Lenovo zuk edge specifications. Review of the ZUK Edge smartphone with narrow bezels and a powerful processor. The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers

The start of sales of ZUK Edge took place at the end of 2016. ZUK is a subsidiary brand of Lenovo, and their products are exclusively focused on the PRC market. Despite this, there are still people outside of China who want to purchase this device. First of all, thanks to the narrow bezels, design, top-end processor and attractive price. At least the official one.

Translated into US dollars, the cost indicated in yuan on the manufacturer's website will be $ 334 for the younger version, and $ 363 for the older version. At the time of writing this review, prices are in Chinese stores on this device are inadequate, and can exceed 500 USD. Considering the situation with the previous ZUK models, it can be assumed that in a few months after the start of sales, the price will noticeably decrease. Then there will be a chance that the device will appear in local online stores.

The stuffing is solid: a lot of RAM, one of the most powerful processors in 2016, the freshest Android, etc.

Design, body materials, dimensions and weight

The first thing that catches your eye is the narrow frame. They make the ZUK Edge one of the smallest 5.5-inch smartphones. The display of the device occupies 86.4% of the front panel, and the width of the side frames is 1.63 mm. The dimensions of the case are 142.9 x 74.5 x 7.68 mm. For comparison, the dimensions of the iPhone 7 Plus with a similar display diagonal are given: 158.2 x 77.9 x 7.3 mm. ZUK Edge weight: 160g.

The frame of the device is metal, and the front and back panels are covered with slightly curved 2.5D glass. There are two colors available: Titanium Black with a high-gloss back panel and Ceramic White. V last option there are golden inserts on the case. As a result, the device looks attractive, but the glass makes it slippery. And glass and asphalt are incompatible things.

For the sake of aesthetics' sake, the light and proximity sensors are hidden next to the speaker grille. The main camera module protrudes slightly on the back.

The U-Touch button is located at the bottom of the screen. The volume and power buttons are located on the right side.
The SIM tray is on the left.
On the bottom you can find a connector USB Type-C 3.1, 3.5 mm audio jack, microphone and main speaker holes.

CPU

ZUK Edge is equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 MSM8996 chip. Computing power is represented by four 64-bit Kryo cores with a frequency of 2.35 GHz. Adreno 530 (653 MHz) is used as a graphics chip. The processor provides very good performance in all smartphone use scenarios. Synthetics will not let you lie: in AnTuTu, the device with 6 GB of RAM is gaining 162 thousand points.

Memory

The buyer is free to choose between the Standard and Premium versions. Their difference lies in the volumes random access memory: 4 or 6 GB (LPDDR 4 1866 MHz). The only advantage of the "premium" version is that you can keep even more applications running in the background. Simultaneously and without departures. Both versions are equipped with UFS 2.0 storage, with high read / write speed and 64GB capacity.

The built-in memory is enough to install the most resource-intensive games, record 4K video, etc. But, if the manufacturer added the ability to install microSD cards, it would not make anyone worse.

Autonomy

The ZUK Edge comes with a 3100mAh non-removable battery. To check how long the device will last on a single charge, synthetic battery tests were performed. During testing, the application automatically simulates the user's actions: "spins" videos, the Internet, games, etc. In AnTuTu, with continuous loads of varying degrees of intensity, the smartphone can withstand more than 8 hours. PCMark ran out of charge in 9 hours and 17 minutes.

Antutu rated the battery potential at 9873 points. Translated into human language, this is equal to about one day of operation in moderate operation mode.

The device supports Quick Charge 3.0. However, the bundled power adapter (5.3V / 2.5A) is most likely not compatible with fast charging technology.

In half an hour, the battery is charged up to 35%. It will take 120 minutes to fully replenish the charge from 0 to 100%.

Camera

A 13MP Samsung ISOCELL is used as a sensor for the main camera. It has a relatively low aperture value (F / 2.2), but the pixels are enlarged (1.34 microns). The dual focusing system PDAF + CAF is applied. Fast focusing (in 0.1 s) paired with electronic EIS stabilization avoids shake when shooting handheld. The interface of the camera application is very simple, but unlike the ZUK Z2, it is equipped with a Pro mode with manual settings.

