Chinese smartphones from the budget category are constantly expanding their presence on the market, winning over buyers with low prices, and it seemed that worthy competitors could not be found for them. But the 5201 Space model from the Russian company BQ clearly refutes this. And even though the brand of this company itself is not promoted, its phones definitely deserve attention. There are two good reasons for this: excellent technical performance and user experience, proving that smartphones are ready to work for a long time and reliably. Well, you can’t ignore the price of the product - absolutely everyone can afford it, which immediately increases interest in 5201 Space in Russia.
Today we will tell you not about the flagship 5201, but about an even more interesting simplified variation of it. Its main trump card is its low price. If for the basic version it reaches 15 thousand rubles, then for the light it does not reach 10 thousand. In order not to confuse consumers with extensive model range, the manufacturer came up with a very similar name for the “younger” smartphone – BQ Mobile BQ 5202 Space Lite. Let's understand its pros and cons.
Design
The smartphone screen seems to be stretched on the sides to the edges, and the plastic on the front panel bends towards the edges, due to which it is possible to create a feeling of a 2D effect. The standard delivery package includes the phone itself, a charger for it, and a needle for working with the SIM card tray. All three functional buttons are located on the right side of the smartphone, and there is a SIM card tray on the left. At the top end there is a headphone jack, and at the bottom there is a traditional place for connecting charging and a microphone. In a word, everything is standard and there are no special features. It is quite logical in the case of a budget smartphone.
Specifications
The main difference from the version of the 5201 smartphone lies precisely in the technical indicators. The easiest way is to compare them directly - 16 GB of internal memory versus 32 GB, 2 GB of RAM versus 3 GB and a less powerful processor. In Antutu 5202 it produces more than 30 thousand “parrots”, and therefore some not particularly complex games will run here without slowing down. For fans of tank battles mobile devices, of course, the gadget is unlikely to be suitable, but this is not the same segment at all.
The main thing is that the manufacturer did not reduce the battery capacity and screen diagonal. The battery here has a cosmic 4000 mAh, and the screen diagonal is 5.2 inches, which allows you to comfortably read from a smartphone or watch videos. Full HD screen resolution guarantees high quality Pictures.
The main camera has a resolution of 13 MP versus 16 MP for the basic version 5201. As we know, the photographer’s happiness is not in these numbers, but in the installed software. So, it is identical in both phones. So it makes no sense to pay more for the 5201 if your goal is to purchase a mobile device for photography.
conclusions
In the price segment up to 10 thousand Russian rubles, the BQ 5202 lite has no competitors at all. Even the Chinese, famous for their ability to offer inadequate low price, inferior to this Russian smartphone. If you manage to find an alternative at a lower price, then either the battery is weaker, or the diagonal and resolution of the screen are worse. Without losing quality, it is no longer possible to reduce the price.
Another important advantage of the model should be considered that it is sold on reputable trading platforms both online and in regular stores. Therefore, you can count on receiving competent professional service if any questions or problems arise during the operation of the phone. Any competitors in the price segment do not have this, and their smartphones are sold in unreliable and almost shady retail outlets.
There are no noticeable or even significant shortcomings in the model. Therefore, we confidently recommend it for purchase to anyone who is interested in getting an inexpensive but reliable smartphone with decent characteristics.
In a nutshell. Greetings, dear reader! In the previous article, we introduced you to the new flagship from the famous Russian brand BQ. Let us remind you that the company introduced the bq 5201 space and bq 5202 space lite smartphones. Last time we talked about the first model. Today is the time to discuss the younger model. Despite the fact that the smartphone received more modest characteristics, it still turned out to be very worthy. The new product was announced in June of this year. Already now, both models can be purchased at a very reasonable and justifiable price. If we talk about the smartphone briefly, then it is endowed with decent “stuffing”; just like its “big brother”, it has a fingerprint scanner. The most interesting and pleasant thing is that the manufacturer did not deprive the younger model and gave it the same powerful battery. This approach is very pleasing, otherwise so-called A-brands often equip their younger models with a battery with a lower capacity. Well, it's time to talk about the new product...
