Review of the Lenovo Vibe Z2 Android smartphone: minimal, but tasteful. Lenovo Vibe Z2 smartphone: description, specifications and reviews What about the screen

Slim metal tablet with maximum performance and dual SIM support

In accordance with the growing interest of users in smartphones with large diagonal screens, the segment of tablet phones itself is growing, the number of market players and the range of large-diagonal models they offer are increasing. At the traditional IFA exhibition in Berlin, which took place in early autumn, along with the expected update of the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and the rather unexpected, but very successful Huawei Ascend Mate 7, which we have already discussed, another device with an unusually large screen, even for the modern mobile device market, was presented. Its name is Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro.

The new product has a rather unusual positioning in the Lenovo line: it was the six-inch tablet phone with the prefix “Pro” in the name that unexpectedly received the product number K920. And therefore, this particular device (and not, as would be logical to expect, the “standard” Lenovo Vibe Z2) is a direct descendant of the famous K900 and at the same time the flagship of the company’s entire line of mobile devices. The smartphone has a rich backstory: an unusual design with a flat and thin metal body with straight edges was first demonstrated by its predecessor, the Lenovo K900 smartphone, released more than a year and a half ago. An unusual combination of very advanced characteristics, a memorable design and at the same time, due to cooperation with Intel, a very affordable price at which this device was offered on the market from the first days, made the Lenovo K900 truly legendary. Its successor, called Lenovo Vibe Z (K910), to everyone's surprise, had nothing in common with its predecessor - neither in terms of hardware platform, nor in design: the smartphone received a completely different type of streamlined body, moreover, made not of metal, but of plastic. And today we see a “return to basics”: the next Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro (K920) comes out in the same all-metal flat body (adjusted for size, of course). The device is very powerful; the platform used here is not an Intel SoC, but the most powerful Qualcomm platform, which makes the Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro smartphone a player in the upper, top segment of the mobile device market.

Video review

To get started, we suggest watching our video review of the Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro (K920) smartphone:

Now let's take a look at the characteristics of the new product.

Key Features of Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro (Model K920)

	Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro (K920)	Alcatel Hero 2	Huawei Ascend Mate 7	Samsung Galaxy Note 4 (N910C)	Vivo Xplay 3S
Screen	6″, IPS	6″, IPS	6″, IPS	5.7″ Super AMOLED	6″, IPS
Permission	2560×1440, 490 ppi	1920×1080, 367 ppi	1920×1080, 367 ppi	2560×1440, 515 ppi	2560×1440, 490 ppi
SoC	Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (4 cores Krait 400 @2.5 GHz)	Mediatek MT6592 Octa-core (8 Cortex-A7 cores @2.0 GHz)	HiSilicon Kirin 925 (4x Cortex-A15 @1.7 GHz + 4x Cortex-A7 + i3)	Samsung Exynos 5433 (4x Cortex-A57 @1.9 GHz + 4x Cortex-A53 @1.3 GHz)	Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (4 cores Krait 400 @2.3 GHz)
GPU	Adreno 330	Mali-450MP4	Mali-T628 MP4	Mali-T760	Adreno 330
RAM	3 GB	2 GB	2 GB	3 GB	3 GB
Flash memory	32 GB	16 GB	16 GB	32 GB	32 GB
Memory card support	No	microSD	microSD	microSD	No
operating system	Google Android 4.4	Google Android 4.4	Google Android 4.4	Google Android 4.4	Google Android 4.3
Battery	non-removable, 4000 mAh	non-removable, 3100 mAh	non-removable, 4100 mAh	removable, 3220 mAh	non-removable, 3200 mAh
Cameras	rear (16 MP; 4K video), front (5 MP)		rear (13 MP; video 1080p), front (5 MP)	rear (16 MP; 4K video), front 3.7 MP)	rear (13 MP; video 1080p), front (5 MP)
Dimensions and weight	156×81×7.7 mm, 181 g	161×82×7.9 mm, 170 g	157×81×7.9 mm, 185 g	154×79×8.5 mm, 176 g	158×83×8.7 mm, 174 g
average price	T-11157888	N/A	T-11036156	T-11028898	T-10623253
Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro (K920) offers	L-11157888-10

• SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (MSM8974AC), 4 Krait 400 cores, 2.5 GHz
• GPU Adreno 330, 550 MHz
• Operating system Android 4.4.2
• Touch display IPS 6″, 2560×1440, 490 ppi
• Random access memory (RAM) 3 GB, internal memory 32 GB
• Dual SIM support (Micro-SIM)
• Communication GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
• WCDMA Communication: 850/900/1700/1800/1900 MHz
• 4G data transmission: FDD-LTE (1, 3, 7, 20)
• Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n/ac (2.4/5 GHz), Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot
• Bluetooth 4.0HS
• USB 2.0, OTG
• GPS (A-GPS), Glonass
• Camera 16 MP, OIS, autofocus, 4K video
• Camera 5 MP (front)
• Accelerometer, proximity sensor, light sensor, gyroscope, electronic compass
• Lithium-ion battery 4000 mAh
• Dimensions 156×81×7.7 mm
• Weight 181 g

Contents of delivery

The new product received as packaging a box almost the same in appearance and structure as its brothers in the line were delivered in. It's a fairly large box made of hard, dark cardboard, only this time there are no slits in the dust jacket where the letters should be. In general, the packaging looks stylish and expensive due to the fact that there are no pictures on its surfaces and only the minimum necessary information is printed.

Inside, in three molded compartments, a standard set of accessories is laid out: a large-sized charger (5.2 V, 2.0 A), an attractive-looking flat USB connecting cable, as well as a wired stereo headset, also with a flat, tangle-free wire and rubber vacuum type ear pads. In general, the packaging and its contents are presented so aesthetically that they immediately create the most favorable mood for further acquaintance with the product.

Appearance and ease of use

As for the very large body sizes, the new Lenovo tablet phone is not a record holder in this regard: all the latest six-inch new products that we tested are, as they say, “worth each other.” For example, Vivo Xplay 3S is even larger in size, albeit not by much. And the six-inch Huawei Ascend Mate 7, which received unexpected recognition during the autumn exhibition and was remembered by many, also corresponds to the hero of today’s review with millimeter accuracy.

But this does not mean at all that the listed new products have comfortable dimensions - far from it. These are all very large mobile devices, which are inconvenient to operate with one hand, and carrying them in your pockets is uncomfortable. It’s just that developers have recently learned to use the usable body area of ​​their mobile creations so economically that we have even stopped calling them “shovels”, having gradually become accustomed to this form factor. Meanwhile, manufacturers continue to improve, the frames around the screen are becoming thinner - previously, six-inch devices could have had much more bulky dimensions than today.

