The K3 Note is supposed to take on devices like the Meizu M2 Note, Xiaomi Redmi Note, and literally dozens of small-brand 5.5-inch phones designed on a budget. Speaking of which, we are dealing with a $149 phone here, yet a quick glance at the spec sheet could easily lead you to conclude that this is a $250+ device. That said, you are likely to pay a bit more than $149 due to strong demand, so many resellers are asking for $150-$160 or more. We received the sample from GearBest, which sells it for $152 with free shipping (depending on your location, VAT and customs may apply).

The phone features a 1080p IPS panel, 13-megapixel camera, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, Android 5.0, and a snappy MediaTek octa-core processor that breaks the 45,000 mark in AnTuTu. Not bad, eh?

There are, however, a few compromises and caveats, but on paper the Lenovo K3 Note looks like a winner. It's almost too good to be true, so let’s take a closer look. Surely, there must be something to complain about.

Design and Build Quality

If you’re a fashionista, you probably won’t be impressed by the conservative design of the K3 Note. It’s simple and utilitarian.

There’s no brushed aluminium, CNC-milled stainless steel or any fancy materials – just good old plastic and polycarbonate.

Three colour options are available: White, Black and Yellow (lemon yellow to be precise). As you can see, we got a white sample, and to be honest, we think it looks better than the other two.

The only difference between the three is the rear cover, which also houses the volume rocker and power button. In other words, you should be able to get a replacement cover in case you damage it, or if you just want to try out a different colour. We think Lenovo missed out on an opportunity here – the company could have rolled out a lot more colour options (think Nokia or Motorola).

As for the physical dimensions, the K3 Note is an average phablet. It measures 152 x 76 x 7.9mm, but thanks to the simple, polycarbonate and plastic construction, it weighs just 145g. This doesn’t sound very impressive until you factor in the user-replaceable 3000mAh battery.

At this point you are probably starting to suspect there is a catch, and that the build quality is subpar, or that something else is missing. Granted, the build is not as good as on phablets with plastic unibody designs, or metal frames, but it’s still pretty good. There is virtually no flex and the rear cover offers a snug fit. It doesn’t creak on the rear, or on the sides. However, the top and the bottom can flex a bit, and sound off in the process. Luckily, nobody is likely to grip their phone in such a way, so it’s not a big deal.

The matte finish on the polycarbonate back feels good and stands up to fingerprints and grease. It will obviously handle small scuffs and scratches better than glossy back covers on many similarly priced phones. It also offers a decent amount of grip.

The 1080p panel is protected by a pane of AGC Dragontrail glass, but that’s not all. The plastic bezels are not flush with the screen, so they offer some additional protection as well. 

The layout is more or less standard – volume rocker and power button on the right, USB and audio connectors on the top.

Since the back cover is removable, no card slots are visible from the outside. Overall, the design is not bad, although it’s not head-turning. Like we said, it’s utilitarian, so the focus is on practicality and value, rather than the “wow” factor.

There is nothing wrong with that, at least not in this market segment. This phone is designed for people who are after good performance on a budget, for people who just want a straightforward workhorse rather than a flashy fashion accessory.

Lenovo K3 Note Specs and Performance

What sets the Lenovo K3 Note apart from most of the competition is the well balanced spec. Instead of integrating gimmicks, Lenovo decided to keep it simple and focus its efforts on what really matters.

As a result, the K3 Note ended up with a 1080p IPS panel, although most of its potential competitors rock 720p panels. 4G is on board as well, but there aren’t that many bells and whistles. Still, you do get a lot for your money, including a good battery and camera.

Lenovo K3 Note specs:

• SoC: MediaTek MT6752, 28nm HPM
• CPU: Eight 64-bit Cortex-A53 cores clocked at up to 1.7GHz
• GPU: ARM Mali-T760 MP2 at up to 700MHz
• RAM: 2GB
• Storage: 16GB internal storage (single partition), microSD slot up to 64GB
• Display: 5.5-inch 1080p IPS panel
• OS: Android 5.0 w/ Vibe UI on top
• Rear camera: 13-megapixel sensor
• Front facing camera: 5-megapixel sensor
• Battery: 3000mAh lithium ion, user-replaceable
• Dimensions: 15.2 x 76 x 7.9mm
• Weight: 145g
• WiFi and Bluetooth: 802.11b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0
• Sensors: ambient light, direction, accelerometer, compass, proximity, GPS, A-GPS
• SIM card: dual SIM (micro SIM), dual standby
• Network support:
• 2G: GSM 900/1800/1900MHz
• 3G: WCDMA 850/900/1900/2100MHz
• 4G: FDD-LTE 1800/2100/2600MHz (Make sure to check regional compatibility prior to making a purchase)

Eagle-eyed camera geeks may have noticed that we did not specify what sort of camera sensor Lenovo decided to use. The company merely states that the main camera has an f2.0 aperture, but we are not entirely certain whether we are looking at a Sony, Samsung, or Omnivision sensor. The same goes for the front camera, but we will talk about that it detail in the next section.

