Lenovo S5 review

This time in Androidsis We have had the pleasure of using a very special Smartphone for a few weeks. We have put the Lenovo S5 to the test. A Smartphone very different from the latest devices that we have been able to test.

At Lenovo they have bet very hard to give the new mid-range an image and a design that attracts attention. And we can attest that it is a challenge achieved. The new S5 It is a Smartphone that falls in love at first sight. Below we will tell you everything about him. You can buy your Lenovo S5 right here.

Lenovo S5, the most distinguished mid-range

When we talk about the mid-range in the vast catalog of Android smartphones, several things come to mind. Although it is true that lately it has advanced by leaps and bounds. Phones considered the most physically beautiful are not the ones that are part of it.

El Lenovo S5 shines among a mid-range that still has a lot of room for improvement. And it does so, among other things because it has a design and shapes that other higher-end smartphones with a much higher price might well want.

It is true that it is not an original phone to use. It looks like many devices that are part of the most current market. But he has managed to keep the best of each house to form a set that stands out greatly compared to almost anyone. We liked it a lot, does it show?

En Androidsis We have received the red version, and it has fascinated us from minute one. When we took it out of the box and had it in our hands we quickly noticed two important aspects. Is a very thin phone, something we were not used to lately. And another important detail is how little it weighs.

Lenovo S5, a red color that will raise passion

It has become clear to us that the red color of the Lenovo S5 has been a real hit. Finished in metal alloy materials and with a shine that gives it a very "top" look. Its curved lines on the edges, and the shape of the insert of the screen in the body of the phone are really well done.

Al touch it turns out very pleasant thanks to a delicate roughness on the metal that helps the grip to be good. The weight, which for some is not considered an impediment, is also a plus point for those who prefer light smarpthones. With only 155 g you will not notice that you carry it in your pocket.

The Lenovo S5 is more discreet on the front. Entirely covered in glass, it has a screen with a diagonal of 5,7 inches. With a current 18 format: 9 which occupies approximately 75% of the front of the device.

In the lower part we find the connector for charging and data in format USB Type C. To your right is the speaker, and to his left the microphone. We see how Lenovo bets on the most current connector, and also does it differently from the rest.

In the upper part we see with Big surprise how Lenovo continues to maintain the 3.5mm jack audio connector. A clear example that it is possible for both connectors to coexist in the same device. The explanations of lack of space that other firms expose sound like excuses with little credibility in view of this Smartphone. USB Type-C and 3.5mm jack make a good pair.

The rear of the Lenovo S5 draws attention

On its rear several things stand out, and all for the better. First of all, as we have commented, the color Red that has been used in the Lenovo S5 has been a great bet and a great success. It is true that it is not the only firm that has recently opted for these shades. Even so, we must recognize that the final finish is excellent.

Another thing that stands out is its dual lens photo camera. In this case they are located in the upper left corner and not in the center. And the lenses are arranged horizontally next to each other. Next to him we find a monkey LED flash.

A little further down, and located centrally is the fingerprint reader. As we have already said on more than one occasion, we believe that it is the ideal location. It is comfortable, intuitive and we must also add that it works really well. Both in the upper and lower part we see what could be the antennas in the purest iPhone 6 style, although it could also be an aesthetic solution that suits you wonderfully.

We have already said it at the beginning, and we continue to think the same thing. The style and design of the Lenovo S5 we like it a lot. I would be without a doubt in an important position among the top of the most beautiful devices in the mid-range Android. Therefore, in design it obtains an outstanding note for the reasons that we have told you.

Lenovo S5 Features

Box contents

Now is the time to tell you everything we find inside the Lenovo S5 box. And we have to tell you that there is no nothing other than what we might expect. In the foreground we find the Smartphone. That, as we have said, draws attention just by holding it in your hands for its thinness and its light weight.

Under the device, and after lifting the hatch we find a silicone sleeve. We see that it is made of resistant silicone that seems of quality. Although as with all clear silicone cases, it could end up yellowish.

We also have the small pin to be able to remove the card slot. The USB data transfer and charging cable USB terminated type C. And the transformer to charge the device through electric current. Although we will need an adapter since this version of the Lenovo S5 does not come with the supported output with European plugs.

A generous 18: 9 screen

Who remembers the 5 inches? Not long ago, we considered a 5-inch phone screen large. We are seeing how the market for Smartphones evolves at a frenetic pace. And the size of the screens is a clear example. At Lenovo they have equipped the S5 with a 5,7 inch. Further and further away from the size that was standard.

A screen IPS LCD that not only stands out in size. It has 1080 x 2160 resolution, or what is the same, FHD +. Quality to spare to enjoy your photos or videos with the best user experience. It has 424 pixels per inch density, and a level of brightness that will make you read on the screen perfectly even in bright sunlight.

