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I guess there鈥檚 no doubt, that one of the most popular trends in smartphones for 2017 is the tri-bezel less design that Xiaomi Mi Mix first introduced in the market and most manufacturers quickly followed with their own creations – even though most of them were simply clones of the prototype. One of these clones managed to fall into our lap during the past couple of days and we got the chance to play with it and share our experiences. Meet Doogee Mix guys, a budget Mi MIX clone that comes with impressive specs (6GB RAM, 64GB ROM, Helio P25 SoC) but a decent price as you may notice: 179,99$ at the time this review was posted.Doogee promotes this model as one of the most impressive dual camera/bezel less smartphones and has serious expectations from its performance in the mid-range market. So how does this affordable dual camera model fare at the end of the day? What are its best attributes and where could we see it鈥 do a bit better?Let鈥檚 have a look at this Doogee Mix review.More than enough ram, great displayDoogee Mix 鈥 Technical specificationsCPU 鈥 Octa-Core 4x 2.5 GHz ARM Cortex-A53+ 4x 1.4 GHz ARM Cortex-A53Chipset 鈥 MediaTek Helio P25 MT6757TGPU 鈥 ARM Mali-T880 MP2, 850 MHz, 4-CoresCamera 鈥 16 Megapixels + 8 Megapixels聽Dual-LED and AF Dual Rear Camera | 5 Megapixel Front cameraMemory 鈥 RAM- 6GB | ROM 64GB External Memory Support up to 128GB (Uses SIM 2 Slot)Display 鈥 Screen size 5.5 inches Super AMOLED HD (1280脳720 Pixels)Battery 鈥 Non-Removable 3,380 mAh Lithium-PolymerSIM 鈥 Hybrid Dual SIM (Nano+ Nano/microSD)Sensors -Proximity Sensor, Accelerometer, Ambient Light, Compass, FingerprintOperating System 鈥 Android 7 NougatI/O Interface 鈥 1 x Nano SIM Card Slot, 1 x Nano SIM Card Slot or microSD/TF Card Slot, Micro USB Port, 3.5mm Audio Out Port, Power Button, Volume Button, Microphone, SpeakerDimensions 鈥 144 x 76.2 x 8 mmWeight 鈥 193 Grams (With Battery)More Feature 鈥 Aluminium Alloy Metal Body Design, LTE Cat 6 300 Mbps Download, 50 Mbps Upload, HSUPA 5.76 Mbps Upload, HSDPA 21 Mbps Download, EV-DO Rev.A (3.1 Mbps Download, 1.8 Mbps Upload), Computer Sync, Infrared, OTA Sync, Tethering, VoLTE Support, 2.5D Curved Glass Screen, Infrared, 3 Bezel-Less Design, Power Saving Mode, Fast Charging Technology.Doogee Mix review: Design and general appearanceI have to be honest, I really liked the basic design of the Doogee Mix. The phone is available in 2 color variants which are mainly: Black聽and Blue. It surely looks impressive however thanks to its metallic/glass build and its general design that allows for excellent grip and usability. Note that the back side of the device is made out of glass with some parts plastic which improves its durability and enhances the whole 鈥渁ppearance鈥 factor.One of its unique selling points is 鈥渂ezel-less,鈥 but in actual fact, there is a tiny bezel of 2.5mm around it. The one that makes the difference is the tiny top bezel which extends the display all the way to the top, leaving just a small gap for the聽speaker.聽There鈥檚 also a front facing camera placed at the bottom bezel, along with a home button (no it cannot be pressed) and a fingerprint scanner embedded there.聽The fingerprint scanner is quite decent for what it’s worth.聽 It can unlock the phone in less than 0.1 second with almost 97% success rate. It can basically store up to 5 different fingerprints and can recognize them all from 360 degrees, something that鈥檚 a standard nowadays.Unfortunately the one button you will find placed below the display doesn鈥檛 function as a “Home button” by default, though it can be configured to perform actions like Go Back, go to Home, or launch Recent list with a single tap or press and hold. It doesn鈥檛 have any capacitive buttons beside the fingerprint sensor, so there is some wasted space at the bottom area. So, if you’re looking for the 3 Android soft-keys you will find them at the bottom of the display, inside the menus.One thing about the selfie camera though: in order to use it you can聽rotate the phone 180 degrees and use it upside down. (The聽camera聽orientation will adjust accordingly.)Don鈥檛 know about you, but I am a fan of tri-bezel less smartphones because I enjoy the available screen size whenever I can. So the device comes with a really impressive 5,5 inch Super AMOLED display with 2.5D glass and HD resolution with decent luminosity during those sunny days here in Southern Europe, along with Gorilla Glass 5 protection (same as the back side) for those of you who prefer to use it with no screen protectors.The colors of the display may be rather saturated, but the images are crisp, with good viewing angles and a fully responsive panel if I may add.聽All in all a decent display 鈥 especially for a smartphone on this price range.聽if you have a good look at the back side of the Doogee Mix then you will see that it comes with a dual camera – a setup聽pretty common in聽phones聽nowadays with the goal of helping you take better photos. There’s also a micro USB port placed at the bottom, along with speaker grilles and a 3.5mm audio jack on top.Hardware & PerformanceIn terms of performance, the massive 6GB of聽RAM聽really makes a difference. I opened many apps, switched between them, watched videos, played a game (GT聽Racing聽2) and the performance is buttery smooth. Nothing felt sluggish, and there was no lag at all. It offers a rather impressive user experience with minimal lags and excellent multi-tasking (thanks to 6GB of RAM of course), enabling users to keep several applications open in the background with no significant impact on its everyday performance. Oh and if you鈥檙e into checking benchmark results, this Doogee model scored 59901 points in AntuTu but had really average GPS reception. I didn鈥檛 have any issues with GPS related apps but it uses only a handful of the available satellites every time. It could be connected to more I guess, in order to offer even better results when scanning for our location.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on Telegram Thankfully the聽battery聽life is great. On normal usage (reading emails, watching videos, surfing the Web, listening to music), I can easily get a day and a half (a whopping thirty-six hours) of usage for each charge. For聽streaming聽videos at full brightness and volume, it can last for eight hours. Depending on your usage, it will have no problem lasting for a full day. It comes with a quick-charge feature as well. It charged my聽battery聽from 20% to 60% in twenty minutes. A full charge will take about one hour.One thing that is glaringly missing from the phone is the notification聽LED聽light. There is none, and it almost made me crazy. For all the聽phones聽that I have been using, I depend heavily on the notification聽LED聽to inform me of any reminders and incoming alerts and messages. This should be a聽must-have聽feature in any聽smartphone聽in 2017.Doogee Mix review: Android software and UI performanceThe Doogee Mix runs on Android 7.0 Nougat equipped with a custom launcher that offers huge possibilities with theme support, hundreds of lockscreens/wallpapers etc. However it’s a bit laggy and buggy so it will need a bit of patience to use it in its full extend. Obviously you can always change it with something more powerful like Nova launcher, Pixel launcher or any other you prefer. In any case, the Android 7.0 gives you more control on the smartphone and also lets you customize the phone just like any other Nougat based device. There are a few custom apps pre-installed in the phone, like DG Xender for transferring files between devices without Internet connection and Parallel Space for you to connect two profiles of the same app. They can be easily uninstalled if you have no intention of using them. Thankfully there is no bloatware or other unnecessary apps inside, it supports all the classic Nougat features and it also has a News Section if you swipe left that brings up news in your own language with decent performance. It’s not editable however so you cannot really choose what type of news to see etc. Other customization options include Float gesture, which is a floating ball that opens a radial view for you to quickly access various modes. I don鈥檛 find this useful, as it doesn鈥檛 allow me to customize the control items in the list.聽There is also the One Hand FloatView where you can swipe in from the bottom right corner to reveal a floating list. Once again, I don鈥檛 find this useful as it often takes a number of tries to bring up to the screen.Dual camera/Selfie camera performanceI guess we all know by now that the Doogee Mix comes with a 16.0-megapixel main camera along and an 8.0-megapixel camera and a LED flash with generally acceptable photos as you can see for yourselves. On paper, the 16MP + 8MP dual聽camera聽on the back of the聽camera聽seems like a great setup.View more Doogee Mix camera samples here (Flickr)The fact is it doesn鈥檛 translate to great photos. It can take decent photos, but they are generally whitewashed. Even with HDR mode, the quality of the photos is not any better.Note that one camera is used for creating the bokeh effect and other will capture the image with quite impressive portrait photos and decent performance in low light conditions.GOOD PHOTOS, AVERAGE VIDEOS but there’s potential!Both cameras have independent vision processing unit, which enables background blurring in real time. It also allows you to choose where to focus (touch focus) and where to blur, with the ability to adjust the intensity of blurring, too. As we foretold you, the Doogee Mix comes with a 5MP selfie camera and a soft light that illuminates the background in order to capture the image and create bokeh effects there as well.Battery consumptionThe Doogee Mix is equipped with a 3380mAh battery but numbers don鈥檛 mean anything in this situation. The device comes with an energy efficient processor and in general performs well providing more than a full day鈥檚 usage with no problems and works great in cooperation with the Android Nougat interface in order to block access to battery “hungry” apps, reduce energy consumption when possible and all those little things that make our lives easier when using a smartphone.You will be satisfied with the battery performance of the Doogee Mix, that’s for sure. If you’re a heavy duty user then you can safely expect a little over 26 hours of battery life, but depending the way you use it you can easily get up to 2 days of usage 馃檪Conclusion 鈥 So what about it?ALL IN ALL, A DECENT mi mix clone鈥?/p>I really enjoyed this small beauty from Doogee. It鈥檚 not featured as the super wow dual camera phone that everyone should buy, but as a budget Mi MIX clone with really impressive specs – given its current price tag of course which is 179.99$. It鈥檚 a decent dual camera phone, with acceptable photos in daylight conditions, average photos in low light conditions and鈥 average (shaky) videos. It offers however excellent battery consumption, good performance for an avid Android user and decent build quality.central c贸rdobagamao online

Wireless audio is nothing new, nor is ‘good’ wireless audio. However, getting both of these qualities in one single product is often hard to achieve.We’ve seen tonnes of wireless audio gadgets from China — we’ve also done a list of the best Apple AirPods alternatives — out of which, most have, on an average, been sufficiently good.However, if there’s still a market that’s rather unexplored, that of quality stereo Bluetooth earphones that sound good, and just… work.And that’s where Air by crazybaby attempts to hit jackpot. Lets have a look in this review to see just how far it gets.There happen to be a lot of market segments, mostly extremely price-sensitive, where the packaging and presentation doesn’t really hold much value. Air by crazybaby, certainly, doesn’t happen to fall in that category.What you’ll also be happy to find is that the gadget comes pretty nicely packed in a nice and small retail box. Inside, you find a very interesting-looking metal ‘capsule’ containing the business material including some other extras like earplug tips, literature, etc. stuffed on the bottom side of the box.In more ways than one, the experience of unboxing — and for the most part, using — Air by crazybaby remind you of using an Apple product. What’s appreciable is that they’ve managed to achieve similar levels of satisfaction without explicitly ripping Apple’s designs off.Coming to the technical side of it, the capsule also serves as a ‘power reserve’ besides being a fancy, handy storage box.These earphones are probably the most comfortable fit I’ve ever used. It’s certainly way more easy to use than a pair of IEMs, which don’t really go well with me. crazybaby also offer a ‘leash’ for people who are paranoid about losing/damaging the earbuds, which should be really hard to do in my opinion.As for the music quality, the buds offer a surprisingly rich sound. By ‘rich’ I don’t refer to bass-heavy sound, but instead something that sounds extremely natural and yes, with enough bass. I’ll be honest (while certainly attempting to not sound like I’m trying to sell these buds) in saying that I prefer the sound of these buds over a lot of wired earphones I’ve owned in the past, including some really expensive ones.I’m told the earbuds come with “0.20閳 (5.2 mm) Custom-made Hi-Fidelity MicroDrivers” which deliver the sound that I’ve come to love. Also, I’m pretty sure the buds required little or no ‘burn in’ to sound the way they do now.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramAccording to the tech spec of the product, Air by crazybaby also come with passive noise cancelation. And doesn’t it work well! Just to ensure I was right about it, I made a few others use the pair of earphones to check of the noise cancelation, and pretty much everyone had the same sentiment about the feature — it worked really well.The earbuds also come with a mic on them, which lets you take calls without having to shift to your phone. However, in my usage, the mic has been rather poor. I’ve had to switch to my phone in between calls, which isn’t the most convenient thing to do. For some reason, the earbuds’ built-in mic doesn’t catch voice well enough, which makes it pretty unusable for me during calls.Battery life on these buds has been very satisfactory too. According to the factory, you can get around 3 hours (music)/4 hours (talktime) on a single charge. On the other hand, the innovative battery capsule storage unit will afford you another 8-9 hours of usage. In my usage, I’ve been able to independently verify that the 3 hours claim is very well true, while it’s a bit difficult measuring 12+ hours with the capsule.In my opinion, the idea to have a ‘reservoir’ battery is a huge hit. We’re pretty much always using our gadgets these days, and it makes sense to extend the battery life of a gadget, albeit at the expense of longevity (I’m not even sure if that’s the case here, but let’s assume it in the worst case).Connectivity has been pretty good, but not as good as the rest of the package. The earbuds are really simple to use — you can press and hold the button on the back of the buds to turn them on and then they’re immediately available to pair. However, for some reason, the earbuds won’t work with my MacBook Pro. I’ve used them with a few other phones, and they work more or less flawlessly.There’s just this little stutter I hear on the right earbud at times, I’m guessing which happens only when the battery is low. These are the only two gripes I have with the connectivity part of Air by crazybaby. Air by crazybaby come with a retail price tag of $169 (I think they’re $30 a bit too steep at that). For the unaware, the gadget started as a crowdfunded project, which raised a total of $2,761,399 by the end of 2016… which is a lot of money. However, it’s nice to see the company deliver and in a rather satisfactory manner.You can learn more about Air by crazybaby here, where you’ll also find info on how you can purchase some for yourself.The Elephone P8 Mini turned out to be an incredibly solid phone for its price, and we see the full size Elephone P8 take a step up in terms of specifications, performance, and price.Elephone P8 ReviewSpecifications wise, Elephone seems to have stuffed quite a few standout specs here, 6GB of RAM, 21MP back camera, 16MP front camera. It is accompanied by the Helio P25 processor and a moderately sized 3600mAh battery, lets see how good a job Elephone has done.6GB RAM, 21MP CameraElephone P8 SpecificationsProcessorHelio P25 Octa CoreDisplay5.5″ in-cell FHD DisplayRAM6GBStorage64 eMMCOperating SystemAndroid 7.0 NougatCameras21MP/16MPBattery3600mAhPhysical Dimensions186g, 15.39 x 7.55 x 0.95 cmBig thanks to Elephone for providing this review unit. You can buy one here.Elephone P8 HardwareIt has become common at this price point for Chinese phones to have great build quality, and the Elephone P8 is no exception. The body is finely machined, well crafted, and has some heft to it. My favourite thing about the body is the inclusion of the alert slider, a hardware key to move your phone into silent mode is truly reassuring, probably one of the reasons why Apple is one of the only companies to include one on every single phone they have produced. Elephone claims a 0.9mm side bezel which technically is true, but measured to the outside casing of the phone and it comes in a lot closer to 3mm, not thin by any means.I do have a couple of minor complaints, well I think it clocks in a lot closer to numerous. So first, the SIM tray can be heard rattling if you move the phone too fast, and while a hefty phone can add to a high quality feel, its a bit too heavy in my books. Next, the phone is also very thick considering whats inside the phone, I would understand if it was packing a massive battery, but it isnt. They cant even use the excuse of the high megapixel camera because the module is sticking out!There are also no capacitive buttons beside the home button, a perfect example of wasted space as those areas do nothing. It also utilizes a microUSB port instead of a USB-C port also. The last pet peeve of mine is the protrusion of the camera module on the back. It doesnt have a metal lip protecting the lens, and so you have to be extra careful when placing the phone on a surface.Large, quite largeElephone P8 DisplayA 1080p screen graces the front of the phone and while it definitely looks good for an LCD, it still pales (literally) in comparison to an AMOLED which easily show off vivid and saturated colours. That being said, the LCD display here shows off some very nice colours for an LCD, not many people will find items to complain about. Max brightness makes it relatively easy to see in direct sunlight. Touch response is responsive, but the screen has a tendency to mistake scrolls for taps, resulting in quite a few mistaps along the way. I dont know if this is a hardware or software issue (I hope its software for our sakes) but I hope Elephone can find a way to fix it.Elephone P8 AudioAudio quality here is about average, and volume is as well. There isnt anything particular spectacular or horrible about the speakers here.Elephone P8 BatteryThe 3600mAh battery is confusing. I obtained 3 hours of screen on time one day and then 8 hours the next. Both these days consisted of very heavy Youtube playback, so not light use by any means. However, battery life has started to stabilize in the direction of the 8 hours of screen on time, so I do believe that battery life should be good. That being said, take this section with a grain of salt.EDIT (August 08, 2017): Battery life seems to have settled in a lot better, I’m getting a consistent 6 hours of screen on time pretty easily with this phone. I occasionally hit 7 hours, but that’s cutting it pretty close.Good battery lifeElephone P8 SoftwareAndroid 7.0 is optimized moderately well on this device, with the stock launcher feeling very smooth, Google Launcher less so. What Im impressed with is how well they optimized the performance on the Elephone P8. Launching apps on the Elephone P8 is significantly faster than the UMiDiGi Z1 Pro which features the same processor and RAM. In fact, the Elephone P8 can battle effectively against the Redmi Note 4s Snapdragon 625 in terms of performance, losing only slightly.With 6GB of RAM, multitasking is not even a question, but 6GB of RAM is also completely overkill. I never went past 4GB, with my normal use barely breaching 3GB. However I will say one thing, turn off memory optimization! This setting causes the phone to automatically clear the RAM every time the screen goes off, the fact that this setting even exists on this phone baffles me. Gaming works fine, I could play every intense game except for Modern Combat, the game here was slightly laggy. The fingerprint sensor is moderately fast and accurate, enough for normal use but eating the dust of the Oneplus 5.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramElephone P8 ConnectivityReception is great, 4G connectivity is quite fast, eating through my data quicker than I would have liked. WiFi reception is OK, but too many walls or doors between the phone and the router and WiFi speeds slow to a crawl. Bluetooth works mostly fine, for some strange reason the volume keys cannot control the volume on my Bluetooth headsets, you have to do it manually. GPS reception is great though, very accurate though it took longer than usual to get the first lock.Elephone P8 CameraThe camera here is one of the most confusing cameras Ive tested, now dont take that in a bad way, the camera is a very interesting mix of good and bad.Lets start with the good; the rear facing 21MP camera is very capable of taking some great photos. Photos have great colour saturation, detail on photos is through the roof where Elephone is concerned, but almost on par with the Redmi Note 4X which is no small feat. In fact, there are certain ideal situations where I do see the Elephone P8s photos blow past the Note 4X overall which is an incredible achievement for Elephone. In addition, the HDR mode here is one of the most well implemented HDR modes Ive seen, easily topping the likes of Ulefone, UMiDigi, Vernee, etc. HDR mode on these chinese phones usually washes out a photo when turned on, leaving the HDR mode mostly useless. However, Elephone has improved vastly in this area. Elephones HDR engine actually took a slightly dark photo and improved it very significantly, giving this photo below a very dramatic look and feel while retaining the colour saturation on each area of the photo. It seems like Elephone has taken a large step in terms of its camera software. Now for the bad. HDR mode still washes out photos sometimes, it washes them out a lot less than other phone manufacturers, but it washes out some of them nonetheless.I also found that more often than not pictures were very slightly out of focus, not noticeable on a phone sized screen, but much more so on a 24 computer screen. With all this being said, these slightly out of focus photos are more than useable on social media. The third and final issue with the rear camera is its tendency to oversaturate colours on occasion. Every few photos or so, the camera takes photos with such bright and saturated colours that would put Instagrams filters to shame. The weird thing is that they dont actually look horrible this way. Yes, I personally prefer the colours in my photos a bit more down to earth, but I must say that these sorts of photos definitely appeal to a certain segment of users.Low light is still not Elephones strong suit. Pictures start coming out soft in poorly lit indoor situations, and noise completely takes over at night or in basements.The front facing camera is a lot more conventional. It is a 16MP snapper with a Samsung sensor and this camera takes rather average photos both in terms of colour reproduction and detail. It is also not a capable low light shooter either.The rear facing camera is capable of shooting in 4K, but the results arent great. 4K video retains good colour saturation but not so with detail. I found the video to look like an interpolated and oversharpened 1080p recording instead of a 4K video recording. You should treat any 4K footage as if its a 1080p video.Elephone P8 Camera Gallery Elephone P8 VerdictThis phone is definitely a little confusing. While Elephone has made great strides where it counts (performance optimization, camera and HDR software), it has also made quite a few small missteps, often in the same area where those large forward strides took place. If we compare any phone to the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4, it almost automatically loses in terms of price to performance, the Elephone P8 included.However, compare it to other phones with similar specifications and we find that the fight is a lot fairer; the Elephone P8 offers infinitely more value than the UMiDigi Z1 Pro. Where it struggles is against the new onslaught of bezelless phones. While I have yet to test one, the Doogee Mix and Maze Alpha offer similar specifications for the same or less money, with the added benefit of being bezelless.Giving this phone a score was actually incredibly difficult when there is so much good intermingled with bad. I tried my best to separate those two and figure out what score it rightfully deserves, but read the review for a full picture. Buy the Elephone P8Forward where it countsElephone P8 Video ReviewThe Elephone P8 Mini turned out to be an incredibly solid phone for its price, and we see the full size Elephone P8 take a step up in terms of specifications, performance, and price.Elephone P8 ReviewSpecifications wise, Elephone seems to have stuffed quite a few standout specs here, 6GB of RAM, 21MP back camera, 16MP front camera. It is accompanied by the Helio P25 processor and a moderately sized 3600mAh battery, lets see how good a job Elephone has done.6GB RAM, 21MP CameraElephone P8 SpecificationsProcessorHelio P25 Octa CoreDisplay5.5″ in-cell FHD DisplayRAM6GBStorage64 eMMCOperating SystemAndroid 7.0 NougatCameras21MP/16MPBattery3600mAhPhysical Dimensions186g, 15.39 x 7.55 x 0.95 cmBig thanks to Elephone for providing this review unit. You can buy one here.Elephone P8 HardwareIt has become common at this price point for Chinese phones to have great build quality, and the Elephone P8 is no exception. The body is finely machined, well crafted, and has some heft to it. My favourite thing about the body is the inclusion of the alert slider, a hardware key to move your phone into silent mode is truly reassuring, probably one of the reasons why Apple is one of the only companies to include one on every single phone they have produced. Elephone claims a 0.9mm side bezel which technically is true, but measured to the outside casing of the phone and it comes in a lot closer to 3mm, not thin by any means.I do have a couple of minor complaints, well I think it clocks in a lot closer to numerous. So first, the SIM tray can be heard rattling if you move the phone too fast, and while a hefty phone can add to a high quality feel, its a bit too heavy in my books. Next, the phone is also very thick considering whats inside the phone, I would understand if it was packing a massive battery, but it isnt. They cant even use the excuse of the high megapixel camera because the module is sticking out!There are also no capacitive buttons beside the home button, a perfect example of wasted space as those areas do nothing. It also utilizes a microUSB port instead of a USB-C port also. The last pet peeve of mine is the protrusion of the camera module on the back. It doesnt have a metal lip protecting the lens, and so you have to be extra careful when placing the phone on a surface.Large, quite largeElephone P8 DisplayA 1080p screen graces the front of the phone and while it definitely looks good for an LCD, it still pales (literally) in comparison to an AMOLED which easily show off vivid and saturated colours. That being said, the LCD display here shows off some very nice colours for an LCD, not many people will find items to complain about. Max brightness makes it relatively easy to see in direct sunlight. Touch response is responsive, but the screen has a tendency to mistake scrolls for taps, resulting in quite a few mistaps along the way. I dont know if this is a hardware or software issue (I hope its software for our sakes) but I hope Elephone can find a way to fix it.Elephone P8 AudioAudio quality here is about average, and volume is as well. There isnt anything particular spectacular or horrible about the speakers here.Elephone P8 BatteryThe 3600mAh battery is confusing. I obtained 3 hours of screen on time one day and then 8 hours the next. Both these days consisted of very heavy Youtube playback, so not light use by any means. However, battery life has started to stabilize in the direction of the 8 hours of screen on time, so I do believe that battery life should be good. That being said, take this section with a grain of salt.EDIT (August 08, 2017): Battery life seems to have settled in a lot better, I’m getting a consistent 6 hours of screen on time pretty easily with this phone. I occasionally hit 7 hours, but that’s cutting it pretty close.Good battery lifeElephone P8 SoftwareAndroid 7.0 is optimized moderately well on this device, with the stock launcher feeling very smooth, Google Launcher less so. What Im impressed with is how well they optimized the performance on the Elephone P8. Launching apps on the Elephone P8 is significantly faster than the UMiDiGi Z1 Pro which features the same processor and RAM. In fact, the Elephone P8 can battle effectively against the Redmi Note 4s Snapdragon 625 in terms of performance, losing only slightly.With 6GB of RAM, multitasking is not even a question, but 6GB of RAM is also completely overkill. I never went past 4GB, with my normal use barely breaching 3GB. However I will say one thing, turn off memory optimization! This setting causes the phone to automatically clear the RAM every time the screen goes off, the fact that this setting even exists on this phone baffles me. Gaming works fine, I could play every intense game except for Modern Combat, the game here was slightly laggy. The fingerprint sensor is moderately fast and accurate, enough for normal use but eating the dust of the Oneplus 5.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramElephone P8 ConnectivityReception is great, 4G connectivity is quite fast, eating through my data quicker than I would have liked. WiFi reception is OK, but too many walls or doors between the phone and the router and WiFi speeds slow to a crawl. Bluetooth works mostly fine, for some strange reason the volume keys cannot control the volume on my Bluetooth headsets, you have to do it manually. GPS reception is great though, very accurate though it took longer than usual to get the first lock.Elephone P8 CameraThe camera here is one of the most confusing cameras Ive tested, now dont take that in a bad way, the camera is a very interesting mix of good and bad.Lets start with the good; the rear facing 21MP camera is very capable of taking some great photos. Photos have great colour saturation, detail on photos is through the roof where Elephone is concerned, but almost on par with the Redmi Note 4X which is no small feat. In fact, there are certain ideal situations where I do see the Elephone P8s photos blow past the Note 4X overall which is an incredible achievement for Elephone. In addition, the HDR mode here is one of the most well implemented HDR modes Ive seen, easily topping the likes of Ulefone, UMiDigi, Vernee, etc. HDR mode on these chinese phones usually washes out a photo when turned on, leaving the HDR mode mostly useless. However, Elephone has improved vastly in this area. Elephones HDR engine actually took a slightly dark photo and improved it very significantly, giving this photo below a very dramatic look and feel while retaining the colour saturation on each area of the photo. It seems like Elephone has taken a large step in terms of its camera software. Now for the bad. HDR mode still washes out photos sometimes, it washes them out a lot less than other phone manufacturers, but it washes out some of them nonetheless.I also found that more often than not pictures were very slightly out of focus, not noticeable on a phone sized screen, but much more so on a 24 computer screen. With all this being said, these slightly out of focus photos are more than useable on social media. The third and final issue with the rear camera is its tendency to oversaturate colours on occasion. Every few photos or so, the camera takes photos with such bright and saturated colours that would put Instagrams filters to shame. The weird thing is that they dont actually look horrible this way. Yes, I personally prefer the colours in my photos a bit more down to earth, but I must say that these sorts of photos definitely appeal to a certain segment of users.Low light is still not Elephones strong suit. Pictures start coming out soft in poorly lit indoor situations, and noise completely takes over at night or in basements.The front facing camera is a lot more conventional. It is a 16MP snapper with a Samsung sensor and this camera takes rather average photos both in terms of colour reproduction and detail. It is also not a capable low light shooter either.The rear facing camera is capable of shooting in 4K, but the results arent great. 4K video retains good colour saturation but not so with detail. I found the video to look like an interpolated and oversharpened 1080p recording instead of a 4K video recording. You should treat any 4K footage as if its a 1080p video.Elephone P8 Camera Gallery Elephone P8 VerdictThis phone is definitely a little confusing. While Elephone has made great strides where it counts (performance optimization, camera and HDR software), it has also made quite a few small missteps, often in the same area where those large forward strides took place. If we compare any phone to the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4, it almost automatically loses in terms of price to performance, the Elephone P8 included.However, compare it to other phones with similar specifications and we find that the fight is a lot fairer; the Elephone P8 offers infinitely more value than the UMiDigi Z1 Pro. Where it struggles is against the new onslaught of bezelless phones. While I have yet to test one, the Doogee Mix and Maze Alpha offer similar specifications for the same or less money, with the added benefit of being bezelless.Giving this phone a score was actually incredibly difficult when there is so much good intermingled with bad. I tried my best to separate those two and figure out what score it rightfully deserves, but read the review for a full picture. Buy the Elephone P8Forward where it countsElephone P8 Video ReviewThe Oukitel U11 Plus is Oukitel’s latest offering in the sub $150 segment. Standing tall like a phablet should, the U11 Plus made its debut in the month of May this year. Priced at $149.99, the U11 Plus is one of the cheapest phablets on the market. It’s been a few weeks since I have been using the U11 Plus. How did it fare in the day to day tasks, let’s find out!Oukitel U11 Plus SpecificationsProcessorOcta core MediaTek [email protected] inch, IPS LCD, 1080p resolution, 377 PPI, multi-touch, capacitiveRAM4GBStorage64GB eMMC 閳 microSD鑱絪lotOperating SystemAndroid 7.0 NougatPrimary Camera13MP interpolated to 16MP with LED flash and AFSecondary Camera13MP interpolated to 16MP with LED flashBattery3700mAhPhysical Dimensions153g,鑱?51 mm x 51.3 mm x 7.3 mmConnectivity2G/3G/4G, Bluetooth,鑱絎i-Fi 802.11 b/g/n,鑱紸-GPS, GLONASS, micro usb 2.0Oukitel U11 Plus UnboxingThe Oukitel U11 Plus comes in a very elegant dark blue colored box with Oukitel branding on the front. As you open the box, the first thing you see is the U11 Plus sitting on top. Inside the box are the standard accessories, sim ejector pin, USB cable and an AC adapter. There were no headphones included in the unit we received. Other things included in the package is the instruction manual and the warranty card. Also included is a soft clear case for the U11 Plus.Oukitel U11 Plus Design and Build QualityThe U11 Plus might not look it, but is quite a big phone. The screen stands at 5.7 inches, making it fall in the phablet category. In the front, the selfie shooter sits on the top right corner with the LED flash on its left. Along with the sensors, there’s also a LED notification light that blinks for calls and texts, a feature sometimes much more utilitarian than an ambient display. The bezels on this one are pretty sleek. The rear is textured plastic, much like the rings on our fingerprints, with the centre converging at the fingerprint sensor. The fingerprint sensor is easy to access even with one hand considering the size of the phone. It isn’t the fastest on the market, but gets the job done. What I loved the most are the buttons. They are made of metal and have a satisfying click when pressed. Plus points to Oukitel for this.Above the fingerprint sensor lies the rear camera with the LED flash. The phone has a pretty solid build thanks to the metal mid frame. On the top lies the 3.5mm headphone jack and on the bottom, speaker grills, although only one serves the purpose of the speaker with the micro USB port in the center. The USB port is buried deep inside the mid frame. It is for this reason that the USB cable supplied with the phone has a longer connector. So if you lose the cable, you might have a tough time charging your device.All in all, the phone feels solid, albeit heavy. The build quality is solid. It does not feel like it is made out of cheap materials. The strong mid frame and the minimal use of plastic is very much appreciated.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramOukitel U11 Plus DisplayThe display on the U11 Plus is a 5.7 inch 1080p panel. And it does justice to the resolution. The screen is visible in outdoor conditions, although it could have been a bit brighter. A pixel density of 377ppi ensures a sharpness in the display. It has good viewing angles and thanks to the size, watching videos is a delight. The colors do seem to be a bit on the warmer side, but you can tweak them via the display settings. Overall, the display does what’s required of it and delivers.U11 Plus running Google Now LauncherOukitel U11 Plus Hardware and PerformanceThe U11 Plus is powered by the MediaTek MTK6570T, an octa core chipset with 4 ARM Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.5GHz and 4 ARM CORTEX-A53 cores clocked at 1.0GHZ. On the GPU front, the chipset has the Mali-T860 MP2 clocked at 520MHz. The U11 has 4GB of RAM, a pretty standard/flagship amount for any smartphone of 2017. So multitasking is not a problem. On the storage front, the smartphone comes with 64GB of onboard storage which is expandable up to 128GB via microSD card. The phone is not the fastest, but it’s not the slowest either. It’ll get you through any day to day task with ease. Zipping through apps, streaming videos, editing documents are a delight thanks to the large display, which also means that you’ll seldom find yourself using this phone with one hand. The phone runs Android 7.0 Nougat. It scored around 44592 on AnTuTu whereas it scored 2026 on the multi core test and 613 on the single core test on Geekbench 4.The U11 Plus has the usual suite of connectivity options. I did not experience any call drops and the call quality was clear, fulfilling the basic requirement of any phone. The phone has 4G but no VOLTE. GPS is accurate with fast enough locking. The phone has a loudspeaker on the bottom grill which loud enough and does not break at high volumes.The U11 Plus is fueled by a 3700mAh battery which gets you through a day of moderate usage easy. It takes about 2-2.5 hours to charge to full and on heavy usage needs a charge on the night.Oukitel U11 Plus CameraThe rear as well as the front sport the OV AR1335 13MP sensor which is interpolated to 16MP. Both the front and the back feature LED flash, with the back having a dual tone configuration. The rear camera is able to take sharp photos, albeit at the expense of being a little slow on the shutter speed. The camera works well in daylight and falters in low light conditions, something all the phones in the price range and higher suffer from. This is definitely not a camera phone. The photos can sometimes be noisy, but if you get around to using the camera, you can snap some pretty decent pictures. The front camera tells the same story. The rear camera is able to shoot videos in 1080p whereas the front camera has a limited resolution of 720p.Checkout the gallery to get a better idea of how the phone camera fares.  Oukitel U11 Plus VerdictThe UMiDiGi Z1 Pro is the newest phone from UMi with lower specifications than the UMiDiGi Z Pro and here are my first impressions.UMiDiGi Z1 Pro SpecificationsProcessorMTK6757 Octacore ProcessorDisplay5.5″ 1080p IPS LCDRAM6GBStorage64 eMMCOperating SystemAndroid 7.0 NougatCameras13MP/5MP Camera, 5MP FrontBattery4000mAhPhysical Dimensions148g, 15.44 x 7.51 x 0.70 cmBig thanks to UMiDiGi for providing this review unit. You can buy one here.UMiDiGi Z1 Pro UnboxingThe unboxing experience is a different, the box flips open the same way a phablet phone case does, and the charger and power cable case flip out the other way, a little bit like a transformer transforming. The phone is located right at the bottom which in my opinion is a better idea since it protects the screen. The phone comes with a basic TPU case and a glass screen protector.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramUMiDiGi Z1 Pro Hands OnThe phone itself is very similar to the previous UMiDiGi phones, similar design and metal, however it for some reason feels less high quality than the Z Pro (thinner metal maybe or just placebo?). The red colour is gorgeous, chilli red and catches your attention. Using it in a case is most likely the right choice, but man does it look great without. Size wise its not small for a 5.5″ phone but its relatively thin.UMiDiGi Z1 Pro First ImpressionsI setup the phone very quickly and played around with the phone, the screen is very saturated with a very slight purple tint that is more visible on video and photos than in real life. The audio is very loud and OK quality, more bass would be appreciated but its good enough for most things.Video quality is a little strange, with framerate seeming to jump between 30fps to 10fps constantly, giving a slightly jittery effect. I’m seeing if this is a problem with settings before talking more about it.

