New lenovo vibe x. Lenovo Vibe X

Lenovo Vibe X3 smartphone review: sounds good

Returning to the roots, you involuntarily recall some of the first smartphones with resistive screens small diagonal and resolution: it seems interesting, but terribly inconvenient. Then the technology became capacitive, and the resolution was higher, although the picture was pastel. Nowadays, smartphones with a Full-HD screen and a diagonal of 5.3" are less and less often called “shovels” and there is an increasingly common opinion that they will eventually displace tablets. Is this so? We’ll wait and see. But first, let’s get acquainted with the “tactical -technical characteristics” of our guest and let’s clearly see who competes with him today.

	Lenovo Vibe X3	Xiaomi Redmi Note 3	BQ Aquaris M5.5
operating system	Android 5.1.1 + VIBE UI	Android 5.1	Android 5.1
Display	5.5" IPS, 1920x1080 pixels.	5.5" IPS, 1920x1080 pixels.	5.5" IPS, 1920x1080 pixels.
CPU	Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 808, 6x2 GHz	Mediatek MT6795, 8x2 GHz	Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 615, 8x1.5 GHz
RAM	3 GB	2/3 GB	3 GB
Flash	32 GB + MicroSDXC up to 128 GB	16/32 GB	16/32 GB
Camera	Rear: 21MP, autofocus, flash; Front: 8MP	Rear: 13 MP; Front: 5 MP	Rear: 13 MP; Front: 5 MP
Communications	GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, 3G 850/900/1900/2100 MHz EEE 802.11 b/g/n/ac,	GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, GPS/A-GPS/GLONASS	GSM 850/900/1800/1900, 3G HSPA+ 900/2100 LTE 800/1800/2100/2600, GPS + GLONASS
Peculiarities	2x nano-SIM	fingerprint scanner	2x micro-SIM
Battery	3600 mAh	4000 mAh	3620 mAh
Dimensions	154x76.5x9.3 mm, 175 g	150 × 76 × 8.6 mm, 166 g	151.8 x 75.5 x 8.35 mm 162 g
Price	i 29 900	i 13,400/16,200	i 27 500

Source: ZOOM.CNews

Appearance

The first impression of the Vibe X3 is “the thing!” Indeed, the solidity of the design is at its best; this is ensured by a metal contour, a stiffening rib, on which a soft-touch “back” and a glossy screen panel in a frame with speakers were placed as a frame. The assembly is also excellent, the design is almost monolithic and this affects the weight. The appearance of the new product is somewhat reminiscent of Oppo Find 5, although the design logic of the models is fundamentally different, we just want to emphasize a certain individuality and recognition of the design.

On the front panel, in addition to the dominant feature, the display, there are two lines of speakers with “chessboard” perforations, at the top and bottom. In the upper part we can see the front camera and the charge indicator, invisible when inactive, and in the lower part there is a strip of control touch keys that are not backlit. The left side of the case is dedicated to a nano-SIM and memory card slide (or 2 nano-SIM depending on the user’s needs), and the right side houses a combined volume rocker and power/lock key.

On the bottom edge there is only a micro-USB connector (microphone in in this case hidden in the bottom perforation of the front panel speaker), and the top has a 3.5 mm mini-jack audio connector and an infrared port.

The rear panel of the Vibe X3 case, in addition to the noise reduction microphone, is reserved for a combined rear camera unit, dual LED flash and a fingerprint scanner.

The latter deserves special attention: the “fingerprint sensor,” as the manufacturer calls it, works surprisingly clearly and recognizes touches not even with the entire pad of the finger, but the use case in this case is only security (you won’t be able to configure the launch of applications).

Screen

The smartphone is equipped with a large display with high resolution and a clear, pleasing to the eye picture. The color temperature, as is often the case in modern devices, can be adjusted by the user to his taste, and the viewing angles of the display are close to maximum. Brightness is adjustable over a wide range, from minimal to extreme, so it covers the entire range of use cases.

As for the technology, it is, of course, capacitive and supports up to 10 simultaneous clicks, and the clarity of perception, text input and commands did not cause any complaints during testing.

The screen is covered protective glass Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3, which is designed to protect it from scratches, but we cannot judge whether this is so: during testing we did not scratch it, but we cannot say that the device arrived to us without any micro-scuffs.

Software and interface

The smartphone runs on OS Android versions 5.1.1 and has a proprietary add-on from the manufacturer, VIBEUI.

The main feature of the latter is the abandonment of the main menu and shortcut menu in favor of the location of all elements on the desktops. This decision also used in iOS, although without widgets, and in addition, in the FlymeOS, MIUI and similar shells.

However, the manufacturer does not limit the user’s choice and, in addition to VIBEUI, also offers a traditional interface display format, with a main menu.

Among the additional features, we note a customizable shortcut area in the curtain at the top, customizable settings for displaying and flipping desktops, branded widgets and advanced indicator parameters, such as charge level and WiFi reception, For example.

In addition to the standard programs that form the basis of the OS, in the basic package of the new product you will find the Guvera music service, the SYNCit cloud, the sharing service SHAREit, Blitz, McAfee antivirus, as well as a couple of social network clients and weak games. Not much, but not a dry product without soul.

“Dual-SIM” in the new product is implemented competently, from default settings to the indication of networks and events, and when you install a memory card instead of a second SIM card, the device masks its duality.

Hardware and Performance

As can be seen from the comparison table, the Vibe X3 has a good set of hardware typical of the top segment of smartphones. The same information, with some exceptions, is confirmed by the tests carried out: in some places the smartphone is “ahead of the rest,” and in others it sags slightly.

Geekbench 3 (Single core/Multi core)	1221/3267
AnTuTu Benchmark v6.0	61405
3D Mark (Ice Strom Unlimited)	19398
Epic Citadel (Ultra High Quality)	73.5 FPS
Epic Citadel (High Quality)	57.9 FPS

Source: ZOOM.CNews

In practice, everything is more than worthy: standard applications the new product launches and executes without delay, interface scrolling is smooth, and responsiveness to input is excellent.

The device reproduces HD video without problems, and does not succumb to heavy games (well, maybe just a little, although we are already finding fault).

Musical component

The review would not be complete if we did not consider this section in more detail. So, according to the vendor, the Vibe X3 uses three amplifiers on Texas Instruments OPA1612 chips and front-facing stereo speakers with a power of 1.5 W each with support for Dolby ATMOS® surround sound technology. The smartphone's audio subsystem can operate in two modes: Pro Hi-Fi and Standard Hi-Fi. To obtain HD Audio-level sound when the user connects headphones, a professional audio processor ESS Sabre9018C2M with a 32-bit DAC is used, providing a wide dynamic range and playback of music files in any format.

For the common man, not an audiophile, let’s decipher: the musical path in the new product is more than good and listening to music on it is more pleasant than on most modern smartphones, and often even compact flash MP3 players. Due to the fact that the Vibe X3 came to us without a kit, we used the headphones at our disposal, namely Shure SE-215, and the result did not disappoint us.

Camera

The smartphone is equipped with two good cameras: a front camera with fixed focus and a rear camera with autofocus, plus a dual LED flash. The application responsible for interaction is visual, but not completely intuitive, although understanding it will not be difficult. Among the numerous settings there are shooting modes, composition parameters, selection of photosensitivity values, white balance and exposure metering, as well as activation of the “level” so as not to “overwhelm the horizon”.

Traditionally, you can evaluate the quality of the output content using test frames.

