ZUK (pronounced: ShenQi) Mobiles a subsidiary of Chinese giant Lenovo was launched in May of 2015. ZUK follows an online only business model. The first phone to launch in India by ZUK is the Z1 which will be available starting May 19th exclusively on Amazon.
The ZUK Z1 houses a 5.5 inch FULL (1080p) HD IPS LCD display with 100% NTSC color gamut along with a 1500:1 contrast ratio. The screen is protected by Corning’s gorilla glass. The phone is powered by the old yet durable Qualcomm Snapdragon 801(MSM8974PRO-AC) Quad-Core chipset clocked at 2.5 GHz, which is paired with 3 GB of RAM and 64 GB of Storage. The processor is said to be the latest and top of the line which eliminates all the issues with previous productions. The ZUK Z1 has a pixel density of 401 pixels per inch.
The cameras would be a shutterbugs delight as the Z1 packs in a 13 MP Sony-made rear camera along with OIS and a 5P Largan lens. The front camera too packs in a decent punch with an 8 MP sensor with F/2.2 aperture.
The phone runs on Cyanogen OS which is a custom build of Android and offers various customization options, it runs on Cyanogen OS 12 which is based on Android Lollipop 5.1.1 and will be updated to Android Marshmallow soon. There is a hefty 4100 mAh battery to power the device which will easily last a day or more on regular or even heavy usage. There is also Quick Charge support which is an added advantage.
The phone houses a Finger print sensor in the home button which unlocks the device on a tap, apart from that there is USB 3.1 port with USB type C on the phone to charge or transfer the data. Connectivity options include the likes of Dual Sim 4G LTE, Bluetooth 4.1, Wi-Fi b/g/n/ac, GPS etc.It features sensors such as accelerometer, ambient light sensor, gyroscope, digital compass (magnetometer), and proximity sensor.
As of the design ZUK has opted for a Metal frame all around the phone, a gorilla glass screen at the front and a non removable plastic rear which gives an overall decent feel to the device. The phone weighs in at just 175 grams which for a 5.5 inch screen along with a 4100 mAh battery is way decent. Lenovo claims it has introduced a new technology with the Z1 that allows the phone to run direct from the charging brick when the battery is fully charged and this technology helps increase battery life.
The phone is priced at ₹13,500 and the registrations have been started on Amazon, the phone will go on sale on 19th of May. At this price it’s really hard to think of a better phone than the ZUK Z1 combine that with backing from a brand like Lenovo it makes this phone one of the best budget devices out on the market as of now.