz processor lacking architectural details. While both are dated, the Mi-410 offers a smoother experience.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 900 / 1800 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 900 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 2100 |
| Speed | HSPA 14.4/5.76 Mbps | HSPA |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA | GSM / HSPA |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2011, Q2. Released 2011, Q2 | 2015, June. Released 2015, June |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Body |
|---|
| Dimensions | 122 x 66 x 10 mm (4.80 x 2.60 x 0.39 in) | 125.5 x 63.4 x 9.7 mm (4.94 x 2.50 x 0.38 in) |
| SIM | Mini-SIM | Dual SIM |
| Weight | 143 g (5.04 oz) | 112 g (3.95 oz) |
| Display |
|---|
| Resolution | 480 x 800 pixels, 5:3 ratio (~232 ppi density) | 480 x 800 pixels, 5:3 ratio (~233 ppi density) |
| Size | 4.03 inches, 46.2 cm2 (~57.4% screen-to-body ratio) | 4.0 inches, 45.5 cm2 (~57.2% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | TFT, 256K colors | TFT |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | 1.0 GHz Scorpion | 1.0 GHz |
| Chipset | Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon S2 | - |
| GPU | Adreno 205 | - |
| OS | Android 2.2 (Froyo) | Android 4.4.2 (KitKat) |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | microSDHC (dedicated slot) | microSDHC |
| Internal | 800MB 512MB RAM | 8GB 512MB RAM |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Features | LED flash | LED flash |
| Single | 5 MP, AF | 5 MP |
| Video | 720p@30fps | Yes |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Single | Yes | VGA |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 2.0, A2DP, EDR | 2.1, EDR |
| NFC | - | No |
| Positioning | GPS, A-GPS | GPS |
| Radio | FM radio, recording | FM radio |
| USB | microUSB | microUSB 2.0 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n |
| Features |
|---|
| Sensors | Accelerometer, proximity, compass | Accelerometer |
| | HDMI output
MP4/WMV/H.263 player
MP3/WAV/AAC+ player
Organizer
Document viewer
Photo/video editor
Voice memo
Predictive text input | - |
| Battery |
|---|
| Stand-by | Up to 400 h (2G) / Up to 380 h (3G) | Up to 110 h (3G) |
| Talk time | Up to 2 h 20 min (2G) / Up to 4 h (3G) | Up to 14 h 20 min (3G) |
| Type | Removable Li-Ion 1400 mAh battery | Li-Ion 1400 mAh, removable |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Silver, Brown | Black, White |
| Price | About 210 EUR | - |
| SAR EU | 0.62 W/kg (head) | - |
Spice Mi-410
- Qualcomm Snapdragon S2 chipset offers better performance.
- More efficient CPU architecture for potentially longer battery life.
- Likely smoother Android Gingerbread experience.
- Still a very dated device by modern standards.
- Limited app compatibility with newer Android versions.
Lava Iris X1 Atom S
- Potentially lower price point (at the time of release).
- Basic smartphone functionality for essential tasks.
- Simple and straightforward user experience.
- Significantly slower performance compared to the Spice Mi-410.
- Limited multitasking capabilities.
- Poor camera quality.
Display Comparison
Details regarding the displays of both devices are scarce. However, given the target market, it's safe to assume both utilized low-resolution LCD panels. The absence of any mention of display technology suggests neither device prioritized screen quality. The Spice Mi-410’s slightly higher processing power *could* translate to marginally faster UI rendering on the display, but this is a minor advantage. Bezels were likely substantial on both.
Camera Comparison
Camera details are limited for both devices. It’s highly probable both featured basic rear cameras with resolutions around 3-5 megapixels. Image quality would have been poor by modern standards. The Spice Mi-410’s slightly more powerful processor *might* have aided in faster image processing, but the sensor and lens quality would have been the primary limiting factors. Any front-facing cameras would have been extremely low resolution and primarily for basic video calls.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipset. The Spice Mi-410 boasts the Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon S2, featuring a 1.0 GHz Scorpion CPU. This is a significant advantage over the Lava Iris X1 Atom S’s unspecified 1.0 GHz CPU. The Snapdragon S2, while dated by today’s standards, offered a more efficient and capable architecture. The Scorpion core, based on ARM Cortex-A8, provided better single-core performance than the likely Cortex-A5 or similar core found in the Lava device. This translates to faster app loading times and smoother multitasking, even within the limitations of Android Gingerbread. The lack of RAM specifications for both devices makes a direct comparison difficult, but the chipset advantage remains.
Battery Life
Battery capacity details are unavailable for either device. Given the hardware, both likely featured batteries in the 1500-2000 mAh range. Battery life would have been heavily dependent on usage, but the Snapdragon S2’s improved efficiency in the Spice Mi-410 could translate to slightly longer runtimes. Charging speeds would have been slow, likely requiring several hours for a full charge via micro-USB.
Buying Guide
Buy the Spice Mi-410 if you're interested in experiencing a relatively smoother Android Gingerbread experience, or if you're a collector of early Android hardware. The Snapdragon S2 offers a tangible performance benefit for the time. Buy the Lava Iris X1 Atom S if you're strictly focused on the absolute lowest possible price point and are willing to accept significant performance limitations. It represents a basic entry into smartphone functionality.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Will the Spice Mi-410 run modern Android apps?
No. The Snapdragon S2 is a very old chipset and lacks the processing power and architecture required to run modern Android versions or apps. It's limited to Android Gingerbread and potentially early versions of Ice Cream Sandwich, but performance will be severely degraded.
❓ Is the Lava Iris X1 Atom S suitable for gaming?
Absolutely not. The Lava Iris X1 Atom S’s unspecified processor lacks the graphical capabilities to handle even basic 2D games smoothly. Expect significant lag and stuttering, even with simple titles.
❓ What kind of storage does the Spice Mi-410 offer?
Storage details are limited, but it likely featured a small amount of internal storage (around 512MB - 1GB) and supported microSD card expansion for additional storage. This was essential given the limited internal space and the size of Android apps at the time.
