Notebookcheck Logo

BQ Aquaris U2 lite Smartphone Review

A slight increase. The BQ Aquaris U2 lite is supposed to be an entry-level smartphone for demanding tasks. The “lite” bit refers to the fact that the specifications of the BQ Aquaris U2 were cut down in order to lower the price. Read our review to find out if the BQ Aquaris U2 lite is a true bargain.
BQ Aquaris U2 lite

Visually, there are no differences between the BQ Aquaris U2 and the BQ Aquaris U2 lite: The only thing that distinguishes the two devices is the model name on the back. The “lite” model is a slightly cut-down version that costs 20 Euros (~$23) less than the full version. The differences mainly concern the SoC, memory, camera and NFC. The BQ Aquaris U2 lite retails for 179 Euros ($208).

There are a lot of competitors: Besides the mid-range smartphone Sony Xperia AX1, which costs roughly as much as the Aquaris U2 lite, there are also cheaper devices such as the Xiaomi Redmi 5A, the Gigaset GS185 and the Motorola Moto G5s.

BQ Aquaris U2 lite (Aquaris Series)
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) 4 x 1.4 GHz, Cortex-A53
Graphics adapter
Memory
2048 MB 
Display
5.20 inch 16:9, 1280 x 720 pixel 282 PPI, capacitive Touchscreen, IPS, glossy: yes
Storage
16 GB eMMC Flash, 16 GB 
, 10.5 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: 3.5-mm audio jack, Card Reader: microSD up to 256 GB, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: proximity sensor, motion sensor, eCompass, Gyroscope, USB-OTG
Networking
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.2, 4G: 1 (2100) / 2 (1900) / 3 (1800) / 4 (1700/2100) / 7 (2600) / 8 (900) / 20 (800) / 28 (700) 3G: I (2100) / II (1900) / V (850) / VIII (900) 2G: 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 , Dual SIM, LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 8.4 x 148.1 x 72.9 ( = 0.33 x 5.83 x 2.87 in)
Battery
11.78 Wh, 3100 mAh Lithium-Polymer, Quick Charge 3.0
Operating System
Android 7.1 Nougat
Camera
Primary Camera: 8 MPix Aperture ƒ/2.0, 1.12 µm/pixel, 4 lenses, flash, video 1080p@30fps
Secondary Camera: 5 MPix Aperture ƒ/2.0, 1.12 µm/pixel, 3 lenses, front-facing flash, Vvdeo 1080p@30fps
Additional features
Speakers: Mono-speaker on the bottom, Keyboard: virtual keyboard, charger, USB cable, SIM removal tool, BQ Plus, 24 Months Warranty, LTE Cat.4 (150 MBit/s (Download), 50 MBit/s (Upload); SAR value: 0,645 W/Kg (head), 1,390 W/Kg (body), fanless
Weight
155 g ( = 5.47 oz / 0.34 pounds), Power Supply: 82 g ( = 2.89 oz / 0.18 pounds)
Price
179 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case – Flexible and creaky

The plastic case of the Aquaris U2 lite cannot be opened. Therefore, the battery is not removable. When pressure is applied to the case, it creaks and crackles, which does not bode well for the overall quality of the device. Moreover, applying a lot of pressure to the front or the back of the device leads to screen distortions. The smartphone can also be twisted. However, it does not creak when it is being twisted. The slightly grooved sides and the matte back feel nice. All in all, the device looks as well as any other smartphone in this price range. The BQ Aquaris U2 lite weighs 155 grams (0.34 Ibs), which means that it is not a very light smartphone as the name suggests. The overall dimensions are similar to those of other smartphones in this price range. Because of the 16:9 aspect ratio, there should not be any black bars when watching video.

BQ Aquaris U2 Lite
BQ Aquaris U2 Lite
BQ Aquaris U2 Lite
BQ Aquaris U2 Lite
BQ Aquaris U2 Lite
BQ Aquaris U2 Lite
BQ Aquaris U2 Lite

Size Comparison

150 mm / 5.91 inch 73.5 mm / 2.89 inch 9.5 mm / 0.374 inch 157 g0.3461 lbs148.1 mm / 5.83 inch 72.9 mm / 2.87 inch 8.4 mm / 0.3307 inch 155 g0.3417 lbs147 mm / 5.79 inch 70.6 mm / 2.78 inch 8.8 mm / 0.3465 inch 149 g0.3285 lbs145 mm / 5.71 inch 67 mm / 2.64 inch 8 mm / 0.315 inch 143 g0.3153 lbs140.4 mm / 5.53 inch 70.1 mm / 2.76 inch 8.4 mm / 0.3307 inch 137 g0.302 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Connectivity – The Aquaris U2 lite offers enough memory

The Aquaris U2 lite has 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal memory. This is usual for a device in this price range. The internal storage can be expanded by up to 256 GB with the help of a MicroSD card. The SD card can be used as internal memory.

