Overview PPTV King 7 - multimedia smartphone with a dedicated DAC for 137 dollars

Manufacturer

Company PPTV unknown in Russia: This provider of streaming television works only in China. To expand the area of ​​influence after LeTV (LeEco) the company issued its own smartphone.

Unfortunately, the developers expect failure because PPTV failed to provide a low cost gadget: the start of sales King 7 cost more than 300 dollars. With similar characteristics to Le Max $ 100 difference not played in favor of an unknown device.

Six months later, the developers released a forced international insertion, and should begin global sale warehouse balance. However, the older version with a 3D-display and is not bought for the right price. But the younger smartphone involved in endless sales, where its value fell to 137 dollars. Let's see what offers to use the content of this gadget.

Characteristics

Appearance, assembly and ease of use

Gold on the black - quite common variant of the external design of the Chinese units. A hint of the premium in this case is not justified because the equipment quite poor:

• smartphone;
• Charger 2 A;
• cable;
• waste paper in Chinese.

The box could be much less. But the manufacturer has decided to emphasize the size of the device. "Spade" - the main characteristic of PPTV King 7. He no longer Xiaomi Max or the popular Sony Xperia Z Ultra. But diagonal less! The thickness at the maximum point is nearly 9 mm.

But one thing - on the table, the other - in his hands. Due to rounded corners and edges of the smartphone confidently placed in the hand of medium size. Fingers are on basic physical buttons, thumb, you can get almost anywhere on the screen. With support for gestures and major elements of the interface that is enough for comfortable work with King 7.

The physical buttons are on the right edge, but slightly set back for more convenience when pressed. Volume swing symmetrically on the left edge is a slot for a SIM card. He does not rattle, do not hang out, but you have to make some effort to pull out the tray.

The smartphone has a huge vertical frames. Add a wide black frame around the screen itself - and the look immediately loses its appeal. Today it is the lot of low-end phones.

The onscreen buttons, do not hide. To hide them, have to use third-party programs.

under the deceptive screen logo is actually an indicator of the state. Port to 3.5mm and IR transmitter located at the upper end.

The bottom end is decorated with lattice dynamics and the displaced from the center of microUSB port. Such a solution, on the one hand, simplifies the structure, gives a visual symmetry. On the other - it would be difficult to pick up the dock.

Assembling PPTV King 7 is beyond praise. The gaps between the plastic inserts to accommodate the antenna and the main rear panel are minimal, almost imperceptible. The screen is installed without gaps. All wires are connected without play.

Display

Despite the huge scope for 2017, screen PPTV King 7 - one of its main advantages. Qualitative 6-inch panel made of IPS technology and has a resolution of 2K (2560 × 1440 pixels). Total - 467 pixels per inch!

Unfortunately, a little disappoint gamut. Color accuracy 85% of the sRGB for the budget segment looks good on paper, and in life. But the more expensive devices are now able to offer 100 and even 110% coverage. In the system settings adjust the color temperature of the screen there.

However, most will not be able to see the difference (if you do not put next flagship smartphone big brand, released in 2017) due to the characteristics of human vision. Sophisticated users of color may appear dull.

Brightness and contrast are standard for the mainstream segment. Minimum backlight level makes it comfortable to use your smartphone in the dark. The maximum brightness is saved under the spring sun - the screen remains readable. But due to the lack of anti-reflective coating collects the sunbeams.

The display covered with a protective glass Gorilla Glass effect 2,5D, it will save your screen from scratches and light bumps. However, too much hope on it is not: it is over the oleophobic coating to protect it from dirt and fingerprints. Their intended purpose, it performs very well, but easily scratched. And because of the great coating thickness at unsuccessful outcome it seems that extends to scrape the screen.

Do not forget that comfortable, ergonomic and smooth glass 2,5D-edge is much worse transferred to drops and shocks. Due to the lack of protective frameworks screen always takes the brunt.

Performance

The smartphone uses the platform MediaTek Helio X10, released back in 2015. On its board - 8 cores at 2 GHz, and graphics core PowerVR G6200. This bundle is obsolete even in 2016 is morally and technically.

On X10 operate such devices as HTC One M9 +, Meizu MX5, LeEco Le 1s. But they all have a FullHD-display, and in King 7 consumes significantly more resources. Amount of RAM 3 GB is not a big difference.

In this regard, the results of synthetic tests Records not beaten. AnTuTu shows about 53-56 thousand points, Geekbench - 750 for single-threaded computing, and 3300 for multipotoka.

