At the beginning of August 2022, WIKO Malaysia launched two new smartphones. One model is the WIKO T50, which features very thin bezels on the front. We haven't heard much about Wiko in some time, so it should be interesting to see how this one performs. Does this device offer anything special as a lower mid-range smartphone? Read on for our impressions and review of the phone below!
Design – Shinier than previous models
Like many smartphones in this category, the WIKO T50 has a glossy back. As you can see from the pictures, its reflective surface makes it look quite shiny. On the flip side, we do like this Aqua Green. If that's not your cup of tea, there's also a Midnight Black colour.
In terms of grip, the glossy back doesn't stop the phone from being comfortable to hold. But it does collect fingerprints easily. The oval-shaped camera module on the top left consists of three cameras that protrude quite a bit, resulting in a noticeable camera bump. As such, it's better to use a phone cover with this device.
Punch-hole for the front camera
3.5mm audio jack on top
Moving on, let's take a look at the sides. On the right, you'll find the usual volume and power buttons. The latter has a fingerprint scanner embedded inside too. Next, there's one speaker, a USB-C port, and a dual-SIM slot at the bottom.
Up in front, the WIKO T50 sports a sizable 6.6-inch screen. What's great about this screen would be the thin bezels, measuring only 1.1mm and 3.5mm. The entire screen is almost unimpeded or would have been if it weren't for the punch-hole front camera. Still, it's an excellent screen for watching videos.
Speaker and SIM tray at the bottom
Volume and power buttons (with integrated fingerprint sensor)
Although this phone uses an IPS LCD panel, it delivers intense colours for videos and mobile games. Swiping and scrolling on the screen feels smooth enough for daily use, including viewing social media and gaming. But it's nothing special, especially if you've experienced 120Hz displays.
Inside the box, the WIKO T50 comes with a screen protector, a silicone case, a SIM pin, a 40W charger, and a USB-C charging cable. We found the screen protector an interesting choice, as it's not something most brands would include (these days). Of course, it does mean you'll have to install it yourself.
Very glossy back
Triple rear camera: 64MP main camera + 8MP ultrawide + 2MP macro
Tech specs and features – A simple and average smartphone
Here are the full specifications for this entry-level phone:
- MediaTek Helio G35 chipset
- 8GB RAM + 128GB storage
- 6.6 inch IPS LCD display, 20:9 aspect ratio and 60Hz refresh rate
- 64MP main camera + 8MP ultrawide sensor + 2MP macro
- 16MP selfie camera
- 4000mAh battery (can last up to 2 days)
- 40W charging
- Android 11 operating system
In terms of hardware, it's powered by a MediaTek Helio G35 chipset with solid performance for daily tasks. This means you can safely browse the Internet, send text messages, and check social media without worrying about apps crashing. However, we did notice that some apps were slow to open.
The phone also has 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. Unlike many mid-range smartphones, there's no microSD memory card slot here. It's unfortunate, but 128GB should be enough unless you plan to load it up with videos. As for the software, the phone runs on the now 2-years-old Android 11.
The WIKO T50's camera module features a 64MP main camera, an 8MP ultrawide camera and a 2MP macro sensor. It also has a 16MP front camera. Overall, there's nothing much to talk about here. The phone has a camera app with the standard HDR, time-lapse, and Bokeh modes. Those who love ultra-wide and macro photography would get some use out of the cameras but don't expect the picture quality to be as good as a flagship device.
For battery, the phone's 4000mAh battery isn't the largest we've seen, but it should suffice for most people. The phone also supports 40W fast charging, which is faster than some mid-range smartphones. For instance, the highly-rated Samsung Galaxy A73 5G only supports 25W fast charging but costs way more.
Performance – Not suitable for gaming
Next up, let's talk performance. Before we go on, below are screenshots of the Geekbench and 3DMark benchmarks we performed on this phone.
Geekbench
3DMark
With the MediaTek Helio G35 chipset, you can't expect fast performance for heavy tasks such as gaming. But it's more than capable of being a solid daily companion if you're just using it for regular tasks like web browsing.
While testing it, we found that the phone could still handle certain games like Mobile Legends. We experienced slight delays when opening games but got decent performance while gaming. Of course, don't bother with Genshin Impact or the trending Tower of Fantasy on this phone. Trust us, it's not going to be a smooth experience.
The phone runs Mobile Legends well enough, but don't expect too much
For audio, the stereo speakers in this phone were of low quality, even after we boosted the volume. There's a 3.5mm audio jack at the top of the phone for those who want to use headphones. But its positioning makes the cable stick out when watching videos vertically, so that might bother some people but different people have different tastes.
In terms of battery life, this phone can last more than two days with standard usage. We also managed to watch five hours of videos on a full battery. Like all modern smartphones, there's a Power Saving Mode which can increase the battery life by up to three days.
Turning to the camera, we were satisfied enough with the image quality produced by the WIKO T50's main camera. If you're snapping under bright conditions, you'll get beautiful photos with clear details and vibrant colours. It also has a neat but not perfect Bokeh effect.
Photo mode
Pro mode
Macro mode
Night mode - Lots of noise here...
Low-light selfie with flash
Low-light selfie without flash
Standard selfie
Beauty mode selfies
Bokeh shots
However, the quality starts dropping when you try to take pictures inside a building or in dimly lit areas. The colours become a little washed out, and the details are a bit blurry. However, this is to be expected for a phone in this class.
Conclusion – Suitable for daily use
In our opinion, the WIKO T50 is a regular smartphone targeted at the masses. It's for people who want something that just works, and maybe has a nice colour to go with it. It's easy to use, has decent performance, and doesn't have any major flaws.
But for RM899, you can get other smartphones like the HONOR X8 5G. By topping up another RM100, you get a device with a 5000mAh battery that can last much longer. You can also go for the POCO M4 5G, which offers a 90Hz refresh rate screen and a 5000mAh battery at just RM699.
But what say you, are there better options you'd recommend or is the WIKO T50 the one for you? Let us know in the comments below, and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more reviews like this.
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