The Aquaris U2 lite has a Micro-USB port that operates at USB 2.0 speeds and supports USB OTG. The smartphone does not feature support for NFC.

Software – BQ smartphone with stock Android

The smartphone runs Android 7.1.2 in its stock form. The security patches were last updated on June 1 2018. BQ does not preinstall any additional software, except for the BQ Plus app, which can be used to buy a warranty extension from BQ.

Software BQ Aquaris U2 lite
Software BQ Aquaris U2 lite
Software BQ Aquaris U2 lite

Communication and GPS – Very fast Wi-Fi in the BQ Aquaris U2 lite

Support for 802.11ac is quite unusual in this price range. Most devices, including the pricier Sony Xperia XA1, only support 802.11n. This is a unique feature of the Aquaris U2 lite and it is utilized: Our review device is almost 4 times faster than some competitors. The reception quality is also good, both when the device is in close proximity to the router and when it is separated from the router by a wall.

The BQ smartphone can achieve Category 4 LTE speeds of up to 150 MB/s in the mobile Internet. This is usual in this price range. The Aquaris U2 lite has no problems with reception in Vodafone Germany’s D2 networks, even inside buildings.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
BQ Aquaris U2 lite
Adreno 308, 425, 16 GB eMMC Flash
219 MBit/s
Sony Xperia XA1
Mali-T880 MP2, Helio P20 MT6757, 32 GB eMMC Flash
112 MBit/s -49%
Motorola Moto G5s
Adreno 505, 430, 32 GB eMMC Flash
111 MBit/s -49%
Gigaset GS185
Adreno 308, 425, 16 GB eMMC Flash
53.7 MBit/s -75%
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
Adreno 308, 425, 16 GB eMMC Flash
49 MBit/s -78%
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Smartphone
  (last 2 years)
376 MBit/s +74%
BQ Aquaris U2 lite
Adreno 308, 425, 16 GB eMMC Flash
216 MBit/s
Motorola Moto G5s
Adreno 505, 430, 32 GB eMMC Flash
121 MBit/s -44%
Sony Xperia XA1
Mali-T880 MP2, Helio P20 MT6757, 32 GB eMMC Flash
108 MBit/s -50%
Gigaset GS185
Adreno 308, 425, 16 GB eMMC Flash
54.7 MBit/s -75%
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
Adreno 308, 425, 16 GB eMMC Flash
47.1 MBit/s -78%
GPS test indoors
GPS test outdoors

Indoors, the BQ Aquaris U2 lite has a hard time determining the user’s location. Outdoors, geolocation works faster and has a margin of error of 8 meters (~26 ft), which is acceptable. Using Google Maps indoors is difficult. However, outdoors, GPS works well and the compass points in the right direction.

In order to determine how accurate our review device is when it comes to geolocation, we take it with us on a bike ride. During this ride, we are also accompanied by the professional navigator Garmin Edge 500. The BQ smartphone is not as accurate as the professional navigator. However, if you look at the path tracking results, you can see the lane you were travelling on and most of the turns you took. Unfortunately, some of the turns were omitted. This is why there is a 200-meter (~219 yd) difference between the Aquaris U2 lite and the Garmin Edge 500. Nevertheless, the BQ smartphone is still good enough for casual navigation.

GPS Garmin Edge 520 – Overview
GPS Garmin Edge 520 – Overview
GPS Garmin Edge 520 – Grove
GPS Garmin Edge 520 – Grove
GPS Garmin Edge 520 – Bridge
GPS Garmin Edge 520 – Bridge
GPS Aquaris U2 lite – Overview
GPS Aquaris U2 lite – Overview
GPS Aquaris U2 lite – Grove
GPS Aquaris U2 lite – Grove
GPS Aquaris U2 lite – Bridge
GPS Aquaris U2 lite – Bridge

Telephony and Call Quality – Somewhat muffled

As a smartphone with stock Android, the Aquaris U2 lite comes with the standard Android phone app.

The smartphone sounds somewhat muffled on both ends. If you turn up the volume, then the Aquaris U2 lite will be loud enough, but a little tinny. The call quality is better in speaker mode. However, the speaker is not loud enough for certain situations. The microphone has trouble picking up the caller’s voice when the caller speaks quietly.