The Blackview BV8000 Pro is probably the first rugged phone to come with the hardware you’d normally find on a mid-range device but encased in a super durable outer shell. This means you can get a proper and smooth Android user experience in pretty much any real life scenario, without the risk of getting your handset damaged.聽This all sounds good on a spec sheet, but how does it actually behave in every day use? Let’s find out in our full review!Blackview BV8000 Pro SpecificationsProcessorMediatek MTK6757 ProcessorDisplay5鈥 Full HDRAM6GBStorage64GB eMMC 鈥 microSD聽slotOperating SystemAndroid 7.0 NougatCameras16MP rear camera, 8MP frontBattery4180mAhPhysical Dimensions243g, 156.2聽x 79.2 x 13.2 mmBlackview BV8000 Pro UnboxingUnboxing the Blackview BV8000 Pro is an experience in and of itself. Being a smartphone out of the ordinary, the accessories you find inside its box are as well. More specifically we’re talking about the tiny screw driver and additional screws they provide you with. In the box you’ll also find an handy micro USB to USB type-C adapter so that you can use an older micro USB charging cable if you have forgotten the USB Type-C one.Micro USB to USB Type-C adapterOther accessories are pretty conventional, we go from the power adapter, to the USB Type-C cable, a pair of earphones and an OTG adapter. Everything neatly arranged in a premium looking聽鈥 at least on the inside聽鈥 package.Blackview BV8000 Pro聽Design &聽Build QualityBuild quality is probably the most important factor in a rugged phone and the BV8000 Pro doesn’t disappoint us, to say the least. The smartphone is really solid thanks to its metal frame and bits around the body, with some plastic parts which make it waterproof, dust proof and almost impossible to break, as we’ve seen in different videos released by the company.I didn’t go as far as throwing my phone to the ground but I’m quite confident it would take the hit like a champ. I did though bring the phone under the shower and, while I know that’s less demanding than completely submerging it under water, it didn’t give me any problems whatsoever; I must say I was actually surprised the smartphone was operable even with some water over the screen.The聽Blackview BV8000 Pro comes with a below-average 5-inch display but the overall footprint of the device is more than that of a 5.5-incher. That’s obviously what makes it so durable but it could bother users with smaller hands, it’s also quite heavy of course, at about 240 grams.Blackview’s smartphone features five total physical buttons, we have the power OFF/ ON button, the two volume rockers, a dedicated camera button and an additional PTT (push to talk) button which can be used to call for help when long pressed. Honestly I wish the buttons were easier to customize as it’s very unlikely I’m going to need the SOS function, plus the dedicated camera button doesn’t start the camera automatically unless you press it for 3 seconds, which is definitely too much. But most of these problems are fixable in a software update so I won’t complain too muchWhat bothers me slightly more is the capacitive touch back button. I’ve read of people saying it doesn’t always register your touch, but I honestly believe that’s not the issue. I think the problem is that the button is slightly offset to the right, that means if you use your muscle memory to go back, you’re probably missing it by few millimeters.Another minor issue I have is the notification LED, which in my opinion is too dim. That might be good at night, but during the day it’s quite hard to notice it if you are outdoors.What I definitely liked is the fingerprint scanner which has been placed on the right side of the device. It’s very accurate with a very high success rate and it never gives you “errors”, it just unlocks the device when it senses the correct fingerprint. This could be a minor security risk, but in a smartphone that can go underwater and get real dirty without worries, you don’t want it to constantly notify you of failed attempts and disable it altogether.As I mentioned in the first impressions a well, you should be aware that not all 3.5mm jack or USB Type-C connectors will plug-in flawlessly, as they’re both very deep because of the shock resistant outer frame. On the plus side, you don’t need any flaps to keep the smartphone waterproof, although the company suggests to dry up both ports before connecting external devices.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramBlackview BV8000 Pro聽DisplayI would rate the display as average. Sure it’s very sharp as it’s a Full HD display in a 5-inch size, but I’d have rather preferred have a brighter display than higher resolution. That said, the display is bright enough to be used out of the house, it’s just not as bright as I would have expected on a smartphone created for outdoors use.Other than that, colors seem to be accurate and viewing angles are quite good as well.Blackview BV8000 Pro聽Hardware & PerformanceThe聽Blackview BV8000 Pro is powered by a MediaTek 6757 also known as Helio P20, so we have enough juice to power through most apps and games. The company also added a whopping 6GB of RAM which some might consider overkill, but you probably aren’t paying much of a difference from a set of 4GB, thus you get two additional GB of RAM which we’re sure Android will find how to use. On the storage side, we have 64GB of internal storage, expandable via microSD to up to 256GB.Overall the smartphone is really snappy and I haven’t seen any slow downs. I got over 61000 score on AnTuTu, 3893 multi-core score on Geekbench and 841 for the single core.聽With the power efficient Helio P25 chip you’re also able to get more than 6 hours of screen on time; the smartphone fully charges in about two hours with the included 9V/2A charger.The “phone” part of the聽Blackview BV8000 Pro is definitely good, calls are clear and loud. GPS and 4G connectivity work perfectly as well, with GPS locking pretty much instantly and with high precision, and 4G sporting band 20 which is quite needed in Europe. The rear speaker on the BV8000 Pro is very loud but it doesn’t sound amazing, still having a loud speaker is a good achievement considering how waterproof phones usually sound.Blackview BV8000 Pro聽Camera聽The Blackview BV8000 Pro comes with a 16MP rear camera sporting F/2.0 aperture which can get some nice photos if you have a bit of patience. That’s because sometimes you might get over exposed photos or that are slightly out of focus, but if you play with the settings then you’ll be able to get better results.In low light situations the camera gets much worse as in many other smartphones in this price range; sharp photos with low noise are out of the way. But then you aren’t going to get night shoots with a rugged phone, are you?Either way, here below are some photo samples; judge for yourself! Blackview BV8000 Pro聽Gallery聽 Blackview BV8000 Pro聽ConclusionFor about $250 the聽Blackview BV8000 Pro is one of the best rugged smartphones you can get out there. It’s powerful, with good battery life and a durability which we haven’t seen on many smartphones, let alone devices with this kind of internal hardware.So, in conclusion, if you were looking for a rugged phone with good performance, there are no major reasons you shouldn’t consider getting the聽Blackview BV8000 Pro. If you don’t need a device this durable, then we’re sure there are better options in the market.The Blackview BV8000 Pro is probably the first rugged phone to come with the hardware you’d normally find on a mid-range device but encased in a super durable outer shell. This means you can get a proper and smooth Android user experience in pretty much any real life scenario, without the risk of getting your handset damaged.聽This all sounds good on a spec sheet, but how does it actually behave in every day use? Let’s find out in our full review!Blackview BV8000 Pro SpecificationsProcessorMediatek MTK6757 ProcessorDisplay5鈥 Full HDRAM6GBStorage64GB eMMC 鈥 microSD聽slotOperating SystemAndroid 7.0 NougatCameras16MP rear camera, 8MP frontBattery4180mAhPhysical Dimensions243g, 156.2聽x 79.2 x 13.2 mmBlackview BV8000 Pro UnboxingUnboxing the Blackview BV8000 Pro is an experience in and of itself. Being a smartphone out of the ordinary, the accessories you find inside its box are as well. More specifically we’re talking about the tiny screw driver and additional screws they provide you with. In the box you’ll also find an handy micro USB to USB type-C adapter so that you can use an older micro USB charging cable if you have forgotten the USB Type-C one.Micro USB to USB Type-C adapterOther accessories are pretty conventional, we go from the power adapter, to the USB Type-C cable, a pair of earphones and an OTG adapter. Everything neatly arranged in a premium looking聽鈥 at least on the inside聽鈥 package.Blackview BV8000 Pro聽Design &聽Build QualityBuild quality is probably the most important factor in a rugged phone and the BV8000 Pro doesn’t disappoint us, to say the least. The smartphone is really solid thanks to its metal frame and bits around the body, with some plastic parts which make it waterproof, dust proof and almost impossible to break, as we’ve seen in different videos released by the company.I didn’t go as far as throwing my phone to the ground but I’m quite confident it would take the hit like a champ. I did though bring the phone under the shower and, while I know that’s less demanding than completely submerging it under water, it didn’t give me any problems whatsoever; I must say I was actually surprised the smartphone was operable even with some water over the screen.The聽Blackview BV8000 Pro comes with a below-average 5-inch display but the overall footprint of the device is more than that of a 5.5-incher. That’s obviously what makes it so durable but it could bother users with smaller hands, it’s also quite heavy of course, at about 240 grams.Blackview’s smartphone features five total physical buttons, we have the power OFF/ ON button, the two volume rockers, a dedicated camera button and an additional PTT (push to talk) button which can be used to call for help when long pressed. Honestly I wish the buttons were easier to customize as it’s very unlikely I’m going to need the SOS function, plus the dedicated camera button doesn’t start the camera automatically unless you press it for 3 seconds, which is definitely too much. But most of these problems are fixable in a software update so I won’t complain too muchWhat bothers me slightly more is the capacitive touch back button. I’ve read of people saying it doesn’t always register your touch, but I honestly believe that’s not the issue. I think the problem is that the button is slightly offset to the right, that means if you use your muscle memory to go back, you’re probably missing it by few millimeters.Another minor issue I have is the notification LED, which in my opinion is too dim. That might be good at night, but during the day it’s quite hard to notice it if you are outdoors.What I definitely liked is the fingerprint scanner which has been placed on the right side of the device. It’s very accurate with a very high success rate and it never gives you “errors”, it just unlocks the device when it senses the correct fingerprint. This could be a minor security risk, but in a smartphone that can go underwater and get real dirty without worries, you don’t want it to constantly notify you of failed attempts and disable it altogether.As I mentioned in the first impressions a well, you should be aware that not all 3.5mm jack or USB Type-C connectors will plug-in flawlessly, as they’re both very deep because of the shock resistant outer frame. On the plus side, you don’t need any flaps to keep the smartphone waterproof, although the company suggests to dry up both ports before connecting external devices.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramBlackview BV8000 Pro聽DisplayI would rate the display as average. Sure it’s very sharp as it’s a Full HD display in a 5-inch size, but I’d have rather preferred have a brighter display than higher resolution. That said, the display is bright enough to be used out of the house, it’s just not as bright as I would have expected on a smartphone created for outdoors use.Other than that, colors seem to be accurate and viewing angles are quite good as well.Blackview BV8000 Pro聽Hardware & PerformanceThe聽Blackview BV8000 Pro is powered by a MediaTek 6757 also known as Helio P20, so we have enough juice to power through most apps and games. The company also added a whopping 6GB of RAM which some might consider overkill, but you probably aren’t paying much of a difference from a set of 4GB, thus you get two additional GB of RAM which we’re sure Android will find how to use. On the storage side, we have 64GB of internal storage, expandable via microSD to up to 256GB.Overall the smartphone is really snappy and I haven’t seen any slow downs. I got over 61000 score on AnTuTu, 3893 multi-core score on Geekbench and 841 for the single core.聽With the power efficient Helio P25 chip you’re also able to get more than 6 hours of screen on time; the smartphone fully charges in about two hours with the included 9V/2A charger.The “phone” part of the聽Blackview BV8000 Pro is definitely good, calls are clear and loud. GPS and 4G connectivity work perfectly as well, with GPS locking pretty much instantly and with high precision, and 4G sporting band 20 which is quite needed in Europe. The rear speaker on the BV8000 Pro is very loud but it doesn’t sound amazing, still having a loud speaker is a good achievement considering how waterproof phones usually sound.Blackview BV8000 Pro聽Camera聽The Blackview BV8000 Pro comes with a 16MP rear camera sporting F/2.0 aperture which can get some nice photos if you have a bit of patience. That’s because sometimes you might get over exposed photos or that are slightly out of focus, but if you play with the settings then you’ll be able to get better results.In low light situations the camera gets much worse as in many other smartphones in this price range; sharp photos with low noise are out of the way. But then you aren’t going to get night shoots with a rugged phone, are you?Either way, here below are some photo samples; judge for yourself! Blackview BV8000 Pro聽Gallery聽 Blackview BV8000 Pro聽ConclusionFor about $250 the聽Blackview BV8000 Pro is one of the best rugged smartphones you can get out there. It’s powerful, with good battery life and a durability which we haven’t seen on many smartphones, let alone devices with this kind of internal hardware.So, in conclusion, if you were looking for a rugged phone with good performance, there are no major reasons you shouldn’t consider getting the聽Blackview BV8000 Pro. If you don’t need a device this durable, then we’re sure there are better options in the market.For over a year I have a pleasure to use Meizu smartphones as my daily devices. In January Meizu was so nice to send me their last year’s flagship model – Meizu Pro 6 Plus, which was presented in December. Before this phone I’ve been using Meizu Pro 6, but after one month of using Plus version I must say, that December’s device is true 2016’s flagship Meizu phone.BoxPhone is packed in box which is typical for Meizu Pro devices. Black, plastic, square box which looks very elegant. Shining model name which is placed on the top everything looks llike premium device box. At the bottom there is a sticker with basic information about the device – model, color, memory and supported frequencies. Mine version was ment to be sold in China, so description is written in Chinese. But if you buy phone from international distribution, everything will be in English. Inside of the box we have Meizu Pro 6 Plus device, charger (in my case it is charger with US connection), USB-C cable, SIM slot key, instruction and warranty card (Chinese / English, depending on where you order it). I miss some earphones there, as Meizu advertise this model as having great Hi-Fi chip inside. Meizu Pro 6 Plus build design and qualityAs I said at the begining, this model is true Meizu flagship for 2016. And as every flagship, producer took care to build quality and made Pro 6 Plus looking as real premium device.If we will look at the design, we won’t see much difference comparing to previous Pro series devices. In the front panel of the device we can find white notification LED, speaker, selfie camera and light and proximity sensors. Below them there is 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display with 2K resolution (2560 x 1440 px, 518PPI). I must say, that the displayed image quality is more than great. Additionally it supports 3D Touch (Force Touch) feature, but only for system and some Chinese apps. At the bottom of fron panel (as usual in Meizu products) there is physical Home button which is back button, fingerpring scanner and heart rate monitor in one. Unfortunately hear rate monitor is not working now (it isn’t implemented in firmware yet). On the sides, as usual, we will find SIM card slot (left), power and volume buttons (right). On the bottom there is 3.5mm audio input, USB-C 3.1 input, microphone and a speaker. On the top there is additional microphone, that reduces outside noises during calls. What about back side? It looks like every other Meizu device. We have here antenna lines on the top and bottom of back. There is also main camera and 10 LEDs below it (the same we could see in Pro 6 model). Camera is a very interesting element in this device because Meizu decided to add 4-axis OIS in it. More about it in Camera part.Specification of Meizu Pro 6 PlusDimensions: 155.6 x 77.3 x 7.3 mmWeight: 158 gDisplay: 5.7 cali (2560x1440px, 518 ppi), Super AMOLEDProcessor:64GB version: Samsung Exynos 8890 (4x Exynos M1 2.0GHz + 4x Cortex-A53 1.5GHz) + Mali-T880 MP10128GB version: Samsung Exynos 8890 (4x Exynos M1 2.3GHz + 4x Cortex-A53閳 1.6GHz) + Mali-T880 MP12RAM: 4GBInternal memory: 64GB / 128GBMain camera: 12MP, f/2.0, 10 LEDs, 4-axis optical image stabilization, Sony IMX386Front camera: 5MP, f/2.0Battery: 3400 mAhAdditional: Fingerprint scanner, heart rate monitor, fast charge mCharge, support for Wi-Fi 2.4/5GHz 802.11 a/b/g/n, LTE Cat.6, Bluetooth 4.1, BLE, audio chip ESS ES9018K2MSystem: Flyme OS 6 (Android 6)Available colors: gold, grey, silver鑱組eizu Pro 6 Plus in daily usageI received this device straight from Meizu, so unfortunately it came with chinese OS installed (English and many chinese apps). Using it wasn’t a problem, but some features were working terrible – GPS wasn’t able to catch satelites (google maps navigation didn’t work). There was also a problem with some apps notifications, but this is an old Flyme OS problem. Fortunately, few days ago Meizu released open Flyme OS 6 global beta, so I “moved” to it as fast as possible. Since that moment using Meizu Pro 6 Plus became much more better.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramPhone works perfectly. I didn’t notice any problems like freezes or lags. Calling, Internet browsing, messaging or listening to music is pure pleasure. Thanks to huge amount of free space I can download a few of my favourite Spotify playlists and listen to music, which sounds great in this device. I am not real audiophile, so I can’t tell you more about technical part of music playing. For me it’s great.Of course I tested also games. Clash Royale (I play it for some time, it doesn’t require great specification) works perfectly – loads fast, there aren’t any lags, phone doesn’t get hot. During the test of Need For Speed No Limits I also didn’t notice any problems. But during this game the phone get a bit warmer (with a silicon case on it).Connectivity? Works very good. LTE connection in most of the time. Unfortunately Meizu devices (at the moment) doesn’t support VoLTE calling, which is requested very much but a lot of users. GPS started working really fast and navigation works perfectly (very high accuracy), after I updated the device to the Global firmware.And what about benchmarks… In AnTuTu unfortunately (or not) it loses with most of last year’s flagship. When I write this review, the best result it has is about 112k points, which gives it 24th place (mine version was on 25th place). But I think it’s because there isn’t 128GB version available, where CPU and GPU has better clocks.BatteryMeizu Pro 6 Plus has a big battery. Comparing to basic Pro 6 model it is 1000 mAh bigger, so it has capacity of 3400 mAh. During a normal (not too intensive) usage of the phone, battery is more than enough for whole day. However if we use the device more intensive (playing games, video watching, mobile data enabled, localization services, etc…) then at the end of the day we can feel the lack of power. Fortunately Pro 6 Plus supports mCharge fast charging, which allows to charge it to full battery in about one hour.CameraAnd now there is time for (in my opinion) the best thing in this phone (next to normal SoC). This is the first Pro series device with 4-axis optical image stabilization (we have Pro 6s also, but it is for Chinese market only). The main camera is 12MP, f/2.0 with Sony IMX386 sensor. Below it we have 10-LED light circle, that will give us bright light to make better pictures when lighting is worse. Unfortunately, we can’t take pictures with RAW extension, but I hope that Meizu developers will add this feature in the future (many users demand it for some time already).For the lovers of selfie pictures there is 5MP, f/2.0 front camera. I must say, that image quality in it is also good.Below you can find some pictures done with Meizu Pro 6 Plus camera:

The Doogee Shoot 1 is the company’s first attempt at creating a budget dual-camera phone with a primary 13MP Samsung shooter聽to get the image and a secondary 8.0MP one to add in depth information and thus create photos with a very shallow depth of field.We’re going to see how that works in the full review but for now let’s go ahead with the unboxing and first impressions!Doogee Shoot 1: UnboxingDoogee’s Shoot 1 unboxing is pretty straight forward, it simply comes in a black/greysh box and聽once you open it, you have the smartphone there with its silicone case. Removing the cardboard separator below it you find the USB charger rated for 5V/2000mA, a microUSB cable, SIM removal pin and an additional screen protector (it already comes with one).Doogee Shoot 1:聽Hands OnBeing entirely made of plastic, the聽Doogee Shoot 1 doesn’t have the most premium feeling in hands, that said, it doesn’t feel cheap neither. The build quality is solid and it doesn’t flex or make weird noises when put under stress.On the positive side, since the phone is not encased in an aluminum chassis, the overall weight of the device is very low at about 167 grams. Which makes it also easy to hold even if it doesn’t have a small footprint.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramIn addition to that, the plastic body removes the slippery of metal phones, so I feel confident holding this phone even without a case, something I can’t say about many other phones.The included silicone case is “OK”, it feels cheap but I’m still glad they added it in the package. It also features some flaps to cover the headphone jack and microUSB port at the bottom, I’m not sure why though as the phone isn’t advertised as waterproof and thus shouldn’t get near water anyway.Doogee Shoot 1:聽First ImpressionsOverall I’m finding the phone worth its price, it’s snappy and it’s full of neat features like douple-tap to wake up聽and many more that aren’t usually available on budget phones, heck even on more expensive ones 鈥 looking at you, Vernee Apollo聽鈥? I’m not having any weird software issues聽or getting limited by the 2GB of RAM.In the full review you’ll learn more about the dual-camera setup and how it actually works, for the moment being I’ll only say I’m not totally sold on it.Yi has shaken up the camera industry again and again with their action cameras, and now Yi has released their most groundbreaking product yet (on paper at least): a $330 4K mirrorless camera.You never judge a book by its cover, but if the cover promised similar performance to more expensive books at half the price, it gets people鈥檚 attention. That was a horrible analogy, but you get my point, do you?You can buy the Xiaoyi M1 mirrorless camera here, both the kit lens and dual lens versions.Xiaoyi M1 ReviewPaper specs aside, let鈥檚 get real. First of all, you cannot get the Xiaoyi M1 for $330 outside of China. The lowest I鈥檝e seen it go is about $350, which is still an incredibly low price for a 4K capable mirrorless camera.The M1 boasts a 20MP Micro 4/3 sensor (the same one used in the Panasonic GX8), 81 point Auto Focus system, and up to 4K/30fps video recording. The specs seem to indicate that this camera is ready to take on DSLRs and mirrorless cameras, but the lack of physical controls indicates otherwise. As mentioned by Yi themselves, this is aimed at those looking to move away from smartphone cameras but not quite ready for DSLRs just yet, a bridge camera to be specific.Let鈥檚 see how it performs.Cheap shot?Xiaoyi M1 SpecificationsSensorSony IMX269 20MP SensorDisplay3鈥 2 million dot TFTKit Lens12 – 40mm F3.5 – 5.6 lensOptional Lens42.5mm F1.8 lensPlatformMirrorless Micro 4/3 MountConnectivityBluetooth, WiFiBattery900mAhPhysical Dimensions0.28kg, 11.35 x 3.36 x 6.43 cmBig thanks to Gearbest for providing this review unit.Xiaoyi M1 HardwareSo before I start this review, I want to get this out of the way, I鈥檓 not a photography expert, I don鈥檛 have a degree in art, I don鈥檛 have a photography portfolio, I don鈥檛 shoot weddings on the side, so I鈥檓 an average Joe, most probably like you… well, almost. I do know my way around mirrorless/DSLR cameras because I shoot video on a regular basis, so hopefully I can give you some insight into this camera if you are interested.A second item to get out of the way: this is not a potential replacement for mid-tier DSLRs. It鈥檚 not weather sealed, does not have manual mode when shooting 4K (I鈥檒l talk more about that later), and most importantly, does not have enough physical controls, (almost) everything is controlled via the touch screen.Now with that out of the way, let鈥檚 get on with the build quality.I did a double take when I saw this camera. It鈥檚 definitely a Leica lookalike, down to the red dot that graces every Leica body. The body is made of pretty high quality plastic and is also very lightweight, making it feel more like a point and shoot rather than a mirrorless camera.On the top, you find the hot shoe, on/off button, and a selector dial for different modes. The video record button is nested within the selector dial, and can be a bit troublesome if you hit it by mistake without actually wanting to shoot video. There is also an extra dial for controlling zoom as well. Everything else is controlled through the 3″ touchscreen integrated into the body.On the right, you find a removable flap that reveals the HDMI, SD card slot and MicroUSB. The standard screw in is found below the camera, and sadly, no microphone jack here.The camera includes the standard kit lens, but I opted for an additional prime lens for $100 more. Both the kit lens and prime lens are constructed mostly of plastic. The kit lens has a lock/unlock feature that allows you to shrink the size of the lens for easier portability. The prime lens looks normal, but perhaps the strangest part of the prime lens is the non-functional focus ring. You can鈥檛 focus the lens using that ring, it seems purely cosmetic. My Sigma and Panasonic kit lens were both compatible with the M1 which is very promising.Good PlasticXiaoyi M1 SoftwareThe first thing I did (after snapping a few test shots) was pair with the included smartphone app. This was an incredibly easy process that involved tapping 鈥渃onnect鈥 and the phone automatically disconnects from existing WiFI and connects to the camera WiFi. My M1 immediately downloaded an update which took about a minute to install.The lack of physical buttons means you interact with the touchscreen almost exclusively. As someone who lives in Canada, that instantly becomes a problem in the winter. I can use my Panasonic G7 outside with gloves on without issue, but not so with the Yi M1.Cold weather aside, the UI is quite simple. Anyone familiar with smartphone UI will be completely at home聽here. You can change f-stop, aperture and EV by tapping on the setting and rolling the physical dial, but anything else requires some swiping. Swipe right for scene modes and left for settings.ISO is, oddly enough, found in the settings menu instead of directly on the main screen. Changing ISO was a pain, so it was easier to play with the other settings to compensate. The UI speed and fluidity does not match Android or iOS, but it isn鈥檛 slow enough to frustrate users.However keep in the auto mode and you should be fine. The camera defaults to snapping photos in JPEG format, but you can change it to RAW if you want. There is no option to save in both though. If your camera is connected to your smartphone via the app, you can download JPEGs off the camera onto your phone for sharing, but the app does not recognize RAW files.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramXiaoyi M1 PerformanceThe time between turning on the camera to first shot was slightly below 3 seconds. It鈥檚 not a slow time, but lags about 1 second behind my Panasonic G7. However, I didn鈥檛 see any lag when snapping photos or shooting up to 4K video, so the chipset is definitely sufficient.The Yi M1 uses a contrast detect autofocus system with 81 autofocus points. Autofocus is accurate in good light, but I found that it sometimes didn鈥檛 focus properly on the desired object, especially if the object had low contrast. Continuous autofocus was unuseable most of the time, as it never focused on what I wanted it to focus on. Keep the camera in AF-S for the best autofocus performance (depress the shutter button halfway to focus).Low light focusing was difficult to achieve and I had a lot of trouble getting it to focus properly.Low light focusing issuesXiaoyi M1 Picture QualityLet鈥檚 start with the kit lens. In auto mode, I was able to take very decent pictures quite easily with a ton of detail and natural colours. JPEGs taken in good lighting conditions definitely exhibit a lot more detail than any smartphone camera and many point and shoots. In low light the performance starts dropping. I saw quite a bit of noise/grain at ISO12800 and higher. However, JPEGs from the M1 compared to the Panasonic G7 left me underwhelmed.I started shooting in RAW and immediately started seeing the difference. I could bring out so much detail in the photos and make them look better. Do note that some of the edits I did are purposely overexposed in order to show you the limits of each RAW file.Moving on to the prime lens, pictures definitely look sharper than the kit lens and the Bokeh (blurred background) effect is quite strong. There is a switch on the lens to activate macro mode which allows you to take very sharp closeup shots (very close) and the pictures turn out quite beautiful.Low light performance is better than the kit lens above meaning that low light shots turn out even better.I want to compare them to my Panasonic kit lens and Sigma f.28 40mm prime lens as well, I won鈥檛 go into too much detail, but suffice it to say that my Panasonic kit lens takes better photos than the Yi kit lens while the Sigma prime lens takes slightly sharper shots than the Yi prime lens but with way less Bokeh (background isn鈥檛 as blurred).The Yi M1 still edges out my old Rebel T3 and my friend鈥檚 Rebel T5i in picture quality though.Finally, I would like to reiterate that all the image quality testing was done with JPEGs straight out of the camera. Check out the image gallery below. More pictures coming soon!Xiaoyi M1 Image Gallery YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA Xiaoyi M1 Video QualityVideo is more my jam, and I was initially excited at the thought of a cheap, mirrorless, 4K capable camera, but this left me disappointed, the chief reason being that there is no manual mode when recording in 4K. The camera then compensates for every change of lighting that you come across.As such there is a flickering that occurs every time the camera changes the settings to compensate which is quite an obvious distraction. In situations where lighting is constant (e.g. outdoors), 4K quality is actually quite excellent. Hwoever I still see a slight but noticeable difference in quality between my more expensive Panasonic G7 and the Yi M1.Xiaoyi M1 Battery LifeThe 900mAh battery is capable of taking around 390 shots before dying, which definitely isn鈥檛 the best. Filming a 4K video for about 15 minutes ate about 54% of the battery capacity. You charge the battery by plugging in a MicroUSB port into the camera itself, so there鈥檚 no need for a separate battery cradle. It takes about 2 hours to charge completely, which is quite a long time for such a small battery.Xiaoyi M1 VerdictYou still see people with smartphones bringing out point and shoots at events like weddings or special get togethers, and in my mind, this is the perfect replacement. Not only is it comparable in size (DSLRs are much larger), but the camera and user interface are very simple and touch friendly. That being said, this is not a cheap camera, starting at $350, this would be in the upper ranges of point and shoots, edging into entry level DSLR territory. Probably the biggest problem this segment of users would encounter would be the autofocus. Autofocus here isn鈥檛 the greatest, so some users might find it difficult to get a good shot.The M1 has replaced my phone camera when I bring it out to special events. Get togethers, outings, dinners, weddings. Bringing my large mirrorless Panasonic is conspicuous at weddings and could be seen as trying to upstage the official photographer (depending on how big his ego is). However, the M1 is small, compact, and has a completely silent mode, so I can upstage the wedding photographer without him even finding out, getting crisp photos of the wedding rings. Thanks Xiaoyi.You can buy the Xiaoyi M1 mirrorless camera here, I recommend the cheaper kit lens version instead of the more expensive one with the prime lens simply because there are a lot of M43 options.Simple to useXiaoyi M1 Video ReviewYi has shaken up the camera industry again and again with their action cameras, and now Yi has released their most groundbreaking product yet (on paper at least): a $330 4K mirrorless camera.You never judge a book by its cover, but if the cover promised similar performance to more expensive books at half the price, it gets people鈥檚 attention. That was a horrible analogy, but you get my point, do you?You can buy the Xiaoyi M1 mirrorless camera here, both the kit lens and dual lens versions.Xiaoyi M1 ReviewPaper specs aside, let鈥檚 get real. First of all, you cannot get the Xiaoyi M1 for $330 outside of China. The lowest I鈥檝e seen it go is about $350, which is still an incredibly low price for a 4K capable mirrorless camera.The M1 boasts a 20MP Micro 4/3 sensor (the same one used in the Panasonic GX8), 81 point Auto Focus system, and up to 4K/30fps video recording. The specs seem to indicate that this camera is ready to take on DSLRs and mirrorless cameras, but the lack of physical controls indicates otherwise. As mentioned by Yi themselves, this is aimed at those looking to move away from smartphone cameras but not quite ready for DSLRs just yet, a bridge camera to be specific.Let鈥檚 see how it performs.Cheap shot?Xiaoyi M1 SpecificationsSensorSony IMX269 20MP SensorDisplay3鈥 2 million dot TFTKit Lens12 – 40mm F3.5 – 5.6 lensOptional Lens42.5mm F1.8 lensPlatformMirrorless Micro 4/3 MountConnectivityBluetooth, WiFiBattery900mAhPhysical Dimensions0.28kg, 11.35 x 3.36 x 6.43 cmBig thanks to Gearbest for providing this review unit.Xiaoyi M1 HardwareSo before I start this review, I want to get this out of the way, I鈥檓 not a photography expert, I don鈥檛 have a degree in art, I don鈥檛 have a photography portfolio, I don鈥檛 shoot weddings on the side, so I鈥檓 an average Joe, most probably like you… well, almost. I do know my way around mirrorless/DSLR cameras because I shoot video on a regular basis, so hopefully I can give you some insight into this camera if you are interested.A second item to get out of the way: this is not a potential replacement for mid-tier DSLRs. It鈥檚 not weather sealed, does not have manual mode when shooting 4K (I鈥檒l talk more about that later), and most importantly, does not have enough physical controls, (almost) everything is controlled via the touch screen.Now with that out of the way, let鈥檚 get on with the build quality.I did a double take when I saw this camera. It鈥檚 definitely a Leica lookalike, down to the red dot that graces every Leica body. The body is made of pretty high quality plastic and is also very lightweight, making it feel more like a point and shoot rather than a mirrorless camera.On the top, you find the hot shoe, on/off button, and a selector dial for different modes. The video record button is nested within the selector dial, and can be a bit troublesome if you hit it by mistake without actually wanting to shoot video. There is also an extra dial for controlling zoom as well. Everything else is controlled through the 3″ touchscreen integrated into the body.On the right, you find a removable flap that reveals the HDMI, SD card slot and MicroUSB. The standard screw in is found below the camera, and sadly, no microphone jack here.The camera includes the standard kit lens, but I opted for an additional prime lens for $100 more. Both the kit lens and prime lens are constructed mostly of plastic. The kit lens has a lock/unlock feature that allows you to shrink the size of the lens for easier portability. The prime lens looks normal, but perhaps the strangest part of the prime lens is the non-functional focus ring. You can鈥檛 focus the lens using that ring, it seems purely cosmetic. My Sigma and Panasonic kit lens were both compatible with the M1 which is very promising.Good PlasticXiaoyi M1 SoftwareThe first thing I did (after snapping a few test shots) was pair with the included smartphone app. This was an incredibly easy process that involved tapping 鈥渃onnect鈥 and the phone automatically disconnects from existing WiFI and connects to the camera WiFi. My M1 immediately downloaded an update which took about a minute to install.The lack of physical buttons means you interact with the touchscreen almost exclusively. As someone who lives in Canada, that instantly becomes a problem in the winter. I can use my Panasonic G7 outside with gloves on without issue, but not so with the Yi M1.Cold weather aside, the UI is quite simple. Anyone familiar with smartphone UI will be completely at home聽here. You can change f-stop, aperture and EV by tapping on the setting and rolling the physical dial, but anything else requires some swiping. Swipe right for scene modes and left for settings.ISO is, oddly enough, found in the settings menu instead of directly on the main screen. Changing ISO was a pain, so it was easier to play with the other settings to compensate. The UI speed and fluidity does not match Android or iOS, but it isn鈥檛 slow enough to frustrate users.However keep in the auto mode and you should be fine. The camera defaults to snapping photos in JPEG format, but you can change it to RAW if you want. There is no option to save in both though. If your camera is connected to your smartphone via the app, you can download JPEGs off the camera onto your phone for sharing, but the app does not recognize RAW files.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramXiaoyi M1 PerformanceThe time between turning on the camera to first shot was slightly below 3 seconds. It鈥檚 not a slow time, but lags about 1 second behind my Panasonic G7. However, I didn鈥檛 see any lag when snapping photos or shooting up to 4K video, so the chipset is definitely sufficient.The Yi M1 uses a contrast detect autofocus system with 81 autofocus points. Autofocus is accurate in good light, but I found that it sometimes didn鈥檛 focus properly on the desired object, especially if the object had low contrast. Continuous autofocus was unuseable most of the time, as it never focused on what I wanted it to focus on. Keep the camera in AF-S for the best autofocus performance (depress the shutter button halfway to focus).Low light focusing was difficult to achieve and I had a lot of trouble getting it to focus properly.Low light focusing issuesXiaoyi M1 Picture QualityLet鈥檚 start with the kit lens. In auto mode, I was able to take very decent pictures quite easily with a ton of detail and natural colours. JPEGs taken in good lighting conditions definitely exhibit a lot more detail than any smartphone camera and many point and shoots. In low light the performance starts dropping. I saw quite a bit of noise/grain at ISO12800 and higher. However, JPEGs from the M1 compared to the Panasonic G7 left me underwhelmed.I started shooting in RAW and immediately started seeing the difference. I could bring out so much detail in the photos and make them look better. Do note that some of the edits I did are purposely overexposed in order to show you the limits of each RAW file.Moving on to the prime lens, pictures definitely look sharper than the kit lens and the Bokeh (blurred background) effect is quite strong. There is a switch on the lens to activate macro mode which allows you to take very sharp closeup shots (very close) and the pictures turn out quite beautiful.Low light performance is better than the kit lens above meaning that low light shots turn out even better.I want to compare them to my Panasonic kit lens and Sigma f.28 40mm prime lens as well, I won鈥檛 go into too much detail, but suffice it to say that my Panasonic kit lens takes better photos than the Yi kit lens while the Sigma prime lens takes slightly sharper shots than the Yi prime lens but with way less Bokeh (background isn鈥檛 as blurred).The Yi M1 still edges out my old Rebel T3 and my friend鈥檚 Rebel T5i in picture quality though.Finally, I would like to reiterate that all the image quality testing was done with JPEGs straight out of the camera. Check out the image gallery below. More pictures coming soon!Xiaoyi M1 Image Gallery YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA YI DIGITAL CAMERA Xiaoyi M1 Video QualityVideo is more my jam, and I was initially excited at the thought of a cheap, mirrorless, 4K capable camera, but this left me disappointed, the chief reason being that there is no manual mode when recording in 4K. The camera then compensates for every change of lighting that you come across.As such there is a flickering that occurs every time the camera changes the settings to compensate which is quite an obvious distraction. In situations where lighting is constant (e.g. outdoors), 4K quality is actually quite excellent. Hwoever I still see a slight but noticeable difference in quality between my more expensive Panasonic G7 and the Yi M1.Xiaoyi M1 Battery LifeThe 900mAh battery is capable of taking around 390 shots before dying, which definitely isn鈥檛 the best. Filming a 4K video for about 15 minutes ate about 54% of the battery capacity. You charge the battery by plugging in a MicroUSB port into the camera itself, so there鈥檚 no need for a separate battery cradle. It takes about 2 hours to charge completely, which is quite a long time for such a small battery.Xiaoyi M1 VerdictYou still see people with smartphones bringing out point and shoots at events like weddings or special get togethers, and in my mind, this is the perfect replacement. Not only is it comparable in size (DSLRs are much larger), but the camera and user interface are very simple and touch friendly. That being said, this is not a cheap camera, starting at $350, this would be in the upper ranges of point and shoots, edging into entry level DSLR territory. Probably the biggest problem this segment of users would encounter would be the autofocus. Autofocus here isn鈥檛 the greatest, so some users might find it difficult to get a good shot.The M1 has replaced my phone camera when I bring it out to special events. Get togethers, outings, dinners, weddings. Bringing my large mirrorless Panasonic is conspicuous at weddings and could be seen as trying to upstage the official photographer (depending on how big his ego is). However, the M1 is small, compact, and has a completely silent mode, so I can upstage the wedding photographer without him even finding out, getting crisp photos of the wedding rings. Thanks Xiaoyi.You can buy the Xiaoyi M1 mirrorless camera here, I recommend the cheaper kit lens version instead of the more expensive one with the prime lens simply because there are a lot of M43 options.Simple to useXiaoyi M1 Video ReviewJumper won the last generation laptop game with the Jumper EZBook 2, packing some of the best specifications possible in a laptop for $160-$180. However, with this new wave of Apollo Lake devices, it is Chuwi who has released the most compelling laptop so far. Jumper is not content to sit on its laurels but is fighting back with the Jumper EZBook 3.Jumper EZBook 3 ReviewThe EZBook 3 has been updated to contain Intel鈥檚 brand spanking new Apollo Lake Celeron chipsets designed to perform slightly slower than a Core M. We here at GizChina聽have been impressed with performance from Apollo Lake devices in general (N3450/N4200), but those have been quad core CPUs.The EZBook 3 utilizes the dual core Apollo Lake N3350 but strangely enough still costs around the same as N3450 laptops. The EZBook 3鈥檚 biggest hurdle will be to outclass or at least match the Chuwi Lapbook in order to be compelling, so let鈥檚 see what the EZBook 3 can pull off.Jumper鈥檚 first Apollo Lake laptopJumper EZBook 3 SpecificationsProcessorIntel Apollo Lake Celeron N3350Display14.1″ 1920×1080 px, LCDRAM4GBStorage64GB eMMCOperating SystemWindows 10Cameras2MP CameraBattery10500mAh (38Wh)Physical Dimensions1.3kg, 33.00 x 22.00 x 2.10 cmBig thanks to Gearbest for providing this review unit.Jumper EZBook 3 HardwareApart from the shrinking of the overall laptop鈥檚 footprint, the EZBook 3 is for all intents and purposes incredibly similar to the EZBook 2. One big difference though, while the EZBook 2 had a metal lid, the EZBook 3 is all plastic.The plastic used in the EZBook 3 feels OK, it has a more matte finish compared to the older EZBook 2 but at the same time is not as matte as the Lapbook. As a result, the laptop does not feel as premium as the Lapbook, and definitely loses out in that area. It鈥檚 about the same size as the Lapbook but significantly lighter.Open up the laptop and the screen is framed by the small bezels and the colour combination of the black keys and black trackpad make for a very nice colour scheme. To be honest, this laptop looks a lot better open than it does closed.The lid opens up quite far, about 160 degrees which is nice, but there is a bit of bounce on the hinges though.One of the biggest issues I have with this device is the keyboard. I鈥檓 not one to complain about keyboard flex too much, there are quite a few instances where other reviewers complained about keyboard flex while I did not see much issue, but there is an incredible amount of keyboard flex on the EZBook 3, even for me. The flex is significant enough to break my concentration while typing, and I don鈥檛 type incredibly fast, just at a moderately brisk clip (90WPM).Another issue I faced was my TAB key not working properly, the top right corner of the key cannot be depressed, meaning that you have to carefully hit the bottom left part of the key quite hard to activate it. This issue with the TAB key is most likely a quality control issue, but the flex is a design flaw.The trackpad works quite well, accuracy, multi finger gestures worked nicely, but I did find the trackpad to be a bit small compared to the Lapbook and my Xiaomi Air 12. There is also preinstalled software to prevent misclicks which I promptly uninstalled as I did not find it useful for myself personally.Jumper did not knock the build of this laptop out of the park, yes they made quite a light, decent looking laptop with very small bezels and that fact cannot be discounted. However, the issues with the keyboard remain a large hurdle.“Problematic Keyboard”Jumper EZBook 3 DisplayJumper used a 1080p 14.1鈥 matte display in the EZBook 3, and it looks like the exact same display in the EZBook 2. This means all of the same pros and cons apply here, colours are quite decent, the screen seems to be a bit on the blue side, and colours get a bit distorted at off angles. There is virtually no glare no matter what angle you look at it from, and that is a very nice change from glossy IPS displays. Maximum brightness tops out around 300 nits which is OK for laptops but not the best. I do not have any complaints about the screen, but I do not have a lot of praise to shower on it either.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramJumper EZBook 3 AudioAudio is average, maximum volume doesn鈥檛 wow but doesn鈥檛 disappoint either. Audio quality is also nothing to write home about, with average mids, highs, and bass as well.Jumper EZBook 3 BatteryYou get a nice sizeable 10,500mAh (38Wh) battery in the Jumper EZBook 3 which should provide some decent battery life considering the use of the dual core N3350, and as a result the EZBook 3 has the best battery life out of all the Apollo Lake devices I have tested so far. This includes the Lapbook and the Voyo VBook V3. I was able to use the laptop for around 9 hours before the laptop died completely. Granted this isn鈥檛 heavy use like gaming or photo editing (which I will talk about later), just web browsing, reading news, and watching TV.I performed the perfunctory battery tests as well and was able to achieve around 10.5 hours of local video playback and it scored 8.5 hours of web browsing before dying. This is what I had hoped battery life in the Lapbook and the VBook V3 would be, and I鈥檓 very happy the EZBook is able to achieve that.“Good battery”Jumper EZBook 3 SoftwareHmm, performance is somewhat disappointing. I鈥檓 not sure if this can be fully attributed to the dual core CPU as the eMMC drive definitely plays a part as well. Doing light tasks doesn鈥檛 see the laptop slowing down much. Opening up light windows store apps and regular software is almost as fast as the Lapbook and Voyo VBook V3. It is slightly slower than the previous two but I don鈥檛 think any of you will be able to tell the difference without actually having both devices in front of you. One area where the EZBook struggles a little compared to other Apollo Lake devices is web browsing in Chrome. Where I could web browse pretty much perfectly (except for 4K youtube of course) on the other Apollo Lake devices, browsing on the EZBook was slightly jittery and laggy. Not by much, but the difference is definitely noticeable. Weirdly enough though, double finger scrolling through edge is actually a better experience on the EZBook than the Lapbook and Voyo most likely because of the touchpad used.Probably the biggest difference in performance between the dual core N3350 and the quad core N3450/N4200 would be the difficulty it has running anything heavier than light apps. While I could do light Photoshop and video editing on the N3450 and up, I couldn鈥檛 do those things properly on the N3350. The same applies to gaming. DOTA2 refused to run at more than 15fps even at 720p, I tried out lighter games such as Left4Dead 2 and Battlefront II and those ran OK.Performance while better than Atom devices, definitely isn鈥檛 the EZBook鈥檚 strongest suit here.Jumper EZBook 3 ConnectivityBoth USB ports are capable of powering hard drives, charging phones, and the like.Jumper EZBook 3 VerdictI like Jumper, I really do. They snagged the 鈥渢op spot鈥 for Atom laptops last generation and I was hoping that they would worm their way back in, but sadly they did not. The Chuwi Lapbook still remains the 鈥渂est鈥 Apollo Lake laptop you can purchase at the moment with the Voyo laptops and the EZBook 3 trailing behind. There is one issue with this device and that is the keyboard flex. Apart from that, the screen is OK, the build is respectable enough and you get good battery life. Performance here isn鈥檛 an issue really, it runs Windows 10, it tackles light tasks quite well, so this isn鈥檛 a 鈥渂ad鈥 laptop. However when you compare the performance to the price you pay, you start seeing the problem. The original price of this laptop was $300USD, and its currently on flash sale for $240. The Chuwi Lapbook starts at $280 and can be had on sale for around $250, which, for a laptop that bests it in almost every single way, is a better buy. At this moment in time, I cannot recommend the EZBook 3 over the Chuwi Lapbook. In my opinion, if you could buy the EZBook 3 at $220, that would represent decent value for money. However, anything higher and it sidles too close to the Lapbook.You can buy the Jumper EZBook 3 here.So before this review went live, I saw that the EZBook 3 was discounted all the way down to $209USD. The sale might be over though if you鈥檙e reading this right now. At that price, the EZBook 3 is back in the fight but not the top dog just yet. What I mean is that $209 is more representative of what you get in the EZBook 3 but the Chuwi Lapbook is still top dog as it was discounted down to $240USD. $209 is definitely a more than fair price to pay for the EZBook 3, but I would still recommend spending the extra $30 on the Lapbook.“Price reduction required”Jumper EZBook 3 Video Review

