HMD 105 review
HMD 105 offers UPI payments, long battery life, FM radio, and clear call quality for ₹999, but lacks 3G/4G, internet, and a camera.
Last month, HMD Global released two new basic phones in India – HMD 105 and HMD 110. These phones are perfect for people looking for affordable and simple options.
HMD 105 is priced at ₹999, while HMD 110 costs ₹1,199. Even though they are budget phones, they come with some helpful features.
One standout feature is the built-in UPI, which lets users make easy digital payments, something uncommon for phones in this price range. Both phones also have a 1,000 mAh battery, offering up to 18 days of standby time. This means you don’t need to charge them often.
Phones are splash and dust-resistant with an IP52 rating, making them more durable. For entertainment, they come with an MP3 player, FM Radio and call recording. They also support multiple languages, making them easy to use for many people across India.
HMD 105 is a reliable and simple phone, ideal for everyday use. It’s durable, has a long battery life, and even includes UPI for digital payments. HMD 110 offers a few extra features for slightly more money, making both phones great choices if you need an affordable and dependable phone.
Main Features:
| ⚖️ Weight | 93g | 📏 Thickness | 14.4mm | 🔍 Screen Resolution | 240×320 pixels |
| 📱 Type | Feature phone | 💾 Storage | 64MB, 128MB RAM, microSDHC slot | 📷 Camera | NO |
| 🌟 Popularity | 1.4%, 8,672 hits | 📺 Screen Size | 2.4 inches | 🔋 Battery | 1450mAh |
HMD 105 Specification
| 📋 Specification | 📊 Details |
|---|---|
| 🌐 Network Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE |
| ⚖️ Weight | 93 g (3.32 oz) |
| 💳 SIM | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) |
| 💧 Body | IP54 dust and splash resistant (Europe, Australia, New Zealand) Splash resistant (ROW) |
| 📺 Display Type | TFT LCD, 65K colors |
| 📏 Display Size | 2.4 inches, 17.8 cm² (~28.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| 🔍 Resolution | 240 x 320 pixels, 4:3 ratio (~167 ppi density) |
| 💻 Chipset | Unisoc T127 |
| 💾 Memory (Card Slot) | microSDHC |
| 📖 Phonebook | Yes |
| ☎️ Call Records | Yes |
| 💽 Internal Memory | 64MB storage, 128MB RAM |
| 📷 Camera | None |
| 🔊 Loudspeaker | Yes |
| 🎧 3.5mm Jack | Yes |
| 📶 WLAN | No |
| 📡 Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP |
| 📍 Positioning | No |
| 📲 NFC | No |
| 📻 Radio | Wireless FM radio |
| 🔌 USB | USB Type-C |
| 🔋 Battery Type | Li-Ion 1450 mAh, removable |
| 🎮 Games | Yes |
| 🎶 MP3 Player | Yes |
| 📱 Messaging | SMS |
| 🎨 Colors | Black, Pink, Cyan |
| 💰 Price | About 20 EUR |
Design, Display & Build Quality
HMD 105 has a classic, simple design with good overall build quality. It’s lightweight, weighing around 77.5 grams, making it easy to carry. It features 2-inch QQVGA screen and keypad with the HMD logo in the center. The back is made of durable polycarbonate with a nano-textured finish, adding a bit of grip. Phone is also rated IP52 which means it is splash and dust-resistant.
Buttons are large, making it easy to type and it has a torch at the top for convenience. At the bottom, there’s a 3.5mm headphone jack for wired earphones, a micro USB port for charging and a lanyard hole. Back cover is removable, allowing access to the battery, SIM slots and microSD card slot for extra storage.
However, phone only supports 2G connectivity which limits the speed of network connections. This isn’t a big drawback since it doesn’t have a web browser, so it’s mainly for calls, texts and basic functions.
Software, Performance, & Features
HMD 105 comes with a simple, easy-to-use interface that includes several built-in apps. You’ll find a Music Player, FM Radio (both wired and wireless options), a Calculator, Calendar, Clock, Alarm, Voice Recorder, classic Snake game, GS Pay and File Manager. However, there’s no web browser available on the phone, so you won’t be able to access the internet.
It has 4 MB of RAM and 4 MB of internal storage, but you can expand storage up to 32 GB with microSD card. For a basic feature phone- this is enough for daily tasks like making calls, sending texts and using simple apps.
Phone also has a quick dial feature, making it easy to call people by dialing numbers quickly. You can store up to 2,000 contacts and with the shortcut button, accessing your favorite apps is simple. However, we noticed that some keys didn’t work as expected, reacting even to very light touches. This might be issue with keypad or possibly a small manufacturing defect but overall, performance suits a basic feature phone like this one.
Phone has loud audio, making it easy to hear during calls, even in noisy places. Call quality is clear and overall audio experience is impressive.
One useful feature is UPI payments through GS Pay app. You can send money by entering the payee’s mobile number or UPI ID, amount to send and your UPI PIN. Once you confirm, the payment goes through and you get a notification when it’s done.
Battery Life & Charging
HMD 105 comes with a 1,000 mAh battery which is designed to last a long time especially since it’s a feature phone. According to the company, the phone can stay on standby for up to 18 days without needing a charge. In reality, you can expect battery to easily last for at least a week or more on a single charge, depending on how much you use the phone.
Since feature phones like HMD 105 don’t use as much power as smartphones, they generally have much better battery life. Even with regular use, such as making calls, sending texts and using a few apps, battery should last several days before needing to be charged again. This makes HMD 105 a good choice if you’re looking for a phone that doesn’t need to be charged often, offering convenience and reliability.
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Pros and Cons HMD 105
| 👍Pros | 👎Cons |
|---|---|
| 💰 Cheap: Costs ₹999. | 📶 No 3G/4G: Only 2G network. |
| 💳 UPI Payments: Can send money. | 🌐 No Internet: No web browser. |
| 🔋 Long Battery: Lasts up to 18 days. | 📷 No Camera: Can’t scan codes. |
| 💧 Durable: Splash and dustproof. | 🔑 Sensitive Keys: Can be buggy. |
| 🔊 Clear Sound: Loud and clear calls. | 📱 Basic Phone: No smart features. |
| 🎵 FM & MP3: Music and radio. | 👎 |
| 📲 Dual SIM & Memory Card: Useful. | 👎 |
Conclusion
HMD 105 is a feature phone with some useful features like an MP3 player, built-in UPI, FM Radio, call recording, a built-in torch, IP52 water resistance, dual SIM support, a microSD card slot, a removable battery and multilingual support. Its 1,000 mAh battery can last up to 18 days on standby. The phone also offers loud audio and clear call quality.
However, it lacks 3G/4G connectivity, a web browser, and a camera for scanning UPI codes. Some keys can be a bit too sensitive, responding to slight touches but overall, it’s a good phone for ₹999. If you want a simple phone for calls, long battery life, and listening to music or FM radio, HMD 105 is a good option. You can find it in retail stores, on e-commerce sites or the HMD official website.
