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UMIDIGI A1 Pro Smartphone Review

An affordable starter. The UMIDIGI A1 Pro appears to be a real bargain. The device is smartly designed, has dual-cameras and it supports 5 GHz Wi-Fi networks, all of which we would not expect from a 120-Euro device (~$138). Find out in our review whether the UMIDIGI A1 Pro lives up to expectations and the extent to which the device is suitable for daily use.
UMIDIGI A1 Pro
UMIDIGI A1 Pro

UMIDIGI is a Chinese smartphone manufacturer whose devices are also available in Europe. UMIDIGI tend to release smartphones with interesting designs and narrow bezels. The UMIDIGI A1 Pro continues this trend thanks to its 2:1 aspect ratio display, narrow bezels and a shimmering metallic back. UMIDIGI has priced the A1 Pro at 120 Euros (~$138), which is particularly cheap given its aesthetics.

We have chosen to compare the A1 Pro against the Motorola Moto E4 Plus, the Xiaomi Mi A1, the Sony Xperia L1 and the Honor 6X. These comparison devices will demonstrate whether the A1 Pro has more to it than just its looks.

Umidigi A1 Pro (A Series)
Processor
Mediatek MT6739 4 x 1.5 GHz, Cortex-A53
Graphics adapter
Memory
3 GB 
Display
5.50 inch 2:1, 1440 x 720 pixel 293 PPI, Capacitive touchscreen, IPS, glossy: yes
Storage
16 GB eMMC Flash, 16 GB 
, 10.7 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm headphone jack, Card Reader: microSD card up to 256 GB, 1 Fingerprint Reader, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity sensor, Compass, Ambient Light sensor, Fingerprint reader, USB-C, USB-OTG
Networking
802.11a/b/g/n (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.0, GSM (850/​900/​1800/​1900), UMTS (850/​900/​1900/​2100), LTE (B1/​B2/​B3/​B4/​B5/​B7/​B8/​B12/​B17/​B19/​B20/​B38/​B40/​B41), Dual SIM, LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 8.9 x 145.1 x 69.1 ( = 0.35 x 5.71 x 2.72 in)
Battery
11.8 Wh, 3150 mAh
Operating System
Android 8.1 Oreo
Camera
Primary Camera: 13 MPix 13 MP, f/2.0, Contract Autofocus (AF), dual LED flash, videos at up to 1080p
Secondary Camera: 5 MPix 5 MP, f/​2.4, depth of field (DOF)
Additional features
Speakers: Mono speaker on the underside of the device, Keyboard: Virtual keyboard, Quick Charge power supply, USB cable, 24 Months Warranty, fanless
Weight
173 g ( = 6.1 oz / 0.38 pounds), Power Supply: 66 g ( = 2.33 oz / 0.15 pounds)
Price
119 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The A1 Pro is available in black, silver and blue. The top and bottom display bezels are black on every variant. The sides are silver for the blue and silver variants and black for the black version. The back has a shimmering metallic finish reminiscent of the Honor 9, with vertical bands of light and different shades of color appearing on the back when it catches the light. The back gives the A1 Pro a premium look given its affordable price. The case is stable too, with our test device withstanding attempts at twisting it and depressing the case and display with our fingers.

The A1 Pro measures 145.1 mm x 69.1 mm x 8.9 mm and weighs 173 g. Overall, the device feels good in the hand despite being bulkier than some competitors. For example, the Honor 6X and Xiaomi Mi A1 are 8.2 mm and 7.3 mm thick, respectively.