Design. The bq 5202 space lite smartphone received exactly the same appearance, like the older model. The design is really pleasing, everything is done “to the mind.” The design is very different from previous models from this manufacturer. A very big step forward. It is worth mentioning the elements located on the body. Let's start with back cover. At the top and bottom we see inserts, followed by antennas; they fit very harmoniously into the design of the smartphone. At the top there is a peephole of the main camera, below it is a flash, a little lower is the manufacturer’s logo, at the very bottom we see a grille external speaker, and a little higher is the name of the smartphone model. By the way, we note that the middle of the back cover is made of metal, only the edges are made of plastic. The smartphone case is non-separable. The right side is reserved for the volume control key and the power/lock button. On the left side we see only a slot for SIM cards and a card MicroSD memory. The bottom edge includes a micro-Usb connector and a conversational microphone. On the top edge we see a 3.5 mm headphone jack. The front panel is occupied by a chic screen covered with 2.5D glass. At the top there is a speaker and a peephole. front camera and several sensors. At the bottom there is only a mechanical Home key. It also acts as a fingerprint scanner. The device is controlled using touch keys when the device is turned on. What can you say, in my opinion, the bq 5202 received everything it needed. The thickness of the device is 9.1 mm and weighs 162 grams. You can buy the smartphone in three colors - black, gold and Space Gray. However, at the time of writing, the smartphone is available only in the last two colors. The black color will obviously go on sale a little later. The delivery package is no different from the flagship version and includes: the smartphone itself, Charger, USB cable, brief instructions user with a warranty card. Unfortunately, there are no headphones included. But there’s nothing wrong with that, and in the meantime we move on...
Screen. The bq 5202 smartphone has a 5.2-inch screen with a resolution of 720x1280 pixels. The display is made using IPS technology. The screen is protected by 2.5D glass. I must say, the display has an excellent, instant response. Not to mention the excellent image quality. Bright and rich colors, excellent viewing angles. And most importantly, the diagonal is well chosen. A smartphone definitely cannot be called a “shovel”. Excellent diagonal, suitable for any task.
Performance. The bq 5202 space lite smartphone received 4 nuclear processor Mediatek MT6737 with a frequency of 1.3 GHz. The Mali-T720 chip is responsible for the graphics here. There is 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal memory. At the same time, the latter can be increased with a MicroSD memory card up to 128 GB. The device runs on the latest Android 7.0 Nougat OS. From the above, it is clear that the smartphone’s hardware is simpler, unlike the flagship version. But at the same time, we can absolutely say that the smartphone works quickly with such characteristics.
Wireless modules. The smartphone has everything you need for communication: 3G, LTE, Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth 4.0. Also present VoLTE technology, responsible for higher quality voice communication.
Cameras. The bq 5202 space lite smartphone received a 13 megapixel main camera with autofocus and flash and an 8 megapixel front camera. Thanks to such cameras, the user can always take a great picture or a high-quality selfie.
Battery. We have reached the last parameter that needs to be mentioned. The battery capacity of bq 5202 is 4000 mAh. That is, exactly the same as the older model. In my opinion, a very decent battery. Of course, you need to look at the results, not the numbers. But don’t forget that everything will still depend on the tasks being performed and their duration.
Let's summarize. Well, we talked about a “lighter” version of the flagship smartphone bq 5201 space. A simplified model is called bq 5202 space lite. The manufacturer has produced an excellent mid-range smartphone with decent characteristics that are enough for most users. And most importantly, the price of the smartphone at the start of sales is 8,990 rubles.
Information about the make, model, and alternative names of the specific device, if available.