The phone does not support NFC, but like most Asian phones, it has an FM radio.

We also like the fact that the storage is not partitioned, you get 16GB in one go. You can also use the microSD slot to beef up your music collection, and the phone can accommodate two SIM cards and a memory card at the same time, which is not the case on some dual-SIM phones with card tray designs.

Now, it’s time for some bench scores (spoiler alert – they are quite good).

Antutu comes in just shy of 46,000, which is an excellent score for this sort of device.

In 3D Mark Ice Storm Unlimited, the Lenovo K3 Note manages to outpace the competition based on the same MT6752 processor, and Qualcom’s Snapdragon 615.

Basemark OS results aren’t as impressive, but they’re still ok.

As you can see, the K3 Note punches well above its weight. The MediaTek MT6752 is a good performer, so it has no trouble handling a 1080p display. Of course, it’s still not close to flagship devices in terms of overall performance, especially in the GPU department.

Still, considering the price and target audience, these scores aren’t just adequate, they are excellent. What’s more, the responsiveness of the UI and Lenovo’s applications (namely the camera), is impressive for such a cheap device.

Audio, Display and Camera Quality

One of the headline features is the 1080p IPS panel, which is a big deal at this price point.

Most of the competition is still stuck at 720p, and at 5.5 inches the extra pixels make a big difference in many situations.

While the resolution is adequate, and amounts to just over 400ppi, display quality could have been better.

Lenovo is using some sort of IPS panel, but we noticed some washout at high viewing angles. That said, we must note that we were comparing the device to mid-range phones with similar displays. It’s understandable that Lenovo couldn’t go all out on the screen and get a top notch unit used on $500 phones, so we will give it a pass.

When all is said and done, you are probably better off with an average 1080p display than a 720p display with somewhat better viewing angles. Which would you choose?

In the audio department, Lenovo chose to implement some MaxxAudio solutions, so the phone comes with loads of EQ options and good audio output. The rear-firing speaker is above average, but it’s not spectacular. It is easily muffled when the phone is on your desk, but luckily you’ll have a hard time muffling it when it’s in your hand. Curiously, Lenovo sells another variant of the K3 Note in China, dubbed Angelic Voice. This strange phone comes with a different rear cover, which features a big, ceramic speaker.

Now for the mystery camera. While we could make an educated guess about the origin of the sensor, we are simply not sure. It is probably an OmniVision or Samsung unit, but it might as well be a Sony. All three companies have similar 13-megapixel sensors and we’re just not sure. Another possibility is that Lenovo maybe shipping the phone with sensors from different manufacturers – we simply don’t know.

In any case, most end-users couldn’t care less about this stuff, they just want their snaps to look good, so let’s turn to image quality. We are happy to report that it’s good, possibly the best we’ve seen on such a cheap device. The relatively fast f2.0 lens definitely helps, HDR is good, but just in case there’s not enough light, the phone also packs a powerful dual-LED flash.

We were pleased with outdoor results, although some images tended to be under-exposed. HDR also works quite well, preserving a lot of detail and maintaining enough contrast even in some very tricky situations (black graffiti on a sunny day).

There is a bit of HDR ghosting, but not much, as our 100% crop proves. Overall, HDR works quite a bit better than on most budget phones, although it does kill a bit of detail and you end up with a slight watercolour effect.

Indoor shots were just as good. In daylight, there’s practically no noise and the camera focuses with ease. It's a bit on the soft side.

What about some indoor night shots? Our “cafeteria” under incandescent lighting (no flash) still looks good, with low amounts of noise and a lot of detail. However, default Auto settings will often produce an under-exposed image. No big deal, this can be tweaked, but it could have been better.

Lenovo’s camera app was another pleasant surprise. You can access loads of useful and gimmicky options, the UI is clean and straightforward, and it works well.

The only annoying bit is that swiping left won’t bring up the review window. Lenovo still does it the old school way, with a small gallery frame in the upper right corner of the app. The camera can also be accessed from the lock screen, using the “V” gesture.

The 5-megapixel front-facing camera is merely average, but the main camera is quite good. You’ll get comparable image quality on most $200-$250 devices, no question about that.

OS, UI and Everyday Use

Lenovo got a lot of flak for its Android skins in the past, and much of it was justified. The company has a habit of slapping on a lot of bloatware and heavy skins on its Android phones, and that’s something most enthusiasts don’t like.

This time around things aren’t nearly as bad, although there is still room for improvement. The latest incarnation of Vibe UI still offers a heavily customised Android experience, but it’s based on Android 5.0, and has a lot of nifty features as well. It could still do with a bit less bloat, but it’s not bad.

