LeEco will not be bringing the 10-core Helio X20-powered version of its second generation smartphone, the Le 2, to India. Instead, unveiling on June 8 will be a Qualcomm-powered version of the phone.
It is not known if the new model will be called the Le 2 or Le 2s. Given that it has been only days since the 2 was launched, chances are that the new variant will also be called the 2.
The Indian version will be powered by the Snapdragon 652 chipset, which will be more powerful than the Snapdragon 810 and comparable with the latest Snapdragon 820 chipset.
However, when compared to the Helio X20, the Snapdragon 652 will be more or less an equal competitor.
The secret of 652’s enormous power lies in its four Cortex A72 cores, allowing the chipset to deliver 50% more power in single-core tasks compared to last year’s flagship chipsets like Helio X10 and Snapdragon 810.
However, one of the limitations of the Snapdragon 652 when compared with the 820 is that it uses the older 28 nm process. As a result, the chipset can only run at a maximum clockspeed of 1.8 GHz. The Snapdragon 820, on the other hand, uses Cortex A72 technology on a 14 nm process, which allows it to reach speeds of 2.2 GHz.
Not surprisingly, the 820 delivers about 70% more power per core than the 852 — or about 150% more power per core than last year’s Helio X10.
MOST POWERFUL MID-RANGER
The inclusion of the new chipset will make the LeEco Le 2 the most powerful mid-range phone in India by far.
It’s closest competitor is the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3. However, thanks to its more advanced processor, the Le 2 will offer about 40% more power than the Redmi Note 3.
The Le 2 will also have many other clear improvements when compared to the Redmi Note 3, including, but not limited to, a superior camera.
Though the Redmi Note 3 also has a 16 MP camera, the aspect has been considered the weakest point for the phone.
On the other hand, the Le 2 has been reported to have a decent — though not exceptional — set of cameras.
Other features include an infra-red blaster for using the smartphone as a remote controller. The phone, powered by a 3 Ah battery, offers a screen-on time of around 4 hours.
What remains to be seen is the pricing. Its predecessor the Le 1s was priced at a jaw-dropping Rs 10,990. However, we expect the Le 2 to be priced at least Rs 2,000 higher. If priced at Rs 12,990, the Meizu M3 Note — which offers comparable specifications including 32 GB of memory, will also come into play.
The M3 Note is priced at just Rs 9,999 for the 32 GB version, making it the most value-for-money offering in the range. However, the Meizu model suffers from a mid-range processor, the Helio P10, which is only about 60% as powerful as the one found inside the Le 2.
In addition to the Le 2, LeEco will also launch the Le Max 2. The 2 Pro, however, will not be coming to India.