Lenovo has recently been one of the leaders in the production of mobile devices, but is gradually beginning to lose ground in the smartphone market under pressure from its Chinese “brothers.” But the manufacturer still has models that deserve attention. For example, in 2021, two new “state employees” with 4G modules were released - Lenovo A6010 and Lenovo A6010 Plus. They received quite budget hardware and slight differences between themselves, which consist in some characteristics. The Lenovo A6010 review will tell you more about all this.
Equipment
The most common, standard one. Inside the thick cardboard box you'll find a power supply, a thick and trustworthy Micro USB cable, and a wired headset. I didn't try the last one. I didn’t want to desecrate my ears with terrible playback quality. In general, I got greedy. I recommend using your favorite ears. If anything, I personally recommend these.
The case, albeit a simple one, and the film inside could not be found. Let's move on to the main part of the Lenovo A6010 Plus review.
Hardware modifications
The A6010 model from Lenovo was produced in two versions - with different amounts of RAM and internal memory. The “regular” modification of the A6010 is 1/8 GB of RAM/ROM, the modification of the A6010 Plus (Pro) is 2/16 GB. There are no other differences in the technical specifications of smartphones, so the same firmware methods are applicable for them, but different system software packages should be used.
Within the framework of this article, work with the A6010 1/8 GB RAM/ROM model was demonstrated, but in the description of methods No. 2 and 3 of reinstalling Android below, links to downloading firmware for both revisions of the phone are provided. When independently searching and selecting the OS to be installed, you should pay attention to the modification of the device for which this software is intended!
Design
It is simple and uncomplicated. Suitable for those who perceive a smartphone as a means of communication, accessing the Internet, listening to music, and so on. of characteristics and cost comes first The rest is secondary.
Along the perimeter of the front side there is a plastic edge slightly protruding above the protective glass. It does not protrude too much, just enough to protect the screen from scratches.
At the top there is a front camera, earpiece and sensors. The ambient light sensor correctly detects the backlight, although it sometimes does not do it as quickly as we would like.
Below the display there are touch buttons. The notations here are standard, the same as Android users are accustomed to. Lately, Lenovo has been moving away from its own obscure icons in favor of regular ones. The keys do not have their own backlight, so in the dark it is difficult to see where to press.
The back cover is made of plastic. The surface resembles a fabric structure. It is very practical and over time it is unlikely to show scratches or abrasions. That's a plus.
Bottom holes for speakers. There are two of them here. If the smartphone is lying on its back on a flat surface or, say, on a sofa, then the sound is slightly muffled. This is the arrangement of the speakers.
Lenovo A6010 Plus has two speakers
The cover is removed, revealing the battery and card slots: two for Micro SIM, one for a Micro SD memory card. There is no hot swapping; you need to remove the battery.
The camera eye is located in the upper left corner, below it is an LED flash and a second microphone hole (the first is on the bottom). Everything looks neat, but a bit boring.
All connectors (audio output and Micro USB) are on the top. A relatively controversial decision, however, you can get used to it.
It so happened that I had two very visually similar devices in my hands at the same time: the first was our hero Lenovo A6010 Plus, and the second Phicomm Energy 653. Their similarity haunted me. One gets the impression that both devices are some kind of OEM blanks that are mass-produced at some Chinese factory, and each manufacturer simply sculpts its own label on the case. Well, see for yourself. They look alike!
I was a little reassured by the fact that the devices are of different sizes.
| Length | Width | Thickness | Weight | |
| Lenovo A6010 Plus (5 inches) | 140,9 | 70,5 | 8,4 | 130 |
| Lenovo A6010 (5 inches) | 140,9 | 70,5 | 8,4 | 130 |
| Phicomm Energy 653 (5) | 144 | 72 | 9,5 | 145 |
| Meizu M2 mini (5) | 140,1 | 68,9 | 8,7 | 131 |
Due to the use of a five-inch panel, the smartphone is comfortable to use with one hand. No additional software mechanisms are provided for this, since they are not necessary.
There are three color variations on the market: black, white and guess what else... wrong! Not gold, but red.
Display
Everything here is simple and standard. An IPS matrix with a diagonal of 5 inches and a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels is installed. The dots per inch density is approximately 294 ppi.
The screen is covered with protective glass (the brand is not specified) with an oleophobic coating. It’s impossible without it, and it’s great that all manufacturers have begun to understand this. The coating is of very high quality, but still not what is used on glass in flagships.