Daytime shots will delight you with good color reproduction, correct white balance, and sufficient detail. HDR mode smoothly and at the same time perfectly flattens dynamic range... Photos taken in low light conditions are inferior in quality to the OnePlus 3T and Xiaomi Mi 5s. Nevertheless, the detail is maintained at an acceptable level, noise reduction works effectively. In other words, the camera is acceptable during the day, but not bad at night. In terms of still images, the camera is inferior to the flagships from the A-brands.

The maximum video resolution is 4K, with a frequency of 30 frames / sec. If the device is stationary while recording, then, in general, you can get a good result. In motion, the lack of optical stabilization is strongly felt. Slow Motion clips can be recorded at 960 frames / sec. The front camera received an 8 megapixel sensor with an aperture of F / 2.2 and a pixel size of 1.12 microns. With proper lighting, you can get quite good pictures. The video is recorded in 1080p.

Display

The smartphone has a 5.5 "display with a FullHD (1920 x 1080) resolution and a pixel density of 403 PPI. It uses a Sharp TDDI matrix (the Meizu MX6 has the same). It is thinner than solutions from other manufacturers, has a high margin of brightness , and the best contrast ratio for IPS panels (1500: 1) .Good color reproduction and high viewing angles are included.

To protect the display, Gorilla Glass is used, the generation of which the manufacturer chose to keep silent about. The glass surface has good oleophobic properties.

Connection

The smartphone has a tray that can hold 2 nano-SIM. It is possible to connect to operators of 2G, 3G and 4G LTE networks. 4G users can breathe a sigh of relief: the device works in wide range fourth generation networks (B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B7, B8, B20). 4G VoLTE voice technology is supported.

WiFi a / b / g / n / ac can operate in dual bands (2.4 + 5 GHz), and Bluetooth 4.1 BLE will provide wireless connection with low power consumption.

Navigation systems work flawlessly, which is the norm for many smartphones with a Qualcomm processor. In addition to GPS, A-GPS and GLONASS, the smartphone can work with the Chinese Beidou and the European Galileo.

Sound

The sound of the main speaker is clear and moderately loud. An additional noise canceling microphone will come in handy during a telephone conversation or sound recording. And the Dirac HD Sound function, according to the manufacturer, is capable of providing HiFi sound. Basically, Dirac HD is a “smart” equalizer that optimizes the sound depending on the headphone model. That is, it reveals their potential, making the sound clearer and more saturated.

OS

The smartphone runs on Android 7. The ZUI 2.5 shell is installed on top of the system: pretty, it works smartly and without problems. It's unusual that the notification curtain opens from the bottom. Otherwise, the interface is a lot like MIUI.

The main disadvantage of the software is the lack of global firmware, with Russian language and services from Google. There is reason to believe that it will not be. It remains to wait until enthusiasts release custom firmware for this device. Or learn English and manually install Google Play.

Individual characteristics

At the bottom of the screen is the U-Touch multifunctional touch button. Visually and tactilely, it forms a single whole with the glass of the front panel. Combined with a 0.9 s fingerprint scanner. Also, the button is intended for navigation in the system using taps and gestures. The U-Touch does not wear out like a mechanical button and has no gaps. This prevents debris from entering the inside of the case. However, the lack of contours can be a small but problem: in the dark, the button cannot be found with a finger. However, everyone who does not like U-Touch can activate the navigation bar at the bottom of the screen from the settings menu.

Not far from the earpiece and front-end there is a light indicator of events. And under the flash of the main camera are sensors for measuring heart rate, ultraviolet radiation and blood oxygen levels. An altimeter is also provided to determine the altitude. To feel practical benefits a solid set of sensors will help preinstalled proprietary applications.

Pros and cons of ZUK Edge

Advantages:

• neat, stylish body design;
• narrow frames;
• full-fledged high-speed USB Type-C 3.1;
• many sensors;
• powerful iron.

disadvantages:

• no memory card slot;
• no global firmware (official);
• the case, although beautiful, is slippery and easily soiled because of the glass;
• there is no optical stabilization.