The screen is elegantly integrated into its metal body. Thanks to your 2.5D rounded glass insertion is very delicate. Keep in mind that the screen protrudes slightly from the body of the phone. Which could be a problem if it falls to the ground. This type of screen tends to break if we are unlucky enough to hit it in a corner.

By way of "absence"We have to say that not even on the entire front of the device. Neither integrated inside the screen we find LED lights for notifications. A lesser evil for some, and a little more important for others. But that is still a relatively passable fault.

Power is not incompatible with elegance

We have already told you all the benefits of a well-worked and well-achieved design. And now it's the turn of power and muscle that the Lenovo S5 offers. Well we can start by saying that it has not been a disappointment. And it is that this device does not stop surprising us.

Inside we found a Qualcomm processor. A signature that almost always seems reserved for the highest range. The Lenovo S5 bets on a processor whose performance has been amply demonstrated, for example, in the Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro, and the acclaimed Mi A1, among others. We talk about Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 MSM8953.

We have a processor Octa Core with 64-bit architecture at 2 GHz. In the version that we have been able to test the Lenovo S5 comes equipped with 3 GB of RAM. And they are completed with a capacity of 32GB storage. We have tested phones with much more GB in both registers, but as we say, performance does not always depend on it.

The Lenovo S5 features slot to be able to expand the memory ROM, which a priori seems the weakest. So with a good memory card we can have all the storage capacity we want. And a 3 GB RAM seems to be up to the minimum that today is already required in the mid-range.

Regarding the part print shop the Lenovo S5 also features Qualcomm. Comes equipped with the GPU Qualcomm Adreno 506. A graphics card that is also known for delivering top-notch results. A great choice without a doubt that completes a powerful team.

State-of-the-art software with a "but"

We will begin by saying in favor of Lenovo that android version on which the S5 works is Android 8.0 Oreo. We did not expect less, really. Although we have seen several devices born on the same dates, there are many that have not yet finished making the leap to the latest version of Google's operating system.

According to the customization layer that incorporates Lenovo we do not have many objections to put. The truth is that it is a cape little or no "invasive". Does not hinder access to settings. And although it is not a simple aesthetic layer. It really contributes little more to what Android offers us as standard.

Among the latests Moravia's compositions Lenovo's own apps the app stands out from the rest of the photo camera. In addition to the great multitude of options it offers, we find a very intuitive menu. In a very simple way we can access the basic settings, as well as change the capture mode, etc.

The "but" ... the version of the ROM received was in Chinese

Regarding the software of the Lenovo S5 we have found a stumbling block that at first it was a problem. And then we have been able to save in a "passable" way. The ROM of the device received is not a European version. So when we turn on the phone we have found that the installed language is Chinese.

The most that we could get is change the language to english. Still, there are things, like the name of some apps that are still in the Asian language. So it is impossible to know what they are or what they are for. Being what we could consider more serious than the application of Google's Play Store was not installed either.

The truth is that after getting the Google Play Store installed, everything was easier. We have already been able to use the installed applications in Spanish. And although the device settings menu remains in English, the phone is more accessible and functional.

We do not want to insist too much on this aspect since it "hits" depends on the version of the Lenovo S5 that we have received. Of course, if we acquire the telephone in Spain through any store or distributor, we will have the Spanish language among those available. But from the moment we turn on the phone, until we have managed to use it normally, it has been a small headache.

Photography comes powerful in the Lenovo S5

One of the things that most attracts attention Within the attractive physical appearance of the Lenovo S5 is its dual camera. In addition to the striking red color, and the success of the materials used, the camera and the arrangement of it on the device they like a lot.

It turns out that the camera is not just an aesthetic solution to make the Lenovo S5 look pretty. Fortunately we have a camera capable of delivering high-quality captures. Combining two lenses of the same power, 13 Megapixels each, make it a camera that wastes power and offers great results.

We really liked the app for the camera of photos that the Lenovo S5 uses. It has a lot of possibilities in the settings. In addition to giving us a choice between various shooting modes. Among them stands out the call "dual" mode that achieves the so famous "portrait" effect. Simply focusing on the desired object and shooting we will obtain tremendously visual photos.

As we see in the photo with «dual» mode the game of focus and blur is very well done. We have been able to test dual camera devices that were not able to precisely delineate the part in focus. The Lenovo S5 camera application gives us the option to enlarge the part to focus. And in all its options we obtain quality results.

The couple of twin CMOS sensors, with focal aperture 2.2 and the same resolution is well defended in all situations. We obtain shots with very good level of realism and brilliant colors.

We have been able to observe a very good focus speed sensors. The autofocus is really fast, and it is able to focus several times on an object even in motion.