When Jumper announced their new Apollo Lake EZBook 3, I was incredibly excited. However, now that I鈥檝e seen the specifications and the starting price, I鈥檓 quietly apprehensive.I haven’t聽reviewed the Jumper EZBook 2 on Gizchina (I reviewed the EZBook Air though), but it was pretty clear that the EZBook 2 won the Atom laptop game of last generation. An aluminum lid, 14鈥 1080p screen, and 4GB of RAM for $180, sometimes $160.However, this time around the Chuwi Lapbook is currently the Apollo Lake top dog (there are under five devices so far). I don鈥檛 know if the EZBook 3 can dethrone the Chuwi Lapbook, I hope so, because competition is good for consumers, we鈥檒l see in the full review.Jumper EZBook 3 SpecificationsProcessorIntel Apollo Lake Celeron N3350Display14.1″ 1920×1080 px, LCDRAM4GBStorage64GB eMMCOperating SystemWindows 10Cameras2MP CameraBattery10500mAh (38Wh)Physical Dimensions1.3kg, 33.00 x 22.00 x 2.10 cmBig thanks to Gearbest for providing this review unit.Jumper EZBook 3 UnboxingThe laptop comes in a pretty plain, no frills brown box. It鈥檚 not very pretty, but then again other laptop boxes aren鈥檛 much to write home about either, so it doesn鈥檛 have a lot of competition. There are a couple of pieces of foam to keep the laptop in place and protective plastic on the lid and on the keyboard. The only accessory in the box is the charger.Jumper EZBook 3 Hands OnGizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramThe plastic used is the same as the EZBook 2, a glossy, dull grey that looks like the metal used in a Macbook. There is no aluminum lid this time and no light up Jumper logo either. There are two USB ports, a charging port and a MicroSD card slot. I was hoping for manufacturers to start using USB-C to charge their laptops but I think that might just bump up the cost too much.Opening up the laptop presents the screen flanked by very nice narrow bezels, the bezels are slightly larger than those found on the XPS13 and thus lose that 鈥渇loating display鈥 quality that the XPS13 is graced with.The keyboard and trackpad are matched in colour to the bezels, so it鈥檚 a pretty nice combo. One problem with the keyboard though, the TAB key isn鈥檛 working properly, I鈥檒l have to find out what鈥檚 going on with that.I turned on the laptop and did a few quick things, I tested out the keyboard/trackpad which work (except for the TAB key) and there is an annoying preinstalled software that 鈥減revents鈥 mistaps on the trackpad.One of the ways it does this is to ignore the second tap if its too close to the first, meaning double taps don鈥檛 work properly. I鈥檒l play around with it a bit more before deciding what to do with it.Jumper EZBook 3 First ImpressionsWhen Jumper announced their new Apollo Lake EZBook 3, I was incredibly excited. However, now that I鈥檝e seen the specifications and the starting price, I鈥檓 quietly apprehensive.I haven’t聽reviewed the Jumper EZBook 2 on Gizchina (I reviewed the EZBook Air though), but it was pretty clear that the EZBook 2 won the Atom laptop game of last generation. An aluminum lid, 14鈥 1080p screen, and 4GB of RAM for $180, sometimes $160.However, this time around the Chuwi Lapbook is currently the Apollo Lake top dog (there are under five devices so far). I don鈥檛 know if the EZBook 3 can dethrone the Chuwi Lapbook, I hope so, because competition is good for consumers, we鈥檒l see in the full review.Jumper EZBook 3 SpecificationsProcessorIntel Apollo Lake Celeron N3350Display14.1″ 1920×1080 px, LCDRAM4GBStorage64GB eMMCOperating SystemWindows 10Cameras2MP CameraBattery10500mAh (38Wh)Physical Dimensions1.3kg, 33.00 x 22.00 x 2.10 cmBig thanks to Gearbest for providing this review unit.Jumper EZBook 3 UnboxingThe laptop comes in a pretty plain, no frills brown box. It鈥檚 not very pretty, but then again other laptop boxes aren鈥檛 much to write home about either, so it doesn鈥檛 have a lot of competition. There are a couple of pieces of foam to keep the laptop in place and protective plastic on the lid and on the keyboard. The only accessory in the box is the charger.Jumper EZBook 3 Hands OnGizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramThe plastic used is the same as the EZBook 2, a glossy, dull grey that looks like the metal used in a Macbook. There is no aluminum lid this time and no light up Jumper logo either. There are two USB ports, a charging port and a MicroSD card slot. I was hoping for manufacturers to start using USB-C to charge their laptops but I think that might just bump up the cost too much.Opening up the laptop presents the screen flanked by very nice narrow bezels, the bezels are slightly larger than those found on the XPS13 and thus lose that 鈥渇loating display鈥 quality that the XPS13 is graced with.The keyboard and trackpad are matched in colour to the bezels, so it鈥檚 a pretty nice combo. One problem with the keyboard though, the TAB key isn鈥檛 working properly, I鈥檒l have to find out what鈥檚 going on with that.I turned on the laptop and did a few quick things, I tested out the keyboard/trackpad which work (except for the TAB key) and there is an annoying preinstalled software that 鈥減revents鈥 mistaps on the trackpad.One of the ways it does this is to ignore the second tap if its too close to the first, meaning double taps don鈥檛 work properly. I鈥檒l play around with it a bit more before deciding what to do with it.Jumper EZBook 3 First Impressions

Announced a few days ago, the Meizu M5S is about to go on sale in the Chinese market and already benchmarks and photo samples from reviews are being released.Chinese tech site MyDrivers, have been given an early version of the Meizu M5S to get to grips with and they have already published their findings in regards to the phones benchmarks, charging time and also photography capabilities.We’ve taken those details and posted them here for you to take a look at, but we also hope to review the phone for ourselves once it is made available to international distributors.Meizu M5S Benchmarks, Charging Times and Camera samplesFirst of all let’s take a look at the speed of charging the Meizu’s 3000mAh battery. Meizu have built the Meizu M5S with fast charging features and ships the phone with an 18W charger. Combine these details with the, let’s face it, average size battery and it isn’t surprising to see the phone charge to 56% in only 30 minutes. A full charge takes 120 minutes.In comparison the Xaomi Redmi Note 4X takes 135 minutes to fully charge, however, the Xiaomi also has a significantly larger 4100mAh battery.Meizu M5S Benchmarks Once fully juiced up we can see what type of score this new Meizu has to offer. For those of you hoping for large numbers you might want to turn away now, as the Meizu M5S scores are rather lack luster 38,000 points!Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramAgain for comparisons sake the Xiaomi Redmi 4 boasts an Antutu score of 43,000 points while the more powerful Redmi 4 Pro reaches 62,000 points.Meizu M5S Photo SamplesMoving on to the photographic prowess of the Meizu M5S. The handset comes with a 13 mega-pixel F2.2 aperture, PDAF auto focus, and dual LED flash. These are the specs we now expect to see on phones these days, but we have to remind ourselves that lens quality, coating and software all play big parts to a phones photo quality.Unsurprisingly MyDrivers reports that in bright conditions the camera offers a good dynamic range and a well-calibrated white balance.Night time images aren’t too bad even considering the small F2.2 aperture, but there does seem to be a purplish tone to the images that isn’t present in the real world.The Vernee Apollo was dropped into a pretty heavily saturated phone market. You have phones like the Redmi Note 4 and LeEco phones that represent much better price to performance ratios, and Vernee’s own Apollo Lite (review here) could be seen as cannabalizing the Apollo’s sales.Vernee Apollo Second OpinionTo be honest, I’m not quite sure what the Vernee Apollo offers that the Vernee Apollo Lite does not, especially considering the slight price discrepancy. The differences include a 2K screen, an overclocked Helio X20 processor, and a different camera.For Your ReferenceThe original Vernee Apollo review can be read here.That’s not to say the Vernee Apollo is a bad phone though. I share quite a few of the same sentiments as our very own Pierre (who reviewed the phone), but a few differing ones as well.Value?Vernee Apollo SpecificationsProcessorMediatek Helio X25 ProcessorDisplay5.5″ 2560×1440 px, LCDRAM4GBStorage64GB eMMCOperating SystemAndroid 6.0 MarshmallowCameras22/8MP CameraBattery3180mAhPhysical Dimensions0.188kg, 15.20 x 7.56 x 0.93 cmBig thanks to Gearbest鑱絝or providing this review unit.Vernee Apollo HardwareIn terms of build quality, the Vernee Apollo is my favourite phone by far. The sand-blasted aluminum unibody definitely outclasses many devices out there and is something I would pick over a glass encased phone (ahem Zuk) in a heartbeat. It feels a bit thick considering there’s only a 3180mAh battery in there and a protruding camera module. Overall though, the Apollo is my absolute favourite.I recently dropped the Apollo onto dirty concrete and there is sadly a small scratch on the corner and a couple of small nicks on the glass as well, but the glass scratches are well obscured by the multitude of smudges left by my fingers.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on Telegram“Incredible build”Vernee Apollo DisplayThe display quality is one area where my opinions differ from Pierre’s. While objectively the screen is sharp, the difference in sharpness just doesn’t do enough for me to justify using a 2K display. I would rather take the slight increase in battery life that comes from using a 1080p display.Again, objectively the colours on this phone are quite accurate, definitely closer to Nexus 5 levels of accurate than AMOLED displays, but with a bit more obvious pop added in. It is a lot easier to think that鑱絚ompletely oversaturated and inaccurate displays look “better” than鑱絘ccurate and well calibrated (yet seemingly washed out) displays like what we find here.The state of colour calibration in Android handsets is rather indicative of how OEMs use oversaturated screens to pull customers over to their own device, the same way TVs in Big Box stores do as well.That’s not the say that the screen is bad, it is just calibrated more towards colour accuracy than it is towards saturation, and that can be adjusted slightly using the included Miravision.Vernee Apollo …MehThere are a couple of things that had me go… meh. First of all is battery life. After the recent January OTA update I experienced slightly better battery life. In fact I was able to get around 6 hours of screen on time over 12 hours, which doesn’t impress me in the slightest but is actually a very good score for a 3180mAh battery powering a 2K display and an overclocked processor. Audio while incredibly loud, isn’t great quality either.Vernee Apollo VerdictI’m not sure Vernee needed to release the Apollo, not when they had a popular phone in the Vernee Apollo Lite. The Vernee Apollo is built like a flagship and has specs like a flagship as well, but it sits in a market saturated with competition.Yes, the phone is built impeccably, but there are too many other phones that provide similar specifications for less.Vivo has鑱絙een great enough to send over its latest smartphone and the first handset to boast dual front cameras. Read my unboxing and first impressions of the Vivo V5 Plus.Vivo have once again raised the bar and done something that no other smartphone brand has done before. The Vivo V5 Plus might look like your usual, super-stylish, Vivo handset but on closer inspection you’ll notice that this handset boasts a novel feature.Where as most phone makers are focussing on adding dual rear cameras to their smartphones, Vivo has decided to do things the opposite way around with the Vivo V5P and spec the phone with dual front cameras. We’re not talking cheap run of the mill sensors here either, as Vivo has opted for dual 20 mega-pixel sensors!Vivo V5 Plus UnboxingWe’ve been sent the international version of the Vivo V5P which will be readily available in Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, India, Thailand, and Indonesia. The International version of the Vivo V5P comes with English labelling on the packaging, while the device itself comes with Google Play services installed.Inside the packaging is the Vivo V5 Plus, in the usual protective plastic packaging that all Vivo device ship with.Remove the phone and list the flag and you will uncover packages that contain a charge, USB cable, headphones, silicone case, and a screen protector.With other Vivo phones that we have reviewed the headphones included have been pretty high quality units, but those included with the Vivo V5P look more like the cheap earbuds that come with the iPhone.It’s also worth noting that the Vivo V5P comes with a standard USB cable as the phone isn’t equipped with a more modern USB Type C.Vivo V5 Plus First ImpressionsUpon unboxing the Vivo V5P you will be welcomed with quite a stylish smartphone that quite plainly sees inspiration from other mid-range Vivo phones, Oppo devices and, yes, the iPhone.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramThe unibody design is manufactured from a single piece of alloy so while you can’t remove and replace the built in battery, there is a SIM tray in the gold body for either dual micro SIM cards or a single SIM and micro SD card.Two antenna lines break up the expanse of gold on the rear of the phone, power and volume buttons on the right, 3.5mm headphone jack, Vivo logo and rear 16 megapixel camera make up the rest of the features that are built in to the attractive鑱絞old body.Up front is a 5.5-inch FHD display, a physical button with fingerprint scanner in the chin and those dual 20 mega-pixel front cameras along the top edge of the phone. As mentioned before, these are high-end sensor boasting F2.0 apertures,鑱?P lenses and 1/2.78” sensor size!While it all looks rather good on first look, a few details are missing or not as expected on closer inspection. For one the 16 mega-pixel rear camera sits proud of the phone. I’m not really a fan of cameras that aren’t flush with the body, and the rear camera on the Vivo V5 Plus juts out more than most.Im also not really a fan of the flat 5.5-inch panel across the front of the phone. I’ve become use to a 2.5D curve on my phones and with the display on the Vivo V5 Plus sitting a couple of mm away from the metal chassis I would have preferred a curved glass panel.As it is the Vivo V5 Plus feels a little thicker than other phones, but the good news is Vivo have put that space to good use with a 3160mAh battery living inside along with dual engine fast charging technology and HIFI audio.Other specification highlights for the Vivo V5 Plus include 4GB RAM, 64GB internal memory and Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor.Vivo V5 Plus Review Coming SoonOver the weekend, a couple of shipments from DHL meant that I spent way lesser time playing cricket and table tennis than I should’ve. Okay, a bit of an exaggeration, but the UMi Z and another phone (keep an eye out!)鑱絛id keep the geek in me busy for quite a while.The UMi Z is touted as one of the first Helio X27 phones in the market. UMi are also having a bit of a crucial time, with a rebranding underway (and possibly change in OEM, according to what I’m hearing). The UMi Z will be the last phone to feature the ‘UMi’ branding.Anyway, coming to the device itself, it’s quite a nice phone to see, hold, and to use (so far). I’ll be honest with you — the rather superlative unboxing experience does add a bit of a bias to this. The last time an unboxing felt so nice was when I received the OPPO Find 5.UMi ship the UMi Z in an all-metal svelte box, that鑱絯ill make it hard to throw away. Besides the phone, UMi also included 3 x phone covers and a tempered glass protector in our test set. None of this stuff I ever use; but I’m truly tempted to use one phone case in particular — the ‘Z’ case. Keen readers will remember UMi made a similar case for the UMi Zero sometime back.The entirety of the contents came in an ‘air cushion’. Inside were 5 boxes — one each for the three cases, tempered glass protector, and the phone.Opening up the retail box, you’re greeted by the UMi Z sitting pretty, with a tab on one end (removed before I took the picture) to take the phone out.Besides the phone, there’s some (high-quality, I must say) accessories you need to get up and running with the UMi Z — a wall charger, USB cable, SIM tray ejection pin and some literature no one’s ever cared about.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramMoving on to the cases — I’m not sure if they’re part of the standard package — we have a flip case (with a magnet on it, so its ‘smart’), a standard silicon case to protect the phone during bumps, etc., and my favourite of the three — the Z case.The flip case. …and the soft-touch (and bendy) silicon case. The swagger-enriched Z case. The phone itself looks a lot like an OPPO. Like one of those selfie expert phones that’s been selling like crazy in India. That said, it also surprisingly feels as well made as an OPPO. To be very honest, I would rather have the grey version if I had the choice. However, I must admit that the golden version is pretty eye candy too, definitely more so in real life than in pictures.I haven’t used the phone very long, but from what I can tell right now is that:it has a great build qualityit looks greatit has a touchscreen that’s not greatit has a fingerprint sensor that’s not greatYou shall be learning more in the review, and me, during the time I use this phone as my daily driver in the coming days. Meanwhile, you can have a look at the phone at the following shops: Gearbest Banggood CooliCool TomTop

Oukitel鈥檚 been on a rise as of late. They鈥檝e been pumping out devices at a fairly alarming rate, with device after device coming out almost monthly. So when they approached us to review one of their new devices, we were curious to see what they were like.With that they鈥檝e sent us their latest mid-range device, the Oukitel C5 Pro. Marketed as a rugged device with mid-range specs, it鈥檚 just popped up at my doorstep. So, is Oukitel biting off more than they can chew, or is the Oukitel C5 Pro going to surprise us all? Read my first impressions to see what I think.Oukitel C5 Pro: UnboxingUnlike many of the devices I鈥檝e received recently, the Oukitel C5 Pro鈥檚 box makes it clear that this is a mid-range product. Nobody鈥檚 going to look at this box and expect something premium or expensive. But is that necessarily a bad thing for the device? Let鈥檚 take a closer look at it to see. The box features a classic design, with an image of the device up front as well as some of its key selling points. There鈥檚 also an Oukitel logo up at the top of the front, with a nice orange font. The sides are the opposite with the logo in white on a bright orange background, which gives it a very clean look.On the back of the device, we鈥檝e got another image of the device and the logo, as well as the model name and some other specs. Opening the box reveals a slide-out cardboard shelf with the device in its silicone case on top, and the other accessories on the bottom. Overall, the box design is clean and functional, which contrasts the premium and svelte boxes of many other companies. The accessories included are a simple silicone case, the power adapter, the microUSB charging and data cable and the essential el cheapo earphones. A simple bunch of inclusions, pretty much the standard package for most devices. They aren鈥檛 as solid or as well built as the one鈥檚 from Blackview or Honor, but they work well.Oukitel C5 Pro: First ImpressionsThe Oukitel C5 Pro is an interesting device in terms of build quality. The device features a plastic rear that features a camo design, and it鈥檚 removable. Removing said rear reveals the dual sim card slots, the microSD card slot and the incredibly minuscule 2,000mAh battery. There鈥檚 also the speaker and its weird triangular grille.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on Telegram Moving further on the rear, we find the device鈥檚 camera and LED flash. Flip the device over, and you find the device鈥檚 display, with the various sensors and front facing camera at the top. The capacitive touch buttons at the bottom are designed after the Lollipop buttons are sadly not backlit.Going around the device is an aluminum band that holds the power button and volume rocker on the right. The top features the device鈥檚 microUSB port and 3.5mm headphone jack. On the bottom on the hand holds a singular mic, while the left is completely devoid of any ports or buttons. It feels nice and solid. I haven鈥檛 handled that many Oukitel devices aside from the U8, but there鈥檚 one big problem with the build quality instantly. You see, the C5 Pro鈥檚 design on the rear may look interesting and gives the device a unique look, but there鈥檚 a reason it鈥檚 covered with a silicon case out of the box. It鈥檚 incredibly uncomfortable to hold.While the rear panel feels incredibly tough and durable, the design on the back feels very鈥 wrong. It鈥檚 not comfortable to hold and irritating to touch. I can鈥檛 fully describe the feeling, but I鈥檒l do my best. It鈥檚 like cheap satin on a hard plastic sheet, with a texture on it. If you鈥檙e irritated by the sound of two spoons rubbing against each other, this texture will bother you to no end.Moving on, turning on the display reveals a bright vibrant showing that looks pretty nice for the price. On closer inspection however, some flaws are revealed. For starters, there鈥檚 a noticeable gap between the display and the screen. It makes sense for a rugged device, but it does ruin the immersion. Sunlight visibility and brightness settings are quite satisfactory however.Turning on the camera is also quite the disappointment. Unlike many devices these days where the pictures look decent until closer inspection, the C5 Pro鈥檚 camera is just incredibly grainy. Colors are accurate and vibrant, but the the details are completely ruined. I鈥檒l take a look at the settings to see if there鈥檚 anything I could change about it.Oukitel鈥檚 been on a rise as of late. They鈥檝e been pumping out devices at a fairly alarming rate, with device after device coming out almost monthly. So when they approached us to review one of their new devices, we were curious to see what they were like.With that they鈥檝e sent us their latest mid-range device, the Oukitel C5 Pro. Marketed as a rugged device with mid-range specs, it鈥檚 just popped up at my doorstep. So, is Oukitel biting off more than they can chew, or is the Oukitel C5 Pro going to surprise us all? Read my first impressions to see what I think.Oukitel C5 Pro: UnboxingUnlike many of the devices I鈥檝e received recently, the Oukitel C5 Pro鈥檚 box makes it clear that this is a mid-range product. Nobody鈥檚 going to look at this box and expect something premium or expensive. But is that necessarily a bad thing for the device? Let鈥檚 take a closer look at it to see. The box features a classic design, with an image of the device up front as well as some of its key selling points. There鈥檚 also an Oukitel logo up at the top of the front, with a nice orange font. The sides are the opposite with the logo in white on a bright orange background, which gives it a very clean look.On the back of the device, we鈥檝e got another image of the device and the logo, as well as the model name and some other specs. Opening the box reveals a slide-out cardboard shelf with the device in its silicone case on top, and the other accessories on the bottom. Overall, the box design is clean and functional, which contrasts the premium and svelte boxes of many other companies. The accessories included are a simple silicone case, the power adapter, the microUSB charging and data cable and the essential el cheapo earphones. A simple bunch of inclusions, pretty much the standard package for most devices. They aren鈥檛 as solid or as well built as the one鈥檚 from Blackview or Honor, but they work well.Oukitel C5 Pro: First ImpressionsThe Oukitel C5 Pro is an interesting device in terms of build quality. The device features a plastic rear that features a camo design, and it鈥檚 removable. Removing said rear reveals the dual sim card slots, the microSD card slot and the incredibly minuscule 2,000mAh battery. There鈥檚 also the speaker and its weird triangular grille.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on Telegram Moving further on the rear, we find the device鈥檚 camera and LED flash. Flip the device over, and you find the device鈥檚 display, with the various sensors and front facing camera at the top. The capacitive touch buttons at the bottom are designed after the Lollipop buttons are sadly not backlit.Going around the device is an aluminum band that holds the power button and volume rocker on the right. The top features the device鈥檚 microUSB port and 3.5mm headphone jack. On the bottom on the hand holds a singular mic, while the left is completely devoid of any ports or buttons. It feels nice and solid. I haven鈥檛 handled that many Oukitel devices aside from the U8, but there鈥檚 one big problem with the build quality instantly. You see, the C5 Pro鈥檚 design on the rear may look interesting and gives the device a unique look, but there鈥檚 a reason it鈥檚 covered with a silicon case out of the box. It鈥檚 incredibly uncomfortable to hold.While the rear panel feels incredibly tough and durable, the design on the back feels very鈥 wrong. It鈥檚 not comfortable to hold and irritating to touch. I can鈥檛 fully describe the feeling, but I鈥檒l do my best. It鈥檚 like cheap satin on a hard plastic sheet, with a texture on it. If you鈥檙e irritated by the sound of two spoons rubbing against each other, this texture will bother you to no end.Moving on, turning on the display reveals a bright vibrant showing that looks pretty nice for the price. On closer inspection however, some flaws are revealed. For starters, there鈥檚 a noticeable gap between the display and the screen. It makes sense for a rugged device, but it does ruin the immersion. Sunlight visibility and brightness settings are quite satisfactory however.Turning on the camera is also quite the disappointment. Unlike many devices these days where the pictures look decent until closer inspection, the C5 Pro鈥檚 camera is just incredibly grainy. Colors are accurate and vibrant, but the the details are completely ruined. I鈥檒l take a look at the settings to see if there鈥檚 anything I could change about it.The Apollo is Vernee’s answer to one of the most successful phones of the 2016, i.e. the鑱絆nePlus 3/3T. While that may be true on an aesthetical鑱?amp; physical level, the same cannot be said about performance & overall usability of the phone.Does that mean the Vernee Apollo has no reason to exist? Well, let’s get into the review to find out!Vernee Apollo鑱絊pecificationsProcessorMediaTek MT6797T Helio X25 @2.5GHz with鑱組ali T880 GPUDisplay5.5閳 2k 2560x1440px, LCD IPS Sharp IGZORAM4GBStorage64GB (expandable)Operating SystemAndroid 6.0 MarshmallowCameras21.0 MP SONY IMX230 PDAF Rear, 8MP Front CameraBattery3180mAhPhysical Properties188g, 152 x 75.6 x 9.3mmVernee Apollo鑱絇ackagingThe Vernee Apollo comes in a big black and heavy box. That’s (the fact that it’s heavy) not entirely because of the phone itself though; Vernee does include a pair of VR goggles to take advantage of the high resolution 2K display for Virtual Reality purposes. Inside the box we also find a 5V/7V/9V – 2A USB charger and an USB type-A to USB type-C charging cable.Vernee Apollo鑱絉eviewDesign & BuildThis department is where the Vernee Apollo shines the most. While the design is rather ordinary and similar to dozens of phones we get to see on GizChina (OnePlus 3(T) being one of them, the build quality is actually pretty top-end.The device feels solid in your hands as it features a thick metal back cover and, while that adds a bit of weight to it, I definitely prefer this to the light and generic-looking phones we find on the market, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 is one example.The Apollo also comes with a 2.5D glass coating, nano molding antenna bands, up to 98% metal coverage for the body and an unique matte texture achieved through a 360-degree sand-blasting. The phone has a premium build quality — there’s no doubt about that.On another note, the camera protrudes quite a bit, but do not worry, there’s a thin metal ring that will protect it from getting scratched.Size and weight wise, it’s a big 5.5-inch phone, so no surprises about that. The weight is a bit over my comfort zone and it being made of a smooth metal surface has me holding very carefully every time. I think an ordinary silicon鑱絚ase would fix most of my problems, though. On the plus鑱絪ide, I still haven’t dropped it yet!DisplayThe biggest selling point of the Vernee Apollo is its 2K鑱?560 x 1440px鑱絊harp IGZO IPS display. It is as stunning as you would imagine, super clear and colors are appear to be quite on point.The viewing angles are above the ordinary. With that I mean that you still get to see the screen perfectly at insane angles, definitely more than what you would probably ever need. The display is also very bright but at鑱絫imes you may have to fight to avoid direct sun light as it is a tiny bit reflective (or at least it is with the included screen protector).Since the high resolution 2K display pushed Vernee to include a VR headset in the box, let’s talk about鑱絫he Virtual Reality experience in this section as well.In a word: bad. Beware, it’s not the phone’s fault, but the VR headset they include is pretty pants. It doesn’t even include a button, which is usually just a magnet! How do they think I will get my “VR experience” without a way to start it? If you guys aren’t aware, most VR demos ask you to push a button to begin them, without one you are just left in the home waiting for nothing to happen.That said, this is pretty easy to fix by buying a鑱絚heap VR headset with鑱絘n included button. I only wish鑱絍ernee had thought about it.As far as the actual VR experience goes, it is really interesting and fun. The 2K screen sure does improve the video quality; I had already tried VR on 1080p and it was much more pixelated compared to a 1440p display. I think it’s still too early to get good VR on smartphones, so take it with a grain of salt.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramHardware & PerformanceThe Vernee Apollo comes with鑱給ne of the most powerful CPUs from MediaTek, the Helio X25. This processor can go鑱絬p to 2.5GHz and is paired up with a Mali T880 GPU. Other than that, there is鑱?GB of RAM and 64GB of expandable internal storage.But鑱統ou could have found all this鑱絠nfo in the spec sheet.鑱紿ow does the phone actually perform, though? Well, the Apollo is snappy and you can definitely see an improvement over the older Helio X10. It opens up apps faster and multitasking is rather flawless. Sure there are some minor bugs here and there, but overall the user experience is pretty鑱絞ood.Games also run fine and, while the 2K resolution may only make it worse in some cases, they are still playable. Don’t expect the performance of a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821, though.As many MediaTek SoCs, the Helio X25 is not immune to overheating. I’ve noticed it the most while taking photos and recording videos, that also caused the phone to discharge relatively fast. Hopefully they can fix this later in a small update, or even a new Android Nougat ROM.If you’re interested in real numbers, here are its Antutu and Geekbench scores: 4G LTE connectivity is good, at least here in Europe. It supports Band 20, which is pretty fundamental over here. Call quality is good as well, no complains about that. The phone has a Dual SIM / 1 SIM + 1 microSD setup.WiFi and GPS also work flawlessly, meanwhile I’ve been having some problems with Bluetooth (weak signal), I’m not quite sure if it’s the phone itself or my headphones got damaged somehow, I’ll update the review鑱絯hen I finally figure it out.The fingerprint scanner is鑱絧laced on the back and although not recognizing my finger 100% of the times, when it does, it’s鑱絣ightning fast. And no, I’m not over selling it, they use a special algorithm (specially after鑱絫he last update) that recognizes your fingerprint instantly, you need to try it to get an idea!Battery life is decent,鑱絙ut that also depends on your usage habits. The way I use it, I can get through a day, that is if I don’t go out snapping photos or playing games. I sure wish it had a slightly bigger battery or having a more optimized software. Battery fully charges in about 1hr and half with the included charger.Vernee Apollo鑱紺amera & PhotosThe Vernee Apollo sports a 21MP rear camera with an aperture of f/2.2. The shutter speed is fast but not the fastest,鑱絫hat said, if you take your time and hold your phone steady you can get very nice high quality sharp photos. White balance is a bit all over the place, I’ve noticed. Meanwhile the front camera is decent and has a resolution of 8 megapixels.The camera can shoot 4K videos at 30fps, but for some reason they aren’t fully compatible with YouTube.鑱絀 get an error and the upload fails. Meanwhile 1080p videos don’t suffer of this problem.Here are some photos so you can judge for yourself: Without HDR With HDR Without HDR With HDR Without HDR With HDR Creepy Crop Vernee Apollo鑱紾allery Vernee Apollo鑱絉eviewConclusionIn my opinion the Apollo is a missed opportunity for Vernee to create a very appealing鑱絆nePlus 3(T) alternative. Or at least, they shouldn’t have marketed it as such, if not just for the fact that the OnePlus 3(T) packs superior hardware and software support.If you take the鑱絍ernee Apollo鑱絙y itself though, I think it’s a rather spectacular phone. Sure, it is on the heavier side and battery life isn’t amazing, but the build quality is really outstanding, the phone is powerful, snappy and, most importantly, it rocks a stunning 2K display which in my opinion鑱絠s on-par with the best screens present on Samsung flagships and the likes. Buy the Vernee ApolloI鈥檝e been playing around with the Blackview R6 recently, as you can tell from my recent unboxing video. It鈥檚 been a very interesting device so far, and I鈥檓 actually quite pleased by it. My curiosity grew however, and I wanted to see what the company could do with a larger budget and better specs.With that, I鈥檝e received the brand new Blackview P2, which is the company鈥檚 more ambitious device. It features some really interesting specifications and design, and I鈥檝e been looking forward to getting it in my hands. Expectations are pretty high here, just in case you couldn鈥檛 tell.So can the Blackview P2 live up to my expectations, or will it fall flat? It鈥檚 still too early to tell, and I’ll need to put the device through the wringer to actually find out the answer. But for now, you can read on to see my first impressions of the device first.Blackview P2:聽UnboxingThe Blackview P2 comes in the exact same type of box that the previous R6 came in, even in all the small details. It鈥檚 still a normal white box with the same subtle design, logo location and model number sticker in the corner. Of course the model number and specs on the back are different, but aside from that it鈥檚 the same box. Inside the box we get more dejavu, with the phone鈥檚 placement being exactly the same as the R6鈥檚. Next to it is the P2鈥檚 model number, and under that there鈥檚 also the same set of accessories, with minor differences. Instead of the microUSB cable, we have a USB-C cable and an additional USB to USB-C adapter.Aside from that, we鈥檝e got the same set of things, those being the silicone case, instruction manual, el cheapo earphones and wall adapter. The wall adapter this time is different however, it鈥檚 much larger than the R6鈥檚 due to its 9V output which allows it to charge much faster. It鈥檚 somewhat disappointing that it鈥檚 so similar, but it鈥檚 still quite a nice and sturdy box. Left to right: Oukitel C5 Pro, Blackview R6, Blackview P2 Overall the P2鈥檚 box is a good quality, that鈥檚 the general impression I get from this unboxing. I鈥檝e noticed that Blackview has a certain attention to detail that is tough to find with similar companies, and it鈥檚 much appreciated. While I do feel they could鈥檝e done more to distinguish their models, it鈥檚 a minor gripe.Blackview P2:聽First ImpressionsThe Blackview P2, similar to the R6 before it, feels heavy and solid, though it鈥檚 for good reason this time. The device feels and looks sturdy, though by extension it also looks quite chubby and chunky. A metal frame wraps all around the device, presenting us with the familiar sandwich design we鈥檝e seen before.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramThe rear of the device is mainly aluminum, with small plastic strips at the bottom and the top. Further by the top we have the camera, LED flash and the rather small fingerprint sensor, as well as the Blackview logo. At the bottom we鈥檝e got the CE markings and a message that says 鈥楧esigned by Blackview, Assembled in China鈥? On the right of the device, we have a textured power button and the volume rocker. They鈥檙e quite comfortably placed, which is good. The top features the 3.5mm headphone jack, while the left holds the microSD and sim card slot. And at the bottom of the device we find the USB-C charging port and speaker grilles, though only the left one works.The device features a 2.5d display on the front, and the effect is very noticeable on the black model. At the top of the display, there鈥檚 the front facing camera module, notification LED and earpiece speaker. And below that, we have a pair of capacitive touch buttons which are surprisingly not backlit. This is a truly disappointing find for such a promising device, and I have no idea why Blackview did this. In terms of build quality, the Blackview P2 feels very good. Pulling more parallels from the Blackview R6, the P2 feels incredibly well built to the point that it feels comparable to more expensive devices from big companies like HTC or Huawei. The device is also very ergonomic, featuring subtle curves that make it comfy to handle despite its girth.Display-wise, the P2 may lose out on some points depending on what you prefer. Unlike the Bluboo Dual, the display on the Blackview P2 is slightly more subdued and dull. It鈥檚 still a good panel featuring some incredible viewing angles and accurate colors, it鈥檚 just not as vibrant as the competition. Depending on how you like your displays, this could either be a pro or a con. Camera performance so far ranges from very good to middling. It鈥檚 kind of like your typical Chinese phone shooter, just slightly better than usual. Taking decent photos in low light is actually possible now, but switching on HDR results in some very bad shutter lag. No verdict yet, but I can say you won鈥檛 be buying this for its camera.In terms of UI performance, everything鈥檚 been running smoothly. Most games I鈥檝e played suffered from no to minimal lag, and standard usage has been snappy. Not much to complain about here, and even the battery charges very quickly. Speaking of the battery, the 6,000mAh unit has been quite impressive so far, and I鈥檓 looking forward to putting it to the test..

