With the recent introduction of the Honor 5X to the Indian market, the battle for the dominance in the mid-range price category is on. Major players in this category, like Huawei, Xiaomi, Lenovo and the fairly new company LeEco, have all introduced some spectacular devices, with extremely competitive specifications.
So, with all these recent releases being so close that is making it exhausting to opt for one, here is a comparison of the Honor 5X, Redmi Note 3, Vibe K4 Note and Le 1s, in terms of their displays, design, specs, camera, battery and extra features.
Display
The Huawei Honor 5X features a 5.5-inch, 1920X1080 pixels resolution display that has a pixel density of 401ppi.
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 sports a 5.5-inch, 1920X1080 pixels resolution display that has a pixel density of 403ppi.
The Lenovo Vibe K4 Note packs a 5.5-inch, 1920X1080 pixels resolution display that has a pixel density of 401ppi.
The LeEco Le 1S comes with a 5.5-inch, 1920X1080 pixels resolution display that has a pixel density of 403ppi.
In this category, all devices have quite similar specs, with the Le1S and Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 gaining a slight upper hand. Do note that all the smartphones have an IPS LCD panel on the front.
Design
Furthermore, lets ave a closer look at the dimensions, thickness and weight of each device.
The Honor 5X measures 151.3 x 76.3 x 8.2 mm, is 8.2 mm in thickness and weighs 158 grams.
The Redmi Note 3 measures 150.00 x 76.00 x 8.65 mm, is 8.65 mm in thickness and weighs 164 grams.
The Vibe K4 Note measures 153.6 x 76.5 x 9.2 mm is 9.2mm in thickness and weighs 158 grams.
As for the Le 1s, it measures 151.1 x 74.2 x 7.5 mm is 7.5mm in thickness and weighs 169 grams.
Based on the above, it is obvious that the Le 1s is the slimmest device but is also the heaviest. Moving on to the built quality, all devices except the K4 Note feature a full-metal body type design. So, if you are a fan of metal, the K4 will please you inadequately, since only the layer wrapped around the four edges is made by the particular material.
Specs
Here we will be discussing the processor, RAM and internal memory of each device.
Starting with the Honor 5X, it features a 64-bit octa-core Qualcomm MSM8939 Snapdragon 615 processor with a quad-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A53 and a quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A53 along with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage, which is expandable via microSD card to 128GB.
The Redmi Note 3 packs an octa-core Mediatek MT6795 Helio X10, with an octa-core 2.0 GHz Cortex-A53 processor. Two RAM/internal memory options are available; 2GB/16GB and 3GB/32GB. The internal memory is non-expandable.
Underneath the hood, the Vibe K4 Note is powered by an octa-core Mediatek MT6753 with an octa-core 1.3 GHz Cortex-A53, coupled with 3GB RAM and 16GB internal storage that is expandable to 128GB via external microSD card.
The Le 1s boasts a 2.2GHz octa-core, MediaTek Helio X10 processor, and 3GB of RAM. The internal storage is 32GB and is non-expandable.
In this comparison, the Honor 5X, according to us, is the best deal, as we think that that Snapdragon processor is a better performer than the MediaTek. However, this is just a personal choice, as the MediaTek processor also offer good overall performance. Along with that, the expandable internal memory is also a plus on the Huawei device.
Both Redmi Note 3 and Le 1s feature MediaTek Helio X10 processors, with the later device having an advantage in the clocking frequency. However, the lack of an expandable storage is definitely a setback.
As for the Lenovo Vibe K4 Note, the processor is a bit outdated and the clocking frequency is lesser than all other devices. However, the expandable storage option is a good add-on.
Camera
The Honor 5X features a 13 MP rear camera with f/2.0 aperture, autofocus, and dual-LED, dual tone flash. As for the front-facing camera, it has a 5 MP, f/2.4 aperture sensor.
The Redmi Note 3 features a 13 MP rear camera with, f/2.2 aperture phase detection autofocus and dual-LED, dual tone flash. It supports a 5 MP front camera with, f/2.0 aperture.
The Vibe K4 Note features a 13 MP rear camera with f/2.2 aperture, phase detection autofocus, and dual-LED, dual tone flash. As for the front facing camera, it packs a 5MP sensor with f/2.2 aperture.
Lastly, the Le 1s supports a 13MP rear camera with f/2.0 aperture, phase detection autofocus, and dual-LED, dual tone flash, while the front-facing camera comes ith a 44 MP shooter with f/2.0 aperture.
In this category, the sensor size of all the devices is quite comparable, with the Le 1s having a smaller front facing sensor. However, the Vibe K4 Note puts forward a better balance into the two cameras with solid aperture values. Do note that lower f/x values are preferred for the camera aperture.
Battery
The Honor 5X has a 3,000 mAh battery that is supported by smart power 3.0 and is claimed to last for 10 hours by Huawei.
The Redmi Note 3 is supported by a 4,000 mAh battery.
The Vibe K4 Note is backed by a 3,300 mAh battery.
The Le 1s has a 3,000mAh and comes with a Type-C USB charger. LeEco claims that plugging the Le1s for just 5 minutes can ensure 3.5 hours of talk time.
Do note that all the devices have a non-removable battery. As for the capacity, the clear winner of this comparison is the Redmi Note 3, with a significantly juice runner.
Other features
All of the mentioned handsets feature a fingerprint sensor, embed on the back. Huawei is a brand that is known for making good and responsive sensors. However, the other devices are also quite accurate. The Le 1s has a mirror-surface fingerprint sensor, which the company claims can unlock the phone from any angle within 0.15s.
As for connectivity, all contestants are dual-sim capable and come with each standard option available.
The Lenovo K4 Note has a special feature. The display is powered by TheatreMax technology, which allows the device to turn into a virtual reality display when used with a VR headset. The speakers on the device are Dolby Atmos enabled, that is sure to deliver an immersive sound performance.
Pricing
When it comes to pricing, the Huawei Honor 5X is priced at 12,999 INR, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 will set you back 13,999 INR, the Lenovo Vibe K4 Note is priced at 11,999 INR while LeEco’s Le 1s retails for 10,999 INR – unlocked variants.
The Verdict
The pricing of the LeEco Le 1s is definitely very competitive. However, the lack of expandable storage can definitely be a turn-off factor for some of you. Other than that, the device is definitely a good option.
The Honor 5X, on the other hand, is a perfect package with all the specs quite balanced out.
The Lenovo Vibe K4 Note is quite unique, as the virtual reality ability along with Dolby Atmos does make it stand out in this comparison.
Last but not the least, the Redmi Note 3 is a good buying option, as it has quite decent specifications with a solid build quality. Xiaomi has been in India for quite some time now and has established itself as a name that is associated with good quality mid-range devices.
Overall, we consider Huawei’s offering, the Honor 5X, better balanced and a complete package when it comes to the ‘value for money’ factor.