Alternatives

Xiaomi Mi5s comes in metal case with 3 GB of RAM, but there is also a version with 4 GB of RAM, with a 3D Touch display and double the amount of internal memory. OnePlus 3T is distinguished by a high-quality assembly of an all-metal body, a matrix (AMOLED), a battery with a larger capacity, a slightly better camera with optical stabilization. But it will also cost more. Both models received official international firmware.

Our review of the smartphone ZUK Edge

Reducing the bezels is a good move that has a positive effect on the look and feel of your smartphone. big screen... A good impression of the design is complemented by high performance, a good camera, chips like the multifunctional U-Touch and a wide range of sensors. However, the ZUK Edge is not a model smartphone.

Glass rear panel- a controversial decision that repels some potential buyers. In other cases, all this beauty is sure to hide in a cover. Relatively weak side this device can be considered autonomy. In addition, the battery is non-removable and the memory is not expandable. Even the fresh Android 7 OS is not an argument for those who do not know English and do not know how to install firmware on their own. However, if you find ZUK Edge in our stores, then most likely it will already be flashed.

Information about the brand, model and alternative names of a specific device, if any.

Design

Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Used materials, offered colors, certificates.

SIM card

The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.

Mobile networks

A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.

Mobile technology and data rates

Communication between devices in mobile networks is carried out using technologies that provide different data rates.

Operating system

An operating system is the system software that controls and coordinates the operation of hardware components on a device.

SoC (System on a Chip)

A system on a chip (SoC) integrates all the major hardware components of a mobile device into a single chip.

Built-in memory

Each mobile device has built-in (non-removable) fixed memory.

Screen

The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.

Sensors

Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical metrics into signals that can be recognized by the mobile device.

Main camera

The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on the back of the body and is used for photo and video shooting.

Additional camera

Additional cameras are usually mounted above the screen of the device and are used mainly for video calls, gesture recognition, etc.

Audio

Information about the type of speakers and audio technology supported by the device.

Radio

The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.

Locating

Information about the navigation and positioning technologies supported by the device.

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is a technology that enables wireless communication for transferring data over short distances between various devices.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless transfer of data between different types of devices over short distances.

USB

USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to exchange data.

Headphone jack

This is an audio connector, which is also called an audio connector. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.

Connecting devices

Information about other important connection technologies supported by the device.

Browser

A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.

Audio file formats / codecs

Mobile devices support different audio file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode / decode digital audio data.

Video file formats / codecs

Mobile devices support different video file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode / decode digital video data.

Battery

Mobile device batteries differ in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge required for their function.

Zuk is a sub-brand of the well-known company Lenovo, which has introduced several smartphones to the market to date: Zuk Z1, Z2, Z2 Pro, Edge. How do they deserve your attention? Flagship performance at a low price. How do you feel about the Snapdragon 820 smartphone, which scores more than 130,000 points in AnTuTu and is able to compete with the top representatives of the mobile device market? And if we say that this smartphone costs 12,000 rubles. Not bad, right? Each of the Zuk models is capable of boasting a reasonable price tag, really worthy characteristics, a very solid one. appearance and already quite high popularity among users who do not hesitate to walk with a "bug". Is everything so smooth? We decided to make a voluminous review of all Lenovo Zuk smartphones.

Please note that sometimes you can find references to the Zuk Z2 Plus, Rio and some others. These are, in fact, the same models that we will consider today, simply released for other countries or timed to coincide with some events (the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro).

Technical specifications Lenovo Zuk

Design

Everything Lenovo smartphones In terms of design, Zuk is trying to match the trends that were at the time of the official release. The Zuk Z1 borrows from the iPhone 6 / 6S and a huge variety of Chinese solutions. On the front is a classic Android smartphone that set it apart from other 2015 models because of the mechanical button on the front. The ends are the iPhone 6, which was then quoted by many manufacturers from the Middle Kingdom. Zuk Z1 received sloping edges, rounded corners, looks nice and stylish even today. The frame of the smartphone is made of metal, the most common, without any attachments. The back side is matte plastic, which looks nice and feels nice in the hands. Front side covered protective glass.

