An inexpensive, functional and high-quality entry-level smart phone is the Lenovo A516. Reviews, parameters, specifications and other important nuances associated with this device will be considered in the framework of this small material.
Equipment
Standard, as for this class of devices, the equipment of this model of smartphone. The operation manual and warranty certificate are the complete list of documentation that comes with it. In addition to the smartest phone, the boxed version includes a battery, a stereo headset, a MicroUSB – USB cord, and a charger.
Body and ergonomics
Just three color options for the case are offered by Lenovo for this model: pink, white and gray. The first option is best suited for the weak half of humanity. After all, it will allow a girl or woman to create her own harmonious image. A similar situation with the Lenovo A516 WHITE. Reviews say that this color, along with pink, is in high demand among beautiful representatives of humanity. White also allows you to create your own special and unforgettable image. But for men, Lenovo A516 GRAY is better. Reviews buyers They say that this is the most practical color scheme. The scratches on it are not so noticeable, and the situation is similar with dirt and fingerprints. The front panel is made of glossy plastic. Accordingly, immediately with the device you must buy a special protective film. Otherwise, the front panel cannot be damaged. Above the screen is a speaker and a front camera. Below, under the screen, there are three standard touch-sensitive buttons for controlling the smartphone. Wired communication connectors are scattered on the upper edge (3.5 mm acoustic output) and the lower side (MicroUSB standard socket). A microphone for talking is also brought to the bottom. On the back there is a main camera and a loud speaker. Now about the overall dimensions of this gadget. Its length is 133 mm, its width is 66.7 mm. The thickness, in turn, is 9.9 mm. And the weight is an acceptable 149 grams.
CPU
The central processor is one of the bottlenecks in the Lenovo A516. Reviews indicate a low level of its performance. And it's hard to argue with them. The MTK6572 CPU is built on the basis of the "ARM A7" architecture and consists of only two energy-efficient cores that cannot boast of high computing power. The clock frequency of each of them can reach a decent 1.3 GHz with a maximum processor load. Resource-intensive tasks, such as 3D toys, will not work on it. But for the remaining cases, its capabilities will be quite enough. You can watch the same film in the * .avi or * .mpeg4 format without any problems. A similar situation is with listening to audio clips with the extension "* .MP3" or surfing the Internet. But, again, the manufacturer is positioning the smartphone as an entry-level solution, and it is with the tasks of this level that it can cope without problems.
Graphics and screen
The main advantage of this device is the rather large screen size, the diagonal of which is an impressive 4 and a half inches. It is based on a very high-quality IPS - a matrix capable of displaying more than 16 million colors. Moreover, the display resolution is 854 by 480. To ensure the proper level of performance of the graphics subsystem, the Mali-400MP adapter is integrated into the device. This is a fairly productive solution that can easily cope with any task, unlike a central processor, whose processing power leaves much to be desired. The graphics system can process up to 5 touches to the display surface at the same time.
Cameras
Two cameras with modest features equipped with Lenovo IDEAPHONE A516. Reviews note that the one located on the back of the device is worse. It is based on a fairly modest, as of today, 5 megapixel matrix. There is also no automatic image stabilization system, no autofocus. A similar situation with the LED flash, which is absent. In general, the quality of the photographs obtained with its help leaves much to be desired. But do not forget that the series of devices with the “A” prefix from the Lenovo company is positioned as affordable smartphones. You can’t expect impeccable quality from their cameras. The front camera is built on the basis of the most common matrix today for these purposes at 0.3 megapixels. Its main task is to make calls with the transmission of a picture over a distance. And for these purposes, it is excellently suited.
Memory
Modest, as in modern times, the organization of the memory subsystem of this device. The worst situation is with RAM, which is only 512 MB. The user can use less than 200 MB for their needs, which is very small. With integrated memory, the situation is slightly better. Its in this device is 4 GB, of which 1.2 GB is occupied by the OS. The rest is divided into 800 MB of internal storage and 2 GB of flash drive. It’s easy to understand that with so much memory you just can’t do without an external card. The most common TransFlash devices are supported with a maximum capacity of up to 32 GB.
Autonomy
A rather mediocre level of autonomy is characterized by the Lenovo A516 smartphone . Reviews say that one charge of the battery, depending on the degree of load, can last from 1 to 3 days. The capacity of the complete battery is 2000 milliamps / hours, which is an excellent indicator for a device with such technical stuffing and screen size. However, its charging does not last so long - a maximum of 3 hours. In general, a smartphone with good autonomy for both an entry-level device.
OS
The situation is not quite simple with the system software for this device. An outdated version of Android is installed on the Lenovo A516 phone. The reviews indicate the modification with the serial number "4.2". Of course, at the moment, compatibility problems should not arise, but after a year, after a maximum of 2 new programs may no longer be installed on the “A516”. Another important nuance. This model debuted in October 2013. Since then, not a single update has been released. As a result, a new firmware version for him is not to be expected. At least official.
Software
Orientation to social networks compares favorably with competitors Lenovo A516. Testimonials point to widgets that let you keep abreast of all messages from the same Facebook or Twitter. And it is really very convenient. Performing a minimum number of operations, gain access to important information. Also on A516 installed a complete set of applications from Google. But now no device of this class can do without them. This is not unusual. Chinese programmers did not forget about the standard set. A simple calculator, a functional calendar and a graphical editor - all this is in the basic firmware A516. If you do not need some of the preinstalled software, and you want to uninstall it, you will first have to get root-rights. Yes, and touching them is not recommended, since then there may be problems with the firmware.
Communications
This gadget can not boast of something unusual in terms of communications. But at the same time it has everything you need. Among the supported wireless methods for transmitting information can be identified:
- Full support for the networks of the 2nd (ZhSM standard) and 3rd (UMTS) generations. In the first case, the data transfer rate will be several tens or hundreds of kilobytes per second, in the second - acceptable 15 megabits per second, which will even make video calls. Do not forget that this is a 2-SIM card, that is, it is sometimes called Lenovo A516 DUAL SIM. Feedback on the functioning of each of them suggests that everything was done efficiently and there were no “glitches” in the process.
- The second important wireless standard for transmitting information is Wi-Fi. It allows you to get a currently fantastic data transfer rate of 150 Mbps. But the range of such networks is relatively small - up to 20 m.
- There is also a Bluetooth transmitter. It allows you to exchange a small amount of information with similar devices.
- To ensure navigation, a ZhPS transmitter is installed.
Among the wired interfaces there is full support for MicroUSB / USB (you can charge the battery and connect to a PC) and a 3.5 mm jack for an external speaker system.
To summarize
Two weak points can be pointed out at Lenovo A516. Reviews allocate a memory subsystem and a central processor. In the first case, the manufacturer saved and installed very little RAM. With the built-in memory, you can somehow solve the problem and install an external drive. In the same way, the MTK6572 processor was very modest in terms of performance. Also, not everything is fine with the main camera. But all this is offset by the democratic price of about $ 100. And do not forget that this is an entry-level device. And one should not expect more from him.