In general, in appearance, the Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro (K920) is very similar to its predecessor, the K900 smartphone, only now it is a much larger device. The device has the same all-metal body, most of which is formed by a thick aluminum plate with curved edges that form the side edges of the device. Only here there is even more metal - there are no plastic inserts, aluminum completely covers the entire back of the case and the sides. Thanks to such an emphasized abundance of metal, the smartphone looks expensive and noble, the design is unusual. The favorable impression of the appearance of the Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro is further enhanced by the very thin thickness of the body with an impressive width, which visually makes the smartphone even thinner. And yet, we repeat, it is inconvenient to use the device: the smartphone is still too large, its width is excessive, even just holding it with the fingers of one hand is not very comfortable. The weight of more than 180 g is also excessive, the device is heavy, it is inconvenient to carry it in your pocket, and the corners of the case are too easy to feel. The surface of the metal body of the Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro is matte, textured and slightly rough, making the body of the smartphone completely non-marking and non-slip. Only the company logo glued into the metal of the back surface sparkles with a chrome shine.

Since the body has a monolithic structure, here, like other modern metal smartphones, all antennas are placed in grooves covered with a special composite material, cut in the outer part of the metal cover. Otherwise, the metal would shield radio waves.

The high-quality camera module with optical stabilization technology built into the smartphone turned out to be too thick, so it protrudes slightly beyond the body. The module, together with the dual LED flash, are implemented in a single block, mounted as a separate panel with four metal screws. The flash can function as a brightly shining flashlight; the corresponding software is preinstalled in the smartphone.

Using the same screws, another panel is screwed to the bottom end, on which a universal Micro-USB connector, a microphone and the main speaker grille are located. The grille is an array of small round holes; Due to the end placement of the speaker, the sound is not blocked by the table surface, no matter how the smartphone is laid. It supports connecting external peripherals and flash drives to the USB port using a special OTG adapter.

For some reason, the screws are not visible on the top end panel, although it looks identical to the bottom one. There are fewer elements on it; here you can only find a standard jack (3.5 mm) for headphone output.

The front panel is made entirely of protective glass with a good oleophobic coating. In the upper part of the glass there is a slot cut out for the painted metal grille of the speaker; the eyes of the sensors and the front camera are visible nearby. In the right corner there is an LED status indicator, shining with a large bright dot and signaling the charging status and incoming messages. There is a special item in the settings menu to regulate the indicator’s operation.

The touch buttons at the bottom of the front panel have a dim white backlight with an adjustable glow time; there is also a special item for this in the settings.

Mechanical controls are located on the side faces of the device: on the right is the power and lock button, on the left is a paired volume key. You can activate the screen here by pressing not only the lock button, but also the volume key. The keys are large, made of metal with a matte surface, easy to feel blindly, have a soft springy stroke and a clear response - in general, there are no complaints about the mechanical control unit of the Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro.

Both Micro-SIM SIM cards are located on a single retractable metal truss, which is removed by pressing a secret button using a paper clip key. The hole is so deep that not every third-party key is suitable for pressing. For example, a branded iPhone clip is not capable of opening this mechanism; a longer “tip” is required. The slots for SIM cards are unequal in their capabilities: only the card in the first slot can function in 3G/4G networks, the second is designed only to work in 2G. There is no slot for a memory card in the smartphone.

Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro comes in three different colors: black, titanium and gold to choose from. The connectors of the device are not covered with plugs, and there are no fastenings for the strap on the case. The device does not receive protection from water and dust, nor does it support wireless charging.

Screen

Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro is equipped with an IPS touch matrix protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3. The screen dimensions are 75x133 mm, 6-inch diagonal, resolution - 2560x1440 pixels (Quad HD). Accordingly, the dot density reaches 490 ppi - this is a very high, although not a record figure.

The thickness of the side frames from the edge of the screen to the edge of the body is about 3 mm, and with such large overall dimensions they seem very narrow. The display brightness can be adjusted manually, or you can use automatic adjustment. Multi-touch technology here allows you to process 10 simultaneous touches. When you bring the smartphone to your ear, the screen is locked using a proximity sensor.

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, the anti-glare properties of the screen are no worse than those of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) screen (hereinafter simply Nexus 7). For clarity, here is a photo in which a white surface is reflected in the switched off screens (on the left - Nexus 7, on the right - Lenovo VIBE Z2 Pro, then they can be distinguished by size):

The screen of the Lenovo VIBE Z2 Pro is slightly darker (brightness according to photographs is 109 versus 112 for the Nexus 7). The ghosting of reflected objects in the Lenovo VIBE Z2 Pro 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) (OGS - One Glass Solution type screen). Due to the smaller number of boundaries (glass/air type) with very different refractive indices, such screens look better in conditions of strong external illumination, but their repair in the case of cracked external glass is much more expensive, since the entire screen has to be replaced. The outer surface of the screen has a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating (very effective, no worse than that of the Nexus 7), so fingerprints are removed much more easily and appear at a lower speed than with regular glass.

When manually controlling the brightness and displaying the white field in full screen, the maximum brightness value was about 560 cd/m², the minimum was 12 cd/m². The maximum brightness is very high, and, given the excellent anti-glare properties, readability even on a sunny day outdoors will be at an excellent level. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable value. There is automatic brightness adjustment based on the light sensor (located to the right of the front camera). In automatic mode, as external lighting conditions change, the screen brightness both increases and decreases. In complete darkness, the auto-brightness function reduces the brightness to 12 cd/m² (a little dark, but you can read), in an office illuminated by artificial light (approximately 400 lux) it is set to 130 cd/m² (suitable), in a very bright environment (corresponding to lighting on a clear day outdoors, but without direct sunlight - 20,000 lux or a little more) increases to a maximum of 560 cd/m². As a result, the auto-brightness function works absolutely adequately. Additionally, in the screen settings, you can enable the high-brightness mode; in this case, with the brightness turned to maximum, we got about 710 cd/m²(!). The strangest thing is that this mode (like all other special screen modes) is active only in selected programs, for example in the standard browser, but not in the standard image viewer. At any brightness level, there is virtually no backlight modulation, so there is no screen flickering.

