Notebookcheck Logo

Blackview P2 Smartphone Review

Blackviewberry without keyboard. Not just the name of the Chinese manufacturer Blackview seems to be inspired by the Canadian manufacturer that used to be called RIM. But the smartphone with the simple name of "P2" is not trying to impress with a keyboard, but rather with good connectivity and a large battery. The specifications look promising, but is that enough?

For the original German review, click here.

More and more Chinese manufacturers are entering the world market. Not through direct sales in target countries, but rather via numerous Chinese shops that are willing to deliver the devices all over the world if necessary. One of these manufacturers is Blackview - not to be confused with the BlackBerry devices now sold by TLC, which the manufacturer is probably alluding to on purpose. The mobile phones are black with a stylized black background - similar to the BlackBerry operating system. Like BlackBerrys, the phone itself runs on Android. The model in this review, the P2, runs on an Android version that is not quite up to date anymore: version 6.0. The 230 g (~8.11 oz) heavy device has a lot to offer: 4 GB of RAM, a 64 GB eMMC, a Full HD screen, a large 6000-mAh battery and a dual-SIM option. The manufacturer that is usually focused on hardy outdoor phones has not yet presented a lot of devices, so we will compare our test unit with some Far-Eastern colleagues. We have chosen the Oukitel U16 Max with a similarly large battery, the ZTE Blade V8 and our test unit's slim sibling, the Blackview R6.

Blackview P2 (P Series)
Processor
Mediatek MT6750 8 x 1.5 GHz, Cortex-A53
Graphics adapter
Memory
4 GB 
Display
5.50 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 401 PPI, capacitive, IPS, glossy: yes
Storage
64 GB eMMC Flash, 64 GB 
, 51 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm, Card Reader: microSD up to 32GB, 1 Fingerprint Reader, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: Light Sensor, Proximity Sensor, Accelerometer Sensor, Compass, USB Type-C, OTG
Networking
802.11 b/g/n (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.1, GSM 850/900/1800/1900MHz , WCDMA 900/2100MHz , FDD-LTE 800/900/1800/2100/2600MHz, Dual SIM, LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 10.4 x 154 x 77 ( = 0.41 x 6.06 x 3.03 in)
Battery
6000 mAh Lithium-Polymer, fullly charged in 2 hours, Battery runtime (according to manufacturer): 17 h, Talk time 2G (according to manufacturer): 30 h, Talk time 3G (according to manufacturer): 10 h, Standby 2G (according to manufacturer): 960 h
Operating System
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Camera
Primary Camera: 13 MPix flash and AF
Secondary Camera: 8 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: 1.5 Watt, Keyboard: Virtual, Keyboard Light: yes, headphones, Bumper, OTG cable, replacement protective film, unbekannt Months Warranty, fanless
Weight
230 g ( = 8.11 oz / 0.51 pounds), Power Supply: 91 g ( = 3.21 oz / 0.2 pounds)
Price
160 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

You notice the 230 grams (~8.11 oz) as soon as you pick up the phone: it is rather heavy. Apart from that the device seems to be well made. The large metal back suits the manufacturer's focus on producing hardy smartphones. The same goes for the large screen, curved at the sides. The black color highlights this impression of indestructibility. Still, the device feels good. It has a 13-megapixel main camera with flash and fingerprint sensor on the back. The entire back cover seems to magnetically attract fingerprints. Blackview has decided to keep the design traditional with some added gimmicks: the power button has a ridged pattern, which makes it easier to differentiate between the power and volume buttons. The battery cannot be changed.

Size Comparison

165 mm / 6.5 inch 83 mm / 3.27 inch 9 mm / 0.3543 inch 223 g0.4916 lbs154 mm / 6.06 inch 77 mm / 3.03 inch 10.4 mm / 0.4094 inch 230 g0.507 lbs152 mm / 5.98 inch 77.2 mm / 3.04 inch 10 mm / 0.3937 inch 198 g0.4365 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 72 mm / 2.83 inch 8 mm / 0.315 inch 142 g0.3131 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Connectivity

The Blackview P2 is equipped with the MT6750 octa-core processor from MediaTek, which is one of the faster low-budget processors. Apart from some very demanding games, the processor should not give you any difficulties. While the manufacturer saved a little on the processor, it did not save on other specifications: 4 GB of RAM is an exception for this price level; 64 GB eMMC storage, a 13-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel front camera and a large battery with 6000 mAh are what we would expect from a device that is available for $160 on Gearbest. The 5.5-inch display has Full HD resolution. The Android version 6.0 is not quite up to date anymore and probably will not receive an update either. The device comes with a power supply, a headset lacking bass and a see-through silicon case.

