Review of BQ-6015L Universe - a thorny path to trends

The author of AndroidLime.ru came to review the BQ Universe smartphone from a Russian company that assembles gadgets in China.

We often test BQ smartphones and publish reviews - the domestic manufacturer needs to be supported. The range of devices is quite wide, but many budget devices are very similar to each other. The main complaint is that they lack some zest and some kind of breakthrough function.

At the same time, BQ is trying itself in the higher segment - we need to remember the frameless BQ Aurora and BQ Space X with face recognition and more or less powerful processors. The company added BQ Universe to the two gadgets mentioned above. We'll talk about the pros, cons, features and other nuances in our review.

Specifications BQ-6015L Universe

• Processor: Snapdragon 435 (8 Cortex-A53 cores up to 1.4 GHz).
• Video chip: Adreno 505.
• RAM: 3 GB.
• Storage: 32 GB + microSD support up to 128 GB.
• Display: IPS, 6 inches, 1528 x 720 pixels, 19:9, U-shaped, 284 ppi.
• Main camera: 13 MP, autofocus, flash.
• Front camera: 16 MP.
• System: Android 8.0.0 Oreo.
• Wi-Fi, GPS, 4G, NFC.
• Battery: 3000 mAh, non-removable, Li-pol.
• Sensors: proximity, lighting, accelerometer, fingerprint scanner.
• Dimensions: 155 x 72.2 x 8.3 mm.
• Weight: 157 grams.

The official starting price of BQ Universe is 12,990 rubles, and this is the main deterrent for most users. Some will choose a certified domestic device with a guarantee and support, while others will order a more powerful and modern Xiaomi on AliExpress for the same money.

GreenTech_Reviews

Review and testing of the BQ-6015L Universe smartphone

This year, smartphone manufacturers set a new fashion - large widescreen frameless displays with a cutout for the camera and speaker. If everything is clear with expensive flagships, there are not so many similar models in the budget segment at the moment. And if you don’t look at those models that need to be ordered from well-known or (not so) Chinese stores, then the choice becomes very limited. In this article we will study the Universe smartphone from BQ, which has the largest display among the manufacturer’s entire lineup. The Universe screen has a 6″ diagonal and a 19:9 ratio, while maintaining the fairly compact dimensions of the device itself. This is achieved thanks to very thin side frames, as well as another feature of the smartphone - the front camera is implemented within the display itself. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves and consider everything in order.

We also note one very useful side of BQ - the company supports the Gift of Life charity foundation (material support for children with oncohematological and other serious diseases) and regularly publishes support reports, which detail what purposes these funds were used for. https://bq.ru/givelife/ The cost of BQ-6015L Universe in Moscow retail at the time of publication of the material is from 12,700 rubles.

Contents: 1. Overview of the device, looking at the screen through a microscope 2.
Interface, testing, autonomous operation 3. Camera, conclusion The BQ-6015L Universe is supplied in a red box, on the front of which there is only the name class="aligncenter" width=" 1215″ height=”1280″[/img]
On the back of the box there is basic information about the model, as well as photographs of the smartphone on both sides. There are two colors available - golden and blue-gray. We have the second option in our hands.

Specifications

There are two zones inside the box - one contains the smartphone itself, and the other contains the delivery kit.

In the box you can find: - user manual; — a leaflet with information about the guarantee; — a discount coupon for a company accessories store; - Charger; - microUSB cable.

A colored film is pasted onto the smartphone screen, which reflects some of the features of the smartphone.

At first glance, the front side of the Universe is not much different from many other models, but this is only before turning on the screen. If you look closely, you can determine the border of the display and it becomes clear that the front camera is located right in it. Special thanks to the manufacturer for the protective film glued at the factory.

On the lower side there is a speaker, a conversational microphone and a micro USB port.

On the top edge you can find an additional microphone for noise suppression and a 3.5 mm audio jack.

Above the screen there is an earpiece and an LED indicator. The latter informs the user about missed events (messages, calls), notifications from applications, battery level and the charging process of the device. It is impossible to say that the front camera is located above the screen, and in the next photo you will understand the reason. It should be noted that the front camera module has a resolution of 16 MP with an F/2.0 value, which allows you to take higher-quality photographs in rooms with low lighting or in the dark.

The thing is that the camera takes up part of the display. But, since we have a widescreen display, not a single application was affected. We could not identify any problems in using the smartphone.

The reverse side is made of plastic, but of good quality. The panel shimmers beautifully and changes color depending on the lighting - from gray to blue.

At the back there is a main camera with LED flash and a fingerprint scanner.

On the right side there are volume control and power/lock buttons.

On the left is a tray for installing two SIM cards or one SIM card and one memory card.

The display is bright and juicy, it is clearly visible even on a sunny day.

