Deathmatch: three applicants, two SIM cards, one budget. Choosing an inexpensive smartphone
Good afternoon, Giktayms! It so happens that the prices for electronics do not please anyone this year, but the new phone is what I wanted, I want it. Flagship smartphones of even the past generation cost indecent money, and in the “middle” segment, as usual, a mess. In pursuit of MSRP targets (RRP, recommended price for retail networks), the creators of relatively inexpensive smartphones have to save on one or the other from the production and sale of one device.
Therefore, today we will look for a worthy anti-crisis solution. Our guest is three smartphones in the price category of 10-12 thousand rubles, they are all from different vendors, with a different approach to the "savings" of funds, the built-in software and the very idea of ​​a "budget" device.
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ASUS Zenfone 5, LG L90 and HTC Desire 601 will compete for the title of the most rational use of resources. Interestingly, all three models from the review have a two-part performance. However, the same models are found with one SIM card (and in the case of HTC or ASUS, also with the LTE module), their differences from odnosimochnikov, mainly cosmetic.
The army begins with the military enlistment office, and all devices - with the packaging. Before the appearance of the iPhone and Apple’s active expansion into the smartphone market, a typical phone box could compete in size with a box, say, from a shoe or an ATX-format motherboard.
Now everyone is trying to pack the smartphone as compact as possible, while maintaining the aesthetic indicators of the phone storage at a high enough level. Unfortunately, in budget smartphones every cent counts, so that even an extra pair of stickers or a complex cut can affect the final cost of the device, which will grow even more when it gets to retail.
The design is made to match the familiar product lines for brands. LG preferred the classic simple box with a color print. ASUS pleased with a neat and strict box-slider, and HTC, as usual, relied on premium perception. Box of pressed round cellulose, neat tape with a concise image of the smartphone in different colors. In principle, even through the boxes you can see which path each vendor has chosen. LG tried to save on everything that is not directly related to the device; ASUS just wants to look neat in everything, and HTC, even in relatively inexpensive devices, remains faithful to the “eco-style” and loves everything to look “more fun”.
Get a gift box of Zenfone 5 or Desire 601 a hundred times more pleasant than the LG, but what will please us inside? In the end, not on the box, we will call and not to go to the Internet from high-quality cardboard.
Inside, as usual, devices. All three smartphones are protected from scratches and dust with a special film. LG and ASUS, with typically Asian love, placed the main “buns” on it in terms of characteristics: megabytes-megahertz kernels and other delights, but HTC (in spite of no less Asian origin) bends the premium line, believing that the user no need: the name of the model, branded services, matte and very pleasant tactilely silky film, in general, all thirty-three pleasures from unpacking.
In addition to the devices in the boxes you can find:
At LG: a charger, a USB-microUSB wire, a warranty card, a brief guide taken from a smartphone battery (charged 45% for long-term storage without consequences for the resource);
ASUS has a completely similar configuration, but without a battery, it is not removable from ZenFone;
Well, a comparable, but much more pleasantly decorated package can be seen in the HTC box. The papers are decorated beautifully, all the packages are “silky”, on the film in which the smartphone is packaged, it is told how-what-where-what, plus Taiwanese did not forget to put a headset in the smartphone kit. Not a fountain, but better than a nihilistic version from ASUS and LG. The battery is removable, but initially installed in the device.
So that there are no unnecessary questions, I think it is worthwhile to voice the hardware capabilities of each of the platforms. We will deal with performance and software a bit later. So:
All three smartphones differ in display diagonals. On the one hand, this is a minus, it seems like modelki under unequal conditions, on the other hand, everyone can choose a diagonal to his taste, and you can always look at models of the same manufacturer that are similar in price: the filling will be about the same, but the diagonal can differ significantly.
HTC Desire 601 has a 4.5 ”display, with a width of 67 mm and a height of 134.5 mm. The case is collapsible, the battery is removed. The total thickness of the device is almost 1 centimeter, but it does not seem thick, and the sloping faces mask not the most slender figure of the smartphone. Desire 601 weighs only 130 grams, two grams less than the cheapest iPhone (5C).
On the front side are stereo speakers with the brand name BoomSound, a silver logo, two (highlighted) touch "buttons" - "back" and "home". Above the screen is the light sensor, proximity sensor and the "eye" of the front camera. On a silver smartphone, they are better seen:
The back surface of the smartphone is a solid soft-touch cover with a glossy HTC logo, camera lens and flash embedded in it. The panel is removed entirely, along with buttons. Under it are two connectors for microSIM, a slot for microSDXC memory cards (64 GB sees, 128 were not checked). The battery is removable.
