Cricket Debut review may help figure out your next smartphone purchase. We have plenty of the details you need to know before you click buy.
The Cricket Debut smartphone was released in September 2021. Searching for a budget phone is a hit or miss. We don’t want something expensive, but we also want something reliable.
The Cricket Debut has a reputation for being a dependable device. Operating on the latest Android 11 (Go Edition), it also has a decent HD+ screen and 2,500mAh of battery.
But for its price point, does the phone’s specifications reflect during its actual usage. There are some things to take note of as well, like the cameras’ low megapixels.
In our Cricket Debut review, we’d be taking a look at whether this phone is worth the purchase or not. After all, buying a modern phone is a long-term investment.
Page Contents:
Key Specs
Cricket Debut specifications:
| Weight | 161g |
| Dimensions | 149.8 x 72.89 x 9.65mm |
| OS | Android 11 (Go Edition) |
| Screen size | 5.5-inch |
| Resolution | 1440 x 720 |
| CPU | 1.8GHz Quad-core, MediaTek Helio A22 |
| RAM | 2GB |
| Storage | 32GB |
| Battery | 2,500mAh |
| Rear camera | 8MP |
| Front camera | 5MP |
Design
The Cricket Debut smartphone comes in a basic-looking design typically found in most entry-level devices. Only available in Navy Blue, the phone doesn’t leave a grand first impression on us with its appearance.
Size-wise, it is a compact phone that you can hold with just one hand. And when it comes to phone weight, the phone’s lightweight parts complement the phone’s size.
At first glance, the front side presents us with a display screen surrounded by bezels. What occurred to us is the phone takes inspiration from older phone designs dating back to 2015.
The thick bezels remind us of past generations of phones, especially the top bezel. Having thick bezels is a double-edged sword. In one way, it helps users hold the phone better. However, it means less space for the display screen.
Going to the back of the phone, the Navy Blue cover has a decent sheen to it. There’s not much going on besides the phone’s back camera and LED flash. Instead of placing them on the corner of the phone, it’s right in the middle in a rectangular layout.
Besides that, we found basic buttons like volume controls and power on/off on the phone’s sides. There’s also a 3.5mm jack and a USB-C port for charging. Overall, it’s a standard design that doesn’t offer so much significance.
Read also: Cricket Debut User Manual
Display
The Cricket Debut smartphone has a 5.5-inch display screen. It’s a small display screen that accommodates the phone’s size well. As previously mentioned, because of the bezels’ thickness, the display screen size is affected as well. If developers had reduced at least the top bezel immensely, it would have given the phone much more display screen size.
The display screen is supported with a 1440 x 720 resolution. This resolution accommodates an aspect ratio of 18:9. In simpler terms, the small phone can still maintain quality resolution for on-screen content. When watching videos or zooming into images, the quality isn’t as pixelated. It’s not the largest resolution quality, but for a phone of this stature, it’s just right.
The Cricket Debut offers HD+ quality, delivering quality in colors and vibrancy. Some colors come off slightly dull, and it doesn’t have the sharpest of textures. However, the images and videos are still clear and vibrant enough for an enjoyable viewing experience.
Every display screen needs to be protected. Fortunately, the phone screen has scratch-resistance properties. It gives the phone an extra edge to anticipate any external damages. But for extra precaution, we’d suggest investing in something like tempered glass to maintain the device’s longevity.
Camera
The Cricket Debut smartphone only has an 8MP rear camera and a 5MP front camera. Honestly speaking, we’re not entirely too excited about the megapixel sizes. 8MP and 5MP could only get you so far. But for a phone at this price point, we’re not too surprised. These megapixels can still provide users with some decent shots, just not spectacular ones.
The 8MP main rear camera comes with 4x Digital Zoom. But upon using it, the zoom feature makes things more pixelated. However, the video-recording feature is another story. Available in FHD, it allows users to take photos in 1080p. For some extra lighting, you can use the phone’s LED flash.
The Cricket Debut also has a 5MP front camera for our selfie needs. The front camera comes with unique features like Face Enhance, offering flawless pictures. Planning to take lots of group shots? Don’t forget to use the phone’s Self-Timer. This will help everyone get inside the frame much more easily.
While the cameras don’t pack a punch, we appreciate that there are camera options that we can play on. For instance, the phone has Night mode to help with low light conditions. All in all, if anybody’s looking for a device to mainly take photos with, we’d recommend searching for something else.