This smartphone uses an IPS matrix. 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 screens of Lenovo VIBE Z2 Pro and Nexus 7, while the screen brightness is initially set to approximately 200 cd/m² (across the white field in full screen), and the color balance on the camera is forcibly switched to 6500 K. There is a white field perpendicular to the screens:

Note the good uniformity of brightness and color tone of the white field. And a test picture:

Color reproduction is good and colors are rich on both screens. 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, and the contrast remained at a high level. And a white field:

The brightness at an angle of the screens decreased (at least 5 times, based on the difference in shutter speed), but in the case of the Lenovo VIBE Z2 Pro the drop in brightness is slightly greater. When deviated diagonally, the black field is lightened weakly and acquires a red-violet 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 approximately the same!):

And from another angle:

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

The contrast (approximately in the center of the screen) is normal - about 790:1. The response time for the black-white-black transition is 14 ms (8 ms on + 6 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 22 ms. The gamma curve, constructed using 32 points with equal intervals based on the numerical value of the shade of gray, did not reveal any blockage in either the highlights or the shadows. The exponent of the approximating power function is 2.21, which is almost equal to the standard value of 2.2. In this case, the real gamma curve deviates little from the power-law dependence:

Due to the dynamic and very aggressive adjustment of the backlight brightness in accordance with the nature of the output image (in dark areas the brightness decreases), the resulting dependence of brightness on hue (gamma curve) may not correspond to the gamma curve of a static image, since the measurements were carried out with sequential output of shades of gray almost 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. In general, this non-disabled brightness correction does nothing but harm, since constantly changing the screen brightness can at least cause some discomfort and reduce the visibility of gradations in the shadows in the case of dark images.

The color gamut from a practical point of view is equal to sRGB:

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

As a result, visually the colors have a natural saturation. (Note that the white spectrum lies above the component spectra due to the mentioned brightness adjustment.) The balance of shades on the gray scale is good, since the color temperature is slightly higher than the standard 6500 K, and the deviation from the blackbody spectrum (ΔE) is less than 10, which for consumer device is considered a good indicator. At the same time, color temperature and ΔE change little from hue to hue - this has a positive effect on the visual assessment of color balance. (The darkest areas of the gray scale can be ignored, since color balance there is not very important, and the error in measuring color characteristics at low brightness is large.)

In this smartphone, in the screen settings it is possible to select a high brightness mode, set the option Extended outdoor mode(but there is no noticeable effect from it on the street as well), turn on some Adaptive mode, in which increasing the yellowness of the screen supposedly reduces eye fatigue, and also switch to manual mode, in which you can adjust the color tone, saturation (color contrast) and simply contrast.

Let us remind you that all these delights work only in selected programs. An example of what we got when we tried to adjust the color balance is shown in the graphs above in the form of dependencies labeled as Corr. It's better not to interfere and leave everything as it is by default.

Let's summarize. The screen has a very high maximum brightness (even without additional amplification) and has good anti-glare properties, so the device can be used outdoors without any problems, even on a sunny summer day. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable level. It is also possible to use a mode with automatic brightness adjustment, which works adequately. The advantages of the screen include an effective oleophobic coating, the absence of flicker and air gaps in the layers of the screen, high black stability to the deviation of the gaze from perpendicular to the screen plane, as well as the sRGB color gamut and good color balance. Significant disadvantages include aggressive, non-disabled dynamic adjustment of the backlight brightness. However, overall the screen quality is very high.

Sound

In terms of sound, you can’t make any complaints about the smartphone. There is only one speaker, but it is connected to a special amplifier and produces a very loud, clear, moderately bassy sound. It may not be as good as HTC and Oppo/Vivo devices, but overall the sound is very decent, and the maximum volume is perhaps even excessive. At the maximum volume level, the speaker does not wheeze, the sound remains clear. The interlocutor’s speech is recognized confidently, and the earpiece clearly conveys all the intonations and timbre of the voice.

To play music, there is only a standard Google Music player with a minimum number of settings in the form of preset equalizer values.

An FM radio is included as standard with the smartphone, and there is also a voice recorder. The device can also record telephone conversations from the line; to do this, just press a special button in the telephone application interface right during a call.

The main rear camera is equipped with a 16-megapixel module with a BSI sensor, an optical image stabilization system, automatic autofocus and dual LED flash. When shooting at maximum resolution, photos are 5328x3000 pixels in size. The camera control menu has two different interface options. One is a simplified one, called “Smart Camera”, it is installed by default and is intended for undemanding users, when most of the settings are set automatically. You can also use the “pro” mode, where most of the settings become available to the user, which can be adjusted using a visual graphical interface with several semicircular sliders. In addition to the usual shooting mode, you can use more specific ones, such as panorama, night photography, sports, HDR, and special effects.

The camera can shoot video in maximum UHD resolution (3840×2160). Among other things, there are fast and slow motion modes. Examples of test videos shot at different resolutions are presented below.

• Video No. 1 (301 MB, 3840×2160)
• Video No. 2 (359 MB, 2560×1440)
• Video No. 3 (81 MB, 1920×1080)

	The camera does excellent macro photography.
	The camera takes care of a lot of small details in not the best lighting. You can read a lot of inscriptions at the kiosk, but there is no need to talk about car numbers.
	Judging by the visible texture of the asphalt, we can say that the sensor makes little noise, and there is no need to rework the noise reduction.
	Sharpness drops a little in the corners, but overall remains quite good.
	The boundaries of some objects are slightly blurred, which may indicate that the optics are not of the highest quality.
	The camera doesn't work very artistically with flowers, but it's quite realistic.
	Another example of beautifully crafted details.
	Perhaps the noise reduction and sensor can once again be praised for their good and well-coordinated work.

The manufacturer does not indicate the size of the sensor on which it managed to fit 16 megapixels. On the other hand, this is not so important, since we see the pictures, and in general they are in perfect order. However, if the sensor size remained the same, then Lenovo decided to play a theoretically dangerous game, the result of which, however, cannot but be of interest - both scientific and practical. Although, most likely, the size of the sensor has become larger, for some reason they just didn’t tell us about it.

But let's get back to the pictures. First of all, we can note their very decent quality. Perhaps the small details are not worked out well everywhere, but overall the camera does a very good job, only the optics let it down a little in the corners - perhaps that’s the only thing you can really complain about. Everything is almost perfect with the program: sharpening is minimal and barely noticeable, noise reduction works well. And there’s not much noise in the pictures, even in the places where they should be. This means that either the noise reduction works very smoothly, or there is practically no noise. The photographs, however, do not evoke any special emotions, but perhaps because they were taken in not the most favorable lighting. However, the camera demonstrates its capabilities in full. It can be safely recommended for documentary photography, and it can probably cope with artistic photography as well.

Telephone and communications

The smartphone works as standard in modern 2G GSM and 3G WCDMA networks, and also supports fourth generation LTE networks. In practice, with a SIM card from the domestic operator MTS, the smartphone confidently recognizes and works with 4G networks. The network capabilities of the smartphone are extensive and correspond to a truly top level: there is support for NFC technology, two Wi-Fi bands (2.4 and 5 GHz), Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Display, as standard you can organize a wireless access point via Wi-Fi channels Fi or Bluetooth. At home, with the Asus RT-N16 router as an access point, the hero of the review demonstrated a connection speed of 38 Mbit/s. The mode for connecting external devices to the USB port (USB OTG) is supported, so you can connect flash drives and mice with keyboards to the smartphone. The navigation module works with both GPS and the domestic Glonass system, and also sees satellites of the Chinese Beidou.