UMIDIGI A1 Pro
UMIDIGI A1 Pro
UMIDIGI A1 Pro
UMIDIGI A1 Pro
UMIDIGI A1 Pro

Size Comparison

155 mm / 6.1 inch 77.5 mm / 3.05 inch 9.6 mm / 0.378 inch 198 g0.4365 lbs155.4 mm / 6.12 inch 75.8 mm / 2.98 inch 7.3 mm / 0.2874 inch 165 g0.3638 lbs151 mm / 5.94 inch 74 mm / 2.91 inch 8.7 mm / 0.3425 inch 180 g0.3968 lbs150.9 mm / 5.94 inch 76.2 mm / 3 inch 8.2 mm / 0.3228 inch 162 g0.3571 lbs145.1 mm / 5.71 inch 69.1 mm / 2.72 inch 8.9 mm / 0.3504 inch 173 g0.3814 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Connectivity

The A1 Pro is equipped with 16 GB of internal storage and 3 GB of RAM. This combination is standard for current smartphones in this price range. Some devices like the Sony Xperia L1 have less RAM, while others like the Honor 6X and the Mi A1 have greater internal storage and more RAM in the Mi A1’s case. Both devices are more expensive than the A1 Pro though.

There is a USB 2.0 Type-C port, which is not a given for a device at this price. A mono speaker and a 3.5 mm headphone jack flank the USB-C port on the bottom edge of the device.

The A1 Pro is a dual-SIM device that even has a dedicated microSD card slot that accepts up to 256 GB of expandable storage.

Software

The A1 Pro runs stock Android Oreo 8.1. Our test device shipped with Android security patch level April 5, 2018, which was practically three months old at the time of testing. We expect this from a cheap smartphone, but UMIDIGI ought to issue an update in the interests of security.

Fortunately, there are no additional apps, so the A1 Pro is bloatware free.

Device information
Device information
Default home screen
Default home screen
App drawer
App drawer

Communication & GPS

The A1 Pro supports both 5 GHz Wi-Fi and 14 LTE bands, neither of which we expect from a device at this price. These bring added convenience as the volume of LTE bands means that the A1 Pro can connect to LTE networks when travelling while 5 GHz is currently the lesser used consumer Wi-Fi network. This means that the A1 Pro has the option of connecting to a 5 GHz network where the 2.4 GHz one is crowded.

Our test device had a relatively good mobile signal even in buildings during our short test of LTE and mobile signal capabilities.

The A1 Pro supports IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n. Wi-Fi speeds are as expected for 802.11 n networks, but our test device is much slower than the Sony Xperia L1 and the Xiaomi Mi A1, for example.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Xiaomi Mi A1
Adreno 506, 625, 64 GB eMMC Flash
237 MBit/s +325%
Sony Xperia L1
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6737T, 16 GB eMMC Flash
88.6 MBit/s +59%
Honor 6X
Mali-T830 MP2, Kirin 655, 32 GB eMMC Flash
57.9 MBit/s +4%
Umidigi A1 Pro
PowerVR GE8100, MT6739, 16 GB eMMC Flash
55.8 MBit/s
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6737, 16 GB eMMC Flash
46.8 MBit/s -16%
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Smartphone
  (last 2 years)
376 MBit/s +575%
Xiaomi Mi A1
Adreno 506, 625, 64 GB eMMC Flash
237 MBit/s +325%
Sony Xperia L1
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6737T, 16 GB eMMC Flash
92.2 MBit/s +66%
Umidigi A1 Pro
PowerVR GE8100, MT6739, 16 GB eMMC Flash
55.7 MBit/s
Honor 6X
Mali-T830 MP2, Kirin 655, 32 GB eMMC Flash
54.6 MBit/s -2%
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus
Mali-T720 MP2, MT6737, 16 GB eMMC Flash
42.1 MBit/s -24%
GPS test: inside
GPS test: inside
GPS test: outdoors
GPS test: outdoors

The A1 Pro supports GPS, GLONASS and BeiDou for location services. Our test device cannot locate us indoors, but it can do so outdoors up to an accuracy of four meters after some waiting.

