Lenovo A706 - 4.5-inch entry level quad core phone

Low cost quad core smartphones are becoming a dime a dozen these days. But that is a good thing. Lenovo's sub-Php10,000 entry into the arena is the Lenovo A706. It is an Android powered phone with a 4.5-inch FWVGA (480 x 854) display and a quad core 1.2 GHz Qualcomm S200 processor. I found it for sale at Php7,850 with an official warranty.

Now, let's get one thing out of the way. This chipset is not going to win any speed tests or power efficiency tests as against the quad core MediaTek MT6589. 

• The 1.2 GHz ARM Cortex-A5 processor on the Qualcomm S200 is not a match for the faster ARM Cortex-A7's you will find on the MediaTek MT6589.
• The Adreno 203 graphics processor on the Qualcomm S200 is a fair bit slower than the PowerVR SGX544 graphics processor you will find on the MediaTek MT6589. If the PowerVR name sounds familiar, it is because it is the same company where Apple sources its graphics processors.
• The HSPA radio on the Qualcomm S200 is slower than HSPA+ radio you will find on the MediaTek MT6589.
• The Qualcomm S200 is built on 45 nanometer technology which was the cutting edge by the end of 2010, while the MediaTek MT6589 is built on 28 nanometer technology, which is still the cutting edge in commercially available technology today.

The FWVGA (480 x 854) is not as sharp as the 4.5-inch qHD (540 x 960) and 4.7 to 5-inch HD (720 x 1280) displays you find on some of the other low cost offerings. Higher resolution displays consumer more power. If you check the battery stats of your Android phones, I am guessing that 50-60% of the battery consumption is because of the display. By combining a large 2000 mAh battery with a relatively power efficient 4.5-inch FWVGA, the Lenovo A706 should be one of the more power efficient low cost quad core phones available.

If you are in the market right now, and a reasonable amount of power balanced by endurance is a priority, this one could be worth a look.

Quick specifications:

• Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)
• 4.5-inch FWVGA (480 x 854) display
• Dual sim support
• 4 GB internal storage expandable via a MicroSD card slot
• 1 GB RAM
• 1.2 GHz quad core Qualcomm Snapdragon S200 Processor
• Adreno 203 graphics
• 5 MP autofocus primary camera with LED Flash
• 0.3 MP front camera
• HSPA
• WiFi
• Bluetooth
• A-GPS
• 2000 mAh battery