Let's look at the screen through the optics of the microscope. General form:

Maximum magnification for our microscope:

Play Store icon:

Same thing, but closer:

And the maximum possible:

Read more: Performance testing and battery life

Pages: 1

Design and ergonomics

The BQ-6015L Universe is available in only two colors: gold and blue-gray. We received the second modification. In terms of design, the tested smartphone stands out among all its peers - such iridescent and glare colors can be seen on the flagship Honor 10.

The back panel is made of a 3D mirror coating, but it's just plastic. Visually, the backdrop looks very solid and even premium, but greasy stains and fingerprints stick to it literally before our eyes.

The device is equipped with a single main camera module, but it is made in the style of the iPhone X and Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 - vertically. The place of the second module here is occupied by a flash.

In the center of the back panel there is a recessed fingerprint scanner, just below is the manufacturer’s logo, and at the very bottom is the model name. The arrangement of the elements is standard and familiar.

The U-shaped display attracts all the attention on the front panel - a similar solution is found in the Essential Phone and Sharp Aquos S2. It is difficult to give an unambiguous assessment of this phenomenon, since the cutout itself seems a little bulky. The unibrows on the Huawei P20 Lite and OPPO F7 looked more neat. This cutout houses a prominent front camera module. It is noteworthy that the notification indicator is placed in a thin upper frame above the screen.

The side bezels of the display are not thick, but noticeable. The space under the screen is large, the navigation buttons are touch sensitive.

The main speaker holes and microUSB charging connector are located at the bottom. Plus for symmetry.

On top there is a 3.5mm jack and a noise-canceling microphone.

On the right side of the smartphone there are the usual power buttons and a raised volume button. They sit tightly in their places and do not wobble, but are pressed with a noticeable sound.

On the left, the developers have placed a hybrid slot for a memory card and SIM cards, which can be removed with a paperclip.

There are no complaints about ergonomics - the smartphone is quite light (157 grams) and thin (8.3 mm), thanks to which it fits perfectly in the hand and does not cause any inconvenience. I'm glad that you can get a large 6-inch screen in a compact and convenient case.

general description

The company's designers made a bold attempt to beautifully design their brainchild. The attempt was indeed a bold one, because behind the stylish design there is a plastic body. At the first contact with a smartphone, the cheapness of the material is visually and to the touch. This is a completely subjective opinion and is not related to reviews from other buyers. Plastic makes products cheaper and reduces the weight of the device. But plastic does not have the same characteristics as metal; over time it will begin to wear off and scratches will appear on the surface. It is recommended to purchase a case along with your phone to avoid such problems in the future.

The screen received glass protection in the form of the third generation of Corning Gorilla Glass. This speaks in favor of manufacturers who took care of their customers; they do not have to buy such a small thing as a protective screen separately from the phone. The back cover was given a gloss finish. Huawei and Honor smartphones have this. It’s hard to say who spied on whom, but the gloss adds gloss to the smartphone. You can't tell from its appearance that the device is in the middle category of phones. The lid has rounded edges with a matte edging, smoothly transitioning from the back to the front.

The case has good ergonomics, which is why it fits perfectly in the hand, taking into account its weight and width. These phones are suitable for people with wide hands. With a smaller hand size, the device will seem too large and uncomfortable. However, it holds well in any hand and does not slip even from damp palms. The package does not include a case, but it is available for sale on the official websites of the manufacturer and other online stores. The cases come in two versions: silicone and leather.

The device received an original cutout for the camera on the front of the body. Next to the camera there are event sensors and others, as well as an earpiece. The originality of the cutout lies in the fact that usually manufacturers try to place the speaker and sensors in it; in the case of the BQ, the main emphasis is on the camera. Compared to analogues of other brands, this cut looks better and more aesthetically pleasing. A similar design is found in Essantial smartphones.

They even made predictions about what this notch will look like in the future: the company plans to keep the cutouts for sensors, speaker and camera a few millimeters in size. Since the fingerprint scanner is being moved en masse from the back panel to the screens, we should expect that manufacturers will be able to achieve the desired design. Moving the scanner to the screen frees up a lot of space. Presumably the scanner will be located next to the camera and all sensors in the form of a thin strip. Next to the camera there is an event recording sensor with an indicator. The LED is not faded, visible even in the sun. The speaker is of good quality, works without unnecessary noise. The sound is clear, stereo. A microphone is located nearby to suppress noise.

The bottom panel contains a microphone, a slot for a mini USB cable, and a speaker for listening to music and speakerphone. At the top there is an audio output for connecting 3.5 mm headphones. On the left there is a SIM card slot. Sizes nano or micro, a micro SD memory card is also inserted here. On the right are the volume control and phone power buttons.

On the back side of the case there is a camera and a flash. Just below is the fingerprint scanner. There is a facial recognition feature that works slowly, but accurately and without glitches. Overall, the phone looks stylish, but there is a feeling of cheapness when in contact with the gadget, since the material of manufacture is plastic.

