So the Neffos C5L, Neffos C5 and Neffos C5 Max are the first smartphones with the brand logo.
It was earlier this year, during CES 2016, that the largest manufacturer of WiFi consumer products, TP-Link, announced its entry into the mobile market. The company presented its line Neffos C5 of smartphones consisting of three devices with different characteristics. So the Neffos C5L, Neffos C5 and Neffos C5 Max are the first smartphones with the brand logo.
The Neffos C5L is the smallest of the family with a screen 4.5”, a Snapdragon 210 processor and 1 GB of RAM. The Neffos C5 Max is the bigger brother of the three with a screen 5.5” 1080p, MTK6753 processor and 2GB of RAM. Finally the Neffos C5 it presents itself as the intermediate solution and it is precisely this model that came into our hands to test.
In an increasingly competitive market, TP-Link wanted to show that it can also create products outside its comfort area with the seal of quality that we are used to. For two weeks we used the Neffos C5 as a phone day by day and today we are going to share this experience with you.
design
O Neffos C5 features a simple design with rounded corners and top, with considerable space under the screen where does the logo from TP-Link. In our opinion this is a design that reminds, in a way, some of the LG devices like the LG G3 and especially the LG G4.
Its construction is entirely in plastic and although there are no flaws, we get the feeling that the chosen materials are not very resistant, thus compromising some of the device’s robustness. Still with a screen 5” and measures 144 x 72 x 8.8 mm this is an ergonomic device that fits well in the hand.
Ahead, above the above screen 5” we find the front camera, the usual light and proximity sensors and the earpiece. There are no capacitive or physical navigation buttons, as TP-Link has opted for a virtual (on-screen) button solution.
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The micro-USB port is placed at the bottom together with a microphone. On top we find the hole for 3.5mm headphones and another microphone for noise cancellation. All physical buttons were placed on the right side of the smartphone where we found volume and power buttons with a good reaction to touch and adequate construction. The left side of the smartphone is completely “clean”.
the back of the Neffos C5 is filled with the main camera next to an LED flash, placed above the logo of the Neffos line. Below is a single column.
Like many devices in the same range, the Neffos C5 it has a removable back cover that allows access to the battery (also removable). There we find a MicroSD memory card slot and two micro-SIM slots, because the smartphone supports dual SIM and dual standby.
inside the box of the Neffos C5 TP-Link included the usual micro-USB cable and corresponding charger, plus some headphones. The smartphone is available in two colors: Pearl White and Dark Grey.
Screen
O Neffos C5 has a screen 5” IPS LCD with HD 1280 x 720 resolution, which translates to 294 ppi. Unfortunately there is no indication of any protective layer over the screen (like Gorilla Glass for example). Nowadays this resolution of screen can be considered by many as insufficient, however since we are facing a 5” panel, the user experience is “ok” for the price range of the device.
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The side margins around the screen they’re not the shortest we’ve seen so far, but they don’t shock either. Already above and below the display we find an exaggeratedly large space, in our opinion.
The viewing angles of the screen of Neffos C5 they are medium and the color reproduction is not very accurate. In general we found the saturation too low which translates to washed-out and lifeless colors. On the other hand we had no problems operating this device directly under sunlight, since at maximum brightness the screen of Neffos C5 reaches a very strong luminosity level.
Hardware and Performance
| Technical Characteristics | |
| Processor | MTK6735 Quad Core 1.3GHz |
| Operating System | Android 5.1 (Lollipop) |
| Screen | LCD 52medium33356,33357″]
O Neffos C5 is capable of producing photos of average quality when compared with those of devices of the same segment, but in general we consider its photographic capacity to be weak. In good lighting conditions it is possible to get decent images but you have to be patient with the focus and keep your arm very stable. In low light the results are no better, with a lot of noise and poor color reproduction. The camera’s interface is well done, giving us the possibility to apply 30 filters in real time, capture panoramas, adjust exposure values, white balance and ISO, for example. TP-Link also included an intelligent capture mode, in which the software analyzes the scene and automatically chooses the most suitable mode to capture the photo. In terms of video it is possible to record with resolutions up to 1080p. Here are some of the photos we took with the back sensor of the Neffos C5, in smart mode: DrumsRegarding autonomy, the Neffos C5 It is powered by a removable 2200 mAh battery that has proved sufficient for moderate everyday use. With a use based on applications chat, social networks, web queries, light games and some multimedia consumption on battery Neffos C5 lasts for one working day, with about 2:45 am screen switched on. We cannot fail to mention that, for an 8.8 mm thick device, the manufacturer should have been able to accommodate a larger capacity battery in the Neffos C5. From an energetic point of view, the screen 720p resolution is an asset contributing to less expense compared to higher resolution screens ConclusionFor those looking for an inexpensive device, with solid build quality and a non-shaming performance, the Neffos C5 it’s a good bet. Despite the less positive points we found, we believe that these do not compromise the user experience, taking into account that those looking for a smartphone of this type will not demand much from their hardware. This one Neffos C5 from TP-Link can be purchased for around €139.90 in major retail and consumer electronics stores. Pros:
Cons:
In the following Hands On video you can see TP-Link Neffos C5 in action: |