Clicking on a thumbnail will open a full-size image.

Let us add that the pictures are decent: the camera behaves well under various shooting conditions from daylight to twilight and when focusing from infinity to nearby objects. Everything is good in terms of geometry, and the detailing is not lame even in the corners of the frame.

The only drawback is shooting in pitch darkness, but in these conditions few people cope without flaws in the form of noise and artifacts.

Battery

The non-removable Li-Pol battery of the Vibe X3 is capable, according to the manufacturer, of providing 26–31 hours of talk time in 3G/2G networks, respectively, or 618 hours of standby in 4G networks. In practice this figure is lower. Under a test load, which included about an hour of voice calls, 20-25 messages, listening to music for 1.5 hours, push mail, constantly checking social networks and instant messengers, as well as taking photos, the device turned off after about 17 hours. The indicator is not bad and generally expected.

Total

Let's summarize: Lenovo has made a good smartphone in all respects with an emphasis on multimedia components that distinguish it technically from its competitors and is not very profitable financially.

Let us explain: the set of sound components that are installed in the Vibe X3 is a really smart choice, but it won’t be very successful among ignorant people. With all this, fans of high-quality sound will appreciate this highlight and will be willing to pay extra for it above the price of potential competitors. Otherwise, this is a high-quality and decent 5.5" Android smartphone, but still for connoisseurs.

Lenovo has proven itself well in the smartphone and tablet market; the manufacturer has managed to highlight its devices in the budget and mid-price segments. Russia is one of the key regions for this company. But the manufacturer’s product lines also include flagship-level solutions. One of the bright new products of last year was the Lenovo Vibe X (S960). This model became the younger brother of Lenovo Vibe Z, built on Intel based Atom.
The main advantages are retained: a stylish thin body, high-quality hardware and display. But to make it cheaper Intel platform was replaced by SoCot MediaTek. Given the absence of any obvious advantages on the side Intel Atom, the change of platform did not negatively affect the overall concept of the device.

Availability of Lenovo Vibe X

At the time of testing, the average cost, according to the Yandex.Market service, is 12,990 rubles.

Equipment

The smartphone comes in a large box made of matte cardboard, with the model name and a number of icons with its advantages cut out on the outside.

Traditional equipment: network adapter, headphones, micro cable USB, documentation and SIM tray clip. Everything is carefully packed in separate boxes.

Appearance

Lenovo Vibe X retains the shape and design of its older brother (K900). But the aluminum body has been replaced with plastic. The manufacturer managed to preserve the special structure of the plastic; it feels easily confused with aluminum.

The dimensions of the case are 71 x 144 x 6.9 mm. When compared with competitors' models, the smartphone compares favorably with its small thickness and weight. Not every flagship can boast such dimensions.

The design of the case contains smoothed features and lines. Thanks to them, the smartphone is comfortable to hold, but you should be careful, it can slip out.

The location of the buttons here is as follows: on the left is the power button, on the right is the volume rocker. It takes some getting used to; most solutions have reverse key layout. The buttons have a good tactile feel, have a soft stroke and rounded edges.

The audio jack is located on top, and the port micro USB- in the lower part. At the border between the back cover and the front cover, there is an edging along the entire body, stylized as metal. At the bottom it goes onto the back cover. During use, this material has not accumulated scratches, but most likely, after prolonged use, it may lose its appearance. Still, real aluminum would be more appropriate here.

The front of the device is protected by tempered glass Corning Gorilla Glass 3. It has rounded edges. The coating is oleophobic, fingerprints are easily erased.

Above the display is a chrome speaker grille and led indicator. Nearby are light and proximity sensors, as well as a front camera. At the bottom there are three touch buttons with white backlight.

The case is non-separable, so there is no creaking or play of parts. Despite the small thickness, there is no curling effect.

Only one SIM card is supported; in order to install it, you need to remove the tray from the side using a special lock.

The back cover houses the main camera, which protrudes slightly above the body, as well as an LED flash and a noise-canceling microphone.

Screen

Lenovo Vibe X received a display reduced by half an inch, while maintaining the resolution. The matrix produced by Sharp is used; it is a 5-inch display with Full HD resolution. Pixel density – 441 ppi.

It is based on IPS with wide viewing angles, high definition and a reserve of maximum brightness sufficient for comfortable work with smartphones in direct sunlight. Additionally there is an anti-reflective layer. The color balance is close to the optimal value. There are no complaints about contrast.

Filling

The heart of the Lenovo Vibe X is the MediaTek MTK6589T processor with a frequency of 1.5 GHz. The chip is capable of providing average performance. But you shouldn’t count on running complex games. The main advantage of this platform is energy efficiency. It is based on four Cortex-A7 cores and Power VR SGX544MP graphics. On board there are 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of data storage.

Antutu

Vellamo

3D Antutu

Connection

There were no problems with communication quality during operation. On board is a set of communication modules – Wi-Fi 802.11n, Bluetooth 3.0.

The available GPS module allows you to use the device as a navigator. A cold start and searching for satellites takes an average of 1.5 minutes.

Battery

A 2000 mAh battery is responsible for autonomous operation. Not much, but this is exactly the volume used in thin smartphones. This is enough for comfortable use during the working day. Watch about 2 movies in Full HD resolution.

Camera

Settings available include exposure and ISO. There is the possibility of shooting in motion, intelligent shooting.

Software

Lenovo Vibe X uses Google Android 4.2.2 operating system. The proprietary Vibe ROM shell is used. Distinctive feature is the lack of an application menu. All icons are placed on the desktop, organized using folders. The notification shade and settings window have been changed.

It is possible to customize the lock window and design theme. A system of gestures with descriptions is proposed; there is something interesting and useful.

The interface works smoothly and is quite pleasant. It offers a traditional set of utilities with the ability to expand using Google Play. Separately, it is worth mentioning the utility for reducing energy consumption, which provides reporting on battery discharge. The second allows you to control application activity, a kind of security system.

Video review of Lenovo Vibe X

Results for Lenovo Vibe X

Lenovo Vibe X is a solid representative of the mid-segment. By inheriting the main advantages of the flagship (high-quality display, light and thin body, 13 megapixel Sony camera, 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of data storage), changing the processor, it was possible to achieve a reduction in cost. It’s up to you to decide whether it’s worth saving, it all depends on the tasks assigned to the smartphone; if modern games are required, then it’s better to pay extra; if not, then a completely comfortable level of performance. Lenovo Vibe X receives the well-deserved "Hit" award...

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Anyone can envy Lenovo's prolific output in the smartphone segment (most recently, Samsung behaved this way, and before that, Nokia years ago). But understanding the manufacturer’s line is not easy even for specialized journalists (not to mention readers!). Thus, Vibe in the name of this model indicates that it belongs to the top series. X - for the design component. 3 - that this is the third device of this kind. Does everything seem logical? In fact, Vibe X3 is the company's first flagship in the music segment. And its design, although good in itself, is not as incredible as the design of, for example, the Lenovo Vibe Shot photo flagship. Let's see if the device is only interested in music.

Anyone can envy Lenovo’s prolific output in the smartphone segment (most recently Samsung behaved this way, and before that, Nokia years ago). But understanding the manufacturer’s line is not easy even for specialized journalists (not to mention readers!). Thus, Vibe in the name of this model indicates that it belongs to the top series. X – for the design component. 3 – that this is the third device of this kind. Does everything seem logical? In fact, Vibe X3 is the company's first flagship in the music segment. And its design, although good in itself, is not as incredible as the design of, for example, the Lenovo Vibe Shot photo flagship. Let's see if the device is only interested in music.

