Lenovo A7000 Quick Specs

Display Size: 5.5 Inch IPS LCD Display with 1280 x 720p HD ResolutionProcessor: 1.7 GHz MT6752 big.LITTLE octa core SoCRAM: 2 GBSoftware Version: Android 5.0 Lollipop based Vibe UICamera: 8 MP rear cameraSecondary Camera: 5 MPInternal Storage:  8 GBExternal Storage: 32 GB MicroSD supportBattery: 2900 mAh, RemovableConnectivity:  3G/4G LTE, HSPA+, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP, GPS, Dual SIM

Lenovo A7000 Hands on Review, Camera, Price, Features, Comparison and Overview at MWC 2015

Design, Build and Display

Lenovo is touting A7000’s slim form factor (7.9 mm) and light weight (140 grams) design. Of course, it isn’t the lightest or slimmest that we have seen, but it lies comfortably within the threshold required for a large display phablet to be manageable and even have a removable back cover.

The candy bar smartphone is pleasant enough with a matte finish plastic back cover, with all hard buttons within reach. Lenovo hasn’t put in any special effort to shave off bezels and that’s ok. The highlight of the device is Dolby ATMOS support which provides atmospheric surround sound immersive experience, but you will need headphones to enjoy that.

The 5.5 Inch display has 720p HD resolution shows slightly over saturated colors and is characterized with good viewing angles and sharpness. Lenovo hasn’t mentioned Gorilla Glass 3 layer on top for now. On the whole, the display quality and sharpness is good enough for the price.

Processor and RAM

Lenovo is using MT6752 big.LITTLE octa core chipset with 2 cortex A53 clusters clocked at 1.5 GHz and 1.3 GHz. The chipset is further assisted by 16 core Mali T760 GPU and 2 GB RAM, which is again very good in this price range. All 8 cores can function simultaneously if load demands it.

Camera and Internal Storage

Lenovo A7000 employs an 8 MP rear camera with dual LED flash. There is also a 5 MP front shooter which can capture good quality selfies. In our initial testing, camera performance seemed better than most other 8 MP shooters we usually see in budget smartphones. We will reserve our verdict till after our full review, when we thoroughly test it in different lighting conditions.

Internal storage is 8 GB and there is option to further expand it by standard 32 GB using MicroSD card slot. This could be a deal breaker if Apps aren’t allowed on SD card.

User Interface and Battery

User interface is very similar to Lenovo A6000, but this time the Vibe ROM is based on new and fancy Android 5.0 Lollipop. There is no app drawer by default and it remains to be seen if phone allows you to place a third party launcher on top. Lenovo is working on a light skinned UI, which will allow you to view more of Lollipop stock features and this will be updated to A7000 and other phones soon.

Even with light weight body, the phone manages to encase a juicy 2900 mAh battery which can last for 39 hours of talk time and 12 days of standby time even on 4G. This is comfortably above average when compared to other conventional modern day phablets.

Conclusion

Lenovo A7000 has the potential for being a budget star in emerging markets. Though the device is in no way meant to compete with high end phones, Lenovo hasn’t cut many corners. A pleasant light weight design, good quality display, decent battery backup and Dolby ATMOS support all add up to make Lenovo A7000 very desirable for budget conscious buyers.