LeEco has not only focused on great specifications. It has also tried to pay attention to the things that the user likes, which is clear from the metal body of Le 1S. Through Le Max, the company tried to compete with other flagship smartphones, although it was not completely successful. LeEco hopes that more users will like Le 1S.
Look and design
There is a limit to experimentation in terms of specifications, so LeEco has tried to provide premium materials and good build quality in the budget smartphone segment. The Le 1S is almost completely made of metal. Plastic has been used only for the antenna space.
The front face of this handset is quite slim. Black glass surrounds the display. The front camera and sensor windows are present on both sides of the earpiece. Three standard capacitive Android buttons are given below the screen. These are backlit. LE 1S manages to create its own unique identity.
The primary camera and flash are placed on one edge of the rear. There is also a fingerprint sensor at the centre of the back of the handset. It looks good, but it is a bit slippery. The company hasn’t been able to work out its branding in India yet, which is probably why the review unit we got came with the LeTV logo.
The power and volume buttons are on the right side. Whereas, the slots for both the SIMs are on the left side. The Type-C USB port is on the bottom. The disadvantage of this is that you will not be able to use the USB cable that usually comes with this handset.
Not everyone will like the gold colour variant, but it is the only option on Flipkart right now. For a phone with a 5.5-inch screen, its grip is good, but using it with one hand will be a problem. The LE 1S weighs 169 grams, but even after using it for a long time, it does not feel heavy in the hands.
Specifications and software
LeEco has relied on the MediaTek Helio X10 (MT6795T) for this handset. It is a powerful chip. 3GB of RAM is present to make multitasking easy. Unfortunately, the 32GB storage cannot be expanded via microSD card.
The 5.5-inch screen has a resolution of 1080×1920 pixels, which is common in this price range today. There is a 13-megapixel camera on the rear and a 5-megapixel sensor on the front. The 3000 mAh battery is non-removable. Both SIM card slots will support 4G. It has Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.1 and A-GPS connectivity features. You will not get FM radio.
The LE 1S runs on the older Android 5.0.2 Lollipop with the company’s EUI skin on top. It has its own app drawer and there aren’t many customization options. The hardest part is getting to know the shortcuts and quick settings on the app switcher screen.
There aren’t too many preloaded apps – you get Yahoo Weather and My LeTV. The software has a few drawbacks. There is no gesture shot and the screen area of the display can’t be reduced from the settings.
Performance
We enjoyed using the LE 1s on most occasions. It feels good in the hand, but the software experience did not live up to expectations. We were glad that the phone did not heat up even after prolonged use. A slight heat can be felt at the rear.
The screen is bright enough indoors, but not very usable in direct sunlight. Colours are sharp and viewing angles are satisfactory. The smartphone’s speakers were very pleasing.
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Photos taken with the primary camera lacked detail and proper exposure, but most of the times the photos turned out well. Close-up shots were the best. Low light photos looked good at first glance, but the reality was revealed when you zoomed in. If you just want to share the photo on social media, then you won’t have much problem.
The MediaTek Helio X10 chipset gave good results in benchmark tests. It is clear that this phone will run smoothly in terms of gaming.
In the video loop test, the phone’s battery lasted for 7 hours and 51 minutes. This can be called average. The battery of LE 1S will last for a day. The good thing is that the handset has a quick charging feature.
Our verdict
LeEco may have entered the Indian market late, but the start is great. The company claims that it sold 70,000 units in just 2 seconds in the first flash sale. 6,00,000 people had registered for this flash sale. Since the launch of this handset in China, more than 30 lakh units have been sold in just three months. It is clear that there is no lack of demand for the handset.
This is a great time for Indian consumers who are looking for value for money. You get a powerful package with great specifications. The biggest challenge for this handset is coming from the recently launched Lenovo Vibe K4 Note. This Lenovo smartphone is a bit weak in terms of specifications, but you also have the option of buying a VR headset for entertainment. You can also consider the Moto G (Gen 3) if you are looking for durability and great software more than looks.
If you are ready to give a chance to a new company and want a phone with a premium look, then definitely buy this handset. However, keep in mind that even though you get a device similar to a high-end smartphone in terms of looks and specifications, it is not necessary that its performance will be like a high-end handset.
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