The Lenovo Zuk Z2 is radically different in terms of design. If it were not for the inscriptions on the back, you would not guess that we have two smartphones from the same line in front of us. From the sloping edges in the Zuk Z1, the manufacturer has jumped to rough corners, square shapes that now resemble not the streamlined iPhone 6, but the brick-like iPhone 5S. Someone did not go with the design, someone was just crazy - this kind of performance is less and less common today. The company refused from plastic and metal in favor of glass and fiberglass, which look more premium, more pleasant to the touch, but at the same time not so reliable - the very first fall will lead to cracks. However, you can buy glass for Lenovo Zuk Z2 on the same Aliexpress for several hundred.

In the Lenovo Zuk Z2 and Zuk Edge, the manufacturer continues to use slightly rounded glass covering the front and back sides, but the frame is now metal, which will give additional reliability. By increasing the diagonals of the screens, Lenovo Zuk Z2 and Zuk Edge have become slightly larger than the Z2, but at the same time thinner (apparently due to a decrease in battery capacity). The position of the main camera has changed (we moved from the left corner to the center, as it was in the Zuk Z1, having received a slightly different shape). The Zuk Edge also features narrow bezels around the screen, making it one of the smallest 5.5-inch smartphones around.

Arrangement of elements

In terms of the arrangement of the elements, everything is identical (the speaker grilles and the shape of the buttons are slightly different, but is that serious). The front panel of Lenovo Zuk is distinguished by a single button, which is both mechanical and touch, this is the same fingerprint scanner. Outwardly, the button refers us to Meizu and some other manufacturers, but in terms of functionality it looks much more interesting. The Lenovo Zuk button is responsive to taps, taps and swipes. All this can be combined (two touches, long press), independently configured (for example, long press - the list latest applications, swipe - switch between applications). At first it may seem uncomfortable, your fingers are looking for familiar touch buttons, but once you get used to it, you will feel real comfort. The Lenovo Zuk button is one of the advantages of the line, which will be to the taste of very many, believe me.

Above - the earpiece, which is surrounded by a classic set of sensors, an event indicator (it is invisible, but it is, in white soft color) and front-camera(all models have it on the right, except for Lenovo Zuk Z2, which has shifted to the left). The power key and the undivided volume control rocker are in any case on the right side - the standard location. Only the Zuk Z2 has a tray (not a hybrid, only for two SIM-cards) on the right side, just below the buttons. For the rest of the smartphones of the line, the tray is placed by the individual farmer on the left side.

The top of the Lenovo Zuk Z1 has a 3.5 mm jack. Other smartphones also have it, but moved to the bottom end. Below it also took its place external speaker, microphone and USB port Type-S (for all Zuk models). The backs are also roughly identical. The exception is Zuk Z2, which, unlike the others, has the main camera lens and LED flash moved from the central zone to the left corner.

Smartphones of the Lenovo Zuk line cannot be called freaks. Each of them looks good in its own way.

Display

So, we continue our review of Lenovo Zuk smartphones. Let's start, naturally, with the first solution in lineup... Lenovo Zuk Z1 is equipped with a relatively large screen even by today's standards - five and a half inches, whatever one may say, look impressive. The screen is surrounded by rather thick frames (between the “Home” button and the matrix there is a “finger” distance at all), so you cannot call a compact smartphone. The most optimal resolution for such a diagonal is FullHD. In general, the display of the Lenovo Zuk Z1 looks quite juicy today, giving out a pleasant 401 dpi. The sensor is moderately sensitive, supports up to 10 simultaneous touches. The screen is covered with a protective glass of good quality, which complements the "oleophobic". What can be noted as the disadvantages of the Lenovo Zuk Z1 screen is a noticeable slight yellowness, as well as an automatic brightness level adjustment that does not quite work correctly.