Viewing angles are good, but far from the best. Including for IPS matrix.
When deviated at right angles, the contrast increases noticeably and the picture slightly changes color. No specific color comes out, but there is dynamics.
When deviated diagonally, the brightness increases and a “glamorous” fog appears, which significantly changes the colors.
In general, all these errors are not critical, but the A6010 Plus does not stand up to comparison with competitors even at the same price level.
Sound
Sound is the most important feature of the Lenovo A6010. The smartphone is equipped with two stereo speakers with support for Dolby Atmos technology, which “pull out” such depth and sound quality that even many flagships have never dreamed of. Dolby Atmos support turns your smartphone into a real pocket cinema. Rich and clear surround sound will give a sea of positive emotions even to a boring and biased audiophile.
The headphones included with the smartphone are, to put it mildly, mediocre, but the “cutting” of peaks that the headphones cannot reach happens like clockwork and does not hurt the ears at all.
Specifications Lenovo A6010 Plus (H201)
- Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8916 processor with a frequency of 1.2 GHz (4 cores, 64-bit)
- Adreno 306 video chip with a frequency of 400 MHz
- RAM 2 GB (1043 MB available after reboot)
- built-in storage 16 GB (real space 10.32 GB)
- Micro SD memory card support
- 5-inch IPS display with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels
- front camera 5 MP
- main camera 13 MP (single-section flash, FHD video recording)
- battery 2300 mAh
- OS Android 5.0.2 (what happened with the update to 6 is unknown)
- connectors: Micro USB (OTG works), 3.5 mm audio output
- 2 rear speakers
- Dolby Atmos support
- sensors: light and proximity sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, digital compass
- Dimensions: 140.9 x 70.5 x 8.4 mm
- weight 130 g
Wireless capabilities:
- 2G, 3G, 4G (LTE bands: )
- support for two SIM cards (both Micro)
- Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.0
- GPS, Glonass, FM radio
What is the difference between Lenovo A6010 and the Plus version?
The difference with the regular version (without the Plus prefix) is in the amount of memory: 2 and 16 GB in the older model, 1 and 8 GB in the younger one. In addition, there are differences in cameras: 13 and 5 megapixels in the “plus” version and 8 and 2 in the regular one. That's all. There are no more differences. Oh yes. Different prices, but we will return to this issue later.
There is a little confusion in the description on the official website. For example, in one paragraph it is stated that the A6010 has 1 GB of RAM, in another regarding the same A6010 it is said that there are 13 and 5 megapixel cameras. It is not said that in the first case a regular modification is described, and in the second Plus, it is not said.
Memory and memory card
Another difference between the two versions is the amount of memory. Lenovo A6010 has 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of ROM, which is frankly weak by modern standards; although the memory can be expanded using a memory card, you cannot add RAM. Considering that half of it is occupied by the system, this is not the best result at all. But the Lenovo A6010 Plus has 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of storage, which is much better. RAM will slightly increase the performance of the device, but the increased built-in storage is nice, since there is no such thing as too much memory.
In order to use a memory card, you need to open the back cover and take out the battery, only then can you use the flash drive. But it’s important that you don’t need to sacrifice a second SIM card for additional memory.
Performance
The last two smartphones from Lenovo (A7000 and Phab Plus) frankly did not please me with the optimization of the Vibe UI shell. While the phablet worked more or less tolerably, the smartphone slowed down at every corner and was not very pleasant to use.
With the A6010 the situation is much better, although the solution seems to be more budget-friendly. The interface and animation work smoothly, without any brakes.
One gets the impression of a neatly tailored shell, which has a positive effect on the overall perception of the device. However, once, we managed to catch a small glitch. One of the standard applications did not want to load the first time. Killing it through the task manager fixed the situation.
The device performed well in toys. Dead Trigger 2 runs without any problems at maximum settings, although it was launched for the first time with low parameters.
With Unkilled the situation is more complicated. At high settings, the gameplay is more like a slideshow; at medium settings, you can play without any problems. It is clear that the solution is not a gaming solution, but you can touch modern 3D action games.
Maximum graphics settings
Medium graphics settings
At the end of the section are the results of system tests. We are waiting for the result.
Screen
The smartphone has a 5-inch IPS display with HD resolution (720×1280 pixels). The pixel density is 294 pixels per inch. In my opinion, this resolution is optimal and fully satisfies the need for high image quality, as well as energy saving at the same time.