Display

Given the low cost of the phone itself, the developers decided to use the design of expensive gadgets in the form of a cutout for the front camera. It looks very original and aesthetically pleasing than a regular strip. The display diagonal is 6 inches with an aspect ratio of 19:9. The resolution is slightly below HD+ quality, 1528x7200 pixels. The dot density is 281 per inch. The color graph shows that there is more blue than red. It's not enough. Shades of gray are natural.

Brightness exceeds the norm: white 410 cd per sq.m., black 0.4 cd per sq.m. The color range varies from 1.9 to 2.05. Overall, the display has good rich colors with wide viewing angles. There is no distortion of colors or images when tilted. It performed poorly in the sun - the image is almost invisible.

Settings allow you to swap control buttons. There is a function to activate the lift mode to unlock the screen. Activation of the night mode, in which the brightness increases sharply, which is also very convenient, since you can control the options with one hand.

Battery

For their category, the developers used a fairly capacious battery. Its charge is enough for a day of operation in normal mode. With active phone use, this figure drops to 10 hours, 7 hours for watching videos and 4 hours for active games. Such indicators were achieved by increasing the frequency characteristics of the processor. Operating at maximum speed, the chipset consumes minimal energy. The main expense goes to backlighting the screen, which is too big for a battery with such a capacity, and to supporting wireless networks (cellular and Wi-Fi). You can reduce consumption only by reducing the brightness of the screen. During the day, increased brightness is of no use, but in the evening you can activate the night mode, and the screen will begin to glow brighter.

The battery charges in 4 hours. There are fast charging options. This feature is very useful for people who do not have time to fully recharge their phone battery. But even with average use of the phone with constant screen backlight, the device will work for at least fifteen hours.

Network technologies

The device supports all types of cellular communications present in the country. There is nothing remarkable about this, as manufacturers enter the market and must maintain the competitiveness of their products. Notable is the use of a near-field communication (NFC) chip. Not all phones support this technology. It allows you to pay for purchases in stores without bank cards. You just need to bring your phone to the terminal, launch the application, and the phone will pay for the purchase automatically. This chip is mainly used only in expensive phones. The budget and middle class are usually deprived of this opportunity.

The smartphone has a slot for installing two SIM cards. Supports the fourth generation of cellular networks, has GPS/GLONASS positioning. Captures up to twenty satellites, location accuracy is up to ten meters. Works as a navigator with Google applications. A good helper for travelers.

Cameras

Manufacturers decided not to stuff the phone with several cameras, so they installed only two. Rear 16 megapixels and front 13 megapixels with f/2.0 aperture for both cameras. The matrices are standard, but the photo quality is good. The creators tried to make the cameras work as efficiently as possible, even adding digital bokeh. The function works smoothly and without any comments.

You can see how they take pictures by taking the first photo. Photos are clear with excellent white balance and sharpness. In good lighting, colors come out natural and in high HD quality. But they lack dynamics; only the HDR functionality saves them. Just like he takes photographs at night, there are no comments, the colors become slightly pale, the sharpness drops, but not much, there is no unnecessary noise. 16 megapixels is too much for the front camera.

The video is obtained in FullHD quality with a frame rate of 30 per second and digital image stabilization. The sound on the video is always clear, thanks to the microphone for noise suppression. There is a background blur functionality. Works for both cameras. There is panoramic shooting, with stabilization, in motion. The range of functionality is surprising; you don’t often see such a package of options in phones of this category.

Chipset

Manufacturers installed 3 GB RAM operating at a speed of 3500 MB/sec. This is very encouraging, since similar phones with less memory show that it is not enough to get the job done. The built-in memory has 32 GB, the writing speed is decent, but the reading speed is much slower.

The chipset used is from Qualcomm. This is a manufacturer of good hardware for phones. The chipset is among the best in terms of performance. The use of such a processor on inexpensive devices is very surprising. Usually such filling is installed on expensive devices. The processor operates without any performance issues, does not freeze or lag. This is not to say that the phone itself is very fast, but not a single user had any complaints about the performance the entire time.

Display

The BQ-6015L Universe is equipped with a U-shaped IPS screen with a diagonal of 6 inches, a pixel density of 284 ppi and an aspect ratio of 19:9.

A large and elongated display with a modern and fashionable cutout is, of course, wonderful, but the low resolution (1528 by 720 pixels) spoils the whole thing. This is not to say that the BQ Universe screen is rippling or annoyingly pixelated, but in a modern smartphone for 13 thousand rubles you want to see Full HD+ resolution.

There are no complaints about the display in other components - the brightness is sufficient during the day in sunny weather, the viewing angles are wide, and image distortion is insignificant. In color rendering, warm pink shades have an advantage, and there is no way to adjust this.

