BQ Strike Power 4G – how to get the most from your smartphone for $110

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Domestic brand mobile electronics BQ began to circulate on the territory of Russia of the new smartphone Strike Power 4G. At the time of this writing its official the recommended price was 7,000 rubles, or about $110 at the exchange rate at the end of February 2019.

Creating this phone, the BQ probably wanted to equip it to the max, but to keep the cost to minimum by today’s standards level. The work was carried out as for the exterior of the device, and its electronic innards, and along the way, familiar with the operating system. Smartphone for your money was very balanced, that is, with the task developers, in our view, failed.

Now consider in more detail why we came to this conclusion about this smartphone. Let’s start with the fact that, despite the low cost, BQ Strike Power 4G available in four shades of body: black, dark gray, silver and gold, which gives the possibility of choice even in the basic price segment. By the way, the smartphone should not be confused with his full namesake – BQ, there is another device called the Strike Power of 4G, but its index BQ-5037, whereas we are talking about BQ-5514L. Note also that BQ is similar in most respects a model of Strike Power BQ-5514G, estimated at 6,500 rubles. The smartphone has an identical design and support of networks GSM and 3G.

 

Packaging

Box BQ Strike Power 4G is exactly the same as 90% of smartphones of the brand, then nothing will change, but it’s good. The packaging is very elegant, all in bright colors, and have good printing. She immediately meets a photo cell, however, in the silver version, but on a light color you can see all the features of its appearance. From behind you can see the phone in all colors of casing – on the box also presents a red tint, but the manufacturer’s official website we find him failed. In our case, by the way, the smartphone is painted in black.

Underneath the box there is a list of the characteristics of mobile – given all the basic values for which it can be compared with competitors. The fine print typed a list of the included accessories – you will know in advance what is in the box.

 

Equipment

BQ Strike Power 4G refers to the number of available smartphones in this segment, as a rule, a maximum set Spartan. So here – box contains, in addition to the gadget date cable, charging at 1.5 amps (and iPhone XS Max for 130 thousand rubles. it is 1 amp, by the way), as well as the clip for the tray with the SIM card. Set the paper includes a detailed manual and warranty card.

On the smartphone pre-applied protective film. The flaws on it are present – when applied to the screen got some dust, but it can be features of our instance.

 

Features

BQ allows you to learn about the hardware capabilities of Strike Power 4G on its website, and the information it duplicates the instructions and on the box with the device. Just note, not all used in the smartphone technology came to us liking.

– screen: 5.45 inch, 18:9, 1440х720 points;

– processor: MediaTek MT6739, 4 core, 1.3 GHz;

– memory: 1 GB RAM, 8 GB ROM, microSD up to 128 GB;

– interfaces: 3.5 mm, microSD, 2xSIM, microUSB 2.0;

– wireless interfaces: Bluetooth 4, 802.11 n wifi, GSM, 3G, LTE, GPS, GLONASS;

– firmware: Google Android 8.1 Oreo Go Edition, the core interface;

camera: front 8 MP + flash, basic 13 MP + flash;

– battery: built in 5000 mAh;

– dimensions: 147х71х10 mm;
– weight: 175 grams;

– housing material: plastic, metal;

– case color: silver, black, Golden, dark gray;

– features: a fingerprint scanner.

 

So, given the cost of the smartphone, outfitted it quite well. His only drawback from the point of view of the equipment is outdated microUSB 2.0 port. He had to leave in 2018, because it is not physically allows you to implement a really fast charging, and by itself it is much less convenient to use than USB-C. But the connector under the left earphone and it is very pleasing.

Note the front flash and fair resolution HD+.

 

The tray for SIM-cards and a fingerprint scanner

The smartphone supports two SIM cards and the tray under them in this case is not hybrid. This means that you don’t have to choose between the combinations of the two SIM cards and one SIM with memory card.

No, here the SIM card and microSD card have a separate slot so that it will deliver a smartphone. Such a note is rare and more expensive models, what can we say about state employees.

But the fingerprint scanner is not pleased. It is very sensitive, reacts even on light touch, but it recognizes your fingerprint with great difficulty. Out of 10 times it worked exactly 5, so adding two prints of one finger, in this case this is a forced measure. If you do so, accuracy will increase significantly to 8 times out of 10.

 

Design

Exterior BQ 4G Power Strike can be called both modern and classic – it combines elements of smartphones in 2018 and 2012 models release. First note that the smartphone is very compact due to not only the screen, but the reduced thickness of the frame around it. Monobrow fortunately, there is no, and indeed any cut-outs in the matrix, no camera, earpiece, sensors and flash are placed on the upper face and the smartphone did not interfere.

The bottom frame is empty, as the control buttons are virtual and displayed on the display. On the left side there is a already considered a tray for SIM-card, and on the right there are volume buttons and the inclusion. Top allocated a place in the headphone Jack and the charging interface are brought to the lower end of that right.

And now about the element straight from 2012 is the main speaker, which can be found on the rear panel. Since no one does, because he always closes the hand or table top. In short, this decision has long been obsolete.

