Phone with a fox symbol. Wileyfox Swift is a decent smartphone for cheap. Best mid-budget smartphone

Problem solved

Advantages: Very fast, most games run at a comfortable 24fps+, Qualcom processor provides fast GPS, 2 micro-sims, a separate card slot from the SIM cards, hot-swappable battery is possible, event light indicator, Cyanogen 12.1 firmware (based on Android 5.1 .1, with the ability to manually update to 6.0, there are a lot of firmware for it on 4pda, a nice design for this price category, good screen, excellent sensor sensitivity (up to 10 touches at a time), 2 gigabytes random access memory(after loading the smartphone there is free 700-900MB of it, this is enough), PRICE, sound quality in the headphones (I installed the DSP+ add-on, it made the device louder and better. I was very pleased with the front camera. Disadvantages: Personally, my copy creaks under strong compression and pressure on back cover. It’s a pity that the buttons are on-screen (in some applications these buttons may be glitchy, and you will have to select from the application through some kind of notification). I don’t know about others, but I reboot my phone regularly every two days, otherwise it just starts to slow down (the speed of opening applications, animations), but this is not critical for me. The battery is rather weak, but this is for the sake of the thinness of the phone (my battery loses from 100% to 80% in 30 minutes, then the power consumption returns to normal, but with 4G it still doesn’t last very long (in short, you will need to have a portable battery with you, well, or a socket).In many songs, this model also has a WHEEKING speaker (this is not a defect, this is an allowance for the low price of the device), the main camera (stabilization is completely UG, and some kind of soapy photo is obtained). Comment: I switched to this device from the iPhone 5, and in general, before Wilifox, I was a convinced Apple fan. But in 2 days I got used to the device and the Android itself, and then I began to see the advantages. Customization, applications for opening almost any format (. torrent, and so on), and a lot of things (I found all the analogs of the programs that I had on iOS for Android), installing ANY applications from the Internet without hacking (root), the ability to upload files from the phone to any site... This all captivated me, after this the iPhone seems like something like a beautiful toy. And so, I drew parallels and drew a conclusion for myself about the eternal rivals, iOS and Android. iOS is more stable (nothing crashes, animation doesn’t slow down (on iPhone 5 and younger), it thinks faster. Android is more capable, but at the same time it can easily be dull/downright dumb. But I’ll probably choose Android, the range of tasks can be done on It's wider, and the setup of everything and everyone is pleasing. As for the device, it's strictly a "buy". I gave it a 4 for the creaky lid and the other disadvantages mentioned above. I've changed more than 50 devices in my life, so I tried to treat everything as objectively as possible .

Some time ago, products under the Wileyfox brand were in quite decent demand in Russia. A similar situation was observed in some other countries. However, the Fly sub-brand gradually began to experience problems. This is due to two reasons:

  • The parent company decided to reduce the cost of supporting Wileyfox;
  • Main feature The “fox” smartphones were the Cyanogen OS operating system (a modernized Android), but some time ago support for this project was almost completely stopped.

Fortunately, the Russian division of Wileyfox continues to live, independently earning money for the design and production of devices. Now it remains only to understand whether to switch to "bare" Android or to take on the installation of some other modifications of this OS. However, this concerns the future of the company. Here we will consider the best devices already available to consumers.

Best smartphone

Wileyfox Swift 2 X

  • Operating system: Cyanogen 13.1 (Android 6.0)
  • CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 430, 8 cores, 1400 MHz
  • Screen: 5.2 inches, IPS, 1920 x 1080 pixels
  • Battery: 3100 mAh
  • RAM: 3 GB
  • Built-in storage: 32 GB

Price: from 8,990 rub.

The most advanced device created by Wileyfox. The manufacturer has introduced decent components into the smartphone, which should suit the vast majority of buyers. In particular, you should be pleased with the 16-megapixel rear camera, which can take excellent pictures and shoot video with Full HD resolution (30 fps). Nothing bad can be said about the 8-megapixel front camera.

On the front panel of the device is a 5.2-inch IPS display. The resolution of the LCD panel is 1920 x 1080 pixels, which indicates a high pixel density. Viewing angles are maximum, color rendition is not distorted at all regardless of the deviation of the device.

