Upcoming Phones

Yesterday I took a look at the newly released Lenovo S720, which feels a tab bit expensive, but Lenovo has released another 4.5-inch Android, the Lenovo A800, and this one hits all the right cords. The Lenovo A800 is priced at Php6,999, or 3K less than Lenovo S720. 

For the lower price, the A800 gets a downgraded display, a 4.5-inch FWVGA (480 x 854) display instead of the qHD (540 x 960) display on the S720. The camera on the A800 is a 5 MP unit, instead of the 8 MP unit in the S720. You also loose the front camera. The A800 is also a bit thicker and heavier than the S720.

The rest of the specifications are the same, with Android 4.0.4 on board, dual SIM capability, 512 MB of RAM, 4 GB of internal storage, a MicroSD card slot and a 2000 mAh battery. As a "bonus" the A800 has a faster 1.2 GHz dual core processor than the 1.0 GHz processor on the A720. Both phones use MediaTek chipsets.

At the lower price point, it is Php500 cheaper than the MyPhone A888. The MyPhone has a higher resolution qHD display, but the a A800 has a larger battery (2000 mAh versus 1700 mAh). It is a though choice between these two.

The A800 costs Php700 more than a Cherry Mobile Flame, but the A800 has a a larger battery and a more powerful processor and graphics. 

Competition also comes from the Cherry Mobile Blaze and SkyFire, but the 1500 mAh battery in those phones, combined with large 4.7-inch displays means poor battery life. The A800 would be well worth the additional Php500 to Php1,000 as compared to these two.

It not a clear win, but with a 7K budget, the Cherry Mobile Flame, MyPhone A888 and the Lenovo A800 are the best three choices.