The phone application supports Smart Dial, that is, while dialing a phone number, a search is immediately carried out by the first letters in contacts. Support for input by continuously sliding from letter to letter (Swype) is also implemented here. Using the settings, the virtual keyboard can be reduced in size for ease of control with the fingers of one hand (here this is called a “mercury keyboard”, when the rows of keys “flow” closer to one of the edges when the smartphone is tilted). You can also reduce the size of the entire working screen - for current top-end tablets, all this is quite familiar and familiar functionality.

The smartphone supports working with two SIM cards, and in general, working with them in the menu is organized according to a familiar principle: you can assign any of the SIM cards as the main one for organizing voice calls or sending SMS messages. When dialing a number, you can also select the desired card directly from the telephone interface menu. Work with two SIM cards is organized according to the usual Dual SIM Dual Standby standard, when both cards can be in active standby mode, but cannot work at the same time - there is only one radio module.

But with wireless data transmission, everything is not so simple: the SIM card in the first slot can only work with 3G/4G networks, the other slot is designed only for working in 2G. Thus, the user must clearly understand which card will be used for what, since the second slot is intended mainly only for organizing voice communications and will not be able to provide high-speed data transfer, even if the operator supports this option.

OS and software

The device uses the Google Android software platform version 4.4.2 as a system with a graphical user interface installed on top of it called Lenovo Vibe UI. Externally, the shell looks nice and stylish, application icons are flat, there is no separate menu for them - all icons are immediately placed on the desktop, mixed with widgets. The settings menu is divided into two sections: one contains most of the usual system settings, and the second is devoted to specific ones, such as working with gestures, the ability to reduce the size of the working screen and bring the keyboard closer to the edge, etc. Here you can also activate the additional Smart menu implemented in the form of a virtual button placed at any edge of the screen. By clicking on this button, a quick access menu to the main functions of the smartphone opens, a set of which can be specified by the user.

There are too many pre-installed programs, most of them are sorted into thematic folders. Among them there are also useful tools for work, such as a file manager or a package for working with office documents. In your smartphone you can find a full set of Yandex mobile applications, which are free and for the most part duplicate branded Google applications, so filling the smartphone’s memory with them without special need, in general, did not make much sense. Here you can also find a folder with several pre-installed games (Asphalt 8, Green Farm 3, Real Football 2014) and, of course, a full set of clients for the most popular social networks.

Performance

The Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro hardware platform is based on the most powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 single-chip system (SoC) with four Krait 400 cores. This platform has the functionality of Snapdragon 800 with a slightly higher frequency of processor cores: Snapdragon 801 can operate at frequencies up to 2.5 GHz, while the core frequency of the previous version of the chip was limited to 2.3 GHz. The presented model uses the maximum version of the platform - MSM8974AC. Graphics processing in the smartphone is handled by the Adreno 330 video accelerator. The amount of RAM is 3 GB, and about 23 GB of the nominally designated 32 GB of internal memory for the user’s needs is available in the device. The amount of internal memory cannot be increased using microSD cards; the smartphone does not support memory cards. But you can connect external flash drives to the Micro-USB port using a special adapter in OTG mode.

Based on benchmark testing results, the smartphone proved to be one of the most powerful and productive modern mobile devices on the market. In the AnTuTu test, the subject demonstrated higher results than some generally recognized world leaders. Those, however, were tested in an older version of the popular benchmark, so these results cannot be directly compared. We mark on the signs which version of the benchmark a particular model was tested in. However, top smartphones based on the Snapdragon 801 are, in any case, the most productive mobile devices on the market today, the power of which will be sufficient for a long time to complete any assigned tasks.

Testing in the latest versions of comprehensive tests AnTuTu and GeekBench 3:

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 of 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 of 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 the graphics subsystem in 3DMark game tests,GFXBenchmark, and Bonsai Benchmark:

When testing in 3DMark, the most powerful smartphones now have the ability to run the application 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).

	Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro (Snapdragon 801/Adreno 330)	Alcatel Hero 2 (Mediatek MT6592 Octa-core/Mali-450MP4)	Huawei Ascend Mate 7 (HiSilicon Kirin 925/Mali-T628 MP4)	Vivo Xplay 3S (Snapdragon 801/Adreno 330)	Samsung Galaxy Note 4 (Exynos 5 Octa 5433/Mali-T760)
3DMark Ice Storm Extreme (more is better)	Maxed out!	5111	9088	Maxed out!	Maxed out!
3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited (more is better)	16609	7474	13749	16847	15241
GFXBenchmark T-Rex HD (C24Z16 Onscreen)	19.5 fps	12.3 fps
GFXBenchmark T-Rex HD (C24Z16 Offscreen)	27.2 fps	12.8 fps
Bonsai Benchmark	3023 (43 fps)	1711 (24 fps)	3737 (53 fps)	3028 (43 fps)	3292 (47 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 it is most often impossible to process modern options using processor cores alone. 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.

According to the testing results, the subject was not provided with full support for all the necessary decoders, in this case, audio ones. To fully play most of the most common files on the network, you will have to resort to the help of a third-party player - for example, MX Player. True, even in it you will first have to change the settings, switching from hardware decoding to software or to a new mode called Hardware+(not supported by all smartphones).

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 a new mode 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 “Methodology for testing video playback and display devices. Version 1 (for mobile devices) 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 with playback of the corresponding files.

According to the frame output criterion, the quality of playback of video files on the screen of the smartphone itself is very good, since frames (or groups of frames) can (but are not required) be output with uniform alternation of intervals and without skipping frames. The smartphone can even display files with a resolution of 4K up to 30 fps inclusive. When playing video files with a resolution of 1920 by 1080 (1080p) on a smartphone screen, the image of the video file itself is displayed exactly along the border of the screen, but on test worlds it can be seen that the clarity is slightly reduced due to interpolation to the screen resolution. The brightness range displayed on the screen corresponds to the standard range of 16-235 - all gradations of shades are displayed in shadows and highlights, which is required for correct playback of typical video files.

Battery life

Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro has a powerful battery with a capacity of 4000 mAh. However, even with such a large battery, the device did not set any records, showing decent results, but nothing more.