We took the A1 Pro on a bike ride to test its location accuracy against a professional navigation device, the Garmin Edge 520. Our test device performed well, recording the course accurately and usually locating us on the side of the street on which we were cycling. The A1 Pro lacks the accuracy of the Garmin though, with our test device recording a 220 m shorter course than the Garmin. This equates to around a 5% difference in total distance recorded. Overall, the A1 Pro should be suitable for all general navigation tasks but not those which require a high degree of accuracy.

GPS test: Garmin Edge 520 – Overview
GPS test: Garmin Edge 520 – Overview
GPS test: Garmin Edge 520 – Wooded area
GPS test: Garmin Edge 520 – Wooded area
GPS test: Garmin Edge 520 – Bridge
GPS test: Garmin Edge 520 – Bridge
GPS test: UMIDIGI A1 Pro - Overview
GPS test: UMIDIGI A1 Pro - Overview
GPS test: UMIDIGI A1 Pro – Wooded area
GPS test: UMIDIGI A1 Pro – Wooded area
GPS test: UMIDIGI A1 Pro – Bridge
GPS test: UMIDIGI A1 Pro – Bridge

Telephone Function & Call Quality

The A1 Pro uses the standard Google Phone app for making and receiving calls.

The A1 Pro has impressive call quality, with the earpiece reproducing our voice clearly for our call partner. Our counterpart’s voice lacks presence, but this is a criticism that we typically reserve for more expensive smartphones and not ones priced around 120 Euros (~$138). Our counterpart is clear over the speakerphone too. We would recommend holding the A1 Pro close to your mouth when talking over the speakerphone; otherwise, you will only be audible if you speak loudly.

Cameras

Example photograph using the front-facing camera
Example photograph using the front-facing camera

The 5 MP front-facing camera takes relatively sharp photos, but colors look oversaturated. Most of the flowers in our sample photo look red, but many are yellow, orange or violet, such is the degree of color oversaturation. Even bright areas are easily overexposed too.

The rear-facing camera has two sensors, the main one of which is an f/2.0 13 MP sensor while the secondary sensor is 5 MP. The secondary camera allows the A1 Pro to create depth-of-field bokeh effect photos. Our first sample photo is illustrative of the issues with the rear-facing cameras. The camera focuses more on the background and bright areas are overexposed to the extent of dominating the rest of the photo. The environment looks good, but details are rather muddy overall.

Low-light performance pales in comparison to the OnePlus 5T or the Apple iPhone X, but then these devices are considerably more expensive. Overall, low-light performance is passable for such a cheap smartphone.

The A1 Pro can record videos in up to 1080p at 30 FPS. Recordings come out with a blue tint to them, while exposure levels vary noticeably with changing lighting conditions. Generally, recordings are reasonably sharp, and the camera should be adequate for all but demanding users.

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

We then tested the A1 Pro in controlled lighting conditions for a closer examination of its camera capabilities. Colors are generally too dark, as the ColorChecker diagram illustrates. Our test chart highlights that the A1 Pro struggles to capture text against a color background, with the results coming out rather blurry. The camera is still acceptable for a 120-Euro (~$138) device though.

ColorChecker: The target color is in the lower half of each patch
ColorChecker: The target color is in the lower half of each patch
Photograph of our test chart
Photograph of our test chart
Our test chart in detail
Our test chart in detail

Accessories & Warranty

The A1 Pro comes with a protective cover, a Quick Charge power supply, a USB cable and a SIM removal tool.

There are some things worth bearing mind in terms of warranty. Any UMIDIGI specific warranty may be difficult to rely on as they are only based in China. However, you will have a statutory warranty if you buy the A1 Pro through a European supplier. UMIDIGI also trade on Amazon Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. This means that the device comes with an Amazon warranty too in addition to what is statutory. Overall, there is nothing to worry about if you are careful from whom you buy the A1 Pro. Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input Devices & Operation

UMIDIGI have installed Google Gboard as the A1 Pro’s default keyboard.

