Lenovo Vibe X stuffs 5-inch 1080p display, quad-core chip into slim and light body (update: video)
While Lenovo's Snapdragon 800-powered phone has yet to make an official appearance, the Chinese company's gone ahead and unveiled its other quad-core flagship device: the Vibe X aka IdeaPhone S960. Much like most of its recent siblings, this Android 4.2 slate is powered by a MediaTek SoC -- the quad-core 1.5GHz MT6589T, specifically, with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of built-in storage. There's also a 5-inch 1080p IPS display and a 2,000mAh internal battery, along with a 5-megapixel, 84-degree front-facing camera plus a 13-megapixel main imager on the back. As you'd expect, the camera app will come with face enhancement features for your bad skin days, and Lenovo also teases a "full-featured" photo app that lets you organize your photos (with tags and folders), as well as making puzzles with them.
Thanks to Gorilla Glass 3 and the "premium polycarbonate body" (with "fabric-like surface" and side chrome accents), the overall package weighs 121g only and is just 6.9mm thick -- the same thickness as the slightly larger but metallic, Intel-powered K900. Also, while the Vivo X3 with the same MediaTek chip and battery capacity is way thinner at 5.75mm (sorry, Huawei!), do bear in mind that its 5-inch display only has a 720p resolution.
There's no price nor a date just yet, but as with most Lenovo phones these days, we've been told that the Vibe X will not be entering either Europe or the US. As the Chinese saying goes: you can quench thirst by thinking of the plums. By "plums" we mean the press release and our first impressions after the break.
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So, now that we've given you a broadside of specs, it's time to talk about how this thing behaves in the hand. Firstly, it's important to note just how thin and light the Vibe X is, and with its tapered back it does float very comfortably in your paw. While the frame is made of polycarbonate sprayed with metallic silver paint, the rear cover has had its plastic laser-engraved to feel like fabric. We wouldn't necessarily agree with "fabric," but there's certainly a premium feel to the back that isn't matched by the slightly tacky frame.
We're very taken with the phone's 1080p display, and we're reasonably confident that its backlight will be able to hold its own against the noonday sun. Performance-wise, however, there is an issue, because that quad-core 1.5GHz MediaTek SoC didn't offer the smoothest of experience we've seen. In fact, considering that this handset runs the Project Butter-infused Android 4.2, the lag and stuttering is reminiscent of a handset from a few years ago - so we hope that the company can iron out this issue before the Vibe X hits shelves.
On the imaging front, our hurried snap with the 13-megapixel primary camera was decent, although we did expect better depth and definition when we zoomed into the images. In fact, the results seemed to get cloudier and more washed-out the further we pulled in, and we saw the same milky pictures when testing the 5-megapixel forward-facing unit.
While there's no word yet on how much the Vibe X will set you back, it'll land in China at some point in October. In December, the company will also launch it in 12 more territories, but none of them include Europe and the US.
Dana Wollman and Dan Cooper contributed to this report.
Show full PR text
Lenovo Wraps Style and Intelligence into New Smartphone and Tablet
Latest PC plus products join elegant hardware with trendsetting photo capabilities and sharp screens
Vibe X smartphone, the newest member of Lenovo's premium smartphone portfolio, packs twin camera technology and amazingly brilliant display into sleek package
S5000 tablet takes thin and light mobility experience to new level
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – September 5, 2013: Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) today at the 2013 IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin announced the latest additions to its PC Plus portfolio: the Lenovo Vibe X smartphone, the newest member of Lenovo's premium smartphone portfolio, and the ultra mobile Lenovo S5000 tablet. Both devices combine a sleek design with intelligent performance and a vibrant viewing experience.
Additionally, the remarkably thin and light Vibe X smartphone uniquely sports powerful front and rear cameras and a high resolution beveled
edge glass display, while the S5000 makes its mark as one of the industry's slimmest and lightest premium seven-inch tablets available. Those who crave style and function will appreciate the devices' laser-engraved fabric-feel surface on the back covers and their attractive side chrome accents.