What is this?

5.5-inch Android smartphone with Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 chipset, 3 GB RAM, 21 megapixel camera, powerful battery(3500 mAh). But the pearl of this model is the musical component. This is an ESS ES9018K2M DAC, three TI OPA1612 amplifiers, a Wolfson WM8281 audio chip and two front speakers of 1.5 W each. All this for 13 thousand hryvnia or 40 thousand rubles (prices are current at the time of writing).

What is in the box?

Smartphone, Charger, documents, headset. The box is cute, by the way.

What does he look like?

From the point of view of appearance, the device is no less extraordinary than from the point of view of the filling. Typically, the front panel of Lenovo smartphones looks simple, and even a little dull - a rectangle with three touch buttons, a camera eye, a speaker and, possibly, a flash. The screen of this smartphone is framed at the short ends by speakers, a thin strip of white plastic runs around the display, but there is still a narrow black frame under the glass. It seems that the smartphone is practically frameless, although this is not the case. They are skillfully hidden by design tricks. The third “layer” of the side ends is a metal edging that protects the smartphone from all sides.

At each end there are connectors or controls typical for a smartphone. The case cover is not removable, so the slot for SIM cards (two, nano, one of the slots can also accommodate microSD up to 128 GB) is hidden at one of the ends. The smartphone looks neat and expensive.

The back is a nice matte plastic. The block with the camera, flash and fingerprint scanner is emphasized by a metal (or plastic?) plate. The scanner works accurately.

The thickness of the case is 9.3 millimeters, weight – 175 grams. All because of the 3500 mAh battery. The smartphone is heavy, that's a fact. But the extra volume is correctly distributed throughout the body, so the device fits well in the hand and is convenient to operate with one hand. The plastic is not as easily soiled as in the Nexus 5X, as I thought. It doesn’t slip in your hands – this is another plus of the case. Fingerprints and small scratches are not visible on it. The lower part of the rear panel is covered with all sorts of inscriptions, including a warning about Dolby Atmos technology inside.

The only trouble is that the keys on the front panel are not backlit at all. Me after Meizu Pro 5 in general, at first it was difficult to navigate the controls; I lost the habit of using three buttons.

Next to Meizu Pro 5.

In general, from the point of view of appearance and body materials, the device turned out to be very successful. In my opinion, one of best models Lenovo has these parameters.

How is his security?

The fingerprint scanner in the smartphone is accurate and fast enough. There are devices on the market with a higher response speed, the same Nexus 5X, for example, but these are trifles; in the Vibe X3, the fingerprint scanner is a suitable and reliable tool for protecting personal data. The location is good.

Another way to protect personal data on a smartphone is a special mode in which the data is encrypted. These can be email and other accounts, different types of files.

How are things going with the screen?

The 5.5-inch IPS display in Lenovo Vibe X3 has a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels and a pixel density of 401 ppi. This is enough to enjoy a smooth image on the screen. Brightness and contrast are also enviably good. The brightness of the white field is 457.161 cd/m2, the brightness of the black field is 0.141 cd/m2, the contrast is 3242:1. Let me remind you that everything that is more than 1000:1 is good. The screen has a light sensor and an oleophobic coating - both cope perfectly with the tasks assigned to it.

In the display settings, you can enable touch support with gloves and adjust the color balance using manual settings or one of the preset modes (adaptive, by default, high brightness mode). There is a special mode for night time, but I think the user will be too lazy to constantly go to the settings at night to turn it on.

The default screen calibration is acceptable, but not perfect. The colors are colder than expected. The color gamut is wider than the RGB space, which is neither bad nor good. Users who are sensitive to screen color rendering can adjust the settings manually; others will most likely not notice any deviation from the standard.

What about autonomy?

The first thing that a user benefits from when choosing between a smartphone with a FullHD display and a 2K display in favor of the former is autonomy. The Lenovo Vibe X3 has a 3500 mAh battery, and the display diagonal and processor are the same as the LG G4; the LG G4 has a more modest 3000 mAh battery. But at the same time, the Lenovo device works twice as long. It calmly holds a charge for a day and a half under average loads, and during intensive work it survives until the evening without completely running out of juice, and for many users it will probably last for two days (I know that I discharge smartphones faster than the average user). At the same time, the LG G4 works for half a day under such loads, or a day at most.

What about productivity?

Lenovo Vibe X3 is equipped with a 64-bit 6-core MSM8992 Snapdragon 808 processor - the top solution in the Qualcomm line, which is currently inferior in performance only to the Snapdragon 810, and even then only slightly. The amount of RAM is 3 GB. Due to the fact that the smartphone has a display with FullHD resolution (and not QuadHD, as, for example, in the LG G4), the device benefits not only in autonomy, but also in performance, and at the same time does not lose anything in the quality of the image on the display. In the benchmarks, the Lenovo Vibe X3 either occupies close to the first places, or is located immediately below the Nexus 6. Nevertheless, this is a powerful device with modern hardware, the capabilities of which will still be enough for more than one year, but even today - for any modern tasks, including games. The interface works smoothly, but an experienced eye will notice that it does not have the same smoothness as the Nexus 5X on bare Android 6.0. But there is nothing to complain about, the Vibe X3 has a lot of other advantages, including glove support and excellent front-facing speakers. These are more tangible arguments than abstract parameters that are almost invisible to the eye.

What about the sound?

Lenovo Vibe X3 is armed to the teeth with “audiophile” electronics. And the ESS ES9018K2M DAC, and the TI OPA1612 amplifiers, and the Wolfson WM8281 audio chip. The smartphone really sounds cool in headphones, something that was not previously noticed in mobile phones from this manufacturer. Moreover, this is one of the best “musical” smartphones on the market (Meizu is usually famous for its strong music component). It’s worth it to load tracks in lossless quality into the abyss of its memory and enjoy it for hours (fortunately, the battery allows it). The only thing you have to think about in advance is good headphones, because the included ones, of course, will not reveal all the musical advantages of the smartphone. Yes, and the fly in the ointment is that there is no aptX support, so the sound will only “reveal” through the wires.

The smartphone settings provide sound “improvers” in the form of preset modes for different types content (music, film, cinema) Dolby Atmos and “Turbo Hi-Fi” mode. In my opinion, even without them, the smartphone sounds great, they are here rather to give the user the opportunity to play with the sound and give weight to the musical component in the eyes of the mass user, in whose brain every “enhancer” is like a vitamin, in any case for something yes it will help.

The front speakers are also worth noting for their good sound. They are better than in the same Nexus 5X. I don't really remember how good it was HTC One M9 in playing music through speakers, but it seems to me that these devices are somewhere on the same level. Although before replacement it was not even the most powerful portable acoustics they still have a long way to go.

Is the camera good?

Lenovo has never been known for its smartphone cameras, and even the company's first camera phone, the Vibe Shot, was more of a great smartphone for the money than the best camera in its segment. But with Vibe X3 it's a different matter. There is a 21-megapixel Sony IMX230 Exmor RS sensor with phase detection autofocus, and I must say, it takes excellent pictures. It’s clear that during the day it’s as good as most smartphones with a camera of this level, but in more or less low light and during macro photography it literally puts Meizu Pro 5 on the shoulder blades and, in my opinion (alas, there was no way to compare directly ), even surpasses the Xperia Z5 line. With Nexus 5X and top-end Samsung line The 2015 device is still not comparable, but it is not that far from the segment leaders (you can see the pictures in the original resolution).