Earlier this evening Andi was on Facebook Live with the Nubia Z11. Rewatch the video here!Before anyone begins watching this video please keep in mind that the first minute or so is of complete silence as Andi was messing around with the WIFI rather than keeping an eye if he was live or not!In the video Andi goes hands on with the Nubia Z11 flagship smarphone. The top of the range handset boasts 4GB RAM, Snapdragon 820 chipset, 64GB memory and 5.5-inch bezelless display. The video goes through all the features of this amazing smartphone including a few features that are unique to the Nubia range.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramNubia Z11 Video ReviewEarlier this evening Andi was on Facebook Live with the Nubia Z11. Rewatch the video here!Before anyone begins watching this video please keep in mind that the first minute or so is of complete silence as Andi was messing around with the WIFI rather than keeping an eye if he was live or not!In the video Andi goes hands on with the Nubia Z11 flagship smarphone. The top of the range handset boasts 4GB RAM, Snapdragon 820 chipset, 64GB memory and 5.5-inch bezelless display. The video goes through all the features of this amazing smartphone including a few features that are unique to the Nubia range.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramNubia Z11 Video Review

Bluboo鈥檚 been playing it pretty stable these past few years. With some fairly average devices backed by some good prices, they鈥檝e managed to stay relevant for quite a long time. Recently however, the company seems to have become more inspired to make interesting devices. Or at least follow the current trends.Enter the Bluboo Dual, Bluboo鈥檚 attempt at a dual camera device after the popularity of similar devices. It鈥檚 one of their more ambitious devices in recent memory right next to the Bluboo Edge. Curious, I agreed to review it to see what Bluboo has done with the concept.So, is the Bluboo Dual an good聽and thoughtful new product聽with a smart implementation of an interesting feature, or is it merely just a gimmicky device? Read on to see my first impressions of the device.Bluboo Dual: Unboxing The front The rear The Bluboo Dual comes in a svelte black box that looks premium and expensive. It鈥檚 a big difference compared to their earlier box designs, and it鈥檚 quite the improvement too. The box feels solid and tough with enough strength to not get squashed by my hands squeezing it.On the front we get the simple Bluboo logo, along with the 鈥楤eyond your life!鈥 tagline, leaving it simple and understated. The rear features some simple specs, and mine comes with a sample sticker, which is pretty funny. Opening the box reveals the Bluboo Dual itself, and digging further reveals a pair of el cheapo earphones, a micro-USB cable, the power adapter, the sim ejector pin and an instruction booklet. Unfortunately, the folds on the inside are plain white, which I honestly feel should鈥檝e been black to mesh with the box.Unfortunately, there鈥檚 no case included in the box, which is a bummer. Most devices I test these days come with some sort of silicon case, so it鈥檚 somewhat disappointing to see there being none. Anywho, let鈥檚 move on the the meat of the story, the device itself.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramBluboo Dual: First ImpressionsThere鈥檚 not really any elegant way to say this, the Bluboo Dual looks almost exactly like a Rose Gold iPhone 7 Plus. The subtle rounded edges, the dual camera placement, the antennae design, it鈥檚 all reminiscent of Apple鈥檚 big mobile device. As a result, it鈥檚 a relatively good looking device, though quite lacking in terms of originality. In terms of build quality, the Bluboo Dual feels decent. It鈥檚 not shoddily built in any way and it鈥檚 honestly pretty well put together, but it lacks that solid, premium feel that many phones aspire to achieve. Of course, you鈥檇 be hard pressed to find a phone with that quality in the same price tag, but it鈥檚 they are becoming more frequent.The display quality of the Bluboo Dual is actually very good, almost astonishingly so too. The colors are vibrant and natural, while images and text are crispy. This also extends to the viewing angles, which are reminiscent of much more expensive devices. Bluboo鈥檚 managed to get a pretty good panel here.Camera performance so far has been鈥 Kind of lackluster honestly. If you take your time to catch an image and fiddle around in the settings you can get some real good photos. But just straight out the box speed shooting isn鈥檛 something this phone does well. Of course, that鈥檚 just an early impression, digging through more settings should yield some interesting results.Now general performance here definitely takes the back seat to the rest of the specs, which is a shame. I鈥檓 still buggering around searching for a more powerful phone setting, but for now it鈥檚 not optimal. The device definitely has the potential, it鈥檚 just needs a lot more polishing to shine.Chuwi has recently jumped into the laptop game. Previously known for their incredibly popular two-in-one devices like the Vi10, Hi10, and the Hi12, they have released a new line of laptops dubbed Lapbooks. The first iteration of the Lapbook utilized an Atom processor and had a 15.6鈥 screen, which made it a little large and uninteresting.However, their 14.1鈥 version of the Lapbook has got me excited. It鈥檚 got the new Apollo Lake N3450 processor and, wait for it, small bezels.Chuwi Lapbook ReviewThe first Chuwi Lapbook didn鈥檛 do much to shake the boat. However, with the new release of Apollo Lake processors, it gets a lot easier. Chuwi has released a 14.1鈥 version of the Lapbook that utilizes the Apollo Lake N3450 processor alongside 4GB of RAM and a 64GB eMMC drive as well. It also has a 9000mAh battery that is actually a little small for a laptop this size and power, but hopefully it works out.Chuwi鈥檚 first celeron laptopChuwi Lapbook SpecificationsProcessorIntel Apollo Lake Celeron N3450Display14.1″ 1920×1080 px, LCDRAM4GBStorage64GB eMMCOperating SystemWindows 10Cameras2MP CameraBattery9000mAhPhysical Dimensions1.74kg, 32.92 x 22.05 x 2.05 cmBig thanks to Chuwi for providing this review unit.Chuwi Lapbook HardwareThe Lapbook is plastic. To be specific, it鈥檚 made out of hard, unpainted plastic. If any of you have used the Pipo W9s or the Jumper EZBook 2, the plastic is harder than that and feels slightly better. That being said though, it doesn鈥檛 hold a candle to metal laptops and does not feel as welcoming as the matte rubber found on Voyo鈥檚 laptops.However, the white plastic does look quite fetching and is pretty unique as well with the white body contrasting what appears to be the black trim on the inside. We have a decent array of ports, two USB ports, one USB 2.0 and another USB 3.0. The weird thing is that these ports are upside down, meaning that anything you insert into the port will be upside down. You also get a microSD card slot as well as a MicroHDMI port.Opening up the laptop and you are greeted by more plastic surrounding the screen, aka the bezels, except these bezels are quite tiny. I鈥檓 extremely pleased to see Chuwi reduce the bezels and it really makes this device look good.However, the combination of the black bezels on top of the white body does make the bezels look thick (depth wise). Another thing I dislike slightly would be how recessed the screen is behind the bezels. Yes the screen needs to be protected from the keyboard, but it bothers me just slightly.The keyboard is also plastic but sadly it uses the same plastic as the Pipo W9s and Chuwi Vi10, meaning they feel pretty low quality. However, key travel and feedback is very decent and I could achieve close to my normal typing speed (around 80WPM) easily. The trackpad is big, not as huge as the Jumper EZBook 2 but definitely big enough.There are all the included gestures, double finger scroll, pinch to zoom, three finger gestures, and windows gestures. They actually work very well and are slightly less accurate than my Xiaomi Air 12 which is very impressive. It definitely outpaces the Jumper EZBook 2 by a large margin. The large size of the trackpad also means you do not inadvertently activate the Windows off screen gestures either.“Small bezels”Chuwi Lapbook DisplayWe have a 1080p matte display spread over the 14.1鈥 panel and it looks decent. Resolution is definitely more than enough but colours are a little muted.This is expected because it鈥檚 a matte display, put any IPS display beside it (any phone or even the Voyo VBook V3) and its pretty obvious that colours are less vivid on this display. The matte coating isn鈥檛 just full of downsides though. There are zero annoying reflections when you use it indoors, outdoors, and its more useable outdoors than equivalent glossy IPS displays as well.The max brightness goes up to 300nits of brightness which is enough for outdoor use but not enough for bright sunlight. The minimum brightness is actually very good, I can watch movies in bed and it does not blind my eyes.Chuwi Lapbook AudioI鈥檓 slightly disappointed by the audio here. Volume wise it鈥檚 not too loud, meaning that loud background noise easily overpowers the volume output here. Audio quality isn鈥檛 great either, there is zero bass coming from this laptop and audio isn鈥檛 very clear either. It鈥檚 still good enough to consume media if you wish, but the experience won鈥檛 be stellar.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramChuwi Lapbook BatteryWhen I first took a look at the specs, I got incredibly excited because the description entailed a 7.4V 9000mAh battery, which would make the battery in the Lapbook bigger than in the Surface Book. This would also mean the Lapbook could possibly get upwards of 20-25 hours of constant use (the Surface Book could get around 15 hours with an i5 + discrete GPU).However, I鈥檓 pretty sure it鈥檚 a mistake and there鈥檚 only a 3.6V 9000mAh battery meaning its smaller than usual compared to other devices. I was able to get around 7 hours of screen on time which really isn鈥檛 the best, I was hoping for somewhere along the lines of 8 hours. This 7 hours of screen on time consisted almost exclusively of web browsing with some watching of TV as well.I also performed two battery tests, the video playback test and the web browsing test. Surprisingly I was able to play back video for around 8:30, which is quite a bit longer compared to normal SOT. I was able to browse the internet for 6:30, which is about in line with the 7 hours of SOT I obtained.Light users should still be fine, medium users might need a charger and heavy users definitely need a charger.“OK battery”Chuwi Lapbook SoftwareThere are currently two laptops out with the Apollo Lake Celeron N3450, and the Chuwi Lapbook is one of them. Like the Voyo VBook V3, the slightly less powerful Celeron N3450 performs very well in light tasks, matching the speed of the Core M line of processors when doing said light tasks such as Chrome, Word, Email or News. However, the one area where it still falls behind Core M processors is 2K and 4K streaming in Chrome.However, launching apps is slightly slower than the Voyo almost certainly because the Lapbook uses an eMMC drive while the Voyo VBook V3 uses the much faster M.2 SSD. But once in an app like Microsoft Office or Chrome (I hate using that term, its software!), it鈥檚 about the same.In terms of gaming the results were a little in flux, I was able to play DOTA2 at 1080p with about 30fps on lowest settings and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 ran at 1080p with 30fps as well, very impressive. During gaming, the heat is concentrated around the top part of the keyboard, and it does get warm, almost uncomfortably hot but it never crossed that threshold.Benchmarks. I only ran a couple of them because I鈥檓 lazy, but here we have it. First is Cinebench, which is a CPU and GPU test, and it gets a score of 8fps and 102 cb, which is definitely a lot more than what an Atom processor (around 50-60cb) is able to get, but it still trails behind Core M processors (even those two generations old, which ranges from 180-220). It also is slightly behind the Voyo VBook V3, most likely due to the N3450 and the eMMC combo.Geekbench also tests both your CPU and GPU and it gets very respectable scores, 1299 for single core performance and 3155 for multicore performance. That鈥檚 more than double what a Cherry Trail Atom obtains in both single and multicore (740/1430) performance. It still falls behind the Core M 6y30 though, trailing about 20-30% behind (2156/4249).Performance for all intents and purposes is as fast as the Voyo VBook V3, with launching apps being slightly slower because of the eMMC as a main drive. However, gaming was about on par with the V3.Chuwi Lapbook ConnectivityBoth USB ports are capable of powering hard drives, charging phones, and the like. WiFi performance聽from the AC wireless card is good, I could download DOTA2 at around 2MB/s which is the maximum capability of my internet connection (uploading the video review was a pain too). Bluetooth range works fine. The webcam is just a 480p webcam, and as the internet likes to call it, it鈥檚 basically a potato.Chuwi Lapbook VerdictBelieve it or not, I really like the build on the Chuwi Lapbook. Yes its plastic, but it feels very light, it is sturdy and there isn鈥檛 too much flex. The keyboard is pretty low quality but has a ton of key travel and works well, and the trackpad really impressed me as well. the Apollo Lake processor is leaps and bounds ahead of Atom Cherry Trail processors and performs well in every day tasks. You do pay a premium though, this laptop starts at $280, which is well out of the upper price limit for Cherry Trail processors. You do see flash sales bringing the price down to $250, making that price an easier pill to swallow.“An expensive starting price”Chuwi Lapbook Video Review

Voyo鈥檚 first VBook was a hit. Back then, 2cm bezels were a lot more common and less of an issue so even though the bezels were a little larger than usual for the time, no one paid much attention. It boasted great build quality, decent specs (the Z8300) and a large battery, all for a decent price.What they do is quite a cost efficient measure, keep the shell of the laptop the same and update the internals. They have sold different models of the Voyo VBook V3 with the Core M 6y30 processor, and now have done the same thing with the new Apollo Lake Pentium N4200, a refreshing change from the usual Atom devices.Voyo VBook V3 ReviewWhile the shell of this laptop stays exactly the same as previous iterations, there are a couple more changes to the internals of the device. First, the battery has been bumped up a nice 20% and there is now an SSD in addition to an eMMC drive, which has not been done before. The price has also gone up, sitting at a pretty $420USD, which is now a pretty penny away from the Atom version. Even if the laptop is good, the processing power would have to be a massive improvement to justify the price bump. Thus, in order for this to be a good buy, one of two things (or both) have to happen; first, the processing power has to somehow match a Core M device in basic tasks at least, or the laptop has to take a huge price cut. And if both happen, then more power to the people. Let鈥檚 see how well this laptop does.“Same outsides, new insides”Voyo VBook V3 SpecificationsProcessorIntel Apollo Lake Pentium N4200Display13.3″ 1920×1080 px, touchscreenRAM4GBStorage128GB M.2 SSD + 32GB eMMCOperating SystemWindows 10Cameras2MP CameraBattery12000mAhPhysical Properties1.5kg, 33.00 x 22.00 x 1.60 cmBig thanks to Gearbest for providing this review unit.Voyo VBook V3 HardwareVoyo did not design the shell of this laptop but rather purchased it from an ODM (Original Design Manufacturer). This is why every single V3 ever released (Bay Trail, Cherry Trail, Core M, Apollo Lake) uses the same externals with different internals. I am a huge fan of the soft touch rubber used on the outside. Yes, it鈥檚 not aluminum like my Xiaomi Air 12 but the rubber definitely does not exude a cheap feel. Only the brown colour was available, and while it is drab to say the least, the colour and logo strongly resemble older Dell laptops from yonder.The V3 has two USB ports, an SD card slot as well as a mini HDMI port. I do wish for a full size HDMI port but that doesn鈥檛 always happen.You also find volume and power buttons on the left side similar to what you would find on a tablet, most likely for use in tablet mode. There is also a key to lock the keyboard as well.Opening the lid is incredibly hard even with two hands, which is mostly a good thing, I think we all would rather have an overtly stiff hinge instead of an overtly lax one.While it鈥檚 not a deal breaker that Voyo used the exact same design as in previous versions of the V3, I do wish they chose a new design with smaller bezels. The bezels on this are huge. With Macbooks, Dells, and even Xiaomis utilizing tiny bezels, large bezels like these are inexcusable.Even the newly released Chuwi Lapbook has 8mm bezels. You can rotate the screen all the way around but for myself it鈥檚 a gimmick. If you frequent planes or schools I suspect this might be a useful feature for you though.The power and volume buttons are on the left side and just below that is the keyboard lock switch. I found myself frequently pressing the power button accidentally while I was trying to lock the keyboard, a minor annoyance.The biggest (pun intended) complaint I have with this device are the bezels. They are unsightly and detract from the looks of this device. But other than that, the V3 is still a well made and respectable device.“Large bezels”Voyo VBook V3 InputI figured I would dedicate an entire section to interacting with the laptop itself because there are enough methods of interaction that cramming them all into the build quality section up above would make it too unwieldy.Here we have four ways to interact with the device, there is the keyboard, trackpad, touchscreen, as well as the included stylus.The chiclet style keys on the keyboard do feel a tad cheap having just moved from my Xiaomi Air 12. I have slight difficulty depressing the keys especially with my right hand as I recently injured my wrist. That being said, the resistance is welcome as I found my Xiaomi鈥檚 keys a little too easy to depress resulting in the occasional mistype.The trackpad was satisfactory but not impressive. Sizewise the trackpad could do with being larger, but even with the smaller size inadvertent triggers with my wrist were common while typing, there is no palm rejection software here. Single finger speed and accuracy are great, there are no complaints there. Two finger scrolling actually works quite well, but it occasionally mistakes two finger scrolls with one finger input, so your scrolling might stop inadvertently, but that isn’t a big issue.Windows gestures don’t seem to be working either but that isn鈥檛 a big issue and is actually a welcome subtraction.The touchscreen is decent. The level of touch sensitivity is definitely more than enough, but it falls behind the sensitivity on an iPad or Surface. That being said, it鈥檚 still a great (and in some cases a better) option for interacting with browsers.There is also an included pen that charges via USB聽and each charge yields around 4 hours of use. However, the pen experience is not very good. I tried using it to write in Onenote, and there is no pressure sensitivity and there is a tiny bit of lag compared to active styli.That’s not the worst part though. the worst part is how far the pen needs to be lifted away before it “deactivates”. You need to move the tip of the pen at least 1cm away from the screen before the pen deactivates completely and if you don’t, you look like a 3rd grader practicing cursive for the “most improved” award. however, if you are used to writing in cursive, then this pen is perfect for you.Voyo VBook V3 DisplayThe 1080p resolution on the 13.3鈥 definitely looks nice, colours are reproduced nicely and there is quite a bit of contrast. The screen is a slight bit on the blue side, but this won鈥檛 affect anyone at all unless you鈥檙e doing some serious colour grading (which you could not perform effectively on a Pentium).The max brightness of the screen goes up to around 300 nits which is definitely acceptable for a laptop, you still cannot use it in bright sunlight but it is possible to use it outdoors on a cloudy day.The display does excel in terms of colour reproduction and contrast.Voyo VBook V3 AudioWe have downward firing speakers and its definitely not the most ideal place for laptop speakers. It is easily muffled if used on your lap and is difficult to hear. However, even on a hard surface, maximum volume isn鈥檛 the loudest. It has difficulty matching up to my Xiaomi Air 12 but is still loud enough for moderately loud environments.Audio quality is a mixed bag, while you have decent mids and highs (no they are in no way great), there is some bass for TV shows and movies, however explosion heavy movies are not a very good experience, so you can go ahead and count every single Michael Bay movie out for the count.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramVoyo VBook V3 BatteryVoyo has wisely bumped up the battery capacity from 10,000mAh to 12,000mAh, a nice 20% bump from the original. However, even with this battery increase, I do not expect better battery life than Atoms as it has a 6W TDP while Atoms have miserly 2W TDPs. A good reference is the Xiaomi Air 12, which has a 10,000mAh battery and the Core M 6y30 with a 7W TDP (around 7 hours of battery life).The new Apollo Lake processors are also a lot less bursty which would also mean reduced battery life.The results are somewhat within my expectations, I was expecting about the same battery life as the Atom version of this laptop (around 8-9 hours of use) and I got slightly less than that. The 8 hours of screen on time consisted of web browsing, word documents, and email, so nothing intense. I did play a couple of YouTube videos though (not 2K or 4K).I performed some battery tests and was able to obtain about 8 hours and 20 minutes of video playback , a good result here but not the best. Web browsing saw a lower battery score with continuous browsing draining the battery in about 7:21, still a decent result here.The battery results were somewhat within my expectations, there is a bigger battery, but there is also a more power hungry CPU, so I wasn鈥檛 expecting any huge jump in battery life. It takes about 2.5-3 hours to charge this laptop up completely.“Decent battery”Voyo VBook V3 SoftwareHmm, performance, what to expect. The new Intel Apollo Lake chips are so new that there are at most 3-4 products currently released using said line of chips. Performance wise they squeeze exactly between the Atom chips and Core M chips with performance of the N4200 trending slightly closer to the Core M. We already know how previous generation Celeron chips perform, so let鈥檚 see how much the new Apollo Lake architecture improves performance.Let鈥檚 first talk about general use before we move on to benchmarks. Opening and closing light Windows store apps as well as light desktop programs is on par with my Core M Xiaomi Air 12 which is definitely a huge upside for this device. That being said though, a Cherry Trail Atom does not necessarily lag when doing the above items either, but there is a noticeable speed difference between the N4200/Core M vs Cherry Trail devices. A good analogy would be like comparing a Snapdragon 821 to a Snapdragon 625. The Snapdragon 625 does not lag, but the 821 will open apps that much faster.There is a Foresee M.2 SSD and an eMMC drive as well, I got quite decent speeds, and the SSD definitely contributed to the snappiness I felt while using it. There is also an extra slot for another M.2 SSD, which is an upgradeability option I was not expecting from something so cheap. The N4200 still falls behind in one regard though, and that would be Chrome. It is still slightly laggier compared to Edge and cannot play back 2K or 4K videos smoothly when the exact same video plays back perfectly in Edge.Now for (in my opinion) the most impressive part. I was able to GIMP (Photoshop) quite effectively, doing anything that did not involve applying filters (which is CPU intensive) was quick. And I was editing a DSLR photo as well. Now before you go on to the next paragraph, here鈥檚 part two of 鈥渢he most impressive part鈥? I was able to edit 1080p video quite effectively using Da Vinci Resolve, which is a free video editing program that is slightly less fleshed out than Premiere but still more than enough for someone like me. Now keep in mind that exporting said video took me about 4-5 times as long as my gaming desktop, but the fact that a Pentium chip can edit basic 1080p video sent a shiver up my spine. Does that mean I will have no reason to upgrade my desktop? Nope I鈥檒l definitely be upgrading it, I need an excuse to buy the latest and greatest in computer hardware.I tried to game on the laptop and was slightly surprised by the results. I could play DOTA2 at 1080p with about 30fps on lowest settings which is impressive considering every Atom device could only crank out 30fps at 720p. I then tried Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and I was able to get around 25-30fps at 720p which was nice. I was actually able to get around 21-27fps in 1080p in similar situations meaning a smaller than expected performance hit. And finally Skyrim was playable at 30fps 720p on lowest settings as well. Do note that the gameplay portions of the video look significantly laggier than what you would expect from the aforementioned framerates because I had FRAPS enabled which takes a good 5-8fps from the total framerate. The laptop does get warm quite easily when gaming but the surface temps on the laptop never got hot enough for discomfort. Most of the heat is concentrated around the 360 hinges with almost no heat on the surfaces near the keyboard.Benchmarks. I only ran a couple of them because I鈥檓 lazy, but here we have it. First is Cinebench, which is a CPU and GPU test, and it gets a score of 9.33fps and 125 cb, which is definitely a lot more than what an Atom processor (around 50-60cb) is able to get, but it still trails behind Core M processors (even those two generations old, which ranges from 180-220).Geekbench also tests both your CPU and GPU and it gets very respectable scores, 1600 for single core performance and 3570 for multicore performance. That鈥檚 more than double what a Cherry Trail Atom obtains in both single and multicore (740/1430) performance. It still falls behind the Core M 6y30 though, trailing about 20-30% behind (2156/4249).The final benchmark I ran was Octane which is a browser based benchmark. It got around 8900 in Chrome which is not bad, getting around double what an Atom processor would score. It does fall quite far behind the 6y30 though which scored almost 20,000 in Chrome.I’m quite satisfied and somewhat impressed by overall performance. Software like GIMP and Da Vinci impressed me with the speed with which photo and video editing took place. However, I was slightly disappointed with the gaming results, I was expecting to be able to play something like DOTA2 at higher framerates at 1080p, but 30fps is still a playable framerate.Voyo VBook V3 ConnectivityBoth USB ports are capable of powering hard drives, charging phones, and the like. WiFi performance is weaker than usual, it struggles to get good speeds two floors above my router. Bluetooth range works fine. The webcam is just a 480p webcam, and as the internet likes to call it, it鈥檚 basically a potato.Voyo VBook V3 VerdictThe Voyo VBook V3 is expensive, or at least the Pentium version is compared to certain Atom devices you can get nowadays (like the EZBook 2). With that increased expense you do get a much more powerful processor and a bigger battery, but that鈥檚 about it. You also get the strange combination of an M.2 SSD and an eMMC drive, as well. However, everything else stays the same.I really don鈥檛 know if this laptop is worth the $400, even though the N4200 CPU does give a vastly improved experience, on par with Core M laptops in light use. And the reason why I鈥檓 hesitant to endorse this product as something that is 鈥渨orth it鈥 is because Core M laptops that have been out for a while regularly go on sale or have permanent price cuts.You can purchase Cube tablets with Core M CPUs for $300 if you鈥檙e lucky, with $450 regularly seen. What’s ironic is that the Core M version of the Voyo VBook V3 can be had for $387 right now, a good $50 cheaper than original price of the N4200 version! I don’t envision these Pentium/Celeron devices maintaining their prices for very long and as time goes on the prices will start getting slashed, and this Pentium laptop will fit nicely into the niche between the Core M and Cherry Trail devices.“An expensive starting price”You can buy the Voyo VBook V3 here. The original price is around $420 but it’s currently on flash sale for $359.Voyo VBook V3 Video ReviewThe camera experience will make or break the Oukitel U20 Plus. Take the dual camera out of the equation for a moment. Now count on all of your fingers and toes how many other phones feature the same specs. And if you hadn鈥檛 guessed yet, most of them cost less than $100 and apart from the dual camera setup, this is a completely unremarkable phone.The Oukitel U20 Plus is very run of the mill. It has generic ultra budget specifications while costing slightly above the average for specs like these. With the release of the Redmi 4A, it has redefined ultra budget, instantly rendering any MT6737 phone subpar.Oukitel has been marketing their dual camera setup very heavily and I will admit I鈥檓 skeptical as to how they will implement it. For example, Huawei鈥檚 P9 dual camera setup made sense as they had one black/white camera and one colour camera in order to capture more detail, but Oukitel has been marketing it as kind of a focus adjustment function. If that鈥檚 all this dual camera setup does, it most likely won鈥檛 do much. Let鈥檚 get in deep.“Run of the mill”Oukitel U20 Plus SpecificationsProcessorMediatek MTK6737 Quad CoreDisplay5.5″ 1920×1080 px, IPS LCDRAM2GBStorage16GBOperating SystemAndroid 6.0Cameras13MP/0.3MP + 5MP CameraBattery3300mAhPhysical Properties195g, 15.40 x 7.70 x 0.85 cmBig thanks to Oukitel for providing this review unit. I used the Oukitel U20 Plus on Fido in Toronto.Oukitel U20 Plus HardwareThe Oukitel U20 Plus is big. With the current trend towards smaller bezels (see the Mi Mix), the U20 Plus doesn鈥檛 bother with that and it鈥檚 very difficult to use one handed. The front of the phone features 2.5D glass with the capacitve buttons at the bottom. There is a huge bezel around the screen but it is actually hidden quite cleverly, with part of it being the black part of the screen and the rest being the silver bezel. It does resemble the iPhone 7 Plus somewhat from the front as well. The back of the phone is made out of soft touch plastic and does resemble metal from a distance but does not feel like it. We have the dual cameras, the fingerprint sensor and the Oukitel logo on the back.The build quality overall is decent. It鈥檚 not metal but it feels durable enough for everyday use.“Large bezels”Oukitel U20 Plus DisplayI’m quite impressed that Oukitel managed to squeeze in a 1080p display into this phone, and they didn’t use a completely terrible one either. Colours are reproduced very nicely and there is some decent contrast, but place it beside a more expensive phone and the difference becomes apparent.Max brightness is OK, topping out at around 400 nits which means you鈥檒l have great difficulty seeing it in direct sunlight. Everywhere else and the screen performs just fine. There is no protective glass on the screen either.Oukitel U20 Plus AudioThe speakers are located beside the MicroUSB plug, and they produce some very loud sound, not as loud as the Mi5s, but definitely more than loud enough. Quality is a below average, there is some distortion at loudest volume and the audio is generally not very crisp.However, I鈥檓 trying my best not to be harsh here as this phone has an ultra budget price of $99. Still though, don’t get your hopes up here.Oukitel U20 Plus BatteryA 3300mAh battery is not large compared to聽Redmi or UMi devices, but its also not abysmally small either. Battery life here is about average, I was able to obtain around 4 hours of screen on time which is definitely not amazing but is probably not enough for heavy users to use without a charger. The use consisted of web browsing, some Reddit, social media, and taking photos.Heavy users should consider long and hard whether this phone can get them through a day without charging as its a toss up while medium and light users won’t have a problem at all.“average battery”Oukitel U20 Plus SoftwarePerformance has me the most afraid. I’ve dreaded reviewing MTK6737 phones because of how slow they are, but I was given a pleasant surprise here. When opening and closing light apps like messaging, calculators, or 9gag, it was generally quite fast. Same when swiping between home screens, also very fast as well. Yes, it is still slightly slower than high end phones but not by much.Where you start seeing slowdowns is opening heavier apps. For example, Facebook and Instagram take about 2-3 seconds from a screen tap to actually load, and other apps like the Play Store and Google Music take about a second or two. Definitely bearable, but not as fast as before. Multitasking is tough as well with just 2GB of RAM. The U20 Plus is no powerhouse but it is respectable enough to perform in day to day use.I did see quite a bit of stutter when playing intense games such as NOVA or Asphalt so if you are an avid mobile gamer, this device is not for you. However, playing games that are not as graphically intensive such as Clash Royale or Candy Crush and you see no slowdowns whatsoever. It obtained a low score on Antutu as well which is expected.The fingerprint sensor is surprisingly bad, it doesn’t accurately detect my finger consistently and it gets even worse when my finger is even slightly sweaty. Speed is nothing good either.Oukitel U20 Plus ConnectivityYou get the usual range of 2G, 3G, and 4G network bands and make sure it works on your carrier, it works on mine.WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS all work well as well.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramOukitel U20 Plus CameraPutting in a second camera does not guarantee better photos. In fact, software is more important than ever in order to fully utilize both cameras to their full potential. On the rear we have a dual rear camera setup with 13MP and 0.3MP sensors.I鈥檓 not sure what they are trying to achieve here, as a 0.3MP camera will only be good enough for capturing depth, not detail. I was hoping for a Huawei P9 Plus style dual camera where one camera captures colour while the other captures a monochrome image, combining the two for great photos (you sacrifice detail if you try to capture a colour image vs. a black/white image).However that requires two identical cameras which is definitely not the case here. It seems that Oukitel is just going for a more pronounced bokeh effect in the style of the Redmi Pro, and I will say that they are somewhat successful, considering quality is sacrificed for the Bokeh effect.In 鈥渘ormal鈥 camera mode, the camera takes pleasant pictures, definitely above average compared to other phones in this price range with the exception of the Redmi 4A. The phone excels in good lighting conditions, taking fairly detailed photos with decent colour saturation. Let鈥檚 put it this way, you鈥檒l be able to see a marked difference between this and a flagship phone鈥檚 camera, but the comparison is more along the lines of good vs. best instead of bad vs. good.In low lighting conditions the camera quality deteriorates fast. Graininess sets in and you start seeing artifacting as well. definitely not what you want to be seeing,聽when the main selling point of this phone is the camera.The front facing camera pulls its fair share of weight, taking good photos on a sunny day but again failing to deliver in low light.The highlight of this phone is the dual camera. This setup allows the U20 Plus to simulate the depth of field achieved by a fast lens by distinguishing the background from the foreground and applying digital blur to the former. You can even adjust the 鈥渧irtual鈥 aperture which allows you to adjust how much blur you want the camera to apply.Two problems with Oukitel鈥檚 implementation here. First and foremost (pun intended), the transition area between focus and blurred areas can be inaccurate around the edges of objects (e.g. the edges are blurred in the photo below). This gives it quite the same effect as the Google Camera app鈥檚 鈥淟ens Blur鈥 functionality, which renders the second camera a little redundant.However, when the camera does successfully eliminate blurred edges, the second problem comes into play. The camera setup has trouble distinguishing between the foreground and background and the transition between in-focus and out of focus areas is rather abrupt.For example, no camera in the world is capable of keeping a vase shaped object in focus while the rest of the frame is out of focus, it is based on area not object and therefore can look unnatural. I will say though that I don鈥檛 consider the second 鈥減roblem鈥 a problem at all, in fact I quite like the unnatural look it gives photos but that鈥檚 something to be aware of. I do have a bone to pick with Oukitel though. They have added a decent bokeh effect to photos by adding in a secondary camera, but pictures taken in SLR mode (what Oukitel named bokeh mode) are actually slightly lower quality compared to in HDR mode. This means that you actually have to sacrifice some picture quality just to get some bokeh in your shot. I tried turning on both HDR and SLR mode to try and get HDR and bokeh in the same photo but every time I took a photo the bokeh would just disappear.One last thing, the camera app is quite atrocious. Switching between different modes is quite a chore and I found the SLR mode (bokeh mode) laggy as well with the what is displayed on the screen a good 陆-1 second behind the camera itself.Oukitel U20 Plus聽Camera Gallery Oukitel U20 Plus VerdictLike I mentioned before, the dual camera will make or break this smartphone, and weirdly enough, it does neither. On one hand, it takes decent photos with plenty of bokeh if you do decide to turn the feature on, but on the other hand the dual camera setup doesn鈥檛 always work perfectly.You鈥檒l always get your bokeh mind you, but you sacrifice quality in return because photos taken in HDR mode actually look better than in bokeh mode. The rest of the phone is decent for $99. The MT6737 processor is entry level and coupled with 2GB of RAM is good for light tasks. It鈥檚 quite competitive with other phones utilizing the same processor and in that situation; the dual camera setup can be a potent feature to swing you from an equivalent MT6737 phone. However, it does face competition in the Bluboo Dual which features a metal body but costs $20 more (around $30-40 more from resellers).Take all this with a grain of salt though, because we have not compared the U20 Plus with the elephant in the room, the Redmi 4A. If you absolutely want a dual camera, then ignore the Redmi 4A. However, if you鈥檙e on a tight budget, the Redmi 4A represents massively more value compared to the U20 Plus and if you asked me to choose one, the Redmi 4A wins every time. All in all, Oukitel made a good device, and while it struggles to compete with the Redmi 4A, it is very competitive compared to other MediaTek devices.“only buy if you absolutely want dual cameras”You can purchase the Oukitel U20 Plus here.Oukitel U20 Plus Video ReviewThe camera experience will make or break the Oukitel U20 Plus. Take the dual camera out of the equation for a moment. Now count on all of your fingers and toes how many other phones feature the same specs. And if you hadn鈥檛 guessed yet, most of them cost less than $100 and apart from the dual camera setup, this is a completely unremarkable phone.The Oukitel U20 Plus is very run of the mill. It has generic ultra budget specifications while costing slightly above the average for specs like these. With the release of the Redmi 4A, it has redefined ultra budget, instantly rendering any MT6737 phone subpar.Oukitel has been marketing their dual camera setup very heavily and I will admit I鈥檓 skeptical as to how they will implement it. For example, Huawei鈥檚 P9 dual camera setup made sense as they had one black/white camera and one colour camera in order to capture more detail, but Oukitel has been marketing it as kind of a focus adjustment function. If that鈥檚 all this dual camera setup does, it most likely won鈥檛 do much. Let鈥檚 get in deep.“Run of the mill”Oukitel U20 Plus SpecificationsProcessorMediatek MTK6737 Quad CoreDisplay5.5″ 1920×1080 px, IPS LCDRAM2GBStorage16GBOperating SystemAndroid 6.0Cameras13MP/0.3MP + 5MP CameraBattery3300mAhPhysical Properties195g, 15.40 x 7.70 x 0.85 cmBig thanks to Oukitel for providing this review unit. I used the Oukitel U20 Plus on Fido in Toronto.Oukitel U20 Plus HardwareThe Oukitel U20 Plus is big. With the current trend towards smaller bezels (see the Mi Mix), the U20 Plus doesn鈥檛 bother with that and it鈥檚 very difficult to use one handed. The front of the phone features 2.5D glass with the capacitve buttons at the bottom. There is a huge bezel around the screen but it is actually hidden quite cleverly, with part of it being the black part of the screen and the rest being the silver bezel. It does resemble the iPhone 7 Plus somewhat from the front as well. The back of the phone is made out of soft touch plastic and does resemble metal from a distance but does not feel like it. We have the dual cameras, the fingerprint sensor and the Oukitel logo on the back.The build quality overall is decent. It鈥檚 not metal but it feels durable enough for everyday use.“Large bezels”Oukitel U20 Plus DisplayI’m quite impressed that Oukitel managed to squeeze in a 1080p display into this phone, and they didn’t use a completely terrible one either. Colours are reproduced very nicely and there is some decent contrast, but place it beside a more expensive phone and the difference becomes apparent.Max brightness is OK, topping out at around 400 nits which means you鈥檒l have great difficulty seeing it in direct sunlight. Everywhere else and the screen performs just fine. There is no protective glass on the screen either.Oukitel U20 Plus AudioThe speakers are located beside the MicroUSB plug, and they produce some very loud sound, not as loud as the Mi5s, but definitely more than loud enough. Quality is a below average, there is some distortion at loudest volume and the audio is generally not very crisp.However, I鈥檓 trying my best not to be harsh here as this phone has an ultra budget price of $99. Still though, don’t get your hopes up here.Oukitel U20 Plus BatteryA 3300mAh battery is not large compared to聽Redmi or UMi devices, but its also not abysmally small either. Battery life here is about average, I was able to obtain around 4 hours of screen on time which is definitely not amazing but is probably not enough for heavy users to use without a charger. The use consisted of web browsing, some Reddit, social media, and taking photos.Heavy users should consider long and hard whether this phone can get them through a day without charging as its a toss up while medium and light users won’t have a problem at all.“average battery”Oukitel U20 Plus SoftwarePerformance has me the most afraid. I’ve dreaded reviewing MTK6737 phones because of how slow they are, but I was given a pleasant surprise here. When opening and closing light apps like messaging, calculators, or 9gag, it was generally quite fast. Same when swiping between home screens, also very fast as well. Yes, it is still slightly slower than high end phones but not by much.Where you start seeing slowdowns is opening heavier apps. For example, Facebook and Instagram take about 2-3 seconds from a screen tap to actually load, and other apps like the Play Store and Google Music take about a second or two. Definitely bearable, but not as fast as before. Multitasking is tough as well with just 2GB of RAM. The U20 Plus is no powerhouse but it is respectable enough to perform in day to day use.I did see quite a bit of stutter when playing intense games such as NOVA or Asphalt so if you are an avid mobile gamer, this device is not for you. However, playing games that are not as graphically intensive such as Clash Royale or Candy Crush and you see no slowdowns whatsoever. It obtained a low score on Antutu as well which is expected.The fingerprint sensor is surprisingly bad, it doesn’t accurately detect my finger consistently and it gets even worse when my finger is even slightly sweaty. Speed is nothing good either.Oukitel U20 Plus ConnectivityYou get the usual range of 2G, 3G, and 4G network bands and make sure it works on your carrier, it works on mine.WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS all work well as well.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramOukitel U20 Plus CameraPutting in a second camera does not guarantee better photos. In fact, software is more important than ever in order to fully utilize both cameras to their full potential. On the rear we have a dual rear camera setup with 13MP and 0.3MP sensors.I鈥檓 not sure what they are trying to achieve here, as a 0.3MP camera will only be good enough for capturing depth, not detail. I was hoping for a Huawei P9 Plus style dual camera where one camera captures colour while the other captures a monochrome image, combining the two for great photos (you sacrifice detail if you try to capture a colour image vs. a black/white image).However that requires two identical cameras which is definitely not the case here. It seems that Oukitel is just going for a more pronounced bokeh effect in the style of the Redmi Pro, and I will say that they are somewhat successful, considering quality is sacrificed for the Bokeh effect.In 鈥渘ormal鈥 camera mode, the camera takes pleasant pictures, definitely above average compared to other phones in this price range with the exception of the Redmi 4A. The phone excels in good lighting conditions, taking fairly detailed photos with decent colour saturation. Let鈥檚 put it this way, you鈥檒l be able to see a marked difference between this and a flagship phone鈥檚 camera, but the comparison is more along the lines of good vs. best instead of bad vs. good.In low lighting conditions the camera quality deteriorates fast. Graininess sets in and you start seeing artifacting as well. definitely not what you want to be seeing,聽when the main selling point of this phone is the camera.The front facing camera pulls its fair share of weight, taking good photos on a sunny day but again failing to deliver in low light.The highlight of this phone is the dual camera. This setup allows the U20 Plus to simulate the depth of field achieved by a fast lens by distinguishing the background from the foreground and applying digital blur to the former. You can even adjust the 鈥渧irtual鈥 aperture which allows you to adjust how much blur you want the camera to apply.Two problems with Oukitel鈥檚 implementation here. First and foremost (pun intended), the transition area between focus and blurred areas can be inaccurate around the edges of objects (e.g. the edges are blurred in the photo below). This gives it quite the same effect as the Google Camera app鈥檚 鈥淟ens Blur鈥 functionality, which renders the second camera a little redundant.However, when the camera does successfully eliminate blurred edges, the second problem comes into play. The camera setup has trouble distinguishing between the foreground and background and the transition between in-focus and out of focus areas is rather abrupt.For example, no camera in the world is capable of keeping a vase shaped object in focus while the rest of the frame is out of focus, it is based on area not object and therefore can look unnatural. I will say though that I don鈥檛 consider the second 鈥減roblem鈥 a problem at all, in fact I quite like the unnatural look it gives photos but that鈥檚 something to be aware of. I do have a bone to pick with Oukitel though. They have added a decent bokeh effect to photos by adding in a secondary camera, but pictures taken in SLR mode (what Oukitel named bokeh mode) are actually slightly lower quality compared to in HDR mode. This means that you actually have to sacrifice some picture quality just to get some bokeh in your shot. I tried turning on both HDR and SLR mode to try and get HDR and bokeh in the same photo but every time I took a photo the bokeh would just disappear.One last thing, the camera app is quite atrocious. Switching between different modes is quite a chore and I found the SLR mode (bokeh mode) laggy as well with the what is displayed on the screen a good 陆-1 second behind the camera itself.Oukitel U20 Plus聽Camera Gallery Oukitel U20 Plus VerdictLike I mentioned before, the dual camera will make or break this smartphone, and weirdly enough, it does neither. On one hand, it takes decent photos with plenty of bokeh if you do decide to turn the feature on, but on the other hand the dual camera setup doesn鈥檛 always work perfectly.You鈥檒l always get your bokeh mind you, but you sacrifice quality in return because photos taken in HDR mode actually look better than in bokeh mode. The rest of the phone is decent for $99. The MT6737 processor is entry level and coupled with 2GB of RAM is good for light tasks. It鈥檚 quite competitive with other phones utilizing the same processor and in that situation; the dual camera setup can be a potent feature to swing you from an equivalent MT6737 phone. However, it does face competition in the Bluboo Dual which features a metal body but costs $20 more (around $30-40 more from resellers).Take all this with a grain of salt though, because we have not compared the U20 Plus with the elephant in the room, the Redmi 4A. If you absolutely want a dual camera, then ignore the Redmi 4A. However, if you鈥檙e on a tight budget, the Redmi 4A represents massively more value compared to the U20 Plus and if you asked me to choose one, the Redmi 4A wins every time. All in all, Oukitel made a good device, and while it struggles to compete with the Redmi 4A, it is very competitive compared to other MediaTek devices.“only buy if you absolutely want dual cameras”You can purchase the Oukitel U20 Plus here.Oukitel U20 Plus Video ReviewI haven’t been around on Gizchina since the beginning, but I have been here for a long time. Long enough to know most of the companies we write about and their devices by heart. So when Yash asked me to review the Blackview R6, I was mildly curious. In all of my years, Blackview was the one company I never really thought about much.I agreed to review the R6, and after a few weeks it’s finally arrived at my doorstep. Today, we’ll be unboxing the device and taking a brief look at it to give a basic overview of the device. So without further ado, let’s unbox Blackview’s R6! Blackview R6: Unboxing The Blackview R6’s packaging is incredibly simple, perhaps even too simple. It’s a flat white box without much going for it, though there are some nice touches. The front of the box features the Blackview logo, along with the model number in the bottom right corner. The sides and back feature the same logo.On closer inspection, the front of the device does feature a very subtle design. It’s not easy to notice, but when the light hits the box just right, it appears. Aside from the logo, the back also features a few of the devices specs, as is the case with most boxes. Opening the box reveals the R6 itself, lying on a black background with the model number in silver. It looks pretty nice and premium, which always wins some points with consumers. Once you remove the device, the black sheet can be opened to reveal some accessories and standard equipment.So, what do you get in the box? There’s the typical charging adapter and microUSB cable, as well as a pair nice looking earphones. Beyond that, there’s also a small box containing the manual, a silicon case and an extra screen protector. Overall, it’s a pretty decent package and you’re getting a good amount of stuff. Inspecting the accessories closer, it’s nice to see that the charging cable and case are of good quality. The charging cable features the Blackview logo and feels fairly sturdy, while the case is, well, a case. The manual is in the normal broken English, Spanish and Russian. Now, let’s move on the device itself, the Blackview R6.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramBlackview R6: First ImpressionsThe first thing I came to realize while handling the R6 is that it’s an incredibly solid device. The rear of the thing is a simple plastic panel, but the metal chassis REALLY something else. It’s also quite heavy at 192g, which lends to the solidity but may become unbearable over time. The Blackview R6’s build quality is astoundingly good. Unlike many other Chinese devices, the build here is almost flawless. The metal chassis takes center stage making the thing feel like a really tough brick. It almost feels like throwing this thing at a wall might break the wall.The display quality is also quite nice, though it’s a quite a bit cooler than it should be. I’ve been playing around with it for a while and it’s clear the white balance is off, though I’ll check the settings for a fix. Brightness settings on the other hand are good, with maximum brightness being very bright and minimum brightness the opposite.Moving on, we get to the Blackview R6’s software. The device runs Android Marshmallow, but it’s running on a custom launcher called the UNI Launcher. The launcher feels fairly sluggish, but things are actually running pretty snappily after applying Nova’s launcher. There have been a lot of random stutters, so performance is something I’ll need to take a look at. The camera on the R6 also appears to be quite decent, though I’ll reserve judgement for later. Pictures that come out are very bright and vibrant, though perhaps a bit TOO bright and vibrant for most. There’s unfortunately also some rather bothersome shutter lag, and it’s easily鑱絥oticeable.So far, the device has been serving me decently, though there are some issues with it. I’ll bring these into more detail in the full review, so stay tuned for that. For now however, I will say that this device has potential, but I’d like to see if Blackview can push an update to fix certain things about it.I haven’t been around on Gizchina since the beginning, but I have been here for a long time. Long enough to know most of the companies we write about and their devices by heart. So when Yash asked me to review the Blackview R6, I was mildly curious. In all of my years, Blackview was the one company I never really thought about much.I agreed to review the R6, and after a few weeks it’s finally arrived at my doorstep. Today, we’ll be unboxing the device and taking a brief look at it to give a basic overview of the device. So without further ado, let’s unbox Blackview’s R6! Blackview R6: Unboxing The Blackview R6’s packaging is incredibly simple, perhaps even too simple. It’s a flat white box without much going for it, though there are some nice touches. The front of the box features the Blackview logo, along with the model number in the bottom right corner. The sides and back feature the same logo.On closer inspection, the front of the device does feature a very subtle design. It’s not easy to notice, but when the light hits the box just right, it appears. Aside from the logo, the back also features a few of the devices specs, as is the case with most boxes. Opening the box reveals the R6 itself, lying on a black background with the model number in silver. It looks pretty nice and premium, which always wins some points with consumers. Once you remove the device, the black sheet can be opened to reveal some accessories and standard equipment.So, what do you get in the box? There’s the typical charging adapter and microUSB cable, as well as a pair nice looking earphones. Beyond that, there’s also a small box containing the manual, a silicon case and an extra screen protector. Overall, it’s a pretty decent package and you’re getting a good amount of stuff. Inspecting the accessories closer, it’s nice to see that the charging cable and case are of good quality. The charging cable features the Blackview logo and feels fairly sturdy, while the case is, well, a case. The manual is in the normal broken English, Spanish and Russian. Now, let’s move on the device itself, the Blackview R6.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramBlackview R6: First ImpressionsThe first thing I came to realize while handling the R6 is that it’s an incredibly solid device. The rear of the thing is a simple plastic panel, but the metal chassis REALLY something else. It’s also quite heavy at 192g, which lends to the solidity but may become unbearable over time. The Blackview R6’s build quality is astoundingly good. Unlike many other Chinese devices, the build here is almost flawless. The metal chassis takes center stage making the thing feel like a really tough brick. It almost feels like throwing this thing at a wall might break the wall.The display quality is also quite nice, though it’s a quite a bit cooler than it should be. I’ve been playing around with it for a while and it’s clear the white balance is off, though I’ll check the settings for a fix. Brightness settings on the other hand are good, with maximum brightness being very bright and minimum brightness the opposite.Moving on, we get to the Blackview R6’s software. The device runs Android Marshmallow, but it’s running on a custom launcher called the UNI Launcher. The launcher feels fairly sluggish, but things are actually running pretty snappily after applying Nova’s launcher. There have been a lot of random stutters, so performance is something I’ll need to take a look at. The camera on the R6 also appears to be quite decent, though I’ll reserve judgement for later. Pictures that come out are very bright and vibrant, though perhaps a bit TOO bright and vibrant for most. There’s unfortunately also some rather bothersome shutter lag, and it’s easily鑱絥oticeable.So far, the device has been serving me decently, though there are some issues with it. I’ll bring these into more detail in the full review, so stay tuned for that. For now however, I will say that this device has potential, but I’d like to see if Blackview can push an update to fix certain things about it.If you follow our web daily then Elephone S7 is surely not a surprising name for you. It鈥檚 a design focused phone and the manufacturer is trying to present it as just that. The brand is of course well established at the market so customer already has some idea about what to expect and the S7 will deliver. Unfortunately the hyped curved display has no real function and it鈥檚 there just for show. It鈥檚 definitely not a reason to buy this device just because of that.SPECIFICATIONS鈥 system: Android 6.0 Marshmallow鈥 CPU: deca-core Mediatek Helio X20鈥 GPU: Mali-T880鈥 RAM: 4 GB鈥 storage: 64 GB鈥 battery : 3000 mAh with quick-charge feature鈥 display: 5,5鈥? JDI LTPS with 2.5D glass and FullHD resolution鈥 rear camera 13 MPix, f/2.2, double tone LED flash鈥 front camera 5,0 MPix鈥 LTE: 800/1800/2100/2600 MHz鈥 WIFI: 802.11 a/b/g/n 2,4 GHz/5 GHz鈥 Bluetooth: 4.0鈥 material: Aluminum (frame)鈥 colors: blue/black/green/gold鈥 featureso Fingerprint scanner (at the front!)o Dual SIM – hybrid sloto FM Radioo OTGPACKAGING AND UNBOXINGWhen I saw the box for the first time I though I鈥檇 be making a review of an older model from Xiaomi, because Elephone used the same 鈥渃olor鈥 of cardboard like Xiaomi once did. In order to make it clear they added a big letters spelling Elephone S7 and the company logo. There is nothing more to it so let鈥檚 move to the content inside. First to greet you upon opening is the phone itself lying in a plastic cradle and while it鈥檚 not a luxurious packaging with extra accesories still there is a screen protector and a silicon protective case hiding below it. And in two smaller compartments a charger and a charging cable too. The phone weighs 148 g and its dimensions are 150,4 x 73,2 x 7,6 mm. In comparison with Xiaomi Redmi Note 2, which I have at home, this phone is looks thinner and fits better in hand. Overall it looks smaller than the 鈥渦sual鈥 5,5-inch phones.DESIGN AND BUILDElephone S7 has a metal frame manufactured using CNC technology but a bit unfortunately . Side edges have a trapezoid shape so when you place it on a table your fingers slide on the edge itself. If you are not a girl with long nail that is. Side bezels around the display are minimal so it accentuates the curved display effect and the top and bottom bezels are fairly thin as well. There is only one hardware button in the front and i can鈥檛 tell if Elephone got inspired by Meizu or anything, but this button functions the same with Home, Context Menu and Back features attached to it. And also a fingerprint scanner integrated into it. Unfortunately I soon discovered that the button clicks and wobbles a bit, it doesn鈥檛 fit precisely and ruins the whole impression of the not-so-bad build so far . Above the display is a front camera lens, speaker and a proximity sensor. The back of S7 is well known from the renders leaked to the public. Yes, it changes colors and helps the whole premium impression, but it鈥檚 also a fingerprint and smudges catcher. But the surface is sort of 鈥渟ticky鈥 so the phone doesn鈥檛 slip in hand. Sadly the back cover doesn鈥檛 extend fully to the edges so the metal frame is visible and you can use it for grinding your nails because it鈥檚 about a millimeter thicker than the cover. And of course I managed to scratch it in just a few days. At the chin, there are solid- playing speaker grilles with a microphone and a USB type C port in between. Right edge contains the power button and the volume cradle, the buttons are easy to find, work perfectly and are well built into the aluminum frame. On the left edge there is a hybrid slot for either two microSIM cards or one microSIM card and one memory card (up to 128 GB capacity). The top edge houses an antenna and a 3,5 mm jack which is for some reason slightly moved a bit deeper than usual. The overall unibody construction feels solid, no bending or creaking bend and fits in hand well.DISPLAYThe front side houses the 5,5- inch IPS LCD display (there is also a 5,2-inch Mini version) with LTPS manufacturing technology (Low Temperature Poly Silicon) and FullHD 1920 x 1080 resolution (480 dpi). It鈥檚 slightly curved but not so much as you would expect and it鈥檚 protected by 2,5 D glass. Curved keyword just sells and Elephone decided to just copy the Samsung Edge , but without the finesse. The reality is simply cruel. The display has nice vivid colors, no visible pixels and has everything a customer might want except the real curving. Yes, there is slight curving at the edges but it鈥檚 so minor that you can鈥檛 be sure whether it鈥檚 there until you look closer. There is also a problem when you look at the edge under a different angle than 90 degrees because it turns a bit greyish right where they bend (unfortunately it鈥檚 not much visible at the pictures). You can adjust the colors thanks the MiraVision technology even though I don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 so necessary. I should also mention that the brightness level range is extremely underwhelming. In a subjective comparison with my old Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 the match in luminosity is roughly as following:– Elephone S7 on 0% and Xiaomi on 15%– Elephone S7 on 100% and Xiaomi on 90%PERFORMANCESmooth performance is managed by the deca-core Mediatek processor Helio X20 (MTK6797M) and with the graphic chip Mali-T880 its has enough power to even appeal to gamers. In the Antutu test S7 scored about 76 569 points which is certainly a solid result. To get a good Antutu result you need more than just powerful processor and GPU and while there are lower spec versions of Elephone S7 (e.g. 2GB RAM + 16 GB ROM) our model had a hefty 4 GB RAM and a 64 GB of internal storage (up to 50 GB of free space), which can be extended by microSD card.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on Telegram But enough of boring synthetic tests, time for some real world game and app tests. My experience with both is pretty positive and the phone proved it can handle almost anything with ease.. I played NBA LIVE mobile Basketball, Gear Club, Asphalt extreme and Gangster Vegas to my full satisfaction.SYSTEMAre you expecting a clean Android build ? Well here it is present with a few extra programs, without any bloatware apps and a smooth OTA update setup. I received the device with the pre-installed Android 6.0 version and right after I connected to the WiFi it notified me of an update already waiting to be installed. So it鈥檚 clear then that Elephone are trying their best to take care about the updated properly. Not much else to be said about the system, everything felt fluid and lag-free, without any crashes or instability. FINGERPRINT SCANNERI have to say I was pretty pleased with the fingeprint scanner integrated into the Home button. The scanner boasts about 0,1 second unlock speed, but in reality, it is surely slower but still fairly above the average. Recognition can be sometimes refusing to register your finger, but that鈥檚 just normal for more or less any scanner and just trying the finger again will solve it. The button also doubles as Home function button as mentioned before and the third feature is activated by mechanical pressing for waking up the phone and long-pressing gets you the ist of apps running in the background. You can store up to 5 fingeprints and you can also set it for unlocking individual apps for better security.BATTERY LIFEElephone S7 has a non-replaceable battery with 3000 mAh capacity and it performed just about as I expected. Let鈥檚 not be greedy so let鈥檚 forget about full two days of usage right away. The actual battery life is the usual day and half of normal usage when you are not torturing the phone with too many extra tasks and especially heavy gaming.CONNECTIVITY, CALLS, GPS AND LTEAs mentioned before the phone has a hybrid slot for either two SIM cards or one SIM paired with a microSD card. Supported LTE bands are 1/3/7/20 so for those unfortunate needing the band 8 it鈥檚 a bummer. Turbo download feature can speed up a bit the downloading if you boost it up with simultanous usage of WiFi and 4G together. Signal sensitivity and call quality both turned out to be satisfying so really no complaints there, in fact a shout out to the proximity sensor working fast and flawless. Elephone S7 supports dual band Wi-Fi a/b/g/n so had also no problems with connection, everything just worked fine and trouble free. GPS worked pretty great too, it supports A-GPS and GLONASS and first lock was established in about twenty seconds with subsequent attempts in under five seconds. The FM Radio is a pleasant bonus and of course it works only with headphones attached.CAMERAThe front selfie camera has 5 Mpix resolution and f/2,4 aperture so don鈥檛 expect anything magical, but for Facebook shots it would do just fine. The rear camera should be theoretically a different animal with 13 Mpix resolution,automatic focus ,dual LED flash and f/2.2 aperture, but still not anything impressive. The maximum possible resolution offered was even 15 Mpix so there is some sort of software interpolation present too. And the picture quality ? Well nothing groundbreaking with proper light the results can be pretty good, just check the pictures around. One of them is also taken with maximum zoom to showcase that. The camera has a continual focus feature on a chosen object but still the automatic setting is not so reliable and you will always get better results manually. Like me with the following two pics where you can compare the automatic fast snapshot with a manual focus with firmer grip and everything. As for the HDR setting i haven鈥檛 notice much of a difference using it as you can see in the following pics, but maybe it would just need some more extensive testing. At least the selfie function 鈥淰鈥 finger function can be pretty handy, the camera will instantly recognize it and takes the shot in just 3 seconds.Video settings are a bit too basic and even though S7 can theoretically shoot 1080p videos the resulting video in the 鈥渉ighest鈥 selectable quality is really nothing so special, just see for yourself below.CONCLUSIONIf you take into the account the retail price of Elephone S7, which is currently $229 and put it against the hardware inside (Helio X20, 4 GB RAM+64 GB ROM) and appealing design then you are getting your money鈥檚 worth. The phone looks gorgeous and even though the whole 鈥渃urved鈥 feature is a bit overplayed still it feels nice. It鈥檚 a bit heavier than the similar sized phones, but that鈥檚 due to the solid metal body. On the other hand it鈥檚 also smaller than other comparables thanks to very thin bezels and solid dimensions. Camera performance is mediocre, but with some skill you will get decent results too. Elephone certainly can feel proud about the S7 model and it can be a very good option in the midrange segment.