The ports are positioned as you would expect. There is an extractable slot for SIM and microSD card. You can either insert two nano-SIM cards or one SIM card and one microSD card of up to 128 GB (according to the manufacturer). On the other side you will find the volume rocker and power button. The USB 3.0 Type-C port supports OTG and is positioned at the bottom of the device, between the openings for the speakers. The device comes with a suitable cable. The audio jack is positioned at the top right of the device. There is a fingerprint sensor at the back, just below the main camera, which takes the phone out of standby quickly and reliably.

The Google buttons are capacitive buttons below the screen. They are not illuminated and are light gray, which makes it difficult to see them in darker lighting. Users would need to know where they are to be able to use them properly.

Software

The Blackview P2 runs on Android 6.0 (Marshmallow), which is not quite up to date anymore. It is complemented by a custom interface with a gold logo that gives a noble touch. There is no separate app drawer; instead, all apps are shown on the home screen, similar to the iPhone.

Blackview has already announced an update to Android 7.0.

An important factor when talking about devices from the Far East: The Google Play Store is preinstalled together with some standard Google apps. The phone is not rooted or set to developer mode and comes without advertising apps that cannot be removed. There are some additional apps such as App-Lock and Screenrecorder, but these are not bothersome and fit into the domain of helpful additions. Our routine virus scan found no viruses or malware on the device. Overall, a model example. According to some forums, Blackview offers updates for its devices occasionally, but their installation is not particularly user-friendly.

Preinstalled apps are marked by gold icons.
Preinstalled apps are marked by gold icons.
The interface also tries to make new apps fit in by adding a gold frame.
The interface also tries to make new apps fit in by adding a gold frame.
Information about current software version.
Information about current software version.

Communication & GPS

The Blackview P2 is equipped with current radio technology. It has fast Wi-Fi, although the manufacturer has given no detailed information about its specifications, and it has Bluetooth 4.1. It has integrated GPS which transmits on 2G, 3G and 4G frequencies as well as on the 800, 1800 and 2600 MHz radio spectrum. The LTE is supposed to be a cat. 6 standard with a maximum download rate of 300 MBit/s and 50 Mbit/s upload speed.

The Wi-Fi has good transfer rates in comparison to its competitors. Only the Oukitel could beat it. However, the speeds correspond more to the 802.11 n standard; the throughput would have to be a lot higher for ac. We therefore assume that the device is only equipped with an 802.11 n module.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Oukitel U16 Max
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
99.7 MBit/s +1%
Blackview P2
Mali-T860 MP2, MT6750, 64 GB eMMC Flash
98.5 MBit/s
ZTE Blade V8
Adreno 505, 435, 32 GB eMMC Flash
53.2 MBit/s -46%
Blackview R6
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6737T, 32 GB eMMC Flash
49.6 MBit/s -50%
iperf3 receive AX12
Oukitel U16 Max
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6753, 32 GB eMMC Flash
99.1 MBit/s +26%
Blackview P2
Mali-T860 MP2, MT6750, 64 GB eMMC Flash
78.7 MBit/s
ZTE Blade V8
Adreno 505, 435, 32 GB eMMC Flash
54.5 MBit/s -31%
Blackview R6
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6737T, 32 GB eMMC Flash
41.9 MBit/s -47%

According to the manufacturer, the Blackview only supports GPS reception and is of mediocre quality. The position is updated less often than for the Garmin Edge, which makes the route less exact, but it is still precise enough. Satellite-positioning is accurate within five or six meters. The number of satellites can drop when you are in the car, and the device often has no connection at all indoors.

