In a heavily competitive space, tech stalwart Madhav Sheth has launched a new brand of smartphone with a focused ethos - India-centric data privacy and affordability. His company, NxtQuantum, has launched two smartphones - the AI+ Pulse and the AI+ Nova 5G. The former is a more budgeted device, priced at Rs. 6,999.
Several users are calling the brand the new Micromax, and we put the AI+ Pulse through the paces by using it for a few weeks, and here's our long-term review:
AI+ Pulse Design
Beginning with the design, the AI+ Pulse has an all-plastic construction. Given its price tag, that is not surprising. The phone manages to win points with its aesthetic, especially its back camera module design. The rainbow pattern on the rear particularly stands out, catching light in ways that elevate the phone's visual appeal. AI+ has made the deliberate choice of incorporating a distinctive red-accented power button on the right spine.
The build quality is solid, although the display is a fingerprint smudge magnet. The phone is slightly bulky, but I didn't mind that at all. At 8.5mm thickness and weighing 193 grammes, the Pulse manages to maintain a sleek profile that does not feel cheap in hand. All buttons are consolidated on the right spine, while the SIM slot sits on the left.
AI+ Pulse Review | FPJ
AI+ Pulse display
The AI+ Pulse sports a 6.75-inch HD+ IPS LCD display with a 90Hz refresh rate. The panel operates at a 20:9 aspect ratio and features 2D glass with oleophobic coating, reaching 450 nits of typical brightness. The 90Hz refresh rate is quite impressive for a phone priced at Rs. 7,000, and it does reflect in everyday scrolling and navigation.
Overall, the display is average at best. Individual pixels become discernible when viewing text or detailed images at close range. The colour reproduction leans towards the vibrant side, outdoor visibility at 450 nits is adequate for most conditions, though direct sunlight does pose challenges that require manual brightness adjustments. There is also a noticeable bluish tint across the UI, that is quite off-putting.
AI+ Pulse software
The AI+ Pulse runs on NxtQuantum OS, which is based on Android 15 and represents the company's ambitious foray into data sovereignty and privacy-focused computing. The company says that NxtQuantum OS has been developed entirely within India with a core mission of offering complete data ownership to users, eliminating unauthorised tracking, and ensuring compliance with Indian regulatory standards.
The operating system stores all user data on MeitY-approved Google Cloud regions located within India, implementing a zero-trust security architecture with a consent-first framework for data access. This approach addresses growing concerns about digital sovereignty in an era where data privacy has become paramount.
AI+ Pulse Review |
The OS promises no bloatware and features locally trained AI engines that power intelligent, context-aware features without compromising user privacy. The UI is clean and intuitive. In everyday use, the interface feels responsive and uncluttered. The OS includes built-in AI features for summarising, writing assistance, and smart task management.
AI+ Pulse performance
The AI+ Pulse is powered by the Unisoc T615 chipset paired with up to 6GB RAM and 128GB storage, which represents a step up from the typical 4GB and 64GB configurations common in this segment. The T615 achieves an AnTuTu score of approximately 254,636 points, whilst Geekbench 6 results show a single core score of 432 and multi core score of 1,425.
These benchmark figures place the processor squarely in entry level territory. In daily use, I noticed considerable lag and unresponsiveness to touch, with animations frequently skipping frames despite the device being tuned for faster transitions. RAM management proves decent but not exceptional. The phone manages everyday activities like calls, messaging, internet browsing, and light gaming without significant slowdowns, heavy applications and intensive multitasking will likely expose the processor's limitations.
For gaming, the Mali G57 MP1 GPU handles casual titles reasonably well, but demanding games will push the device beyond its comfortable operating threshold. During our time with the device, there was no over heating issues.
AI+ Pulse battery life
The 5,000mAh battery comfortably lasts through a full day of moderate usage, which makes sense considering you cannot realistically perform demanding tasks continuously on this hardware. With usage encompassing social media, calls, and light gaming, the Pulse manages between 1.5 to 2 days without requiring a charge. The 10W standard charging feels painfully slow by contemporary standards. The device takes over two hours to charge from zero to 100 percent. The AI+ Pulse comes with a charger in the box alongside a cable and silicone case.
AI+ Pulse camera
The AI+ Pulse features a single 50-megapixel f/2.0 camera sensor on the back and a 5-megapixel camera on the front for selfies. The device offers a minimal camera app with features like the 'Cheese' hotword detection to automatically click a photo, quick capture with volume down key, watermark, a pro mode, smile shutter, AI scene detection, Google Lens, night mode, slow motion video, and more. In daylight conditions with adequate illumination, the shots are acceptable with reasonable colour reproduction, though there is a visible lack in sharpness. The AI scene detection occasionally oversaturates colours in an attempt to create more appealing images. Portrait mode attempts depth separation but struggles with edge detection.
Low light photography is where the phone falters. Photos come blurry and distorted even with moderate underexposure. Night mode fails to salvage the situation, proving unable to help shots look better in challenging lighting conditions. The 5-megapixel front camera for selfies produces serviceable results in good lighting but deteriorates rapidly as ambient light decreases, with noticeable grain and loss of detail. The screen flash attempts to compensate but produces harsh, unnatural lighting that flattens facial features.
AI + Pulse verdict
The AI+ Pulse enters the Indian market at a launch price starting from Rs 6,999. In a segment where every rupee counts, the device presents an intriguing proposition built around NxtQuantum OS and its data sovereignty promise rather than raw performance metrics. The 90Hz display provides smoother interactions than typical budget offerings, and the 5,000mAh battery comfortably lasts through a full day of moderate usage. However, the Unisoc T615 processor struggles to maintain consistency, with noticeable lag during everyday tasks and a camera system that falters dramatically in anything less than optimal lighting conditions. There is also the painfully slow 10W charging support.
For first-time smartphone buyers, students, or those with genuinely modest requirements who value data privacy above performance, the Pulse might represent an acceptable entry point into the smartphone ecosystem. Some alternatives include the Poco C71 and the Samsung Galaxy M07.
Overall rating: 3 out of 5