Main feature Wileyfox Swift 2 X is the presence of an NFC chip. This means that the smartphone can be used instead of bank card. There are also modules Wi-Fi 802.11n, Bluetooth 4.1 and LTE-A of the fourth category. Like other Wileyfox products, this model has two slots for SIM cards. It should also be noted powerful processor from Qualcomm, capable of running any modern game. To connect charger a modern connector is used. In short, if it weren’t for the OS used, the device would be on our list of smartphones that will not become obsolete for a long time. No wonder the reviews this model written mostly in a positive way.

Advantages:

Flaws:

Best mid-budget smartphone

Wileyfox Swift 2

  • Operating system: Cyanogen 13.1 (Android 6.0)
  • CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 430, 8 cores, 1400 MHz
  • Screen:
  • Battery: 2700 mAh
  • RAM: 2 GB
  • Built-in storage: 16 GB

Price: from 6,990 rub.

From a more advanced fellow, this device is distinguished by a reduced cost. The manufacturer managed to achieve a more modest price tag by using not the most advanced components. The camera installed here is a very ordinary one, with a 13-megapixel resolution. The amount of memory can also be called minimal by modern standards. Fortunately, the same processor is used, so the gadget does not lose the ability to run all modern games. Also, the manufacturer did not skimp on the connector, leaving USB Type-C.

Most of all, the device will please the buyer with the presence of an NFC chip. At the time of writing, this is one of the cheapest smartphones that can act as a bank card! But the battery capacity has decreased slightly. But this was to be expected, because the physical dimensions of the device have also decreased. Now on the front panel there is a 5-inch display with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels.

The smartphone has a very good navigation chip that can recognize signals from GPS and GLONASS satellites. This allows you to use the device as a navigator, which is what some Russian taxi drivers do. The device also boasts an 8-megapixel front camera and a fingerprint sensor.

Advantages:

  • Available NFC support;
  • Not a particularly high price tag;
  • Compact size and light weight (155 g);
  • Good rear camera and a very good front camera;
  • Decent octa-core processor;
  • There is a fingerprint scanner;
  • LTE networks are supported.

Flaws:

  • Not a lot of built-in memory;
  • Not the latest version of the operating system.

Best budget smartphone

Wileyfox Spark

  • Operating system: Cyanogen 13.0 (Android 6.0)
  • CPU:
  • Screen: 5 inches, IPS, 1280 x 720 pixels
  • Battery: 2200 mAh
  • RAM: 1 GB
  • Built-in storage: 8 GB

Price: from 4,990 rub.

One of the lightest devices in the Wileyfox line. The weight of this smartphone does not exceed 135 g. Also, the device is very cheap, so you should not expect any chic features. On the front panel of the gadget is a traditional 5-inch IPS panel with HD resolution. Some color distortions are noticeable when the device is tilted, but the effect cannot be called strong and annoying. Above the screen is an 8-megapixel front camera - the creators did not save on this. The rear camera also has the same resolution.

Like older brothers, Wileyfox Spark has support for LTE. But the NFC chip was not installed here. But most of all, the device disappoints with its minimal memory capacity, which means you will have to transfer many applications to a microSD card. Nevertheless, it is quite possible to consider purchasing this model, especially if the budget is seriously limited and you cannot delay the purchase.

Advantages:

  • Support for 4G networks;
  • Compact size and light weight (135 g);
  • Low cost;
  • Not a bad screen for the price;
  • Good front camera;
  • There is a light indicator;
  • Light and proximity sensors are not forgotten.

Flaws:

  • Not the best navigation chip;
  • The battery capacity leaves much to be desired;
  • Weak processor;
  • Built-in extremely small amount of memory;
  • Not the latest version of Android.

Best budget smartphone

Wileyfox Spark+

  • Operating system: Cyanogen 13.0 (Android 6.0)
  • CPU: MediaTek MT6735, 4 cores, 1300 MHz
  • Screen: 5 inches, IPS, 1280 x 720 pixels
  • Battery: 2200 mAh
  • RAM: 2 GB
  • Built-in storage: 16 GB

Price: from 5,990 rub.

Wileyfox couldn't stop at the regular version of Spark. Not all people were delighted with the purchase, so it was soon decided to release Spark+. The creators did not change the design of the device, and many of the characteristics were left the same. In particular, it also uses a 5-inch IPS panel with a resolution of 720p. The processor has not undergone changes either, which is quite difficult to launch some particularly heavy application.

