lenovo vibe x3 review

Lenovo is constantly introducing new handsets. The company has been successful in introducing new models keeping in mind specific usage. Vibe P1 is a phone with a big battery while Vibe Shot is for camera lovers. Vibe S1 has been introduced for users who give importance to looks while Vibe K4 Note is for the budget segment. Now Vibe X3 has been launched which is Lenovo’s latest flagship handset in a way.

Lenovo Vibe X3 is priced at Rs 19,999 but it has amazing features which are available in other brands at a higher price. Will Lenovo be able to beat its competitors with this new product? Let’s find out.

Look and design
This handset looks very similar to the Vibe K4 Note. You will get a screen protector, plastic case, USB cable and headset with the phone. At first glance, the screen looks very big. The power and volume buttons on the right side are a bit lower than we would like. Due to the presence of a hybrid SIM tray, you will be able to use either dual SIM or one SIM and microSD card at a time. There is a 21-megapixel rear camera at the back and a fingerprint sensor below it.
The battery is completely sealed in the phone’s aluminum unibody. The Vibe X3 is 9.3 millimeters thick at the center. It fits perfectly in the hands. Weighing 175 grams, it will feel heavy.

Specification
Lenovo has managed to strike a balance between price and performance. It has Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor, Adreno 418 graphics, 3GB RAM and 32GB storage.

The screen has a dimension of 5.5 inches and the resolution is 1080×1920 pixels. This handset seems to be outdone when compared to the flagship devices of other companies. But considering the price, this decision seems to be right. The 3500 mAh battery present in the device is expected to last for a whole day.

Software
Lenovo has tried to make its Vibe UI cleaner, which we liked. The new UI looks a lot like stock Android. It also has a dedicated app drawer. You also have customization options like quick access toggles and a unique log feature that shows you old notifications that you have dismissed. We found the icons a bit childish and you don’t have the option to change them. Many of Lenovo’s apps come pre-installed on the handset. The good thing is that you can uninstall most of them.

You also have a number of custom options. You can activate the phone by tapping the screen twice, or lock it by flipping it.

Camera
The Vibe X3 has a 21-megapixel rear camera that is equipped with phase detection autofocus. You can record videos in 4K resolution with it. The front camera sensor is 8 megapixels. Lenovo has promised a lot of features for photographers. Most of these are related to the software interface, but we did not like them much.

Lenovo’s custom camera app takes a little longer to load and has been simplified more than necessary. The app automatically detects lighting and adapts itself. You can also disable it if you want.

Photo quality was generally good, but daylight shots were overexposed and shaky at times. Colours looked quite dull. Low light shots were decent. We think these are only good for social media. On the other hand, 4K and 1080p videos were shot crisply.

Performance
The colors on the screen of this Lenovo handset appeared vibrant and engaging. There is no problem with outdoor visibility. The dual front speakers work well. They produce loud sound but it is not very clear.

The Vibe X3 is comfortable to hold in hands. The handset gave excellent results in benchmark tests. The battery of the Vibe X3 easily lasted a day. In our video loop test, the battery lasted for 9 hours and 33 minutes before getting completely discharged, which is less than we expected.

Our verdict
Lenovo has very cleverly provided the best specifications available in the market. It is worth noting that the price is also less than Rs 20,000. Vibe X3 is aimed at beating OnePlus 2, Moto X Play and Nexus 5X. This time the company has put more emphasis on user experience. We are amazed at how much Lenovo has managed to provide in this handset at this price. It is clear that many details have been taken care of while making the device.

If user experience is of utmost importance, Lenovo needs to make some more improvements. The Vibe X3 is very big and heavy, which means it is not very easy to hold and use. The camera disappointed the most. The hybrid SIM tray also does not go in this handset’s favour.

If you are willing to live with these pros and cons, then Lenovo Vibe X3 is a ‘value for money’ handset.