In 2017, the range of smartphones produced under the Oukitel brand was expanded with an affordable 5.5-inch device, which is equipped with a multifunctional fingerprint sensor, four cameras and two LED flashes. At first glance, this is a very intriguing offer, especially considering the fact that we are talking about a smartphone in the budget price category. This review reveals details about the photography component of the Oukitel U22, its characteristics and other features, including the advantages and disadvantages of the model.
Contents of delivery
The smartphone is supplied with a 5V/1A charger, a USB-MicroUSB cable, a short user manual and a transparent silicone cover on the back panel with all the necessary cutouts. In addition to the shipping films that were initially glued to the front and back panels, you can find additional film on the screen intended for everyday use.
Appearance
The manufacturer produces Oukitel U22 in three body colors: black, white and gold. The device has a collapsible design, so the slots for installing SIM cards and external storage are located under a removable cover made of polycarbonate. Its glossy surface tends to quickly become covered with fingerprints, but they are noticeable only on the black body.
The front part of the case is covered with 2.5D glass curved at the edges. Above the screen there are 2 cameras, a flash LED, a speaker and correctly working light/proximity sensors. There is no event indicator, however, if necessary, the user can configure the front flash so that it fires if there are missed events.
The manufacturer placed touch navigation buttons on the frame at the bottom of the display, saving on their backlighting. Despite the fact that in such cases, a more appropriate solution is to replace the touch buttons with a virtual navigation panel displayed on the screen.
On the right side of the metal frame there are three mechanical buttons for controlling power/lock and sound volume. The control elements, which are also made of metal, are securely fixed in their niches, so when shaking the case the user will not hear any extraneous noise.
On the bottom edge, to the left of the MicroUSB connector, there is a hole for the microphone and the main speaker grille. Perforation on the right side is used to maintain symmetry.
To connect headphones and a headset, a standard 3.5 mm audio jack is provided, which takes place on the top edge.
Sound
The main speaker is characterized by a fairly high volume reserve and clear sound. Mid and low frequencies are weakly expressed, which is the norm for the budget segment of mobile devices. However, when connecting good headphones, a smartphone can easily replace a music player for the user. The speaker is moderately loud and provides good audibility during a telephone conversation.
Fingerprint scanner
Oukitel U22 is equipped with a 360-degree fingerprint sensor, which is located on the back of the case. In operation, the scanner demonstrates fairly high speed and accuracy of fingerprint recognition. In addition, the scanner sensor can be used as a quick access button, for example, to take a photo or launch a player.
Display
The smartphone uses a 5.5-inch IPS display with HD resolution (1280 x 720).
There is an air gap between the touch panel and the display. The viewing angles are not maximum, but during everyday use this does not cause discomfort. When exposed to direct sunlight, the image on the screen remains visible, despite the decrease in brightness and contrast. However, the reserve of maximum brightness is more than sufficient to display a clear, rich picture under normal operating conditions.
Two-point MultiTouch supported. It is noteworthy that the touch panel of the screen correctly detects even touch points that intersect along the horizontal or vertical axis, so two points do not merge into one. It turns out two full touches, which are enough for correct scaling, scrolling, typing, and controlling the game process. In addition, the touchscreen is characterized by a fairly high accuracy of response to touches and gestures.
Hardware platform
Oukitel U22 is based on the budget MediaTek MT6580A single-chip system. The 32-bit chipset includes 4 Cortex-A7 cores with a maximum frequency of up to 1.3 GHz, as well as a Mali-400 video chip. The device is equipped with 2 GB of RAM - this is enough to ensure optimal performance when performing common everyday tasks.
The smartphone can easily handle casual games. For more resource-intensive games (for example, Asphalt 8) to run smoothly, you need to set the graphics quality settings to medium. Games like World of Tanks Blitz run exclusively on minimum graphics settings.
The built-in storage capacity is 16 GB, of which 11 GB is available to the user. The remaining 5 GB are reserved for system needs. Thanks to separate slots, the user can expand the internal storage capabilities at any time by installing a MicroSD memory card up to 32 GB.