What are the improvements? First of all, it should be noted that the amount of RAM and permanent memory has doubled. It is very important! Also, someone will be pleased with the 13-megapixel rear camera, which performs much better than a similar component built into its ultra-budget counterpart.

Perhaps these are all the changes that can be mentioned. The device did not receive an NFC chip and a fingerprint scanner. The version of the operating system also remained the same, although this is not particularly Wileyfox's fault.

Advantages:

  • Low cost;
  • The optimal amount of memory for such a price;
  • The rear camera has a high resolution;
  • Not bad quality front camera;
  • There are proximity and light sensors;
  • Small size and weight (134 g);
  • The device works in 4G networks.

Flaws:

  • I would like a more recent one Android version;
  • The processor cannot be called powerful;
  • Not the highest battery capacity.

Conclusion

At the time of writing, the Wileyfox smartphones discussed above were the most relevant. All these phones should suit any person who does not expect unusual skills and launch from such a device. 3D games with maximum graphics level.

Do you have a smartphone made by Wileyfox? Or are you just looking at products under this brand? Share your thoughts in the comments.

The Wileyfox Swift smartphone has good data from birth: a 5‑inch IPS screen, a 4-core Snapdragon 410 processor, 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of ROM, support for 4G and two SIM cards, Cyanogen OS 12.1 (Android 5.1) shell. And the price is “delicious” - $89 (if you take into account the $20 discount). Alas, as of March 1, the discount was canceled; now the device costs $109. Let's see what kind of “beast” this is, what its pros and cons are.

At the end of October, a new telephone brand Wileyfox (which can be translated as “sly fox”) and two smartphones were presented in Russia: Wileyfox Swift and Wileyfox Storm. Later it turned out that Wileyfox is a subsidiary brand of the popular Fly brand, a well-known manufacturer of budget smartphones. Wileyfox was created to conquer the segment of more expensive smartphones. And this is logical, since the market is gradually becoming saturated with budget devices: consumers want more best performance. True, they still don’t want to pay a lot: the crisis is not over yet.

Pros of the Wileyfox Swift smartphone
1. Price. Swift costs $109. Or $89, so you can easily get 20 bucks off. In rubles, this is a little more than 8 thousand rubles. For that kind of money it’s not so easy to buy a smartphone with similar characteristics. So Wileyfox Swift - bargain. And if the dollar exchange rate drops to 35 rubles, the price will not be “chocolate” (just kidding).
2. Memory. There are 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of ROM on board, of which about 10 GB will be available to you. This is a decent volume (it is believed that this is the merit of Cyanogen). In addition, there is a card slot microSD memory. Cards up to 32 GB are supported, but memory cards of larger capacity should work.
3. Screen. Diagonal 5 inches, resolution - 720 × 1280, pixel density - 294 ppi. Today, these are optimal parameters for five-inch screens. Multi-touch: 10 touches (why so many is unclear, but let it be). The screen is quite bright (up to 530 cd/m2) and contrasty; it fades in the sun, but not much.
The display is made using Oncell Full Lamination technology ( protective glass and the touch panel - a single unit). Protective glass - Gorilla Glass 3, there is an oleophobic coating.
In addition, in the settings you can adjust the color rendering (LiveDisplay option), set the color temperature, change the sizes of icons and fonts (see the “Screen Density” option in the settings - another Cyanogen feature).
4. Design. Budget smartphones usually do not have an interesting design. Swift is the exception to the rule. Along the perimeter phone goes thin metal edging, on the rear side there is a convex company logo and a camera framed by a thin orange border. The back of the smartphone has a rough coating that prevents slipping (however, it gets dirty and scratched easily). The phone comes in two colors: white and black.

5. Working with memory cards. You don't need to root to be able to transfer apps and games from your phone's memory to the memory card (and vice versa).
6. Two SIM cards, 4G (LTE). Now you won’t be surprised by this, but support for two SIM cards, as well as cellular communications fourth generation, can’t help but count it as a plus. Both slots support 4G, but if you insert a 4G-enabled SIM card into one slot, the other slot can only work in 2G format.
7. Good cameras. The main camera has a 13 MP sensor (4160x3120) with f/2.0 aperture. There is autofocus and dual flash. The front camera has 5 megapixels (2560x1920) and fixed focus. At 720p, you can shoot video in slow-mo mode (slow motion). In good lighting, good pictures are obtained.
8. Cyanogen OS 12.1. For more information about this firmware, see the “Software” section. Here I will note the ease of obtaining root rights. To do this, you just need to launch the Files application and enable root in the settings.