If you follow our web daily then Elephone S7 is surely not a surprising name for you. It鈥檚 a design focused phone and the manufacturer is trying to present it as just that. The brand is of course well established at the market so customer already has some idea about what to expect and the S7 will deliver. Unfortunately the hyped curved display has no real function and it鈥檚 there just for show. It鈥檚 definitely not a reason to buy this device just because of that.SPECIFICATIONS鈥 system: Android 6.0 Marshmallow鈥 CPU: deca-core Mediatek Helio X20鈥 GPU: Mali-T880鈥 RAM: 4 GB鈥 storage: 64 GB鈥 battery : 3000 mAh with quick-charge feature鈥 display: 5,5鈥? JDI LTPS with 2.5D glass and FullHD resolution鈥 rear camera 13 MPix, f/2.2, double tone LED flash鈥 front camera 5,0 MPix鈥 LTE: 800/1800/2100/2600 MHz鈥 WIFI: 802.11 a/b/g/n 2,4 GHz/5 GHz鈥 Bluetooth: 4.0鈥 material: Aluminum (frame)鈥 colors: blue/black/green/gold鈥 featureso Fingerprint scanner (at the front!)o Dual SIM – hybrid sloto FM Radioo OTGPACKAGING AND UNBOXINGWhen I saw the box for the first time I though I鈥檇 be making a review of an older model from Xiaomi, because Elephone used the same 鈥渃olor鈥 of cardboard like Xiaomi once did. In order to make it clear they added a big letters spelling Elephone S7 and the company logo. There is nothing more to it so let鈥檚 move to the content inside. First to greet you upon opening is the phone itself lying in a plastic cradle and while it鈥檚 not a luxurious packaging with extra accesories still there is a screen protector and a silicon protective case hiding below it. And in two smaller compartments a charger and a charging cable too. The phone weighs 148 g and its dimensions are 150,4 x 73,2 x 7,6 mm. In comparison with Xiaomi Redmi Note 2, which I have at home, this phone is looks thinner and fits better in hand. Overall it looks smaller than the 鈥渦sual鈥 5,5-inch phones.DESIGN AND BUILDElephone S7 has a metal frame manufactured using CNC technology but a bit unfortunately . Side edges have a trapezoid shape so when you place it on a table your fingers slide on the edge itself. If you are not a girl with long nail that is. Side bezels around the display are minimal so it accentuates the curved display effect and the top and bottom bezels are fairly thin as well. There is only one hardware button in the front and i can鈥檛 tell if Elephone got inspired by Meizu or anything, but this button functions the same with Home, Context Menu and Back features attached to it. And also a fingerprint scanner integrated into it. Unfortunately I soon discovered that the button clicks and wobbles a bit, it doesn鈥檛 fit precisely and ruins the whole impression of the not-so-bad build so far . Above the display is a front camera lens, speaker and a proximity sensor. The back of S7 is well known from the renders leaked to the public. Yes, it changes colors and helps the whole premium impression, but it鈥檚 also a fingerprint and smudges catcher. But the surface is sort of 鈥渟ticky鈥 so the phone doesn鈥檛 slip in hand. Sadly the back cover doesn鈥檛 extend fully to the edges so the metal frame is visible and you can use it for grinding your nails because it鈥檚 about a millimeter thicker than the cover. And of course I managed to scratch it in just a few days. At the chin, there are solid- playing speaker grilles with a microphone and a USB type C port in between. Right edge contains the power button and the volume cradle, the buttons are easy to find, work perfectly and are well built into the aluminum frame. On the left edge there is a hybrid slot for either two microSIM cards or one microSIM card and one memory card (up to 128 GB capacity). The top edge houses an antenna and a 3,5 mm jack which is for some reason slightly moved a bit deeper than usual. The overall unibody construction feels solid, no bending or creaking bend and fits in hand well.DISPLAYThe front side houses the 5,5- inch IPS LCD display (there is also a 5,2-inch Mini version) with LTPS manufacturing technology (Low Temperature Poly Silicon) and FullHD 1920 x 1080 resolution (480 dpi). It鈥檚 slightly curved but not so much as you would expect and it鈥檚 protected by 2,5 D glass. Curved keyword just sells and Elephone decided to just copy the Samsung Edge , but without the finesse. The reality is simply cruel. The display has nice vivid colors, no visible pixels and has everything a customer might want except the real curving. Yes, there is slight curving at the edges but it鈥檚 so minor that you can鈥檛 be sure whether it鈥檚 there until you look closer. There is also a problem when you look at the edge under a different angle than 90 degrees because it turns a bit greyish right where they bend (unfortunately it鈥檚 not much visible at the pictures). You can adjust the colors thanks the MiraVision technology even though I don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 so necessary. I should also mention that the brightness level range is extremely underwhelming. In a subjective comparison with my old Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 the match in luminosity is roughly as following:– Elephone S7 on 0% and Xiaomi on 15%– Elephone S7 on 100% and Xiaomi on 90%PERFORMANCESmooth performance is managed by the deca-core Mediatek processor Helio X20 (MTK6797M) and with the graphic chip Mali-T880 its has enough power to even appeal to gamers. In the Antutu test S7 scored about 76 569 points which is certainly a solid result. To get a good Antutu result you need more than just powerful processor and GPU and while there are lower spec versions of Elephone S7 (e.g. 2GB RAM + 16 GB ROM) our model had a hefty 4 GB RAM and a 64 GB of internal storage (up to 50 GB of free space), which can be extended by microSD card.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on Telegram But enough of boring synthetic tests, time for some real world game and app tests. My experience with both is pretty positive and the phone proved it can handle almost anything with ease.. I played NBA LIVE mobile Basketball, Gear Club, Asphalt extreme and Gangster Vegas to my full satisfaction.SYSTEMAre you expecting a clean Android build ? Well here it is present with a few extra programs, without any bloatware apps and a smooth OTA update setup. I received the device with the pre-installed Android 6.0 version and right after I connected to the WiFi it notified me of an update already waiting to be installed. So it鈥檚 clear then that Elephone are trying their best to take care about the updated properly. Not much else to be said about the system, everything felt fluid and lag-free, without any crashes or instability. FINGERPRINT SCANNERI have to say I was pretty pleased with the fingeprint scanner integrated into the Home button. The scanner boasts about 0,1 second unlock speed, but in reality, it is surely slower but still fairly above the average. Recognition can be sometimes refusing to register your finger, but that鈥檚 just normal for more or less any scanner and just trying the finger again will solve it. The button also doubles as Home function button as mentioned before and the third feature is activated by mechanical pressing for waking up the phone and long-pressing gets you the ist of apps running in the background. You can store up to 5 fingeprints and you can also set it for unlocking individual apps for better security.BATTERY LIFEElephone S7 has a non-replaceable battery with 3000 mAh capacity and it performed just about as I expected. Let鈥檚 not be greedy so let鈥檚 forget about full two days of usage right away. The actual battery life is the usual day and half of normal usage when you are not torturing the phone with too many extra tasks and especially heavy gaming.CONNECTIVITY, CALLS, GPS AND LTEAs mentioned before the phone has a hybrid slot for either two SIM cards or one SIM paired with a microSD card. Supported LTE bands are 1/3/7/20 so for those unfortunate needing the band 8 it鈥檚 a bummer. Turbo download feature can speed up a bit the downloading if you boost it up with simultanous usage of WiFi and 4G together. Signal sensitivity and call quality both turned out to be satisfying so really no complaints there, in fact a shout out to the proximity sensor working fast and flawless. Elephone S7 supports dual band Wi-Fi a/b/g/n so had also no problems with connection, everything just worked fine and trouble free. GPS worked pretty great too, it supports A-GPS and GLONASS and first lock was established in about twenty seconds with subsequent attempts in under five seconds. The FM Radio is a pleasant bonus and of course it works only with headphones attached.CAMERAThe front selfie camera has 5 Mpix resolution and f/2,4 aperture so don鈥檛 expect anything magical, but for Facebook shots it would do just fine. The rear camera should be theoretically a different animal with 13 Mpix resolution,automatic focus ,dual LED flash and f/2.2 aperture, but still not anything impressive. The maximum possible resolution offered was even 15 Mpix so there is some sort of software interpolation present too. And the picture quality ? Well nothing groundbreaking with proper light the results can be pretty good, just check the pictures around. One of them is also taken with maximum zoom to showcase that. The camera has a continual focus feature on a chosen object but still the automatic setting is not so reliable and you will always get better results manually. Like me with the following two pics where you can compare the automatic fast snapshot with a manual focus with firmer grip and everything. As for the HDR setting i haven鈥檛 notice much of a difference using it as you can see in the following pics, but maybe it would just need some more extensive testing. At least the selfie function 鈥淰鈥 finger function can be pretty handy, the camera will instantly recognize it and takes the shot in just 3 seconds.Video settings are a bit too basic and even though S7 can theoretically shoot 1080p videos the resulting video in the 鈥渉ighest鈥 selectable quality is really nothing so special, just see for yourself below.CONCLUSIONIf you take into the account the retail price of Elephone S7, which is currently $229 and put it against the hardware inside (Helio X20, 4 GB RAM+64 GB ROM) and appealing design then you are getting your money鈥檚 worth. The phone looks gorgeous and even though the whole 鈥渃urved鈥 feature is a bit overplayed still it feels nice. It鈥檚 a bit heavier than the similar sized phones, but that鈥檚 due to the solid metal body. On the other hand it鈥檚 also smaller than other comparables thanks to very thin bezels and solid dimensions. Camera performance is mediocre, but with some skill you will get decent results too. Elephone certainly can feel proud about the S7 model and it can be a very good option in the midrange segment.A few days ago Meizu released global beta version of their newest mobile system. Flyme OS 6 were sent to the closed group of beta testers and I have pleasure to be one of them. I’ve been using this system for 5 days already on my Meizu Pro 6 and I want to share my impression with you.Bugs in Flyme OS 6.6.12.30This is the first beta of Flyme OS 6 Global so I knew from the begining, that it will be full of bugs. At the first glance we can find that developers didn’t implement everything that should to be in system. The biggest bug already found is lack of lock screen (you just can’t lock screen). But developers announced that in next two days there should be update with this particular bug fixed. Also devs didn’t implemented new version of Weather, Pedometer and Themes Application. There are also some minor bugs, that should be fixed in future updates. New designFlyme OS was redesigned. Now it is more colorful than previous versions. I would say it is more pleasing to the eye. Flyme OS 5 was good, but in my opinion it was very “boring” and grey. Now developers added more fancy animations (that doesn’t affect the speed of firmware, it’s great) and implemented new icons, i.e. in settings. I heared few comments, that Flyme OS 6 now looks more like MIUI, because of new font and colorful icons.Changes touched also system applications that received new design. Settings have coloured icons in the list and was a bit rearranged to allow easier navigation. Clock in World Time view display selected place on the map. Camera app now is looking like developers took it straight from iOS.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on Telegram Other very visible design change is new task manager, that also looks a bit like iOS one. In new version recent applications can be browsed horizontally (in Flyme OS 5 it was vertically) and “close all” button is now on below of the screen. Additionally when we swipe app to the top we can kill it, but when we swipe it to bottom we have 3 options to chose – make private (it won’t be visible for guests and be blurred), open as multiple window app or lock it (task manager won’t kill it). Besides from changes above there are added about 400 new animations, that makes user experience of Flyme OS better than ever.Implemented suggestions and fixed bugsFlyme OS developers added in new firmware many suggestions collected from users. There is better toggle management in notifications panel and volume control is changed to be better in use. In Flyme OS 6 new notification inbox appeared, that contains common notifications so they don’t disturb us anymore.Developers also fixed the most important bug that was in Flyme OS for over 1 year – problem with notifications. Now all apps are sending push notifications without delays. Meizu made a step forward

The trend of phone upsizing hasn鈥檛 slowed down much and Doogee has pushed that trend as far as it will go with the new Doogee Y6 Max, a 6.5鈥 phone. This phone dwarfs the Nexus 6P and the Note 7 and even the Bluboo Maya Max with its 6鈥 screen.There is also another edition of the Y6 Max that supports glassless 3D but that one is not released yet. This Y6 Max doesn鈥檛 boast incredible specs but neither is it low end. It utilizes the MTK6750T, 3GB of RAM and fills the 6.5鈥 screen with a full HD resolution. It鈥檚 also fairly cheap, starting at $150 with flash sales bringing it down to $120 on occasion.In order for this to be a hot product, Doogee has to create a compelling package, but even if it does, $150 isn鈥檛 a great price for specs like these when you have the Redmi 4/4A. But then again, the Y6 Max is aimed at a different market, specifically those looking for something almost comically huge. So first, Doogee has to succeed in creating a good phone before we even talk about price. Let鈥檚 see if they do.“So massive it’s crazy”Doogee Y6 Max SpecificationsProcessorMediatek MT6750 OctacoreDisplay6.5鈥 1920 x 1080 px, IPS LCDRAM3GBStorage32GBOperating SystemAndroid 6.0Cameras13MP + 5MP CameraBattery4300mAhPhysical Properties255g, 17.30 x 8.90 x 0.90 cmBig thanks to Gearbest for providing this review unit. I used the Doogee Y6 Max on Fido in Toronto.Doogee Y6 Max HardwareI think the term 鈥渟mall tablet鈥 describes this phone better than 鈥渕assive phablet鈥? I can鈥檛 even use this device properly as a phone even with both hands. I almost dropped it multiple times while walking and I even dropped it on my face while using it in bed as well.Massive size aside, the phone itself is pretty compact. Sure it might not be bezelless Mi Mix style, but with an 84% screen to body ratio, its keeps the bezels to an acceptable level. There is a tiny black bar around the display but its quite small and unobtrusive. The phone is thick at around 9mm but that is helped by the curved back.The backplate is made out of metal with plastic strips on the top and bottom to help with reception and the fingerprint sensor below the camera. I find it incredible hard to reach because of how big the phone is so a front facing sensor might have been a better option. Other than that I have no complaints about the build quality, it is metal, it feels high quality but it is so massive.“small for its size….”Doogee Y6 Max DisplayWe have a 1080p resolution on a 6.5″ display, and I know many of you will want at least a 2K resolution, however 1080p is still more than good enough for a screen size like this. 聽Max brightness is OK, topping out at around 400 nits which means you鈥檒l have difficulty seeing it in direct sunlight.Everywhere else and the screen performs just fine. There is no protective glass on the screen either.Doogee Y6 Max AudioWe have two sets of speaker grilles flanking the USB-C port and it produces some very decent sound. Audio volume is definitely not the loudest, there are devices out there that top it in terms of volume but it does聽produce more than enough for pretty much anyone.The quality is聽actually below average with distortion at max volume (yes, volume booster was turned off) and there is a significant lack of bass as well. Check out the video review below for the audio test.Doogee Y6 Max BatteryA 4300mAh battery is nothing to sneeze at and should provide even the heaviest of users with one day of battery life without issue. The Y6 Max definitely delivers, providing battery life slightly above the Bluboo Maya Max and on par with the Redmi 3. I was able to get 6 hours of screen on time with about 15% battery left at the end of the day.This was a mix of light and heavy usage, gaming, photo taking, reddit and web browsing. I was definitely expecting worse battery life out of this because of the huge 6.5鈥 screen but Doogee did a great job putting in a big battery and optimizing properly. I hail phones that get battery life like this as the best battery life possible in a normal sized phone (e.g. no Oukitel K10,000) but I can鈥檛 for two reasons.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramFirst, this phone is the definition of “not a normal sized phone”, and second the Redmi 4 Prime currently holds the crown and will only be toppled by another Snapdragon 625 toting phone. Still though, getting half the battery life of a Redmi 4 Prime is no easy feat.“great battery life”Doogee Y6 Max SoftwareDoogee slightly customizes the look of the software so that it doesn鈥檛 look like stock Android but doesn鈥檛 interfere much with anything else. Android 6.0 Marshmallow runs quite well on this device and apart from the light Doogee skin, everything else is stock.The fingerprint scanner on the back is accurate and fast, but doesn鈥檛 destroy in either department. Accuracy is absolutely key in this device as its hard to reach meaning that your fingers are almost always never in a prime position for unlocking. Performance is very decent as well, pairing the MTK6750 with 3GB of RAM meaning that multi-tasking is good (but not great) and general performance is very zippy as well.The MTK6750 performs quite well in gaming; you can play even intense games on the MTK6750 and 3GB of RAM. You can get some decent framerates in games like NOVA and has no trouble playing less intense games such as Rovio’s new Candy Crush style game. It gets a rather average Antutu score of about 44,000 as well.Doogee Y6 Max ConnectivityI was still able to get strong 3G and LTE connections here in Canada, but pay extra close attention to the network bands and make sure it works on your carrier.WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS all work well, GPS lags a little behind my Snapdragon 820 Z2 Plus, but nothing huge. There is a microSD card slot that supports microSD cards up to 128GB as well.Doogee Y6 Max CameraI was surprised by the quality of the camera, however I have to issue a slight correction to the video, I only noticed it after uploading that while the words coming out of my mouth theoretically agrees with the text review, the tone definitely implies that I was very impressed by the camera.To be clear, I am most definitely not very impressed, just pleasantly surprised that the camera quality wasn’t terrible. Photos are decent in great lighting conditions but take a nosedive in bad lighting conditions as you can see in the samples below.聽The front facing 5MP camera struggles with detail due to the low megapixel count and performs adequately.The 1080p video is quite decent,聽capturing detailed video albeit slightly washed out, and with 4K cameras becoming more and more prevalent, 1080p just doesn’t impress anymore. Doogee Y6 Max VerdictThere isn’t a lot of competition in the phablet space, especially when you talk about phablets larger than 6″. You have the Bluboo Maya Max which tops out at 6″ and a couple of other Leagoo devices, but not much else here. There is the PPTV King which uses the Helio X10 processor but it uses a much smaller battery (and a 2K screen) and thus in my opinion is merely a runner up to this or the Bluboo Maya Max. What’s the use of a more powerful processor and a higher resolution screen if it dies quickly?The Doogee Y6 Max is not perfect. Its not the fastest, it doesn’t have the most RAM (ahem looking at you UMi Plus E) and the camera is definitely not the best either. However, the Doogee Y6 Max is currently the best large budget phablet you can buy, barely edging out the Bluboo Maya Max. Going into 2017, you won’t find something else with a better price/performance ratio than the Doogee Y6 Max.I would like to thank Gearbest for sending out this review unit, and if you would like to buy one, you can do so here.“the best large budget phablet so far”Doogee Y6 Max Video ReviewThe Vernee Apollo being鑱絘 much awaited device and the Chinese manufacturer’s first real flagship smartphone, I thought I’d give you guys my first impressions on the phone. With the full in-depth review coming in the following weeks!But before that, let’s recap the main specs of the smartphone!Vernee Apollo: SpecificationsProcessorMediaTek Helio X25 (MT6797T)Display5.5閳 1440 x 2560 px, LCD IPS Sharp IGZORAM4GBStorage64GBOperating SystemAndroid 6.0Cameras21MP + 8MP CameraBattery3180mAhPhysical Properties188g, 75.6 mm x 152.0 mm x 9.3 mmThe Apollo costs around the $290 mark for now.Vernee Apollo:鑱経nboxingWhat you see once you open the box is quite unusual. The phone is indeed strapped onto the VR headset, this is both to save space and more so to remind you of the VR capabilities of this smartphone thanks to its 2K resolution display.The鑱絧hone comes with an already applied screen protector which might be made of tempered glass, but it’s hard to say without removing it so take that with a grain of salt. Inside the box you find the VR box, a SIM removal pin, a 9V 2A USB charger and a USB Type-C charging cable that is a bit thicker than needed and somewhat hard to plug-in.Here’s the unfolded VR box!Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramVernee Apollo:鑱紿ands OnThe Vernee Apollo feels amazing in hands; the aluminum body鑱絝eels premium and solid. I really like its design, although the camera protrudes quite a bit, it’s still protected by a very thin metal lip.As many other phones with such all-metal build, the device is relatively heavy.鑱紹ecause of that I also wish they had included a case, not being super easy to handle makes me worry I could drop it pretty much all the time.The 2K 1440 x 2560px LCD IPS Sharp IGZO鑱絛isplay is also stunning, everything is sharp and it鑱絩eally does look better than a Full HD screen, now I’m not sure 100% if it’s because of the resolution, the high quality panel or it’s just my mind telling me it MUST look better. That said, the display isn’t super bright but still usable outdoors.Vernee Apollo: First ImpressionsI’m really liking the phone so far, it’s maybe a little bit heavier than what I prefer but it’s a good trade off for the amazing build quality the Apollo has. Boasting a MediaTek Helio X25 the handset is also really fast and apps open up quickly. I’ll see you back (hopefully) in the following weeks for the in-depth review of the phone.