In the Zuk Z2, the manufacturer reduces the diagonal to a more compact five inches, and also trims the bezels around the perimeter. However, the resolution does not touch, leaving all the same 1920 × 1080 pixels, which already provide 441 dots per inch. It is clear that with such characteristics we get an even clearer and more saturated picture. In terms of image quality, the Zuk Z2 is not inferior to more expensive models with the same parameters. I especially want to praise the oleophobic coating of the glass, which does not collect fingerprints too quickly, and even allows them to be removed with a slight movement of the hand. But the number of simultaneous touches has decreased to five, although the disadvantage of Zuk Z2 can only be considered "on paper". Overall, the quality is also very decent.

In Lenovo Zuk Z2 Pro, the diagonal has grown slightly - by 0.2 inches. This size is ideal considering the size of the frames. On the one hand, the diagonal is comfortable to operate with one hand. On the other hand, 5.2 inches is enough to hold large amounts of information. The resolution in the Lenovo Zuk Z2 Pro remains the same, but a different matrix is ​​used - Super AMOLED instead of IPS. The innovation was only beneficial. AMOLED consumes less power, moreover, it is noticeable that the manufacturer has worked on calibrating the display, which in the end ensured the correct bright colors. Curved Gorilla glass with a good oleophobic layer is used as protection.

The Lenovo Zuk Edge also uses a Super AMOLED matrix, but the diagonal has increased by another 0.3 inches. According to information from the manufacturer, the panel is made by Sharp, a company that is quite well known in the market as a supplier of good displays. What distinguishes the Zuk Edge from its counterparts is its narrower frames, which looks more stylish and modern, and adds comfort when using - with Edge is nicer work with one hand, rather than with similar smartphones, which have more pronounced frames. There is also high-quality glass, it is from Corning, but the company did not provide information about the generation. The picture quality is in complete order - it is saturated, moderately sharp, clear and bright.

Pleases a variety of diagonals, which is presented in the Zuk line. Do you prefer compactness? We advise you to buy Lenovo Zuk Z2. Five inches is not enough, but five and a half is already a lot? Take a closer look at the Z2 Pro. Are you a fan of phablets? Then you are at the showcase with Z1 or Zuk Edge (the latter also captivates with thin frames).

Performance

Decent attention in Lenovo Zuk was given to hardware. This is not a line of middle peasants or state employees who are content with Heli P25 or Snapdragon 625. Each smartphone received a top-end processor at the time of its release.

Lenovo Zuk Z1

The Lenovo Zuk Z1 was featured on the Snapdragon 801, a top-end chip announced back in the summer of 2013. The processor is 4-core, capable of operating at a frequency of up to 2.5 GHz. Built on a 28nm process technology - modern mid-range chips are developed with more advanced ones. The only noticeable drawback of the Snapdragon 801 is its high heat dissipation. On the same chip, Samsung Galaxy S5, the first OnePlus, LG G3 and some other flagships of the time.

Lenovo Zuk Z1 is not deprived of memory - 3 gigabytes of RAM and 64 constant. Even today, these numbers look impressive, given that price segment, in which the smartphone is located, the maximum can be considered 32 GB.

Lenovo Zuk Z1, despite its age, is capable of producing good results in terms of performance. He is still capable of most of the most demanding games; we are generally silent about the smoothness of the interface. In AnTuTu, the Zuk Z1 scores about 50,000 points.

Lenovo Zuk Z2

Zuk Z2 was shown in the summer of 2016, relatively recently. The smartphone received one of the top-end processors of that period - Snapdragon 820. A little later, the Snapdragon 821 was introduced, but not to say that the chip seriously bypasses its predecessor in power. Snapdragon 820 is a 4-core solution, clocked at up to 2.15 GHz. It was built using a more modern and energy efficient 14 nm process technology. Today, of course, the flagship lines are abandoning it in favor of the Snapdragon 835, but there is not a single game or program that would make the 820 slow down. The Snapdragon 820 features a lot of flagships that are still highly rated today: OnePlus 3, Xiaomi Mi 5, Samsung Galaxy S7.

RAM in Zuk Z2 has become 4 GB, the volume of the drive remains the same - 64 GB. Unfortunately, there is no memory expansion (the tray is designed for two SIM cards only). But, in principle, this volume will be enough for most users.