An important point: if in the same Meizu Pro 5, if you have some experience and knowledge, you can get decent pictures from the camera using manual mode, then the Lenovo Vibe X3 begins to play tricks when trying to veer off the beaten path of auto mode. In HDR, pictures turn out unnatural (the Vibe X3, by the way, has four separate HDR modes, two of them shoot in the style of “LSD was brought into the photo studio”), the “Blurred background” mode also often produces an unnatural result. The gallery below contains examples of shooting in preset modes or with manual settings (and in the gallery on Torba you can see them in the original resolution).

And the camera, I must say, has a great many settings. Both preset modes and manual settings, which appear if you “pull” touch button for shooting in the middle of the screen, as in Lumia smartphones. The camera can shoot video in fast and slow modes.

What are your overall impressions?

In my opinion, the Vibe X3 is the best smartphone in Lenovo’s portfolio at the moment, without being tied to specific capabilities and hardware generation. Perhaps, the anticipation factor played an important role in my perception of the model. So, I didn’t expect the device to surpass anyone in photographic abilities, and the body, which will evoke not neutral emotions, but definitely positive ones, came as a surprise to me. The sound was promised to be excellent - everything here coincided with expectations. It is difficult to find shortcomings or points of savings in it. The company did a great job on sound, design and improved the camera, installed a high-quality display and maintained excellent battery life, so the device looks very worthy compared to its equally worthy competitors.

How does it compare to its competitors?

The smartphone has several competitors. The main one is Nexus 5X. Its trump cards are bare Android 6.0 with subsequent quick updates, a cool camera and a good battery.

Bottom line

Lenovo Vibe X3 is one of best smartphones for their money. Great camera, luxurious sound, nice design and case materials, long-lasting battery, high performance and at the same time not the highest price - this is rarely combined in one device. However, this is exactly what happened in this model. Perhaps, the only smartphone, which can oppose it at the moment is the Nexus 5X. He has the latest Android and the right to firmware updates at the forefront, as well as the best camera on the market. But if these individual points are not as important for you as, say, autonomy, then the Lenovo Vibe X3 cannot be found better on the market at the moment for the money.

4 reasons to buy Lenovo Vibe X3:

the most “autonomous” smartphone in its segment at the moment;
excellent musical component;
screen with support for working with gloves;
memory card slot (but it shares a slot with the SIM card slot).

2 reasons not to buy Lenovo Vibe X3:

in the same price segment there are LG G4 and LG Nexus 5X, which have a better camera;
You're already licking your lips at the next generation of Android flagships.

Technical Lenovo specifications Vibe X3
operating system	Android 5.1 with VIBE UI shell
Display	IPS, 5.5 inches, 1920x1080 pixels (FullHD, 401 ppi), Gorilla Glass 3 protective glass, support for working with gloves
CPU	Snapdragon 808 (64 bit, 4 ARM Cortex-A53 cores @ 1.44 GHz and 2 Cortex-A57 cores @ 1.83 GHz), Adreno 418 video
RAM	3 GB
Flash memory	32 GB, supports microSDXC memory cards up to 128 GB
Camera	21 MP, f/2.0, 27 mm, dual LED flash, phase detection autofocus, video 2160p@30fps; 8 MP front camera
Wireless technologies	Wi-Fi b/g/n/ac (2.4/5 GHz), Bluetooth 4.1 LE, NFC
Interfaces	microUSB, 3.5 mm headphone output, fingerprint sensor
Navigation	GPS, GLONASS
Battery	3500 mAh
Dimensions and weight	154x77x9 mm, 175 grams

Mid-range model from the new Lenovo Vibe line

Not long ago, the hero of our review was a new flagship model, which headed the line of Lenovo smartphones of a new type. The Vibe Z smartphone is a device that is remarkable in several aspects. Firstly, it was with this model that the countdown began for a new design that was completely unusual for the company’s previous devices. Secondly, this design now unites all the company's new smartphones, and even several new tablets will be released in this same design. This also includes refusal of “services” Intel in terms of hardware content and a return to more “traditional” Qualcomm solutions: the heart of Lenovo’s top model is now the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 SoC. Plus, the new flagship has also been “dressed up” with a new graphical shell: from now on it is completely redrawn on the outside and carries a lot of changes inside the so-called Vibe ROM is a common interface for all new smartphones of the company, which has undoubtedly become more user-friendly, but also brighter, clumsier in appearance, and not so strict.

Simultaneously with the new top model, at the beginning of the year, Lenovo officially presented the cheaper Lenovo Vibe X model, which, according to internal classification, belongs to a different line (which is understandable), but outwardly looks like an almost exact copy of the flagship, only more simplified in terms of characteristics and costing, accordingly, less. We bring to your attention a review of it.

Key Features of Lenovo Vibe X (Model S960)

	Lenovo Vibe X	Alcatel OT Idol X	Fly Luminor IQ453	Oppo Mirror R819	Lenovo Vibe Z (K910 Dual SIM)
Screen	5″, IPS	5″, IPS	5″, IPS	4.7″, IPS	5.5″, IPS
Permission	1920×1080, 440 ppi	1920×1080, 440 ppi	1920×1080, 440 ppi	1280×720, 312 ppi	1920×1080, 400 ppi
SoC		MediaTek MT6589T (4 cores ARM Cortex-A7) @1.5 GHz	MediaTek MT6589T (4 cores ARM Cortex-A7) @1.5 GHz	MediaTek MT6589 (4 cores ARM Cortex-A7) @1.2 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 (4 Krait 400 cores) @2.2 GHz
GPU	PowerVR SGX 544MP	PowerVR SGX 544MP	PowerVR SGX 544MP	PowerVR SGX 544MP	Adreno 330
RAM	2 GB	2 GB	2 GB	1 GB	2 GB
Flash memory	16 GB	16 GB	32 GB	16 GB	16 GB
Memory card support	—	—	—	—	—
operating system	Google Android 4.2	Google Android 4.2	Google Android 4.2	Google Android 4.2	Google Android 4.2
Battery	non-removable, 2000 mAh	non-removable, 2000 mAh	non-removable, 2000 mAh	non-removable, 2000 mAh	non-removable, 3050 mAh
Cameras		rear (13 MP), front (2 MP)	rear (13 MP), front (5 MP)	rear (8 MP), front (2 MP)	rear (13 MP), front (5 MP)
Dimensions	144×74×6.9 mm, 121 g	140×68×6.9 mm, 120 g	144×69×7.7 mm, 131 g	137×68×7.3 mm, 110 g	149×77×7.9 mm, 147 g
average price	T-10505226	T-10467810	T-10533924	T-10470422	T-10516952
Lenovo Vibe X offers	L-10505226-10

SoC MediaTek MT6589T, 1.5 GHz, 4 cores, ARM Cortex-A7
GPU PowerVR SGX 544MP
operating room Android system 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
Touch IPS display, 5″, 1920×1080, 440 ppi
Random access memory (RAM) 2 GB, internal memory 16 GB
GSM communication 900/1800/1900 MHz
Communication 3G WCDMA 900/2100 MHz
SIM card format: Micro
Bluetooth 4.0HS
Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, point Wi-Fi access
GPS, A-GPS
Position, proximity, lighting sensors, electronic compass
13 MP camera, automatic and manual focusing
Camera 5 MP (front)
Li-ion battery 2000 mAh
Dimensions 144×74×6.9 mm
Weight 121 g

Equipment

The new smartphone goes on sale in exactly the same black cardboard box with an additional casing as the older model, but now, of course, the letters “Vibe X” are cut into the casing. The packaging is large, but quite neat, made of matte, velvety black cardboard with a minimal amount of information on the outside.