Our test device came with a screen protector preinstalled that is difficult to remove, as is often the case with Chinese smartphones. The display is still usable with the default screen protector applied, but there is a greater resistance when sliding your finger across the screen protector than there is with across the glass display. The touchscreen worked well during our tests and remained sensitive into the corners of the display.

There is a fingerprint sensor on the back, which quickly and reliably unlocks the device.

The A1 Pro uses the standard array of three onscreen navigation buttons. The only hardware buttons are the volume rocker and the power button, both of which are on the right-hand side of the device. The buttons have a clear pressure point and feel premium to the touch.

The keyboard in landscape mode
The keyboard in landscape mode
The keyboard in portrait mode
The keyboard in portrait mode

Display

Sub-pixel array
Sub-pixel array

The A1 Pro 1 has a 5.5-inch display with a 2:1 aspect ratio and a 1440x720 resolution. The resolution is adequate for the price, but slightly more expensive devices like the Honor 6X and the Xiaomi Mi A1 have higher resolution Full HD displays. The A1 Pro has a bright display at least, with our test device achieving an average maximum brightness of 570 cd/m² using X-Rite i1Pro 2. This is impressively bright for a device at this price and one which is brighter than all our comparison devices. Brightness uniformity is good too at 86%, although different brightness levels are noticeable in large areas of color. The A1 Pro trails our comparison devices in this regard too.

581
cd/m²
585
cd/m²
542
cd/m²
590
cd/m²
594
cd/m²
544
cd/m²
602
cd/m²
575
cd/m²
518
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 602 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 570.1 cd/m² Minimum: 23.3 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 86 %
Center on Battery: 598 cd/m²
Contrast: 2700:1 (Black: 0.22 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 6.63 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 9.2 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
96.2% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.24
Umidigi A1 Pro
IPS, 1440x720, 5.50
Sony Xperia L1
IPS, 1280x720, 5.50
Honor 6X
IPS, 1920x1080, 5.50
Xiaomi Mi A1
IPS, 1920x1080, 5.50
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus
IPS, 1280x720, 5.50
Screen
-16%
-17%
-2%
-6%
Brightness middle
594
479
-19%
547
-8%
503
-15%
425
-28%
Brightness
570
478
-16%
540
-5%
478
-16%
425
-25%
Brightness Distribution
86
94
9%
94
9%
88
2%
93
8%
Black Level *
0.22
0.58
-164%
0.57
-159%
0.37
-68%
0.37
-68%
Contrast
2700
826
-69%
960
-64%
1359
-50%
1149
-57%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
6.63
4.5
32%
5.1
23%
3.92
41%
4.7
29%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
13.99
7.5
46%
9.1
35%
7.86
44%
8.3
41%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
9.2
4.1
55%
6.2
33%
4.9
47%
4.6
50%
Gamma
2.24 98%
2.03 108%
2.09 105%
2.223 99%
2.17 101%
CCT
8663 75%
7139 91%
6546 99%
7884 82%
7445 87%

* ... 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.

A low black value at high brightness is not a given even in premium devices. The A1 Pro delivers here though with a 0.22 cd/m² black value that is considerably lower than our comparison devices. This low black value makes black tones look incredibly dark and gives the display an exemplary 2,700:1 contrast ratio.

It is worth mentioning that our test device had an issue with its brightness sensor, whereby the display remained completely black. We used an external light as a workaround, but this is likely to be an issue specific to our test device and not a wider issue.

We determined color accuracy using a spectrophotometer and CalMAN software. The results are less impressive than the black value and the contrast ratio. Delta E values are significantly higher than our comparison devices. Colors are distorted when compared to the sRGB reference color space. Notably, there is a clear blue tint to gray tones. The white balance cannot be adjusted by default, but there are many apps capable of this which are downloadable from the Google Play Store.