In principle, the smartphone is assembled for five plus: there is nothing anywhere backlash, no squeak, it is shed as if it had been poured in, and in general you cannot say on it that it is collapsible. There is one small problem. The lid sits inappropriately tight.
Open it without nails is very difficult. Thank you at least for the fact that the opening instructions are “printed” on the back of the wrapping film, without it you can search for a SIM card tray and a hole for a “clip” for a long time, being absolutely sure that the smartphone is non-separable.
The microUSB connector is hidden from the bottom to the right, but on the top left is the screen lock button (fu-fu, it's very inconvenient to reach for it) and the audio jack (3.5 mm). Volume buttons - on the right side, separate. To be honest, everyone who held the smartphone in their hands, tried to block / unblock the screen, and the tactile feedback they have is incomprehensible, you can understand whether you clicked or did not click only by looking at the screen.
Slightly larger display diagonal of the LG L90 - 4.7 inches. Physical dimensions are almost the same as Desire, however, LG have access to the fine frame displays produced by them. With a larger diagonal, the smartphone is one millimeter wider than the HTC 601 (66 mm), three millimeters shorter (131.5 mm), and also slightly thinner. LG 124 L weighs only 124 grams. As materials of the case, dvuhsimochnikov has black or white plastic with the same silver plastic edging.
In our hands was a white smartphone, black is not different design a jot. The back cover - “corrugated”, to the touch resembles a very strongly stretched fabric of coarse weaving. Unlike HTC, it is immediately clear that it is being filmed. Inside - nothing special. Unfortunately, the SIM slots are located "sandwich" - the solution is not the most reliable, but if you do not plan to rearrange the SIM cards at least regularly - it will come down. Savings are such savings. By the way, LG did not invent a bicycle, and placed the lock key on the right, the volume swing on the left. The distance and stroke of the buttons are chosen perfectly, lie under your fingers, do not cause any negative emotions.
The front side is decorated with a neat speaker grid on top, a proximity sensor / "eye" of the camera to the right of it. Light sensor model does not have. Under the display are four silver touch buttons (back, home, menu, SIM-card change), but they are deprived of backlight. Of course, after a couple of days you get used to poke blindly, but still, saving on engraving and backlighting is a dubious decision.
By the way, the L90 odnosimochnik differs in the design of the front panel, there was a place and means for the hardware “home” buttoncombined with the status LED 1 ,
The output of the ringing speaker is located at the back, which has a characteristic “bump” so as not to rest on the table, the camera lens and the flash.
MicroUSB and 3.5 mm connectors are located below and above respectively.
In my opinion, the audio jack from the bottom is much more convenient, but many manufacturers neglect this decision or put it only in premium devices.
ASUS's “Spade” has a five-inch display: approximately the same diagonal will be possessed, for example, Nexus 5, HTC One M8, and Galaxy S4. Physical dimensions do not instill fear, but even a compact device to call the tongue no longer turns: almost 73 mm wide, 148 mm high, and the thickness a little more than a centimeter. With all this, the smartphone from ASUS weighs a decent 145 grams. For comparison, the Nexus 5 and Galaxy S4 weigh 15 grams less.
Design zenfona - one for the entire line of devices. The front side is closed with a protective glass, under the display - touch keys "back", "home", "multitasking". Even lower is the Izz section of aluminum with a circular notch. The smartphone is available in different colors:
Above the display, only the earpiece and the “eye” of the front camera could not be detected visually, but there are some. Perhaps, the manufacturer uses sly software and a front camera module as these sensors.
On the right side there is a screen lock button and a volume control swing. Located almost perfectly.
At the left - nothing, behind - a panel from a soft-touch platform, on which the calling speaker grid, camera lens, flash, and the modest ASUS and Intel logos are located.
The cover is removed without problems, under it - two slots for SIM cards and a connector for microSD. The shape of the back panel is quite sloping, hides the "thickness" of the smartphone.
With buildings and materials everything is more or less clear. Unfortunately, the cost savings dictates the strict rules of the game, each of the manufacturers interprets them in its own way.
LG preferred to save on production processes, maximally simplifying and unifying iron with odnosimochnik. Unfortunately, the smartphone is deprived of the backlight of the buttons on the front panel, the light sensor, but at the same time it is fine cut, firmly knocked down, does not slip out of the hands, even if they are wet; it looks as neutral as possible and does not cause a feeling of cheap trinkets, as happens with cheap Samsung smartphones and some Chinese brands. On the packaging, to put it mildly, they scored, however, it is better to let these 10 cents go to the telephone.
