Walton Primo S8: Not a bad option when on discount

Bangladeshi tech giant Walton has introduced a new mid-range device, under their Primo series, with the hope of getting a piece of the pie from the competitive, yet ever growing, budget phone category.  

This segment already has numerous options from a number of reputed brands, therefore, it is critical for Walton to offer a good quality android device with a competitive price, for users to consider it. Could they deliver it through the Primo S8 phone? Let us find out.

Display and build quality

The Walton Primo S8 has a solid build with a polycarbonate body. Primo S8 is available in blue and black colour. It has a box shape, quite similar to iPhones.

However, upon reaching out to some of the leading tech gadget shops, both online and offline, we were unable to get a case or screen protector for this device. Thankfully, a silicone transparent case and a screen protector is provided in the box.

Walton stepped up their display tech this time with a 6.78 inch 90hz 1080p display. The 90hz display strikes a sweet balance between having the option of a high refresh rate display while not draining the battery like 120hz displays do. The only downside to this display are the shadow areas around the camera cut out which is quite noticeable. 

Processor

Powered by Mediatek's Helio G88, the Primo S8 packs quite a strong CPU. The Helio G88 is a newer, rebranded version of the old Helio G85 by Mediatek. 

For daily tasks, the G88 should breeze through tasks. For gaming, keeping in mind this is a budget device priced at Tk20,990, it performs decently. 

2D games are handled well, however for AAA titles and heavy games, it is recommended to change the setting to low-medium for better frame rates and a better gameplay experience. 

The biggest downside to the G88 is heating which has not been better than its previous generation G85 since both are built on the 12nm architecture which is frankly outdated in 2022. 

Software

The software experience on the Primo S8 is similar to stock android with some proprietary changes in the settings by Walton. 

However, it does lack proper optimisation as the kind of lags and stutters the device often shows, should not be present in a device powered by the G88. 

We can not really blame the 90hz refresh rate screen for this either because in the past we have seen devices with a G85 running 90hz screen just fine. 

It is our observation these lags and stutters are down to software optimisation issues. This begs another key question: How long will the Walton Primo S8 receive software updates? This is quite unclear and given Walton's track record, we doubt it will be updated for long, considering it already came with Android 11 out of the box in 2022. 

This is a major reason not to buy this device as even cheaper offerings by the competition promises up to two years of android version upgrades along with a further year of security patch updates.

Camera

Packing a 48mp main shooter and a 5mp ultra-wide camera (ignoring the unusable 2mp macro and another 2mp depth camera), it could be said that only the 48mp camera here is actually usable. 

It would have been better if Walton focused on providing one good camera over four cameras out of which only one is worth using.

The 48mp main shooter is good in daylight, however in artificial or low light, the images did not come out that great. It cannot record videos in 4K even though the G88 supports it. 

Battery and charging

With a 5,000mAh battery, the Primo S8 should easily last a full day of usage regardless of what tasks you do even with a 90hz display. The Primo S8 comes with an 18W Qualcomm certified 3.0 fast charger out of the box, which can charge up the device fully in about 1.5 hours. 

Memory options

A good step by Walton this time is they are offering 6GB of RAM with 128GB of internal storage option. Furthermore, the sim card tray holds dual sims with a memory card slot available.

Should you buy this phone?

If Walton keeps up the good work like they have with Primo S8, they will catch up fast with the competition in the market. For now, in conclusion, there are better devices out in the market at the price of Tk20,990. But the catch is, they are only slightly better. If you can get the Primo S8 at a discount often offered by Walton on their online platforms, we would say this is a good device for everyday tasks.

Price:

Tk20,990 (However, the price can vary depending on ongoing discounts.)

Where to buy: 

Walcart.com

Walton e-plaza 

Key specifications:

• Weight: 205 grams

• Processor: Helio G88 SoC | HyperEngine 2.0 Technology

• Software: Android 11

• Photo Resolution:  48MP+5MP+2MP+2MP (AI Quad Rear Cameras), 8MP Selfie Camera

• Video Resolution: Full HD 1080

• Waterproof: No

• Voice Control: Google Assistant 

• Live Stream:Yes

• Cloud Compatibility: Via cloud apps

• RAM: 6GB LPDDR4x; ROM: 128GB (Up to 256GB)

• Display: 17.22cm (6.78") FHD+ 90Hz LTPS Display, 21:9 aspect ratio

• Special Features: 5000mAh Li-polymer Battery, 18W Fast Charging, Reverse Charging