Cameras – The BQ Aquaris U2 lite takes blurry photos

Shot with the front camera
Shot with the front camera

The resolution of the main camera has been slightly increased when compared to the BQ Aquaris U2. The BQ Aquaris U2 lite has one 8 MP camera on the back. The front-facing camera has not changed. The front-facing camera takes colorful pictures, with some detail in bright and dark areas lost. All in all, the level of detail is okay, but not exemplary.

The main camera fails to impress in all three of our test scenarios: The objects as well as the environment are somewhat blurry. The flower looks too dim as well. Photos taken in low-light conditions appear muddy. Video can be shot in Full HD at 30 FPS. Here, the exposure compensation is very snappy and the detail reproduction is also very good.

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Scene 1Scene 2Scene 3
click to load images

Under controlled lighting conditions, the camera is somewhat sharper. Apparently, autofocus needs a lot of light to function properly. However, the contours are still blurry. Autofocus failed again when we were taking a picture of our test chart. The colors also appear too dim.

Test chart
Test chart
Test chart details
Test chart details
Color chart
Color chart

The box contains a charger, a USB cable and a SIM removal tool.

BQ provides a 2-year warranty for its smartphone. A warranty extension can be purchased in the BQ Plus app. Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input Devices and Handling – BQ smartphone with a good touchscreen

Google’s GBoard serves as the default keyboard. Therefore, typing messages and emails is very easy. Other keyboard apps can be downloaded from the Google Play Store.

The touchscreen reacts reliably and promptly to inputs, even at the edges. The navigation keys are located below the screen. The BQ logo serves as the “home” button and the two unlit buttons on either side of it serve as the “back” and “overview” buttons.

The BQ Aquaris U2 lite does not have a fingerprint sensor. The volume rocker and the power button are located on the right side of the device. They respond to inputs reliably and have a clear actuation point.

Keyboard in landscape mode
Keyboard in landscape mode
Keyboard in portrait mode
Keyboard in portrait mode

Display – BQ smartphone with screen flickering

Pixel arrangement
Pixel arrangement

The BQ Aquaris U2 lite has a screen with a 16:9 aspect ratio. The display has a resolution of 1280x720, which is usual for a device in this price range. The Motorola Moto G5s has a Full HD screen, but it is in a different price range. That being said, the Moto G5s does not cost that much more.

The BQ Aquaris U2 lite has a pretty good brightness of 434 cd/m². However, it does not appear very bright when compared to other competing devices. The smartphone has a brightness distribution of 86%. This is not a perfect result, which is why solid colors do not appear very uniform. In the settings menu, the maximum brightness can be increased by 20 cd/m².

459
cd/m²
451
cd/m²
395
cd/m²
452
cd/m²
440
cd/m²
404
cd/m²
446
cd/m²
452
cd/m²
410
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 459 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 434.3 cd/m² Minimum: 4.2 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 86 %
Center on Battery: 440 cd/m²
Contrast: 957:1 (Black: 0.46 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.71 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 4.7 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
92.6% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 1.954
BQ Aquaris U2 lite
IPS, 1280x720, 5.20
Sony Xperia XA1
IPS, 1280x720, 5.00
Gigaset GS185
IPS, 1440x720, 5.50
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
IPS, 1280x720, 5.00
Motorola Moto G5s
IPS, 1920x1080, 5.20
Screen
-8%
-15%
-12%
11%
Brightness middle
440
522
19%
426
-3%
503
14%
490
11%
Brightness
434
499
15%
412
-5%
499
15%
502
16%
Brightness Distribution
86
92
7%
86
0%
84
-2%
92
7%
Black Level *
0.46
0.74
-61%
0.7
-52%
0.73
-59%
0.43
7%
Contrast
957
705
-26%
609
-36%
689
-28%
1140
19%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5.71
4.2
26%
5.3
7%
5.44
5%
5.7
-0%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
10.6
11.5
-8%
10.2
4%
10.01
6%
7.8
26%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
4.7
6.4
-36%
6.3
-34%
6.8
-45%
4.7
-0%
Gamma
1.954 113%
2.18 101%
2.4 92%
2.451 90%
2.4 92%
CCT
7320 89%
7044 92%
8073 81%
6590 99%
7526 86%

* ... smaller is better

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 100 Hz ≤ 10 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 100 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 10 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 100 Hz is very low, so the flickering may cause eyestrain and headaches after extended use.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

With our oscilloscope, we observed flickering at 10 % brightness and lower. Because the screen flickers with a frequency of 100 Hz, susceptible individuals may experience headaches and eye strain.

