A consumer checks out smartphones (Reuters)
A consumer checks out smartphones (Reuters)Reuters

Xolo today (10 July) launched a new Black smartphone in India.

The new Xolo Black comes loaded with some top-notch features such as dual-camera, 64-bit class Snapdragon SoC (System on Chip) and yet can be bought for ₹12,999. 

It will be competing against the recently-released Lenovo K3 Note and the Asus Zenfone 2 (ZE551ML) in India.

To provide a better perspective on these phones, we briefly compare the key specifications of Xolo Black, Lenovo K3 Note and Asus Zenfone 2 (ZE551ML)

Display:

All thee three handsets, Xolo Black, Lenovo K3 Note and Asus Zenfone 2 (ZE551ML), feature full HD (1920x1080p) screen having pixel density of 401 ppi (pixels per inch).

But the Xolo Black and the Asus Zenfone 2 come with additional Gorilla Glass 3 protection on top, unlike the K3 Note that has no screen guard.

Xolo Black Pictures: View HERE

Processor, RAM and Storage Capacity:

All three phablets house 64-bit class SoC (System on Chip), but differ in processor type.

The Lenovo K3 Note ships with a 1.7GHz Mediatek [MT6752] Octa-core (ARM Cortex-A53) CPU backed by 2GB RAM and 16GB storage (expandable up to 32GB).

The Asus Zenfone 2 -ZE551ML (2GB RAM model) houses an equally impressive 64-bit class based 1.8GHz Intel Atom processor Z3560. It is backed by PowerVR G6430 graphics engine, 2GB RAM and 16 GB inbuilt memory with an option for up to +64GB via microSD card.

The Xolo Black comes loaded with Snapdragon 615 Octa-core, manufactured by Qualcomm. It also features 2GB RAM and 16GB inbuilt memory, expandable up to 32GB.

Camera:

On paper, both Asus and Xolo smartphones boast some enticing camera spec list.

The Zenfone 2 features a top-of-the-line 13mp camera on the rear-side, backed by proprietary PixelMaster technology, Backlight (HDR) mode, f/ 2.0 aperture, and 5mp snapper on the front with 88-degree field of view and also comes with ZenUI Selfie Panorama mode, which can capture panoramic selfies with up to a 140-degree field of view.

Once released, the Xolo Black will set a new bar in the mid-range smartphone category in terms of camera specifications. It houses a feature-rich dual-camera on the rear-side having a 13mp primary camera and a 2mp secondary camera to provide good photography experience.

The additional camera sensor besides the main camera module of Xolo Black can be used to capture detailed in-depth information of the scene enabling users to re-focus objects on the photos clicked via Ubifocus application.

On the front, it houses a 5mp snapper with smart LED flash to get good quality photos under low-light conditions.

The Lenovo K3 Note features a 13mp camera with Dual-tone LED flash, HDR, full HD video recording and a 5mp snapper on the front.

Mobile Operating System:

All three devices stand even as they run on Android mobile OS platform. The only difference is that they feature custom skin of their own on top of the primary OS.

Asus Zenfone 2 and Lenovo K3 Note run on Android 5.0 Lollipop with Zen UI and Vibe 2.5 UI, respectively.

The Xolo Black is powered by 5.0 Lollipop with proprietary Hive UI.

Price:

The Lenovo K3 Note comes with a ₹9,999 price-tag, making it the most affordable full HD phablet in the market.

If buyers are ready to shell a few thousand rupees more, they can go for either the Asus Zenfone 2 (ZE551ML) or the Xolo Black. The two devices boast top-notch cameras and cost ₹14,999 and ₹12,999 respectively.

[Note: Xolo Black will go on sale via Flipkart on 13 July, more information, HERE]

Honorable mention:

The Meizu M1 Note too features good features and costs ₹11,999. 

Read more: Lenovo K3 Note vs. Asus Zenfone 2 (ZE551ML) vs. Meizu Note M1: Which Full HD Phablet Suits You Best?