	Battery capacity	Reading mode	Video mode	3D Game Mode
Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro	4000 mAh	13:20	8 hours 40 minutes	4 hours 30 minutes
Samsung Galaxy Note 4	3220 mAh	10:30 a.m.	8:30 a.m.	3 hours 50 minutes
Huawei Mate 7	4100 mAh	20:00	12:30 pm	4 hours 25 minutes
Vivo Xplay 3S	3200 mAh	12:30 pm	8:00 am	3 hours 30 minutes
Oppo Find 7	3000 mAh	9:00 a.m.	6 hours 40 minutes	3 hours 20 minutes
Oppo Find 7a	2800 mAh	16:40	8 a.m. 20 p.m.	3:00 am
HTC One M8	2600 mAh	22:10	13:20	3 hours 20 minutes
Samsung Galaxy S5	2800 mAh	17:20	12:30 pm	4 hours 30 minutes
Lenovo Vibe Z	3050 mAh	11:45 am	8:00 am	3 hours 30 minutes
Acer Liquid S2	3300 mAh	16:40	7:40 a.m.	6:00 am

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 almost 13.5 hours until the battery was completely discharged, and when continuously watching videos in high quality (720p) with The device lasted less than 9 hours at the same brightness level via a home Wi-Fi network. In 3D gaming mode, the smartphone worked for about 4.5 hours, which is quite good.

The smartphone takes a long time to charge - fully charging the battery lasts more than three hours.

Bottom line

Currently, the cost of Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro for the Russian market is set at almost 23 thousand rubles, which does not quite fit with the traditional image of high-quality but inexpensive smartphones from this Chinese company. Of course, Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Apple iPhone 6 are even more expensive, but Lenovo smartphones still need to grow to the popularity of Samsung and Apple solutions. But competitors that are closer in level, such as the new Alcatel Hero 2, for example, are able to offer almost the same thing for a lower price. However, the Chinese also sell the Huawei Ascend Mate 7, which is very similar in characteristics and also completely metal, for quite a lot of money: its price is set at 500 euros, which is now approximately 27 thousand rubles. So all manufacturers are gradually but persistently accustoming us to the idea that a flagship smartphone cannot be cheap.

If we ignore the sad price figures, we can say that Lenovo’s tablet phone turned out to be excellent, and even in comparison with the Huawei Ascend Mate 7, which is so popular with the general public, the Lenovo device has nothing to be ashamed of. Yes, it does not have the most convenient fingerprint scanner on the back, but it can boast of a larger amount of RAM. The hero of the review has the same all-metal body, maximum performance to date and a built-in huge battery. However, the entire increase in battery capacity is offset by the overly large and, as a result, very energy-intensive display. The screen resolution, which has so rapidly increased to please marketers, relative to the established Full HD, is only saddening. For the human eye to perceive such a number of dots, such a number of points is already more than redundant, and such a screen consumes much more resources during operation. We hope that manufacturers, having played enough, will return to the usual and more economical Full HD resolution and will stop there until new energy-saving technologies appear. In the meantime, the presence of a screen with such a high resolution looks more like a minus of a smartphone than a plus.

Lenovo has a wide selection of devices in different price categories, ranging from acceptable budget models to top-end flagships. This time the company presented the Lenovo Vibe Z2 smartphone market - a worthy option “up to 20 thousand”.

Characteristics

• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 (MSM8916), 4 cores ARM Cortex-A53, 1.2 GHz
• GPU: Adreno 306
• Operating system: Android 4.4.4 (updated to 5.0.2)
• Display: IPS, 5.5″, 1280×720, 267 ppi
• RAM: 2 GB
• Internal memory: 32 GB
• Communication: 2 Micro-SIM, GSM bands 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, WCDMA 900/2100 MHz, FDD LTE (Cat4, up to 150 Mbit/s), Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n/ac (1 band ), Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Display, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, GPS (A-GPS), Glonass
• Sensors: position, proximity, lighting, electronic compass
• Camera: Main 13 MP, f/2.1, optical stabilization, autofocus, LED flash, front 8 MP, fixed. focus, front
• Battery: 3000 mAh
• Dimensions: 148×76×7.8 mm
• Weight: 158 g

Equipment

The smartphone arrived at the editorial office in a small stylish box made of thick matte black cardboard. The name of the series is written in glossy letters on the lid of the box.
The delivery set, in addition to the smartphone itself, includes a power supply, headphones, a microUSB-USB cable (all of them are located in special cells), a special pin for opening the slot with microSIM cards, a film for the screen and accompanying documentation. Nice set.

Appearance

So, as for the appearance. Lenovo did not come up with something original; they chose a classic option with features that fit seamlessly: a thin body with a minimal design.

The front side is almost completely occupied by the display, edged with a small frame. Above the screen there is a 5 MP front camera lens, a speaker covered with a decorative grille and LED indicators.

Below the display there are touch control keys.
The arrangement of connectors and keys is standard: at the top at the end there is a 3.5 mm audio output for a headset, at the bottom - microUSB; On the left side there is a volume key, and on the right there is a small power on/off key and slots for mictoSIM, which protrude significantly without cards in them.

The back of the smartphone is made of textured aluminum and looks impressive and interesting: on top of a glossy plastic insert is the main camera lens, framed by a red metal rim, an LED flash and a microphone. The insert itself is screwed to the body with small screws, which looks quite specific.

Even the flash looks like several small ones, separated by a purple RGB light sensor.
Just below is the Lenovo inscription engraved on the aluminum cover.

Screen

The smartphone has a 5.5-inch IPS screen with a resolution of 1280×720 pixels and a pixel density of 267 ppi, completely covered with Gorilla Glass 3 protective glass.

Using a smartphone with a screen with the above characteristics is a pleasure. Wide viewing angles, very clear images, rich colors, high contrast and a wide range of brightness levels - what else is needed for comfortable work with a smartphone?

Lenovo has provided the ability to change the color balance in the settings. The user can activate the high-brightness mode and the outdoor mode, which determine the lighting. I was pleased with the eye protection technology, which changes the white balance for comfortable reading from the screen.
Here you can adjust color saturation, contrast and even tones.

Software

The smartphone runs Android 5.0.2 with the proprietary Vibe UI launcher.
What is the difference in working with the Lenovo branded launcher:

• When locked, you can change the position of the clock
• Swipe sideways to change wallpaper, go to calls/messages and camera
• When the screen is unlocked, you can turn on the flashlight by holding down the on/off key
• The “curtain” is called by swiping from bottom to top
• The second swipe brings up the shortcut keys
• Long tap on the menu key brings up recently opened applications

And many other little things that will be interesting to figure out on your own. In principle, working with the system is intuitive. And if questions still arise, then you need to spend very little time to understand how something works or is called.

