<div>Six-inch smartphones are no longer a rarity, of course, but even so, one can’t help but re-notice the sheer largeness each time. The Vibe Z2 from Lenovo makes you remark on its size from the moment you hold the device. It’s a hunk of a phone, rather masculine, solid, even heavy. My feminine hands find the smartphone rather chunky, even though I’m accustomed to my own large phone. But then there’s a reason the Vibe Z2 is built like a tank. It is meant to appeal to geeks; those who want a lot of phone and want to do a lot with it. It really contrasts with Lenovo's recently launched Vibe X2, which is more dainty and fashionable, prettily coloured and for those who care very much about a phone's looks The Z2 Pro on the other hand, is all magnesium alloy and well, like the motorcycle of phones. The X2 is really a mid-range Android, but the Z2 is topped up with specs.<br /><br />The X2 isn’t a bad looker though. There's an interesting pattern on the non-removable back, in the metal, and Lenovo's logo glints nicely in the top center. One other little accent breaks the grey sheen on the back -- a red border around the camera lens. I don't know if this does the job of protecting the protruding lens a bit. The sides are somewhat rounded and so smooth that the phone can slip silkily to the floor if you’re not careful.<br /><br />Still, in the weeks it's been with me, I've gotten very fond of the Z2 Pro. It's targeted right at someone like me, letting me do a lot with that roomy Quad-HD screen and I find myself missing a tablet less and less. If it weren't for a handful of specific creativity apps on the iPad, I'd be content with using a phone the size of this one. For one, the screen, an IPS LCD, is comfortable to work with. It has a high pixel density of 490 so everything is good to look at. You can even adjust the colour balance on it to give it a warm yellow tinge and make it easier on the eyes. Both comfort and expanse make it great to watch video on this device. It has a good full sound, really adding to the experience. Calling and Skyping have been satisfyingly clear. Reading, browsing and going through your photos is rather nice too. The colours on this screen are very strong and saturated, but well, I rather like it that way, all vivid and bright. Sunlight legibility is okay.<br /><br />The Vibe Z2 Pro (and yes, I’m fed up of all these confusing Z-something names companies are so fond of) has a top-of-the-line set of specs. There’s the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 2.5GHz Quad-core processor, working with 3GB of RAM and Adreno 330 graphics processor. There’s 32GB of internal storage with no external card slot. And a big 4,000mAh battery. The camera doesn’t skimp on specs either – it’s a 16MP and a 5MP set.<br /><br />Lenovo has its own interface Vibe UI 2.0 on top of Android 4.4.2 (sadly not the latest version of Android) and one can’t say when and how readily the update to Lollipop will happen, though there were hints that it will, in time. The Lenovo interface has a few bells and whistles such as themes, gestures and tricks on the lock screen, but for the most part anyone who’s tech savvy will want to take up the option of switching to stock Android, which is one of the best things about this phone. Tap seven times on the Android version in Settings and you’ll activate the developer mode from where you can just tap on the option to switch the interface.<br /><br />For those who want it all, the 16MP camera is really quite good, not a low-light specialist, but definitely good with details in images. It has optical image stabilization, autofocus, and dual LED flash and can do 4k video recording.<br /><br />This big phone isn’t without its problems, though. It used to heat up, but after a software update, I haven’t faced any issues with that. Even while video recording, the phone didn’t heat up as much as some users are reporting. They also report some rebooting, which I didn’t find even once on the device. It’s fast enough, even with many apps on it. The Vibe Z2 Pro does hiccup though, at specific points such as when unlocking the screen. I also faced a few app crashes, frequently fixed with a reboot. The screen also goes unresponsive at times and needs to be tapped or swiped in a specific way. Again, not enough to make me want to stop using the device. Benchmark tests put it close to the Galaxy S5.<br /><br />The battery, despite being a whole 4,000mAh, doesn’t last as long as one would have thought and compares with phones that are a 1,000mAh less. There are power saving options but how often will one want to save battery when one has bought a large phone to use as both phone and tablet?<br /><br />The Vibe Z2 Pro is a dual-SIM but both are not active and one doesn’t support 3G. Call quality was pretty good and in fact, better than my primary phone, the Note 4. It supports 4G networks. For Rs.32,990 on Flipkart, it’s a good buy but of course, it competes with a host of others in this price bracket. <br /><br />mala@businesworld.in<br />mala.bhargava@gmail.com<br />@malabhargava</div>
BW Reporters
Mala Bhargava has been writing on technology well before the advent of internet in Indians and before CDs made their way into computers. Mala writes on technology, social media, startups and fitness. A trained psychologist, she claims that her understanding of psychology helps her understand the human side of technology.