In terms of play, everything is very cool. Zuk Z2 easily runs any games at maximum settings, we can say with confidence that the situation will not change in the coming months. In AnTuTu, the smartphone is gaining more than 130,000 points.

Lenovo Zuk Z2 Pro

Nothing has changed here - we have the same Snapdragon 820. However, the smartphone was presented in versions with 4 or 6 GB of RAM. Naturally, more RAM led to a slight increase in performance (to a greater extent affected multitasking). In synthetic tests, you can expect to receive 140,000 points. The volume of the drive was also increased to 128 gigabytes (the 64 gigabyte version also remained).

Lenovo Zuk Edge

The Zuk Edge went to Snapdragon 821, the company's penultimate flagship. The processor differs from its predecessor only by a slightly increased clock frequency - 2.34 GHz versus 2.15 GHz. Also, the frequency of the graphics core has been slightly increased. The changes had a positive impact on performance, but there was no major leap forward. And in everyday work, the difference between Snapdragon 821 and Snapdragon 820 is almost imperceptible.

Zuk Edge, like its predecessor, is presented in two versions - with 4 or 6 GB of RAM. The drive, regardless of RAM, has a volume of 64 GB.

The Zuk Edge, unsurprisingly, has absolutely no performance issues. In the AnTuTu test, the smartphone even demonstrates more than 160,000 points, having stood in line with flagships from larger companies.

Communication, interfaces, navigation, sound, fingerprint scanner

Here all smartphones of the Lenovo Zuk line are approximately identical. All models support a pair of nano SIM cards. Each of the smartphones works in all popular networks today, including LTE. There are no problems with communication - they are ideal for calls.

The set of interfaces is as primitive as possible, while there is everything you need, made according to modern standards: Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.1. Say they work well? Yes, there are no problems with the interfaces, which is obvious. Many will be pleased with the 3.5 mm jack located on the bottom or top end (in the Zuk Z1). A USB Type-C port is used to charge and connect a smartphone to a computer - just like people do. The OTG function is supported, but you will have to purchase a special adapter.

The only thing, NFC would look very harmonious, which, unfortunately, does not exist.

Everything is "OK" and with navigation. We have GPS and GLONASS. Satellites find smartphones at lightning speed, for which we can thank the top processors. You can't make a lot of notes about the sound either. He's just not bad. None of the Zuk smartphones have stereo speakers or other nice things, so you shouldn't expect miracles.

As noted, the fingerprint scanner is built into the already multifunctional Home button. This location, we think, will appeal to many. The scanner is good: it works with lightning speed, very high accuracy. It is possible to bind up to 5 fingers, as well as block any applications, which for many will useful function... In general, it is not inferior to the flagships in this regard.

Operating system

One of the most interesting and at the same time infinite moments in Lenovo Zuk smartphones is the firmware. Why is it interesting? For the Zuk line, dozens, if not hundreds, of a wide variety of third-party firmware are presented, ranging from pure Android to Flyme (proprietary shell smartphones Meizu). Why mad? Until now, the company has not managed to bring its shell to mind. Despite the abundance of third-party firmware for the Zuk, it's hard to find one that works perfectly. You will have to spend a lot of time on the w3bsit3-dns.com forums dedicated to Lenovo Zuk, do the flashing and configuration, in order to eventually get a working smartphone.

Zuk Z2 and Zuk Z2 Pro work under Android Marsmallow, on top of which we have a proprietary ZUI shell. The Zuk Edge also works on the same shell, but it is already initially presented on Android Nougat... When ordering from China, in most cases we get an untranslated firmware, which will have to be changed on our own. Fortunately, this is not difficult to do, and the abundance of firmware on the Zuk Z2 and Zuk Z2 Pro and other models is amazing. The Zuk Z1 has Cyanogen OS 12.1 out of the box, built on top of Android 5.1.

The proprietary ZUI shell is similar to the popular MIUI. Looks pretty good, quite comfortable. Redesigned the notification curtain, from which a set of buttons for quick access disappeared. It now appears at the bottom, just like the iPhone. It's pretty handy, especially if it's not tied to the classic Android interface. However, no one is forcing you to use exactly ZUI. Remember the large number of firmware on Zuk? Choose any ( pure android, Flyme, MIUI ...), reflash your smartphone and rejoice.