Design
Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Materials used, colors offered, certificates.
| Width Width information - refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 72.5 mm (millimeters) 7.25 cm (centimeters) 0.24 ft (feet) 2.85 in (inches) |
| Height Height information - refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 148.7 mm (millimeters) 14.87 cm (centimeters) 0.49 ft (feet) 5.85 in (inches) |
| Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units measurements. | 9.1 mm (millimeters) 0.91 cm (centimeters) 0.03 ft (feet) 0.36 in (inches) |
| Weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement. | 162 g (grams) 0.36 lbs 5.71 oz (ounces) |
| Volume The approximate volume of the device, calculated based on the dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. | 98.1 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 5.96 in³ (cubic inches) |
| Colors Information about the colors in which this device is offered for sale. | Black Golden Grey |
| Materials for making the case Materials used to make the device body. | Plastic |
SIM card
The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.
Mobile networks
A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.
| GSM GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) is designed to replace the analogue mobile network (1G). For this reason, GSM is often called a 2G mobile network. It is improved by the addition of GPRS (General Packet Radio Services), and later EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) technologies. | GSM 850 MHz GSM 900 MHz GSM 1800 MHz GSM 1900 MHz |
| UMTS UMTS is an abbreviation for Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. It is based on the GSM standard and belongs to 3G mobile networks. Developed by 3GPP and its biggest advantage is providing greater speed and spectral efficiency thanks to W-CDMA technology. | UMTS 900 MHz UMTS 2100 MHz |
| LTE LTE (Long Term Evolution) is defined as a fourth generation (4G) technology. It is developed by 3GPP based on GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSPA to increase the capacity and speed of wireless mobile networks. The subsequent technology development is called LTE Advanced. | LTE 800 MHz LTE 1800 MHz LTE 2100 MHz LTE 2600 MHz LTE-TDD 2600 MHz (B38) |
Mobile communication technologies and data transfer speeds
Communication between devices on mobile networks is carried out using technologies that provide different data transfer rates.
Operating system
An operating system is a system software that manages and coordinates the operation of hardware components in a device.
SoC (System on Chip)
A system on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device on one chip.
| SoC (System on Chip) A system on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components, such as a processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation. | MediaTek MT6737 |
| Technological process Information about the technological process by which the chip is manufactured. Nanometers measure half the distance between elements in the processor. | 28 nm (nanometers) |
| Processor (CPU) The primary function of a mobile device's processor (CPU) is to interpret and execute instructions contained in software applications. | ARM Cortex-A53 |
| Processor size The size (in bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of the registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have higher performance compared to 32-bit processors, which in turn are more powerful than 16-bit processors. | 64 bit |
| Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands with which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute. | ARMv8-A |
| Level 1 cache (L1) Cache memory is used by the processor to reduce access time to more frequently used data and instructions. L1 (level 1) cache is small in size and works much faster as system memory, and other levels of cache memory. If the processor does not find the requested data in L1, it continues to look for it in the L2 cache. On some processors, this search is performed simultaneously in L1 and L2. | 32 kB + 32 kB (kilobytes) |
| Level 2 cache (L2) L2 (level 2) cache memory is slower than L1, but in return it has a higher capacity, allowing caching more data. It, like L1, is much faster than system memory (RAM). If the processor does not find the requested data in L2, it continues to look for it in the L3 cache (if available) or in RAM memory. | 512 kB (kilobytes) 0.5 MB (megabytes) |
| Number of processor cores The processor core performs program instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing multiple instructions to be executed in parallel. | 4 |
| CPU clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). | 1300 MHz (megahertz) |
| Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) The Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphics applications. In mobile devices, it is most often used by games, consumer interfaces, video applications, etc. | ARM Mali-T720 MP1 |
| Number of cores GPU Like a CPU, a GPU is made up of several working parts called cores. They handle graphics calculations for various applications. | 1 |
| GPU clock speed Running speed is the clock speed of the GPU, measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). | 600 MHz (megahertz) |
| Volume random access memory(RAM) Random Access Memory (RAM) in use operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost after the device is turned off or restarted. | 2 GB (gigabytes) |
| Type of random access memory (RAM) Information about the type of random access memory (RAM) used by the device. | LPDDR3 |
| Number of RAM channels Information about the number of RAM channels that are integrated into the SoC. More channels mean higher data rates. | Single channel |
| RAM frequency The frequency of RAM determines its operating speed, more specifically, the speed of reading/writing data. | 640 MHz (megahertz) |
Built-in memory
Each mobile device has built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed capacity.