The back housing is made of metal and has plastic inserts top and bottom for the antennas. Here is the main camera with a flash. The phone is very soiled – every touch will leave a mark not only on metal but also on the protective film on the screen. Removed the prints from the film pretty quickly, but with metal – no, no wet wipes to get rid of them.

 

Ergonomics

As mentioned above, the smartphone is very compact, allowing it to lie perfectly at least in the male, even in female hand. The device weighs a lot, and the weight of this is felt immediately, but here it is a nice phone gives the impression of a sturdy and reliable gadget, as opposed to his weightless “classmates”.

BQ Strike Power 4G is really nice to hold in your hand – it does not slip, has no sharp corners. But they will have to manage with two hands, as the screen is extended and to the top of its corners so just do not reach. But this spirit of the times – smartphones with displays 16:9 have almost no one produces.

The disadvantages of the ergonomics of the smartphone will carry only unbalanced microUSB interface and virtual navigation buttons – they could easily fit on the bottom frame of the screen and not take part of its usable area. Otherwise, no complaints.

 

Screen

While some unscrupulous manufacturers of smartphones are trying to save money and place in your model for $100 screens in TN, BQ relies on more modern IPS panel. In Strike Power 4G used it, and on the screen we can’t say anything bad. The only thing is the place to be noticeable inversion of the black color at extreme viewing angles, but the overall picture remains quite visible, even when viewed on the screen is almost perpendicular to its surface.

As for the brightness, for indoor use it is redundant – enough 30% for comfortable use. But on a lovely day in the sun it is, oddly enough, is a little lacking, and this paradox we can’t explain. The sensor layer for the entire area without any complaints and defines five simultaneous touches.

 

Sound and vibration

Main speaker BQ Strike Power 4G, despite its location, loud enough for you to hear an incoming call or message through the two rooms, it would be enough. If you evaluate the sound quality, it is at 4+: the bass lacks, but for watching YouTube is not critical.

Voice speaker is great – loud, not rattling, you will hear your interlocutor very well. The microphone has average sensitivity, the windscreen is completely absent. The sound of the vibration motor are not annoying, but his strength is not enough to feel the vibration even through the jacket. If you carry the phone in a case, the vibration motor is and you can safely disable it.

 

The camera

In BQ Strike Power both 4G camera single auxiliary sensors they have, but each of them has its own flash. On the brightness of the two flashes are identical and very good, but as a flashlight it is allowed to use only basic.

Best camera work in daylight or in good artificial light. Aperture the manufacturer specify, but again I remind you that this is a budget smartphone and don’t need to demand from him the quality of images at the level of Samsung S10e for 57 000 roubles. No, everything here is at a level consistent with price smartphone day pictures on both cameras get very detailed, and at night they inevitably contain noises. Application for working with cameras original has a nice interface, quite convenient and clear.

 

Software

To smartphones with 1 GB RAM and 8 GB ROM could work normally and not slow down, Google has released a special Android OS 8.1 Go Edition, optimized for low-end devices. From it cut out all the secondary functions, and staffing of the program also received superior code that allowed them to work faster even on slower hardware.

Actually, it Android Go and stands on BQ Strike Power 4G and it really does not slow down, except that after the first boot when the system is still doing the background setting. Visual firmware the most common, although some elements of tuning are still present, but they look quite organically. Additional settings there, and in our version, even absent the ability to change the location of the navigation buttons.

After the first boot of 8 GB of memory available to the user about 3.9 GB, but it is possible to remove the pre-installed advertising software and disable unnecessary applications staff. Check Dr. Web showed a lack of the firmware files harmful components. As a bonus, the possibility of wireless updates.

 

Performance

From a smartphone with 1 GB RAM wonders in terms of higher speed operation silly to wait for the created. However, good optimization of the firmware is doing its job, and in the same game test with the 3D Mark Ice Storm Unlimited package BQ Strike Power 4G scored 4170 points.

Test AnTuTu, for unknown reasons, refused to run on the smartphone and in the benchmark Geekbench the device has received 629 points in single-core and 1566 points in multi-core mode. During testing, the smartphone is practically not heated.

 

Work offline

The main competitive advantage of 4G BQ Strike Power is just the power supply system. The battery of 5000 mAh in symbiosis with the electronics has allowed us to use this phone without recharging for two days, almost holding hands. A more gentle mode of operation easily provide up to four days of autonomy.

Charging the battery long – regular charging him that you want within 3.5 hours. Fortunately, there is support for a more powerful memory – 2-ampere charger will reduce the recharge time for energy to 3 hours. However, in this case will be felt a certain heating of the battery, which is not good, so we recommend to use the complete charge – it battery is not heated.

  

Pros BQ Strike Power 4G

– huge battery;

– great battery life;

– convenient tray for SIM-card;

– optimized firmware;

– a minimum of software titles;

– wide variety of body colors;

front – facing flash.

 

Cons BQ Strike Power 4G

interface microUSB 2.0;

– weak vibration motor;

the main speaker on the rear panel.

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