Introduction

The Motorola Droid Mini is a compact smartphone that offers impressive performance, but its pricing and some shortcomings may leave buyers questioning if it’s truly worth the investment. In this review, we will examine the various aspects of the Droid Mini and provide an informed verdict.

Design and Dimensions

The Motorola Droid Mini stands out for its small size and ergonomic design. It measures 4.81 x 2.41 x 0.34 inches and weighs 4.59 ounces, which make it extremely easy to handle and fit into pockets seamlessly. The back panel is made of sturdy plastic with a soft-touch finish for a better grip.

Display

The Droid Mini features a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen display with a resolution of 720×1280 pixels at 342 PPI (pixels per inch). The display offers vivid colors and good contrast levels; however, it may not be as sharp or crisp as some competing models in the same price range. Some users have reported difficulty viewing the screen in bright sunlight.

Performance and Storage

Under the hood of the Motorola Droid Mini lies a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor clocked at 1.7GHz, coupled with 2GB of RAM. This makes the device very efficient in handling daily tasks without any lags or hiccups. App-switching is fast, and multi-tasking remains smooth in most situations.

The phone comes with 16GB of internal storage, which may not suffice for heavy users who store large volumes of photos, videos, or apps on their smartphones. Unfortunately, there is no option to expand storage via a microSD card slot.

Operating System and Software Features

The Droid Mini initially shipped with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean and was later updated to Android 4.4 KitKat. It provides an almost stock-like Android experience, with some additional Motorola features like Moto Display and Quick Capture.

Camera

Motorola has equipped the Droid Mini with a 10-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera. The rear camera performs fairly well in daylight conditions; however, the low-light image quality leaves much to be desired. The video recording capability is limited to 1080p at 30 frames per second, and the lack of optical image stabilization often results in shaky footage.

Battery Life

The Motorola Droid Mini has a non-removable Li-Ion 2,000 mAh battery that provides a decent battery life. With moderate usage, the phone can last through an entire day on a single charge. However, heavy users may need to recharge their phones by late afternoon or early evening.

Conclusion

The Motorola Droid Mini offers solid performance and an enjoyable user experience within its compact size. However, it seems to fall short when compared to other smartphones at similar price points. The lack of expandable storage, underwhelming camera performance in low light, and lackluster display prevent it from being a true bargain.

Buyers looking for a small and speedy smartphone may find the Droid Mini appealing, but they should weigh their priorities carefully before making a decision.