Memory cards
Memory cards are used in mobile devices to increase the storage capacity for storing data.
Screen
The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.
| Type/technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the quality of the information image directly depends. | IPS |
| Diagonal For mobile devices, screen size is expressed by the length of its diagonal, measured in inches. | 5.2 in (inches) 132.08 mm (millimeters) 13.21 cm (centimeters) |
| Width Approximate screen width | 2.55 in (inches) 64.75 mm (millimeters) 6.48 cm (centimeters) |
| Height Approximate screen height | 4.53 in (inches) 115.12 mm (millimeters) 11.51 cm (centimeters) |
| Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side | 1.778:1 16:9 |
| Permission Screen resolution shows the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. More a high resolution means sharper detail in the image. | 720 x 1280 pixels |
| Pixel Density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be displayed on the screen with clearer detail. | 282 ppi (pixels per inch) 110ppcm (pixels per centimeter) |
| Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for color components in one pixel. Information about maximum quantity colors that the screen can show. | 24 bit 16777216 flowers |
| Screen area Approximate percentage of screen area occupied by the screen on the front of the device. | 69.37% (percent) |
| Other characteristics Information about other screen features and characteristics. | Capacitive Multi-touch |
| 2.5D curved glass screen |
Sensors
Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that a mobile device can recognize.
Main camera
The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on the back of the body and is used for taking photos and videos.
| Sensor type Digital cameras use photo sensors to take photographs. The sensor, as well as optics, are one of the main factors in the quality of the camera in a mobile device. | CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) |
| Flash type The most common types of flashes in mobile device cameras are LED and xenon flashes. LED flashes produce softer light and, unlike brighter xenon flashes, are also used for video shooting. | LED |
| Image Resolution One of the main characteristics of mobile device cameras is their resolution, which shows the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in the image. | 4160 x 3120 pixels 12.98 MP (megapixels) |
| Video resolution Information about the maximum supported resolution when shooting video with the device. | 1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels) |
| Video - frame rate/frames per second. Information about the maximum number of frames per second (fps) supported by the device when shooting video at the maximum resolution. Some of the main standard video shooting and playback speeds are 24p, 25p, 30p, 60p. | 30fps (frames per second) |
| Characteristics Information about other software and hardware features related to the main camera and improving its functionality. | Autofocus Continuous shooting Digital zoom Geographical tags Panoramic photography HDR shooting Touch Focus Face recognition White Balance Adjustment ISO Setting Exposure compensation Self-timer Scene Selection Mode |
Additional camera
Additional cameras are usually mounted above the device screen and are used mainly for video conversations, gesture recognition, etc.
Audio
Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.
Radio
The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.
Location determination
Information about the navigation and location technologies supported by your device.
WiFi
Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for transmitting data over close distances between various devices.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between various devices of different types over short distances.
USB
USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to exchange data.
Headphone jack
This is an audio connector, also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.
Connecting devices
Information about other important connection technologies supported by your device.
Browser
A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.
Video file formats/codecs
Mobile devices support different video file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital video data.
BQ 5202 Space Lite looks beautiful and serious, but not very original. In terms of appearance, it almost completely repeats its assembled BQ 5201 Space.
On the front you can note quite wide frames at the top and bottom, camouflage strips around the perimeter of the screen and rounded corners housings. Also quite unusual is the presence of a fingerprint scanner under the screen, which is convenient. But it’s not just that, it’s combined with a button and allows you to fully control the device; with it you can completely remove the on-screen touch buttons. That is, you can do everything with different movements and clicks - we saw the same thing in some Huawei smartphones.
