Is the Lenovo ZUK Z1 a Plausible iPhone 6s Challenger?

With Apple’s iPhone 6s and 6s Plus now official and due for release in less than two weeks from now, challengers are coming out of the woodwork, hoping to trump the new flagships from Cupertino in one way or another.  One of those less-heralded iPhone competitors is the new Lenovo ZUK Z1.  But is it really that formidable a competitor?  Let’s find out.

Talking about the Lenovo ZUK Z1’s fundamentals, meaning its basic specifications, the ZUK Z1 comes with a 5.5-inch IPS LCD display with Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution, good for a pixel density of 401 ppi.  It runs on a Snapdragon 801 processor paired with 3 GB RAM, and also comes with 64 GB internal memory, a 13-megapixel rear camera with Sony Exmor sensor, and an impressive 4,100 mAh battery.  The phone ships with Android 5.1.1 Lollipop out of the box.  It’s considerably chubbier than the iPhone 6s, measuring 8.9 millimeters thick and weighing in at 175 grams.

Special features include a fingerprint reader ,a USB Type C charger, dual-SIM support, and Bluetooth 4.1 connectivity.  Lenovo is also planning an international model that supports most 4G networks.

All told, we’d file this device in the midrange category – it’s not going to trump the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus by a longshot, but it’s a solid, competent smartphone that should meet most of your mobile needs.