Price and specifications of Lenovo A8-50 A5500 advantages, disadvantages, and a comprehensive explanation

Design and Build Quality

The Lenovo A8-50 A5500 features a sleek and understated design typical of Lenovo's early tablet offerings. With dimensions of 217 x 136 x 8.9 mm and a weight of 360 g, the device is relatively lightweight and portable, making it ideal for users on the go. Available in a variety of colors including black, white, yellow, and red, the A8-50 caters to different tastes and preferences. The tablet's body is designed with practicality in mind, featuring an 8-inch display that accounts for approximately 62.9% of the screen-to-body ratio, providing a balanced combination of display space and ergonomics.

Display Characteristics

The Lenovo A8-50 A5500 sports an 8.0-inch IPS LCD display, boasting a resolution of 800 x 1280 pixels and a 16:10 aspect ratio. This results in a pixel density of about 189 ppi, which, while not the highest on the market, provides adequate clarity for everyday tasks such as browsing, reading, and media consumption. The IPS technology ensures good color reproduction and wide viewing angles, making it suitable for watching videos and playing games.

Performance and Hardware

Under the hood, the A8-50 A5500 is powered by a quad-core 1.3 GHz Cortex-A7 processor and Mediatek MT8382 chipset, built on a 28 nm process. The integrated Mali-400MP2 GPU handles graphics processing, allowing for smooth media playback and moderate gaming capabilities. Coupled with 1GB of RAM, the hardware delivers decent performance for basic multitasking and application usage, though it may struggle with more demanding tasks.

Operating System and User Interface

Out of the box, the Lenovo A8-50 A5500 runs on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. This version of Android, while dated, offers a simple and user-friendly interface that was appreciated for its performance optimizations and aesthetic appeal at the time. Users have access to the Google Play Store, granting them the ability to download a wide array of applications and customize their devices to suit their functionality needs.

Storage Options

The tablet comes with two internal storage options: 8GB or 16GB. While these capacities might be restrictive for users with extensive media libraries or numerous applications, the device offers a microSDHC card slot, allowing for storage expansion. This feature is indispensable for users who require additional space for their files and multimedia content.

Camera Capabilities

The Lenovo A8-50 A5500 is equipped with a 5MP main camera, capable of capturing basic photos suitable for casual use. While not particularly advanced, the camera serves well for everyday snapshots and social media posts. The front-facing camera is a 2MP shooter, providing adequate performance for video calls and selfies, although image quality is not its strongest point.

Battery Life

Battery life is a significant consideration for any portable device, and the A8-50 A5500 does reasonably well in this department thanks to its 4200 mAh non-removable Li-Ion battery. The capacity allows for extended use, especially considering the power demands of the device's hardware and display. Users can expect a full day of moderate usage, including browsing, watching videos, and light gaming, before needing a recharge.

Connectivity and Network

In terms of connectivity, the A8-50 A5500 is equipped with Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, and hotspot capabilities, ensuring that users can stay connected to the internet wherever Wi-Fi is available. Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP support allows for wireless connectivity with peripherals and other devices. The tablet also features GPS for location-based services, an FM radio for listening to broadcast radio, and microUSB 2.0 for charging and data transfer.

When it comes to network capabilities, the A8-50 supports GSM and HSPA technologies, providing 2G and 3G connectivity with bands that include GSM 850/900/1800/1900 and HSDPA. While it lacks the support for 4G LTE networks, it offers basic telecommunication features such as GPRS and EDGE.

Audio and Multimedia

Sound quality on the Lenovo A8-50 A5500 is facilitated by stereo speakers on the 3G models, contributing to a more immersive audio experience compared to mono alternatives. Additionally, the tablet includes a standard 3.5mm headphone jack, allowing users to connect their headphones for private listening.

Sensors and Accessories

Simplicity in sensor technology is a hallmark of the A8-50, which is equipped with an accelerometer. This sensor supports auto-rotation for the display, enhancing user interaction with the tablet. Although more advanced sensors are not present, the accelerometer covers basic functionality adequately.

Market Position and Conclusion

Introduced in April 2014 and released in June of the same year, the Lenovo A8-50 A5500 was positioned as an affordable mid-range tablet. Priced at approximately 140 EUR, it catered to users seeking a budget-friendly device with essential functionality and decent performance for day-to-day tasks.

Despite being discontinued, the A8-50 A5500 remains a testament to Lenovo's ability to produce budget devices that offer a good balance between functionality and affordability. While it may not compete with modern tablets in terms of features and specifications, for its time, it represented a solid choice for those needing a reliable, basic tablet for media consumption, internet browsing, and other light activities.