A triple camera smartphone under $100? Is it possible? Read this Cricket Ovation 2 review to learn the phone’s features and functions in-depth.
Cricket Ovation 2 smartphone was launched on 28th May 2021. This phone is positioned as an entry-level smartphone with an interesting gimmick; affordable price and triple rear camera. Despite its low price, we know that buying a new device will take some consideration.
This phone seems to have more to offer than those two gimmicks. It has a large 6.8-inch display screen, an 8MP front camera, and a 3,900mAh battery. Some of them are typically found in entry-level smartphones. But is it still worth buying?
With this Cricket Ovation 2 review, we will discover all the features and specifications. We advise you to read it thoroughly. Then, as a result, you can decide whether this phone is a go or not.
Key Specs
Cricket Ovation 2 specifications:
| Weight | 196g |
| Dimensions | 176 x 79 x 9mm |
| OS | Android 11 |
| Screen size | 6.8-inch |
| Resolution | 1640 x 720 |
| CPU | 2GHz Quad-core, MediaTek Helio A22 MT6761 |
| RAM | 3GB |
| Storage | 32GB |
| Battery | 3,900mAh, Non-removable |
| Rear camera | 13MP + 5MP + 2MP |
| Front camera | 8MP |
| Features | Fingerprint Reader |
Design
The Cricket Ovation 2 design’s appearance emphasizes a modern look. This device is fairly big and slim, with a height of 176mm and a width of 79mm. Even though it looks quite bulky, we don’t feel heavy. We even consider it very comfortable to grip in our palm hand. And this phone also still fits perfectly in purses or pockets.
The front area consists of a 6.8-inch display screen surrounded by rounded bezels. The bezels don’t take up much space, which allows us to experience a cinematic viewing. Boost the minimalist appearance. The main buttons are placed on the screen. Meanwhile, the front camera it’s placed on a teardrop notch.
Display
The Cricket Ovation 2 has a 6.8-inch display screen with 1640 x 720 resolution. Thanks to the thin bezels, the display screen fits almost the entire screen. The big screen size lets users navigate the device easily.
As for the screen quality, you will get an HD+ resolution. To be honest, it’s still a relatively bare minimum. You won’t get the best experience with a full HD display. But the detail is crisp enough to look at. The color also comes pop-out and is accurately fine. It also has good brightness; it’s still readable under the sunlight.
This phone also consists of a 20.5:9 screen ratio. With this, you can zoom in on the phone’s content without becoming pixelated. The overall display specs on this budget phone are satisfying.
Camera
Camera-wise, the Cricket Ovation 2 has a triple camera on the back and a front-facing camera. The triple camera consists of a 13MP as the main camera, 5MP of the wide camera, and 2MP as the depth camera. Those all have their own specialty. Like the wide camera, it’s supposed to take a panoramic picture.
Despite having a triple camera, the quality does not really impress us. This phone has average results, especially if you compare it with other smartphones with bigger megapixels. If we see the photos’ results, it tends to be quite dark and blurry. However, you can enhance the photograph results by using the camera’s features available.
The front-facing camera has an 8MP resolution. You can take a beautiful selfie with this. You can even use the beauty mode to enhance the selfie quality and post it on your social media.
Read also: Cricket Dream 5G Review: The On-Budget 5G and Quad Camera Smartphones
Storage
The Cricket Ovation 2 has 32GB of internal storage capacity. It’s a common space for an entry-level smartphone. Still, it’s not that spacious for you to install heavy apps and more photos or videos. From the 32GB, we can only explore around half of the total amount.
Fortunately, this phone allows users to expand their storage capacity with external storage (MicroSD card). You can insert up to 128GB of MicroSD card. We know not everyone is okay with spending more money to buy expandable storage. However, buying the card is not a choice if you want more space on your phone.
Performance
The Cricket Ovation 2 carries daily tasks with a 2GHz Quad-core MediaTek Helio A22 MT6761 processor. This is the most common chipset in an affordable smartphone because it can boost multiple camera performance. It is also designed to handle simple apps.
Running on a 2GHz clock rate speed makes the CPU quite reliable in powering up the device. Even though we’re not expecting an ultra-blazing speed, the CPU speed performance is good enough. Launching the apps will be instantly easy.
Those processors have 3GB RAM to store any temporary data from running apps. As you know, RAM is a crucial part of operating the device. And the 3GB RAM is a decent number for entry-level smartphones.
As a result of this RAM size, the Cricket Ovation 2 smartphone is comfortable enough to be used for daily activities. Users can use it for intense multitasking. You can also access heavy apps, open several apps at once, and play 3D comfortably. However, you should take it very well before the device starts showing any inconveniences such as lags, delays, and glitches.
Let’s discuss the smartphone’s Android 11 operating system (OS). Using Android as their ‘brain’ makes the device have some notable improvements. Even though it’s not the latest version we can get, we enjoy some of the features here.
Android takes the users’ privacy as a great value. That’s why in Android 11, we see some privacy improvements. Users have better permissions settings and notification management with strong privacy options. The interface also looks simpler and more flexible to adjust.
The Cricket Ovation 2 has a fingerprint reader on the back of the phone. This security sensor will give you easy access to unlock the device. You don’t need a passcode anymore while doing this. It also has a Hearing Aid Compatible M4/T4.
Connectivity
The Cricket Ovation 2 enables 4G LTE connectivity to let users connect with the network. You can browse the internet or social media with this. Importantly, you can have a great signal from anywhere worldwide because 4G LTE is still acceptable in most places. However, you can rely on Wi-Fi connectivity if you want to save more data and battery.
Transferring any files with Cricket Ovation 2 will also be much easier. This phone supports two kinds of connectivity; Bluetooth and USB Type-C. Bluetooth transfers files to other devices wirelessly or connects to other external devices. Meanwhile, the USB Type-C transfers files into a computer with a wire.
Battery
The Cricket Ovation 2 has a long-lasting 3,900mAh battery capacity to power up the device. The manufacturer claims it can circulate for almost two days on a single charge. Use of the device will last up to 18 hours of talk time and 53 days of standby time. However, the real-life battery performance will depend on users’ activity.
In addition, the battery uses a non-removable type. It is more durable than the other types. But this phone doesn’t support a fast charging feature. So, if you’re planning to go out, you need to fully charge the battery the night before.
Verdict
This phone sells for a $70 price point. It sounds good to be true, especially since the Cricket Ovation 2 offers some features, such as triple cameras. More interestingly, you can get this phone for $20 on one condition; you bring your old number to the Cricket Wireless.
This Cricket Ovation 2 review also finds some cons about the device. We want to highlight the phone’s internal storage and camera quality. It’s not the best, but we think it would be better if the specifications were slightly higher than this.
Cricket Ovation 2 Pros:
- Affordable Price
- Triple camera
- Large display
Cricket Ovation 2 Cons:
- Camera quality
- Low internal storage
Alternatives
After reading the Cricket Ovation 2 review, if you still doubt this, we will provide you with another alternative. We have two more options for you; TCL 30 Z and Cricket Dream 5G. The TCL 30 Z price is $30. This phone has the same specs as Ovation 2 but with Android 12 and lacks the fingerprint reader. But it uses a face unlock instead.
Cricket Dream 5G is another alternative you can consider. It comes from the same carrier but at a higher price. It costs $100. However, with this phone, you can upgrade to the latest 5G connectivity and enjoy more advanced features.