Cameras
The dual front camera module consists of a primary 5-megapixel sensor with a resolution interpolated to 8 MP, as well as 2 MP auxiliary sensor, which provides the ability to create portrait photos with an artistic blur effect background. In good daylight, selfies are of quite acceptable quality. Low lighting levels when shooting can be partially leveled using the front flash.
The main 8-megapixel camera (with software interpolation up to 13 MP) is complemented by a flash and a 2-megapixel sensor, which works on a similar principle to the front photo module. The maximum resolution of recorded videos is Full HD. During video shooting, it is not possible to focus by tap. However, this is not a problem due to the relatively high speed of automatic refocus.
Obviously, this device cannot pretend to be a camera phone. However, in daylight conditions, the main module demonstrates very convincing results, compared to many other models that compete in the price segment up to $70. Oukitel U22 copes especially well with macro photography: the resulting frames stand out for their good contrast and detail.
The shooting application has a modified interface that is minimalist and easy to use. The main window of the application contains icons for quickly switching between shooting modes, among which it is worth noting HDR, background blur mode (with the ability to select the focus point) as well as Mono mode, which allows you to shoot in black and white photo.
Software
The smartphone runs on the Android 7.0 operating system, with a classic user interface design and a standard set of applications. The developers have made minimal changes to the firmware, limiting themselves to minor but very useful additions.
Such additions include settings that allow you to set the automatic shutdown time, activate control with one hand, use gestures (for example, to quickly take a screenshot and unlock the screen with a double tap). The system also has a built-in utility that allows you to create a “parallel space” for simultaneous access to two different accounts within one application.
Battery
The smartphone is powered by a removable battery with a capacity of 2700 mAh. Judging by the results of measurements using a USB tester, the indicated capacity is correct. On average, with moderate intensity of use, the battery lasts for a day, sometimes for a day and a half of battery life. In standby mode, the minimum energy consumption indicator is shown.
The operating time under continuous load depends on the conditions of use, as well as the complexity of the tasks performed. For example, if you use the device exclusively in audio player mode, the charge will last for a whole day. One charge will be enough for continuous video playback for 6 hours, on the screen with the maximum backlight level. It will take about two hours to fully restore the charge level using the included adapter.
Wireless interfaces
Oukitel U22 is equipped with separate slots for external storage and 2 SIM cards, Micro and Nano format. Most ultra-budget smartphones are not compatible with LTE networks, and this model is no exception. 2G/3G mobile networks are used to make calls and access the Internet. Wi-Fi (b/g/n) and Bluetooth 4.0 wireless communication modules function flawlessly.
The GPS navigation module included in the MT6580 chipset is not characterized by signal stability, high satellite search speed during a “cold” start, and GLONASS support. To improve the performance of the GPS receiver, it is advisable to use navigation in open areas in clear weather. In addition, it will not be superfluous to have an active Internet connection.
Advantages and disadvantages
Pros:
- metal frame, good assembly;
- good performance of the fingerprint scanner;
- sufficient amount of RAM;
- good photo quality in daylight;
- presence of front flash;
- separate slots for SIM and memory card;
- easily replaceable battery;
- Android 7 with support for gestures and dual-window mode;
- protective case included and film on the screen.
Minuses:
- there is no backlighting of the touch buttons;
- no 4G support;
- weak navigation module.
Conclusion
Oukitel U22 belongs to the list of classic representatives of the ultra-budget segment of phablets, with performance indicators, autonomy, etc. typical for their price category. On the other hand, this model can compete with competitors in terms of photographic capabilities, due to four cameras with modified software, a front flash and relatively good quality of daytime photos.
The bottom line is that Oukitel U22 is an affordable phablet with a good 5.5-inch screen, a relatively recent version of Android, sufficient level of performance and other qualities, thanks to which this device can become an excellent personal assistant in everyday tasks.