CalMAN: Colorspace
CalMAN: Colorspace
CalMAN: Saturation
CalMAN: Saturation
CalMAN: Grayscale
CalMAN: Grayscale
CalMAN: Color accuracy
CalMAN: Color accuracy

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
22 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 9 ms rise
↘ 13 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. » 42 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
43 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 22 ms rise
↘ 21 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. » 67 % 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 A1 Pro is usable outdoors thanks to its bright display. The IPS display has good viewing angles too and shows hardly any color distortion even at acute angles.

Viewing angles
Viewing angles
Using the UMIDIGI A1 Pro outdoors
Using the UMIDIGI A1 Pro outdoors

Performance

The A1 Pro is powered by a MediaTek MT6739 SoC. The MT6739 has a 64-bit quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 CPU that operates at up to 1.5 GHz. The A1 Pro performs well for its price and clearly beats the Motorola Moto E4 Plus in benchmarks, while it is just ahead of the average of MediaTek MT6739 devices that we have tested. The A1 Pro performs well in daily use, but we did notice some occasional stuttering. We would recommend looking at either the Honor 6X or the Xiaomi Mi A1 if you need more power but want a device in this price range.

The MT6739 is equipped with a PowerVR GE8100 GPU that delivers class-level performance.

AnTuTu v6 - Total Score (sort by value)
Umidigi A1 Pro
36073 Points
Sony Xperia L1
37495 Points +4%
Honor 6X
56764 Points +57%
Xiaomi Mi A1
63101 Points +75%
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus
30619 Points -15%
Average Mediatek MT6739 (25012 - 38060, n=13)
33655 Points -7%
AnTuTu v7 - Total Score (sort by value)
Umidigi A1 Pro
45868 Points
Xiaomi Mi A1
77161 Points +68%
Average Mediatek MT6739 (26874 - 46951, n=13)
41995 Points -8%
PCMark for Android
Work performance score (sort by value)
Umidigi A1 Pro
4330 Points
Sony Xperia L1
4285 Points -1%
Honor 6X
4383 Points +1%
Xiaomi Mi A1
5721 Points +32%
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus
3624 Points -16%
Average Mediatek MT6739 (3742 - 5136, n=11)
4323 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone (10884 - 19297, n=2, last 2 years)
15091 Points +249%
Work 2.0 performance score (sort by value)
Umidigi A1 Pro
3159 Points
Sony Xperia L1
3237 Points +2%
Xiaomi Mi A1
4895 Points +55%
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus
2768 Points -12%
Average Mediatek MT6739 (2467 - 5377, n=16)
3206 Points +1%
Average of class Smartphone (9101 - 12871, n=4, last 2 years)
10872 Points +244%
BaseMark OS II
Overall (sort by value)
Umidigi A1 Pro
208 Points
Sony Xperia L1
744 Points +258%
Honor 6X
1300 Points +525%
Xiaomi Mi A1
1263 Points +507%
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus
536 Points +158%
Average Mediatek MT6739 (162 - 637, n=15)
291 Points +40%
Average of class Smartphone (411 - 11438, n=158, last 2 years)
5704 Points +2642%
System (sort by value)
Umidigi A1 Pro
1318 Points
Sony Xperia L1
1338 Points +2%
Honor 6X
2721 Points +106%
Xiaomi Mi A1
3187 Points +142%
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus
1086 Points -18%
Average Mediatek MT6739 (1103 - 1526, n=15)
1294 Points -2%
Average of class Smartphone (2376 - 16475, n=158, last 2 years)
9621 Points +630%
Memory (sort by value)
Umidigi A1 Pro
802 Points
Sony Xperia L1
798 Points 0%
Honor 6X
1779 Points +122%
Xiaomi Mi A1
881 Points +10%
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus
591 Points -26%
Average Mediatek MT6739 (420 - 1039, n=15)
768 Points -4%
Average of class Smartphone (670 - 12306, n=158, last 2 years)
6230 Points +677%
Graphics (sort by value)
Umidigi A1 Pro
184 Points
Sony Xperia L1
386 Points +110%
Honor 6X
819 Points +345%
Xiaomi Mi A1