The default settings are divided into “system” and “special”. The first includes Wi-Fi location binding, automatic call recording, automatic response when you bring the smartphone to your face, color balance adjustment, event indicator and SIM parameters.
In the “special” settings, you can play around with things like 3D gestures, for example - answering a call and controlling the player with swipes, scrolling with swipes above the screen, a mini-screen for one hand called up by drawing an arc on the side, shake-lock, “live” dialer and so on.
As for pre-installed programs, there are many of them, many can be safely removed, but I will draw your attention to a few.

So, for example, Security can be very useful, since it turns on an antivirus, blocks spam, activates data protection, anti-theft and parental controls, and limits the mobile Internet. Minus - you will need to pay for the antivirus, but for that. To remove the application you need root rights.

Using the SYNCit program, you can archive contacts, messages, call history and the cloud, and using SHAREit you can easily transfer data to any gadget and PC.
Power Manager allows you to select a power saving mode. Guvera is an online radio service with a wide variety of playlists. Etc.

Connection

Lenovo Vibe Z2 operates in GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850/900/1800/1900 MHz), WCDMA/HSPA (850/900/1700/1800/1900 MHz), LTE (1, 3, 7, 20) networks. Supports Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n/ac), Bluetooth 4.0 HS and GPS, GLONASS.
Working with two SIM cards is standard: in standby mode they are both active. If one is busy, the second automatically goes into “waiting” mode.
One of the cards supports communication with 2G, 3G and 4G networks, the second only with 2G. In the settings, the user independently selects which card will receive calls and which only messages. You can also choose whether to leave the settings selected by default or always ask before working. Moreover, when you select the second one, every time you make a call, a dialog box will pop up on the screen asking you to select one of the cards for further work.

Camera

The smartphone received a main camera with a resolution of 13 megapixels.
I think just listing all these parameters shows that the pictures taken with the camera are incredibly successful. The image quality is high, photographs are obtained with a clear image even when shooting in the dark. The colors are saturated, color reproduction is natural, no distortion or noise.

The Camera app has two modes: smart and pro. The second opens up to the user a wide range of settings and modes to choose from, so you can spend a lot of time playing around with setting different values ​​and parameters. The pictures are of high quality, the camera is perfect for video communication.
Video is recorded in HD and FullHD resolution.

Iron

Lenovo Vibe Z2 uses a 4-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 (MSM8916) chipset with a clock frequency of 1.2 GHz as a processor, Adreno 306 is responsible for graphics, RAM - 2 GB, internal memory - 32 GB, of which 26 GB is available to the user.

These indicators provide the smartphone with a fast and easy interface. No freezes, heating of the rear panel, or the like were noticed.
But for those who like to play heavy games, you should think about buying the Pro version of the smartphone.

Battery

The smartphone is equipped with a 3000 mAh capacitive battery. This volume is enough for moderate use of the gadget throughout the day without recharging. And this is without using energy saving mode.

In our test, the smartphone showed a pretty good result - 11 hours 7 minutes with the display turned on at 50% brightness and Wi-Fi.

Let's sum it up

Lenovo Vibe Z2 is a truly worthy smartphone that impresses with its set of characteristics: durable aluminum body, stylish appearance, good camera and performance indicators. For such advantages it is not a pity to pay moderate money.

The Lenovo company, despite its rather small age in the field of smartphone manufacturing, does not miss the chance to become one of the best in this segment and now, based on the results of the second quarter of 2014, it ranks 4th among the main players in the mobile technology market, behind only three powerful players: Samsung, Apple and Huawei. However, everything can change thanks to a powerful new product that can compete with famous brands - the Lenovo Vibe Z2 K920 smartphone.

Characteristics

The main driving force of the Lenovo K920 smartphone is the 4-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 MSM8974-AC processor with a clock frequency of 2.5 GHz, and the Adreno 330 graphics processor is responsible for graphics processing. The device has 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal memory for installation applications and storage of personal data.

The smartphone operates in GSM (850/900/1800/1900), WCDMA (850/900/1700/1900/2100) and LTE (800/850/900/1800/2100/2600) networks and supports simultaneous operation of 2 SIM cards -kart.

Wireless communications include GPS and GLONASS positioning systems, as well as Bluetooth 4.0, NFC and of course Wi-Fi. The overall dimensions of the Lenovo K920 are: 156 x 81.3 x 7.7 mm, and the weight is 179 g. The battery in the device has a capacity of 4000 mAh.

The device runs on the modern operating system Android 4.4.2, but there is a possibility that such a device will be updated in the future with more modern software that keeps up with the times. Interestingly, unlike its predecessors, the Lenovo K920 can switch from the built-in launcher to “pure” Android.

Video

Display

The display of the Vibe Z2 is one of the key features that not all leaders in the smartphone industry can boast of at the moment. Having a diagonal of 6 inches, the Lenovo K920 smartphone has a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels, which is currently quite rare. The screen occupies almost the entire front panel of the device on the sides, leaving only thin frames for a comfortable hand grip.

Sound

Despite the lack of Doulby systems, the sound in the phone is quite loud and of high quality, and the built-in music player has ample capabilities. In addition to the usual player, the device also has an FM receiver.

On the front side of the smartphone there is a 5 MP camera, and on the back there is a 16 MP camera with flash and optical stabilization (Optical Anti-Shake). As a video camera, the device allows you to record video in resolution up to 4K.

Appearance

Lenovo K920, with its metal body and strict forms, resembles its predecessor, .

On the front side of the device there is a 6-inch diagonal screen, sensors, a 5 MP camera and touch control buttons, and on the back there is a 16 MP camera with flash, as well as Lenovo and VIBE logos.

The volume rocker is located on the right side, and on the left there is a SIM card slot and a power button for the device.

Video: unpacking a smartphone

Results

pros

• high quality screen
• metal case
• good camera

minuses

• lack of memory expansion slot

Video: games and benchmarks

The Lenovo K920 Vibe Z2 pro smartphone turned out to be a powerful and interesting device that can win the hearts of many fans of large phones, however, for fans of smaller diagonal devices it may not be so comfortable, although there is a possibility that Lenovo will have this device in the near future.

Vibe Z2. This creation of the Chinese manufacturer appeared on the mobile device market not so long ago. We’ll actually talk about the device itself in more detail a little later, and we’ll start the article with a short introduction to the history of the creation of the flagship.

About Lenovo

We all remember very well that the manufacturer Lenovo bought out the Motorola Mobility company, after which it solemnly made a promise in which it mentioned its plans to divide the smartphone market. More specifically, the Chinese company decided, if you can call it that, to crush several segments under itself in order to ensure sustainable dominance over other companies. At the same time, as expected, Lenovo declared strong ambitions: it wanted to take no less than third place in sales at a minimum. The Chinese company did not even intend to reckon with bronze instead of (minimal!) bronze. This option was not even considered de facto.

