Verdict
Key specs
Critic reviews
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“The Vibe Z looks like it's made of metal, but it's actually plastic all over. The front is nearly all black with a silver lip on the bottom where the bottom edge wraps around. The Vibe Z is fairly light and easy enough to hold, though some people will find it just a bit too large. It's definitely blockier than most of the phones on the market right now. We quite like its look - at least it stands out in a crowd. The Vibe Z doesn't feel as though it was made by the same company that regularly produces some of our favourite laptops. It comes across as something entirely new. Lenovo has thrown in a fair number of powerful components and has given the Vibe Z a very distinctive style, but it's the brand name that will ultimately persuade people to give it a chance.”
“In conclusion, the Vibe Z is definitely the best phone from Lenovo. This is a substantial improvement from the K900 and Lenovo has done well to adapt the design for better usability. The Vibe Z has great build quality, a really awesome display, a great camera for stills, excellent performance and longstanding battery life. However, the perspective changes when you look at the competition at this price range. For Rs. 35,999, the compromises on video recording, the generally laggy UI performance and the lack of well implemented features in software makes it a tough buy, especially when you consider the fact that phones like the Gionee Elife E7, the Google nexus 5 and even the LG G2 to some extent, reside at a lesser price. But if you are looking for a executive-style design, a large vibrant screen and a really nice stills camera, the Vibe Z will be a good fit.”
Watch before you decide
In Depth
Lenovo has had a hit-or-miss track record so far with its venture into mobile devices. Their latest attempt, the Vibe Z, ventures into phablet territory with some serious specs to back it up. Does it live up to the hype? Reviews indicate this could finally be the hit that Lenovo is looking for.
Like many devices in this size bracket, the Vibe Z is, above all else, large. However, the polycarbonate plastic appears to be winning over many reviews. Between its thin chassis and light case–just scant 5.12 ounces–most reviews note how surprisingly light and easy to hold the phone is. Lowyat noted, “the textured back cover is actually great for increasing grip on the device, which interestingly feels smaller than what it actually is.”
Combined with some software enhancements to make one-handed use easier, and the phone really challenges the typical design and use of the 5-inch plus market. Tech Radar was happy with the subtle changes, stating, “I’ve seen nothing this clever.”
The phone houses a 5.5-inch 1080p IPS display. While it is still a phone, it is about as large as one gets before venturing into tablet territory. The large display is protected by Gorilla Glass 3 to prevent unwanted scratches and dings. Unfortunately, many reviews noted a few color reproduction issues, with NDTV Gadgets saying “The screen is sufficiently crisp, but not especially vivid.”
Powering the display is fast 2.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon and 2GB of RAM. While no longer bleeding-edge, from gaming to video streaming, the hardware should provide plenty of performance for whatever you might want to do. Reviews generally agreed. NDTV pointed out, “Videos play very well though, and even our heaviest clips didn’t stutter. However, the Vibe Z did get uncomfortably hot while gaming.” Giz Beat applauded the Vibe Z saying, “The call quality on both ends is amazing.”
All of this is fed power from a 3000mAh battery. While heavy usage and video streaming is likely to go through a battery quite quickly, Lowyat and Giz Beat found that under regular use patterns, a full day’s use on a single charge was more than possible.
Lenovo also went with premium camera options for the Vibe Z. With a 13MP front-facing camera and a 5MP selfie shooter, there is plenty of detail to go around. Giz Beat said, “the camera is impressive as is Lenovo’s stock camera app.”
If there was a weak link pointed out by most reviews it would have to be storage. The phone is only available with 16GB of storage space. Lack of MicroSD card support means you will probably want to find a good cloud provider or pick and choose your movies, music or pictures that you keep on your device.
Overall, the reviews for the Vibe Z seem to indicate that Lenovo has finally hit its stride with this latest device. TechView states, “If you want a good cost effective device with the best in performance, the Lenovo Vibe Z is perfect” while Giz Beat declares “Long story short, this phone is an animal.”
What people actually want to know
When was the Lenovo Vibe Z released?
The Lenovo Vibe Z was released on March 5, 2014.
How long does the battery last on the Lenovo Vibe Z?
The Lenovo Vibe Z has a 3,000 mAh battery.
Does the Lenovo Vibe Z support wireless charging?
No, the Lenovo Vibe Z does not support wireless charging.
Does the Lenovo Vibe Z have a headphone jack?
Yes, the Lenovo Vibe Z has a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Does the Lenovo Vibe Z have NFC?
No, the Lenovo Vibe Z does not have NFC. Contactless payments and tap-to-pair will not be available.
Where can I get support for the Lenovo Vibe Z?
Visit Lenovo's official support page for warranty info, repairs, and troubleshooting.
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