The colors are saturated, viewing angles are as close as possible to 180 degrees, and there is plenty of brightness. In addition, automatic brightness adjustment is traditionally supported, which does not cause any complaints. But, unfortunately, there is no ultra-brightness mode, as in the Vibe line (although it will only be needed on sunny summer days).
Cameras
The quality of the 13 megapixel main camera pleasantly surprised me.
Frankly speaking, I was expecting savings, which should have been expressed in ugly frames with soap and poor detail, but it didn’t happen.
The module copes very well with different lighting conditions (except for night, of course), there are no exposure errors, autofocus misses, and so on.
Focusing is quite fast, grip is high. Shooting in HDR mode takes about two seconds.
Below are examples of pictures with and without dynamic range enabled.
All originals can be downloaded in one archive using this link.
Additional scenarios include creating panoramas and applying different filters in real time. There is no spraying on landscapes, beach shots or any sports. Install the machine and don’t worry.
There is no manual mode. The maximum you can adjust is ISO, white balance, contrast, sharpness and similar options.
The device can record Full HD video at 30 frames per second. There is a fixed or automatic refocus. In addition, electronic (see software) stabilization.
The latter works by compensating for the “area” of the captured frame. The effect is not too high, but still some of the hand tremors are leveled out thanks to this bun. I think it can be left on forever.
Lenovo a6010 firmware via TWRP recovery
1. Download and place the archive with the system on a flash drive. 2. Launch TWRP. 3. Make a backup copy of the firmware.
4. Clean all partitions except the memory card.
5. Select firmware installation. Specify the path to the archive on the disk drive.
6. Wait for the installation to complete.
Sound quality
Lenovo is ahead of the curve and is actively introducing Dolby Atmos surround sound technology into most of its new products. Please do not confuse it with Dolby Surround, 5:1, etc. These are different things. Roughly and briefly, Atmos differs from all previous developments in that at the sound mixing stage, the latter is decomposed not into channels, but into audio objects. A bird flying past, an airplane, a shot from a tank - all these are audio objects. Thus, the sound is more natural, making it possible to immerse yourself deeper into what is happening. All this is true when it comes to cinema, and, moreover, about a cinema with the support of this technology.
In smartphones, of course, everything is simplified beyond measure. However, you can still hear something. For example, in the Dolby app you can watch a video with a vivid demonstration of what we are talking about. Yes, it really does sound cool. The bird flies to the left, then behind the head, and then flies somewhere to the right and returns back the same way. Great, but there's one big problem. This is the right content that is not available anywhere.
The fact is that all honestly stolen or purchased music somewhere online does not have Dolby Atmos support. In any case, I don't know where to get it. To experience all the delights of this setting, you need to consume sound that was correctly mixed at the mastering stage. The only way.
Without this, the technology here looks more like a marketing gimmick than something you can see (or hear) in theaters with the proper support. After activating the setting, the volume increases and so-called virtualization is activated. That's all, essentially. Almost the same thing is found in any modern smartphone, for example, in Sony Xperia with their ClearAudio+.
In general, the sound quality is good. At the level of most modern devices. You can safely use the device as a portable player, and send your old mp3 player to a well-deserved rest.
External speakers (2 pieces) are average in volume. Nothing whistles or rattles. The sound quality through it is quite good, I would even say pleasant.
Sound and camera
Finally, we come to the first difference between the Lenovo A6010 and Lenovo A6010 Plus – camera characteristics. The older model has a 5 megapixel front camera. It takes rather soapy pictures even in good lighting, so from this we can conclude that the high resolution of the image is not an indicator of its quality. As for the color rendition, it is quite natural, but with such image quality you don’t notice it. In poor lighting, images significantly lose quality and noticeable noise appears. There are not so many settings in the “Camera” application specifically for the front camera; there are practically no shooting modes or deep settings. Despite the fact that the model without the Plus prefix has a 2 MP front camera, in general it is not much inferior in photo quality, the difference is only in the image resolution and nothing more.
In addition, there is a difference between the main cameras – 8 megapixels versus 13 megapixels. But this characteristic also only affects the frame resolution. In both versions, the cameras are not bad, they do an excellent job with daytime street photographs, color reproduction is sufficient, and image clarity is at a good level. In night and evening photos and in poor lighting, the pictures lose quality, but the color rendition is still maintained at the same level. But this does not change the fact that the picture is blurred and significant noise appears throughout the image.
Video shooting is carried out in Full HD resolution. The resolution is high, but the shooting quality is quite average, but this is enough to shoot something important.