GPS outdoors...
GPS outdoors...
...on the tram...
...on the tram...
...and indoors.
...and indoors.
Blackview GPS
Blackview GPS
Blackview GPS
Blackview GPS
Blackview GPS
Blackview GPS
Garmin Edge GPS
Garmin Edge GPS
Garmin Edge GPS
Garmin Edge GPS
Garmin Edge GPS
Garmin Edge GPS

Telephone & Voice Quality

Blackview uses the standard telephone app from Android and has decorated its symbol with gold details. The basic design is not gold, however, and therefore seems a little out of place. We did a test call and voice quality was good in both directions. We did not notice any noise or other background sounds.

Picture with front camera.
Picture with front camera.
The same subject with the main camera.
The same subject with the main camera.
Some details are surprisingly sharp.
Some details are surprisingly sharp.
Red and green as seen with main camera.
Red and green as seen with main camera.

Cameras

The Blackview P2 has an 8 MP front camera and a 13 MP main camera and promisingly high resolution, but the meager image quality tells another story. The images from the selfie camera are too dark, but color reproduction is good. The main camera on the other hand is too light and colors appear washed-out. Color reproduction seems to vary depending on what you point the lens at.

Despite their high resolution the cameras’ pictures are not impressive, although color distortion is not that bad. If you take a closer look at the images, you will see that even pictures taken in full sunlight have noticeable noise and often details are not sharp. But luckily, high resolution saves the day again. The camera clearly has difficulties with grayscales, for example white becomes a light beige. Unfortunately, we cannot say that the cameras are good. But they should suffice for taking snapshots for WhatsApp or private blogs.

The front camera’s color display subjectively gives a better impression, despite the images being too dark. The main camera creates rather pale images. The camera is fine for Skype conversations, but it is not so suitable for printable selfies.

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
Gray is not really gray and details are difficult to see.
Gray is not really gray and details are difficult to see.
The fact that you can see details at all is due to the high resolution, not image sharpness.
The fact that you can see details at all is due to the high resolution, not image sharpness.
Color deviation is not overpowering.
Color deviation is not overpowering.


Accessories and Warranty

The P2 comes with a power supply, a USB charging cable, an OTG cable and not particularly nice-sounding headphones. The box also contains a close-fitting transparent silicon case. There is a small booklet that describes the functions of the Blackview P2 in English, Russian and Spanish. The manufacturer offers no further accessories on its website. 

We inquired about warranty and Blackview confirmed that they currently do not offer any warranty. Some devices are sold on Amazon, which gives you a little more security. Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input Devices and Handling

The Blackview P2 is equipped with a multi-gesture touchscreen that reacts to inputs quickly and smoothly. 

If the user needs to type something, the standard Android keyboard appears. Screen rotation is a little slow. The position sensor has no difficulties in games like Asphalt 8.

Keyboard in landscape format.
Keyboard in landscape format.
The touchscreen can register up to five fingers at once.
The touchscreen can register up to five fingers at once.
Numbers and layout of special characters.
Numbers and layout of special characters.
Keyboard in portrait mode.
Keyboard in portrait mode.

Display

Subpixel array
Subpixel array

The display has IPS technology and can be read from any position. The Full HD resolution is more than enough for a device of this size, so you should not see any individual pixels. Maximum brightness is at 400 cd/m², although the distribution of brightness could be better. Some of the direct competitors such as the Oukitel U16 Max have lower resolutions. But that should only be relevant for pixel fanatics.