Key Specifications of Lenovo K3 Note, Asus Zenfone 2 (ZE551ML) and Xolo Black:

Models Xolo Black Lenovo K3 Note Asus Zenfone 2 (ZE551ML)
Display 5.5-inch full HD (1920x1080p) IPS screen with OGS (One Glass Solution) technology
  • Pixel density: 401 ppi (pixels per inch)
  • Phones comes protected with Corning Glass 3 shield on both front and back
  • Oleophobic coating on both sides to make the phone stain-and-smudge free
  • 5.5-inch full HD (1920x1080p) IPS screen
  • Pixel density: 403 ppi
5.5-inch full HD (1920x1080p) IPS screen with wide 178-degree viewing angle. It also boasts of ASUS TruVivid display technology and is protected by Gorilla Glass 3 shield
  • Pixel density: 403 ppi (pixels per inch)
OS Android 5.0 Lollipop with Hive UI Android 5.0.2 Lollipop (with Vibe v2.5 UI) Android 5.0 Lollipop OS with custom Zen UI
Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 Series Octa-core (1.7GHz quad-core ARM Cortex A53 + 1.0GHz quad-core A53) CPU 64-bit class 1.7GHz Mediatek [MT6752] Octa-core (ARM Cortex-A53) CPU 2GB RAM/16GB/1.8GHz Quad Core Intel Atom Z3560
GPU Adreno 405 Mali-T760MP2 PowerVR G6430 GPU
RAM 2GB LPDDR3 2GB 2GB
Storage Capacity 16GB, expandable up to 32GB 16GB, expandable up to 32GB 16GB/32GB/64GB/ 128GB (+ 64GB via microSD card)
Camera Main: (13mp + 2mp) dual camera
  • 13mp camera features 5-element lens, f/2.0 aperture, full HD video recording
  • 2mp camera features 3-element lens, f/2.4 aperture

Front: 5.0-megapixel camera with 5-element lens, f/2.0 aperture, front flash and 81-degree angle lens

  • Add-ons: LED Chroma flash , intelligent OptiZoom, Adobe photo studio, ubiFocus,
  • Main: 13.0-megapixel camera with Dual-tone LED flash, HDR, full HD video recording
  • Front: 5.0-megapixel camera
  • Main: 13.0-megapixel camera with PixelMaster technology, Backlight (HDR) mode, f/ 2.0 aperture, Real Tone flash , Zenflash (Xenon)
  • Front: 5.0-megapixel camera with 88-degree field of view and also comes with ZenUI Selfie Panorama mode which can capture panoramic selfies with up to a 140-degree field of view.
Battery 3200 mAh (Lithium polymer) with optimization feature, which helps phones to last 20% longer than conventional phones
  • Talk time: close to 36 hours 6 mins (2G)/23 hours 31 mins (3G)/ 6 hours 17 minutes (4G)
  • Standby time: up to 735 hours 31 minutes (2G)/698 hours 34 mins (3G)/547 hours (4G)
3000 mAh;
  • Talk time: up to 36 hours
  • Standby time: close to 750 hours
3000 mAh;
  • Comes with fast-charge technology where-in phone can get re-charged close to 60-percent battery capacity within 39 minutes
Network 4G-LTE 4G-LTE 4G-LTE (Cat 4: 150/50 mbps
Add-ons Breathing light (on power button) for notifications ,dual-SIM slots, Comet browser, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n), USB v2.0, USB OTG, microSD card slot, GPS/GLONASS, Dual-SIM (micro) slots, Bluetooth v4.0 (A2DP & LE), Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n), A-GPS. GLONASS, microUSB v2.0, FM Radio, Dolby Atmos audio system with surround sound feature Wi-Fi (802.11ac), Bluetooth, DSDA (Dual SIM Dual Active) SIM slots (type: micro)
Dimensions 155.5 x 76.6 x 7.3 mm 152.6 x 76.2 x 8.0 mm 152.5 x 77.2 x 3.9 ~ 10.9 mm
Weight N/A 150 g 170 g
Price ₹12,999/- ₹9,999/- 2GB RAM/16GB memory model (ZE551ML): ₹14,999/-