Cons smartphone Wileyfox Swift
1. Scheme of purchase. You can only buy a phone through two online stores: https://ru.wileyfox.com/ and http://www.jd.ru/. Nobody sells Wileyfox smartphones anymore. If so, you will not be able to check the screen in advance for the presence dead pixels (common problem the first batches of Swift). Delivery within 1-2 weeks.
The second minus is the price in dollars. At the start of sales, the dollar exchange rate was 62 rubles, now it is 76 rubles. Accordingly, in 4 months the price increased by 1.5 thousand rubles.
2. Warranty. Wileyfox models can be serviced at more than 200 authorized service centers throughout Russia. But it may be difficult to return a faulty or defective device. You can read more here: http://4pda.ru/forum/index.php?showtopic=695612.
3. Working hours. 6-6.5 hours (watching online videos via Wi-Fi). This is a good result for a budget device, but we expected a longer battery life from the “sly fox.”
4. Poor equipment. There is no charger or headset included. There is a microUSB-USB cable, but it is short - only 40 cm. It is not very convenient to use. The manufacturer took this step to reduce the final cost of the smartphone. If necessary, the branded memory and headset can be proven on the website. However, you can charge your phone from the USB port of your computer and any charger.
5. GPS. The sensitivity of the GPS receiver is at an average level. On a cloudy day, the phone connected to 11-12 satellites in two minutes (19-20 satellites were detected), and the measurement accuracy was 10-11 meters.
6. Button layout. They are located on the screen itself, taking up useful space. At the same time, there is an unused area below the screen where they would fit quite well (see picture: Fly Cirrus 2 on the left, Swift on the right).

Software
Wileyfox Swift is equipped with Cyanogen OS 12.1 firmware, created on Android based 5.1. Cyanogen OS gives you access to a large number of options that allow you to change many system parameters. Due to this, this once fan firmware has become popular among users and is now officially released.
The list of applications is shown not in the form of icons, but in alphabetical order (as in Windows 10).
A number of proprietary Cyanogen OS applications are preinstalled: browser, Audio FX equalizer, mail client and TrueCaller, which works in conjunction with the dialer to help identify unknown numbers and block unwanted calls. There is an application for recording video from the screen and sound from the built-in microphone.
You can easily change the theme (you just need to create an account in Cyanogen OS). You can also change individual components: fonts, wallpapers, icons, status bar, controls, navigation bar, loading animation and sound packs.
If you tap on the date in the curtain, you will find yourself in the calendar; if you tap on the clock, you will be in the alarm settings. If you slide your finger along the right edge of the curtain, access to the switches will open. If on the left, notifications will open. Double click across the screen will turn off the screen.

Attention! Wileyfox phones use the FPR option, which works similar to Apple's Activation Lock. If someone logs into their Wileyfox phone using their Google account and then resets it to factory settings, then the next time they turn it on they will need to enter the login and password for the account that was entered before the reset. Otherwise, you will not be able to use the device. That is, to change your Google account, you must first delete it on your smartphone and only then reset the settings to factory settings.

Battery and operating time
Battery capacity - 2,500 mAh. The battery is removable, model SWB0115.
The manufacturer promises up to 10 hours of talk time, up to 180 hours of standby time and up to 30 hours of music listening.
When watching online videos on YouTube, the smartphone lasted 6-6.5 hours (brightness and volume in the middle, listening through headphones, mobile Internet and Bluetooth turned off).
In the settings you can select the type of energy consumption: “balanced”, “energy saving”, “high performance”.
The time for full charging from the charger (1 A) in the off state is about 2.5 hours. The charging time from a computer (500 mA USB port) is twice as long.
Pressing the power button once while turned off will show the charge level (percentage). There is an LED indicating the charge level.

Wileyfox Swift Test Results
AnTuTu Benchmark - 24 840
Quadrand Standad Edition - 13 550
3DMark (Ice Storm Extreme, 1080p) - 2 625
Epic Citadel - 58.2 fps 1200x720 HQ
Geekbench 3 - 516 (single core), 1517 (multi core)

The smartphone's turn-on time is 55-60 seconds.