390
cd/m²
396
cd/m²
414
cd/m²
408
cd/m²
424
cd/m²
459
cd/m²
414
cd/m²
422
cd/m²
450
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 459 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 419.7 cd/m² Minimum: 15.29 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 85 %
Center on Battery: 424 cd/m²
Contrast: 2827:1 (Black: 0.15 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 9.5 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 14.5 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
Gamma: 2.28
Blackview P2
IPS, 1920x1080, 5.50
ZTE Blade V8
IPS, 1920x1080, 5.20
Blackview R6
IPS, 1920x1080, 5.50
Oukitel U16 Max
1280x720, 6.00
Screen
-23%
-18%
-12%
Brightness middle
424
482
14%
352
-17%
417
-2%
Brightness
420
448
7%
320
-24%
405
-4%
Brightness Distribution
85
79
-7%
81
-5%
94
11%
Black Level *
0.15
0.64
-327%
0.3
-100%
0.21
-40%
Contrast
2827
753
-73%
1173
-59%
1986
-30%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
9.5
4
58%
8.7
8%
11.9
-25%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
19.7
6.5
67%
15.1
23%
21.5
-9%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
14.5
3.4
77%
10.5
28%
14.4
1%
Gamma
2.28 96%
2.13 103%
2.04 108%
2.19 100%
CCT
10840 60%
6774 96%
8529 76%
12820 51%

* ... 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 not detected

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.

Compared with the competition, the display does a good job: high contrast, good black levels and high brightness. The DeltaE results sort the wheat from the chaff: the ZTE Blade is the clear winner. Direct imports from China all have difficulties with blue cast which shows clearly in the graphs. Subjectively, there are no big problems.      

ColorChecker sRGB
ColorChecker sRGB
Colorspace sRGB
Colorspace sRGB
Grayscales sRGB
Grayscales sRGB
Saturation
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
25.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 13.2 ms rise
↘ 12.4 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 56 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
44.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 21.2 ms rise
↘ 23.6 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. » 73 % 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 Blackview P2 in direct sunlight.
The Blackview P2 in direct sunlight.

The high brightness levels are helpful when using the device outside. The reflective screen becomes hard to read in direct sunlight. But there are no real problems here.

The device has great viewing-angle stability thanks to its IPS technology. The screen seems a little less bright, but colors remain true.

Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance

The Blackview P2 is equipped with an MT6750 octa-core processor from MediaTek with eight cores that reach a clock rate of up to 1500 MHz, and an ARM Mali-T860 MP2 graphics chip. Neither unit promises any miracles. They are, however, suitable for all Android users that do not wish to regularly download the newest 3D games or wish to use the phone for occasional "serious" tasks. The benchmark results confirm our expectations. The Blackview is on a par with its similarly equipped competitors.

RAM is quite large at 4 GB, but it is rather slow at 800 MBit/s.

The P2 cannot offer a fast card reader and is among the last in our test with the Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II reference card. But there is not much difference to the other competitors from the Far East. Only the ZTE Blade goes the extra mile. The speed of the integrated memory brings better results and our Blackview can keep up with the competition, and even overtake some of it.