Read also: Cricket Dream 5G Review: Big Battery with a 48MP Camera
Storage
The Cricket Debut comes with 32GB of internal storage. It’s not bad for a phone at this price point. Unfortunately, 32GB can be kind of a stretch. With the preloaded apps in the device, users aren’t able to access the entire 32GB. And considering how big apps and files are nowadays, it’s nice to have bigger storage.
Luckily, the phone lets us add up to 128GB of external memory. To do this, we’d need to insert a microSD card. While the card is sold separately, we think it’s neat that this option is available. You can still store more things like apps, audio files, and documents without risking more space.
Performance
The Cricket Debut smartphone runs on the MediaTek Helio A22 processor, also known as MT6761. Without being too technical, the processor provides power to the phone to ensure its features work. For example, the processor is responsible for powering cameras, the display screen, and connectivity. It might not be the most prominent processor. However, it provides reliable smartphone performance.
With a chipset speed of 1.8GHz, the quad-core processor is the heart of the device. The entry-level component ensures power efficiency while providing optimal performance. The right amount of workload is assigned to the processor without overpowering too much. Hence, the smooth phone operations.
The Cricket Debut uses 2GB RAM to store its temporary data. The RAM is such a critical component of the device. With the right RAM size, the phone doesn’t crash so easily. Having a functioning RAM allows us to use multiple apps at the same time and switch between them seamlessly.
Unfortunately, the Cricket Debut only has 2GB. Normally, phones should have at least 3GB to meet today’s standards. The reason is that more and more apps are developed at larger sizes and heavier performances. But if anybody’s still insistent on getting this device, there is a way to alleviate this. One way is to clear the cache regularly to leave more room in the RAM.
In this Cricket Debut review, we’re going to dive into the smartphone’s Android 11 (Go Edition) OS. While most are familiar with Android 11 itself, not many are aware of its Go Edition. For starters, this version is specifically designed for entry-level devices. Specifically, it’s crafted for devices that come with 2GB RAM or less.
The Android 11 (Go Edition) strives to run your phone lighter and save as much data as possible. Taking pride in its lightning speed, the launch of the app at a 15% faster rate. On top of that, you get to enjoy the features that typically come with Google apps. Some examples include Google Go, Gallery Go, and Camera Go.
Unfortunately, the Cricket Debut is quite lacking in sensors. We’ve noticed that the phone only has an accelerometer and gravity sensor. The accelerometer helps the phone determine its orientation on the device. It detects the phone’s position and monitors movements. Meanwhile, the gravity sensor determines the intensity of gravity felt by the device.
While these two sensors are important, we believe developers could include other crucial sensors. Other basic sensors like proximity, light, or gyroscope can improve the phone’s performance immensely. These sensors are not something that we directly use, but it boosts the smartphone’s responsiveness.
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Connectivity
The Cricket Debut smartphone is 4G LTE compatible. To activate the connectivity, we’d need to insert a SIM card beforehand. For those who have hotspots at home, the phone also has Wi-Fi connectivity. This could save up so much data connection, and also money.
Besides those two, the phone has a mobile hotspot and USB Tethering. These allow users to share their phone’s data connection with up to 10 external devices. When sharing files, you don’t have to go through the hassle of using wires. All you have to do is activate the phone’s Bluetooth version 5.0. For more traditional methods, you can always rely on its USB Type C port.
Battery
The Cricket Debut smartphone is powered by a 2,500mAh battery. With power-efficient qualities, and supported by the processor, the battery is enough to keep users satisfied. It has a total of 16 hours of non-stop talk time or 22 days on standby.
To ensure the battery has a longer shelf life, we’d recommend maintaining it well. One way is to remove as many apps running in the background as possible. Another method is to adjust the phone settings so that it doesn’t suck up too much energy as needed. It’s these little things that go a long way.
Is the Cricket Debut a good phone?
After looking into the Cricket Debut smartphone, we’d say it’s a reliable phone. It has all the essentials needed to make calls or browse through the Internet. However, it doesn’t have the most prominent features. All of the components could use some extra boost, but with the price, we’re not complaining too much.
Selling at a retail price of $80, it’s safe to conclude in our Cricket Debut review that the phone is worth its low price. It’s a safe option for anybody who’s not looking for anything too specific. If anybody’s looking for something seamless and fuss-free, this phone should be a good choice.
Cricket Debut Pros
- Reliable processor
- HD+ display screen
- Sustainable battery
- Affordable
Cricket Debut Cons
- Low camera resolution
- Small internal storage