Inside, everything also remained the same: there were several compartments containing a charger (output current 1 A), a USB-Micro-USB connecting cable, wired stereo headphones with vacuum-type gel ear pads and a flat noodle wire, as well as a key clip for removing the SIM card and several paper books packed in a separate smaller box.

Appearance and ease of use

The Lenovo Vibe X smartphone is made in the same style as the new flagship Lenovo Vibe Z. Let us repeat that this design now unites all the company’s new mobile devices, both smartphones and tablets from several lines. Now it doesn’t matter what letter is in the model name - their technical equipment, but not their appearance, depends on it.

The smartphone is made in the form of a neat, “sleek” on all sides and very thin candy bar with strongly rounded edges, made of materials that look like metal. Shiny chrome inserts are adjacent to textured matte silver surfaces, but all this is an imitation - there is no real metal here, only plastic. The rim connecting all four end faces has a smoother and more slippery coating, also similar to chrome-plated metal. The rear surface of the smartphone, due to its matte texture, is completely non-staining; the entire front panel is entirely covered with a slightly convex protective glass, scratch-resistant, Gorilla Glass 3.

The smartphone has a completely original and unconventional design; it has a fairly neat body in shape and structure with high-quality assembly. The smartphone looks attractive, it’s nice to hold it in your hands, and it doesn’t have a pronounced gender identity - the device is thin, elegant and suits a female audience no less than a male one.

The Lenovo Vibe X case is a candy bar with a non-removable back cover, hence the side slot method for installing the SIM card.

A Micro SIM card is inserted into a metal slide that can be pulled out using a paperclip key. There are no other slots provided here - Lenovo Vibe X does not support either the ability to expand memory capacity or work with two SIM cards.

On the rear surface there are familiar elements: a slightly raised rear camera window, framed by a chrome rim, as well as a single LED flash that shines quite brightly and is ready to serve as a flashlight with SOS mode - the corresponding software is preinstalled in the factory firmware.

There is no separate grille for sound output from the “ringing” speaker: all sounds are produced by one single (“telephone”) speaker located in the upper part of the front panel. Accordingly, nothing blocks the sound if the phone is lying face up on the table surface.

The front panel is completely covered with flat protective glass with sloping edges, making it look slightly convex. It uses scratch-resistant tempered glass, Gorilla Glass 3, with a slot cut out on top for the earpiece grille. There are eyes nearby front camera and touch sensors. Below the screen there is a traditional row of touch-sensitive hardware control buttons, which have a dim and uneven white backlight.

There are only two mechanical hardware keys on the sides of the device: a lock key and a two-position volume rocker. All the buttons are quite large, protrude well beyond the body, are perfectly defined to the touch and, moreover, have a soft and pliable, but quite distinct action. Thus, if we take into account the fact that the lock key here is placed not on the top end, but on the side, then there are no complaints at all about the controls in general.

In addition to the buttons, there are also universal connectors on the side edges of the device: an audio output with a diameter of 3.5 mm for headphones or a headset is embedded in the upper end, and a standard Micro-USB connector and a conversational microphone are embedded in the lower end.

Now a little about noticeable distinctive little things and details. Firstly, it should be noted that the ergonomics are improved compared to the flagship Lenovo Vibe Z, because the lock key was inconveniently located on the top end, where it is impossible to reach with any finger of the hand holding the smartphone. Here this button is located on the left side, which is undoubtedly more convenient and much more comfortable to use. But unlike the Lenovo Vibe Z, the USB connector here does not support connection mode external devices(OTG), and therefore there is no way to connect a flash drive. But, like the flagship, there is a very useful light event indicator - a bright dot shines in different colors directly from under the earpiece grille and signals the charging status and incoming events.

The Lenovo Vibe X smartphone, unlike the flagship, goes on sale in only one color - silver. A black version, like the Lenovo Vibe Z, was not provided for the hero of today’s review (perhaps not yet).

Screen

The Lenovo Vibe X smartphone is equipped with an IPS touch matrix, which is of very good quality. Perhaps this is one of the most noticeable advantages of the new product: after all, the smartphone cannot boast of powerful hardware, but the display is of excellent quality and is characterized not only by its large size, which is popular with most users, but also by full Full HD resolution. The screen dimensions are 62x110 mm, diagonal - 5 inches, resolution - 1920x1080 pixels. The pixel density per inch here is 440 ppi - a high figure, and until the epidemic of the transition to the next ultra-high resolution, the pixel density of this screen will remain one of the record ones. The thickness of the side frames from the edge of the screen to the edge of the case is at least 5 mm - the frames are quite wide.

The display brightness can be adjusted manually, or you can use automatic adjustment. Multi-touch technology here allows you to process up to 5 simultaneous touches. The smartphone also has a proximity sensor that blocks the screen when you bring the smartphone to your ear.

A detailed examination using measuring instruments was carried out by the editor of the “Monitors” and “Projectors and TV” sections, Alexey Kudryavtsev. Here is his expert opinion on the screen of the sample under study.

The front surface of the screen is made in the form of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface that is scratch-resistant. Judging by the reflection of objects, there is an effective anti-glare filter, which is slightly better in reducing the brightness of the reflection than the Google Nexus 7 (2013) (hereinafter simply Nexus 7). For clarity, here is a photo in which a white surface is reflected when the screens are turned off (on the left is Nexus 7, on the right is Lenovo Vibe X, then they can be distinguished by size):

At first glance, the Lenovo Vibe X's screen is slightly darker, which is confirmed by statistics from graphic editor— brightness according to photographs is 76 versus 79 for Nexus 7. The ghosting of reflected objects in the Vibe X screen is very weak, this indicates that there is no air gap between the layers of the screen (more specifically, between the outer glass and the surface of the LCD matrix). The outer surface of the screen has a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating (effective, but slightly worse than that of the Nexus 7), so fingerprints are removed much more easily and appear at a slower rate than with regular glass.

When manually controlling the brightness and displaying the white field in full screen, the maximum brightness value was about 400 cd/m², the minimum was 7 cd/m². The maximum brightness is quite high, which means that, taking into account the effective anti-glare filter, readability even on a sunny day outdoors should be at good level. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable level. There is automatic brightness adjustment based on the light sensor (located above the right edge of the front speaker slot). IN automatic mode When external lighting conditions change, the screen brightness both increases and decreases. In complete darkness in automatic mode, the brightness is reduced to 12 cd/m² (low), in an artificially lit office (approximately 400 lux) the brightness is set to 90 cd/m² (normal), in a brightly lit environment (corresponding to lighting on a clear day outdoors , but without direct sunlight - 20,000 lux or a little more) - rises to 210 cd/m² (far from the maximum). As a result, the auto-brightness function does not work quite adequately, since in a bright environment the backlight brightness remains at a low level, and in the dark it is too low. At any brightness level, there is virtually no backlight modulation, so there is no screen flickering.

This smartphone uses a matrix IPS type. The microphotographs show a typical IPS subpixel structure:

For comparison, you can see the gallery of microphotographs of screens used in mobile technology.