AnTuTu v6 - Total Score (sort by value)
Blackview P2
41852 Points
ZTE Blade V8
45868 Points +10%
Blackview R6
38038 Points -9%
Oukitel U16 Max
38295 Points -8%
Geekbench 4.0
64 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
ZTE Blade V8
577 Points
Blackview R6
626 Points
64 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
ZTE Blade V8
2308 Points
Blackview R6
1390 Points
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Blackview P2
9496 Points
ZTE Blade V8
9932 Points +5%
Blackview R6
5731 Points -40%
Oukitel U16 Max
Points -100%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
Blackview P2
9604 Points
ZTE Blade V8
10271 Points +7%
Blackview R6
5380 Points -44%
Oukitel U16 Max
Points -100%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Blackview P2
9612 Points
ZTE Blade V8
8905 Points -7%
Blackview R6
7424 Points -23%
Oukitel U16 Max
10549 Points +10%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 (sort by value)
Blackview P2
546 Points
ZTE Blade V8
613 Points +12%
Blackview R6
258 Points -53%
Oukitel U16 Max
300 Points -45%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics (sort by value)
Blackview P2
482 Points
ZTE Blade V8
542 Points +12%
Blackview R6
217 Points -55%
Oukitel U16 Max
248 Points -49%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics (sort by value)
Blackview P2
1030 Points
ZTE Blade V8
1127 Points +9%
Blackview R6
762 Points -26%
Oukitel U16 Max
1098 Points +7%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) (sort by value)
Blackview P2
387 Points
ZTE Blade V8
318 Points -18%
Blackview R6
169 Points -56%
Oukitel U16 Max
208 Points -46%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics (sort by value)
Blackview P2
328 Points
ZTE Blade V8
263 Points -20%
Blackview R6
138 Points -58%
Oukitel U16 Max
169 Points -48%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics (sort by value)
Blackview P2
1055 Points
ZTE Blade V8
1214 Points +15%
Blackview R6
814 Points -23%
Oukitel U16 Max
1104 Points +5%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
Blackview P2
16 fps
ZTE Blade V8
9.7 fps -39%
Blackview R6
9.7 fps -39%
Oukitel U16 Max
20 fps +25%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value)
Blackview P2
16 fps
ZTE Blade V8
11 fps -31%
Blackview R6
9.8 fps -39%
Oukitel U16 Max
12 fps -25%
GFXBench 3.0
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value)
Blackview P2
6.7 fps
ZTE Blade V8
4.5 fps -33%
Blackview R6
4 fps -40%
Oukitel U16 Max
9.2 fps +37%
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value)
Blackview P2
6.7 fps
ZTE Blade V8
4.6 fps -31%
Blackview R6
4 fps -40%
Oukitel U16 Max
2.9 fps -57%
GFXBench 3.1
on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen (sort by value)
Blackview P2
4.4 fps
ZTE Blade V8
4.9 fps +11%
Blackview R6
2.6 fps -41%
Oukitel U16 Max
6.5 fps +48%
1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen (sort by value)
Blackview P2
4.4 fps
ZTE Blade V8
2.4 fps -45%
Blackview R6
2.5 fps -43%
Oukitel U16 Max
2.9 fps -34%
PCMark for Android
Work performance score (sort by value)
Blackview P2
3667 Points
ZTE Blade V8
4978 Points +36%
Blackview R6
2759 Points -25%
Oukitel U16 Max
4040 Points +10%
Computer Vision score (sort by value)
Blackview P2
1430 Points
Oukitel U16 Max
1637 Points +14%
Storage score (sort by value)
Blackview P2
2451 Points
Oukitel U16 Max
2338 Points -5%
Work 2.0 performance score (sort by value)
Blackview P2
2782 Points
ZTE Blade V8
3815 Points +37%
Oukitel U16 Max
3042 Points +9%
BaseMark OS II
Overall (sort by value)
Blackview P2
298 Points
ZTE Blade V8
928 Points +211%
Blackview R6
177 Points -41%
Oukitel U16 Max
785 Points +163%
System (sort by value)
Blackview P2
1623 Points
ZTE Blade V8
1562 Points -4%
Blackview R6
562 Points -65%
Oukitel U16 Max
1776 Points +9%
Memory (sort by value)
Blackview P2
831 Points
ZTE Blade V8
812 Points -2%
Blackview R6
472 Points -43%
Oukitel U16 Max
781 Points -6%
Graphics (sort by value)
Blackview P2
620 Points
ZTE Blade V8
787 Points +27%
Blackview R6
383 Points -38%
Oukitel U16 Max
433 Points -30%
Web (sort by value)
Blackview P2
9 Points
ZTE Blade V8
744 Points +8167%
Blackview R6
10 Points +11%
Oukitel U16 Max
633 Points +6933%
Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value)
Blackview P2
2838 Points
ZTE Blade V8
2826 Points 0%
Blackview R6
3195 Points +13%
Oukitel U16 Max
2734 Points -4%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total (sort by value)
Blackview P2
13174 ms *
ZTE Blade V8
12297 ms * +7%
Blackview R6
11227 ms * +15%
Oukitel U16 Max
21899 ms * -66%
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score (sort by value)
Blackview P2
20.48 Points
ZTE Blade V8
17.52 Points -14%
Blackview R6
21.9 Points +7%
Oukitel U16 Max
16.72 Points -18%
AndroBench 3-5
Sequential Write 256KB SDCard (sort by value)
Blackview P2
19.61 MB/s
ZTE Blade V8
87.1 MB/s +344%
Blackview R6
9.34 MB/s -52%
Oukitel U16 Max
24.56 MB/s +25%
Sequential Read 256KB SDCard (sort by value)
Blackview P2
34.26 MB/s
ZTE Blade V8
96.5 MB/s +182%
Blackview R6
22.74 MB/s -34%
Oukitel U16 Max
36.27 MB/s +6%
Random Write 4KB (sort by value)
Blackview P2
9.54 MB/s
ZTE Blade V8
12.69 MB/s +33%
Blackview R6
13.5 MB/s +42%
Oukitel U16 Max
11.24 MB/s +18%
Random Read 4KB (sort by value)
Blackview P2
22.07 MB/s
ZTE Blade V8
39.89 MB/s +81%
Blackview R6
18.73 MB/s -15%
Oukitel U16 Max
18.5 MB/s -16%
Sequential Write 256KB (sort by value)
Blackview P2
133.8 MB/s
ZTE Blade V8
77.7 MB/s -42%
Blackview R6
76.1 MB/s -43%
Oukitel U16 Max
69.9 MB/s -48%
Sequential Read 256KB (sort by value)
Blackview P2
264.8 MB/s
ZTE Blade V8
278.1 MB/s +5%
Blackview R6
228 MB/s -14%
Oukitel U16 Max
231.1 MB/s -13%

