Lenovo’s K8 Note is perhaps the first phone post the Lenovo-moto acquisition that benefits from or inculcates signature characteristics of both brands. It’s meant to be a multimedia and entertainment powerhouse with underlying stock Android simplicity. It’s also the first Lenovo phone with dual rear cameras.So, yes the handset holds a lot of promise on paper, but what about the real life experience? Let’s elaborate on that in our Lenovo K8 Note Review.
So, yes the handset holds a lot of promise on paper, but what about the real life experience? Let’s elaborate on that in our Lenovo K8 Note Review.
Note: This is a comprehensive analysis. If you have a specific question related to Lenovo K8 Note, you can also check our detailed FAQ.
Lenovo K8 Note Advantages and Disadvantages
Pros
- Long lasting battery with Turbo charging
- Rear camera performance
- Dedicated microSD card slot
- Stock Android software
- Solid build, Splash resistant
Cons
- Design could have been better
- No 4K videos
Lenovo K8 Note Specifications
- 5.5-inch IPS LCD, 1,080 x 1,920 resolution (Full HD), 2.5D Gorilla Glass 3
- MediaTek 2.3GHz Helio X23 deca-core ( 2x Cortex A72 + 4x Cortex-A53 + 4x Cortex-A53), Mali T880 GPU
- 3GB/ 4GB of RAM
- 32GB/64GB internal memory
- Android 7.1.1 Nougat
- 13MP + 5MP depth sensor, f/1.7 aperture lens, phase detection autofocus, dual-LED (dual tone) flash, 1080p videos
- 13MP front camera, f/2.0 aperture lens
- 154.5 x 75.9 x 8.5 mm and 180 grams
- Rear mounted fingerprint scanner
- Dual SIM slot (Hybrid), LTE with VoLTE, WiFi, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS
- Sensors: Gyroscope, Magnetometer, Accelerometer, Proximity, Ambient light, Orientation, Step_Counter, Gravity, Rotation Vector
- 4400mAh battery, turbo charging
- Colors: Gold, Black
- Lenovo K8 Note Price in India: Rs. 12,999/ Rs. 13,999
Also Read: Best dual camera phones under 20,000 INR
Lenovo K8 Note Design and Build
Lenovo K8 Note isn’t a very fancy looking phone. It plays safe with a rather customary metal unibody casing, has beefy top and bottom bezels, and lies on the heavier side of the spectrum.
At the same time, the design is functional and doesn’t get in the way. The phone is quite solid and durable, It’s splash resistant, there is 2.5D glass on the front, there is a dedicated microSD card slot, the power key and volume rocker are positioned right, and the fingerprint reader is within easy reach.
The most conspicuous design aspect that makes K8 Note stand apart is the dedicated music key. If you are a music person, this is what you will probably use to skip songs (double press) or to Play/pause (Long press). You can customize it to open a particular app or shortcut as well.
After about a couple of weeks of usage, we are not bothered by the heft anymore but do wish the K8 Note was a few notches slimmer. Then again, other competitive big battery phones in this budget aren’t slim either and perhaps this is a trade off most people are willing to accept in return for better battery mileage.
Also Read: Best Lenovo K8 Note Covers and Cases
Lenovo K8 Note Display
The Full HD display on the Lenovo K8 Note is sharp and vibrant. Colors are punchy and viewing angles are wide. The touch glass is a tad reflective, but the display is still legible under direct sunlight. The color temperature isn’t perfect but that’s not something most budget smartphone buyers would particularly mind. This is not the best display that you can get in this budget, but it certainly feels adequate for the price.
Lenovo K8 Note Performance and Software
The K8 Note performance has been very consistent. The Helio X23 chipset is powerful enough to facilitate smooth day-to-day usage, and the handset can dexterously handle casual and heavy gaming loads. If you are a basic and moderate user, the raw power of Helio X23 should be good enough to sustain your needs.
The phone gets warm with heavy usage, long photography sessions, turbo charging, and even with prolonged phone calls, but the temperature remains within control and it cools down pretty fast too. We did observe some stuttering when the temperature soared.
The software is stock Android that shall appeal to the minimalists. Since there are no ‘heavy’ customization layers on top, the stock Android gives some assurance that the performance won’t degrade as much in the long run and is generally viewed as a safe bet. Besides, it’s intuitive and looks better than most shoddy custom ROMs that might not be in line with your taste.
Also Read: Understanding Smartphone Dual Cameras and How They Work
The downside is lack of customization options, something that many consumers coming from, say MIUI background, might find to be a bit lackluster. There is a good chance that the third party apps that you might install to add more functionality might end up draining your battery and leaching on resources more than a custom ROM.
The software on the K8 Note has been lifted off the Moto shelves. Moto actions and other light additions have been stripped off too with nothing to replace them with.
We for one, are content with the software and would rather have stock software on an affordable or mid-range phone. At the same time, it will be a good time for Lenovo to start adding some nifty options, the way OnePlus does it, as Lenovo software evolves further.
Overall, the experience of the Lenovo K8 Note is good enough for its price. It isn’t immaculate, but it’s still quite consistent and dependable.
Lenovo K8 Note Camera Performance
The 13MP primary rear camera on the K8 Note (f/1.7 aperture) works really well. In proper lighting, details are significantly better than what we see with other phones in this budget. The camera can lock focus quickly and accurately, and shots are well exposed more often than not.
Even indoors, the camera performance is pretty good. In very low light, the performance understandably dwindles – noise creeps in and you will have to work extra hard to capture a stable shot.
The front camera (with LED flash and wide f/2.0 aperture) also makes a solid case for itself and shall appeal to selfie enthusiasts out there.
The dual camera performance, on the other hand, is work in progress and will have to be perfected with future updates. For now, the camera struggles to accurately distinguish between the foreground and background. As for video recording, you can record decent quality Full HD videos on the K8 Note.
Lenovo K8 Note Camera Performance
Lenovo K8 Note Battery Backup, Audio, and Other Features
The 4000mAh battery on the K8 Note could comfortably last us through our work day with enough to spare for bed time. At the same time, the battery drains pretty fast with gaming and in poor network coverage areas. The Turbo charger bundled in the box can top it up in a little less than 2 hours (so the charging is reasonably fast).
The audio output through the speakers is loud and fairly clear. The Dolby Atmos also makes a noticeable difference when you use good quality headphones. The fingerprint sensor on the phone is fast and accurate. Jio SIM cards are supported in both slots. Native Jio Video calling is also supported.
Lenovo K8 Note Review
The K8 Note is a mature product which does several things right. The stock Android software, impressive daylight camera performance, solid build quality, and reasonable battery backup are its primary highlights.
There are a few flaws like the generic design, but these are things that affordable phone buyers can look past. The K8 Note is a worthy recommendation for moderate users looking for a phone under 15,000 INR.
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