The black value of 0.46 cd/m² is a good result. This is why the smartphone takes second place among the comparison devices. The contrast ratio of 957:1 is also okay. The colors do not appear very saturated on the screen. A blue filter is provided, other than that there are no other options to adjust color reproduction.

We use a spectrophotometer running SpectraCal's CalMAN software to examine the color accuracy more closely. The spectrophotometer reveals a turquoise cast. All in all, the colors do not deviate too much from the sRGB spectrum.

CalMAN - color accuracy
CalMAN - color accuracy
CalMAN - color space coverage
CalMAN - color space coverage
CalMAN - grayscale
CalMAN - grayscale
CalMAN - saturation
CalMAN - saturation

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
18 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 7 ms rise
↘ 11 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 34 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
38 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 21 ms rise
↘ 17 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 49 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

The BQ Aquaris U2 lite performs very well outdoors. The screen content is easy to read in the shade. The brightness drops when you look at the smartphone from the side. All in all, the viewing angles are very wide.

Outdoor use
Outdoor use
Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance – The BQ smartphone performs as expected

The BQ Aquaris U2 lite offers a level of performance typical for smartphones in this price range: The Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 is an SoC that is used in several other comparable devices. Because the BQ Aquaris U2 lite uses a two-year-old SoC, it can only keep up with other smartphones that utilize the same SoC. More expensive devices with newer SoCs such as the Sony Xperia XA1 and the Motorola Moto G5s are noticeably faster. The BQ smartphone is quite smooth when scrolling through the menus.

The Adreno 308 serves as the GPU. It performs according to expectations.