Legend

 
Blackview P2 Mediatek MT6750, ARM Mali-T860 MP2, 64 GB eMMC Flash
 
ZTE Blade V8 Qualcomm Snapdragon 435, Qualcomm Adreno 505, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Blackview R6 Mediatek MT6737T, ARM Mali-T720 MP2, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Oukitel U16 Max Mediatek MT6753, ARM Mali-T720 MP2, 32 GB eMMC Flash

* ... smaller is better

Games

The installed graphics solution ARM Mali-T860 MP2 is not the fastest, but it managed to keep up quite well during our tests, for example with Asphalt 8. Older games should be displayed with no problems. The position sensor reacted fast enough while playing. In our test with a piano-playing app the key hits were registered satisfyingly quickly. We only noticed a slight delay when playing very fast.

Asphalt 8
Asphalt 8
Jet Plane Fighter
Jet Plane Fighter

Emissions

Temperature

Temperatures lie between 30 °C (~86 °F) and 35 °C (~95 °F) while idling. Under load, the temperatures rise by 5 to 10 °C (~41 - 50 °F) and the case reaches over 40 °C (~104 °F). These are not too high, but they are definitely noticeable.

Heat development front
Heat development front
Heat development back
Heat development back
Max. Load
 40.5 °C
105 F
40.3 °C
105 F
37.8 °C
100 F
 
 41.5 °C
107 F
40.7 °C
105 F
41.2 °C
106 F
 
 41.1 °C
106 F
40.9 °C
106 F
41.9 °C
107 F
 
Maximum: 41.9 °C = 107 F
Average: 40.7 °C = 105 F
36.8 °C
98 F
37.6 °C
100 F
39 °C
102 F
37.1 °C
99 F
37.7 °C
100 F
40.5 °C
105 F
36.7 °C
98 F
38.3 °C
101 F
40.2 °C
104 F
Maximum: 40.5 °C = 105 F
Average: 38.2 °C = 101 F
Power Supply (max.)  32.7 °C = 91 F | Room Temperature 21.5 °C = 71 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 40.7 °C / 105 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 41.9 °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 40.5 °C / 105 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(±) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 33.1 °C / 92 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.

Speakers

The Blackview has good, mid-range speakers. They are well protected and hidden beneath the aluminum case. The volume is loud enough to fill a small room. But of course, sound quality is rather mediocre. As with all speakers of this size, there is hardly any bass. Sound quality does not really improve when you connect the provided headphones as these also have very little bass. If you put the speakers to your ear, you can hear a slight murmuring.