Selfies at a higher level

If the rear dual camera has a pair of 13 Megapixel sensors, the front camera is not at all short. With a 16 megapixel camera selfies go to another level. In addition to having a resolution not seen in front cameras, we have some extras that make it even better.

The front camera of the Lenovo S5 has wide angle up to 80º. A great advance that will make it easier for us to focus on everything around us. Si You are looking for a Smartphone that is of great importance to photography and you are fond of selfies Lenovo S5 could be a great candidate for next Smartphone.

We cannot forget about video recording options. Among the options offered by the camera application, among which stand out slow motion, or time lapse. We also find the possibility of performing videos in 4k quality. A real luxury that we rarely find in the mid-range.

Good autonomy and better optimization

We have said it in countless reviews. Battery size it matters, and a lot, but it's not the only important thing. We have been able to test smartphones with huge batteries that then did not offer anywhere near the autonomy they promise. Also being very heavy devices precisely because they have large batteries.

The optimization of all the components of the Smartphone is key so that the energy consumption is under control. The Lenovo S5 has a 3.000 mAh battery. A battery that a priori is not bad. Although compared to some smartphones that offer 8.000 or even 11.000 mAh it could seem even ridiculous.

The point is that the 3.000 mAh of the Lenovo S5 is stretched in an incredible way. We did not expect such a light and thin phone to be able to offer without problems a day and a half of intensive use. The Lenovo S5 will be able to keep up with us for a full day without slowing down.

I said, a good job optimization it is much more cost effective than a huge battery. At the end of the day, what the user demands is not more mAh, but more autonomy. It is clear that if we want a slim Smartphone that does not weigh, we cannot aspire to batteries like those of the Blackview P10000 Pro 11.000 mAh. But if having a decent battery we get a minimum of duration there are those who are happy to be satisfied.

Sound and extras

The sound section, on the Lenovo S5, does not stand out on the rest of benefits. And seen these it is normal that it does not. As we have been able to see the notes that this phone has obtained in almost all aspects it has been very good. Therefore, and so that the mean does not drop too much, we can affirm that meets, without frills, with the minimum we can expect from a mobile phone.

We do not have the most powerful sound that a Smartphone can offer. But, as we say, it perfectly fulfills its mission. In addition, with a maximum volume level that is not bad, there are no distortions or uncomfortable sound vibrations. I said, approved.

Here we could also talk about fingerprint sensor that it has on its back. Located, in our opinion, in the best possible place, works perfectly. The first reading for the engraving of the fingerprint is carried out in a very fast. And the unlocking is also fast with a effective and safe reading.

We have already commented on it in the camera section, but here we mention it as an interesting extra. Bill wide angle with which the frontal camera It seems like a great idea to us. No longer will you have to stretch your arm inspector gadget style to fit all of them. We like to see that work is being done to improve the most basic aspects of our phones.

There is a detail that we could introduce in the section of the screen, but that we thought was good to highlight separately. The Lenovo S5 has, like almost all smartphones, a light sensor. As a general rule I do not use the automatic mode because it is uncomfortable that it is lighter or darker than we like.

The S5's automatic sensor for brightness is very accomplished and fine-tuned. At all times he has offered us the ideal brightness level without having to adjust it manually. And both in good light conditions, and in low light conditions, the setting has been appropriate. Although this may seem normal, from experience, the automatic brightness does not usually match what I need at all times.

Pros and Cons to buy (or not) the Lenovo S5

Pros

The first "pro" is without a doubt design. Successful in many respects, materials chosen, the color red that we loved, and an elegant arrangement of all the elements.

The weight it is something that attracts attention. We refer to Lightweight featuring the Lenovo S5 with only 155 g. Almost half the weight of other devices we have recently tested in Androidsis.

Photo cameras is another of the strengths of this mobile phone. its 13 + 13 Megapixel dual lens in the rear camera it offers very satisfactory results. And the front camera with 16 Megapixels and wide angle they also scratch at a very high level.

We loved it see together on the same device the USB Type C charging connector and the 3,5 mm mini Jack audio connector. It is clear that it is possible, hopefully other manufacturers take note.

Cons

One of the biggest "cons" has been the ROM language that we have found installed on the device that we have been able to test. Turn on a phone and find the language in Chinese It is not what we like the most. And we recognize that it has been more difficult than expected to change the language and install the Google Play Store. We are sure, as we have already commented, that it is a problem that in the global version will not be repeated.

The charger that comes inside the Lenovo S5 box, in the version received, not compatible with European plugs. We will need an adapter to be able to use it. Another inconvenience that will be solved with the terminals that are sold directly in Europe.

Although it is a very nice aesthetic solution, the screen slightly protrudes from the body of the device it can be a hazard. We think that this decision that attends to a more elegant design makes the Lenovo S5 more fragile in the event of a possible fall.

Editor's opinion