ASUS aggressively uses minimalism in design, and this is what benefits the ZenFone series of devices: the smartphone does not look cheap, you don’t say how much it costs at all. The only minus is a pseudo-metal die protruding under the screen. Yes, it is beautiful, but it would be better if the smartphone was shorter by almost a centimeter than just had an incomprehensible decorative thing. For the rest, “Zen” is “Zen.” Austerity, the absence of everything superfluous, modesty - all this makes the smartphone look more expensive than many models for 20-25 thousand rubles.
HTC to the fullest spin the "premium" of the brand. Expensive materials in the package, expensive body materials, neat design, no savings on trifles like key backlighting. As with all this, the Desire 601 remains competitive at the same price as the LG L90 - a mystery. Unfortunately, not without its drawbacks. The lock button is located in an uncomfortable place, and the "back" and "home" buttons require adjustment. For all the others, they are located in familiar places, here they are widely spaced around, and even between them - the logo, which is pressed, do not press, nothing will happen.
Since we have touchscreen smartphones, the screens in this case should be given maximum attention.
LG and HTC opted for a resolution of 960x540 pixels. In the case of HTC, this solution does not raise any questions: the screen for four and a half inches is not bad, the fonts (thanks to the proprietary shell) look neat. The stock of brightness is not very large, but on the street there are no problems with using the display. The adjustment also does not fail on the “minimal” side: at night, the device does not blind.
LG's display diagonal is slightly larger, and the resolution is on the verge of comfort. The fonts do not go with teeth, the pixel of the eye does not cut, but alas, the same smoothness that 720p screens have with such a diagonal. Brightness margin is more than that of HTC, besides, the display uses a transreflective substrate. With the screen locked and the backlight turned off, the display surface can be safely used as a mirror. There are no problems in the sun.
ASUS at its five inches is ready to please with an honest HD-resolution: 1280x720 pixels. In my opinion, such a choice is more than justified. The picture is clear, the load on the processor and video accelerator is on the verge of a reasonable one (problems could start on FullHD, especially in games). Unfortunately, the price of a high-quality picture was not the most outstanding illumination: it suffices in a room with a head, but a bright sun can cause problems. The minimum level can be called comfortable for night conditions.
As for color balance, contrast and brightness: here is a photo of all three smartphones at the highest possible level of illumination and with the same picture. I think everything is clear without words. LG fries, HTC in moderation, ASUS lags behind in brightness and saturation, but at the same time pleases with some pastel softness. The eyes of the ZenFone display do not get tired.
The scourge of all three models - oleophobic coating. It is, but the quality of performance at C grade. The prints are erased better than from ordinary glass, but a simple movement of a hoody sleeve, a lint-free cloth or jeans will not be enough. It is necessary to rub hard. Sticking a protective film solves this problem.
Of all the trio, HTC has the most “gift” look, of course. It is packaged as if it was made by Apple, well-designed, looks good on the outside, pleasant in hands, versatile in terms of size. No one will tell you how much it costs until you turn on the smartphone. And after switching on, too, to be honest, the price is not called on the go. HTC intelligently disguised the disadvantages of a budget smartphone with a beautiful design and a pleasant set of software.
ASUS ZenFone is a balanced version. For the design is not at all ashamed, it is faceless and does not speak about anything: just a black smartphone. Extremely minimalist and tasteful, not poor. The screen is pleasing to the eye, the materials are pleasant, packed neatly and beautifully. Spade a few, do not take this away.
LG in this trinity, at first glance, an ugly duckling. It looks completely Korean. It can be seen that the smartphone is from "inexpensive" (that is, from non-flagships). However, with all this, he is pleased with the robust design, convenient location of controls, good build quality and affordable (and, most importantly, easily found in the sale) accessories such as covers-books, installed instead of the back panel. Also to the advantages I would take his materials. Yes, there are few premiums in them, but with all this, scratches will not be as noticeable as on “smooth” competitors, and the material applied according to the characteristics of the corresponding Gorilla Glass 2 is used as a screen protective coating.
Impressions of impressions, but what about devices with performance? And then buy a beautiful, pleasantly packed, perfectly packaged set of brakes - a dubious pleasure.
Two of the three smartphones work on the familiar ARM hardware: the popular Snapdragon 400 chip from Qualcomm is used, but in a different configuration.
HTC installed in your Desire junior version MISCELLANEOUS iron. Yes, yes, you heard right. In the monosymbony, there are two Krait 300 cores (ARM V7) at 1.4 GHz each, the Adreno 305 is used as the accelerator. The dual-core also got a quad core from Broadcom (1.2 GHz), and their VideoCore IV video accelerator. Why change the chip in the dvuhsimochnike - a riddle from the riddles, because Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 quietly works with two SIM cards.