Main characteristics of the Wileyfox Swift smartphone
Number of supported SIM cards - two (microSIM)
Processor - 64-bit 4-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 (1.2 GHz)
Video processor - Adreno 306
RAM - 2 GB
Built-in memory (ROM) - 16 GB
microSD support - up to 32 GB
cellular - 2G, 3G, 4G
Standards:
- GSM 850/900/1800/1900,
- WCDMA 900/2100,
- LTE: 800/1800/2600

Speed mobile internet in 3G - up to 21 Mbit/s
Mobile Internet speed in 4G - up to 100 Mbit/s
Wi-Fi - 802.11 b/g/n (2.4 GHz)
Bluetooth - Bluetooth 4.0
Satellite navigation - GPS/GLONASS
Screen type, number of colors - IPS, 16 million
Screen size - 5 inches
Resolution (pixel density) - 720×1280 (294 ppi)
Multi-touch: 10 touches
Cameras:
- main - 13 MP (4160x3120), autofocus, dual flash
- frontal - 5 MP (2560x1920), fixed focus
Video recording - 1080p (1920x1080), slow-mo (720p)
Inputs/outputs - microUSB, audio (3.5 mm)
OTG support - No
Battery - 2,500 mAh (L-ion, removable)
Working hours - 6–6.5 hours (watch online video via Wi-Fi)
Dimensions - 71x141.1x9.4 mm
Weight - 130 g
OS version - Android 5.1 (Cyanogen OS 12.1)
Available colors: black Sand Stone, white Soft Touch
Device price - $109

Wileyfox Storm runs on Cyanogen firmware OS 12.1 based on Android 5.1.1. An update to Android 6.0 is expected in the future.

This smartphone cannot but be interesting, because with excellent technical characteristics, they are asking for some $180. Sales only via the Internet: official Russian website ru.wileyfox.com and partner store jd.ru.

Find a similar smartphone in Russia for this money, with a one-year warranty service (in service centers Fly), is unlikely to succeed.

There is one interesting feature - only a USB cable is included, without a charger. There are also no headphones. This approach is explained by the fact that you should not overpay for something that you may not need. All to make Wileyfox Storm as cheap as possible. And this approach is very good. Isn't there a charger at home right now?

As the first reviews show, the smartphone has high-quality build and material. IPS screen, made using OGS technology, is protected by Gorilla Glass 3. The glass is coated with an oleophobic layer, which guarantees a minimum of visible fingerprints on the screen. They also promise us an update to the operating system to the latest versions, which Fly does not do for its model range smartphones.

Wileyfox Storm is also a smartphone for selfies. The fact is that the front 8-megapixel camera has an LED flash. This is, for example, on the phone Samsung Galaxy J7.

The main camera has impressive characteristics: Sony Exmore RS IMX220, 20 MP, F/1.8, BSI, HDR, autofocus. But, in fact, the photographs do not live up to the stated capabilities. This turns out to be the level of a good camera with a 13 megapixel matrix. The problem is obviously in the software processing, which is very lame. Maybe it will be fixed in future updates?

It supports working with two SIM cards, but with one “but”. The fact is that the second SIM card slot is a combined one, here you can install either a nano-SIM SIM card or a MicroSD memory card up to 128 GB (only one to choose from). The first slot accepts a micro-SIM card. But everything is not so bad, because Wileyfox Storm has 32 GB of its memory, so you can do without expanding it.

Good performance is ensured by a decent 3 gigabytes of RAM and an 8-core Snapdragon 615 MSM8939 processor (4 cores 1.5 GHz, 4 cores 1 GHz). The characteristics are not flagship, but for $180 they are very cool.

What is rarely seen in the characteristics of a phone is the indicated SAR level (plain language— telephone radiation, effects on the body). You can find indicators for Samsung phones, less so for others. And the Chinese don't do that at all. Here, everyone honestly pointed out to us: the SAR level is 0.455 / 0.554 W / kg. This is a good indicator. Safely.

The lithium-polymer battery has a capacity of 2500 mAh. That's not much for a phablet. A 5.5-inch screen, and even with Full HD resolution, will mercilessly “eat up” the charge in active mode screen. And especially in games and when surfing websites. As for the stated indicators, then fully charged phone battery will work:

Up to 10 hours talk time
Up to 5.5 hours of video or Internet playback over Wi-Fi
Up to 4.5 hours of Internet on a mobile network
Up to 30 hours of audio playback
About 7.5 days standby time.

