Affordable smartphones are becoming every day more exciting thanks to innovative features, improved performances, and exclusive above-average specifications. Lenovo Z5s, Nokia X7 (also known as Nokia 8.1 in the European market) and Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 are among the most impressive mid-rangers at the end of 2018 and at least one of them may soon become one of the most important best-sellers in the smartphone market. That is why we think a comparison between them could be very useful for people searching for a new affordable device.
Lenovo Z5s vs Nokia X7 vs Asus Zenfone Max Pro (M2)
| Lenovo Z5s | Nokia X7 | Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT | 156.7 x 74.5 x 7.9 mm, 172 grams | 154.8 x 75.8 x 8 mm, 180 grams | 157.9 x 75.5 x 8.5 mm, 175 grams |
| DISPLAY | 6.3 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), 409 ppi, LTPS IPS LCD | 6.18 inches, 1080 x 2280p (Full HD+), 408 ppi, IPS LCD | 6.26 inches, 1080 x 2280p (Full HD+), 403 ppi, IPS LCD |
| PROCESSOR | Qualcomm Snapdragon 710, octa-core 2.2 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 710, octa-core 2.2 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 660, octa-core 2.2 GHz |
| MEMORY | 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD slot | 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD slot | 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 64 GB – micro SD dedicated slot |
| SOFTWARE | Android 9 Pie, ZUI 10 | Android 9 Pie, Android One | Android 9 Pie |
| CONNECTIVITY | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS |
| CAMERA | Triple 16 + 8 + 5 MP f/1.8, f/2.4 and f/2.4 16 MP f/2.0 front camera |
Dual 13 + 2 MP f/1.8 20 MP f/2.0 front camera |
Dual 12 + 5 MP f/1.8 and f/2.4 13 MP f/2.0 front camera |
| BATTERY | 3350 mAh, fast charging | 3500 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| ADDITIONAL FEATURES | Hybrid Dual SIM slot | Hybrid Dual SIM slot | Dual SIM slot |
Design
Noone of these handsets has a midrange-class design and all of them have a premium look thanks to their outstanding glass backs. I personally prefer the Lenovo Z5s due to its higher screen-to-body ratio, the availability in gradient color variants and its smaller waterdrop notch, but Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 is not bad as well with its stunning reflective back. Nokia X7 does not match my tastes because of its anonymous look and a too big notch.
Display
We told you several times that if you want a very good display, then you should opt for a flagship. On midrange devices, you will rarely find a high-end display, and the same is for these three devices. Lenovo Z5s is slightly superior in my opinion because it has a slightly bigger screen and the LTPS technology, but the differences are marginal and you should not care a lot about it. Instead, it is better to consider other important specs such as performance and battery life.
Specs & Software
For a simple mid-ranger, these smartphones deliver awesome performances thanks to their great hardware components. Nokia X7 and Lenovo Z5s are the ones with the best performance as they are equipped with an octa-core Snapdragon 710 SoC by Qualcomm, while Zenfone Max Pro M2 comes with a lower-end Snapdragon 660. Nokia X7 should be slightly better thanks to Android One, a stock and lightweight version of the operating system which gets also updated in a faster and constant way. Also note that Lenovo Z5s and Nokia X7 come with Android Pie out of the box, while Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 is still based on Android Oreo.
Camera
Given that it was announced a few days ago, we still had no chance to test the cameras of Lenovo Z5s. But we believe that its triple camera should provide more interesting shots thanks to the bright aperture, a secondary sensor for 2x optical zoom and a third depth sensor. On the other hand, Nokia X7 is amazing too with its dual camera sporting Carl Zeiss lens and OIS. It will be a hard fight between these two devices, while Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 is definitely worse with an average 12 MP dual camera.
Battery
Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 is the king of battery and it is among the best Android phones for battery life. It has a huge 5000 mAh unit and it can last up to two full days even with intensive use. Lenovo Z5s and Nokia X7 are not phones focused on battery, but they provide a sufficient battery life in every scenario.
Price
Nokia X7 is the only handset which comes with a much higher price tag than its rivals. It was recently launched in the global market for about €400, while you can get Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 and Lenovo Z5s in China for about €200. I would personally choose the Lenovo Z5s due to its amazing performance, great cameras, and stunning design, as well as its quality-price ratio. But Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 is the perfect phone for everyone who is searching for a phone with a great battery life, which is, in my opinion, the most important thing in midrange phones.
Lenovo Z5s vs Nokia X7 vs Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2: PROs and CONS
Lenovo Z5s
PROs
- Great performance
- Affordable price
- Triple camera
- Beautiful design
CONS
- Smaller battery
Nokia X7
PROs
- Compact
- Good performance
- Android One
- Wide availability
CONS
- Higher price
Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2
PROs
- Huge battery
- Affordable price
- Micro SD dedicated slot
- Gorilla Glass 6
CONS
- Worse hardware and cameras
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