Speaker test
Speaker test
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2031.629.62525.436.33125.325.44032.924.45033.630.46331.6298028.431.21002736.812520.830.51602224.120021.326.425020.830.631521.236.740019.444.350019.551.863017.757.480017.963.3100017.870125017.369.6160017.467.4200016.766250017.272.9315018.273.5400017.971.6500017.672.9630017.771800017.855.81000017.950.41250018.147.41600018.245SPL3080.8N1.346.4median 17.9median 55.8Delta1.41531.641.525.435.525.332.132.930.233.632.931.626.228.429.42725.420.823.32225.721.324.420.833.321.24419.452.919.559.117.764.517.968.717.870.417.372.817.472.916.77217.270.718.271.417.975.817.670.717.762.517.857.117.952.618.142.618.2343082.81.349median 17.9median 59.11.415.7hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseBlackview P2Oukitel U16 Max
Blackview P2 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (80.8 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 24.9% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (13.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 9.3% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (12.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 12.6% higher than median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (12.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (38.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 83% of all tested devices in this class were better, 1% similar, 16% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 94% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 6% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Oukitel U16 Max audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (82.8 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 29.7% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 9.1% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (9% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 9.2% higher than median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (10.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (38% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 83% of all tested devices in this class were better, 1% similar, 16% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 93% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 6% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Frequency diagram in comparison (checkboxes above can be turned on/off)

Battery Runtime

Power Consumption

The device has rather good power consumption rates. Compared to other Chinese devices it manages its power very well. Maximum consumption is below 6 Watt. The Oukitel U16 Max needs another 2 Watt more. Still, consumption could also be lower. The power supply is rather large and supplies 2 Ampere. It recharges the phone quickly.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.12 / 0.51 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 0.99 / 2.04 / 2.12 Watt
Load midlight 3.77 / 5.78 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.

Battery Runtime

As expected, the P2 did quite well in the battery test. It can manage an entire workday, and more if necessary, under full load. That is not surprising for a 6000-mAh battery. However, there are also devices that can keep going for almost 40 hours in idle, despite having half the battery size - for example the Honor 6X. The high battery power takes its toll on the device’s weight. This is a compromise that you do not have to make with the Honor if you are willing to pay $100 more.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
32h 37min
WiFi Websurfing
18h 03min
Load (maximum brightness)
9h 23min
Blackview P2
6000 mAh
ZTE Blade V8
2730 mAh
Blackview R6
3000 mAh
Oukitel U16 Max
4000 mAh
Honor 6X
3340 mAh
Battery Runtime
-44%
-54%
-31%
-10%
Reader / Idle
1957
964
-51%
1573
-20%
2250
15%
WiFi v1.3
1083
700
-35%
604
-44%
731
-33%
957
-12%
Load
563
297
-47%
203
-64%
346
-39%
375
-33%
H.264
545
885

Pros

+ appealing design
+ reasonable price
+ large screen
+ hardy metal case
+ great battery runtime
+ storage expandable to 128 GB
+ dual SIM
+ 4 GB of RAM
+ 64 GB eMMC
+ good speech quality

Cons

- heavy
- cameras just good enough for quick snapshots
- Android 6.0 only
- mediocre headset
- warranty unclear
- Android keys difficult to see

Verdict

Review: the Blackview P2. Test unit provided by Blackview.
Review: the Blackview P2. Test unit provided by Blackview.

The Blackview's biggest weakness is quite obvious: It is very heavy. Apart from that, there is not much to complain about. It has a timeless design and is inconspicuous but not boring. The screen is bright, the device is sturdy. You cannot compare the camera with devices that cost five times as much; for this price, the phone has great connectivity: 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB eMMC and processor speeds are good too. If you are looking for a reasonable, sturdy and well-equipped smartphone and are not bothered by its weight, this device might be the right choice.

A paperweight with great connectivity and good price-performance ratio.

It might be worth paying a few dollars more and buying the phone through a local distributor as Blackview does not offer warranty.

Blackview P2 - 06/20/2017 v6(old)
Florian Schaar

Chassis
84%
Keyboard
67 / 75 → 89%
Pointing Device
87%
Connectivity
42 / 60 → 70%
Weight
88%
Battery
100%
Display
79%
Games Performance
19 / 63 → 31%
Application Performance
34 / 70 → 49%
Temperature
86%
Noise
100%
Audio
55 / 91 → 60%
Camera
63%
Average
70%
79%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

Pricecompare

Read all 4 comments / answer
static version load dynamic
Loading Comments
Comment on this article
Please share our article, every link counts!
Florian Schaar, 2017-06-30 (Update: 2019-04- 5)