Cameras

At what point Lenovo Zuk smartphones reach the title of flagships, it is in photo capabilities. In general, if you are looking for a smartphone for a photo, then it is better to look at other models, the same Xiaomi Mi5 or, for example. Without going into details, we can say that our cameras are average (maybe slightly above average).

“On paper” in all cases we have a pair of 13 and 8 megapixel sensors. All smartphones, except for the Zuk Z2 Pro, have an aperture of F / 2.2 - which is an average characteristic. Everything is a little prettier in the Z2 Pro - F / 1.8.

Zuk Z1 received a Sony Exmor RS CMOS sensor. It is rather outdated, but it is announced in smartphones such as LG G6a and Meizu M5s. It is often found in Chinese smartphones for $ 100-200. There is autofocus, optical stabilization, HDR mode. During the day on the Zuk Z1 you can get quite good pictures, at night the situation is expected - noise and poor autofocus. Videos can be recorded in maximum FullHD resolution at 120 frames per second.

The Zuk Z2 and Zuk Edge are equipped with an ISOCELL Samsung S5K2M8 sensor. Quite a rare model on the market. The quality has grown a little, compared to the Zuk Z1, additional settings have appeared. The key innovation is the ability to record video in 4K resolution with a frame rate of 120 fps.

Zuk Z2 Pro received an unknown kind of sensor from Samsung. Belongs to the ISOCELL type, presented by the more attractive F / 1.8 aperture. By characteristics and additional settings the camera is comparable to the rest of the Zuk smartphones, but the photo quality has improved markedly.

As a result, we have: if the quality of the photo is not important, then feel free to consider the Zuk line. If you are a lover of high-quality pictures, it is better to take a closer look at smartphones of a different style (some Meizu, Xiaomi Mi5, LeEco Le Max2).

Autonomy

Again about pleasant things in Zuk. Unlike the flagships of the A-brands, which are usually represented by small-capacity batteries, the Zuk are equipped with weighty batteries. So, Zuk Z1, like, received a 4100 mAh battery. Autonomy really pleases: 9 hours of HD video playback at maximum brightness, three days of work in moderate mode or a day in active mode. Support for fast charging using Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 technology is declared, but due to the rather large capacity, a full charge takes a little more than 2 hours.

In the Zuk Z2, the battery capacity dropped by 600mAh - 3500mAh. However, do not forget that the screen size has become smaller and the processor is more energy efficient. The smartphone is fat, but there are no problems with autonomy. In active use, the Zuk Z2 lasts for a day or more. If you are not a fan of constantly updating your news feed on social networks or playing at any free moment, then squeeze three days out of your smartphone. Unfortunately, there is no information about fast charging. However, be that as it may, the Zuk Z2 charges very quickly - from 0 to 100% in just over an hour and a half.

In the Zuk Z2 and Zuk Edge, the manufacturer installs 3100 mAh batteries to please the slim body. I would like, of course, more, but these are quite decent numbers, given the Super AMOLED matrices, which are not famous for their high gluttony. As a result, we get about 9 hours of video playback (the Zuk Edge has a little less) or a day in active mode... Not the highest battery capacity can be offset by the Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging function, which "refills" the battery in less than an hour and a half.

Time autonomous work may differ (and very much) depending on the Zuk firmware.

Lenovo Zuk price where to buy

Conclusion

Lenovo's Zuk line is undoubtedly worth considering. Despite the shortcomings, which are not so many, Zuk smartphones are becoming favorites in opposition to other solutions with similar characteristics. As you probably understood, the key point in the dispute is the price, at the sight of which you expect to contemplate the budget specifications. Lenovo Zuk are smartphones for those users who, for the sake of powerful "hardware" for a penny, are ready to put up with average cameras, and most importantly - far from perfect firmware.

As expected, today was presented new flagship from Lenovo - ZUK Edge. From the name it is clear that there is a frameless screen that occupies 86.4% of the frontal surface. I do not know if the developers have seen the Nubia Z11, because I would not call ZUK Edge directly full-fledged frameless.