The screen has good viewing angles without significant color shift even with large viewing deviations from perpendicular to the screen and without inverting shades. For comparison, here are photographs in which the same images are displayed on the Lenovo Vibe X and Nexus 7 screens, with the screen brightness initially set to approximately 200 cd/m². There is a white field perpendicular to the screens:

Note the good uniformity of brightness and color tone of the white field (when photographing, the color balance is forced to 6500 K). And a test picture:

The Lenovo Vibe X's picture is dark and the colors are clearly oversaturated. Now at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the plane and to the side of the screen:

It can be seen that the colors did not change much on both screens, but the contrast at an angle in the case of the Lenovo Vibe X decreased due to a significant increase in black levels. And a white field:

The brightness at an angle of the screens decreased (by at least 5 times, based on the difference in shutter speed), but in the case of the Lenovo Vibe X the drop in brightness is slightly greater than that of the Nexus 7 (brightness according to photographs is 231 versus 236 for the Nexus 7). When deviated diagonally, the black field brightens greatly and acquires a yellowish tint or remains almost neutral gray. The photographs below demonstrate this (the brightness of the white areas in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the screens is the same for the screens!):

And from another angle:

When viewed perpendicularly, the uniformity of the black field is very good, although not ideal:

The contrast (approximately in the center of the screen) is normal - about 740:1. The response time for the black-white-black transition is 26 ms (17 ms on + 9 ms off). The transition between halftones of gray 25% and 75% (based on the numerical value of the color) and back takes a total of 28 ms (less than usual). A gamma curve constructed using 32 points did not reveal any blockage in either the highlights or the shadows. The exponent of the approximating power function is 2.67, which is higher than the standard value of 2.2, while the real gamma curve noticeably deviates from the power dependence:

Due to the presence of non-disabled dynamic adjustment of the backlight brightness in accordance with the nature of the displayed image (in dark images, the brightness tends to decrease), the resulting dependence of brightness on hue (gamma curve) most likely does not correspond to the gamma curve of a static image (although on photos above, the image on the screen is really dark), since the measurements were carried out with sequential display of shades of gray on the entire screen. For this reason, we carried out a number of tests - determining contrast and response time, comparing black illumination at angles - when displaying special templates with a constant average brightness, and not monochromatic fields in the entire screen.

Color gamut is close to sRGB:

The spectra show that the matrix filters moderately mix the components with each other:

As a result, visually the colors have (or rather can have) natural saturation. The balance of shades on the gray scale is good, since the color temperature is slightly higher than the standard 6500 K, while the deviation from the blackbody spectrum (ΔE) is less than 10, which is considered a good indicator for a consumer device, and ΔE and color temperature change little from shade to shade - this has a positive effect on the visual assessment of color balance. (Dark areas of the gray scale can be ignored, since there the color balance does not have of great importance, and the error in measuring color characteristics at low brightness is large.)

In the screen settings, you can find a tab where the user is asked to select the level of saturation and hue correction from fixed profiles:

Saturation correction is simply done by increasing or decreasing color contrast without changing the gamut. As an example, here are photos of the screen for the mode Gamma = Bright:

And for the regime Gamma = Soft:

The colors on the screen by default are already excessively bright, but in Gamma = Bright the situation is only getting worse. But maybe someone likes it better. In mode Gamma = Soft the image becomes noticeably closer to the natural version. Profiles Hue adjust color temperature. Since it is already higher than standard, it makes sense to lower it by selecting the option Warm. Indeed, the color temperature becomes closer to 6500 K, but at the same time ΔE increases significantly, which neutralizes any positive effect (see graphs above). Total on tab Screen effects it makes sense to choose a profile Gamma = Soft, A Hue leave on Standard.

The screen has a fairly high maximum brightness and an effective anti-glare filter, so the smartphone can be used outdoors without much difficulty, even on a sunny summer day. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable value. The auto-brightness mode is of limited use, as it does not cope with setting the backlight brightness in very dark and very bright environments. The advantages of the screen include a good oleophobic coating, absence of flicker and air gap in the layers of the screen, good uniformity of the black field, color gamut almost equal to sRGB, and good color balance. The main disadvantage is the low stability of black to gaze deviation from perpendicular to the screen plane. Despite this, the totality of the screen’s properties is of high quality.

Sound

In terms of sound, the smartphone is nothing special. There are no “premium” sound chips installed here, no proprietary software sound enhancers, except for the capabilities of the standard Play Music player, laid down by Google itself. As already mentioned, the smartphone has an unusual structure: there is only one speaker that handles all the sound functions of the smartphone. It sounds quite loud, but low frequencies are not noticeable in the spectrum at all. As a conversational speaker, the speaker is not bad: the speech of a familiar interlocutor is quite intelligible, the timbre and intonation are easily recognizable.

The smartphone comes standard with an FM radio, and there is also a voice recorder. Radio without connected quality external antenna headphones will not work. The voice recorder is used to create audio notes and can record telephone conversations off the line. To do this, right during a conversation, you can press the corresponding conversation recording key on the screen.

Camera

Lenovo Vibe X is equipped with two modules digital cameras with a resolution of 13 and 5 megapixels, the capabilities of the cameras are unequal. The front camera takes pictures with a maximum resolution of 1920x2560 and shoots video with a resolution of 640x480. You can take photos while recording videos.

The main rear camera is equipped with a 13-megapixel Sony sensor with autofocus, a single-section LED flash and the ability to shoot video in 1080p resolution. It also allows you to take photos in parallel with video recording. When shooting at maximum resolution, photos are 4096x3072 in size. The settings menu is quite detailed; it is quite traditionally located right on top of the viewfinder, but, unfortunately, it has only one, horizontal layout, which is not entirely convenient. Shooting can be done either by touching a special icon on the display or by pressing the volume key, which, when the camera is activated, begins to be responsible for the camera shutter function.

The camera can shoot video; there are several resolutions to choose from, up to a maximum of 1920x1088. An example of a test video is presented below (video: MPEG4 Video 1920×1088 30.833 fps 24.6 Mbps; audio: AAC 48 kHz stereo 128 Kbps).

Video No. 1 (68.4 MB, 1920×1088)

Examples of photographs with our comments are presented below.

	The exposition is well chosen.
	Sharpness is good. In faint shadows, noise is practically invisible.
	Sharpness “walks” a little across the frame and is generally not very good.
	In the central part the sharpness is good, but decreases slightly towards the edges.
	In the foreground the sharpness is quite good, in the distance it is a little worse.
	There is a noticeable drop in sharpness towards the edges, but overall the sharpness is quite good.
	The camera does macro quite well.
	The text is visible, but it is too blurry, despite the fairly short shutter speed.

The camera copes with noise quite well, although in strong shadows you can find colored spots, which, however, are not noticeable. The camera knows how to select exposure, and does not overuse software processing. However, it has one significant drawback. Despite working at low sensitivities and fast shutter speeds, some images appear blurry. Or rather, it’s not even a blur, but a banal blur, probably caused by a focus error. Moreover, the camera can take sharp pictures, which it demonstrated, which means the problem is not the quality of the optics. There is little hope that this can be fixed programmatically. Or rather, it is theoretically possible, but whether the manufacturer will do this is another question. But here, of course, a hardware problem is also possible.

Overall, the camera is quite good, and for documentary or artistic subjects it may well be suitable, especially if you are lucky with focusing.

