Having recently made comments that it is seeking to make fewer handsets this year than last, Lenovo is making some contradictory moves in the smartphone market. The manufacturer has launched the all-metal K5 Note in China, and the mid-range smartphone makes its way to market in the same month the K4 Note landed in India. Color me confused.
Regardless, the Lenovo K5 Note will cost ¥1,099 (approx $167) when it lands on Chinese store shelves at the beginning of February. For that money, the phone offers some admirable specifications.
As well as being made from aluminum, it has a full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution 5.5-inch screen boasting a pixel density of around 401ppi. It also features a 1.8GHz octa-core MediaTek Helio P10 processor paired with 2GB and 16GB storage (expandable up to 128GB). A 3,500mAh battery should ensure that it goes at least a full day on a single charge.
Other key features include a 13MP f/2.2 rear camera with phase detection auto-focus and 1080p video recording, as well as an 8MP front-facing camera. It runs Android 5.1 Lollipop with Lenovo’s own Vibe UI on top. The device measures 8.5mm thin, making it slightly thicker than most flagship phones, but is by no means bulky. It also has a fingerprint sensor on the back, as is normal with modern smartphones.
With the low-mid tier markets becoming full of metal devices equipped with high-end specs, it’ll be interesting to see who comes out on top this year. Will Lenovo’s devices have a chance of competing with the likes of Huawei, Xiaomi or OnePlus?