Performance and benchmarks

The vast majority of BQ smartphones run on budget Chinese MediaTek chipsets. While this means almost nothing to ordinary people, many advanced users recognize only Qualcomm processors.

The developers of the tested device listened to the public - BQ Universe runs on the 8-core Snapdragon 435 chipset, which is used in the best-selling Xiaomi Redmi 4X and LG Q6a. The processor has proven itself well in the budget segment, where it outperforms all competitors - it is more stable, heats up less and is less likely to throttle.

Yes, the most popular smartphone on Snapdragon 435 - Xiaomi Redmi 4X with 32 GB - can be bought in Russia for 9-10 thousand rubles, but there is no frameless display with a cutout and NFC. As they say, to each his own.

The memory capacity of the tested model is normal - 3/32 GB. This is enough for quick launch and switching between applications. There are no questions about the operation of the interface and basic functions - everything is fast and without microlags. Some problems and slowdowns are possible in busy modes and with a large number of open browser tabs.

In games, the situation is typical for this processor - light and medium games run smoothly and without slowdown. We tested Angry Birds 2 and Subway Surf - everything was fine. You can play games with more sophisticated graphics, but there may be slowdowns and fps drops.

Benchmark tests showed the expected numbers for the chipset used:

Photo on BQ Universe

The main camera of the BQ-6015L Universe is represented by a 13 megapixel module with autofocus and flash. The camera does not have any special functions or features, but it copes with its task normally. The key to successful photography is good natural light, steady hands and, preferably, a couple of attempts.

In dim artificial lighting, in the dark and twilight, the photo module can blur the image and add noise to it, but in most cases the camera works correctly for its category.

Photo on BQ Universe with flash

At night and in low light, typical problems that can be seen in our photographs are a decrease in sharpness and detail, the appearance of noise and blurring.

The selfie camera is even cooler in terms of resolution than the main one - a 16-megapixel module with HDR and on-screen flash. The photos are of high quality, and the software for enhancing images works correctly.

More photos on the BQ-6015L Universe can be found in a special folder on Yandex.Disk.

Reviews

The phone is made with style, even with the design trend of originality. The smartphone is assembled with high quality, the lid opens easily, nothing creaks. The screen is elongated and without frames, but given its size it is already difficult to operate the phone with one hand. It requires long fingers. The oval cut for the camera is not an original idea of ​​the company. This can be found in many smartphones, but from the outside it looks very stylish, even tasteful. The gloss of the back cover shimmers in the sun, which adds even more chic.

The camera and flash are combined into one module, which makes it seem like the phone has two cameras. The flash fires automatically, so in the dark and at dusk the image quality is decent. No noise or blurred images thanks to the stabilization system.

Interface and security

The BQ-6015L Universe runs on the latest version of Android 8.0.0 Oreo, but the visual component of the interface has been slightly redesigned. I must admit, for the better - application shortcuts have become more compact, the menu is called up by swiping from bottom to top, the notification shade is black and white. Here are some visual screenshots:

One of the main advantages of BQ Universe is the presence of an NFC module for contactless payments. This is really important now.

Now about safety. The smartphone is equipped with a segment-standard fingerprint scanner, which will be sufficient for the average user. Of course, there is a slight delay in unlocking, but this is not critical.

The second unlocking method is more innovative and fashionable - facial recognition. Of course, this takes more time, but the procedure occurs automatically when the user takes the phone in his hand - there is no need to activate the display. Traditionally, in the dark and during active movement, unlocking may fail.

Autonomy and battery

The autonomy of the BQ-6015L Universe is ensured by a non-removable lithium-polymer battery with a capacity of 3000 mAh. Much is clear here even without tests - the 8-core processor and large screen require attention, so by the end of the day the smartphone will have to be charged in most scenarios. If you load your gadget with 4G Internet, multitasking, and especially games, the battery charge will deplete noticeably faster.

Summary and review

Stylish and in some ways modern, the BQ-6015L Universe smartphone follows the trends of recent years - a widescreen display with a cutout, bright design and NFC support. But because of this, developers are forced to sacrifice performance and screen quality, while setting a fairly high price of 12,990 rubles.

As mentioned above, for this money there are more powerful and worthy smartphones, for example, Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus and Redmi Note 5, but they need to be ordered in China. BQ Universe is a domestic and certified gadget, so there is an official guarantee.

Ratings: 4 , average: 5.00

Advantages and disadvantages:

Advantages:

• stylish design;
• high-quality photographs;
• ergonomics of the case.

Flaws:

• plastic case;
• no cover included;
• no headset.

The creators did their best to make the device stylish with a high-quality body assembly. They didn’t skimp on camera matrices, so pictures and videos are of high quality even in the twilight. We saved on the material for the case, but this is not so critical; cases are available in any store. Performance is at the proper level, signal quality is always high.