In both cases, you will also get 1 GB of RAM (regardless of version), most likely LPDDR2-format, 4 GB of internal memory. In theory, the characteristics of the device are more than normal.
LG did without distortions: what is in the monosymbolic, what works in the dvuhsimochnik identical iron. Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 in the four-core version, time-tested Adreno 305 is responsible for graphics output. All this magnificence got 1 GB of LPDDR2 RAM. Despite the fact that iron is hardly the newest (and MTK chips are more interesting today, and Qualcomm have released updated lines) - it fully meets modern requirements. He knows how to work with energy saving, shows modern graphics, it is also popular: three-dimensional toys will not show off; developers are already aware of the possibilities of such a bundle of processor, video accelerator and memory and are able to optimize their products for such hardware.
ASUS has long been successfully practicing installing Atom's on smartphones and tablets. I can’t say that the solution is bad: a x86 chip with a frequency of 1.6 GHz allows the ARM puffs to be screwed, and in the case of the ZenFone it is still cooler - there is a dual-core Z2560 in conjunction with PowerVR 544MP2. The single-core version of the 544th is not bad by itself, but here its “two-headed” version is in conjunction with a fairly powerful processor.
A nice bonus is 2 GB of RAM, with LPDDR3 and yes 16 GB of file storage with expansion options using memory cards.
To tell the truth, there is nothing here. Here are the pictures, all the results are present on them. All tests were carried out after complete cleaning of the memory (closing of other applications), 3 times to take into account the loss of performance during heating. The screenshots show the minimum (worst) results from all three tests. Separately, I note only that all the tests on the Android OS are more or less “sharpened” to measure the performance of ARM processors, because of this Intel Atom, built on the x86_32 architecture, can show strange results.
From left to right: HTC Desire 601 dualsim, LG L90, ASUS Zenfone 5.
What surprised me personally was the superiority of the little-known 3D accelerator over the proven Adreno 305.
Testing of three-dimensional graphics was carried out by the Ice Storm Extreme benchmark in the 3D Mark package.
From left to right: HTC Desire 601 dualsim, LG L90, ASUS Zenfone 5.
Surprisingly, the "rootless" graphics from Broadcom, installed on HTC, in some ways even jumped over the powerful PowerVR 544!
Synthetic battery tests are available here:
HTC Desire 601 Dualsim | LG L90 Dualsim | ASUS Zenfone 5 Dualsim
Due to the high capacity of the battery (LG is one of the world leaders in the field of “packing” electrons into batteries) and advanced energy saving, LG has worked in the benchmark for almost 10 hours!
As you understand, to climb a tree and keep the pants intact is not a trivial task. Create a super-flagship with space characteristics and a price of 150 bucks at the expense of everything else: software, screen, packaging, packaging, support, but who will buy it? All three manufacturers treat the budget phone in their own way, and this is the picture that emerges:
HTC relies on the appearance: it looks expensive, it is pleasantly in the hand, by all means it is a premium. Unfortunately, the pay-off for “ponty” is a little less productive stuffing than, say, LG or other classmates.
L90 is built according to the principle “no one will die without it, but our smartphone does not slow down”. Indeed, in everyday use, it is rather difficult to force LG’s chief state employee to slow down or lay down. In games - yes, it happens, but do not forget that we have not a game console, but a budget smartphone.
ASUS is a little more expensive than the competitors in this post, but it also has an amazing balance of features, design, usability and features. If you are not confused by five inches - a clear favorite in terms of iron and body.
The most interesting thing is: how does the proprietary software combine with the appliance capabilities of smartphones, than we are ready to please the manufacturers shell, what you can play and how much the smartphone lives under real load - in the next release. Stay in touch!
Our previous reviews:
» ASUS Transformer Pad
» Razer Kraken headsets
» Midland GXT-1050 Radio Stations
» NVIDIA SHIELD Game Console
» Testing AA-size Ni-MH batteries
» Sony Smartwatch 3
» Transformer Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro
» LEGO Mindstorms EV3
1 - According to the message of Serezha_zp , the L90 does not have a LED indicator in the single-value version. It's a shame he was in the last generation of the L-series.
Therefore, today we will look for a worthy anti-crisis solution. Our guest is three smartphones in the price category of 10-12 thousand rubles, they are all from different vendors, with a different approach to the "savings" of funds, the built-in software and the very idea of ​​a "budget" device.
')
ASUS Zenfone 5, LG L90 and HTC Desire 601 will compete for the title of the most rational use of resources. Interestingly, all three models from the review have a two-part performance. However, the same models are found with one SIM card (and in the case of HTC or ASUS, also with the LTE module), their differences from odnosimochnikov, mainly cosmetic.
