Just one year after the presentation of the first range of Aquaris U, BQ announced today the arrival of its successors. This is the new Aquaris U2 and U2 Lite, two devices with which the company takes a new step in its idea of offering devices as affordable as possible.
These are two almost identical models, in which the only thing that changes is the processor and the camera between the main one and its Lite version, slightly less powerful in the second one. For the rest, in them we will see a SoC Snapdragon Snapdragon 4XX, 2 GB of RAM and resolutions of 720p.
In this way and after today’s releases, the Aquaris U2 and U2 Lite remain in the BQ input range with the minimum specifications. Meanwhile, just above are the Aquaris V and V Plus also presented today, and that add to the proposal a fingerprint reader and better finishes.
Data sheet of the BQ Aquaris U2 and BQ Aquaris U2 Lite
| BQ AQUARIS U2 LITE | BQ AQUARIS U2 | |
|---|---|---|
| DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT | 148.1 x 72.9 x 8.4 mm and 155 gr | 148.1 x 72.9 x 8.4 mm and 155 gr |
| SCREEN | IPS A-SI 5.2 inches Resolution 720×1280 and 283 ppi Cristal Dinorex |
IPS A-SI 5.2 inches Resolution 720×1280 and 283 ppi Cristal Dinorex |
| MATERIALS | Polycarbonate + Dinorex crystal Splash resistant IP52 | Polycarbonate + Dinorex crystal Splash resistant IP52 |
| PROCESSOR | Snapdragon 425 quad-core 1.4 GHz GPU Adreno 308 |
Snapdragon 430 octa-core 1.4 GHz GPU Adreno 505 |
| RAM | 2 GB | 2 GB |
| MEMORY | 16 GB + MicroSD 256 GB | 16 GB + MicroSD 256 GB |
| SOFTWARE | Android 7.1.2 (upgradeable to 8.0 Oreo) | Android 7.1.2 (upgradeable to 8.0 Oreo) |
| CAMERAS | Rear: 8 MP, f / 2.0, RAW shooting, LED flash, manual control Front: 5 MP, f / 2.0, flash |
Rear: 13 MP, f / 2.2, PDAF, HDR, RAW trigger, manual control, Front flash : 5 MP, f / 2.0, flash |
| CONNECTIVITY | Dual SIM, 4G LTE, WiFi ac, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS / Galileo / Glonass, MicroUSB | Dual SIM, 4G, WiFi ac, Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, GPS / Galileo / Glonass, MicroUSB |
| BATTERY | 3.100 mAh Quick Charge Quick Charge 3.0 |
3.100 mAh Quick Charge Quick Charge 3.0 |
| OTHERS | NFC, Bluetooth 4.2 GPS-Glonass FM radio 2 microphones with noise canceller proximity sensor Accelerometer Headphone jack HiFi |
NFC, Bluetooth 4.2 GPS-Glonass FM radio 2 microphones with noise canceller proximity sensor Accelerometer Headphone jack HiFi |
| PRICE | $159.90 | $179.90 |
The most basic input range of BQ
The concept of these two new BQ devices seems to be to offer the minimum specifications that any buyer can look for, and offer them at the lowest possible price. Hence, sacrifices must have been made in an attempt to economize the final result as much as possible.
Both come equipped with Qualcomm processors, the Snapdragon 435 for the Aquaris U2 and a slightly less powerful Snapdragon 425 for its little brother, the Lite version. In this release we miss the version ‘Plus’ that we saw last year in the first range of Aquaris U, so it remains to be seen if it will be presented later or will be sacrificed to focus on the less powerful ranges.
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In terms of RAM, in both models we find the 2 GB, while the internal storage remains at 16 GB. In full 2017 this storage capacity seems insufficient, but BQ makes up for this by offering a microSD card slot with which we can expand the internal memory by 256 GB.
The new Aquaris U2 and U2 Lite are finished in high quality polycarbonate and a Beckers finish with protection against IP52 against dust and splashes. The screen is 5.2 inches with 2.5D corners slightly rounded to give them a very visual look. Yes, forget about the mobiles without frames or fingerprint sensors, because they are two trends that have been sacrificed in exchange for a more competitive price.
The battery is 3100 mAh, which added to the undemanding processors and an HD resolution of 720p should translate into quite remarkable autonomies to which we must add Quick Charge 3.0 technology for fast charging. Even so, we will have to wait until we can prove it to see to what extent the numbers on the table are brought effectively to reality.
The photographic section is covered by 13 and 8 megapixel rear cameras for the U2 and U2 Lite respectively, the first having an f / 2.2 and the second an f / 2.0, and sharing RAW shooting, manual control and LED flash. The rear cameras are the same on both models, with 5 megapixel and f / 2.0 sensors.
As for the rest, it is surprising that they are mobile ready to be used both compatibility with LTE networks. We will also find NFC, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS-Glonass, FM Radio and 2 microphones with noise cancellation for clearer conversations.
And to finish, it remains to remember that both devices will come with Android 7.1.2 Nougat, and that BQ has already announced that they will update to Android Oreo in the coming dates. A last and interesting both taking into account that in the lower ranges the majority of devices usually miss precisely not being too updated.
Versions and prices of the BQ Aquaris U2 and U2 Lite
The new Aquaris U2 and U2 Lite will arrive in stores starting in October in Carbon Black and Sand Gold, black and gold. They will do it with 16 GB of storage and 2 GB of RAM with prices of 179.90 dollars for the Aquaris U2, while the Aquaris U2 Lite will remain at 159.910 dollars.
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