AnTuTu v6 - Total Score (sort by value)
BQ Aquaris U2 lite
35271 Points
Sony Xperia XA1
59082 Points +68%
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
36883 Points +5%
Gigaset GS185
37339 Points +6%
Motorola Moto G5s
46370 Points +31%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (29054 - 39106, n=17)
36278 Points +3%
AnTuTu v7 - Total Score (sort by value)
BQ Aquaris U2 lite
43031 Points
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
43861 Points +2%
Gigaset GS185
45092 Points +5%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (32557 - 46710, n=10)
42979 Points 0%
PCMark for Android
Work performance score (sort by value)
BQ Aquaris U2 lite
4527 Points
Sony Xperia XA1
4759 Points +5%
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
4559 Points +1%
Gigaset GS185
3961 Points -13%
Motorola Moto G5s
4669 Points +3%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (3681 - 5253, n=17)
4389 Points -3%
Average of class Smartphone (10884 - 19297, n=2, last 2 years)
15091 Points +233%
Work 2.0 performance score (sort by value)
BQ Aquaris U2 lite
3333 Points
Sony Xperia XA1
Points -100%
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
3402 Points +2%
Gigaset GS185
3229 Points -3%
Motorola Moto G5s
3604 Points +8%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (2829 - 3831, n=18)
3299 Points -1%
Average of class Smartphone (9101 - 12871, n=4, last 2 years)
10872 Points +226%
BaseMark OS II
Overall (sort by value)
BQ Aquaris U2 lite
691 Points
Sony Xperia XA1
1284 Points +86%
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
774 Points +12%
Gigaset GS185
676 Points -2%
Motorola Moto G5s
848 Points +23%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (207 - 891, n=17)
642 Points -7%
Average of class Smartphone (411 - 11438, n=158, last 2 years)
5704 Points +725%
System (sort by value)
BQ Aquaris U2 lite
1331 Points
Sony Xperia XA1
2969 Points +123%
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
1463 Points +10%
Gigaset GS185
1217 Points -9%
Motorola Moto G5s
1553 Points +17%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (1043 - 1477, n=17)
1274 Points -4%
Average of class Smartphone (2376 - 16475, n=158, last 2 years)
9621 Points +623%
Memory (sort by value)
BQ Aquaris U2 lite
582 Points
Sony Xperia XA1
1063 Points +83%
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
762 Points +31%
Gigaset GS185
617 Points +6%
Motorola Moto G5s
656 Points +13%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (363 - 1372, n=17)
678 Points +16%
Average of class Smartphone (670 - 12306, n=158, last 2 years)
6230 Points +970%
Graphics (sort by value)
BQ Aquaris U2 lite
442 Points
Sony Xperia XA1
1016 Points +130%
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
444 Points 0%
Gigaset GS185
440 Points 0%
Motorola Moto G5s
723 Points +64%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (418 - 447, n=17)
437 Points -1%
Average of class Smartphone (697 - 58651, n=158, last 2 years)
13900 Points +3045%
Web (sort by value)
BQ Aquaris U2 lite
666 Points
Sony Xperia XA1
847 Points +27%
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
723 Points +9%
Gigaset GS185
632 Points -5%
Motorola Moto G5s
703 Points +6%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (10 - 802, n=17)
611 Points -8%
Average of class Smartphone (10 - 2145, n=158, last 2 years)
1487 Points +123%
Geekbench 4.4
64 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
BQ Aquaris U2 lite
661 Points
Sony Xperia XA1
828 Points +25%
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
681 Points +3%
Gigaset GS185
683 Points +3%
Motorola Moto G5s
630 Points -5%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (541 - 692, n=18)
654 Points -1%
Average of class Smartphone (800 - 9574, n=90, last 2 years)
5063 Points +666%
64 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
BQ Aquaris U2 lite
1847 Points
Sony Xperia XA1
3621 Points +96%
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
1874 Points +1%
Gigaset GS185
1871 Points +1%
Motorola Moto G5s
2270 Points +23%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (883 - 1939, n=18)
1761 Points -5%
Average of class Smartphone (2630 - 26990, n=90, last 2 years)
13549 Points +634%
Compute RenderScript Score (sort by value)
BQ Aquaris U2 lite
1113 Points
Sony Xperia XA1
2747 Points +147%
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
1333 Points +20%
Gigaset GS185
1460 Points +31%
Motorola Moto G5s
1871 Points +68%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (1113 - 1460, n=16)
1345 Points +21%
Average of class Smartphone (2053 - 18432, n=70, last 2 years)
10590 Points +851%
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
BQ Aquaris U2 lite
6180 Points
Sony Xperia XA1
13734 Points +122%
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
6186 Points 0%
Gigaset GS185
6125 Points -1%
Motorola Moto G5s
9491 Points +54%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (2951 - 6526, n=18)
5908 Points -4%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
BQ Aquaris U2 lite
5547 Points
Sony Xperia XA1
13125 Points +137%
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
5532 Points 0%
Gigaset GS185
5474 Points -1%
Motorola Moto G5s
9626 Points +74%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (2546 - 5778, n=18)
5330 Points -4%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
BQ Aquaris U2 lite
10292 Points
Sony Xperia XA1
16394 Points +59%
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
10556 Points +3%
Gigaset GS185
10496 Points +2%
Motorola Moto G5s
9045 Points -12%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (3958 - 11927, n=18)
9933 Points -3%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 (sort by value)
BQ Aquaris U2 lite
55 Points
Sony Xperia XA1
945 Points +1618%
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
55 Points 0%
Gigaset GS185
68 Points +24%
Motorola Moto G5s
555 Points +909%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (39 - 350, n=18)
86 Points +56%
Average of class Smartphone (712 - 7285, n=52, last 2 years)
3548 Points +6351%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics (sort by value)
BQ Aquaris U2 lite
43 Points
Sony Xperia XA1
827 Points +1823%
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
43 Points 0%
Gigaset GS185
54 Points +26%
Motorola Moto G5s
483 Points +1023%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (31 - 297, n=18)
69.7 Points +62%
Average of class Smartphone (618 - 9451, n=52, last 2 years)
3905 Points +8981%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics (sort by value)
BQ Aquaris U2 lite
889 Points
Sony Xperia XA1
1892 Points +113%
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
903 Points +2%
Gigaset GS185
867 Points -2%
Motorola Moto G5s
1158 Points +30%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (622 - 944, n=18)
869 Points -2%
Average of class Smartphone (1093 - 4525, n=52, last 2 years)
3005 Points +238%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
BQ Aquaris U2 lite
14 fps
Sony Xperia XA1
33 fps +136%
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
14 fps 0%
Gigaset GS185
13 fps -7%
Motorola Moto G5s
16 fps +14%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (6.4 - 20, n=18)
13.4 fps -4%
Average of class Smartphone (22 - 165, n=177, last 2 years)
83.6 fps +497%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value)
BQ Aquaris U2 lite
7.7 fps
Sony Xperia XA1
22 fps +186%
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
7.7 fps 0%
Gigaset GS185
7.6 fps -1%
Motorola Moto G5s
16 fps +108%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (3.4 - 7.8, n=18)
7.42 fps -4%
Average of class Smartphone (19 - 791, n=177, last 2 years)
243 fps +3056%
GFXBench 3.0
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value)
BQ Aquaris U2 lite
5.7 fps
Sony Xperia XA1
19 fps +233%
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
6 fps +5%
Gigaset GS185
5.6 fps -2%
Motorola Moto G5s
7.4 fps +30%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (3.7 - 11, n=18)
5.97 fps +5%
Average of class Smartphone (6.8 - 165, n=178, last 2 years)
71.3 fps +1151%
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value)
BQ Aquaris U2 lite
2.8 fps
Sony Xperia XA1
9.6 fps +243%
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
2.8 fps 0%
Gigaset GS185
2.8 fps 0%
Motorola Moto G5s
7.1 fps +154%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (1.3 - 3, n=17)
2.71 fps -3%
Average of class Smartphone (9.2 - 363, n=178, last 2 years)
137.9 fps +4825%

