UMI Z is the first smartphone to carry Deca-core Helio X27 CPU. UMI is a well-known Chinese smartphone maker. Recently they released the UMI Z flagship smartphone with high-end specifications. The highlight is the newly released MediaTek Helio X27 CPU chipset which is a Deca-core processor which is first used in UMI Z. The 3780mAh Sony battery also steals the show. Other reasons that caught our eyes are the 13MP cameras in the front and back and 4GB of RAM.
Umi Z is currently available under presale in Gearbest for just $239 under flash sale event. Based on the reports, Umi Z will start shipping from February 25. Like the previous flagship killer Umi Plus, Umi Z is also expected to be a successful flagship of the year 2017.
UMI Z 4G Review: Design and Build
UMI Z has a pretty looking design with thin bezels. The body is made of unibody aluminum alloy. It has round edges and two antenna strips at the top and bottom. UMI used a dual 3D design to make UMI Z. The front side is occupied by the 5.5-inch screen made of IGZO display technology. The display is covered by a 2.5-D arc curved screen glass to get better results. The camera lens on the rear side is installed with stainless steel camera and covered by sapphire glass.
On the right side, the volume rockers and the power button are placed. On the bottom side, it has the USB Type-C port. The navigation buttons are opted to be on-screen. Below the screen, the fingerprint scanner is located. The hybrid SIM slot is on the left side with a pin-hole to eject the tray outside.
Display
UMI Z has a 5.5-inch IGZO display. The screen has full HD resolution which is 1080 x 1920 pixels. The pixel density comes around 441ppi which is high-grade density which produces sharp and clear images on the screen. The protective cover of the screen comes with Dragontrail Glass protector. It resists normal scratches at its best.
With the IGZO display which is a new technology, the viewing angle and brightness are very well managed.
Hardware and Software Performance
UMI Z packs MediaTek Helio X27 Octa-core processor, Mali T880 MP4 GPU, 4GB RAM and 32GB internal storage. The Helio X27 is a high-end processor considered as an equivalent of Snapdragon 820 CPU. The Mali T880 MP4 graphics processor shows improved performance when combined with the new Helio X27 CPU.
With this high-grade specifications, the performance results are satisfactory. The 4GB RAM allows going to any extent in multitasking. Gaming experience is great with this hardware. There is no glitch or screen lagging during our test on Asphalt 8, Dead Trigger 2 and Pokémon Go. The fantastic display also helps in giving a nice user experience.
Umi Z runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow. This is a drawback, but possibly Umi is providing Nougat updates for their devices. The hardware and software is optimized to use less power from the battery.
Camera
Umi Z has an awesome front camera with 13MP sensor, and it has 4160 x 3120 pixels of image resolution as same as the rear camera which is also a 13MP sensor. This decision is great. It may trigger the selfie fans to go for Umi Z. The rear camera has features such as Phase detection Laser autofocus, Quad-LED flash, and 5 element lens.
Both the cameras are having the regular camera app features. The images taken by them are satisfying as expected and the result is same for both cameras. The low light shots result with good pictures. The reason could be the flash light and autofocus settings. Another important feature we have seen is the support for 4K video. In this mid-budget device, they have added 4K video support.
Battery
Umi Z is powered by a Sony 3780mAh battery. It is the non-removable type. The result of the battery backup is unbelievable with nearly 2 days on casual use of apps, calls, and games. The battery is optimized to produce better results than the regular battery of the same size.
The fast charging support adds, even more, value to this battery. The MediaTek Pump Express Plus feature is the responsible for the fast charging support. It is only available in the high-end chipsets of MediaTek series. The fast charging features help to fill the battery from zero to 100% in around two hours.
Connectivity and Other Features
Umi Z has all the necessary connectivity features. It has FM radio and 3.5mm Headphone Jack. The tracking features are available with the GPS, A-GPS, and GLONASS. The WiFi connectivity is available, and the WiFi communication standards are 802.11a/b/g/n, dual band, Hotspot and WiFi Direct. The Bluetooth is available with version 4.1 and A2DP.
The most wanted USB Type-C 2.0 is the USB connector type. It is enabled with OTG support. The computer and OTA synchronization and tethering feature are also provided. The Dual SIM support includes the support for 4G LTE and VoLTE.
Umi Z has a Smart audio technology. It is capable of using a separate Sound card to elevate the audio experience.
Price
Umi Z is carrying a price tag of $239 in a special flash sale at Gearbest. Without the flash sale, Umi Z costs around $290. The original price $290 itself a worthy price for this high-end smartphone. It has 4GB of RAM and Deca-core processor. That itself demands the price. The flash sale makes it a highly beneficiary deal for the buyers.
Verdict
When compared to the brands like Samsung, Huawei, and Apple, the price is not even half for the same specs. Umi has a good track record with their previous smartphones. Though Umi is not globally popular like Samsung, their smartphones are not compromised in quality. Umi Z has all the latest smartphone features and high-grade components. The pending Android 7.0 update may be the one reason we can notice on the downside. Umi in their press releases confirms OTA software update for Umi Z soon.
Overall, there are more pros, and almost no cons expect the software. I think this is one of the best time to grab Umi Z before the flash sale ends.