GADGET GIZMO REVIEW Zopo Speed 7

GADGET GIZMO  REVIEW  Zopo Speed 7 PRICE Rs 12,999 SPECIFICATIONS 5-inch IPS (1920 x 1080 pixels), octa core Mediatek MT6753 processor,  3GB RAM, 16G storage, microSD slot, dual SIM slots, 4G, WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, 13MP rear camera, 5MP front camera, Android  5.1, 150 grams karan.bajaj@timesgroup.com Zopo is the latest Chinese smartphone brand to launch in India. The company  was founded in 2012 and has chosen to run with their mid-range offering  called the Zopo Speed 7. In terms of specifications, the Zopo Speed 7 offers specifications usually not found in this price range. You get a full HD display , octa core processor,  3GB RAM, 4G support and the latest Android 5.1.1. All of this is bundled  in a slim and smartlooking design that is easy to carry in the pocket. While the phone has an all plastic body, it scores on style thanks to the brushed metal finish on the rear panel and the chrome lines around the  phone's edges. The 5-inch IPS display impresses with excellent brightness, pin-sharp details  and vibrant colors.It is one of the few 5-inch phones in this price range with a full HD display and this adds to the overall value of the phone. However, we  feel that the viewing angles could have been better. Also, the thick bezels around the display are a waste of space, especially considering that the Android buttons are on-screen. Inside is an octa core Mediatek MT6753 processor, 3GB RAM, 16GB storage  and a 2,500mAh battery . As expected, performance from the phone is superb -everything runs butter smooth and the phone was able to run all games and apps we tried without a hitch. Of the 16GB storage, there is 11.23GB space free for use. The battery lasts a full day on a single charge with regular usage. You get close to stock Android interface with few added features. There is  gesture control for the camera, gallery & music player plus features like  flip to mute, double tap to wake as well as onscreen gestures to unlock and  launch apps. A useful feature is the built-in app pinning function -you can `pin' an app window to always stay on top.We also liked he fact that Zopo has provided a built-in anti-theft function. Speed 7 has a 13MP rear camera with LED flash that takes superb images in  daylight as well as indoors. Photos have good details, vibrant colors and minimal noise. The camera interface offers panorama, PIP and live photo mode  in addition to normal shutter mode. What we did not like was the slow focusing  of the camera -it sometimes takes up to two seconds to focus (depending on the  subject and light). The front 5MP camera is also great for selfies, though we  found the image results to be soft at times. Overall, we feel that the Zopo Speed 7 is a great option in the sub-`15,000 price range. It offers a sturdy phone, great performance and a full HD display  at a good price. If you prefer some of the better known brands, you should get  the Motorola Moto G (3rd Generation) for the same price. You can also look at Xiaomi's Mi 4iMi 4 or the Lenovo K3 Note (`9,999 ) that offers a larger screen  and better battery life.  ET16SEP15