The Lenovo K3 Note also supports a number of useful gestures. You can unlock the phone with a swipe from the lock screen, you can launch the camera and so on. Gesture support is relatively reliable and faster than on your average budget phone.

Lenovo did a great job at optimising the launcher, so everything is smooth as silk. The phone feels very responsive no matter what you do with it, from gestures and the lock screen, to very demanding apps. There are a few nuisances, though. The preinstalled browser just isn’t good enough, especially not with Chrome just begging to be installed. We could not get the theme manager to work, either. Eventually it fired up and we managed to play around with some themes. We found a few original Lenovo themes and we can report they look good.

Although we are fans of stock Android, we don’t mind well thought through custom designs either. Lenovo didn’t exactly have these in the past, but with its latest Android 5.0 phones, it has made a giant leap forward. Things could still be better, because Vibe UI tries to emulate iOS a bit too much for our liking (squared icons, lack of app drawer and so on). However, this is quite common in Asia, and most major Asian smartphone manufacturer, save for Sony, Samsung and HTC, do the exact same thing.

The really good news is that the Lenovo K3 Note is very smooth in everyday operations and the launcher feels polished. It’s clearly well optimised, which has another positive side effect – battery life is quite good.

The battery itself is very thin for a 3000mAh unit, but it’s got a big footprint. The angled design allowed Lenovo to use a tall and wide battery that’s about 4mm thin. Even with a Full HD display, the MT6752 processor doesn’t have to break a sweat in most applications (except games, obviously). Lenovo’s optimisations seem to work quite well, so we got more than two days of moderate use out of the handset (without data). The big, high-res screen doesn’t appear to make much of a difference. If you are careful, you should get up to two days even with mobile data and moderate use.

Now for some bad news - a full charge takes quite a while. We are not sure whether this has something to do with the charger included with our particular unit, which is rated at 2000mAh, but doesn't appear to deliver that much.

The ergonomics are ok and there is almost nothing to complain about. Obviously, 5.5-inch phones aren’t for everyone, but as far as phablets go, we’ve seen worse. The matte back cover offers a fair amount of grip. It’s not that easy to remove, but once you get the hang of it, it’s straightforward. A tiny cut-out near the microphone allows you to pull it off, provided you have thin fingernails.

In terms of ergonomics, our biggest complaint is the lack of backlighting on the capacitive navigation buttons. While most people get used to the layout in no time, we feel it’s still a good idea to have some sort of light behind them. The phone also features a notification LED at the top, which helps. Speaking of LEDs, the dual-LED flash is quite powerful, and while it doesn’t do wonders for night photography, it makes for a good flashlight.

The GPS offers good accuracy and this is what we got in our office. It does take a while to get a first lock, but once it does, it works well.

Oh wait, we forgot the phone part of the review. The dialer is customised, but it’s good. The really good news is that audio quality is excellent, thanks to the noise cancelling microphone and a few proprietary technologies employed in the device. No complaints here.

Conclusion

You may view Lenovo as an also-ran in the budget phablet market, and there’s no disputing that. This segment was not pioneered by Lenovo, but at least it’s not directly copying its competitors. The Lenovo K3 Note features an original, albeit simple design, and offers excellent value for money.

This market segment is all about value for money, and Lenovo came up with a really attractive package on a tight budget. There’s really not much more we could ask for from a $150 phone – all the most important stuff is already on board: a fast processor, 1080p display, good camera, beefy battery, snappy UI. Lenovo took the basic recipe for a value phablet, trimmed the fat, and included a few neat items that are much more useful than gimmicks (namely a hi-res panel and good camera).

The end result is a great all-rounder, a phone capable of outperforming much more expensive devices, with a camera that wouldn’t be out of place in a mid-range device, or a flagship of yesteryear.
The Lenovo K3 Note is a well-balanced smartphone with a lot of pros and very few cons. Add to that great value for money, and it’s obvious that Lenovo has a very strong product on its hands. The biggest problem with the K3 Note, and Lenovo phones in general, is that Western markets simply don’t get them. Well, there’s Motorola, but it’s really a pity that Lenovo decided against marketing its smartphones in Europe, North America, and other major markets.

In our opinion, the Lenovo K3 Note is hands down the best Android smartphone you can get for this sort of money – uhm – if you can get it in your country.

Lenovo K3 Note Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Exceptional price/performance ratio
• Best camera in this market segment
• 1080p display
• Snappiest MediaTek MT6752 device we had a chance to test so far
• Battery life, user-replaceable battery
• Audio quality

Cons:

• Slow charging
• UI still looks too Appleish
• Lenovo still preinstalls some bloatware
• Conservative design won’t turn any heads
• Display viewing angles are limited