Despite such seemingly prohibitively ambitious performances, the company has every chance to make its desire come true. Currently, there are official data that can tell us that Lenovo closes the top five leaders in the smartphone market. Don't you think that this is really a result that is worth our attention? Nevertheless, we will evaluate the manufacturer’s success soberly. Of course, the bulk of the devices sold are sold in China. On the territory of the Russian Federation, devices classified as A-series are more popular. A shift in the situation began when a series of flagships called Vibe appeared on the horizon.

Analysis of models

A stripped-down version of the flagship has already been released. Many people call it Lenovo Vibe Z2 Mini, but it is best to remove the last word from the name, because this is how official sources and representatives of the Chinese company position it. There are probably practical reasons for this. In fact, answer just one question: can a phone equipped with a 5.5-inch screen be called Mini? It will look illogical to say the least. However, this word still appears in the device index. That is, it is called like this: K920 Mini. But it’s much easier to present the device simply under the name Vibe Z2, which is what we see.

The Lenovo Vibe Z2 Titanium smartphone got its name due to the use of exclusively metal materials in its design. Before us is a device that has a thickness of only 7.8 millimeters and is equipped with a fairly powerful and high-quality camera (with built-in optical stabilization function). Otherwise, it is worth noting the support for two SIM cards, the presence and operation of a 64-bit processor from the Qualcomm family, and a powerful battery with a capacity of 3,000 mAh. The cost of the device is 20 thousand rubles. But the price is justified as the prices of all mobile devices are currently increasing. Meanwhile, we move on to a more detailed analysis.

Connection

The subject of our today's review is equipped with a large number of different modules, and now we will talk about them in more detail. So, the phone operates in the GSM, UMTS, and LTE bands. The latter actually means open access to fourth generation cellular networks. Well, in principle, for a device in the corresponding price segment this is rather the rule than the exception. 4G networks will allow the phone owner to exchange data and Internet traffic at increased speed. Now you can download and upload pictures, music, videos and movies faster. Let’s not forget that interaction with the browser and web pages in it will be faster.

International network

By the way, about the Internet. Access to it is provided through 3G and 4G standards. GPRS and EDGE options are available. But, of course, the first two are preferable. There is a built-in modem. If necessary, you can create a Wi-Fi access point. Other users who have wireless communication modules in their devices will be able to connect to it. These can be smartphones on different operating systems, tablet computers and laptops. It will also be possible to connect to the access point from a computer, but only if a network card with a Wi-Fi module is installed there.

Bluetooth technology allows you to exchange files with other devices. Here its module is equipped with version 4.0. Wi-Fi operates in b, g, and n bands. If you actively use e-mail to exchange messages with other users, then you probably use the built-in E-mail client. You can synchronize your smartphone with a computer or laptop using a MicroUSB - USB 2.0 cable.

Display

The screen diagonal in Lenovo Vibe Z2 is 5.5 inches. The display matrix is ​​made using IPS technology. This means that the user will not need to think particularly about whether his vision is deteriorating. IPS technology reduces eye strain, which allows you to read e-books from the device screen for a long time, even in night mode with the backlight minimally activated. Our screen resolution is 1280 by 720 pixels. Thus, the picture is displayed on the display in HD quality. Up to 16 million colors are transmitted. Color rendition is generally good; fonts and images do not fade in the sun. There is a good reserve of brightness. Touch type. There is a multi-touch function. It handles multiple simultaneous touches. To further protect the screen, you can purchase a case for Lenovo Vibe Z2 at a mobile phone store.

Cameras

The resolution of the main camera of the device is 13 megapixels. The device takes very good pictures, and the user has the opportunity to change the settings as he sees fit. Pictures are obtained in a resolution of 4128 by 3096 pixels. As mentioned earlier, the device is equipped with optical image stabilization. The case for Lenovo Vibe Z2 allows you to protect the device from mechanical damage, but does not block the flash located on the side of the main camera lens. LED flash with good power. Video shooting is carried out in a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels. Frame rate - 30 frames per second. The secondary camera is located on the front of the phone and has a resolution of 8 megapixels. Selfie lovers will definitely appreciate it.

Chipset

The hardware is represented by a Qualcomm family processor. This is a model called MSM8916. The chipset contains four cores at once, which ensure smooth operation of the operating system. Their maximum clock speed is about 1.2 gigahertz.

Memory

The amount of RAM is 2 gigabytes. Let’s not forget that part of it is taken by the jealous and extremely greedy operating system of the Android family. 32 gigabytes of non-volatile memory are available for storing user data. In principle, this is not so little. The volume can be filled with any files, be it e-books, games or applications, cache programs, music, videos or movies. It doesn't matter, in general.

Conclusion and reviews

What can the owners of this model tell about its pros and cons? According to reviews from buyers of the device, it has the following advantages:

• good main camera with optical stabilization;
• excellent front camera with a resolution of 8 megapixels;
• exclusively metal thin body;
• work with two SIM cards;
• large amount of long-term memory;
• powerful battery.

At the same time, the owners of the device talk about the presence of some minor and major shortcomings. For example, many users noted that the resolution with such a diagonal could have been higher. Otherwise, phone owners highlight the following disadvantages:

• lack of a slot for an external MicroSD drive;
• protruding lens of the main camera.

• Android 4.4.4
• Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8916 processor, quad-core 1.4 GHz
• Display 5.5 inches, 1280x720 pixels, super bright - 520 nits
• 2 GB RAM, 32 GB ROM, no memory cards
• 4G LTE; FDD Band 1, 3, 7, 20
• Wi-Fi b/g/n/ac;
• BT 4.0;
• Camera 13 megapixels, autofocus, BSI, LED flash;
• Front camera 8 megapixels, fixed focus;
• Battery 3000 mAh, standby time – up to 17 days, talk time – up to 30 hours;
• Weight – 155 grams, dimensions – 148.5x76.4x7.8 mm
• Dual SIM support (varies by country)
• Price – 425 US dollars, from 18,000 rubles in Russia in October (Russian cost is approximate).

Contents of delivery:

• Telephone
• Charger with USB cable
• Wired stereo headset
• Instructions

Positioning

Every company sometimes has unexpected insights and successes that are difficult to refuse. Oddly enough, for Lenovo such a success was the K900 model, built on the Intel Atom platform - it was created in a hurry, without making much effort and without investing large amounts of money in design development. We approached the process like ascetics - an ordinary rectangular body, but made of metal, no flashy design elements. Strictly and tastefully.

Due to many technical shortcomings, this device was not in great demand, and it was produced in small quantities. But the design suddenly came into play, and literally everyone praised it. Simple and tasteful - this is the leitmotif of this device.

Look at Lenovo's 2013 flagship, the Vibe Z. It doesn't have the same charm as the metallic K900. This is a completely different device in terms of the charge of emotions, what can I say, and in terms of the materials of the case.