Telephone and communications

The smartphone works as standard in modern 2G GSM and 3G WCDMA networks; there is no LTE support in smartphones on MediaTek platforms yet; the release of commercial samples with LTE support to the market is still ahead, but this moment is already approaching. Can be arranged as standard wireless point access via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth channels, there is Wi-Fi mode Direct, 5 GHz and NFC standards are not supported. The navigation module only works with the GPS system (with A-GPS) - there is no support for the domestic Glonass system. The speed and quality of the GPS module, unlike Zopo 998 and THL T100S, is not satisfactory here: the system works quickly and flawlessly.

No spontaneous reboots/shutdowns were observed during testing; there are no problems with this. The screen of the smartphone is large, so drawing letters and numbers on virtual keyboards is quite comfortable to control. The layout and location of the keys are standard: switching languages here is done by pressing a special button with a globe image; there is no dedicated top row with numbers - you will have to switch the layout each time. The phone application supports Smart Dial, that is, while dialing telephone number A search is also carried out immediately using the first letters in contacts. A very convenient functionality that you instantly get used to, but which is initially missing in some smartphones.

OS and software

The Lenovo Vibe X smartphone currently runs on the Google Android software platform version 4.2.2, but the developers have already announced that for this model, as well as for several others, an update to the latest version 4.4 is just around the corner. Here, as in the flagship Vibe Z, on top standard interface The company installed the OS new version its proprietary shell, which is now called Vibe ROM (with an update to Android 4.4 KitKat it will carry version Vibe ROM 1.5). Organizationally, the most noticeable distinguishing feature of a predefined corporate identity GUI The problem is that this shell does not have an application menu. All icons are here installed programs are automatically laid out directly on desktops, mixed with widgets. Naturally, not only the creation of folders/groups is supported, but most of the already pre-installed applications are carefully arranged into thematic folders by the developers themselves.

The settings menu is divided here into three subgroups, two of which represent selections of the most popular functions, and the middle one, called Special, is responsible for working with gestures. This is a large settings section: the device has very broad support for working with various gestures, from smart response when bringing the device to your ear to face control. There are a lot of settings, as well as gestures, most of which are familiar from devices from other companies, for example Samsung.

Performance

The Lenovo Vibe X hardware platform is based on the MediaTek MT6589T single-chip system (SoC). CPU it has 4 Cortex-A7 cores operating at 1.5 GHz. The letter prefix in the model name indicates that this platform has been modified: the original MediaTek MT6589 has a core frequency of 1.2 GHz - the Oppo Mirror smartphone, which we also tested and added to the table for comparison, is built on this platform.

The processor here is assisted in processing graphics by the PowerVR SGX 544MP video accelerator. The device has 2 GB of RAM, which is quite modern. But the smartphone doesn’t have a lot of built-in memory - 16 GB nominal and only about 12.7 GB free space in real. Expanding memory using microSD cards the smartphone does not support, and there is no way to solve the problem by connecting flash drives to USB port(USB Host, USB OTG), since this mode is also not supported here. As a result, the Lenovo Vibe X user is once and for all limited by the amount of memory that is built in initially.

According to the testing results, the hardware platform of the Lenovo Vibe X smartphone demonstrated very modest - below average - results (15K in AnTuTu). In this regard, it would be useful to recall the current balance of power. Top solutions based on Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 give 35K points or more in the AnTuTu test; the new eight-core MediaTek MT6592 platform with a frequency of 2.0 GHz Cortex-A7 cores shows a slightly worse result (31K for TCL Idol X+), the same eight cores Cortex-A7 MT6592 with a frequency of 1.7 GHz already show 26K, and the previous MediaTek model, The quad-core MT6589T produces only 15K points in these tests. Moreover, similar results were demonstrated by Alcatel Idol X with Fly Luminor IQ453, which are built on the same platform as the Lenovo Vibe X. The main modification of this SoC, MediaTek MT6589 with a Cortex-A7 core frequency of 1.2 GHz, logically demonstrates an even weaker result of about 10K glasses (Oppo Mirror). A popular competing solution for this platform is the quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 (the same 4 ARM Cortex A7 cores, 1.2 GHz), but this system shows slight superiority not only over the regular MT6589 (Cortex-A7 1.2 GHz), but also over overclocked MT6589T (Cortex-A7 1.5 GHz), on which the hero of today's review runs. For example, Motorola Moto G on Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 scored about 17K points in AnTuTu versus 10K from Oppo Mirror on MT6589 with the same four Cortex-A7 1.2 GHz cores and against 15K from Lenovo Vibe X (4 Cortex-A7 1.5 cores) GHz).

For convenience, we have compiled all the results we obtained when testing the smartphone in the latest versions of popular benchmarks into tables. The table usually adds several other devices from different segments, also tested on similar latest versions benchmarks (this is done only for a visual assessment of the obtained dry figures). Unfortunately, within the framework of one comparison it is impossible to present the results from different versions benchmarks, so many worthy and relevant models remain “behind the scenes” - due to the fact that they once passed the “obstacle course” on previous versions of test programs.

Testing in MobileXPRT, as well as in the latest versions of AnTuTu 4.x and GeekBench 3:

When testing the graphics subsystem in the cross-platform 3DMark test for the most powerful smartphones, it is now possible to run 3DMark in Unlimited mode, where the rendering resolution is fixed at 720p and VSync is disabled (which can cause the speed to rise above 60 fps).

Results of testing the graphics subsystem in the Epic Citadel gaming test, as well as Basemark X and Bonsai Benchmark:

The lag in the PowerVR SGX 544MP video subsystem is very high: this video accelerator produces approximately 27 fps in those test modes, where top video accelerators show 60 fps.

Browser cross-platform tests:

As for benchmarks for assessing the speed of the javascript engine, you should always make allowance for the fact that their results significantly depend on the browser in which they are launched, so the comparison can only be truly correct on the same OS and browsers, and this is possible during testing not always. For Android OS, we always try to use Google Chrome.

Playing video

To test the omnivorous nature of video playback (including support for various codecs, containers and special features, such as subtitles), we used the most common formats, which make up the bulk of the content available on the Internet. Note that for mobile devices It is important to have support for hardware video decoding at the chip level, since processing modern options due to processor cores alone, it is most often impossible. Also, you shouldn’t expect a mobile device to decode everything, since the leadership in flexibility belongs to the PC, and no one is going to challenge it. All results are summarized in a single table.

Since the Micro-USB connector here does not support USB-host mode (OTG), and the smartphone does not support memory cards, it is difficult to say that a device with a once and for all limited memory capacity (≈12 GB) is well suited for the role of a multimedia processor. The standard video player of a smartphone is not initially equipped with all the necessary hardware decoders for playback - sometimes you will have to resort to the help of third-party solutions. But in the end, when playing even the most “heavy” of the test files, the device coped with the task well: there was not the slightest image delay.