The Vernee Apollo being鑱絘 much awaited device and the Chinese manufacturer’s first real flagship smartphone, I thought I’d give you guys my first impressions on the phone. With the full in-depth review coming in the following weeks!But before that, let’s recap the main specs of the smartphone!Vernee Apollo: SpecificationsProcessorMediaTek Helio X25 (MT6797T)Display5.5閳 1440 x 2560 px, LCD IPS Sharp IGZORAM4GBStorage64GBOperating SystemAndroid 6.0Cameras21MP + 8MP CameraBattery3180mAhPhysical Properties188g, 75.6 mm x 152.0 mm x 9.3 mmThe Apollo costs around the $290 mark for now.Vernee Apollo:鑱経nboxingWhat you see once you open the box is quite unusual. The phone is indeed strapped onto the VR headset, this is both to save space and more so to remind you of the VR capabilities of this smartphone thanks to its 2K resolution display.The鑱絧hone comes with an already applied screen protector which might be made of tempered glass, but it’s hard to say without removing it so take that with a grain of salt. Inside the box you find the VR box, a SIM removal pin, a 9V 2A USB charger and a USB Type-C charging cable that is a bit thicker than needed and somewhat hard to plug-in.Here’s the unfolded VR box!Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramVernee Apollo:鑱紿ands OnThe Vernee Apollo feels amazing in hands; the aluminum body鑱絝eels premium and solid. I really like its design, although the camera protrudes quite a bit, it’s still protected by a very thin metal lip.As many other phones with such all-metal build, the device is relatively heavy.鑱紹ecause of that I also wish they had included a case, not being super easy to handle makes me worry I could drop it pretty much all the time.The 2K 1440 x 2560px LCD IPS Sharp IGZO鑱絛isplay is also stunning, everything is sharp and it鑱絩eally does look better than a Full HD screen, now I’m not sure 100% if it’s because of the resolution, the high quality panel or it’s just my mind telling me it MUST look better. That said, the display isn’t super bright but still usable outdoors.Vernee Apollo: First ImpressionsI’m really liking the phone so far, it’s maybe a little bit heavier than what I prefer but it’s a good trade off for the amazing build quality the Apollo has. Boasting a MediaTek Helio X25 the handset is also really fast and apps open up quickly. I’ll see you back (hopefully) in the following weeks for the in-depth review of the phone.I just received the Oukitel U20 Plus which has a dual camera as the main selling point. However, it uses a 13MP main camera and a 0.3MP secondary camera, which I’m not sure how effective it would be. It is touted as a “bokeh adder”, adding a nice bokeh effect only seen in DSLRs. The rest of the phone is rather ordinary for low end/budget phones, the dreaded MTK6737, 2GB of RAM, and a 3300mAh battery. Let’s get on with the unboxing.Oukitel U20 Plus SpecificationsProcessorMediatek MTK6737 Quad CoreDisplay5.5″ 1920x1080px, IPS LCDRAM2GBStorage16GBOperating SystemAndroid 6.0Cameras13MP/0.3MP + 5MP CameraBattery3300mAhPhysical Properties255g, 17.30 x 8.90 x 0.90 cmOukitel U20 Plus鑱経nboxingThe box is an ordinary box but it does look nicer than normal phone boxes (at least the budget ones). Opening up the box yields my gray U20 Plus wrapped in plastic and the rest of the accessories.Oukitel U20 Plus Hands OnThe entire phone felt cold as it was outside in below freezing weather, but once it warmed up, it was pretty obvious that the body wasn’t metal but plastic. It feels pretty big, I’m not sure if its because I’m moving from a 5″ phone or it is actually a large device.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramThe phone is pretty thick as well but the edges are rounded so that does help a little bit.Turning the phone on and we are greeted with the Oukitel Logo and after setting it up I immediately set it up, more on that later.Oukitel U20 Plus鑱紺ameraI immediately tried out the camera, and see a couple of comparison shots below. This first one below is without HDR and with the dual camera turned off. It’s actually pretty decent but this is under studio lighting conditions which are slightly worse than bright sunlight.Below is with HDR on, you can see the exposure get a lot better, focus on the words inside the lens and it will be a lot easier to see.The picture below is with dual camera mode turned on (called SLR). You can see the “Lumix” on the side of the camera is blurred out, e.g. there’s bokeh.鑱紸s you can see, these pictures are very impressive for such a cheap camera, I’ll be taking a lot more comparison shots for the review.Oukitel U20 Plus First Impressions

The audio and sound industry has been booming as of late. Quality manufacturers like Audio Technica and Sennheiser have begun to receive more respect and recognition, while companies Apple and Xiaomi start to up their audio game, at least to a degree. More people are even starting to see Beats for the overpriced marketing jargon it is.While headphones and IEM (In-ear monitors, like the Mi Pistons) have been thriving, earbuds have begun dying out. The only real competitor in the earbud game is Apple, and it’s easy to see why. IEM’s are simple superior in many ways like noise isolation and comfort. And as for Apple, they don’t need to prove anything because anything they make will still sell.That was true, at least until a friend introduced me to Venture Electronics and their line of earbuds. The Shenyang based company has been making earbuds for a while now, to rave reviews. And their most popular products were the VE MONKs, a pair of super cheap $5 earbuds.I was intrigued, but for whatever reason I neglected buying a pair, at least until they announced the VE MONK Plus recently. With this, I purchased a pair from a local retailer, out of pure curiosity. Surely, a $5 pair of earbuds couldn’t sound all that good? VE MONK Plus: UnboxingThe Venture Electronics MONK Pluses come in extremely simple packaging, and it’s the first time I’ve genuinely laughed at a packaging for good reasons. You can tell these are a budget pair, but also that the company must be really proud of them.cofThere’s no box to speak of, the Monk Pluses come in a simple plastic bag, with some very funny designs on the front. Seriously, the person who designed this is a genius. At the front, we’ve got the name of the product, along with the words:“The biggest bang You’ll ever hear for your buck”.Glorious. Under that we have an image of Lee, the company’s CEO, on a magic ghost sperm looking thing. And right above his delicious face, we get another pair of fantastic quotes in:“Dare to challenge me?”Yes folks, he’s challenging you to use these earbuds. Speaking of the Lee, he’s by far one of the most outspoken, transparent and outspoken CEOs I’ve ever seen. He straight up demands honest reviews from people on his products to improve, which is refreshing.Lee is the proud guy in the middleMy unit was purchased by me, but I’d still like to highlight this because it’s really cool. There’s close to no barrier between him and his fans, as can be seen from his Reddit AMA. It’d be great to see more companies attempt to replicate this honest behavior.Continuing on with the unboxing, we’ve got even more quotable words next to the CEO. Here, we have a fine specimen of marketing done right, people. We’ve got an image of a guy falling into a hole, along with the message:Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on Telegram“More information to go deeper into the HOLE”And right under that message is their company’s website address. There are some Chinese wordings I can’t read as well, and some skull looking designs at the very bottom. Flip聽the pack over and you’ll company’s website, official stores, Facebook Group and emails. There’s also the product’s name and company logo, with the words “Keeping it Real”.sdrInside the small plastic pack, we’ve got the VE MONK Pluses themselves along with an assortment of foam earbud covers. The foam covers come in three colors, those being red, blue and black, which should ‘cover’ most consumers wants.My units are the limited Violet colored ones, and as such they’re a nice shade of purple. On the side, there’s the VE MONK branding in a pixel look, along with the R/L indicators. Honestly, at first glance they look like a simple pair of el cheapo earbuds you can find anywhere. Thankfully, the earbuds feel very well built with their plastic exteriors. They don’t feel like too cheap, though there’s also no chance someone would mistake these for an expensive pair. Of course, what I’m here for is the audio quality, so how do these $5 earphones sound like? VE MONK Plus: First ImpressionsI’ll go much more in depth in the full review, but for now you’ll just have to settle for this. These MONK Pluses are amongst the best earphones I have listened to in a long time. It’s no wonder these things are so popular, they’re ridiculously good.I’d even go further and say these sound comparable to some earphones that cost close to $300, they’re really good. And for just $5, they’re an unbelievable value for your money. Seriously, these should go on everybody’s ‘must buy’ lists.For starters, the clarity is great and natural. Mids are fantastic without a grain of muddiness which means the vocals in songs like ‘Under Pressure’ sound great. Bass isn’t as impressive as a pair of expensive IEMs, but for the price you’re not getting anything close in terms of bass quality.cofDynamic and transient is pretty good as well, quite lively and fast without ever sounding slow and lazy. Even the treble, where many other companies tend to screw up, is good on the Monks. It’s sparkly and definitely there, but never does it interfere with the mids or ruin the clarity with harshness.The audio and sound industry has been booming as of late. Quality manufacturers like Audio Technica and Sennheiser have begun to receive more respect and recognition, while companies Apple and Xiaomi start to up their audio game, at least to a degree. More people are even starting to see Beats for the overpriced marketing jargon it is.While headphones and IEM (In-ear monitors, like the Mi Pistons) have been thriving, earbuds have begun dying out. The only real competitor in the earbud game is Apple, and it’s easy to see why. IEM’s are simple superior in many ways like noise isolation and comfort. And as for Apple, they don’t need to prove anything because anything they make will still sell.That was true, at least until a friend introduced me to Venture Electronics and their line of earbuds. The Shenyang based company has been making earbuds for a while now, to rave reviews. And their most popular products were the VE MONKs, a pair of super cheap $5 earbuds.I was intrigued, but for whatever reason I neglected buying a pair, at least until they announced the VE MONK Plus recently. With this, I purchased a pair from a local retailer, out of pure curiosity. Surely, a $5 pair of earbuds couldn’t sound all that good? VE MONK Plus: UnboxingThe Venture Electronics MONK Pluses come in extremely simple packaging, and it’s the first time I’ve genuinely laughed at a packaging for good reasons. You can tell these are a budget pair, but also that the company must be really proud of them.cofThere’s no box to speak of, the Monk Pluses come in a simple plastic bag, with some very funny designs on the front. Seriously, the person who designed this is a genius. At the front, we’ve got the name of the product, along with the words:“The biggest bang You’ll ever hear for your buck”.Glorious. Under that we have an image of Lee, the company’s CEO, on a magic ghost sperm looking thing. And right above his delicious face, we get another pair of fantastic quotes in:“Dare to challenge me?”Yes folks, he’s challenging you to use these earbuds. Speaking of the Lee, he’s by far one of the most outspoken, transparent and outspoken CEOs I’ve ever seen. He straight up demands honest reviews from people on his products to improve, which is refreshing.Lee is the proud guy in the middleMy unit was purchased by me, but I’d still like to highlight this because it’s really cool. There’s close to no barrier between him and his fans, as can be seen from his Reddit AMA. It’d be great to see more companies attempt to replicate this honest behavior.Continuing on with the unboxing, we’ve got even more quotable words next to the CEO. Here, we have a fine specimen of marketing done right, people. We’ve got an image of a guy falling into a hole, along with the message:Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on Telegram“More information to go deeper into the HOLE”And right under that message is their company’s website address. There are some Chinese wordings I can’t read as well, and some skull looking designs at the very bottom. Flip聽the pack over and you’ll company’s website, official stores, Facebook Group and emails. There’s also the product’s name and company logo, with the words “Keeping it Real”.sdrInside the small plastic pack, we’ve got the VE MONK Pluses themselves along with an assortment of foam earbud covers. The foam covers come in three colors, those being red, blue and black, which should ‘cover’ most consumers wants.My units are the limited Violet colored ones, and as such they’re a nice shade of purple. On the side, there’s the VE MONK branding in a pixel look, along with the R/L indicators. Honestly, at first glance they look like a simple pair of el cheapo earbuds you can find anywhere. Thankfully, the earbuds feel very well built with their plastic exteriors. They don’t feel like too cheap, though there’s also no chance someone would mistake these for an expensive pair. Of course, what I’m here for is the audio quality, so how do these $5 earphones sound like? VE MONK Plus: First ImpressionsI’ll go much more in depth in the full review, but for now you’ll just have to settle for this. These MONK Pluses are amongst the best earphones I have listened to in a long time. It’s no wonder these things are so popular, they’re ridiculously good.I’d even go further and say these sound comparable to some earphones that cost close to $300, they’re really good. And for just $5, they’re an unbelievable value for your money. Seriously, these should go on everybody’s ‘must buy’ lists.For starters, the clarity is great and natural. Mids are fantastic without a grain of muddiness which means the vocals in songs like ‘Under Pressure’ sound great. Bass isn’t as impressive as a pair of expensive IEMs, but for the price you’re not getting anything close in terms of bass quality.cofDynamic and transient is pretty good as well, quite lively and fast without ever sounding slow and lazy. Even the treble, where many other companies tend to screw up, is good on the Monks. It’s sparkly and definitely there, but never does it interfere with the mids or ruin the clarity with harshness.I’ve been using a new phone, and I like it quite a lot! Here are my first impressions of the Nubia Z11 smartphone.Nubia launched the Z11 in China and more recently India, and availability around the globe should be becoming better in the next few months, which is good because this is a great phone that you should consider buying.I’m not ready to publish my full hands on review yet, but just wanted to give you all an idea of my impressions of the Nubia Z11 so far.The version of the Nubia Z11 which Nubia have supplied me with is the ‘standard’ model i.e this is the white gold version of the phone with “just” 4GB RAM. 4GB RAM is plenty, and Nubia have done a great job of optimisation and even the rather cool split screen feature works perfectly fine with this amount of RAM, but if you did lust for 6GB RAM there is the Black and Gold version of the phone to choose from.Back to the specs of the standard Nubia Z11. The phone comes with a Snapdragon 820 chipset and 64GB internal memory which is still good for a flagship phone and I seriously doubt anyone will know you don’t have the latest Snapdragon 821 pumping away inside.The unibody is crafted out of alloy with a fingerprint scanner on the rear, 16 megapixel main camera and dual tone flash. The main camera is a Sony IMX298 CMOS with F2.0 aperture and Sapphire glass IR filter and 6 lens stack. The front camera is an 8 megapixel F2.4 with 5 lens stack and both cameras are complimented with excellent photography features in the Nubia ROM.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramTurn the phone over and you will be graced with a 5.5-inch 1920 x 1080 display with a tough Gorilla Glass 3 screen. As you can see from these photos, this is an edge to edge display so its good to see that extra protection is there in case you drop the phone. Below the display is the main ‘Breathing’ halo that acts as a notification light and home button.The final external details are a power button and volume toggle on the right side, USB Type C, headphone jack and IR remote. You may have also noticed a SIM tray and yes there is space in there for an SD card also.Nubia ensured that they sent me the international version of the Nubia Z11 for review, so I have all Google services installed as standard, and I’m happy to report that setting this Nubia up was much easier than the last model we reviewed. I’m also happy to report that I’ve already had my first update to the phone OTA as well! This might not sound like much but for a Nubia device to get any updates is quite impressive.Speaking of updates, the Z11 runs on Android 6.0 out of the box, yet the highly customised ROM means you get a heavily featured packed ROM to play with that includes Nubia’s own edge features, and even a split screen mode that other phones won’t get until Android 7.0.So far I’ve been impressed with every aspect of the Nubia Z11. It’s a quality phone with decent hardware. It’s a joy to use and boast tons of powerful features, and performance is top notch!I’ve been using a new phone, and I like it quite a lot! Here are my first impressions of the Nubia Z11 smartphone.Nubia launched the Z11 in China and more recently India, and availability around the globe should be becoming better in the next few months, which is good because this is a great phone that you should consider buying.I’m not ready to publish my full hands on review yet, but just wanted to give you all an idea of my impressions of the Nubia Z11 so far.The version of the Nubia Z11 which Nubia have supplied me with is the ‘standard’ model i.e this is the white gold version of the phone with “just” 4GB RAM. 4GB RAM is plenty, and Nubia have done a great job of optimisation and even the rather cool split screen feature works perfectly fine with this amount of RAM, but if you did lust for 6GB RAM there is the Black and Gold version of the phone to choose from.Back to the specs of the standard Nubia Z11. The phone comes with a Snapdragon 820 chipset and 64GB internal memory which is still good for a flagship phone and I seriously doubt anyone will know you don’t have the latest Snapdragon 821 pumping away inside.The unibody is crafted out of alloy with a fingerprint scanner on the rear, 16 megapixel main camera and dual tone flash. The main camera is a Sony IMX298 CMOS with F2.0 aperture and Sapphire glass IR filter and 6 lens stack. The front camera is an 8 megapixel F2.4 with 5 lens stack and both cameras are complimented with excellent photography features in the Nubia ROM.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramTurn the phone over and you will be graced with a 5.5-inch 1920 x 1080 display with a tough Gorilla Glass 3 screen. As you can see from these photos, this is an edge to edge display so its good to see that extra protection is there in case you drop the phone. Below the display is the main ‘Breathing’ halo that acts as a notification light and home button.The final external details are a power button and volume toggle on the right side, USB Type C, headphone jack and IR remote. You may have also noticed a SIM tray and yes there is space in there for an SD card also.Nubia ensured that they sent me the international version of the Nubia Z11 for review, so I have all Google services installed as standard, and I’m happy to report that setting this Nubia up was much easier than the last model we reviewed. I’m also happy to report that I’ve already had my first update to the phone OTA as well! This might not sound like much but for a Nubia device to get any updates is quite impressive.Speaking of updates, the Z11 runs on Android 6.0 out of the box, yet the highly customised ROM means you get a heavily featured packed ROM to play with that includes Nubia’s own edge features, and even a split screen mode that other phones won’t get until Android 7.0.So far I’ve been impressed with every aspect of the Nubia Z11. It’s a quality phone with decent hardware. It’s a joy to use and boast tons of powerful features, and performance is top notch!

UMi have been around for quite a while now; right from the time MediaTek first burst on to the smartphone scene to now, when the Taiwanese fabricator makes some seriously powerful mobile SoCs.UMi make a lot of phones each year in order to keep up to grips with the market. So many that I can hardly recall most of them. One UMi phone that I did find impressive at the time of launch as the UMi Plus E. While it may not have a name you’ll remember forever (the use of a solo vowel does seem a bit odd for reasons unknown), it does feature an incredibly stylish design (much more so in person than in pictures) and certainly some power packed spec.I thus gladly accepted the offer to review this phone on GizChina, and here we are. The Plus E landed at my doorstep after taking a bit of a bashing, but that would only be the first of the two times I’d appreciate the retail packaging. I haven’t used an UMi phone in a long time now so I’m鑱絥ot really aware how their retail packages are these days. But if they’re anything like that on the Plus E, you’re in safe hands. The packaging isn’t just pleasing to the eye, it is also extremely compact and offers protection to the phone (it’s sometimes needed, as it turns out).Coming to the phone itself, I’m in two minds about it after spending an hour or so with it. Make no mistake — I’m absolutely digging the matte black (I’m a huge fan of matte black stuff) visually, but it’s a little disappointing to see the rear that’s again a bit uninspired.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on Telegram The quality of the materials used though, seems absolutely top notch. I’m yet to drop the phone (I almost did, and most certainly had a heart attack) but it looks like it’ll certainly be able to take a few of those.A couple of things that I haven’t absolutely loved:The home button has an ever so slight play in itPower button feedback is poor (seems like a QC issue because all other buttons besides the power and home seem just fine)USB Type-C port doesn’t work well with cables other than the one providedWhat I absolutely love:How it looksHow it feels in the hand (despite being slightly on the heavier side)Gorgeous displayThe peace of mind when you know your phone has 6GB RAMThis is about it for now. Come on I’ve only spent an hour with it, tops!It’s a bit on the heavier side.You will learn more about the UMi Plus E in the full review in the next couple of weeks (there’s the Mi Mix and Mi 5s Plus to get out of the way before that). Also expect to see a photo feature of the Plus E.Cubot’s Cheetah 2 is鑱絫he latest “flagship” from Chinese manufacturer based in Shenzhen, if you can call a MediaTek MT6753-powered flagship, that is. Yet the phone is not as bad as you might think, also considering how much it鑱絚osts鑱?around $150).With this in mind let’s have a deep look at the Cubot Cheetah 2, whose slogan is “Running like the cheetah, Noble like the cheetah”, whatever that means!Cubot Cheetah 2鑱絊pecificationsProcessorMediaTek MT6753 OctacoreDisplay5.5閳 1920 x 1080 px, IPS LCDRAM3GBStorage32GBOperating SystemAndroid 6.0 MarshmallowCameras13MP (16MP interpolated) Rear, 8MP (13MP interpolated) Front CameraBattery3000mAhPhysical Properties193g, 153 x 75 x 8.5鑱絤mCubot Cheetah 2 PackagingPackaging is pretty straight forward like other Cubot phones; you find the phone accompanied by a thick silicon case which appears to be able to save your phone from almost any kind of fall. Luckily I haven’t had the honor of testing that yet. Inside the box you also find a 5V – 1A charger and a USB Type C cable.There are no instruction manuals or any kind paper crap, which is probably better鑱絝or the environment.Cubot Cheetah 2 ReviewDesign & BuildI’ve been positively surprised by the Cubot Cheetah 2’s design and build quality from鑱絘 device in this price range. Yes, it’s big, kind of fat and heavy, but if you can get over that, it’s a rather good-looking and sturdy-feeling phone phone.If I compare if to my current daily driver (which is a Xiaomi Redmi Note 3),鑱絠t feels a bit more premium. Iit has narrower bezels and although it’s mostly made of plastic, still feels more solid than the Note 3, probably due to the thick metal frame.On the negative side, as I mentioned earlier, the phone is really heavy. It鑱絯eighs 195 grams (personally measured) and that’s on the brink of being too much. It also feels a bit like the center of gravity is slightly at鑱絫he top of the phone, which makes it harder to handle. And I have big hands, can’t imagine how it’ll be for鑱絧eople with smaller ones.The Cubot Cheetah also has a removable back cover so you can swap batteries. Oh wait, no you can’t! I’m not hating on it for that though, I still prefer to swap SIM or microSD card this way instead of looking for the SIM removal tool, which is a pain鑱絜very time.The rear camera protrudes a bit from the back, so it’s prone to scratches if you aren’t using a case. On the front of the phone we find two capacitive buttons (non backlit) and a physical home button with a fingerprint scanner. The home button is a bit hard to press but it doesn’t feel cheap, same goes for the volume rocker and power ON/OFF button.DisplayThe display on the Cubot Cheetah 2 is pretty amazing, it’s really bright and clear. Colors appear to be accurate and it’s perfectly visible under direct sun light as well, unlike other smartphones I own.I’m not quite sure if it’s the display itself or the screen protector it comes with, but since that’s how you’ll get it in the box, then I must say this is one of the best screens I’ve seen on a smartphone, you sure won’t be disappointed.Hardware & PerformanceThe Cubot Cheetah 2 comes with a MediaTek MT6753鑱紺PU, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage, as any smartphone in that price-range should. The octa-core CPU itself is a bit disappointing as it falls behind the more鑱絧owerful MediaTek Helio X10 (or Helio P10)鑱絯hich isn’t that much more expensive.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramDoes that interfere with the phone’s performance in any way though? Not really in daily use, in my opinion. I’m not a big smartphone gamer, I use my phone mostly for social media, Facebook, Twitter and other IM apps. I rarely ever play games and if I do it’s mostly light games, thus I don’t need a really powerful CPU/GPU for that kind of stuff.Overall the user experience is really smooth, apps open quickly and without any stutters, with 3GB of RAM multitasking is also not a problem, I can leave apps open in the background and find them鑱絠n the right place after a while. I’m very satisfied in this regard.If you care about the bare numbers, the phone scored 37553 on AnTuTu and 607 on GeekBench for single-core, 2424 for multi-core. 4G connectivity is really good, it supports band 20, which is really important over here in Europe, so I get LTE almost anywhere. Also call quality is above average and that’s not always granted with these cheaper phones.The GPS signal is rather strong, it gets a fix鑱絧retty fast and there’s a compass as well, which makes it work鑱絞reat with Google Maps and other navigational apps.The Cheetah 2 can accomodate one Micro SIM, one Nano SIM and a microSD card (up to 128GB). I would have preferred it had two Micro SIM slots but that’s a “me problem”.Battery life on the Cubot Cheetah 2 is “OK”, used to the 4000mAh on the Redmi Note 3, 3000mAh feel a bit tight but they’re still enough to get you through the day. What I think is a slightly bigger problem is the charging speed, it gets only up to 5V – 1A, which is relatively slow nowadays. Even if you use鑱絟igher wattage chargers, the phone still limits it to 5V – 1A, probably good for safety, not that much for saving time.The fingerprint scanner is accurate and I’d give it a ~95% success rate, I also like the fact that you don’t have to fully press the home button to unlock the phone, simply laying a finger on it will do the job.Cubot Cheetah 2 Camera & PhotosThe camera on the Cubot Cheetah 2 is better than what I expected. It produces sharp photos, and the white balance is on point. The camera app also loads quickly and shots don’t have any unusual delay. It appears as the camera software has been optimized up to a good level, which has usually been the case with most Cubot devices.The only real problem with the camera is lens鑱絝lare, while that might look good on some kind of artistic photos, it’s not something you want when you’re shooting group photos or whatever else. Sadly this can’t be fixed in software so you’ll have to live with that.Dynamic range is not amazing, but I wouldn’t expect it to be on a mid-range phone. The front facing camera is also alright and it’ll do the job.Either way, here you can have a look for yourself鑱絘t some photos I shot: Without HDR With HDR Panorama Mode Without HDR With HDR Cubot Cheetah 2 Gallery Cubot Cheetah 2 ReviewConclusionComing with 3GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage and a $140+ price tag, the Cubot Cheetah 2 falls in the mid-range category鑱絯hich is now over-populated with dozens of fearless competitors. One of鑱絯hich is the Xiaomi Redmi 3, that packs a more powerful CPU, bigger battery and sells at around the same price.So, why should you buy this phone you may ask? I honestly don’t have a definitive answer but it doesn’t mean this phone is worthless. I would consider getting this phone for the amazing display (the Redmi Note 3 is far behind), a relatively good camera (also compared to the Note 3) and the presence of USB Type C, not yet available on most phones.There’s also the home fingerprint scanner “front vs rear” argument, but that’s up to personal choice. Although鑱絀 must say it really comes in handy when you place your phone on a desk/table and you can unlock it by simply laying a finger on it; a real time saver.

Cubot’s Cheetah 2 is鑱絫he latest “flagship” from Chinese manufacturer based in Shenzhen, if you can call a MediaTek MT6753-powered flagship, that is. Yet the phone is not as bad as you might think, also considering how much it鑱絚osts鑱?around $150).With this in mind let’s have a deep look at the Cubot Cheetah 2, whose slogan is “Running like the cheetah, Noble like the cheetah”, whatever that means!Cubot Cheetah 2鑱絊pecificationsProcessorMediaTek MT6753 OctacoreDisplay5.5閳 1920 x 1080 px, IPS LCDRAM3GBStorage32GBOperating SystemAndroid 6.0 MarshmallowCameras13MP (16MP interpolated) Rear, 8MP (13MP interpolated) Front CameraBattery3000mAhPhysical Properties193g, 153 x 75 x 8.5鑱絤mCubot Cheetah 2 PackagingPackaging is pretty straight forward like other Cubot phones; you find the phone accompanied by a thick silicon case which appears to be able to save your phone from almost any kind of fall. Luckily I haven’t had the honor of testing that yet. Inside the box you also find a 5V – 1A charger and a USB Type C cable.There are no instruction manuals or any kind paper crap, which is probably better鑱絝or the environment.Cubot Cheetah 2 ReviewDesign & BuildI’ve been positively surprised by the Cubot Cheetah 2’s design and build quality from鑱絘 device in this price range. Yes, it’s big, kind of fat and heavy, but if you can get over that, it’s a rather good-looking and sturdy-feeling phone phone.If I compare if to my current daily driver (which is a Xiaomi Redmi Note 3),鑱絠t feels a bit more premium. Iit has narrower bezels and although it’s mostly made of plastic, still feels more solid than the Note 3, probably due to the thick metal frame.On the negative side, as I mentioned earlier, the phone is really heavy. It鑱絯eighs 195 grams (personally measured) and that’s on the brink of being too much. It also feels a bit like the center of gravity is slightly at鑱絫he top of the phone, which makes it harder to handle. And I have big hands, can’t imagine how it’ll be for鑱絧eople with smaller ones.The Cubot Cheetah also has a removable back cover so you can swap batteries. Oh wait, no you can’t! I’m not hating on it for that though, I still prefer to swap SIM or microSD card this way instead of looking for the SIM removal tool, which is a pain鑱絜very time.The rear camera protrudes a bit from the back, so it’s prone to scratches if you aren’t using a case. On the front of the phone we find two capacitive buttons (non backlit) and a physical home button with a fingerprint scanner. The home button is a bit hard to press but it doesn’t feel cheap, same goes for the volume rocker and power ON/OFF button.DisplayThe display on the Cubot Cheetah 2 is pretty amazing, it’s really bright and clear. Colors appear to be accurate and it’s perfectly visible under direct sun light as well, unlike other smartphones I own.I’m not quite sure if it’s the display itself or the screen protector it comes with, but since that’s how you’ll get it in the box, then I must say this is one of the best screens I’ve seen on a smartphone, you sure won’t be disappointed.Hardware & PerformanceThe Cubot Cheetah 2 comes with a MediaTek MT6753鑱紺PU, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage, as any smartphone in that price-range should. The octa-core CPU itself is a bit disappointing as it falls behind the more鑱絧owerful MediaTek Helio X10 (or Helio P10)鑱絯hich isn’t that much more expensive.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramDoes that interfere with the phone’s performance in any way though? Not really in daily use, in my opinion. I’m not a big smartphone gamer, I use my phone mostly for social media, Facebook, Twitter and other IM apps. I rarely ever play games and if I do it’s mostly light games, thus I don’t need a really powerful CPU/GPU for that kind of stuff.Overall the user experience is really smooth, apps open quickly and without any stutters, with 3GB of RAM multitasking is also not a problem, I can leave apps open in the background and find them鑱絠n the right place after a while. I’m very satisfied in this regard.If you care about the bare numbers, the phone scored 37553 on AnTuTu and 607 on GeekBench for single-core, 2424 for multi-core. 4G connectivity is really good, it supports band 20, which is really important over here in Europe, so I get LTE almost anywhere. Also call quality is above average and that’s not always granted with these cheaper phones.The GPS signal is rather strong, it gets a fix鑱絧retty fast and there’s a compass as well, which makes it work鑱絞reat with Google Maps and other navigational apps.The Cheetah 2 can accomodate one Micro SIM, one Nano SIM and a microSD card (up to 128GB). I would have preferred it had two Micro SIM slots but that’s a “me problem”.Battery life on the Cubot Cheetah 2 is “OK”, used to the 4000mAh on the Redmi Note 3, 3000mAh feel a bit tight but they’re still enough to get you through the day. What I think is a slightly bigger problem is the charging speed, it gets only up to 5V – 1A, which is relatively slow nowadays. Even if you use鑱絟igher wattage chargers, the phone still limits it to 5V – 1A, probably good for safety, not that much for saving time.The fingerprint scanner is accurate and I’d give it a ~95% success rate, I also like the fact that you don’t have to fully press the home button to unlock the phone, simply laying a finger on it will do the job.Cubot Cheetah 2 Camera & PhotosThe camera on the Cubot Cheetah 2 is better than what I expected. It produces sharp photos, and the white balance is on point. The camera app also loads quickly and shots don’t have any unusual delay. It appears as the camera software has been optimized up to a good level, which has usually been the case with most Cubot devices.The only real problem with the camera is lens鑱絝lare, while that might look good on some kind of artistic photos, it’s not something you want when you’re shooting group photos or whatever else. Sadly this can’t be fixed in software so you’ll have to live with that.Dynamic range is not amazing, but I wouldn’t expect it to be on a mid-range phone. The front facing camera is also alright and it’ll do the job.Either way, here you can have a look for yourself鑱絘t some photos I shot: Without HDR With HDR Panorama Mode Without HDR With HDR Cubot Cheetah 2 Gallery Cubot Cheetah 2 ReviewConclusionComing with 3GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage and a $140+ price tag, the Cubot Cheetah 2 falls in the mid-range category鑱絯hich is now over-populated with dozens of fearless competitors. One of鑱絯hich is the Xiaomi Redmi 3, that packs a more powerful CPU, bigger battery and sells at around the same price.So, why should you buy this phone you may ask? I honestly don’t have a definitive answer but it doesn’t mean this phone is worthless. I would consider getting this phone for the amazing display (the Redmi Note 3 is far behind), a relatively good camera (also compared to the Note 3) and the presence of USB Type C, not yet available on most phones.There’s also the home fingerprint scanner “front vs rear” argument, but that’s up to personal choice. Although鑱絀 must say it really comes in handy when you place your phone on a desk/table and you can unlock it by simply laying a finger on it; a real time saver.Our website focuses on all kinds of gadgets; phones, watches, tablets and sometimes even speakers or other toys. But most of these things have something in common, Chinese origin and some kind of mobile technology connection. There were few exceptions like the Xiaomi scales or robotic vacuum cleaners in the past, but today we are entering uncharted territory with reviewing purely a PC accessory. Let the Elephone EleEnter Game 2 keyboard review begin!Hardware and specificationsThe packaging is pretty plain. Except the large box protecting the keyboard itself , there is only a manual with some basic info about changing the modes, backlight etc鈥 Some extra keyboard legs or rubber feet would surely come in handy.It鈥檚 a good idea to mention right away that this is a mechanical keyboard so it鈥檚 way above the ordinary level of cheap or midrange membrane keyboards regarding the build and overall quality. The build is reflecting that fully and so is the 80$ price tag, which can be way too intimidating for many people looking for a affordable keyboard.Because the keyboards is mechanical the keys have a more distinctive and precise keystrokes than for example laptop ones with the scissor-switch mechanism, where you just gently touch the keys. Mechanical switches under the button covers look at the first sight just like the Cherry MX Blue original ones, but their manufacturer is one of the Chinese companies named TTC. Unfortunately I don鈥檛 have any Cherry product at home for direct comparison so I can鈥檛 say whether the switches are the same or if they have different characteristics. But according to the datasheet the switches should be very close to the original German ones. But with some Google Translate action i managed to datamine some relevant specifications of the switches.鈥he switches have a transparent cover with better backlight鈥ach switch has its own multicolor LED鈥ey travels 4,0 mm, actuation is registered at 2,2 mm 卤 0,5 mm鈥ctuation force needed is 60 卤 15 gf鈥ifetime of the switch is over 50 million strokesYou could say that the switches are really identical to the original with the only difference being the name. Similar to Cherry MX, the blue switches mainly destined for typing purposes and not for gaming, which slightly contradicts the Elephone claim about a 鈥淕aming keyboard鈥? But of course you can use it for playing games just fine (my Skyrim lvl 40 character says hello), but real gaming keyboards have different characteristics, but on the other hand not so great for typing. Pick your poison.The weight of the keyboard is 1.176 kg, which is pretty good considering the usage of quite thick aluminum material and mechanical switches. The dimensions are 470 x 210 x 40 mm.Design and practical useThe keyboard itself has the top part made out of aluminum and feels pretty good upon touching. The bottom cover is of course made out of plastic, no need for aluminum there. On the other hand aluminum keyboard legs would be much better than the hinged plastic ones. They don鈥檛 have the anti-slip rubber feet so the keyboard is slightly traveling on your desk when the keyboard legs are used.Fortunately there are two big rubber feet in the front which can partially compensate for that. And when you are not using the keyboard plastic legs there are two more rubber feet sections just behind them so the keyboard is then rock solid rooted in place. Personally i didn鈥檛 need to use the legs almost at all, the keyboard is high enough itself and even without the extra padding the typing is good. But of course it depends what are you used to. Each key is separated by a bigger gap than I鈥檓 used to and the keys are also a tiny bit smaller, but that鈥檚 a matter of minutes before you get used to it, it鈥檚 really not an issue.The key layout is a classical 鈥淚BM鈥 layout with the only difference being the smaller Enter key than usual. Rest of the stuff if fairly normal, long Shift keys on both sides, separated key blocks above the arrow keys and independent numerical block on the right side.The silver USB cable is quite unyielding, but it鈥檚 not as annoying as it would be with a mouse for example. And it鈥檚 braided so theoretically should offer some better longevite and resistance to wear and tear.The keys are of course made out of plastic with transparent symbols, which are individually backlit by the LED-equipped switch. Even when I turned the backlight off the symbols stayed visible and so the keyboard was still usable. But why would anyone turn the backlight off when it鈥檚 so great鈥?/p>Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramBacklightBacklight is one of the main selling points for this keyboard, at least according to Elephone logic. On the other hand I have to admit that the individual LED backlight for each key is amazing and the quality of the backlight as a whole is great. It鈥檚 consistent over the whole key and even illuminates the the gaps between the keys thanks to the transparent cover of the switch. But there are also available optional opaque key covers so the backlight is really restricted on the key dome.You can toy a lot with the backlight, there are plenty of modes, styles, colors and combinations for everybody . That doesn鈥檛 mean you have to set up a miniature disco parlor on your table though. You can choose just one color, tone down the backlight intensity or turn it off completely. It鈥檚 entirely up to you.The change of the backlight modes is done using several shortcuts using the FN key. In combination with the Insert key you can switch between effects like a Christmas tree, a sinusoid, a random blinking or a Knight Rider (this one is cool!). There are more of them of course and you can check them out in the video bellow. Using the keys PageUp and PageDown you can change the color layout or the color of the backlight. Using the arrows up and down you can cycle through the four-step intensity levels, the left and right arrows change the speed the chosen effect changes. Using the PrintScreen key you can turn the backlight completely.Then there are two other interesting features. The first are 鈥淕ame Modes鈥 using the combination FN and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 in the top row with special symbols. These modes will backlight only the keys that are used in one of the five preset games or gaming genres (FPS, CF, COD, LOL and QQ race). The second and more interesting mode appears when you press the FN and Home key combination. This mode can customize the settings of the Game mode exactly to the player鈥檚 wishes.Except these changes the key FN is also used for the usual multimedia controls like Play, Pause, My Computer, Search, Player, etc. Shame these symbols are not backlit on the keys F1-F12 so not so visible. Using the multicolor LED you can get to 16 million color shades even though this number is only theoretical. The keyboard can only display correctly a few dozens of colors. For example pink is not very good (if you ever desired it).I must say that the backlight is really good and it has really grown on me. It鈥檚 homogenous, strong and the colors can be clearly seen even in direct sunlight, but it doesn鈥檛 blind you at night and it鈥檚 no problem to set the brightness lower.If you don鈥檛 want to customize the keys or backlight directly on the keyboard there is also a small Windows utility program provided by Elephone. It can do all the setup work plus you can create macros or link some multimedia shortcuts without the use of the FN key.Typing experienceFinally we are getting to the most important part- how is the typing experience with this keyboared Well, for someone who is used to typing on keyboard with a plastic membrane it will be quite a shock, because he will find the response just amazing. You will know exactly when and what key you pressed. Even though the higher stroke is not for everyone, especially for someone coming from the membrane keyboards you can get used to it very quickly and if you give it a chance you will discover a whole new world.You can only half-press the key, exactly 2,2 mm, and the actuation is registered. The needed stroke force is slightly higher but it just decreases the amount of mistakes one can make when typing, because you have to make some effort.The keys have the U shaped cover so pretty standard and it makes the keys easy to hit and they don鈥檛 wobble any more than any comparable competition.Ergonomy suffers a bit with the lower row of keys with the spacebar, because the edges are lined up directly against your fingers. It would be much better if at least the spacebar was more rounded and thus more user-friendly for the writing purposes.There are only two advantages of membrane keyboards compared to the mechanical ones. The first is a price, because shelling out $80+ for just a keyboard can scare many potential customers. The second thing is the noisines and I must say that Elephone EleEnter Game 2 is really a loud keyboard. It鈥檚 not because of the switches, those are decently quiet and just pleasantly clicking, but the impacts of the pressed keys into the body of the keyboard and the plastics of the switches themselves emits a pretty unpleasant amount of noise. You can surely get used, but it鈥檚 just not ideal and can get on your nerves quickly. On the other hand the key response is fantastic which makes Elephone EleEnter Game 2 a great companion for any writer rat like us at Gizchina.Summary and conclusion