In 2014, before the New Year's sales, the Vibe Z update was released, model number two - but outwardly it has nothing in common with the previous device, it is the successor to the K900 and the second model in the current line with this design. Now Lenovo has a flagship Z2 Pro, this is a model with maximum characteristics and a price of about 25,000 rubles. Lenovo realizes that there is no chance to compete with HTC, Samsung, LG and other companies yet - there is no big expectation on this model, the main bet is on a simplified device - the Z2.

It can be conditionally classified as a segment of Chinese flagships, that is, devices that have a standard set of functions, usually at a price half that of their famous competitors. Usually, if we talk about small Chinese companies, for this price there are some flaws. Lenovo has noticeably fewer of them, but more unusual solutions. This is a new 64-bit processor from Qualcomm for growth, a good 8-megapixel front camera for taking photos of your loved one, and a 13-megapixel camera that is confident in quality. The company targets the category of people who buy a device for one or two years, who value a good price/quality ratio, and it seems that with the Z2 they definitely hit this audience. Because this model has very good characteristics for its price, however, let's look at it carefully.

Design, dimensions, control elements

The rectangular case is made of polished aluminum, three colors are expected - white, titanium and gold. I have a gray device, it’s titanium (color, not material).

Compared to Lenovo Vibe X2

Compared to Oppo Find 7

On the back surface you can see an insert around the camera, it is made of plastic, and there are antennas under it. The camera itself is 13 megapixel, typical for the company and the current generation of Chinese flagships. The LED flash is right there.

On the left side there is a slot for SIM cards, it is paired - you can install two microSIM cards (in Europe the device will have one SIM card).

On the right side there is a paired volume key, below is the on/off button. The 3.5 mm connector is on the top end, but the microUSB connector is placed on the bottom. To the right of the front camera there is a light indicator (blue), it winks at you about missed events.

The screen is covered with glass, it does not scratch, hand marks are practically invisible, the oleophobic coating is excellent. From an assembly point of view, this device is almost perfect - everything is fitted very precisely, and metal remains metal. The weight of the device is not that great - 155 grams, size - 148.5x76.4x7.8 mm.

Below the screen there are three backlit touch keys, everything is quite simple and ascetic.

Display

Screen diagonal – 5.5 inches, resolution – 1280x720 pixels. The first thought is that these are clearly not the specifications of the 2014-2015 flagship; such models already have FullHD screens and on paper this display is inferior to its competitors. But he has a trump card in reserve - this is increased brightness of 520 nits (IPS matrix). A good reserve of brightness, as well as excellent contrast, make the picture very vibrant and bright. You no longer pay such close attention to the resolution. After the Galaxy Note 3, I didn’t have the feeling that the screen was worse - the picture is smooth, the design is nice, and you hardly notice the difference. This screen example shows well that by playing with different parameters, you can achieve visual effects that make the display more vibrant.

Good viewing angles, the screen remains readable in the sun. In a word, this model is not at all inferior to its competitors just because it is not FullHD. Some might write this down as a serious disadvantage, but I wouldn’t do that.

Battery

The phone has a 3000 mAh battery (Li-Ion), it can provide up to 17 days of standby time and up to 30 hours of talk time. I was interested in how this model would perform, especially compared to the Lenovo X2, where the MediaTek chipset eats up the battery before our eyes. To my satisfaction, this model is a completely different matter. Video playback at maximum brightness is almost 8 hours, which can be considered a good result. On average, the device can easily survive until the evening with an hour of talk time, up to 2 hours of screen operation, and up to an hour of listening to music via Bluetooth headphones. This operating time is quite comparable to similar phablets, and is slightly inferior to Note 3. The battery full charging time is about 2.5 hours.

Memory, hardware platform, performance

This is one of the first models on the market built on a 64-bit processor from Qualcomm – MSM8916. Four cores, maximum frequency – 1.4 GHz. In reality, you will not be able to benefit from the fact that the processor is 64-bit. On our sample, the maximum frequency was limited to 1.2 GHz, but do not forget that this is a prototype.

The amount of RAM is 2 GB, internal memory is 32 GB, of which approximately 25 GB is available to you. Unfortunately, memory cards are simply not provided.

In synthetic tests, this chipset performed strangely, however, look at the results for yourself. I attribute this to the fact that I have a prototype in my hands. Actual performance in menus and applications is very good, there are no complaints.

Camera

The main camera in Lenovo Vibe Z2 is 13-megapixel and uses a BSI sensor. Near the camera there is a dual LED flash that can be used as a flashlight.

There are two camera modes: smart mode and pro. In the first, the system itself selects the optimal settings for shooting and sets a certain scene; in the second, you do everything yourself.

The camera interface in smart mode is as simple as possible - a shooting button, a button for switching between the main and front cameras, as well as keys for selecting a mode or video recording.

In pro mode everything is more interesting. Here you can not only set the exposure level and ISO value, but also select the shutter speed and manually focus at a certain distance. You can also enable level display in this mode in the settings so that the horizon is not “overwhelmed.”

The pictures are of average quality, however, judge them for yourself.

Interfaces

The smartphone operates in GSM, HSDPA and LTE (4G) networks and is equipped with two slots for microSIM cards. The first slot supports LTE FDD (bands 1, 3, 7, 20), so in Russia the device works without problems with 4G networks.

The second slot is primarily for the SIM card you plan to use to make calls, but it can also be used for data transfers. True, only using 2G (Edge).

USB. To synchronize with a PC and transfer data, the included microUSB cable is used. USB 2.0 interface. USB-OTG is supported - you can connect flash drives and other drives with FAT/FAT32 file systems to the smartphone via an adapter.

Bluetooth. Built-in Bluetooth 4.0 module with support for A2DP profile.

Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n). The smartphone has a dual-band Wi-Fi module, it works flawlessly. Like any other modern Android device, Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro supports the function of “sharing” the mobile Internet via Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi router).

NFC. The standard interface for any Android-based flagship, starting from 2013, is also available in Lenovo Vibe Z2. Everyone can figure out how to use it themselves, you can come up with scenarios with special NFC tags, you can check the number of trips on a metro card.

Navigation, car mode

The smartphone has support for GPS/A-GPS and Glonass; searching for satellites takes a minimum amount of time. The device comes pre-installed with Google Maps and Google Navigation.

The Lenovo Vibe Z2 has a special “car mode” for working with a smartphone when you are moving or simply installed the device in a holder on the windshield and use it as a navigator or video recorder.

In this mode, only the most necessary applications are available, and the interface is optimized for easy finger control without “aiming” at icons.

In this mode, you can use your smartphone as a DVR; for this, there is a built-in utility that records video on the main camera in moderate quality.