I suggest at the very beginning to go over the "specs" in order to continue the conversation in more detail in the future.

Full specifications ZUK Edge look like this:

• "Stone" Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 with 4 Kryo cores of 2.35 GHz each (64-bit, 14 nm)
• video accelerator Adreno 530 with a frequency of up to 653 MHz
• "RAM" 4 or 6 GB of LPDDR4 standard (1866 MHz)
• 64 GB data storage type UFS 2.0
• there is nowhere to insert memory cards
• 5.5-inch screen with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. (403 ppi), contrast ratio 1500: 1, brightness 500 cd / m2
• front camera 8 MP (f / 2.2, single dot size 1.12 microns)
• 13MP rear camera (Samsung sensor, f / 2.2, 1.34μm pixel size, 5 lens elements, 10cm minimum focal length, Slo-Mo recording at up to 960 fps)
• separate image processor Qualcomm ISP Spectra
• battery 3 100 mAh
• ZUI shell ( Android version not known for certain)
• Sound Dirac HD Sound Hi-Fi Audio
• sensors: accelerometer, light and distance sensor, U-Touch fingerprint scanner, gyroscope, electronic compass, heart rate monitor, Hall sensor, altimeter
• connection ports: USB Type-C (3.1), they took pity on the audio port, it is in place
• dimensions: 142.9 x 74.5 x 7.7 mm
• weight 160 g

Wireless interfaces:

• 2G, 3G, 4G (Full Netcomm 3.0, LTE bands: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 20, 38, 39, 40, 39)
• support for two Nano SIM-cards
• Wi-Fi (802.11 ac Dual Band), Bluetooth 4.1 BLE
• GPS, Glonass, Beidou

So, the main feature of the novelty is the large 5.5-inch display. It is reported that the sidewalls are only 1.63 mm wide. Well, they are quite so narrow, so there is every reason to believe that a smartphone will look spectacular in life.

In terms of performance, everything is clear. Before us is the most powerful chipset to date from the Android camp. So it will remain until the end of February, when the Samsung Galaxy S8 with Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 on board will be shown.

The freshly baked device is interesting to others. For example, there is a 20th LTE band, which means that we, being in Russia, will be able to enjoy all the pleasures of 4G + without any "root" and unblocking of "blocked" frequencies.

We have a truly royal set of all sorts of different sensors here. From the unusual there is a heart rate monitor (now many manufacturers have somehow forgotten about it) and an altimeter. Thus, the ZUK Edge can measure not only the distance, but also calculate the calories burned taking into account the climb uphill, and this is cool.

In terms of the camera, everything is more or less standard for a flagship device. There is support for PDAF and CAF autofocus (speed of about 0.1 seconds), and in addition, electronic image stabilization is declared.

The main advantage of the camera is the ability to record Slow Motion video at a rate of 960 frames per second. According to this parameter, ZUK has long been ahead of all its competitors, but the quality of such videos, to put it mildly, is not for public viewing. Maybe things will change with the release of Edge?

The only thing that confuses is the capacity of the battery. Yes, yes, it is more important how energy consumption is optimized here, but we could try to fit the battery more seriously. Apparently, they decided to cut the extra volume in favor of a thin case (7.7 mm).

Fast charging with current parameters of 5.3V and 2.5A is supported.

We have two colors available: completely black and white with gold accents. Both look minimalist and stylish. Let's see what colors the novelty will play in real life rather than official renders.

The start of sales of ZUK Edge is scheduled for January 01 of the coming year. Of course, this is true for China. The rest of the markets later, someday. The price tag is quite humane:

• RMB 2,299 or $ 330 for the 4 + 64GB version
• 2499 yuan ($ 360) for a modification with 6 + 64 GB

There is also a special modification signed by some guy. It costs like an older model, and offers a minimum of memory.

ZUK Edge special edition autographed by a man

Since it is difficult for all of us to buy directly, it is almost impossible for all of us to buy the ZUK Edge directly, we should expect price tags on Internet sites at the level of 380 - 420 dollars for this or that configuration. And it still looks like a more than worthy proposition.