(Read: Coolpad Note 4 Lite vs Coolpad Note 3)
The Coolpad Note 3 Lite impressed us at first glance, but after using it for a while, our opinion definitely changed. Will Coolpad be able to make a splash in the entry-level Android market with this handset? Let’s find out.
Look and design
The Coolpad Note 3 Lite has all the features of a budget phone but manages to stand out with its good design choices. The gold trim on the sides, camera lens and fingerprint sensor add to the attractiveness of the phone. The quality of the plastic and the finish of the handset is quite good. The phone feels sturdy and durable as well.
The front has a 5-inch HD IPS display with scratch protection. There is a black border around the edges of the screen, which doesn’t go well with this slim phone. The capacitive buttons for navigation work well, but they are not backlit. Above the display is a 5-megapixel front camera along with a notification LED.
The power and volume buttons are located on both sides of the phone and there is no problem in using them with one hand. The design of the rear cover is grippy and it is also possible to remove it. There is also a 13 megapixel front camera along with LED flash and fingerprint sensor. The speaker is at the bottom of the back panel. The company logo is present above it. If you do not like white plastic, then there is also a black color option for you.
Like its senior version, the Note 3 Lite is a smartphone with good build quality. While its front panel isn’t the most attractive, it looks much better from the back.
Specifications and software
When the device is from the budget segment, then the specifications will also be of the budget segment. But Coolpad has tried to do better in this department. It uses a quad-core MediaTek MT6735 chipset. It is also the cheapest phone equipped with 3 GB RAM and 16 GB storage. You can also increase the storage with the help of a microSD card up to 32 GB. The phone has two microSIM slots and both support 4G LTE.
The phone runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop with the CoolUI 6.0 skin on top. We wrote about this interface in detail in our Coolpad Note 3 review. You get a single-layer UI by default and you can also get a two-layer setup if you want.
You will find company apps like Cool Service, Cool Store and Explore. Through FP Lock, you can lock any of your apps with fingerprint. And only you will be able to use them. You can change the wallpaper with Rock Wallpaper.
The interface works flawlessly, but the skin doesn’t look polished. For example, you don’t get many theme options. The custom icons in each theme will sometimes leave you confused. There are also a lot of third-party apps that can be removed if needed.
Performance
The viewing angles of the HD display are good and there is no problem in reading it in sunlight. It would have been better if the brightness was a little higher for outdoor use. The touchscreen responds well but it easily gets fingerprint marks. The call quality is good and we did not face any problem in 4G network as well.
The fingerprint sensor is very accurate and works in just one go in most cases. You will be able to unlock the handset by placing your finger at any angle. The handset can store up to five fingerprint scanners. And you can also decide which fingerprint is allowed to open apps, make calls and take photos.
Note 3 Lite gave decent results in benchmark tests. You will be able to play games like Ski Safari 2 on it easily. The phone also had no problem running games like Dead Trigger 2. We did not face much problem in multitasking. 1.8 GB RAM is available at all times.
The default music player is well designed. The video player also has many useful features. You can edit videos. You can take screenshots. The alert sound from the rear speaker is decent but it is not meant for multimedia.
Thankfully, Coolpad hasn’t made any changes to the camera setup for the Lite version. The 13-megapixel rear camera captures landscapes and macros with plenty of detail in natural light. However, we did notice that close-up shots lacked sharpness. Photos taken indoors and in low light had a lot of noise. Panoramas are easily stitched and the quality is also good.
You will be able to record 1080p videos and the quality is decent. The camera software is not great and there is no option to change it. However, the interface is simple and easy to use. The 5-megapixel front camera is good for taking selfies, but only in daylight.
The 2500mAh battery lasted 9 hours and 11 minutes in our video loop test. The battery easily lasted a day of moderate usage on 4G networks.
Our verdict
Priced at Rs 6,999, the Coolpad Note 3 Lite is a great package on paper. There are not many compromises in this version as compared to the original version. This is the only phone in this price range that comes with a fingerprint sensor, 3GB RAM and 16GB storage. This was bound to happen sooner or later and Coolpad has nailed it. The display of this phone is also good. The fingerprint sensor works fast. The battery life of this phone with a sturdy build is also commendable.
However, despite all this, it is not the best handset in its segment. The great specifications do not give the expected performance in normal use. There is scope for work on the camera, design and CoolUI skin. In this range, phones from Oppo and Gionee come with better finish. In such a situation, you have to decide which features and specifications you need more.
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