Huawei’s Honor sub-brand has been doing well. The company has successfully expanded to Europe, dished out some good devices and built a solid reputation. Now, the Honor 8 looks to continue in building up that reputation with its unique design, dual cameras and balanced specs. But how does it fare amidst the harsh competition?Honor 8: Design and BuildThe Honor 8’s continues the tradition of Huawei devices having very good build quality.聽It doesn鈥檛 feel too heavy (nor too light), the glass back gives the device a very premium feel, and the overall construction of the Honor 8 feels polished.The Honor 8鈥檚聽design聽features a full glass back, which shines in a specific way when it hits the sun. The shiny and flashy design definitely sticks out, especially when compared to the typical metal builds on most similarly priced devices. On the rear, we have the dual camera and fingerprint sensor button, which feels great.The power button and volume rockers are easy to reach on the right of the device, and the textured power button makes it fairly easy to identify. The buttons聽don鈥檛 rattle around in place and have a satisfying click, which is聽great after coming from the Redmi Note 2.There are a few problems with this design however. While the rear glass panel looks nice, it鈥檚 incredibly slippery. I never actually felt it was going to slip out of my hand, but it would repeatedly slide off of sloped surfaces聽and my bed, much to my chagrin.The glass build also brings about the age old issue of fingerprints and grime all over the device. While this is a non-issue on my white unit, the black and blue units especially seem to gather a lot of grime on their glass backs.I’ve yet to break my unit, but that’s probably due to the soft wood flooring in my room. If it were any harder material, this thing would be wrecked in no time. While I can’t entirely blame Honor for choosing a glass build, I do wish they would’ve included a case of sorts like Huawei does with their devices.Overall, it’s a very nice design, though it’s not incredibly practical. If you’ve used a Samsung S7 or S6 Edge, you’ll know how it is. The slipperiness of the device may take away from it, but the glass back is undeniably beautiful. Shame it doesn’t stay that way due to grime.Honor 8: DisplayThe Honor 8鈥檚 full HD IPS display is a quality panel, even including the fact that it鈥檚 not a QHD display. Colors are very lifelike, vibrant and natural while images are sharp and crisp. Viewing angles are also impressive, allowing the device to be viewed from even the most extreme angles.I also appreciate the device’s pre-installed blue light filter for the display. It’s a feature that should be a standard on every Android device, really. Here, it’s easily toggled from the drop down shortcut bar.sdrOn top of that, the display鈥檚 color temperature can be changed from the settings page, and it鈥檚 much more complex compared to the color temperature tool from earlier versions of Emotion UI. It鈥檚 quite a good display, though if you鈥檙e looking for a QHD display, this isn鈥檛 the device for you.Honor 8:聽SoftwareAh, here we are. Huawei鈥檚 version of Android, Emotion UI, has received plenty of flak for its flaws and problems and is pretty much infamous in the world of Android. So is it really all that bad? No, not really. Not great, but not bad.The main problem that many people have is that it鈥檚 drastically different from stock Android, mainly because it doesn鈥檛 adopt Google鈥檚 material design and has no app drawer. Instead, EmUI is similar to many other Chinese UIs where all applications are placed on the homescreen and need to be sorted manually. This isn鈥檛 really a problem as much as it is a matter of subjective taste.EmUI also comes with multiple software features. Google鈥檚 Now on Tap is available on the device, and its presence on the device is quite convenient. Also on board is Huawei鈥檚 own Knuckle Sense, which聽while improved from previous iterations, is still somewhat cumbersome when it comes to actual application. On the downside however, there鈥檚 plenty of bloatware on board for the international version. On top of Huawei鈥檚 own suite of applications, the device also comes with Google鈥檚 suite of applications AND some extra applications like the intrusive Clean Master. This is really unnecessary in my opinion. A list of the bloatware can be seen below.Clean MasterBooking.comDropboxShazamFacebookWPS OfficeAlso, while many of EmUI鈥檚 problems have been dealt with, there are still a few more kinks that need to be ironed out like the ever present power consumption reminder that tells you to kill background apps. There’s also the issue that you can’t see certain notifications due to the text blending in with the background in the notification panel.The settings menu holds many other functions. Aside from the prementioned color temperature tool, there鈥檚 also an option for a simple UI, a shortcut bar editor, the fingerprint sensor settings, motion controls and a bunch of other small enhancements.There are of course still a lot of problems. It鈥檚 an incredible hassle to reset default apps, some apps like Slack need to be adjusted in the settings menu before their notifications appear, the included icon packs are average, and the lack of any material design elements makes the overall UI feel out of place next to material apps.There’s also the issue of updates. Within the time I received the device, I received no updates whatsoever. I understand that Honor isn’t going to iron things out as quickly as a software based company like Xiaomi, but I’d like to see at least monthly updates become the norm.All in all, I didn鈥檛 really find EmUI as bad as people claim it is, though there鈥檚 still plenty of room for improvement. It鈥檚 no stock Android, but it鈥檚 still better than many of the skins you find on Chinese phones like Elephone鈥檚 ELE UI and Oppo鈥檚 Color OS.Honor 8:聽PerformanceThe Honor 8鈥檚 performance is quick and snappy. The device has no issues with any of your day to day activities. Snapping pictures, browsing the web and gaming were all handed very well, almost beating out other more expensive devices like the Galaxy S7.Memory management is good with 4GB of RAM. The Honor 8 could only keep up to 10 apps open at the same time before needing to restart them. It’s close to OnePlus 3 levels of memory management, which is very good.Gaming is another bag of worms. Generally, any game you’d want to play is more than playable on the device. However, once you start reaching games that demand a lot out of the GPU, they tend to stutter. Nowhere near unplayable, but it’s not up to the level of Snapdragon devices in GPU power.So performance wise, the Honor 8聽is good. There鈥檚 not much that the device can鈥檛 handle, and the things it struggles with are few and far between. While it鈥檚 not going to outspeed the iPhone 7, it鈥檚 more than fast enough to match up with its similarly priced brethren. If you’re a hardcore gamer however, this isn’t the best device for you.Honor 8: Battery LifeBattery life on the Honor 8 is good. On performance mode and average use, I managed to squeeze out a decent 6 hours of screen time, while balanced聽mode added an extra hour on top of that.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramIn terms of usage, you’ll definitely be able through your entire day before needing a recharge. You’ll definitely need to charge your phone by the end however. This thing isn’t going to last until the next day. In terms of battery settings, there’s an optimize option that cuts down on processes and reduces the power consumption of apps. Dig deeper and you’ll find an ROG display option that switches the resolution of the display to 1280×720 to increase battery life.There’s also an extreme power saving mode which can keep聽the thing running for nearly an hour on 7%, alongside the already established performance and balanced options. Overall, the battery life is good. Above the average device, but below the typical battery behemoth.Honor 8: AudioAudio quality is a rather problematic subject when it comes to Chinese Droids. One of the most common things for a company to cut corners on is sound quality. The Honor 8 is thankfully above average in sound quality, but only just.The bottom firing speaker on the Honor 8 isn’t the worst I’ve heard, but it’s not very good either. In terms of volume, it gets pretty loud and there’s no crackling which is great. Sound quality however is only decent with somewhat muddy bass and average clarity.The location of the speaker also hurts the device, with it being placed in a spot that is easily blocked by your hand in many situations. Despite all this, it’s still a fairly decent speaker, it’s just not the most enjoyable setup.The earpiece speaker is clear, though it doesn’t get very loud. It’s adequately loud for when you’re in slightly noisier environments, but it gets tough to hear when you’re in a very noisy environment, like a stadium or a bustling mall.Honor 8: CameraCamera quality is another issue with Chinese devices in general, though the issue is completely different compared to audio quality’s problem. Here, the main problem is companies like to stick to whatever buzzword is popular, and market it to consumers like something incredible. Then, they fail to deliver because of poor optimization and such.Camera quality on Huawei and Honor’s devices have been pretty consistent so far, and the Honor 8 is continuing that trend. With its dual 12MP rear cameras, it manages to shoot some pretty good pictures. It also falls into the same pitfalls as most Chinese droids, that being low light shooting.When there’s a good amount of light, pictures come out really, really well. Clarity is good, colours are spot on and there aren’t any overexposure problems that can be seen. Turn down the lights, and then you start seeing some issues.As usual, the noise really starts to creep in once you begin shooting in low light, though it’s not really all too bad for a phone of this price. The clarity of low light pictures is decent, if slightly below average, though that’s compared to the top dogs of the camera world.The front facing camera is actually quite good, and comes with your usual slew of software features like skin smoothening and filters. The images produced are more than good enough for posting on your social account.Video recording on the Honor 8 is limited to 1080p at 60fps, which doesn’t too bad, up until you realize there’s no OIS. While the quality of the footage is decent, it simply too shaky to be good. Which is a shame, because this camera really does have some good potential.The camera software is very good, with most options simple a swipe away from the shooting screen. Aside from the filters and the regular slew of camera options, there’s also a refocus mode, a food mode, a professional mode and an option to add a watermark to all your pictures. Shutter speed is quick and I never found it tough to actually snap a photo.So to sum it up, it takes great pictures in good lighting, average pictures in low light and video shooting is not fun due to the lack of OIS. I can also firmly say it’s better than the phones in its price range, and for comparisons sake I can say that it’s better than the OnePlus 3’s camera by a decent margin.Honor 8: Camera Gallery Honor 8: ConnectivityWhen it comes to connectivity, the Honor 8 has plenty of ground covered, though not all of it. The Honor 8 covers most, if not all of the important bands, meaning it should work just fine no matter where you are.For me in Malaysia, the device worked perfectly fine and I managed to get great speeds wherever I went, though聽you’ll definitely want to聽check with www.willmyphonework.net to make sure the device works with your carrier.The device has dual nano-sized sim card slots, though it’s a hybrid slot so one of those will probably be dedicated to a microSD card. Speaking of which, the Honor 8 will accept microSDs of up to 256GB.The Honor 8 supports dual-band 2.4/5.0GHz Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, with Wi-Fi Direct and hotspot capabilities. Bluetooth is v4.2, where interference issues with LTE networks should be fixed. Aside from that, there’s also NFC on board, which is good.The satellite receiver supports GPS, GLONASS, and Beidou, so the device should be able to detect your location pretty well. The Honor 8 utilizes a USB-C port over the typical microUSB, and when connected to a computer you’ll need to change connection types through the device’s notification shade.Another nice addition is the IR blaster, which will allow you to control certain electronic appliances like a remote controller. So it’s got just about everything covered right? Nope. Honor went ahead and decided that FM radio wasn’t a needed function, which is why it’s not here.Honor 8 Review: ConclusionThese days, competition is rife within the affordable flagship market. This segment, which used to be home to only a few companies, is now one of the most populated. Any device that wants to succeed needs to have something warrant purchasing it over another. Thankfully, the Honor 8 manages to this splendidly.The device’s objective cons are really few and far between. Most of the potential issues are simply a matter聽of subjective taste, like EmUI or the all glass design. The main problem with the device is its slippery build, which isn’t really much of a deal breaker.Honor 8: ProsGlass and metal construction is unique and looks good and helps it stand outBuild quality is goodCrisp, clear and colourful displayPerformance is snappy and quickFantastic connectivityAbove average audio qualityCamera is stellar in good lightingBattery life beats many devices in its price bracketEmUI isn’t a disaster.Honor 8: ConsThe glass build looks great, but smudges way too easilyGlass build is also quite slipperyThe GPU is weaker than similarly priced devicesNo FM radioCamera is only decent in low lightEmUI still needs more polishUpdates aren’t all too frequentSo overall, If you’re looking for the most powerful device for your money, this isn’t where you should be looking. There are other devices in this price bracket that offer more GPU performance, namely the Mi5s and the OnePlus 3聽(and more recently, the OnePlus 3T).Huawei’s Honor sub-brand has been doing well. The company has successfully expanded to Europe, dished out some good devices and built a solid reputation. Now, the Honor 8 looks to continue in building up that reputation with its unique design, dual cameras and balanced specs. But how does it fare amidst the harsh competition?Honor 8: Design and BuildThe Honor 8’s continues the tradition of Huawei devices having very good build quality.聽It doesn鈥檛 feel too heavy (nor too light), the glass back gives the device a very premium feel, and the overall construction of the Honor 8 feels polished.The Honor 8鈥檚聽design聽features a full glass back, which shines in a specific way when it hits the sun. The shiny and flashy design definitely sticks out, especially when compared to the typical metal builds on most similarly priced devices. On the rear, we have the dual camera and fingerprint sensor button, which feels great.The power button and volume rockers are easy to reach on the right of the device, and the textured power button makes it fairly easy to identify. The buttons聽don鈥檛 rattle around in place and have a satisfying click, which is聽great after coming from the Redmi Note 2.There are a few problems with this design however. While the rear glass panel looks nice, it鈥檚 incredibly slippery. I never actually felt it was going to slip out of my hand, but it would repeatedly slide off of sloped surfaces聽and my bed, much to my chagrin.The glass build also brings about the age old issue of fingerprints and grime all over the device. While this is a non-issue on my white unit, the black and blue units especially seem to gather a lot of grime on their glass backs.I’ve yet to break my unit, but that’s probably due to the soft wood flooring in my room. If it were any harder material, this thing would be wrecked in no time. While I can’t entirely blame Honor for choosing a glass build, I do wish they would’ve included a case of sorts like Huawei does with their devices.Overall, it’s a very nice design, though it’s not incredibly practical. If you’ve used a Samsung S7 or S6 Edge, you’ll know how it is. The slipperiness of the device may take away from it, but the glass back is undeniably beautiful. Shame it doesn’t stay that way due to grime.Honor 8: DisplayThe Honor 8鈥檚 full HD IPS display is a quality panel, even including the fact that it鈥檚 not a QHD display. Colors are very lifelike, vibrant and natural while images are sharp and crisp. Viewing angles are also impressive, allowing the device to be viewed from even the most extreme angles.I also appreciate the device’s pre-installed blue light filter for the display. It’s a feature that should be a standard on every Android device, really. Here, it’s easily toggled from the drop down shortcut bar.sdrOn top of that, the display鈥檚 color temperature can be changed from the settings page, and it鈥檚 much more complex compared to the color temperature tool from earlier versions of Emotion UI. It鈥檚 quite a good display, though if you鈥檙e looking for a QHD display, this isn鈥檛 the device for you.Honor 8:聽SoftwareAh, here we are. Huawei鈥檚 version of Android, Emotion UI, has received plenty of flak for its flaws and problems and is pretty much infamous in the world of Android. So is it really all that bad? No, not really. Not great, but not bad.The main problem that many people have is that it鈥檚 drastically different from stock Android, mainly because it doesn鈥檛 adopt Google鈥檚 material design and has no app drawer. Instead, EmUI is similar to many other Chinese UIs where all applications are placed on the homescreen and need to be sorted manually. This isn鈥檛 really a problem as much as it is a matter of subjective taste.EmUI also comes with multiple software features. Google鈥檚 Now on Tap is available on the device, and its presence on the device is quite convenient. Also on board is Huawei鈥檚 own Knuckle Sense, which聽while improved from previous iterations, is still somewhat cumbersome when it comes to actual application. On the downside however, there鈥檚 plenty of bloatware on board for the international version. On top of Huawei鈥檚 own suite of applications, the device also comes with Google鈥檚 suite of applications AND some extra applications like the intrusive Clean Master. This is really unnecessary in my opinion. A list of the bloatware can be seen below.Clean MasterBooking.comDropboxShazamFacebookWPS OfficeAlso, while many of EmUI鈥檚 problems have been dealt with, there are still a few more kinks that need to be ironed out like the ever present power consumption reminder that tells you to kill background apps. There’s also the issue that you can’t see certain notifications due to the text blending in with the background in the notification panel.The settings menu holds many other functions. Aside from the prementioned color temperature tool, there鈥檚 also an option for a simple UI, a shortcut bar editor, the fingerprint sensor settings, motion controls and a bunch of other small enhancements.There are of course still a lot of problems. It鈥檚 an incredible hassle to reset default apps, some apps like Slack need to be adjusted in the settings menu before their notifications appear, the included icon packs are average, and the lack of any material design elements makes the overall UI feel out of place next to material apps.There’s also the issue of updates. Within the time I received the device, I received no updates whatsoever. I understand that Honor isn’t going to iron things out as quickly as a software based company like Xiaomi, but I’d like to see at least monthly updates become the norm.All in all, I didn鈥檛 really find EmUI as bad as people claim it is, though there鈥檚 still plenty of room for improvement. It鈥檚 no stock Android, but it鈥檚 still better than many of the skins you find on Chinese phones like Elephone鈥檚 ELE UI and Oppo鈥檚 Color OS.Honor 8:聽PerformanceThe Honor 8鈥檚 performance is quick and snappy. The device has no issues with any of your day to day activities. Snapping pictures, browsing the web and gaming were all handed very well, almost beating out other more expensive devices like the Galaxy S7.Memory management is good with 4GB of RAM. The Honor 8 could only keep up to 10 apps open at the same time before needing to restart them. It’s close to OnePlus 3 levels of memory management, which is very good.Gaming is another bag of worms. Generally, any game you’d want to play is more than playable on the device. However, once you start reaching games that demand a lot out of the GPU, they tend to stutter. Nowhere near unplayable, but it’s not up to the level of Snapdragon devices in GPU power.So performance wise, the Honor 8聽is good. There鈥檚 not much that the device can鈥檛 handle, and the things it struggles with are few and far between. While it鈥檚 not going to outspeed the iPhone 7, it鈥檚 more than fast enough to match up with its similarly priced brethren. If you’re a hardcore gamer however, this isn’t the best device for you.Honor 8: Battery LifeBattery life on the Honor 8 is good. On performance mode and average use, I managed to squeeze out a decent 6 hours of screen time, while balanced聽mode added an extra hour on top of that.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramIn terms of usage, you’ll definitely be able through your entire day before needing a recharge. You’ll definitely need to charge your phone by the end however. This thing isn’t going to last until the next day. In terms of battery settings, there’s an optimize option that cuts down on processes and reduces the power consumption of apps. Dig deeper and you’ll find an ROG display option that switches the resolution of the display to 1280×720 to increase battery life.There’s also an extreme power saving mode which can keep聽the thing running for nearly an hour on 7%, alongside the already established performance and balanced options. Overall, the battery life is good. Above the average device, but below the typical battery behemoth.Honor 8: AudioAudio quality is a rather problematic subject when it comes to Chinese Droids. One of the most common things for a company to cut corners on is sound quality. The Honor 8 is thankfully above average in sound quality, but only just.The bottom firing speaker on the Honor 8 isn’t the worst I’ve heard, but it’s not very good either. In terms of volume, it gets pretty loud and there’s no crackling which is great. Sound quality however is only decent with somewhat muddy bass and average clarity.The location of the speaker also hurts the device, with it being placed in a spot that is easily blocked by your hand in many situations. Despite all this, it’s still a fairly decent speaker, it’s just not the most enjoyable setup.The earpiece speaker is clear, though it doesn’t get very loud. It’s adequately loud for when you’re in slightly noisier environments, but it gets tough to hear when you’re in a very noisy environment, like a stadium or a bustling mall.Honor 8: CameraCamera quality is another issue with Chinese devices in general, though the issue is completely different compared to audio quality’s problem. Here, the main problem is companies like to stick to whatever buzzword is popular, and market it to consumers like something incredible. Then, they fail to deliver because of poor optimization and such.Camera quality on Huawei and Honor’s devices have been pretty consistent so far, and the Honor 8 is continuing that trend. With its dual 12MP rear cameras, it manages to shoot some pretty good pictures. It also falls into the same pitfalls as most Chinese droids, that being low light shooting.When there’s a good amount of light, pictures come out really, really well. Clarity is good, colours are spot on and there aren’t any overexposure problems that can be seen. Turn down the lights, and then you start seeing some issues.As usual, the noise really starts to creep in once you begin shooting in low light, though it’s not really all too bad for a phone of this price. The clarity of low light pictures is decent, if slightly below average, though that’s compared to the top dogs of the camera world.The front facing camera is actually quite good, and comes with your usual slew of software features like skin smoothening and filters. The images produced are more than good enough for posting on your social account.Video recording on the Honor 8 is limited to 1080p at 60fps, which doesn’t too bad, up until you realize there’s no OIS. While the quality of the footage is decent, it simply too shaky to be good. Which is a shame, because this camera really does have some good potential.The camera software is very good, with most options simple a swipe away from the shooting screen. Aside from the filters and the regular slew of camera options, there’s also a refocus mode, a food mode, a professional mode and an option to add a watermark to all your pictures. Shutter speed is quick and I never found it tough to actually snap a photo.So to sum it up, it takes great pictures in good lighting, average pictures in low light and video shooting is not fun due to the lack of OIS. I can also firmly say it’s better than the phones in its price range, and for comparisons sake I can say that it’s better than the OnePlus 3’s camera by a decent margin.Honor 8: Camera Gallery Honor 8: ConnectivityWhen it comes to connectivity, the Honor 8 has plenty of ground covered, though not all of it. The Honor 8 covers most, if not all of the important bands, meaning it should work just fine no matter where you are.For me in Malaysia, the device worked perfectly fine and I managed to get great speeds wherever I went, though聽you’ll definitely want to聽check with www.willmyphonework.net to make sure the device works with your carrier.The device has dual nano-sized sim card slots, though it’s a hybrid slot so one of those will probably be dedicated to a microSD card. Speaking of which, the Honor 8 will accept microSDs of up to 256GB.The Honor 8 supports dual-band 2.4/5.0GHz Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, with Wi-Fi Direct and hotspot capabilities. Bluetooth is v4.2, where interference issues with LTE networks should be fixed. Aside from that, there’s also NFC on board, which is good.The satellite receiver supports GPS, GLONASS, and Beidou, so the device should be able to detect your location pretty well. The Honor 8 utilizes a USB-C port over the typical microUSB, and when connected to a computer you’ll need to change connection types through the device’s notification shade.Another nice addition is the IR blaster, which will allow you to control certain electronic appliances like a remote controller. So it’s got just about everything covered right? Nope. Honor went ahead and decided that FM radio wasn’t a needed function, which is why it’s not here.Honor 8 Review: ConclusionThese days, competition is rife within the affordable flagship market. This segment, which used to be home to only a few companies, is now one of the most populated. Any device that wants to succeed needs to have something warrant purchasing it over another. Thankfully, the Honor 8 manages to this splendidly.The device’s objective cons are really few and far between. Most of the potential issues are simply a matter聽of subjective taste, like EmUI or the all glass design. The main problem with the device is its slippery build, which isn’t really much of a deal breaker.Honor 8: ProsGlass and metal construction is unique and looks good and helps it stand outBuild quality is goodCrisp, clear and colourful displayPerformance is snappy and quickFantastic connectivityAbove average audio qualityCamera is stellar in good lightingBattery life beats many devices in its price bracketEmUI isn’t a disaster.Honor 8: ConsThe glass build looks great, but smudges way too easilyGlass build is also quite slipperyThe GPU is weaker than similarly priced devicesNo FM radioCamera is only decent in low lightEmUI still needs more polishUpdates aren’t all too frequentSo overall, If you’re looking for the most powerful device for your money, this isn’t where you should be looking. There are other devices in this price bracket that offer more GPU performance, namely the Mi5s and the OnePlus 3聽(and more recently, the OnePlus 3T).

I received the Xiaomi Redmi 4 Prime and have had some time to play around with it. This is the first Redmi device to feature a processor on par with current midrange MediaTek devices even though its technically an entry-level chip from Qualcomm. The Snapdragon 625 (as seen on the Moto Z Play) benchmarks very high and should provide a great experience on the Redmi 4.Sure, the Snapdragon 625 still doesn’t benchmark as high as the Helio X20 in the Redmi Note 4 but it gets closer than ever. It also features 3GB of RAM and the usual 4100mAh battery, so there should be the usual great battery experience as well.Xiaomi Redmi 4 Prime SpecificationsProcessorQualcomm Snapdragon 625Display5.0″ 1920 x 1080 px, IPS LCDRAM3GBStorage32GBOperating SystemAndroid 6.0 with MIUI8Cameras16MP + 8MP CameraBattery4100mAhPhysical Properties156g, 141.3 x 69.6 x 8.9 mmBig thanks to Gearbest for providing this review unit. I’m currently testing the Xiaomi Redmi 4 Prime on Fido in Toronto.Xiaomi Redmi 4 Prime聽Unboxing聽It comes in a rather plain white box, not dissimilar to the Xiaomi Mi5s or the Xiaomi Mi Note 2.It doesn’t come in a plastic sleeve like most other phones but it just has a screen protector on the front and the back which I took off.It comes with a plug and a MicroUSB 2.0 cable.Xiaomi Redmi 4 Prime聽Hands OnI have the grey version and it looks very “Mi” like. I don鈥檛 know if聽my eyes are playing tricks on me, but from afar this phone doesn鈥檛 look like a very well-made metal device.If you remember the Bluboo XFire 2, that was a very well made metal device as well, but it didn鈥檛 have that precision and tolerances seen on HTC or Samsung devices. However, the closer you go, the more you realize that this is a very well made phone.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramThe bezels are polished metal and also have a very sleek polished metal chamfer around it. The machining is very precise, sure it might not be as pinpoint precise as an HTC device, but kill me now if it isn鈥檛 exquisitely made.After using both the Mi5s and the Mi Note 2, I struggle greatly to be objective. When you have the opportunity to pick up the Redmi 4 and either of the previous devices, you can immediately feel the difference between both devices. Yes, the Redmi 4 is metal and well made, but there is a subtle but present feeling that the Redmi 4 is slightly less well made, either to save money or to speed up the process.With that out in the open, I have to say that I am very impressed with the quality with which the Redmi 4 is built. Not many devices in this price range can boast such impressive build quality. The Ulefone Metal comes to mind but it also utilizes the aging MTK6753 processor and a rather average 3000mAh battery as well.Xiaomi Redmi 4 Prime聽Additional DetailsThis is a comparison shot of the Xiaomi Redmi 4 Prime, the Xiaomi Mi5s, and the Xiaomi Mi Note 2, the curves on the Redmi 4 Prime are the least drastic. Beside the two more expensive phones, it does look less interesting than the Mi5s and the Mi Note 2 but it still looks very updated if placed directly beside the Redmi 3.So far use is quite smooth, sure the phone might not be as great an option for gaming compared to a phone with a Snapdragon 821, but then again this phone MSRPs for $130.Xiaomi Redmi 4 Prime聽First ImpressionsThe Redmi 4 has impressed me at great length. I haven鈥檛 been using this very long and am in the process of testing the phone, but the build quality has impressed me, the general speed and fluidity has impressed me, and the battery life has impressed me the most. I can鈥檛 tell if this Redmi 4 has typical Redmi battery life or better than usual battery life, as I was using this phone for about an hour and the battery percentage stayed at 23% the entire way through. If its not a glitch, this could potentially destroy the Redmi 3 in terms of battery life, and the Redmi 3 had insane battery life already.I received the Xiaomi Redmi 4 Prime and have had some time to play around with it. This is the first Redmi device to feature a processor on par with current midrange MediaTek devices even though its technically an entry-level chip from Qualcomm. The Snapdragon 625 (as seen on the Moto Z Play) benchmarks very high and should provide a great experience on the Redmi 4.Sure, the Snapdragon 625 still doesn’t benchmark as high as the Helio X20 in the Redmi Note 4 but it gets closer than ever. It also features 3GB of RAM and the usual 4100mAh battery, so there should be the usual great battery experience as well.Xiaomi Redmi 4 Prime SpecificationsProcessorQualcomm Snapdragon 625Display5.0″ 1920 x 1080 px, IPS LCDRAM3GBStorage32GBOperating SystemAndroid 6.0 with MIUI8Cameras16MP + 8MP CameraBattery4100mAhPhysical Properties156g, 141.3 x 69.6 x 8.9 mmBig thanks to Gearbest for providing this review unit. I’m currently testing the Xiaomi Redmi 4 Prime on Fido in Toronto.Xiaomi Redmi 4 Prime聽Unboxing聽It comes in a rather plain white box, not dissimilar to the Xiaomi Mi5s or the Xiaomi Mi Note 2.It doesn’t come in a plastic sleeve like most other phones but it just has a screen protector on the front and the back which I took off.It comes with a plug and a MicroUSB 2.0 cable.Xiaomi Redmi 4 Prime聽Hands OnI have the grey version and it looks very “Mi” like. I don鈥檛 know if聽my eyes are playing tricks on me, but from afar this phone doesn鈥檛 look like a very well-made metal device.If you remember the Bluboo XFire 2, that was a very well made metal device as well, but it didn鈥檛 have that precision and tolerances seen on HTC or Samsung devices. However, the closer you go, the more you realize that this is a very well made phone.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramThe bezels are polished metal and also have a very sleek polished metal chamfer around it. The machining is very precise, sure it might not be as pinpoint precise as an HTC device, but kill me now if it isn鈥檛 exquisitely made.After using both the Mi5s and the Mi Note 2, I struggle greatly to be objective. When you have the opportunity to pick up the Redmi 4 and either of the previous devices, you can immediately feel the difference between both devices. Yes, the Redmi 4 is metal and well made, but there is a subtle but present feeling that the Redmi 4 is slightly less well made, either to save money or to speed up the process.With that out in the open, I have to say that I am very impressed with the quality with which the Redmi 4 is built. Not many devices in this price range can boast such impressive build quality. The Ulefone Metal comes to mind but it also utilizes the aging MTK6753 processor and a rather average 3000mAh battery as well.Xiaomi Redmi 4 Prime聽Additional DetailsThis is a comparison shot of the Xiaomi Redmi 4 Prime, the Xiaomi Mi5s, and the Xiaomi Mi Note 2, the curves on the Redmi 4 Prime are the least drastic. Beside the two more expensive phones, it does look less interesting than the Mi5s and the Mi Note 2 but it still looks very updated if placed directly beside the Redmi 3.So far use is quite smooth, sure the phone might not be as great an option for gaming compared to a phone with a Snapdragon 821, but then again this phone MSRPs for $130.Xiaomi Redmi 4 Prime聽First ImpressionsThe Redmi 4 has impressed me at great length. I haven鈥檛 been using this very long and am in the process of testing the phone, but the build quality has impressed me, the general speed and fluidity has impressed me, and the battery life has impressed me the most. I can鈥檛 tell if this Redmi 4 has typical Redmi battery life or better than usual battery life, as I was using this phone for about an hour and the battery percentage stayed at 23% the entire way through. If its not a glitch, this could potentially destroy the Redmi 3 in terms of battery life, and the Redmi 3 had insane battery life already.MGCOOL are a new sub-brand from now-well-known Chinese manufacturer Elephone. Like we learnt a couple of days back, the MGCOOL wing will focus on accessories and gadgets, while Elephone take care of the smartphone business.Speaking of accessories, some of the most popular ones that everyone seems to have or want to buy these days are power banks. We recently had the chance to play with the MGCOOL Power Thunder 16000mAh power bank, a $50 gadget that’s been on sale for a bit.MGCOOL Power Thunder ReviewI’m myself a big user of power banks. In fact, it’s safe to say that I’m spoilt by them. There is, at all times, at least one fully charged power bank with me (when I’m commuting/heading out, that is). So far, I’ve been happy with a 13,000mAh Huawei and a 20,000mAh Xiaomi power bank… the 16,000mAh MGCOOL Power Thunder is the newest addition.It’s safe to say that the MGCOOL Power Thunder is the best-looking and feeling power bank I’ve used till date. That necessarily does not translate into practicality, because the eye candy is only the result of added material (and thus weight) that could otherwise have been avoided.The novelty factor does wear out in a while, which is something I’m sure everyone will agree with. After a little while, especially with gadgets like power banks and such, you do crave for practicality over eye candy and such. That said, what I do really like on the Power Thunder is the form factor. With dimensions of 153.1 x 65.5 x 23.3 mm, the Power Thunder is really easy to hold and put in the pocket. The textured rubber makes the gadget extremely grippy… and in the beginning, fun to hold.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramThe power bank weighs just about 300g.It was a bit of a mystery for me in the beginning because both, the box and the power bank itself read ‘6000mAh’, with the ‘1’ scratched off of both. I had to check with online stores to confirm it was in fact 16,000mAh — funny but definitely not something you want to be happening to a buyer.As for the charging and discharging capabilities of this one, it’s so far right on par with the 20,000mAh Xiaomi that I use. Given the capacity, it does take time to charge itself (I generally keep my power banks plugged overnight or more) but the power bank is pretty quick when it comes to charging other devices.The MGCOOL Power Thunder is apparently Qualcomm QC 3.0 certified. I can’t verify the authenticity of the that claim, but what I can tell you is that the charging speeds seem to be at par with other power banks with similar certification. As for numbers, the Power Thunder supports outputting current in the following ratings:鑱?V – 6V 3A, 6V – 9V 2A, 9V – 12V 1A. It’s convenient to have multiple ports on the power bank too. This one comes with a full USB 3.0 port, a micro USB and a USB Type-C port. Besides that, there’s a button you can press to find out the estimated battery left in the power bank. This is indicated by the four LEDs on the front.In a nutshell, I believe the MGCOOL Power Thunder is for those who really want their accessories to look great, albeit at a cost. At $50 it’s pricier than most similar power banks (from Chinese brands such as OnePlus, Xiaomi), but it’s the extra style on offer that the brand is looking to sell to buyers.MGCOOL are a new sub-brand from now-well-known Chinese manufacturer Elephone. Like we learnt a couple of days back, the MGCOOL wing will focus on accessories and gadgets, while Elephone take care of the smartphone business.Speaking of accessories, some of the most popular ones that everyone seems to have or want to buy these days are power banks. We recently had the chance to play with the MGCOOL Power Thunder 16000mAh power bank, a $50 gadget that’s been on sale for a bit.MGCOOL Power Thunder ReviewI’m myself a big user of power banks. In fact, it’s safe to say that I’m spoilt by them. There is, at all times, at least one fully charged power bank with me (when I’m commuting/heading out, that is). So far, I’ve been happy with a 13,000mAh Huawei and a 20,000mAh Xiaomi power bank… the 16,000mAh MGCOOL Power Thunder is the newest addition.It’s safe to say that the MGCOOL Power Thunder is the best-looking and feeling power bank I’ve used till date. That necessarily does not translate into practicality, because the eye candy is only the result of added material (and thus weight) that could otherwise have been avoided.The novelty factor does wear out in a while, which is something I’m sure everyone will agree with. After a little while, especially with gadgets like power banks and such, you do crave for practicality over eye candy and such. That said, what I do really like on the Power Thunder is the form factor. With dimensions of 153.1 x 65.5 x 23.3 mm, the Power Thunder is really easy to hold and put in the pocket. The textured rubber makes the gadget extremely grippy… and in the beginning, fun to hold.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramThe power bank weighs just about 300g.It was a bit of a mystery for me in the beginning because both, the box and the power bank itself read ‘6000mAh’, with the ‘1’ scratched off of both. I had to check with online stores to confirm it was in fact 16,000mAh — funny but definitely not something you want to be happening to a buyer.As for the charging and discharging capabilities of this one, it’s so far right on par with the 20,000mAh Xiaomi that I use. Given the capacity, it does take time to charge itself (I generally keep my power banks plugged overnight or more) but the power bank is pretty quick when it comes to charging other devices.The MGCOOL Power Thunder is apparently Qualcomm QC 3.0 certified. I can’t verify the authenticity of the that claim, but what I can tell you is that the charging speeds seem to be at par with other power banks with similar certification. As for numbers, the Power Thunder supports outputting current in the following ratings:鑱?V – 6V 3A, 6V – 9V 2A, 9V – 12V 1A. It’s convenient to have multiple ports on the power bank too. This one comes with a full USB 3.0 port, a micro USB and a USB Type-C port. Besides that, there’s a button you can press to find out the estimated battery left in the power bank. This is indicated by the four LEDs on the front.In a nutshell, I believe the MGCOOL Power Thunder is for those who really want their accessories to look great, albeit at a cost. At $50 it’s pricier than most similar power banks (from Chinese brands such as OnePlus, Xiaomi), but it’s the extra style on offer that the brand is looking to sell to buyers.

The rhetoric you usually see when a mainstream publication reviews a Xiaomi phone is how astonishingly good it is considering the price. But here at GizChina, we specialize in devices like these, and prices like $300 isn鈥檛 any cause for applause.In fact, many in our audience balk at the thought of spending over $300 on a phone when devices like the Lenovo Z2 Plus and the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 exist. However, I鈥檓 going to show you… nay, prove to you, that the Mi 5s is still a worthy contender for your hard earned dollar.Xiaomi Mi 5s Full ReviewOne step forward, one step back. Sure, the Mi 5s is a a rather uninteresting but expected upgrade to the Mi 5, but its still a great device. Xiaomi has predictably upgraded the processor from the Snapdragon 820 to the more power-efficient Snapdragon 821 and the newest camera sensor Sony has to offer.However, according to Xiaomi, an upgrade is a give and take. While they gave us a newer processor and a better sensor, they took away Gorilla Glass and OIS (Optical Image Stabilization), both omissions that leave me puzzled. I don鈥檛 predict a wildly different experience compared to the Mi 5, however the new sensor and lack of OIS should prove interesting to the resulting camera quality. Let鈥檚 get in deep right away.“one step forward, one step back”Xiaomi Mi 5s SpecificationsProcessorQualcomm Snapdragon 821Display5.15″ 1920 x 1080 px, IPS LCDRAM4GBStorage64GB UFS 2.0Operating SystemAndroid 6.0 with MIUI8Cameras12MP UltraPixel + 4MP Ultrapixel CameraBattery3100mAhPhysical Properties145g, 145.6 x 70.3 x 8.3 mmBig thanks to Gearbest for providing this review unit. I used the Xiaomi Mi5s on Fido in Toronto.Xiaomi Mi 5s HardwareThe outward design of the Mi 5s remains unchanged, still being indistinguishable from the Xiaomi Mi 5, and that鈥檚 not a bad thing. Its matte metal body furnishes the phone with a premium feel while keeping it from sliding out of your palm. It is thin, small, and ergonomic, all important factors for an easy one handed experience, and is something I greatly appreciate.This trend of increasing device sizes gone on for too long and it鈥檚 time to tone them down to a more reasonable level. I find no issue using this device with one hand, even my relatively small hands. The curved back makes the phone feel quite a bit thinner than its 8.3mm thick frame.The bezels around the display are incredibly tiny but deceptive. While the actual bezel might be small, there is still a non functional black strip surrounding the display that is invisible while the screen is off but immediately visible once on.It鈥檚 glaringly obvious when using white apps like the Google Play Store and quite unsightly, but I will qualify that as a 鈥渇irst world device reviewer problem鈥 and something that most people will likely not notice. Below the screen are the three capacitive buttons (yes I鈥檓 still a fan of capacitive buttons) and underneath the center button is the famous ultrasonic fingerprint sensor. The Z2 Plus (my daily driver) pleased me to no end when I could unlock the device without actually having to depress the button itself, and the same thing applies here — no force required.The build quality, footprint, and feel are all top notch, but Xiaomi hasn鈥檛 done anything wild with the design (like the Mi Mix).“Predictably Great Build Quality”Xiaomi Mi 5s DisplayThe Xiaomi Mi 5s impresses with 鈥渙nly鈥 a 1080p display. Still though, that many pixels packed into a 5.15鈥 display works out to an impressive 428ppi. It might not be 2K or 4K, but the display is still plenty capable of showing off its chops. While colours are punchy and quite vivid for an LCD display, it still pales relatively to an AMOLED display.What really impressed me was the very high maximum brightness of 600 nits. The screen is easily viewable in direct, strong, sunlight and is capable of blinding you indoors. Minimum brightness is pleasantly low as well, the screen is light on the eyes even in pitch darkness, making this a great phone to use in bed (please don’t, it destroys your sleep cycle).Probably the biggest caveat is the lack of protective glass. Xiaomi for some reason decided it was a good idea to forego Gorilla Glass in exchange for a normal one and I for one am puzzled by that decision. That being said, definitely get a screen protector for the phone.Xiaomi Mi 5s AudioFor a phone aimed directly at the hearts of high end flagships, it doesn鈥檛 do very well in the audio department. While speaker quality is very loud to the point of hurting your ears, it doesn鈥檛 do quite as well with quality.When compared directly to an HTC 10, the audio is definitely less detailed and clear and bass is lacking as well. However, these speakers are still more than good enough for average use.Xiaomi Mi 5s BatteryI聽had high hopes for the battery life in the Mi 5s because of its decent 3200mAh battery and Xiaomi鈥檚 traditionally excellent battery optimization. Suffice it to say that I was pleasantly surprised and slightly disappointed at the same time.The lab results exceeded my expectations quite modestly with the phone holding out for 12 hours while web browsing and almost 13 and a half hours for video playback. If this translates directly into daily use, battery life could potentially outperform the聽Lenovo Z2 Plus. However, it does not.Real life battery use topped out at around 5 hours of screen on time, which is a great result mind you, but the lab results provide significantly better times. My real life use consisted of web browsing, news, and Reddit on an almost equal mix of WiFi and LTE. I also snapped a few photos as well and the phone was on its last legs (about 6% left) 16 hours after it was off the charger.Light and medium users will not be able to drain this phone in a day, while heavy users just might. There is quickcharge included that you can use to pump up the phones battery in a pinch.“Good Battery”Xiaomi Mi 5s SoftwareCall me crazy, but I鈥檓 still not a fan of MIUI. I used to hold to a rather neutral stance on the aesthetics of this device but after using the Redmi 3 and the Redmi Note 4, the cartoony look pushed me over the edge, and I am now firmly in the camp that dislikes what MIUI looks like.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramWe do have the latest MIUI8 installed over Android 6.0 Marshmallow and MIUI is still incredibly well optimized. General use is fluid, fast, and zippy, opening and closing apps is also incredibly fast most likely due to the new UFS 2.0 flash storage by Samsung.As with any other MIUI release, the latest iteration of MIUI8 is chock full of customizations and functions. There are a ton of articles, videos and guides about each and every function in MIUI8, so I won鈥檛 take the time to go into them. Suffice it to say that you鈥檒l definitely find something to your liking.I鈥檓 definitely a fan of this ultrasonic fingerprint sensor. Buttonless sensors are the way to go, and the fact that its not actually taking up additional space but sits underneath the home button is just a plus. It鈥檚 incredibly fast, faster than the Vernee Mars and also very accurate as well.Its a tad less accurate than my Lenovo Z2 Plus, but that鈥檚 taking into account the Z2 Plus鈥 learning function as it does get more accurate over time.Performance wise, the Mi 5s is more than capable of tackling even the most intense games on the Play Store as it only has to drive a 1080p resolution. It also obtains a sky-high Antutu score as well.Xiaomi Mi 5s ConnectivityThe international version of the Xiaomi Mi 5s comes with a myriad of network bands with both TDD-LTE and FDD-LTE. I was able to get 3G and LTE connectivity here in Toronto, Canada, but do check with www.willmyphonework.net to make sure this phone is actually compatible with your carrier.I ran speedtest and was able to obtain very good speeds. WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS all work well, and we do not find an IR blaster, found on a lot of Xiaomi phones otherwise. However, there is no microSD聽card slot which is what bothers me the most, as it makes it difficult to store large amounts of video on the phone without using up valuable storage space.Xiaomi Mi 5s CameraA聽mongst a community such as GizChina’s, it鈥檚 very obvious to all of us (readers included) that hardware is only half the story when it comes to picture quality. However, to the general population at large, the software side is generally invisible to consumers and companies take advantage of that, showing off the latest and greatest in megapixels, camera sensors, and 4k video.Xiaomi has done much the same, and have (wisely) chosen to use the newest Sony IMX378 sensor, the exact same sensor used in the Google Pixel.That鈥檚 generally enough for most people, same hardware, same quality right? Well, we know better, and Google has spent countless man hours building software around the IMX378 to squeeze out the best picture it can, and they did a great job. The Pixel can stand beside other camera giants without the need to bow out. The same, unfortunately, cannot be said for the Mi 5s. Yes, they created good software, but they did not do as good a job as Google did.In good lighting conditions, the Xiaomi Mi 5s easily holds its own against the best. Detail, colour reproduction and dynamic range are all wonderful. Sure, it might still be bested by the S7, iPhone 7 and Pixel, but the differences are slight.To the untrained eye, a side by side shot with all these phones will yield minor changes that are mostly imperceptible on its own. This is partly due to the new HDR+ mode. HDR modes usually take a few seconds after hitting the shutter button, forcing you to hold it in place for that duration. However, the Mi5s鈥 HDR+ mode is just as fast as non HDR mode so there鈥檚 no reason to turn it off.However, crank down the available lighting and you start seeing a difference. Low light situations show the marked difference between the Mi 5s and the Pixel. Same hardware, different software, vastly differing results.Where the Pixel takes great photos in low light, the Mi 5s tends to overexpose, resulting in blown out shots and a lot of noise. Thankfully there is a manual mode that allows you to manually set each setting for better pictures. The same can be said for the front camera. Great lighting great selfies, bad lighting bad selfies. The rear camera is capable of 4K recording, and footage is incredibly crisp, you can clearly see the minute cracks in the ground. However, it suffers from the same problem as it does photos, low light yields bad video.With all that said, do note that the above results are all compared to the best of the best, and when you compare to Chinese phones in general, the Mi 5s takes such great quality pictures and video that they blow away pretty much every Chinese manufacturer鈥檚 phone cameras (with the exception of a few manufacturers like Huawei and Vivo).The results of the camera test can be summed up in one sentence; Great lighting, great photos; bad lighting, bad photos.Xiaomi Mi5s聽Camera Gallery Xiaomi Mi5s VerdictThe road to becoming a top end flagship is a hard one, but becoming a top end flagship at a very low price? Well, that prospect seems all the more difficult. However, at the end of the day, the Xiaomi Mi 5s is very close. Think about every aspect of this device and you will realize that apart from the camera鈥檚 low light performance, the Mi5s does not lose to the best of the best.I鈥檝e taken MIUI out of the equation because whether or not you like MIUI is personal preference. There is a lot to love in this phone, but there are three things to be made aware of, and while all of them could be potential dealbreakers, I only see two as being significant enough to impact your decision to purchase this phone:The biggest one is the camera鈥檚 low light performance. It does not match up to the best and could be a potential dealbreaker.There is no MicroSD card slot. This is a potential dealbreaker for some.The speaker quality is average, I don鈥檛 see this as being a dealbreaker though.In my opinion, these compromises are completely worth it for the price you pay, which at this point is either $300 in China or around $350 outside due to reseller price increases. The Mi5s has gone down to $290 at one point, so keep your eyes peeled. The Mi5s is a worthy flagship competitor and will more than satisfy many people鈥檚 needs.I would like to thank Gearbest for sending out this review unit, and if you would like to buy one, you can do so here.“still a great flagship”Xiaomi Mi5s Video ReviewWhen the Mi Band first came out, many thought it was just something that Xiaomi put together to have their name out in the wearable market. As it turns out, the Mi Band series is now one of the most popular wearables on the market.The device proved that a properly functioning and fairly configurable wearable didn’t have to cost a bomb. This in turn encouraged smaller Chinese companies to try their hand at making smart bands and smart watches. Most results so far have been, to be very frank, abysmal. However, there is hope, as the Hesvit G1 suggests.The Chinese are great at producing low-cost hardware. However, the secret鑱絫o a truly great smart band is in the software. The band itself comprises extremely basic components, but it’s the algorithms and the battery-saving optimisations that make the gadget usable.The Hesvit G1, I daresay, is getting there. Very frankly it’s still a fair distance away from being a recommendation, but it does get a few bits right such as:Battery life (almost)DisplayPriceIP65 ratingMore importantly, the companion app is definitely not completely unusable. It’s nearly usable, and something that certainly will end up with a good result… more on this later.That said, there’s a few downsides to the Hesvit G1 as well, with the key ones being:No support for app notificationsNo gesture screen onIrritating to wear on the long runA so-so appWhile this might be a bit subjective, the Hesvit G1 was definitely a refreshing change from the run-of-the-mill MT2502-powered ‘smartwatches’.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramHesvit G1 PhotosPackaging Band Coming back, I managed to use the Hesvit G1 for a good week or so without taking it off (besides for charging once). I must admit the size of the band makes it a little suffocating to wear it all the time; the metal sensor on the rear (to gauge your skin temperature) definitely doesn’t help the case. I’m also not very sure of the whole point鑱給f the feature — skin temperature measurement.Sleep tracking on the G1 was a hit-or-miss. A couple of times it got it pretty much spot on, but mixed it up a few other times. Heartrate tracking is pretty much bang on with the Mi Band 2, which I thought was fairly accurate for the most part.There’s not much else that you can talk about for the G1. It would definitely be helpful if the band made better use of the provided real estate (on the screen). Options for better notification management, etc. would’ve definitely made the G1 more recommend-worthy, but sadly that’s not the case.Also, since it’s an LCD display (with pre-configured characters that can be displayed on the screen), there definitely won’t be a firmware update that will add notification management features to the band.Coming back to the companion app, it’s fine and all once it loads. However, each time you leave the app and come back to it, it needs to load right from the start — and this includes re-connecting to the Hesvit G1. Extremely frustrating, but pretty much the only gripe I had with the app.At $35, the Hesvit G1 is probably not the worst investment to make, but certainly far from the best.