Legend

 
BQ Aquaris U2 lite Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917), Qualcomm Adreno 308, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Sony Xperia XA1 Mediatek Helio P20 (LP4) MT6757, ARM Mali-T880 MP2, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Xiaomi Redmi 5A Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917), Qualcomm Adreno 308, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Gigaset GS185 Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917), Qualcomm Adreno 308, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Motorola Moto G5s Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 (MSM8937), Qualcomm Adreno 505, 32 GB eMMC Flash

In the browser benchmarks, the BQ Aquaris U2 lite does a little better than other competing devices in this price range. The websites load relatively fast and the scrolling is smooth. Images do not take very long to load either.

JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Average of class Smartphone (66.1 - 104.3, n=2, last 2 years)
85.2 Points +356%
Sony Xperia XA1 (Chrome 58)
28.45 Points +52%
BQ Aquaris U2 lite (Chrome 67)
18.69 Points
Motorola Moto G5s (Chrome 62)
18.66 Points 0%
Xiaomi Redmi 5A (Chrome 67)
17.93 Points -4%
Gigaset GS185 (Chrome 66)
17.76 Points -5%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (15.5 - 18.7, n=16)
17.5 Points -6%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Average of class Smartphone (4633 - 89112, n=202, last 2 years)
33355 Points +914%
Sony Xperia XA1 (Chrome 58)
3956 Points +20%
BQ Aquaris U2 lite (Chrome 67)
3289 Points
Xiaomi Redmi 5A (Chrome 67)
3224 Points -2%
Gigaset GS185 (Chrome 66)
3084 Points -6%
Motorola Moto G5s (Chrome 62)
3035 Points -8%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (2411 - 3374, n=17)
2952 Points -10%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
Gigaset GS185 (Chrome 66)
13666 ms * -7%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (10742 - 16192, n=17)
13125 ms * -2%
Xiaomi Redmi 5A (Chrome 67)
13112 ms * -2%
Motorola Moto G5s (Chrome 62)
13057 ms * -2%
BQ Aquaris U2 lite (Chrome 67)
12815 ms *
Sony Xperia XA1
9506 ms * +26%
Average of class Smartphone (388 - 9999, n=165, last 2 years)
1658 ms * +87%

* ... smaller is better

The BQ smartphone achieves very good transfer rates with our reference-grade SD card Toshiba Exceria Pro M501. The internal memory is not very fast though. This is why long loading times are to be expected.

BQ Aquaris U2 liteSony Xperia XA1Xiaomi Redmi 5AGigaset GS185Motorola Moto G5sAverage 16 GB eMMC FlashAverage of class Smartphone
AndroBench 3-5
30%
-1%
-8%
80%
-33%
1379%
Sequential Read 256KB
251.7
248.5
-1%
293.8
17%
275.7
10%
259
3%
164.5 ?(9.66 - 294, n=256)
-35%
1468 ?(215 - 4512, n=210, last 2 years)
483%
Sequential Write 256KB
75.9
127.8
68%
49.86
-34%
45.54
-40%
77.5
2%
43 ?(8.74 - 106.3, n=256)
-43%
1078 ?(57.5 - 3678, n=210, last 2 years)
1320%
Random Read 4KB
44.3
66.2
49%
42.32
-4%
31.71
-28%
40.6
-8%
21.7 ?(2.49 - 62.1, n=256)
-51%
242 ?(22.2 - 543, n=210, last 2 years)
446%
Random Write 4KB
7.9
13.2
67%
9.28
17%
9.05
15%
46.2
485%
8.08 ?(0.49 - 44.9, n=256)
2%
266 ?(13 - 709, n=210, last 2 years)
3267%
Sequential Read 256KB SDCard
84 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
78.4 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
-7%
84.9 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
1%
84.3 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
0%
84.1 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
0%
59.1 ?(8.1 - 87.7, n=137)
-30%
Sequential Write 256KB SDCard
63.9 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
68 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
6%
62.6 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-2%
59.7 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-7%
62.3 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-3%
39.8 ?(6.38 - 65.8, n=137)
-38%