Boxes and Filling
The army begins with the military enlistment office, and all devices - with the packaging. Before the appearance of the iPhone and Apple’s active expansion into the smartphone market, a typical phone box could compete in size with a box, say, from a shoe or an ATX-format motherboard.
Now everyone is trying to pack the smartphone as compact as possible, while maintaining the aesthetic indicators of the phone storage at a high enough level. Unfortunately, in budget smartphones every cent counts, so that even an extra pair of stickers or a complex cut can affect the final cost of the device, which will grow even more when it gets to retail.
The design is made to match the familiar product lines for brands. LG preferred the classic simple box with a color print. ASUS pleased with a neat and strict box-slider, and HTC, as usual, relied on premium perception. Box of pressed round cellulose, neat tape with a concise image of the smartphone in different colors. In principle, even through the boxes you can see which path each vendor has chosen. LG tried to save on everything that is not directly related to the device; ASUS just wants to look neat in everything, and HTC, even in relatively inexpensive devices, remains faithful to the “eco-style” and loves everything to look “more fun”.
Get a gift box of Zenfone 5 or Desire 601 a hundred times more pleasant than the LG, but what will please us inside? In the end, not on the box, we will call and not to go to the Internet from high-quality cardboard.
Inside, as usual, devices. All three smartphones are protected from scratches and dust with a special film. LG and ASUS, with typically Asian love, placed the main “buns” on it in terms of characteristics: megabytes-megahertz kernels and other delights, but HTC (in spite of no less Asian origin) bends the premium line, believing that the user no need: the name of the model, branded services, matte and very pleasant tactilely silky film, in general, all thirty-three pleasures from unpacking.
In addition to the devices in the boxes you can find:
At LG: a charger, a USB-microUSB wire, a warranty card, a brief guide taken from a smartphone battery (charged 45% for long-term storage without consequences for the resource);
ASUS has a completely similar configuration, but without a battery, it is not removable from ZenFone;
Well, a comparable, but much more pleasantly decorated package can be seen in the HTC box. The papers are decorated beautifully, all the packages are “silky”, on the film in which the smartphone is packaged, it is told how-what-where-what, plus Taiwanese did not forget to put a headset in the smartphone kit. Not a fountain, but better than a nihilistic version from ASUS and LG. The battery is removable, but initially installed in the device.
Brief characteristics
So that there are no unnecessary questions, I think it is worthwhile to voice the hardware capabilities of each of the platforms. We will deal with performance and software a bit later. So:
| HTC Desire 601 dualsim | LG L90 D410 | ASUS ZenFone 5 | |
| Platform | Snapdragon 400, 2 cores of 1.4 GHz, ARM v7, Adreno 305 video accelerator in single-character version. Broadcom, 4 cores of 1.2 GHz each , ARM V7, VideoCore IV video accelerator (BCM23550) in a two-part version. | Snapdragon 400, 4 cores at 1.2 GHz, ARM v7. Video accelerator Adreno 305. | Intel Atom Z2560, 2 cores at 1.6 GHz, x86. Video accelerator PowerVR 544MP2. |
| RAM | 1 GB | 1 GB | 2 GB |
| Internal memory | 4 GB | 8 GB | 16 GB |
| Memory expansion | MircoSD XC (up to 64 GB) | MircoSD XC (declared up to 32GB. 64 GB work, require formatting by phone) | MircoSD XC (up to 64 GB) |
| Display | ScLCD2,4.5 ”, 960x540 245 PPI | IPS, 4.7 ”, 960x540, transreflective 234 PPI | IPS 5.0 ”1280x720 294 PPI |
| Camera | 5 MP, flash, autofocus, 0.3 MP front. | 8 MP, flash, autofocus, 0.3 MP front. | 8 MP, flash, autofocus, 2 MP front. |
| Battery | Removable, 2100 mAh | Removable, 2540 mA * h | Built-in, 2110 mAh |
| Pre-installed software | Android 4.2.2 + Sense UI 5.0 | Android 4.4.2 + Optimus UI | Android 4.4.2 + Zen UI |
Design and usability
All three smartphones differ in display diagonals. On the one hand, this is a minus, it seems like modelki under unequal conditions, on the other hand, everyone can choose a diagonal to his taste, and you can always look at models of the same manufacturer that are similar in price: the filling will be about the same, but the diagonal can differ significantly.
HTC Desire 601 has a 4.5 ”display, with a width of 67 mm and a height of 134.5 mm. The case is collapsible, the battery is removed. The total thickness of the device is almost 1 centimeter, but it does not seem thick, and the sloping faces mask not the most slender figure of the smartphone. Desire 601 weighs only 130 grams, two grams less than the cheapest iPhone (5C).
