ENTRY MAYHEM

If you thought that the array of devices available in the premium smartphone segment is a bit too much, you need to have a closer look at the entry-level market. There are brands available in this category which never see light of day in the high profile premium category. And this is even before some of the new Chinese manufacturers like Xiaomi have fully reached these shores.

And yet, thanks to the increasing smartphone adoption rates in China, India and Africa, the number of entry-level devices sold every year vastly outnumber their premium siblings. For this month’s Showdown, we have arranged a few of these less famous entry-level phones. Even the manufacturer brands like Asus and Alcatel are not exactly known for their smartphone lineage.

But don’t let this prejudice your opinion. You might be surprised by the results. Read on to find out more…….

Alcatel One Touch Flash 2

Let’s be honest. When was the last time you went looking for an Alcatel phone? Alcatel is hardly a name that comes to mind when you consider smartphones.

Flashy Design?

It is obvious even at first sight – the One Touch Flash 2 is a beautiful phone. Quite a surprise considering the ‘me too’ designs that crowd the entry-level market. Alcatel’s marketing literature waxes eloquent on the phone’s ‘French’ minimalist design and we have to agree with that. With its smooth contoured edges and slightly curved back, the Alcatel phone has the feel of a premium smartphone. It is also a major departure from the previous version of the same brand.

The shiny power, volume buttons are located on the thin right edge of the device along with a dedicated camera button. The headphone socket is at the top right corner of the phone while the micro-USB connector is at the bottom.

Modest Screen

We are a bit disappointed by the One Touch Flash 2’s screen resolution which tops out at just 1280×720. The modest resolution is a bit of a surprise considering that many entry-level phones now boast Full HD screens. On the plus side, the 5-inch LCD screen is quite bright and colourful.

Decent Hardware

The One Touch Flash 2 is powered by a Mediatek MT6753 SoC which comprises of an octa-core ARM Cortex 53 CPU and a Mali-T720MP3 GPU. Although not exactly cutting edge, this Mediatek SoC is now a common sight in entry-level phones.

The One Touch Flash 2 also comes with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage which can be expanded to 128GB using a microSD card. Another nice feature is the phone’s dual SIM option which is surprisingly missing even in many premium smartphones.

Despite its low price, the One Touch Flash 2 has a pretty beefy 13MP rear camera, putting it in the same league as much more expensive phones. Although the screen is lower resolution, the phone can record Full HD videos at 1080P resolution.

Performance Matters

As one would expect from an entry-level phone, the One Touch Flash 2 did not set any performance records. The device ships with Android Lollipop and is fast enough for regular use like web surfing or video streaming via YouTube. But it struggles with the latest generation of graphics heavy games. To be fair, it is unlikely that anyone buying this phone will be looking to entertain themselves using those types of games.

Without a shadow of doubt, the Alcatel One Touch Flash 2 is a smartphone which punches well above its price. Those on the lookout for a mid-range phone should definitely consider this one and save themselves some money.

Specs

OS: Android OS, v5.1 (Lollipop)

CPU: Octa-core 1.3 GHz Cortex-A53

Chipset: Mediatek MT6753

GPU: Mali-T720MP3

Internal Storage: 16GB

RAM: 2GB RAM

Battery: Non-removable Li-Ion 3000 mAh battery

Colors: Volcanic Grey, Mica White

Value: 9/10

Features: 9/10

Performance: 7/10

Design: 9/10

Usability: 9/10

Total: 8.6

Price: RM649

Verdict: Beautiful and inexpensive with some good features

ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser

They say that appearances can be deceiving. Well, appearances can also be confusing, sometimes. This applies to ASUS’ ZenFone lineup year 2015 in particular. Within the year, we’ve seen the release of the ZenFone 2 and the ZenFone Selfie. Of course, a mid-range version was bound to appear soon, in order to cater to the more mainstream market. You got a peek at it last issue, now we’ll talk about its performance – the ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser.

Same Looks, Different Feel

In case you don’t know, the ZenFone 2 Laser has a few variants; two of them are equipped with the Snapdragon 615, while the other uses the Snapdragon 410. At first, seeing a Snapdragon chipset again was a relief, as the Intel chips in the ZenFone 2 was less than stellar and had issues with ASUS’s Zen UI. The 615 is a particularly high performer for a midrange chip. However, the 410 isn’t as great. The inferior CPU and GPU mean that it’s not as responsive when compared to the other ZenFone devices.

During normal use, the unit is visibly slower than the other ZenFones and isn’t great when it comes to games with 3D graphics. However, it can still reliably play HD videos and stream YouTube on 720p. Browsing the internet isn’t a problem either, provided you’re not trying to open 20 tabs at the same time, with apps running in the background.

Quick Sights

Coming to the key feature of the ZenFone 2 Laser, its rear camera’s laser focus does what it’s advertised to do. It’s REALLY fast at less than half a second to focus and it’s better than other ZenFone’s at targeting or tracking specific objects. While the sharpness seems better than the ZenFone 2, the colour and dynamic range seems a bit off. Low-light mode is another of its specialties, as we’ve come to expect from the ZenFone series. Overall, we were satisfied with the camera’s capabilities.