Gaming – The BQ smartphone is fit for casual games

The BQ Aquaris U2 lite can run somewhat demanding 2D games such as “Angry Birds 2” without any problems. The motion sensor is very responsive in Temple Run. The Aquaris U2 lite cannot render demanding visual effects because it does not support all the latest APIs. That being said, most games are playable. However, if you want to be able to run very demanding games at decent frame rates, then you will have to spend more money on a faster smartphone.

Angry Birds 2
Angry Birds 2
Temple Run
Temple Run

Emissions – The BQ Aquaris U2 lite does not get hot and has an okay speaker

Temperature

Under load, the smartphone becomes noticeably warm. The surface temperatures peak at 41.5 °C (106.7 °F), which is not very hot even in the summer. This is why there should not be any problems related to overheating.

When idle, the smartphone gets a little warm around the bottom chin on the front. However, this is not really noticeable when you hold the device in the hand.

Max. Load
 38.1 °C
101 F
37.7 °C
100 F
40.1 °C
104 F
 
 37.8 °C
100 F
37.4 °C
99 F
41.5 °C
107 F
 
 37.7 °C
100 F
37.5 °C
100 F
40 °C
104 F
 
Maximum: 41.5 °C = 107 F
Average: 38.6 °C = 101 F
35.5 °C
96 F
36.3 °C
97 F
37.5 °C
100 F
36.2 °C
97 F
36.5 °C
98 F
36.7 °C
98 F
36.7 °C
98 F
37.3 °C
99 F
36.2 °C
97 F
Maximum: 37.5 °C = 100 F
Average: 36.5 °C = 98 F
Power Supply (max.)  35.2 °C = 95 F | Room Temperature 22 °C = 72 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 38.6 °C / 101 F, compared to the average of 32.7 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 41.5 °C / 107 F, compared to the average of 35 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 56 °C for the class Smartphone.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 37.5 °C / 100 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 29.9 °C / 86 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.
Heat distribution - back
Heat distribution - back
Heat distribution - front
Heat distribution - front

Speakers

Pink Noise
Pink Noise

The mono-speaker is located on the bottom and has a decent maximum volume of 77.9 dB(A). The sound quality does not deteriorate at high volume. All in all, the audio quality is passable: Not 100% clear, but without the overblown highs and with the perceivable lower mids. In conclusion, the speaker sounds good and is suitable for listening to music or watching YouTube videos.

You can get a better sound quality if you use headphones via the 3.5-mm audio jack or external speakers via Bluetooth. Both Bluetooth and the headphone jack work without any problems.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs202730.82525.928.63129.533.94031.435.35032.636.96324.134.88023.128.410024.124.612517.218.416016.62020016.831.325016.440.831514.149.640013.858.450013.659.663012.160.280011.562.3100011.562.2125011.262.1160011.261.6200011.262.5250011.263.5315011.164.8400011.267500011.271.9630011.471.1800011.464.61000011.360.21250011.454.31600011.443.6SPL59.566.757.96023.977.9N12.319.310.913.70.539.2median 11.5median 60.2median 34.4median 36.8median 12.2median 58.5Delta3.610.523.523.111.719.42727.825.927.629.532.231.428.732.634.224.123.223.122.724.123.117.21916.623.616.833.216.438.714.147.513.85713.662.712.163.311.564.211.566.911.265.511.263.511.264.711.26511.166.211.266.111.266.711.465.211.466.811.360.811.450.311.441.86023.977.113.70.539.7median 11.5median 62.7median 58.43.614.218.7hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseBQ Aquaris U2 liteXiaomi Redmi 5A
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
BQ Aquaris U2 lite audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (77.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 29.4% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 1.5% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (3.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 6% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (6.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (24.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 53% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 40% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 71% of all tested devices were better, 6% similar, 23% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Xiaomi Redmi 5A audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (77.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 31.8% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.2% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.1% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (28.5% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 70% of all tested devices in this class were better, 5% similar, 25% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 83% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 14% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Battery Life – The BQ Aquaris U2 lite offers good battery life