On the front side are stereo speakers with the brand name BoomSound, a silver logo, two (highlighted) touch "buttons" - "back" and "home". Above the screen is the light sensor, proximity sensor and the "eye" of the front camera. On a silver smartphone, they are better seen:
The back surface of the smartphone is a solid soft-touch cover with a glossy HTC logo, camera lens and flash embedded in it. The panel is removed entirely, along with buttons. Under it are two connectors for microSIM, a slot for microSDXC memory cards (64 GB sees, 128 were not checked). The battery is removable.
In principle, the smartphone is assembled for five plus: there is nothing anywhere backlash, no squeak, it is shed as if it had been poured in, and in general you cannot say on it that it is collapsible. There is one small problem. The lid sits inappropriately tight.
Open it without nails is very difficult. Thank you at least for the fact that the opening instructions are “printed” on the back of the wrapping film, without it you can search for a SIM card tray and a hole for a “clip” for a long time, being absolutely sure that the smartphone is non-separable.
The microUSB connector is hidden from the bottom to the right, but on the top left is the screen lock button (fu-fu, it's very inconvenient to reach for it) and the audio jack (3.5 mm). Volume buttons - on the right side, separate. To be honest, everyone who held the smartphone in their hands, tried to block / unblock the screen, and the tactile feedback they have is incomprehensible, you can understand whether you clicked or did not click only by looking at the screen.
Slightly larger display diagonal of the LG L90 - 4.7 inches. Physical dimensions are almost the same as Desire, however, LG have access to the fine frame displays produced by them. With a larger diagonal, the smartphone is one millimeter wider than the HTC 601 (66 mm), three millimeters shorter (131.5 mm), and also slightly thinner. LG 124 L weighs only 124 grams. As materials of the case, dvuhsimochnikov has black or white plastic with the same silver plastic edging.
In our hands was a white smartphone, black is not different design a jot. The back cover - “corrugated”, to the touch resembles a very strongly stretched fabric of coarse weaving. Unlike HTC, it is immediately clear that it is being filmed. Inside - nothing special. Unfortunately, the SIM slots are located "sandwich" - the solution is not the most reliable, but if you do not plan to rearrange the SIM cards at least regularly - it will come down. Savings are such savings. By the way, LG did not invent a bicycle, and placed the lock key on the right, the volume swing on the left. The distance and stroke of the buttons are chosen perfectly, lie under your fingers, do not cause any negative emotions.
The front side is decorated with a neat speaker grid on top, a proximity sensor / "eye" of the camera to the right of it. Light sensor model does not have. Under the display are four silver touch buttons (back, home, menu, SIM-card change), but they are deprived of backlight. Of course, after a couple of days you get used to poke blindly, but still, saving on engraving and backlighting is a dubious decision.
By the way, the L90 odnosimochnik differs in the design of the front panel, there was a place and means for the hardware “home” button
The output of the ringing speaker is located at the back, which has a characteristic “bump” so as not to rest on the table, the camera lens and the flash.
MicroUSB and 3.5 mm connectors are located below and above respectively.
In my opinion, the audio jack from the bottom is much more convenient, but many manufacturers neglect this decision or put it only in premium devices.
ASUS's “Spade” has a five-inch display: approximately the same diagonal will be possessed, for example, Nexus 5, HTC One M8, and Galaxy S4. Physical dimensions do not instill fear, but even a compact device to call the tongue no longer turns: almost 73 mm wide, 148 mm high, and the thickness a little more than a centimeter. With all this, the smartphone from ASUS weighs a decent 145 grams. For comparison, the Nexus 5 and Galaxy S4 weigh 15 grams less.
Design zenfona - one for the entire line of devices. The front side is closed with a protective glass, under the display - touch keys "back", "home", "multitasking". Even lower is the Izz section of aluminum with a circular notch. The smartphone is available in different colors:
Above the display, only the earpiece and the “eye” of the front camera could not be detected visually, but there are some. Perhaps, the manufacturer uses sly software and a front camera module as these sensors.
On the right side there is a screen lock button and a volume control swing. Located almost perfectly.
At the left - nothing, behind - a panel from a soft-touch platform, on which the calling speaker grid, camera lens, flash, and the modest ASUS and Intel logos are located.
The cover is removed without problems, under it - two slots for SIM cards and a connector for microSD. The shape of the back panel is quite sloping, hides the "thickness" of the smartphone.
Subtotals
With buildings and materials everything is more or less clear. Unfortunately, the cost savings dictates the strict rules of the game, each of the manufacturers interprets them in its own way.