Wileyfox Storm did not skimp on installing sensors. There are the necessary sensors for position, proximity and lighting, as well as a Hall sensor and a Compass.

Specifications

Announcement in Russia: October 2015

Dimensions: 155.6 x 76.9 x 9.1 mm
Weight: 150 g
Housing: plastic
Colors: black, white
Battery: lithium polymer, 2,500 mAh, non-removable

SIM cards: 2 (micro-SIM + Nano-SIM), or 1 SIM card and memory card (micro-SIM + MicroSD)

SAR: 0.455/0.554 W/kg

Screen: 5.5", IPS, OGS, Full HD (1920x1080 pixels), Gorilla Glass 3, 10-touch sensor, oleophobic coating
Sensors: lighting, proximity, gyroscope, compass, Hall sensor

Camera: Sony Exmore RS IMX220, 20.7 MP, autofocus, F/1.8, BSI, HDR, flash
Front camera: 8 MP, with flash

Processor: 64-bit Snapdragon 615 MSM8939, 4 cores 1.5 GHz, 4 cores 1 GHz
RAM: 3 GB
Memory: 32 GB
Memory card: can be installed instead of a second SIM card

OS: Cyanogen OS 12.1 (Android 5.1.1)

Other: 4G, 3G, Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz), Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, FM radio.

Review

An affordable smartphone with an attractive appearance does not have the most powerful processor, but the rest of the hardware looks pretty good for a budget employee. Vesti.Hi-tech found out what Wileyfox Swift can boast of while remaining in the entry-level price segment

Let us recall that the announcement of new smartphones under the Wileyfox brand, a British premium brand from Fly, took place in Russia last fall. The company presented two device models - Swift and (a review of the latter can be found) - for sale only via the Internet. Over the past time, both of these devices, running on Cyanogen OS 12.1 firmware, have managed to win the sympathy of users, while Swift was even named the best smartphone of the year according to Forbes magazine. At the beginning of February, a branded online store opened in Russia, where this model is offered at a price that is very affordable for these times. You can also buy Wileyfox smartphones through our exclusive partner - the JD.com online store. Note that the brand name Wileyfox clearly echoes the phrase wile fox, which can be translated as “sly fox.”

Specifications

  • Model: Swift
  • OS: Android 5.1.1 + Cyanogen OS 12.1
  • Processor: Quad-core 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 (MSM8916), ARM Cortex-A53 cores (1.2 GHz)
  • Graphics subsystem: Adreno 306 (400 MHz)
  • RAM: 2 GB (one channel LPDDR3, 533 MHz)
  • Storage memory: 16 GB, microSD/HC memory card slot (up to 32 GB)
  • Screen: capacitive (up to 10 touch points), IPS matrix, ONCELL Full Lamination, 5-inch diagonal, resolution 1280x720 pixels, pixel density per inch 293.7 ppi, brightness 530 cd/sq. m, viewing angle 178 degrees, protective glass Corning Gorilla Glass 3, oleophobic coating
  • Cameras: main - 13 MP, Samsung ISOCELL S5K3M2 (optical size 1/3.06 inches), pixel size 1.12 microns, Blue Glass IR filter, 5-element lens, f/2.0 aperture, autofocus, dual LED flash, recording/ video playback 1080p@30 fps, slow and fast shooting; front - 5 MP, BSI matrix, Samsung S5K5E2 (optical size 1/5 inch), pixel size 1.12 microns, fixed focus
  • Interfaces: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n (2.4 GHz), Bluetooth 4.0 +EDR, microUSB for charging/syncing (USB 2.0), 3.5 mm headphone jack
  • Network: 2G, 3G (HSPA+, up to 42 Mbit/s), 4G Cat.4 (up to 150 Mbit/s) LTE-FDD: 1800/2600/800 (b3, b7, b20)
  • Number of SIM cards: 2
  • SIM card type: microSIM (3FF), DSDS (Dual SIM Dual standby)
  • Navigation: GPS/GLONASS, A-GPS
  • Radio: FM tuner
  • Sensors: accelerometer, light and proximity sensors, gyroscope, digital compass
  • Battery: SWB0115, removable, lithium-ion, 2,500 mAh (9.5 Wh; 3.8 V)
  • Colors: white (Soft Touch), black (Sand Stone)
  • Dimensions: 141.15x71x9.37 mm
  • Weight: 130 grams

Design, ergonomics

The front selfie camera uses a 5-megapixel Samsung S5K5E2 BSI sensor and a fixed-focus wide-angle lens. The maximum photo resolution here is 2560x1920 pixels (4:3).