Energy Consumption

The BQ Aquaris U2 lite consumes as much power as other smartphones with the same SoC. However, the maximum power draw of 4.3 watts is a little lower than usual. This is not a high value. Nevertheless, the more powerful Sony Xperia XA1 consumes even less energy.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0 / 0.1 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 1.2 / 1.5 / 1.7 Watt
Load midlight 3 / 4.3 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
BQ Aquaris U2 lite
3100 mAh
Sony Xperia XA1
2300 mAh
Gigaset GS185
4000 mAh
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
3000 mAh
Motorola Moto G5s
3000 mAh
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917)
 
Average of class Smartphone
 
Power Consumption
39%
2%
-3%
-11%
-32%
-29%
Idle Minimum *
1.2
0.64
47%
0.54
55%
1.2
-0%
0.67
44%
1.113 ?(0.54 - 4.02, n=17)
7%
0.894 ?(0.42 - 2.37, n=157, last 2 years)
25%
Idle Average *
1.5
0.81
46%
1.74
-16%
1.5
-0%
1.4
7%
2.19 ?(1.2 - 6, n=17)
-46%
1.452 ?(0.69 - 4.26, n=157, last 2 years)
3%
Idle Maximum *
1.7
0.86
49%
1.78
-5%
1.8
-6%
1.52
11%
2.55 ?(1.62 - 6.64, n=17)
-50%
1.632 ?(0.79 - 4.45, n=157, last 2 years)
4%
Load Average *
3
2.09
30%
3.55
-18%
2.9
3%
4.56
-52%
4.32 ?(2.9 - 9.6, n=17)
-44%
5.55 ?(2.4 - 16.5, n=157, last 2 years)
-85%
Load Maximum *
4.3
3.31
23%
4.66
-8%
4.8
-12%
7.05
-64%
5.5 ?(4.3 - 7.34, n=17)
-28%
8.23 ?(4.32 - 20.8, n=157, last 2 years)
-91%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

The BQ smartphone comes with a sizable 3100-mAh battery. The BQ Aquaris U2 lite achieves 10 h and 39 m in our Wi-Fi test. This is not a bad result. Nevertheless, our review device takes the next-to-last spot in the comparison chart below. The smartphone lasts for one day without any problems. If you use it sparingly it can last for two days.

Because the smartphone supports Quick Charge 3.0, the battery takes 1 h and 40 m to fully charge.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
10h 39min
BQ Aquaris U2 lite
3100 mAh
Sony Xperia XA1
2300 mAh
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
3000 mAh
Gigaset GS185
4000 mAh
Motorola Moto G5s
3000 mAh
Battery Runtime
6%
58%
3%
-19%
WiFi v1.3
639
675
6%
1009
58%
658
3%
518
-19%
Reader / Idle
1433
1233
H.264
751
645
Load
256
225

Pros

+ fast Wi-Fi
+ stock Android
+ not a lot of heat

Cons

- creaky case
- blurry camera

Verdict – For Internet-surfers, not photographers

In review: BQ Aquaris U2 lite. Review device provided courtesy of: notebooksbilliger.de
In review: BQ Aquaris U2 lite. Review device provided courtesy of: notebooksbilliger.de

With its smartphone, BQ Mobile aims to offer a little bit more than what is usual in this price range. As with the BQ Aquaris X, there are certain aspects with the BQ Aquaris U2 lite that set it apart from the rest of the competition: There are no other smartphones out there that cost less than 200 Euros (~$233) and support the fast 802.11ac standard. The speaker also sounds very good, which is quite uncommon in this price range. Moreover, the smartphone does not become hot, has good battery life and offers the same level of performance as other devices in this price range.

We are not impressed with the creaky, flexible, plastic case and the blurry main camera.

The BQ Aquaris U2 lite is fit for those who like to surf the web. It is not for photographers.

The BQ Aquaris U2 lite is positioned well within its price range. However, the serious competition comes from last year’s mid-range devices, which now cost a little bit more, but offer better performance.

BQ Aquaris U2 lite - 07/30/2018 v6(old)
Florian Wimmer

Chassis
62%
Keyboard
65 / 75 → 87%
Pointing Device
83%
Connectivity
42 / 60 → 70%
Weight
92%
Battery
93%
Display
84%
Games Performance
6 / 63 → 10%
Application Performance
38 / 70 → 54%
Temperature
89%
Noise
100%
Audio
59 / 91 → 65%
Camera
55%
Average
67%
77%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

Pricecompare

static version load dynamic
Loading Comments
Comment on this article
Please share our article, every link counts!
Florian Wimmer, 2018-08- 1 (Update: 2019-03- 9)