LG preferred to save on production processes, maximally simplifying and unifying iron with odnosimochnik. Unfortunately, the smartphone is deprived of the backlight of the buttons on the front panel, the light sensor, but at the same time it is fine cut, firmly knocked down, does not slip out of the hands, even if they are wet; it looks as neutral as possible and does not cause a feeling of cheap trinkets, as happens with cheap Samsung smartphones and some Chinese brands. On the packaging, to put it mildly, they scored, however, it is better to let these 10 cents go to the telephone.
ASUS aggressively uses minimalism in design, and this is what benefits the ZenFone series of devices: the smartphone does not look cheap, you don’t say how much it costs at all. The only minus is a pseudo-metal die protruding under the screen. Yes, it is beautiful, but it would be better if the smartphone was shorter by almost a centimeter than just had an incomprehensible decorative thing. For the rest, “Zen” is “Zen.” Austerity, the absence of everything superfluous, modesty - all this makes the smartphone look more expensive than many models for 20-25 thousand rubles.
HTC to the fullest spin the "premium" of the brand. Expensive materials in the package, expensive body materials, neat design, no savings on trifles like key backlighting. As with all this, the Desire 601 remains competitive at the same price as the LG L90 - a mystery. Unfortunately, not without its drawbacks. The lock button is located in an uncomfortable place, and the "back" and "home" buttons require adjustment. For all the others, they are located in familiar places, here they are widely spaced around, and even between them - the logo, which is pressed, do not press, nothing will happen.
Information display
Since we have touchscreen smartphones, the screens in this case should be given maximum attention.
LG and HTC opted for a resolution of 960x540 pixels. In the case of HTC, this solution does not raise any questions: the screen for four and a half inches is not bad, the fonts (thanks to the proprietary shell) look neat. The stock of brightness is not very large, but on the street there are no problems with using the display. The adjustment also does not fail on the “minimal” side: at night, the device does not blind.
LG's display diagonal is slightly larger, and the resolution is on the verge of comfort. The fonts do not go with teeth, the pixel of the eye does not cut, but alas, the same smoothness that 720p screens have with such a diagonal. Brightness margin is more than that of HTC, besides, the display uses a transreflective substrate. With the screen locked and the backlight turned off, the display surface can be safely used as a mirror. There are no problems in the sun.
ASUS at its five inches is ready to please with an honest HD-resolution: 1280x720 pixels. In my opinion, such a choice is more than justified. The picture is clear, the load on the processor and video accelerator is on the verge of a reasonable one (problems could start on FullHD, especially in games). Unfortunately, the price of a high-quality picture was not the most outstanding illumination: it suffices in a room with a head, but a bright sun can cause problems. The minimum level can be called comfortable for night conditions.
As for color balance, contrast and brightness: here is a photo of all three smartphones at the highest possible level of illumination and with the same picture. I think everything is clear without words. LG fries, HTC in moderation, ASUS lags behind in brightness and saturation, but at the same time pleases with some pastel softness. The eyes of the ZenFone display do not get tired.
The scourge of all three models - oleophobic coating. It is, but the quality of performance at C grade. The prints are erased better than from ordinary glass, but a simple movement of a hoody sleeve, a lint-free cloth or jeans will not be enough. It is necessary to rub hard. Sticking a protective film solves this problem.
Impressions
Of all the trio, HTC has the most “gift” look, of course. It is packaged as if it was made by Apple, well-designed, looks good on the outside, pleasant in hands, versatile in terms of size. No one will tell you how much it costs until you turn on the smartphone. And after switching on, too, to be honest, the price is not called on the go. HTC intelligently disguised the disadvantages of a budget smartphone with a beautiful design and a pleasant set of software.
ASUS ZenFone is a balanced version. For the design is not at all ashamed, it is faceless and does not speak about anything: just a black smartphone. Extremely minimalist and tasteful, not poor. The screen is pleasing to the eye, the materials are pleasant, packed neatly and beautifully. Spade a few, do not take this away.
LG in this trinity, at first glance, an ugly duckling. It looks completely Korean. It can be seen that the smartphone is from "inexpensive" (that is, from non-flagships). However, with all this, he is pleased with the robust design, convenient location of controls, good build quality and affordable (and, most importantly, easily found in the sale) accessories such as covers-books, installed instead of the back panel. Also to the advantages I would take his materials. Yes, there are few premiums in them, but with all this, scratches will not be as noticeable as on “smooth” competitors, and the material applied according to the characteristics of the corresponding Gorilla Glass 2 is used as a screen protective coating.
Impressions of impressions, but what about devices with performance? And then buy a beautiful, pleasantly packed, perfectly packaged set of brakes - a dubious pleasure.
Under the hood: iron
Two of the three smartphones work on the familiar ARM hardware: the popular Snapdragon 400 chip from Qualcomm is used, but in a different configuration.