Both cameras can shoot in Full HD resolution (1920x1080 pixels, 16:9) at 30 fps, and all content is saved in MP4 container files (AVC - video, AAC - sound). For shooting with high speed HD video clips with the main camera have a frame rate of 60 fps. Interval shooting mode (“Slow motion”) is available for both the main and front cameras. It allows you to organize time-lapse recording, where the interval between frames varies from 0.5 to 24 seconds. For a budget device, a duo of cameras with such capabilities is generally impressive.

As for the interface of the Camera application, it is completely identical to that in the model. So, in addition to the HDR mode, there are also several standard scenes, including night and portrait photography, as well as a set of filters (sepia, negative, etc.). In the settings, it is easy to determine the size and quality of the image, the ISO value and touch focusing time, exposure levels and white balance presets, the type of exposure metering (average, centered, spot), etc. But there is no stabilization for video (neither optical nor electronic). You can shoot with the power/lock button, and use the volume rocker to zoom in. In addition, when the camera is active, the brightness is automatically set to maximum, which is especially important when shooting in sunny weather.

The Swift's "multimedia" speaker is quite loud, but its sound spectrum seems to be completely missing low frequencies. In addition, at maximum power it begins to wheeze. So it’s better to listen to music through headphones, when you can use the AudioFX application, which performs the functions of an equalizer with dozens of presets and manual setting. This program also includes options for bass adjustment and sound virtualization. The smartphone does not have its own player, so at first the easiest way is to use Google Play Music. Since the Swift model does not include an audio headset, for the built-in FM tuner (with the ability to record broadcasts) as a shortwave antenna, you need to take care of your own wired accessory. By the way, a branded audio headset with in-ear headphones and flat wires can be purchased (for some money, of course) along with your smartphone. When recording audio using the Voice Recorder program, you are prompted to choose one of three file formats - AMR, 3GPP or WAV.

Filling, performance

Naming new model Swift (translated from English as “fast”, “swift”), the developers still slightly exaggerated its capabilities.

After all, the entry-level solution was chosen as the base solution - the 4-core Snapdragon 410 chip (MSM8916) from Qualcomm. Let us remind you that, in particular, a budget model from the corresponding line of the Samsung Galaxy family works on a similar platform. This 64-bit processor, designed to meet 28 nm design standards, uses the ARMv8 instruction set and ARM Cortex-A53 core architecture with clock frequency 1.2 GHz. Graphics acceleration is handled by the on-chip coprocessor Adreno 306 (400 MHz). In turn, the signal processor on the MSM8916 supports photo modules with matrices up to 13 MP and video recording with Full HD 1080p quality (which we have already seen). The Snapdragon 410 has a built-in LTE modem that supports the vast majority of the world's 4G/LTE and 3G generation networks, while providing work with two or even three SIM cards. Wireless communications include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, multi-system receiver for satellite navigation (GPS/GLONASS/Beidou) and FM radio. The basic Swift configuration is complemented by 2 GB of LPDDR3 RAM (533 MHz), which is controlled by a single-channel 32-bit controller. The modest capabilities of the single-chip system are reflected in the results of the tests performed.

Thus, AnTuTu Benchmark and Vellamo (MultiCore, Metal), as expected, placed the smartphone in the lower parts of their final tables (although, of course, this cannot be considered the “bottom”).

With variable settings of High Performance and High Quality on the Epic Citadel visual test, the average frame rate changed little (58.0 fps and 56.1 fps, respectively). But with the Ultra High Quality setting it decreased by almost half (30.3 fps).

On the universal gaming benchmark 3DMark, where the smartphone was tested on the recommended Sling Shot set, the corresponding entry level platform result - 52 points.

But the total number of points earned by Swift on the cross-platform benchmark Base Mark OS II was 663.