When the Mi Band first came out, many thought it was just something that Xiaomi put together to have their name out in the wearable market. As it turns out, the Mi Band series is now one of the most popular wearables on the market.The device proved that a properly functioning and fairly configurable wearable didn’t have to cost a bomb. This in turn encouraged smaller Chinese companies to try their hand at making smart bands and smart watches. Most results so far have been, to be very frank, abysmal. However, there is hope, as the Hesvit G1 suggests.The Chinese are great at producing low-cost hardware. However, the secret鑱絫o a truly great smart band is in the software. The band itself comprises extremely basic components, but it’s the algorithms and the battery-saving optimisations that make the gadget usable.The Hesvit G1, I daresay, is getting there. Very frankly it’s still a fair distance away from being a recommendation, but it does get a few bits right such as:Battery life (almost)DisplayPriceIP65 ratingMore importantly, the companion app is definitely not completely unusable. It’s nearly usable, and something that certainly will end up with a good result… more on this later.That said, there’s a few downsides to the Hesvit G1 as well, with the key ones being:No support for app notificationsNo gesture screen onIrritating to wear on the long runA so-so appWhile this might be a bit subjective, the Hesvit G1 was definitely a refreshing change from the run-of-the-mill MT2502-powered ‘smartwatches’.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramHesvit G1 PhotosPackaging Band Coming back, I managed to use the Hesvit G1 for a good week or so without taking it off (besides for charging once). I must admit the size of the band makes it a little suffocating to wear it all the time; the metal sensor on the rear (to gauge your skin temperature) definitely doesn’t help the case. I’m also not very sure of the whole point鑱給f the feature — skin temperature measurement.Sleep tracking on the G1 was a hit-or-miss. A couple of times it got it pretty much spot on, but mixed it up a few other times. Heartrate tracking is pretty much bang on with the Mi Band 2, which I thought was fairly accurate for the most part.There’s not much else that you can talk about for the G1. It would definitely be helpful if the band made better use of the provided real estate (on the screen). Options for better notification management, etc. would’ve definitely made the G1 more recommend-worthy, but sadly that’s not the case.Also, since it’s an LCD display (with pre-configured characters that can be displayed on the screen), there definitely won’t be a firmware update that will add notification management features to the band.Coming back to the companion app, it’s fine and all once it loads. However, each time you leave the app and come back to it, it needs to load right from the start — and this includes re-connecting to the Hesvit G1. Extremely frustrating, but pretty much the only gripe I had with the app.At $35, the Hesvit G1 is probably not the worst investment to make, but certainly far from the best.As our Editor Yash pointed out in his review聽of the Z2 Plus, this is one of the best sub $300 phones we’ve had in our hands this year and聽he’s not wrong.聽It’s not every day a bargain basement price phone gets incredibly similar聽internals as a Samsung Galaxy S7. Even the Oneplus 3 starts at $400USD.Lenovo Z2 Plus Second OpinionWhen the phone was launched, I was arguably overhyped. The specs below looked extremely tempting, and the dearth of high end 5″ phones was getting to me.聽However, a spec sheet is far from adequate in one’s decision to purchase a phone and for that, reading the full review is your best bet. However, once you’re done that, come back here for a second opinion on this incredibly well specced phone.Lenovo Z2 Plus SpecificationsProcessorSnapdragon 820 Quad Core 2.0GHzDisplay5″ 1920 x 1080 px, IPS LCDRAM4GBStorage64GBOperating SystemZUI based on Android 6.0 MarshmallowCameras13MP, f/2.0 PDAF Front Camera, 5MP f/2.0 Rear CameraBattery3500mAh, Qualcomm Quickcharge 3.0Physical Properties149g, 141 x 68.9 x 8.5 mmAbout this聽ArticleThis article is intended to be a second opinion, a companion piece to our official GizChina review. A review is defined as an evaluation of a product based on his or her experience as a user of said product. An experience is not 100% objective, and therefore neither is a review. Each reviewer will have a slightly聽different experience based on their preferences, daily usage patterns, and even location and each reviewer has different ideas on what makes a smartphone good. Maybe one reviewer will spot something another one didn’t. As I said before, Yash reviewed it, thought it was great, and so do I. Yet,聽there are a couple of things we disagree on. Read on to find out.I used the Zuk Z2 on Fido (Rogers) 4G/LTE in Toronto, Canada. The phone was running ZUI 2.3.042 ST during testing.Lenovo Z2 Plus聽HardwareFor a phone that I like so intensely, this phone is off to a pretty bad start. I’ve come to intensely dislike glass covered devices not because of their feel, but because of their inherent fragility. Less important but still annoying is the ease with which this device picks up smudges and oil, and is clearly visible on the black version of this device.Much like a small child, this phone is incredibly hard to keep clean. Obtaining the white model negates the oil/smudge problem to a great extent, but it wasn鈥檛 wise either, as it looks more like a cheap, plastic phone than the black version. At least no one will try to steal this from me.The phone is the perfect size for me. Having recently moved from the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (which is a great phone in its own right), my small hands are absolutely loving the size. I will admit that my penchant for small phones is probably more extreme than most, but a smaller device also means a smaller chance of the user dropping the phone as well.However, I will say that the squarishness of the frame does dig slightly into my hands somewhat having just moved from the Redmi Note 4 with it’s graceful, ergonomic curves, but it’s not too big of an issue.“a small but fragile phone”Elsewhere, the 5.0″ screen is nice to look at, but screen technology has advanced to the point that the difference between high end screens and low end screens is shrinking fast. The screen looks nice, but I find that it’s pretty difficult for any one screen to really take my breath away.Most phone manufacturers are now playing the spec game, cramming more and more pixels into the same area. Lenovo has refused to participate in this pixel war, and that is a decision I very much appreciate.The same goes for the audio. It’s very difficult for audio quality to blow me off my feet, and the Z2 Plus does not do that and is merely decent. The speakers are not front facing either and the speaker positioning does not help. But volume is definitely loud enough.Lenovo Z2 Plus聽BatteryYash mentioned in his review that the Z2 Plus has a good聽battery life, however,聽my battery standards are higher than most, so I disagree slightly.If you鈥檝e been following my reviews on YouTube and here on GizChina, you鈥檒l know that I鈥檓 absolutely neurotic about battery life. That is because I was spoiled by the very first Chinese device I owned, the THL5000 (5000mAh). From that moment on, I’ve made it a point to ensure that every single one of my daily drivers has a battery capacity above 4000mAh, the Mlais MX Base, Xiaomi Redmi 3, Xiaomi Redmi Note 4.This Lenovo Z2 Plus is the very first device with a significantly smaller 3500mAh battery.“great battery, just short of amazing”For those of you looking for more nuggets of info, the 3500mAh battery was able to net me roughly the same amount of usage as my previous daily drivers, with the big difference of having almost no buffer at the end of the day.Where the Redmi Note 4/Redmi 3 could take me through a 16 hour day with 6 hours of screen on time with 25-30% left before bedtime, the Lenovo Z2 Plus fared worse. It managed a 16 hour day with 6 hours of screen on time, but with just 9% left (do keep in mind that 4% with the Z2 Plus is enough for a good hour or two of light use).Unless you鈥檙e an absolutely insane power user (which I very much doubt you are, I鈥檓 on the upper limits of insane already), this phone won鈥檛 present you an issue. On certain phones, I also perform a rather unrealistic test to gauge the upper limits of battery life, and that would be constant YouTube playback.On the Redmi devices, I could play back 8 hours of Youtube video (straight from the charger) and still have 10-15% left for the rest of the day. On the Lenovo Z2 Plus, I’m left with a much smaller buffer of 7%. Do with that what you will, but nobody (unless you’re me) can take issue with the battery life here.Quick Charge 3.0, I coupled it with my Quickcharge 3.0 charger and it charged plenty quick. I also sometimes wish for wireless charging, but that would be a nicety that I wouldn’t be willing to pay more for.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramLenovo Z2 Plus聽U-TouchI鈥檝e given the home button its special section here as I feel that the button warrants its own section. Unlike battery life, fingerprint accuracy is much less quantifiable. As someone who never locks their phone, I easily get tired of using fingerprint sensors due to their inaccuracy and slowness on a lot of phones. There are two exceptions to this; those being聽the UMi Super and the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4.And now there’s a third, the Z2 Plus.It’s incredibly fast and accurate, fighting neck and neck with the likes of the Pixel and Note 7 (if yours hasn’t exploded yet). I do have one minor complaint, you can only input 5 fingerprints instead of 10 on a lot of other devices, and I’m used to registering both thumbs and indexes, and then giving each family member a finger to unlock it as well, but I can’t do that here (as I have 4 other family members).In addition, building in gesture functionality into the home button is an absolute stroke of genius. Instead of closing the app I鈥檓 in to open another one or opening up the app tray, I just swipe left or right to switch between apps. The crowning achievement is the ability to customize actions for certain gestures, chief of them being long touch to sleep.I never use buttons anymore.Lenovo Z2 Plus聽SoftwarePlease note that any software issues mentioned in this section are only relevant if you purchase the Zuk Z2 from certain resellers, and you will not have these issues if you purchase a Lenovo Z2 Plus.My phone I obtained from Gearbest did NOT come with the stock Lenovo ROM but instead contained a custom ROM that did not have the security permissions manager nor did it come with the crucially important OTA update app. I had to manually flash the stock ROM onto the device to get the phone to update. This is not a problem everyone will face, but if your purchase your device from a certain set of resellers (known offenders include Oppomart, Spemall, and Gearbest), you have to manually flash the stock ROM onto your device.Sadly, Lenovo is not one of the companies content with shipping their devices with stock Android. On the bright side, the skin that it ships with is unobtrusive. Dubbed ZUI, it replaces the stock launcher and reskins the settings menu as well. The first thing I did was install Google Now Launcher on it.The Snapdragon 820 tears through every day use like a champ, and coupled with 4GB of RAM, nothing fazes this device at all. General use was fluid with no hiccups, waiting or the like. I was never able to use up all 4GB of RAM, only coming close to 3.5GB when opening multiple games. This phone rips through any game in the store like butter. I was able to play any and every game I desired, taxing or not.Update: I was able to install the official chinese ROM and it works very well, I had some problems with notifications but I was able to solve that. I installed the official Indian ROM and I like it a lot better. It comes with Google Now Launcher and Google Keyboard preinstalled as default apps. Battery life and speed is also much improved as well. However, notifications do not work and alarms do not work either, which is incredibly annoying and almost deal breaking, I’m trying to figure out a solution to this.EDIT (Nov 12 2016): User 10BaseTom in the comments section below brought to my attention a very useful post over on www.zukfans.eu detailing every single custom and official ROM available. I’m currently back on the latest official Chinese ROM, but if you are experienced/courageous enough, there are quite a few custom ROMs for you to try. The post can be found here.Lenovo Z2 Plus聽Software UpdatesProbably the biggest issue with the software I have are the OTA updates. If you purchase the Zuk Z2 (instead of the Lenovo Z2 Plus), OTA updates are blocked unless your IP address originates from China. This requires obtaining a VPN to tunnel into China (Hong Kong works too) to update every time an OTA is released. Is it easy to do? Yes, but it’s also incredibly annoying.Lenovo Z2 Plus聽CameraOne of the crowning features of this camera is the ability to shoot in 4K resolution at 30fps. Footage is definitely very good, but it does lack the clarity that is present in other 4k capable phones such as the Samsung Galaxy S7 and the iPhone 7.The Z2 Plus is a capable photographer. In anyone’s hands, it takes nice photos easily in great lighting conditions. Move to low light and you’re going to have a harder time. However, the biggest potential dealbreaker here would be the lack of OIS.I have a relatively steady hand so taking pictures isn鈥檛 too much of a problem, but if you move slightly, the picture becomes blurry quite easily. Compare this to other Chinese phones in its price range, it takes great photos. Compare it to the S7 and the Pixel however, and it merely takes serviceable photos.Is there a significant gap between the Z2 Plus and the S7/iP7 in terms of photo quality? Objectively, yes. But the jump in picture quality is good to great instead of bad to good. Bottom LineFor many people, the primary factor in a phone purchase is price. Some won’t even consider paying $400 for a phone (like me), and even more won’t even entertain the thought of spending $700 on a top end flagship (ahem, looking at you, Pixel).The Galaxy S7 is fast, incredibly fast, but so is the Z2 Plus.聽However, the camera on the S7 is objectively better than what’s found on the Z2 Plus, and the S7’s software will be supported long after the Z2 Plus has been abandoned. But are those improvements (yes there are other improvements, but these are the big ones) worth the extra $500 odd dollars? If you think so, I completely respect that, but聽I personally couldn’t stomach it.A more apt comparison is the OnePlus 3 (review here), which costs a much more reasonable $400. Apart from a sigificant difference in software updates, the OnePlus 3 and the Z2 Plus for all intents and purposes trade blows quite evenly. Which phone will you pick? I’ll leave that decision up to you.In my opinion, this phone is so close to being perfect, with two objective flaws and a subjective one. Let’s start with the subjective; I hate glass covered phones because of their fragility, but Samsung’s top flagship does exactly that so glass聽covered devices聽must be in vogue.The first objective flaw in this device is the camera. No OIS and less than stellar low light performance hamper it somewhat. The second flaw is the software, but this only applies if you purchase a Zuk Z2. If you do, you will need to flash the stock ROM and then install a VPN to obtain OTA updates, a huge hassle, but definitely worth it due to it’s low price. If you get the Lenovo Z2 Plus from Amazon, then the software quirk doesn’t really apply to you at all.For $270, you get performance on the level of top end flagships and much better battery life than said flagships. If I’m complaining that I “only” have 14% left after 6 hours of screen on time, you know there’s something wrong with me, not the phone. The Z2 Plus flirts with perfection, and if you can look past the camera, it’s a great buy.

As our Editor Yash pointed out in his review聽of the Z2 Plus, this is one of the best sub $300 phones we’ve had in our hands this year and聽he’s not wrong.聽It’s not every day a bargain basement price phone gets incredibly similar聽internals as a Samsung Galaxy S7. Even the Oneplus 3 starts at $400USD.Lenovo Z2 Plus Second OpinionWhen the phone was launched, I was arguably overhyped. The specs below looked extremely tempting, and the dearth of high end 5″ phones was getting to me.聽However, a spec sheet is far from adequate in one’s decision to purchase a phone and for that, reading the full review is your best bet. However, once you’re done that, come back here for a second opinion on this incredibly well specced phone.Lenovo Z2 Plus SpecificationsProcessorSnapdragon 820 Quad Core 2.0GHzDisplay5″ 1920 x 1080 px, IPS LCDRAM4GBStorage64GBOperating SystemZUI based on Android 6.0 MarshmallowCameras13MP, f/2.0 PDAF Front Camera, 5MP f/2.0 Rear CameraBattery3500mAh, Qualcomm Quickcharge 3.0Physical Properties149g, 141 x 68.9 x 8.5 mmAbout this聽ArticleThis article is intended to be a second opinion, a companion piece to our official GizChina review. A review is defined as an evaluation of a product based on his or her experience as a user of said product. An experience is not 100% objective, and therefore neither is a review. Each reviewer will have a slightly聽different experience based on their preferences, daily usage patterns, and even location and each reviewer has different ideas on what makes a smartphone good. Maybe one reviewer will spot something another one didn’t. As I said before, Yash reviewed it, thought it was great, and so do I. Yet,聽there are a couple of things we disagree on. Read on to find out.I used the Zuk Z2 on Fido (Rogers) 4G/LTE in Toronto, Canada. The phone was running ZUI 2.3.042 ST during testing.Lenovo Z2 Plus聽HardwareFor a phone that I like so intensely, this phone is off to a pretty bad start. I’ve come to intensely dislike glass covered devices not because of their feel, but because of their inherent fragility. Less important but still annoying is the ease with which this device picks up smudges and oil, and is clearly visible on the black version of this device.Much like a small child, this phone is incredibly hard to keep clean. Obtaining the white model negates the oil/smudge problem to a great extent, but it wasn鈥檛 wise either, as it looks more like a cheap, plastic phone than the black version. At least no one will try to steal this from me.The phone is the perfect size for me. Having recently moved from the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (which is a great phone in its own right), my small hands are absolutely loving the size. I will admit that my penchant for small phones is probably more extreme than most, but a smaller device also means a smaller chance of the user dropping the phone as well.However, I will say that the squarishness of the frame does dig slightly into my hands somewhat having just moved from the Redmi Note 4 with it’s graceful, ergonomic curves, but it’s not too big of an issue.“a small but fragile phone”Elsewhere, the 5.0″ screen is nice to look at, but screen technology has advanced to the point that the difference between high end screens and low end screens is shrinking fast. The screen looks nice, but I find that it’s pretty difficult for any one screen to really take my breath away.Most phone manufacturers are now playing the spec game, cramming more and more pixels into the same area. Lenovo has refused to participate in this pixel war, and that is a decision I very much appreciate.The same goes for the audio. It’s very difficult for audio quality to blow me off my feet, and the Z2 Plus does not do that and is merely decent. The speakers are not front facing either and the speaker positioning does not help. But volume is definitely loud enough.Lenovo Z2 Plus聽BatteryYash mentioned in his review that the Z2 Plus has a good聽battery life, however,聽my battery standards are higher than most, so I disagree slightly.If you鈥檝e been following my reviews on YouTube and here on GizChina, you鈥檒l know that I鈥檓 absolutely neurotic about battery life. That is because I was spoiled by the very first Chinese device I owned, the THL5000 (5000mAh). From that moment on, I’ve made it a point to ensure that every single one of my daily drivers has a battery capacity above 4000mAh, the Mlais MX Base, Xiaomi Redmi 3, Xiaomi Redmi Note 4.This Lenovo Z2 Plus is the very first device with a significantly smaller 3500mAh battery.“great battery, just short of amazing”For those of you looking for more nuggets of info, the 3500mAh battery was able to net me roughly the same amount of usage as my previous daily drivers, with the big difference of having almost no buffer at the end of the day.Where the Redmi Note 4/Redmi 3 could take me through a 16 hour day with 6 hours of screen on time with 25-30% left before bedtime, the Lenovo Z2 Plus fared worse. It managed a 16 hour day with 6 hours of screen on time, but with just 9% left (do keep in mind that 4% with the Z2 Plus is enough for a good hour or two of light use).Unless you鈥檙e an absolutely insane power user (which I very much doubt you are, I鈥檓 on the upper limits of insane already), this phone won鈥檛 present you an issue. On certain phones, I also perform a rather unrealistic test to gauge the upper limits of battery life, and that would be constant YouTube playback.On the Redmi devices, I could play back 8 hours of Youtube video (straight from the charger) and still have 10-15% left for the rest of the day. On the Lenovo Z2 Plus, I’m left with a much smaller buffer of 7%. Do with that what you will, but nobody (unless you’re me) can take issue with the battery life here.Quick Charge 3.0, I coupled it with my Quickcharge 3.0 charger and it charged plenty quick. I also sometimes wish for wireless charging, but that would be a nicety that I wouldn’t be willing to pay more for.Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramLenovo Z2 Plus聽U-TouchI鈥檝e given the home button its special section here as I feel that the button warrants its own section. Unlike battery life, fingerprint accuracy is much less quantifiable. As someone who never locks their phone, I easily get tired of using fingerprint sensors due to their inaccuracy and slowness on a lot of phones. There are two exceptions to this; those being聽the UMi Super and the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4.And now there’s a third, the Z2 Plus.It’s incredibly fast and accurate, fighting neck and neck with the likes of the Pixel and Note 7 (if yours hasn’t exploded yet). I do have one minor complaint, you can only input 5 fingerprints instead of 10 on a lot of other devices, and I’m used to registering both thumbs and indexes, and then giving each family member a finger to unlock it as well, but I can’t do that here (as I have 4 other family members).In addition, building in gesture functionality into the home button is an absolute stroke of genius. Instead of closing the app I鈥檓 in to open another one or opening up the app tray, I just swipe left or right to switch between apps. The crowning achievement is the ability to customize actions for certain gestures, chief of them being long touch to sleep.I never use buttons anymore.Lenovo Z2 Plus聽SoftwarePlease note that any software issues mentioned in this section are only relevant if you purchase the Zuk Z2 from certain resellers, and you will not have these issues if you purchase a Lenovo Z2 Plus.My phone I obtained from Gearbest did NOT come with the stock Lenovo ROM but instead contained a custom ROM that did not have the security permissions manager nor did it come with the crucially important OTA update app. I had to manually flash the stock ROM onto the device to get the phone to update. This is not a problem everyone will face, but if your purchase your device from a certain set of resellers (known offenders include Oppomart, Spemall, and Gearbest), you have to manually flash the stock ROM onto your device.Sadly, Lenovo is not one of the companies content with shipping their devices with stock Android. On the bright side, the skin that it ships with is unobtrusive. Dubbed ZUI, it replaces the stock launcher and reskins the settings menu as well. The first thing I did was install Google Now Launcher on it.The Snapdragon 820 tears through every day use like a champ, and coupled with 4GB of RAM, nothing fazes this device at all. General use was fluid with no hiccups, waiting or the like. I was never able to use up all 4GB of RAM, only coming close to 3.5GB when opening multiple games. This phone rips through any game in the store like butter. I was able to play any and every game I desired, taxing or not.Update: I was able to install the official chinese ROM and it works very well, I had some problems with notifications but I was able to solve that. I installed the official Indian ROM and I like it a lot better. It comes with Google Now Launcher and Google Keyboard preinstalled as default apps. Battery life and speed is also much improved as well. However, notifications do not work and alarms do not work either, which is incredibly annoying and almost deal breaking, I’m trying to figure out a solution to this.EDIT (Nov 12 2016): User 10BaseTom in the comments section below brought to my attention a very useful post over on www.zukfans.eu detailing every single custom and official ROM available. I’m currently back on the latest official Chinese ROM, but if you are experienced/courageous enough, there are quite a few custom ROMs for you to try. The post can be found here.Lenovo Z2 Plus聽Software UpdatesProbably the biggest issue with the software I have are the OTA updates. If you purchase the Zuk Z2 (instead of the Lenovo Z2 Plus), OTA updates are blocked unless your IP address originates from China. This requires obtaining a VPN to tunnel into China (Hong Kong works too) to update every time an OTA is released. Is it easy to do? Yes, but it’s also incredibly annoying.Lenovo Z2 Plus聽CameraOne of the crowning features of this camera is the ability to shoot in 4K resolution at 30fps. Footage is definitely very good, but it does lack the clarity that is present in other 4k capable phones such as the Samsung Galaxy S7 and the iPhone 7.The Z2 Plus is a capable photographer. In anyone’s hands, it takes nice photos easily in great lighting conditions. Move to low light and you’re going to have a harder time. However, the biggest potential dealbreaker here would be the lack of OIS.I have a relatively steady hand so taking pictures isn鈥檛 too much of a problem, but if you move slightly, the picture becomes blurry quite easily. Compare this to other Chinese phones in its price range, it takes great photos. Compare it to the S7 and the Pixel however, and it merely takes serviceable photos.Is there a significant gap between the Z2 Plus and the S7/iP7 in terms of photo quality? Objectively, yes. But the jump in picture quality is good to great instead of bad to good. Bottom LineFor many people, the primary factor in a phone purchase is price. Some won’t even consider paying $400 for a phone (like me), and even more won’t even entertain the thought of spending $700 on a top end flagship (ahem, looking at you, Pixel).The Galaxy S7 is fast, incredibly fast, but so is the Z2 Plus.聽However, the camera on the S7 is objectively better than what’s found on the Z2 Plus, and the S7’s software will be supported long after the Z2 Plus has been abandoned. But are those improvements (yes there are other improvements, but these are the big ones) worth the extra $500 odd dollars? If you think so, I completely respect that, but聽I personally couldn’t stomach it.A more apt comparison is the OnePlus 3 (review here), which costs a much more reasonable $400. Apart from a sigificant difference in software updates, the OnePlus 3 and the Z2 Plus for all intents and purposes trade blows quite evenly. Which phone will you pick? I’ll leave that decision up to you.In my opinion, this phone is so close to being perfect, with two objective flaws and a subjective one. Let’s start with the subjective; I hate glass covered phones because of their fragility, but Samsung’s top flagship does exactly that so glass聽covered devices聽must be in vogue.The first objective flaw in this device is the camera. No OIS and less than stellar low light performance hamper it somewhat. The second flaw is the software, but this only applies if you purchase a Zuk Z2. If you do, you will need to flash the stock ROM and then install a VPN to obtain OTA updates, a huge hassle, but definitely worth it due to it’s low price. If you get the Lenovo Z2 Plus from Amazon, then the software quirk doesn’t really apply to you at all.For $270, you get performance on the level of top end flagships and much better battery life than said flagships. If I’m complaining that I “only” have 14% left after 6 hours of screen on time, you know there’s something wrong with me, not the phone. The Z2 Plus flirts with perfection, and if you can look past the camera, it’s a great buy.Vernee is a new smartphone brand that has made a name for itself fairly聽quickly in the ultra competitive mobile scene. Their first phone, the Vernee Thor, was and is still one of my favourite phones to hold in the hand and was priced extremely competitively. The Vernee Apollo Lite was the first device to use the Helio X20 processor and even then was priced fiercely as well.The Vernee Mars is this fledging company鈥檚 third phone, and this midrange phone is priced a lot less aggressively than the first two phones.Vernee Mars Full ReviewStarting at $200 during the presale period and rising to $250 after, this 5.5″ phone combines the midrange Helio P10 chip with 4GB of RAM for a respectable spec sheet. However, in a pure specs to price battle, it’s bigger brother (the Apollo Lite) handily beats the Mars and is trounced soundly by the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4.However, it does have a few tricks up its sleeve. First of all, it has incredibly small bezels, fitting a 5.5″ phone in the footprint of a 5″ one… almost. This has the added benefit of making the phone look very sleek. It also has a side mounted fingerprint scanner that we are very interested to see how well it works.But are these tricks enough to make this a must buy? Continue reading to find out.“this phone faces stiff competition”聽Vernee Mars SpecificationsProcessorHelio P10 MTK6755 OctacoreDisplay5.5″ 1920 x 1080 px, IPS LCDRAM4GBStorage32GB SSDOperating SystemAndroid 6.0 MarshmallowCameras13MP Rear, 5MP Front CameraBattery3000mAh with PumpExpressPhysical Properties149g, 73 x 151.6 x 7.6 mmBig thanks to Gearbest for providing this review unit. I used the Vernee Mars聽on Rogers in Toronto.Vernee Mars HardwareVernee has some pretty good industrial designers, or so it appears. The phone manages to catch the eye without the need for flashy design cues like a curved display. Made out of a single piece of aircraft grade aluminum, the Mars definitely looks and feels like a premium device, no question about it.It’s extremely compact for a 5.5″ phone, squeezing itself into the footprint of a large 5″ device. Bezels are such a thing of the past, and I applaud Vernee for shrinking them as much as possible.This stands in stark contrast to the new iPhones and the recently released Pixel devices, and they all have one thing in common — large bezels. The 1mm wide bezels flanking the left and right of the screen are almost invisible to the naked eye and completely invisible when the screen is off. You find the side mounted fingerprint sensor on the right edge.The back of the phone contains the camera, flash and the Vernee logo. The antenna bands look the exact same as the iPhone 7’s bands, but I really don’t think they copied the iPhone itself since both the Mars and the iPhone were released within days of each other. Even though the metal used is durable, it is very scratchable… so do be careful with it.“big phone in a small footprint”I’m quite pleased with the design, quality and size of this phone. If I were to ever move to a phone with a 5.5″ screen, one with minimal bezels is a must. The only downside to the build quality here is how easily scratches can be seen.Vernee Mars DisplayScreen display technology has advanced to a point where most phone displays — regardless of pricing — all present more or less the same quality with slight variations in maximum brightness, contrast, and colour.Unless you pay outrageous amounts for a top end AMOLED display, the difference between LCD displays are within a few percentage points of each other.Here we see Vernee installing a 5.5″ Full HD display in the phone and the screen itself is great. It presents rather saturated colours (for an LCD) and crisp text and pictures, making it a pleasure to look at. Max brightness tops out around 500 nits, it’s easy to see in direct sunlight. It’s protected by Gorilla Glass 3 so you don’t have to worry about scratches.I do recommend a case as the body design of the phone does not allow for protection for the聽front glass from drops at all.Vernee Mars Audio“decent volume, crisp quality”Speaker technology in smartphones is even more stagnated than smartphone displays. Even low quality speakers that lack clarity aren’t all that bad; and in my time as a device reviewer, I’ve only encountered two truly terrible speakers. Thankfully, the Vernee Mars is not one of them.Speaker volume is quite good, it isn’t as loud as the HTC 10, but it’s loud enough for most situations. Now what really surprised me was the speaker quality. It’s actually one of the better ones I’ve heard. There is very decent detail in the sound and audio is crisp even at maximum volume. Have a listen for yourself.Vernee Mars BatteryWith a standard 3000mAh battery, the Vernee Mars should post some decent results, but anyone hoping for something spectacular like Redmi devices should temper their expectations. I was able to get through a 16 hour day of medium use, meaning 4 hours of screen on time consisting of web browsing, Reddit, and news. I plugged it back in at 10pm with just 2% left, so there really is no buffer there.Try anything more and the phone most likely won’t be able to get you throughout a day. In the web browsing test, the Mars died after 7 hours of web browsing and got 8 hours of video playback. Decent results, but not up there with the best of the best.“decent but not great”Gizchina News of the week Join GizChina on TelegramYou also get Mediatek’s PumpExpress which can charge the phone up to about 60% in an hour, quite useful for a phone without great battery life. This phone will be enough for light and medium users. Heavy users will need to charge at least once a day, but with PumpExpress, that shouldn’t be much of a problem.Vernee Mars SoftwareVernee is one of the few manufacturers that keeps the ROM as stock as possible, and I appreciate that. To those moving from MIUI or EMUI, you could make the argument that this phone is completely feature bare, which wouldn’t be a false statement.However, Vernee did add a few extra customization option,s such as display customizations and screen gestures. The latter somewhat rendered moot by an always on fingerprint sensor.There are also some customization options regarding notifications as well as quick settings. A side mounted fingerprint sensor is something that’s only been done a few times, with a few notable examples being Sony’s Xperia Z5 line and the Ulefone Future. The fingerprint sensor is incredibly accurate, but that is becoming less of a luxury聽and more of a basic feature of fingerprint sensors.“one of the fastest fingerprint sensors”The speed of the sensor is what has me puzzled, as it is the fastest fingerprint sensor I’ve seen, and at the same time pretty slow. To expand on that, when the phone is already turned on and you touch the sensor, it unlocks faster than any device I’ve seen so far, except maybe the Pixel. However, if you use the sensor to wake and unlock the device at the same time, it’s slower than regular sensors on flagships like the S7.It is my opinion that the sensor itself is incredibly fast, but the process of waking up the phone needs to be trimmed down to provide the same speedy response the sensor is capable of delivering.Another聽piece of advice when setting up the fingerprint scanner — make sure you scan the tip of your thumb or finger thoroughly, as unlocking the device while it is on a table will pretty much force you to use your fingertips exclusively.Yes, there’s only a Helio P10 MTK6755 processor in here, and no, you can’t tell the difference. This phone feels just as fast as my Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 and Lenovo Z2 Plus. This can largely be attributed to Vernee’s software optimization, as the Vernee Mars is the fastest Helio P10 device I’ve tested to date.With 4GB of RAM, it is capable of some fairly intense multitasking, being almost impossible to slow down during normal use. It can play almost any game on the play store very smoothly, there are some where you have to lower the graphical settings to play at a full framerate. The Antutu benchmark also yielded a very good score of 47,971.Vernee Mars ConnectivityOne of the downsides of the Vernee Mars is the lack of supported bands. There are only two WCDMA bands and four FDD-LTE bands, and those pretty much prevent this device from working in U.S. Altogether. However, if you are located somewhere else like Europe or Asia, you should be OK. Do check whether it works on your carrier though. I was able to get some very good 4G LTE speeds as well. The rest of the connectivity options all work very well, WiFi, bluetooth, GPS, no complaints here.Vernee Mars聽CameraIf I had to choose between a camera with good detail and bad colour or a camera with bad detail and good colour, I would rather go for the former, as would pretty much anyone. Colour can be fixed in post quite easily while refining detail is going to be much more difficult. The Vernee Mars fortunately has good detail but lacks聽colour. In other words, it takes pictures with some good detail, but the pictures tend to be washed out. You can fix that pretty easily in post, but a trick I learnt to fix this is to focus on something dark, so for example focusing on my dog’s black fur instead of the white, and the colours mostly come out saturated properly. Of course, you might not always be able to do that in every situation, so this is definitely a downside you have to be aware of.The front camera is only 5MP and so pictures do not contain as much detail as I would like but it is still passable for a low cost device. One pretty significant upside is the speed of the shutter, it is for all intents and purposes, instantaneous. Tapping the button to capture a shot results in a photo being taken of almost that exact moment.Video capture from the rear camera results in video with surprising detail and decent colours, the rear camera’s video quality is definitely a surprise. The front camera takes 720p video, so it’s聽nothing to write home about.Vernee Mars VerdictAs with almost all chinese phones, the weakest link is usually the camera, and the Vernee Mars is not an exception to this anecdotal rule. However, apart from the camera, Vernee has created an extremely compelling phone in the Vernee Mars, but they made one mistake; they priced it too high.To be honest, the price tag is not too far off compared to other Helio P10 phones from UMi and Ulefone, but with the release of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4, a phone like the Vernee Mars (e.g. a helio P10 phone) suddenly became a lot less attractive.I find that this Vernee Mars is overall a very well made phone and apart from the camera, without any significant weakesses. Whether you like the side mounted fingerprint sensor is based on personal preference and the phone’s small footprint is just icing on the cake.“good but overpriced”The biggest issue I have with this phoine is the price, starting at $250, you’re paying a $70 premium (compared to the Redmi Note 4) for a slower processor and 2GB more RAM. Should you buy this? Probably not. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 is still a much better option. But if you’re bent on getting a phone from Vernee, the Apollo Lite聽is also a good choice. But if you do get the Vernee Mars, at least you can know that the rest of the phone is decent.I would like to thank Gearbest for sending out this review unit, and if you would like to buy one, you can do so here.Vernee Mars Video Review