BLU Life X8 Specs Pricing Pros & Cons Unveiled

Introduction to BLU Life X8

The BLU Life X8, a smartphone released in July 2015, brought a blend of affordability with decent specifications catering to users looking for a balanced device without breaking the bank. Although discontinued now, it remains a notable device from BLU Products.

Design and Build

Measuring 140.7 x 70.2 x 9.3 mm and weighing 149 grams, the BLU Life X8 was comfortably sized for one-handed use. Its design was typical of its era, featuring a plastic body available in a variety of colors such as Black, Pink, White, Mint, and Gold. The dual SIM feature using Micro-SIMs offered flexibility for users managing multiple phone numbers.

Display

The device sported a 5.0-inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels, resulting in a density of approximately 294 ppi. This ensured relatively crisp visuals for media consumption, web browsing, and day-to-day app usage. Despite the modest resolution, the IPS technology provided good color reproduction and viewing angles.

Performance

Under the hood, the BLU Life X8 was powered by a Mediatek MT6592M chipset with an octa-core 1.4 GHz Cortex-A7 CPU. Coupled with 1GB of RAM, the phone delivered adequate performance for basic tasks and light multitasking. The Mali-450MP4 GPU handled graphics, making the device capable of running less demanding games and media applications smoothly.

Operating System

Originally shipped with Android 4.4.2 KitKat, the phone was upgradeable to Android 5.0 Lollipop, giving users access to newer features and improved performance. The interface was standard for Android devices at the time, allowing for customization and ease of use.

Camera Capabilities

The main camera on the BLU Life X8 was an 8 MP shooter equipped with autofocus, LED flash, and HDR capabilities. It was capable of capturing decent photos in good lighting conditions and video recording at 1080p@30fps. The 2 MP front-facing camera catered to basic selfie needs and video calls, offering acceptable image quality for the time.

Storage and Expandability

With 8GB of internal storage, users were somewhat limited by modern standards. However, the inclusion of a microSDXC slot allowed expansion of storage capacity, providing additional space for apps, media, and documents.

Battery Life

The device housed a removable Li-Po 2500 mAh battery, which was quite competitive for its category. Stand-by time extended up to 750 hours on 2G and 675 hours on 3G. Users could expect up to 26 hours of talk time on 2G networks and around 14 hours on 3G, making it viable for a full day’s use without frequent recharging.

Network and Connectivity

The BLU Life X8 supported GSM and HSPA connectivity, with data speeds of up to 21.1 Mbps on HSPA. WLAN support included Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, and hotspot capabilities. Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP provided wireless audio streaming, while GPS offered essential navigation support. Notably, NFC was absent, but the phone did feature an FM radio and a microUSB 2.0 port for charging and data transfer.

Sound and Multimedia

Equipped with a loudspeaker and a 3.5mm headphone jack, the BLU Life X8 provided basic yet reliable audio solutions. Audio playback through both wired headphones and the onboard speaker was standard, catering to casual media consumption.

Sensors and Additional Features

The inclusion of accelerometer and proximity sensors was standard for phones of this era, enhancing the usability of various applications and ensuring the phone performed efficiently in various scenarios like automatic screen rotation and call management.

Conclusion

The BLU Life X8, with its budget-friendly approach, offered a harmonious blend of necessary smartphone features. It catered well to those seeking a simplistic, effective device that didn't demand a significant investment. While its specifications may not hold up against modern standards, the phone remains an interesting piece in the evolution of affordable smart devices.