The smartphone has 16 GB of internal memory, of which approximately 12 GB is available. You can increase the built-in storage using microSD/HC cards with a capacity of up to 32 GB. Support for USB-OTG technology, which allows, in particular, to connect USB drives, is, unfortunately, absent here.

Two microSIM (3FF) subscriber identification modules working with one radio module provide Dual mode SIM Dual Standby. Both slots support 4G networks, but only one of the installed SIM cards will be able to work with an LTE modem (Cat. 4, up to 150 Mbit/s), including the “Russian” LTE-FDD frequency bands (b3, b7 and b20). At the disposal of another subscriber identification module, only 2G (GSM) networks will remain. Other wireless connectivity on the Swift includes Bluetooth 4.0 and Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n (2.4 GHz only).

GPS and GLONASS satellite systems are used to determine location and navigation, which is confirmed by the readings of the AndroiTS GPS Test program. Wi-Fi coordination and cellular networks possible due to support for A-GPS technology.

The Swift model received a removable lithium ion battery the same capacity as in the model - 2,500 mAh. The power adapter (220 V/5 V) is not included with the smartphone. There is only a flat (not tangled) USB-microUSB cable. Like the audio headset, charging (output parameters 5 V/2 A) for the smartphone can be purchased additionally. Purely theoretically, to fill the battery 100% with its help, it will take at least one hour and a quarter.

With a fully charged battery, the device, according to the manufacturer, can maintain a conversation for up to 10 hours or remain in standby mode for up to 180 hours. Under the same initial conditions, 30 hours for listening to audio recordings or 6 hours for playing video/surfing the World Wide Web.

In AnTuTu Tester battery tests, the device earned 4,862 points, which is an average result. Video clips in MP4 format (hardware decoding) and HD-quality at maximum brightness spun continuously for almost 6 hours.

The smartphone has three operating modes - balanced, high performance and energy savings. Wherein, automatic switch on power saving mode can either be simply disabled, or it can be done at a battery level of 5% or 15%.

Software Features

Purchase, conclusions

The Wileyfox Swift smartphone in an ergonomic case with a rather pleasant exterior has received an interesting set of characteristics for its price level. We should especially note a clear screen with a high maximum brightness, the simultaneous installation of two microSIM subscriber identification modules and a microSD memory card, support for "Russian" LTE frequencies, as well as the possibility of a fresh version of Cyanogen OS.

Among the disadvantages of Wileyfox Swift are low performance, average time battery life when watching a video, and, perhaps, poor equipment (no charging, no audio headset). However, all the shortcomings of this smartphone are more than offset by its price. So, in the company's online store (https://ru.wileyfox.com/) for Wileyfox Swift they ask for only $109 (excluding shipping costs), while at the holiday sale before Defender of the Fatherland Day, the price was reduced to $89.

For example, Moto smartphone G under the Motorola brand (now read Lenovo), which is based on the same single-chip platform as the Wileyfox Swift - Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 (MSM8916) - received a smaller amount of RAM (1 GB versus 2 GB) and built-in (8 GB versus 16 GB) memory. In terms of other parameters, including the resolution of a 5-inch screen, the maximum size of a memory expansion card, battery capacity, etc., it also does not surpass the "cunning fox". True, Moto G is protected from splashes and water ingress if accidentally dropped into water, and also received interchangeable back panels for personalization. appearance. At the same time, at 16,990 rubles, which is significantly higher than 109 dollars at the current exchange rate.

So one of the real competitors of Wileyfox Swift is, in particular, which for 10,990 rubles (at the time of testing) is also offered only in the online store, but already by Huawei (http://shop.huawei.ru/). As you know, this smartphone is equipped not with a 4-, but with an 8-core processor, however, along with 2 GB of RAM, it is content with only 8 GB of internal memory. In addition, it has a non-replaceable battery and no support for LTE. In other parameters, the rivals are practically parity. However, sales of Huawei Honor 4C come in "waves", that is, if there are devices in stock.

Results of the review of the Wileyfox Swift smartphone

Pros:

  • Attractive appearance for a budget employee
  • Bright display
  • Simultaneous installation of two SIM cards and a microSD memory card
  • Support for "Russian" LTE frequencies
  • Cyanogen OS Features
  • Very attractive price

Minuses:

  • Low performance
  • Average battery life (video viewing)
  • Poor equipment