Acer Liquid Z530 review: Budget phone with great battery life, sound

The Liquid Z530 is a compact budget smartphone with which Acer aims to deliver on one primary thing – the right smartphone experience. Acer has tried to tick a lot of right boxes with the Liquid Z530 but can it take on competing devices from Micromax and Karbonn? Read our review to find out.

Watch Video: Acer Liquid Z530 First Look

Specs: 5.0-inch (720 x 1280p, ~294 ppi) LCD display | Quad-core 1.3GHz Mediatek MT6735 processor | 2GB RAM | 16GB storage (expandable up to 32GB) | 8MP rear camera + 8MP front | Li-Ion 2420 mAh battery | Android Lollipop OS

Price: Rs 6,999

What is good?

I have to reiterate that this is the most compact smartphone I have handled in recent times. It’s almost as if smartphone manufacturers have forgotten to make devices for those with tiny hands. Though my hands are not tiny, this one fits perfectly and that is a welcome change. To put things in perspective, the Karbonn Titanium Mach Five is nearly 2 mm taller than the Liquid Z530.

The display is at the core of any smartphone experience and Acer Liquid Z530 packs one of the finest 720p HD panels in this price point. The colours are vivid and there is no noticeable pixel jarring common with LCD panels. Even viewing angles are great thanks to that IPS panel.

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Acer has paid special attention to speakers on this device. Instead of going for those CNC drilled speaker grills at the bottom, Acer has opted for DTS surround supported loud speakers at the rear. These speakers sound great, the audio is crisp. When listening to vocal rich songs, the Liquid Z530 shines. The Liquid Z530 has the loudest speakers in the price range and you’ll easily recognise Coldplay when played on this one.

The Acer Liquid Z530 holds its ace in the battery department.

The Acer Liquid Z530 holds its aces in the battery department. The battery easily lasts a day and with moderate usage, this phone won’t need a battery re-plug before the end of the day (Though carrying a charger is always recommended).

Acer has customised Android Lollipop with its own skin and it is definitely not distasteful. The quick access to notes, calculator and calendar from the notification tray which float on your home screen may be a Samsung rip off, but it’s a very good addition to the budget smartphone. Also Acer’s own Bluelight Shield makes reading easy at night.

What is not good?

Acer has failed to get one of the most used feature of any smartphone right – camera. The camera is somewhat slower to focus than the competing devices. When it ends up focusing right, the colours are not really accurate.

Acer has failed to get the camera right for the device. It focuses slow and the colours don’t come out accurate.

Also the back cover of the device is way too flimsy and after you remove it twice or more, you start wondering if it’s destined to break. Acer could have done better here.

Should you buy?

Acer has made a great smartphone for budget conscious audience. If your primary needs are a compact smartphone that offers great battery life and sounds great, Acer has you completely covered here. But if camera is your top priority then Karbonn’s Titanium Mach Five wins the vote.