The Camera application has a simple and accessible interface, in which everything is intuitive for any user. In addition, there are quite rich settings, so you can change several dozen ready-made modes and scenes, including photography in night mode, under lamp light, candle light, etc. There are standard effects, including shooting in negative, sepia, black and white and similar settings. There is also manual adjustment of ISO and white balance. In general, the shooting application is quite functional, but this only applies to the main camera; the settings for the front camera are much smaller.
For music, the device has its own player from the manufacturer, and it is excellent, the sound through it is of good quality, and the design is pleasant.
The phone has two speakers, they are of good quality, do not wheeze and are quite loud, quite worthy of a portable speaker. Their location makes the sound more spacious. In addition, the smartphone has an interesting surround sound technology called Dolby Atmos. This technology makes for an interesting audio immersion effect. Unfortunately, movies, music and applications do not all support this technology, and therefore it is difficult to fully exploit it. It is also worth highlighting the Dolby Atmos application itself, which has rich sound settings for games, movies, music and voice, as well as an advanced equalizer and other equally useful functions.
The sound both through the speakers and through headphones was at a high level.
Software shell
I have already mentioned that you can’t get to the bottom of Android in the form in which this OS was conceived by Google. And the reason for this is its own Vibe UI shell. Here are a few features that characterize it.
All applications are placed on the main screens. There is no separate list or matrix with icons here. In my opinion, this is convenient. Nothing is duplicated anywhere. What I installed, I got on my desktop.
The redistribution depth is quite high. A striking example is the notification curtain and the panel with quick access icons. Everything is in style.
There is a theme center where you can choose one of six pre-installed skins. They are all bright and contrasting. You cannot download anything else as an alternative, nor can you configure it in detail.
This time I’ll tell you about special features. In the settings you can activate large text mode. A very useful option for people with farsightedness.
In addition, you can increase the text contrast, activate color inversion or color correction. With the latter setting enabled, performance drops noticeably.
In addition, in the parameters you can find an interesting item called “Emergency notification of the population.” Here you can configure in detail the alerts the authorities receive in the event of a threat to the population from any man-made disasters or natural disasters. For example, there is an ETWS distribution point, which involves text broadcasting with earthquake and tsunami warnings. For our country, all this is not relevant, but the presence of such menus indicates the willingness of manufacturers (Lenovo in particular) to cooperate in alerting the population about certain threats. A big blessing, in my opinion.
Frankly, I have no idea how any of this works in real life. I hope you and I will never find out, or rather, you won’t need notifications from all these systems.
I liked the app called Lenovo Companion - Mobile. Here you can look at the current state of the system, software, the number of installed applications, and most importantly, conduct a series of tests with hardware. Moreover, without entering any secret codes, such as *#*#1234567890#*#* and so on.
All this is very useful if, say, you are planning to buy a device second-hand. Find this icon on your desktop and take all the tests available on it. If everything is in order, you can take it. It couldn't be simpler.
Software
The firmware used is Android 5.1 with the proprietary Vibe UI shell. Its main difference is the absence of a general menu; all applications are located on desktops. In addition, the icons have been redrawn to be brighter and have rounded edges. There are new interface settings, as well as a store with different themes that can change the design quite a lot.
Among other things, some proprietary applications were built in, for example, a file manager, a data backup program, a simple antivirus, permission management, a task manager, the aforementioned Dolby Atmos and several other less useful applications. Overall, we can say that the shell is quite nice and functional with several interesting built-in applications.
Battery life
The smartphone has a removable battery with a capacity of 2300 mAh. This volume, coupled with good optimization of energy consumption, is enough for the device to work in active mode for a day and a half. If you use the device as a dialer, then on one charge it will last for three days, or maybe even more.
It’s also a good idea to turn the device on and off on a schedule. For example, at night from 12 to 8 am. In 99% of cases, the phone is not used at all, but the battery savings are still noticeable.
Preparatory stage
To ensure effective and efficient reinstallation of Android on Lenovo A6010, the device, as well as the computer used as the main tool for flashing the firmware, should be prepared. Preliminary operations include installing drivers and necessary software, backing up information from the phone, and other procedures that are not always mandatory, but recommended.
Drivers and connection modes
The first thing that needs to be ensured after deciding whether to intervene in the software part of the Lenovo A6010 is pairing the device in various modes with a PC so that programs designed to interact with the smartphone’s memory can “see” the device. Such a connection is impossible without installed drivers.
