In the P10k league, phones rarely come out really good for what they offer. Well, the Lenovo K8 Note kind of changes that landscape in the meantime until supplies last at Lazada. With an SRP of P13,999, the discounted P8,999 price in Lazada isn’t a big deal.
What’s up, Manila? This is Caesar of Manila Shaker for a review of Lenovo’s K8 Note. Missed our last review? Check it out here.
SPECS | Lenovo K8 Note |
Display | [1080×1920] 5.5″ IPS LCD, ~401ppi |
Size | 154.5 x 75.9 x 8.5 mm, 180g |
Design | Metal frame, Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
Colors | Fine Gold |
Chipset | Mediatek Helio X23 |
Processor | Deca-core 2.3 GHz |
Graphics | Mali-T880 MP4 |
Rear Camera | Dual 13 MP + 5 MP, f/1.7, phase detection autofocus, dual-LED (dual tone) flash,
1080p@30 |
Front Camera | 13 MP, f/2.0, LED Flash
1080p@30 |
Memory | 4GB RAM, 64GB internal, <256GB microSD |
Connectivity | GSM/HSPA/LTE-A Cat. 6 WiFi ac, Bt 4.2, A2DP, LE, A-GPS, GLONASS, FM Radio, OTG |
OS | Android 7.1.1 |
Software | Android Nougat |
Battery | Non-removable 4000mAh Li-Ion battery |
Official Price | Lazada: PhP 8,999
SRP: PhP 13,999 |
Availability date | November 2017 |
Where to buy | Lenovo Stores and Authorized Retailers |
Design
The K8 Note didn’t adapt with the 18:9 trend but still comes with a 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass 3. You have to keep in mind that the SRP of P13,999 and the P8,999 discounted offering at Lazada. It’s bulky, metal-clad, and at the moment, comes in a shade of gold that everyone has gotten used to, a general trade-off for having a huge battery pack. At the rear are dual cameras made for Depth effect-enabled shots. Also, there is a configurable Music key button on the left, right below the dual trays for 2 nano SIMs and a microSD for storage expansion.
Display
The 5.5″ Full HD display is a bit disappointing when used outdoors, even at full brightness.
Still, colors do pop out, and details stand out nicely in most scenarios. Color contrast is there, and considering the limitations of IPS LCD panels, color accuracy is not on point all the time.
User Experience
Offering a stock Android experience, Nougat in itself is intuitive with all of its inherent features. Navigating through the phone is smooth, but your experience may vary considering the lack of customization stock Android offers.
The in-house Camera app is still lacking but works well for your daily point-and-shoot IG entries.
Camera
The cameras are far from being exemplary, but they do deliver under favorable circumstances. Even with the absence of OIS, both daytime and nighttime shots still look well, albeit it may take a few tries before getting a good nighttime shot.
The bokeh effect is a hit-or-miss, as you will mostly come up with a blurry shot for the first two shots or so. The edge selection is a bit too aggressive to the point that the subject comes out very soft.
Selfies are acceptable even under extreme lighting conditions, thanks to the front-firing LED flash.
Considering its chipset, it’s disappointing to see how bad videos are with both its rear and front cameras.
Performance
Benchmark | Lenovo K8 Note |
AnTuTu | 88753 |
GeekBench | SC: 1170 MC: 4608 |
Androbench | Seq. Read: 240.08MB/s Seq. Write: 103.15MB/sRand. Read: 27.74MB/s, 7102.6 IOPS Rand. Write: 15.24MB/s, 3901.45 IOPS |
PCMark Work 2.0 | 4222 |
In the performance department, here’s where the K8 Note truly shines. Armed with an Helio X23 chipset, it is the fastest across all synthetic and game tests, with a huge battery to back it up.
Gaming performance is stellar, and if you’re on the fence for, let’s say a phone that can handle Arena of Valor at 60FPS, this is the perfect phone for you.
Battery
Battery | Lenovo K8 Note |
Battery | 4000mAh |
ManilaShaker Battery Rating | 45h 28m |
Charging Time (0-100%) | 1h 52m |
Addressing another strong point of the K8 Note, the battery is nothing short of impressive. Even with 4000mAh of capacity, the charging time with the included 15W Turbo Charger did well enough.
Audio
Lastly, the audio. The K8 Note doesn’t have anything fancy in it, and its speakers aren’t even the loudest. With certain frequencies, specific instruments do pop out.
With Dolby Atmos, various configurations and sound profiles are preset along with a fully-customizable profile.
Verdict
Currently being offered for under P10k, the Lenovo K8 Note is a great phone for either personal use or for gifting this Christmas.
As always, this has been Caesar of ManilaShaker and thank you for reading! ‘Til then!