Lenovo Vibe X: Ready to Capture Life's Precious Moments
The Lenovo Vibe X smartphone comes encased in style with a premium polycarbonate body and an advanced mold, laser-engraved 3D tactile finish. Its slim, featherweight frame continues its focus on premium design by measuring just 6.9mm, as thin as a pencil, and it weighs in at less than other smartphones its size - just 121 grams (0.26 lbs), about the weight of five AA batteries. The dazzling five- inch 20/20 Vision display1 boasts a 1920x1080 full HD resolution, an IPS panel for wide-viewing angles and ultra-sharp 440 pixels per inch (PPI). The 20/20 Vision Display sits under a scratch resistant Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3 screen beveled at the edges.
The Lenovo Vibe X packs two advanced cameras to capture great-looking photos and videos. The front- facing camera offers one of the highest megapixels in the market today, at five megapixel (MP), and together with a wide-angle 84 degree lens, effortlessly captures high-quality self-portraits. Users can also use pinch-to-zoom gestures easily and effectively to adjust their shots. It also includes a built-in software editor to help enhance facial features. The 13MP auto-focus rear-facing camera comes enhanced with a back-illuminated sensor) for sharper images and also has an LED flash.
The Vibe X comes preloaded with a full-featured photo application that gives users a fresh way to view and organize pictures, including creating unique custom tags or folders, as well as fun and fresh display arrangements on the screen. Users can also create puzzles and customize specific games from the photos. The camera application makes it easy to choose custom settings and filters, as well as edit and share any photo or video instantly.
The Lenovo Vibe X runs on the AndroidTM 4.2 operating system and on a Quad-Core MTK 6589T 1.5GHz processor for advanced performance to enjoy the latest games, apps and videos. With 2GB of memory and 16GB of internal storage, users can download and install dozens of apps, listen to hundreds of music tracks and snap thousands of digital photos.
Additionally, Lenovo continues to refine its smartphone portfolio by updating its popular premium Lenovo K900 smartphone2 with several new features including choices of new colors in either black or orange as well as storage options of 16GB or 32GB.

S5000 Tablet: Stay Mobile, Stay Stylish, Stay Connected
Measuring just 7.9 mm, the S5000 is one of the slimmest tablets in the market. It weighs in at just 246 grams (0.54 lbs), nearly one-fifth lighter than many of the premium tablets being sold today. Inside this thin and light frame resides plenty of horsepower, starting with a seven-inch 1280x800 resolution, 350 nit brightness and full HD wide-viewing angle display to make it easy to share photos and videos with family and friends.
The S5000 camera gives tablet users an ideal high-definition photo experience. The 1.6MP front-facing camera boasts a sharp high definition experience for crystal clear video chatting while the rear-facing 5.0MP camera takes quality photos and videos and can also scan QR codes and capture photos from long distances.
The S5000 tablet runs on the Android 4.2 operating system (Jelly Bean) and on a Quad-Core Media Tek 8389 1.2 GHz processor and features optional 3G HSPA+ connectivity3. The S5000 relies on its "On the Go" USB port for storage expansion or charging other devices and 3450mAh battery for up to eight hours of non-stop WiFi web browsing or six hours of HD video viewing to keep up with the demands of mobile users.
Lenovo Smart Apps for Secure Sharing and Saving
The Lenovo Vibe X and S5000 come preloaded with custom applications that allow users to conveniently share photos, videos, and documents, protect their device from malicious software, as well as backup and restore important data. On the Lenovo Vibe X, users can also launch the preloaded Facebook app enhanced with additional screensaver and notification functions.
Quotes
"Lenovo continues to bring head-turning innovations to the PC Plus marketplace with the Lenovo Vibe X smartphone's uncompromising hardware design, its rich display and memory-making camera technologies," said Wayne Chen, vice president, general manager, mobile business unit, Lenovo. "Along with the S5000 tablet, these carefully crafted devices unleash a powerful blend of beautiful and smart technology to improve people's lives."
Pricing and Availability
The Lenovo Vibe X smartphone will be available in China starting in October and in countries where Lenovo smartphones are sold beginning in December. The Vibe X smartphone is not for sale in Europe. The K900 smartphone in black and orange with 16GB/32GB storage is available beginning immediately in China and will be available later this year in countries where smartphones are available. The S5000 tablet will be available in 4Q 2013.
