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VK 6050 S Smartphone – HUGE 6050mAh battery gives 4 days of use with this great phone [Review] [Editors Choice]

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For a long time now, people have been asking for longer battery life for their mobile phones, but until recently the manufacturers seem to have been more focused on style over substance. But recently we’ve noticed a change from the Android makers, and it’s excellent. These new phones offer around 3 days of operation from a charge, which makes life so much easier. And now there’s a new king of the jungle out there, which offers even more.

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Say hello to the VK 6050 S Android Smartphone, a really sweet handset which comes with a massive 6050mAh battery, which is enough to power the thing to around 4 days of operation from a single charge. Suddenly weekend trips don’t seem so scary if you’ve forgotten your charger. We’ve run one of these new 4G beasts through its paces, and come away very impressed. Take a look at our video overview below to get a feel of this neat new handset.

First impressions
The really strange thing about this budget phone is the fact that it really doesn’t seem so good on paper. Instead of an octa-core processor it features a ‘mere’ quad core running at 1 GHz. But it does come with 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of on-board storage. It also has a 5.5 inch 1280×720 screen, full 4G/LTE, WiFi, Bluetooth 4, OTG, and supports additional storage via microSD cards up to 32GB. Oh and there’s a 13 megapixel rear and 5 megapixel front camera, and it runs the latest greatest Android 5.1..

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The phone comes with the usual bits in the box, including a nicely done user manual, a hefty 2 amp charge block and an OTG adapter so you can plug external accessories like flash drives into the microUSB port. Sadly no MHL support though. The big deal, though, is of course inside, where you find a massive battery pack slotted into virtually the whole length of the casing, non-removable of course, as so many of these large batteries are.

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In use
The first thing we noticed was how nice and cool the phone runs. Where octa-core phones get very hot under load, when doing stuff like GPS satnav, or playing action games, this phone stays beautifully cool. It’s very nice, and probably bodes well for the overall longevity of the phone. Heat and electronics are not great pals. It’s also surprising how well the phone runs with such modest specs. The Antuttu score of 19229 is not shabby at all, and the handset coped with everything we threw at it easily.

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We did notice that large web pages took a while longer to page in than the octa-cores, so there’s definitely a difference, but certainly nothing major to complain about. And features like the GPS satnav work great, with a fast lock. The only thing is it does tend to wander when the vehicle is stationary in traffic or in built up areas. It clears instantly you start moving, and we’ve seen this in other MTK phones, so it’s ‘normal’, but we’re still not fond of it. Hopefully it will be sorted out in future generations of the motherboard.

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The phone is dual SIM, dual standby, and we found the call quality to be top class, very clear and easy to hear. Likewise the speakers, which are nicely loud, you should be able to hear the ringtone easily from inside your pocket or coat with this puppy. The other pleasant surprise was the camera, which is one of the best of these budget 13 megapixels we’ve tested. As you’ll see from the samples below, the results are pretty good in decent light, with some nice detail coming out. It’s always nice to find a good camera at this price point.

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The final point, of course, is about battery life. Which is, of course, amazing. The combination of the improved power management of Android 5.1, plus that stonking great battery makes for a phone which – like the Energizer Bunny – just keeps going and going. We had it doing GPS satnav, 3D games (admittedly a modest amount), Bluetooth transmission to the car stereo and browsing, as well as the usual calls and texts etc, and it easily hit 4 days with around 20% battery to spare. Now admittedly we do switch it to airplane mode at night, for all kinds of reasons, but even so, this is stellar performance.

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And it’s not as though the battery makes the phone hugely clunky and unwieldy. In fact it’s the 5.5 inch screen you notice more than the actual size of the phone, and while it’s definitely heavier than your typical phone, it’s not awkward to handle. Quite remarkable really, and if this trend is a sign of things to come, then we’re all for it. The pic below shows a comparison between a THL5000 and the VK 6050 (left).

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Conclusion
We’ve been waiting for a budget phone which delivered decent 4G performance, a good camera and battery life which removed range anxiety from our life, and this phone definitely delivers. It may be missing the added oomph of an octa-core processor and glamour features like NFC, but we’ll sacrifice all that for the relaxing feeling of knowing that your phone is probably not going to run out of power for days. It’s a great feeling. Recommended.

editorschoice4

Price: $159.95 / £103

Sample Images: (click on thumbnail to expand)

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Specifications:
OS Version: Android 5.1
CPU: MTK6735 Quad Core
Processor Speed (max): 1.0GHz
RAM: 2GB
Internal Memory: 16GB
External Memory: Support up to 32GB
Display Size: 5.5 Inch
Display Resolution: 1280×720
Touch Screen: Support Capacitive
Multi-touch: Support 5 Point
Frequency: 2G: GSM 850/900/1800/1900MHz; 3G: WCDMA 850/900/2100MHz; 4G: FDD-LTE B1/B3/B7/B20MHz
GPS
OTG
Hotknot
FM Radio
Smart Wake
Bluetooth 4.0
Smart Gesture
Portable Wi-Fi Hotspot (3G Tethering)
Google Play
Sensors: Proximity, Accelerometer, Gravity, Light
Mic and Speaker
Battery Size: 6050mAh
Continuous Usage Time: About 5 Hours
Battery Standby: About 360 Hours
Charging Time: 4 Hours
Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g/n
5 Megapixel Front-Facing Camera + 13 Megapixel F2.0 Rear Camera
Video Resolution: 640×480 Front / 1280×720 Back
Main Product Dimensions: 148 x 77 x 11 mm (L x W x D)
Main Product Weight: 187g

2 Comments

  • @nigel: can you post full size camera samples?

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