HTC installed in your Desire junior version MISCELLANEOUS iron. Yes, yes, you heard right. In the monosymbony, there are two Krait 300 cores (ARM V7) at 1.4 GHz each, the Adreno 305 is used as the accelerator. The dual-core also got a quad core from Broadcom (1.2 GHz), and their VideoCore IV video accelerator. Why change the chip in the dvuhsimochnike - a riddle from the riddles, because Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 quietly works with two SIM cards.
In both cases, you will also get 1 GB of RAM (regardless of version), most likely LPDDR2-format, 4 GB of internal memory. In theory, the characteristics of the device are more than normal.
LG did without distortions: what is in the monosymbolic, what works in the dvuhsimochnik identical iron. Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 in the four-core version, time-tested Adreno 305 is responsible for graphics output. All this magnificence got 1 GB of LPDDR2 RAM. Despite the fact that iron is hardly the newest (and MTK chips are more interesting today, and Qualcomm have released updated lines) - it fully meets modern requirements. He knows how to work with energy saving, shows modern graphics, it is also popular: three-dimensional toys will not show off; developers are already aware of the possibilities of such a bundle of processor, video accelerator and memory and are able to optimize their products for such hardware.
ASUS has long been successfully practicing installing Atom's on smartphones and tablets. I can’t say that the solution is bad: a x86 chip with a frequency of 1.6 GHz allows the ARM puffs to be screwed, and in the case of the ZenFone it is still cooler - there is a dual-core Z2560 in conjunction with PowerVR 544MP2. The single-core version of the 544th is not bad by itself, but here its “two-headed” version is in conjunction with a fairly powerful processor.
A nice bonus is 2 GB of RAM, with LPDDR3 and yes 16 GB of file storage with expansion options using memory cards.
Productivity synthetic
To tell the truth, there is nothing here. Here are the pictures, all the results are present on them. All tests were carried out after complete cleaning of the memory (closing of other applications), 3 times to take into account the loss of performance during heating. The screenshots show the minimum (worst) results from all three tests. Separately, I note only that all the tests on the Android OS are more or less “sharpened” to measure the performance of ARM processors, because of this Intel Atom, built on the x86_32 architecture, can show strange results.
From left to right: HTC Desire 601 dualsim, LG L90, ASUS Zenfone 5.
What surprised me personally was the superiority of the little-known 3D accelerator over the proven Adreno 305.
Testing of three-dimensional graphics was carried out by the Ice Storm Extreme benchmark in the 3D Mark package.
From left to right: HTC Desire 601 dualsim, LG L90, ASUS Zenfone 5.
Surprisingly, the "rootless" graphics from Broadcom, installed on HTC, in some ways even jumped over the powerful PowerVR 544!
Synthetic battery tests are available here:
HTC Desire 601 Dualsim | LG L90 Dualsim | ASUS Zenfone 5 Dualsim
Due to the high capacity of the battery (LG is one of the world leaders in the field of “packing” electrons into batteries) and advanced energy saving, LG has worked in the benchmark for almost 10 hours!
Results, part one
As you understand, to climb a tree and keep the pants intact is not a trivial task. Create a super-flagship with space characteristics and a price of 150 bucks at the expense of everything else: software, screen, packaging, packaging, support, but who will buy it? All three manufacturers treat the budget phone in their own way, and this is the picture that emerges:
HTC relies on the appearance: it looks expensive, it is pleasantly in the hand, by all means it is a premium. Unfortunately, the pay-off for “ponty” is a little less productive stuffing than, say, LG or other classmates.
L90 is built according to the principle “no one will die without it, but our smartphone does not slow down”. Indeed, in everyday use, it is rather difficult to force LG’s chief state employee to slow down or lay down. In games - yes, it happens, but do not forget that we have not a game console, but a budget smartphone.
ASUS is a little more expensive than the competitors in this post, but it also has an amazing balance of features, design, usability and features. If you are not confused by five inches - a clear favorite in terms of iron and body.
The most interesting thing is: how does the proprietary software combine with the appliance capabilities of smartphones, than we are ready to please the manufacturers shell, what you can play and how much the smartphone lives under real load - in the next release. Stay in touch!
Our previous reviews:
» ASUS Transformer Pad
» Razer Kraken headsets
» Midland GXT-1050 Radio Stations
» NVIDIA SHIELD Game Console
» Testing AA-size Ni-MH batteries
» Sony Smartwatch 3
» Transformer Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro
» LEGO Mindstorms EV3
1 - According to the message of Serezha_zp , the L90 does not have a LED indicator in the single-value version. It's a shame he was in the last generation of the L-series.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/376379/
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