Actual performance enough for efficient operation of the smartphone in standard user scenarios. The interface works smoothly, flawlessly. Most programs, including the office, do not lag. Heavy PDF-files open slowly, but viewed without any problems.

Games in native resolution work is quite slow, but acceptable. For a comfortable gameplay should use one of the programs to reduce the resolution.

camera

Expect something extraordinary from the cameras PPTV King 7, as we saw above, it is not necessary. The main camera is equipped with a 13 megapixel sensor and a good lens ISOSELL. Due to this photo are correct white balance, adequate contrast and color saturation.

Focusing running a little slower than in the latest Xiaomi. But to get a grainy picture with PPTV King 7 is almost impossible, even with complex artificial light. The result is imperfect, at the average level for units priced up to 15 thousand rubles.

A native app for the shooting has broad enough opportunities, but its structure is modeled on MIUI. It turned out to be extremely uncomfortable clone. However it is clear that there is stabilization, which can be activated if necessary.

The front camera is suitable for undemanding users of videoconferencing and selfie. Highly artistic images can not be expected from it.

Sound

Musical smartphones among today's devices are fairly rare. Embedded in the processor codecs enough to listen to streaming music and undemanding user.

The correct audio section consisting of separate chips for decoding digital stream, amplification and signal processing, - the lot Flagship apparatus. A recognized leader in mobile audio quality has become Meizu MX4 Pro, having the digital-to-analog converter ESS ES9018K2M and the two TI OPA1612 amplifiers.

PPTV has taken the already beaten path, copying the audio path from the little-known in Russia, but nevertheless much more music smartphone BBK Vivo Xshot. It audiotrakte same DAC that MX4 Pro, but uses a more powerful amplifier - Maxim MAX97220 (120 mW). A very good bunch, giving the monitor a firm coloration.

By default, the DAC and amplifier are not involved - require their activation, install a special patch after receiving root-rights. Then smartphone able to decode the audio files to 24-bit / 96 kHz directly without loss of quality and resampling.

When listening to audio content corresponding to sound impressive. Of course, bulky audiophile players and stationary systems have a more powerful sound. But PPTV King 7 of this parameter easily bypasses most smartphones (except, perhaps, Meizu MX 4 Pro and Pro 5, Lenovo X3 and Highscreen Boost) and portable budgetary players.

Compared with the legendary MX4 Pro, King 7 sounds smoothly, quietly, without allocates a portion of the spectrum. The sound can be called a monitor, it is suitable for any style of music. In some cases, need to work a little EQ, because not every entry contains a sufficient amount of bass or top.

Software

The device runs on Android 5.1 with a proprietary shell. Of global shortcomings - not very high-quality translation into Russian. Of course, the setting is much less than the MIUI. The rest is the usual AOSP-assembly. Basic design theme may seem vyrviglaznoy, but change it will not be difficult.

Stand-alone operation

Most resource consuming running screen and its backlight. In the mixed mode of use it provides the smartphone to 5.5 hours of operation with included wireless interfaces (4G) and screen brightness.

brightness increase to the maximum level reduces the battery life of 40 minutes. Similarly, reduction to a minimum increases the work for half an hour.

In the airplane mode smart phone capable of playing video about 7 hours at an average brightness and about 6 watches - high.

The smartphone supports fast charging, but is not equipped with a suitable charger. However, whether to use MediaTek Pump Express the previous revision - to decide the buyer. When using these chargers smartphones become very hot, and their batteries degrade faster.

Results: music and cheap

Failure PPTV King 7 due to the disparity alleged consumer quality and high value at the start of sales. If the company had once offered it for $ 150-200, would not have to sell the stock on hand today.

Taking into account the characteristics of balance, King 7 may be a good choice. Among its advantages:

• nice big screen;
• great musical potential;
• good camera;
• comfortable shape and unusual design;
• low price.

But there are also disadvantages:

• low autonomy;
• lack of support;
• the absence of a fingerprint scanner;
• the need for fine-tuning to produce a root-rights.

Current value 137 dollars It turns the device into the cheapest music smartphone. The closest analogue of Lenovo X3 will cost not less than $ 400. Popular Highscreen Boost 3 SE costs the same, but it can not be used for virtual reality headsets.

Therefore PPTV King 7 can be considered the cheapest multimedia processor with great potential and recommend to buy.