Alright, Huawei has been commissioned to manufacture the latest myTouch devices for T-Mobile, and just like last time with LG’s offering, they’re also supplying a QWERTY one to complement the all-touch option. However, instead of being some sort of modest or super spec’d smartphone, this version of the myTouch Q is more laid back with its entry-level capacity. Fortunately, its $49.99 on-contract price seems tempting enough to warrant a purchase over other comparable model, so let’s see how it performs.
Design:
If you took the Huawei-made T-Mobile myTouch and added a landscape sliding QWERTY keyboard, you essentially have yourself the myTouch Q. Above all, we totally take a liking to its solid build quality and sturdy construction, but it’s somewhat bulky (0.56” thick) and heavy (6.52 oz) by today’s standards.
You can compare the T-Mobile myTouch Q with many other phones using our Size Visualization Tool.
Looking all around the handset, we’re greeted with things such as its microUSB port, volume control, power button, 3.5mm headset port, single-level shutter key, microphone, and capacitive Android buttons.
In terms of cameras, it packs along a front-facing 0.3-megapixel VGA camera and a rear 5-megapixel auto-focus snapper and LED flash – the latter of which can shoot videos in 720p. Removing the soft touch rear casing, its 1,500 mAh battery, SIM slot, and spring loaded microSD card slot are all accessible.
And of course, there’s the matter regarding its physical keyboard, which has a snappy response when opening/closing. With its oval sized buttons, they’re spaced evenly from one another and slightly domed to offer us enough distinction with our thumbs. Beyond that, we’re able to casually type at a moderate rate thanks to its adequate response. However, we would’ve liked to see an additional shift and “ALT” key placed on the right portion of the keyboard for added convenience.
Display:
Donning a 4” WVGA (480 x 800) LCD display, it’s manageable in making out most details, but fails in outdoor usage due to its extensive washed out appearance. Specifically, tilting the handset distorts the contrast level and color production, to make it nearly impossible to view in direct sunlight.
T-Mobile myTouch Q 360-degrees View:
Drag the picture or use the keyboard arrows to rotate the phone. Double click or press keyboard
Space to zoom in/out.
Drag the picture in the desired orientation to rotate the phone.
Interface:
If you’re seeking for the latest and greatest people, you ought to move right along seeing that the myTouch Q resorts to sticking it out with an outdated experience. On the surface, the Android 2.3.6 version is heavily covered by the myTouch skin, which is egregiously antiquated when compared to other custom UIs. Perhaps, things might be enhanced with the functions available with the Genius Button, but sadly, it only presents us with some basic voice recognition services like opening apps, placing phone calls, and searching the web.
Processor:
Powered by the same single-core 1.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S2 processor that’s being used by its sibling, we’re surprised to find it navigating across the homescreen very smoothly with a graphically intensive live wallpaper. However, we do notice some performance issues, such as delays in opening apps and choppy movements in various operations, which stand out and remind us of its underpowered CPU. Rightfully so, its benchmark scores reaffirm our suspicions.
Quadrant Standard
AnTuTu
NenaMark 2
T-Mobile myTouch Q
2040
3806
29,7
HTC One S
4867
7012
60,7
Samsung Galaxy S III
5335
12016
58,6
Internet:
Sticking out like a sore thumb, the myTouch Q exhibits ways too much choppiness with its navigational control while surfing the web, which is even more evident with Flash heavy sites. Well, besides its jerky performance, it’s able to load pages in a timely manner thanks to its speedy HSPA+ connection.
Camera:
Even if there’s nothing within reach, we’d seriously question using the T-Mobile myTouch Q for capturing photos or videos as a last resort – mainly because its quality is rather appalling. Not only are details extremely muddy looking, but it’s totally ineffective in capturing any reasonable shots in low lighting.
T-Mobile myTouch Q Sample Video:
Multimedia:
Relying on the usual Play Music app, there’s nothing out of the ordinary with its functionality or presentation in playing some of our tunes. Still, our attention is sparked thanks to the strong volume output provided by its speaker – albeit, there’s a hint of sharpness with it.
Out of the box, there’s no support for videos encoded in H.264, DivX, or Xvid. Instead, we’re able to play our test video that’s encoded in MPEG-4 1280 x 720 resolution. Yes, it’s able to play it very smoothly, but due to the washed out appearance of its display, it doesn’t come off as pleasing.
Call Quality:
In order to hear the crisp voices on the other end of the line, we’re required to jam the earpiece up close and personal to our ear just because its volume output is extremely weak. Using the speakerphone, however, its strong volume enables us to handle conversations with no issues.
Testing out the myTouch Q in primarily high-coverage areas, it’s able to maintain a steady signal strength of -79 dBm. Luckily, we didn’t experience any dropped calls or fluctuations with its connection.
Battery:
Power users will obviously need to charge this one constantly, but for those of you who aren’t as demanding, its battery life is average enough to get by through a single day with normal usage.
Conclusion:
Frankly, there’s nothing special about this latest myTouch Q smartphone – aside from the fact that it’s bearing one likeable $49.99 on-contract price. As we’re all too aware, pricing can really entice some people into buying a particular device, even more when all the core functions of Android are available with it. Simply, that’s what we find here with the Huawei-made T-Mobile myTouch Q. Folks, it’s not going to shake things up, but for those who yearn for a passable QWERTY-based smartphone, the myTouch Q should deliver enough of the goods to get most people by. At the very least, its solid design is a vast improvement over some of the entry-level devices we’ve seen put out by the Chinese manufacturer.
Software version of the reviewed unit: Android Version: 2.3.6 Kernel Version: 2.6.35.7-perf Build Number: U8730V100R001C85B837SP01
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