Won’t last a Marathon

One other weakness of this ZenFone 2 Laser variant is its low battery capacity. At just 2,070 mAh, this smartphone doesn’t last more than half a day with intensive use, especially if you use its vaunted camera a lot.

Value Buy

Despite its flaws, we think that ASUS has certainly designed a smartphone worth considering. Personally, we’d recommend going for the 5.5-inch or 6-inch variants. Those will definitely be better value for your ringgit.

Price: RM739

Specs

Dimensions: 152.5 x 77.2 x 10.8 mm

Weight: 170 g

Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 410

CPU: Quad-core Cortex-A53 + Quad-core Cortex-A53

RAM: 2GB

GPU: Adreno 306

Display: 5-inch IPS LCD, 720 x 1280 pixels

Storage: 16GB, expandable by microSD up to 128GB

OS: Android 5.0

Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 4.0

Camera: 13-MP rear camera (laser autofocus, dual tone flash), 5-MP front camera (autofocus)

Battery: Li-Po 2070 mAh battery

Value 9

Performance 7

Features 9

Design 8

Usability 6

Total 7.8

Verdict Excellent value as a camera phone, but really lacks battery life and power.

LEAGOO ELITE 1 REVIEW

If you thought the premium smartphone market is crowded, have a look at the budget segment. Thanks to the arrival of a host of Chinese manufacturers and new offerings from industry stalwarts like LG and Samsung, it almost feels like it is raining budget smartphones. Leagoo is one of the newer entrants in that segment with their attractively priced Elite 1.

Excellent Build Quality

Stylistically, the Leagoo Elite 1 does not feel like a budget smartphone. With a solid metal body, smooth rounded edges and weighing just 136gms, the Elite 1 is more than capable of matching the looks of many mid-range and premium phones. With its beautiful shiny finish, at first glance, the customer is more likely to confuse it with a much more expensive mid-price smartphone.

Powerful Components

The phone is powered by a MediaTek MT6753 SoC, an increasingly popular choice among budget smartphone manufacturers. The SoC features an eight core CPU built around ARM’s Cortex A53 design and a Mali T720 GPU. Although the Cortex A53 CPU cores are not the fastest from ARM, they are still quite powerful and now a common sight in budget and mid-range smartphones.

The Elite 1 has a 5-inch display with a 1920×1080 resolution and a 441ppi pixel density, protected by Gorilla Glass 3. Despite being a budget smartphone, the Leagoo sports 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. The internal storage is expandable using a microSD Card.

The phone also has 13MP rear camera and a front-facing 8MP one. The power and volume buttons are located on the right side. The micro-USB charging slot is at the bottom and the 3.5 mm audio jack is located at the top of the device. The phone also supports dual SIMs and comes with a useful 2300mAh battery.

Excellent Performance

The Leagoo Elite 1 is no slouch in terms of performance. Even though budget-priced, it keeps pace with some of the more expensive, mid-range smartphones that we have tested this year. With ample RAM available, the Elite 1 breezes easily through applications and games.

If you are in the market for an upgrade without busting the bank, you cannot go wrong with the Leagoo Elite 1.

Price: RM 999

SPECS

Display: 5.0-inch 1920×1080

MediaTek MT6753 SoC
CPU: MTK6753 64bit Octa Core,1.3GHz
OS: Android 5.1
RAM: 3GB RAM

Storage: 32GB ROM
Camera: 8MP front camera, 13MP back camera
Dual SIM

VALUE                   10/10

PERFORMANCE   8/10

FEATURES            8/10

DESIGN                 9/10

USABILITY             8/10

SCORE                  8.6

VERDICT

A well-featured smartphone for the budget conscious buyer

CONCLUSION

It is very clear compared to just a few years ago, the entry-level smartphone market is now a truly magical place. Not only are there devices of all sizes and colours now available, but also excellent levels of performance.

A good example of this is the stylish Leagoo Elite 1. Now widely available in Malaysia, the Elite 1 has an excellent Full HD screen and 3GB of RAM. Powered by the MediaTek MT6753 SoC, it boasts performance which ranks with some of the more expensive mid-range phones.

Similarly, the Asus ZenFone 2 Laser is another device which is guaranteed to please the buyer. Although it has lower screen resolution and 1GB less memory, the Asus smartphone has an excellent camera and a large screen.

However, the real surprise in this month’s Showdown is the Alcatel One Touch Flash 2. Although cheaper than the Asus ZenFone 2 Laser, it has the same screen resolution and on board memory. The 13MP rear camera matches the Leagoo device and even some premium phones. It is also an extremely stylish device which is capable of giving premium smartphones a run for their money.

For these reasons, the Alcatel One Touch Flash 2 is the undisputed winner of this month’s Showdown.