The back panel is covered with a metal plate, there are characteristic inserts at the top and bottom, speaker holes closer to the bottom, a single camera lens and a flash underneath.
The dimensions of the smartphone are 148.7 x 72.5 x 9.1 mm and weighs 162 grams. By comparison, the 5.2-inch Honor 6C Pro is slightly wider, but shorter and thinner. You can’t call a smartphone light, but you can’t call it heavy or very large either. The phone fits well in the palm of your hand, but operating with one hand is no longer very convenient. The smartphone is assembled quite high quality, using metal, although this makes it not collapsible.
BQ 5202 Space Lite can be purchased in three colors: gold, gray and silver.
Screen
The BQ 5202 Space Lite has a fairly high-quality 5.2-inch display, bright and contrasting.
Screen diagonal is 5.2 inches, IPS matrix is installed, resolution is 1280x720 pixels. The pixel density is adequate at 282 per inch, not very sharp, but individual pixels are not noticeable. The screen is initially covered with a protective film.
The brightness range is good: from 12 to 431 nits, decent for both darkness and sunny days. High contrast, 1380:1, color gamut - 95% sRGB. Color rendition is not the most accurate, but this will only be noticeable to specialists; it is also slightly overestimated Colorful temperature, but, in principle, you can adjust it in the screen settings yourself; there are quite a lot of customization options here.
Cameras
The BQ-5202 Space Lite cameras don't really stand out from their competitors. On the back you can see the main one with 13 MP and the front one with 8 MP. In principle, they are at an adequate level, quite suitable for a passing shot and a selfie for Instagram. There is no detailed information about the contents of the cameras; the interface is quite typical and simple. It is possible to shoot video up to Full HD. It’s easier to judge quality from photos. The only thing I didn’t like was that the HDR mode takes a very long time, almost several seconds, and it’s very difficult to make a really clear car by hand.
Sample photos
Communications
BQ-5202 Space Lite offers a typical set of communications:
- simple Wi-Fi b/g/n
- LTE Cat.4 support
- Bluetooth 4.0
- A-GPS.
There are no chips like NFC, there are proximity sensors, light sensors, an accelerometer and a fingerprint scanner, a Micro USB 2.0 port. There are also two slots for SIM cards, but the second of them is combined, which will force you to choose between additional communication or memory.
Battery
The autonomy of the smartphone is quite high, it can be called a feature of the device. It lasted us for one and a half to two days of use, even for an active user it will last for a whole day.
The battery capacity is quite decent - 4000 mAh. Quite comparable to the popular ones Xiaomi Redmi. The same fashionable one has less, only 3000 mAh. The test results are not bad, although we expected a little more:
up to 8 hours of YouTube video at high screen brightness.
up to 5 hours of video shooting
Up to 5-6 hours in games.
This is enough good results. The kit includes a 5V and 2A charger. It charges the smartphone quite quickly, in more than two hours - good for its impressive capacity.
Performance
The performance of the BQ-5202 Space Lite is enough for comfortable operation of the device and simple games, but demanding ones will slow down even at low settings graphics.
The smartphone is powered by a quad-core MediaTek MT6737 processor (1.3 GHz) and 2 GB of RAM. For example, Pixelphone M1 and . This is enough for typical everyday tasks, but the smartphone will not be able to handle “heavy” games or will struggle. At the same time, it’s good that at least it doesn’t overheat. Play the same PUBG Mobile It succeeded, but at this frame rate it's not fun.
In various tests, the BQ-5202 Strike Forward received rather modest results:
- Geekbench 4 - 1405 points
- Antutu 7 - 20203 points
- 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited - 3739 points.
Memory
The memory capacity of the BQ 5202 Space Lite is not bad for its price - 16 GB of storage and 2 GB of RAM, although with such a price tag there is more. In addition, of these 16, about 10 GB will be available to you. In general, you will probably have to resort to help, there is a slot for it, you can add up to 128 GB.