Format	Container, video, sound	MX Video Player	Standard video player
DVDRip	AVI, XviD 720×400 2200 Kbps, MP3+AC3	plays normally	plays normally
Web-DL SD	AVI, XviD 720×400 1400 Kbps, MP3+AC3	plays normally	plays normally
Web-DL HD	MKV, H.264 1280×720 3000 Kbps, AC3	Hardware+
BDRip 720p	MKV, H.264 1280×720 4000 Kbps, AC3	plays fine with decoder Hardware+	The video plays fine, but there is no sound¹
BDRip 1080p	MKV, H.264 1920×1080 8000 Kbps, AC3	plays fine with decoder Hardware+	The video plays fine, but there is no sound¹

¹ MX Video Player only played sound after switching to software decoding or Hardware+; The standard player does not have this setting

We did not find the MHL interface, like Mobility DisplayPort, in this smartphone, so we had to limit ourselves to testing the output of video files on the screen of the device itself. To do this, we used a set of test files with an arrow and a rectangle moving one division per frame (see “Method for testing video playback and display devices. Version 1 (for mobile devices)”). Screenshots with a shutter speed of 1 s helped determine the nature of the output of frames of video files with various parameters: the resolution varied (1280 by 720 (720p) and 1920 by 1080 (1080p) pixels) and frame rate (24, 25, 30, 50 and 60 frames/ With). In our tests, we used the MX Player video player in the “Hardware” mode, since there were a lot of artifacts in the “Hardware+” mode. The test results are summarized in the table:

720/30p Fine No 720/25p Fine No 720/24p Fine No

Note: If in both columns Uniformity And Passes Green ratings are given, this means that, most likely, when watching films, artifacts caused by uneven alternation and frame skipping will either not be visible at all, or their number and visibility will not affect the viewing comfort. Red marks indicate possible problems related to the playback of the corresponding files.

Based on the frame output criterion, the quality of playback of video files on the screen of the smartphone itself is not the highest, since frames (or groups of frames) are displayed with uneven alternation of intervals and often with frame skipping. When playing video files with a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels (1080p), the image of the video file itself is displayed exactly along the border of the screen, one-to-one pixel by pixel in the horizontal direction, but vertically the image is stretched by a couple of pixels, which reduces the clarity of the picture. The luminance range displayed on the screen is more of an extended range (i.e. 0-255 range), while most video files are encoded in the video luminance range 16-235, so the white color of such video files appears as light light gray on the screen of this smartphone. and blacks are a dark, dark grey, which obviously doesn't improve image quality.

Battery life

The lithium-ion battery installed in the Lenovo Vibe X has a fairly small capacity by modern standards of 2000 mAh. This is partly due to the thin body of the smartphone, and besides, the less powerful MediaTek platform is traditionally considered to be more economical at the same time, so the small battery capacity provides quite decent durability results here battery life. Test results in the most common user scenarios are collected in a table.

Continuous reading in the FBReader program (with a standard, light theme) at a minimum comfortable brightness level (brightness was set to 100 cd/m²) lasted about 15.5 hours until the battery was completely discharged, and when continuously watching videos from YouTube in high quality (HQ ) with the same brightness level through home Wi-Fi network the device lasted more than 7 hours - much better performance than one would expect from a 2000 mAh battery, and even with a 5-inch Full HD screen. In 3D gaming mode, the smartphone lasted a very respectable 4 hours 40 minutes, but it’s worth considering that with such a weak video subsystem and the entire system as a whole, you won’t be able to play demanding games comfortably - you’ll experience stuttering and frame drops.

Bottom line

In general, as already mentioned, new smartphone Lenovo Vibe X turned out to be quite attractive in appearance, but not a very productive device. Due to the peculiarities of the Taiwanese MediaTek platform (primarily a weak video system), as well as the limited amount of built-in memory, the device cannot be recommended for solving multimedia tasks. More like a phone can be classified as fashionable models: an excellent quality large and clear IPS screen and a nice body design with imitation metal materials “close” this issue completely. However, the issue of performance, and against the background of the inflated price of the device, remains open. Now in our stores the official price for Lenovo Vibe X is set at 15 thousand rubles, and this, of course, is an excessively inflated price. At this price this device does not correspond in any way, besides, for less money you can buy, for example, Alcatel Idol X, which is a direct competitor to the model in question, and even compares favorably additional features, which Lenovo Vibe X does not have - at least support for memory cards. I would like to believe that very soon we will hear about a price reduction for the new Lenovo model - this would be justified.

Today the subject of our attention will be the Lenovo S960 Vibe X. Let's take a closer look at its characteristics and try to figure out whether it's worth buying or not. This smartphone will surely appeal to those who appreciate beautiful design, good photographs, videos and widescreen displays with cool Full HD resolution.

Vibe X is a mixture of attractive appearance, Full HD screen, 13 megapixel camera that allows you to good video– on the one hand, and the MediaTek platform – on the other.

Design

The Vibe X is completely streamlined, features curved glass, a shimmering matte body and a neat build. Undoubtedly, the smartphone looks very attractive and is a pleasure to hold in your hand. Although, out of habit, it seems that devices of this size should weigh significantly more.

Lightness is explained by the use of a plastic case. The material chosen for it was polycarbonate, skillfully stylized in the form of textured matte aluminum. Such a surface is not in danger of losing its “metallic” appearance, even if small scratches appear. And they won’t keep you waiting long because of the plastic. It’s not entirely clear why a glossy frame is used, which has become a fly in the ointment in terms of design.

Lenovo Vibe X is not only the lightest, but also one of the thinnest devices - its thickness is just under 7 mm. Thanks to the beveled side edges, the smartphone appears even thinner. At the same time, the phone has a 5-inch screen, and this is definitely the gadget’s strong point.

Display

Lenovo Vibe X is equipped with a 5-inch Full HD screen. Thanks to the resolution of 1920x1280 pixels, it was possible to achieve a high pixel density of 441t. per inch. This ensures an impeccably clear picture, devoid of the slightest sign of grain. The IPS matrix boasts all the available advantages: wide viewing angles, high image contrast and deep black color. The display brightness is good, so there will be no sun glare.

Hardware

Lenovo s960 runs on the MediaTek MT6589T platform, Cortex A7 processor with four cores on board and a frequency of 1.5 GHz. PowerVR SGX544 is responsible for graphics processing. In Lenovo Vibe X RAM 2 GB of RAM, and flash memory is 32 GB.

This model does not have a gyroscope - another significant disadvantage that we were able to notice in our review, especially for gamers. Lenovo Vibe X only boasts light sensors, an accelerometer and a compass.

Camera overview

The Lenovo Vibe X has a built-in 13 MP main camera and a 5 MP front camera. Manufacturers obviously relied on them. But, if you could add a lens to the many wonderful settings, bells and whistles, filters and functions highest quality- would be better.

The main camera has a resolution of 4128x3096 pixels. There is an LED flash, autofocus and a BSI sensor that controls the backlight. This sensor combats low light conditions. It is worth remembering about the macro function. The camera is not without panoramas, HDR and other software delights.

The highest resolution of the front camera is 2560x1920 pixels. It pleasantly pleases with a large viewing angle – up to 84 degrees.

Only the “beaty” function is available in the settings. This is quite enough to take good selfies.

Both cameras can shoot video at 30 fps. Full HD (1920x1080 pixels) available. An alternative to 1080p is 720p, QCIF or VGA. In addition, there are settings for backlighting, white balance, automatic and manual focusing, you can record sound both in a regular format and with highlighting the speech frequency - “meeting”.

Conclusions:

When choosing a Lenovo s960, it is better to proceed from the specific daily tasks of the owner. The review showed that the exclusive combination of thickness (6.9 mm), weight of 121 g, paired with a 5-inch diagonal makes the device attractive. But a battery capacity of 2,000 mAh will clearly not be enough for good autonomy. Overall, the review showed that the Lenovo Vibe X is a pretty good device. The choice is yours.