1012 Points +450%
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus
208 Points +13%
Average Mediatek MT6739 (18 - 190, n=15)
160.5 Points -13%
Average of class Smartphone (697 - 58651, n=158, last 2 years)
13900 Points +7454%
Web (sort by value)
Umidigi A1 Pro
10 Points
Sony Xperia L1
743 Points +7330%
Honor 6X
720 Points +7100%
Xiaomi Mi A1
895 Points +8850%
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus
620 Points +6100%
Average Mediatek MT6739 (7 - 624, n=15)
165.4 Points +1554%
Average of class Smartphone (10 - 2145, n=158, last 2 years)
1487 Points +14770%
Geekbench 4.4
64 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
Umidigi A1 Pro
665 Points
Sony Xperia L1
674 Points +1%
Xiaomi Mi A1
881 Points +32%
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus
556 Points -16%
Average Mediatek MT6739 (571 - 675, n=14)
632 Points -5%
Average of class Smartphone (800 - 9574, n=90, last 2 years)
5063 Points +661%
64 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
Umidigi A1 Pro
1852 Points
Sony Xperia L1
1875 Points +1%
Xiaomi Mi A1
4396 Points +137%
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus
1562 Points -16%
Average Mediatek MT6739 (1418 - 1896, n=14)
1733 Points -6%
Average of class Smartphone (2630 - 26990, n=90, last 2 years)
13549 Points +632%
Compute RenderScript Score (sort by value)
Umidigi A1 Pro
1450 Points
Sony Xperia L1
1241 Points -14%
Xiaomi Mi A1
3678 Points +154%
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus
952 Points -34%
Average Mediatek MT6739 (1125 - 1460, n=12)
1328 Points -8%
Average of class Smartphone (2053 - 18432, n=70, last 2 years)
10590 Points +630%
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Sony Xperia L1
6669 Points
Honor 6X
11775 Points
Honor 6X
11775 Points
Xiaomi Mi A1
13799 Points
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus
3692 Points
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus
3692 Points
Average Mediatek MT6739 (3392 - 4339, n=17)
3912 Points
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
Sony Xperia L1
6015 Points
Honor 6X
11353 Points
Honor 6X
11353 Points
Xiaomi Mi A1
13314 Points
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus
3183 Points
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus
3183 Points
Average Mediatek MT6739 (2878 - 4346, n=17)
3398 Points
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Sony Xperia L1
10767 Points
Honor 6X
13535 Points
Honor 6X
13535 Points
Xiaomi Mi A1
15816 Points
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus
8390 Points
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus
8390 Points
Average Mediatek MT6739 (7103 - 10981, n=17)
9367 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 (sort by value)
Umidigi A1 Pro
168 Points
Sony Xperia L1
285 Points +70%
Honor 6X
550 Points +227%
Xiaomi Mi A1
476 Points +183%
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus
163 Points -3%
Average Mediatek MT6739 (120 - 211, n=17)
157.5 Points -6%
Average of class Smartphone (712 - 7285, n=52, last 2 years)
3495 Points +1980%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics (sort by value)
Umidigi A1 Pro
140 Points
Sony Xperia L1
238 Points +70%
Honor 6X
468 Points +234%
Xiaomi Mi A1
390 Points +179%
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus
133 Points -5%
Average Mediatek MT6739 (102 - 185, n=17)
131.6 Points -6%
Average of class Smartphone (618 - 9451, n=52, last 2 years)
3845 Points +2646%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics (sort by value)
Umidigi A1 Pro
537 Points
Sony Xperia L1
939 Points +75%
Honor 6X
1433 Points +167%
Xiaomi Mi A1
2079 Points +287%
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus
753 Points +40%
Average Mediatek MT6739 (445 - 690, n=17)
567 Points +6%
Average of class Smartphone (1093 - 4525, n=52, last 2 years)
2989 Points +457%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) (sort by value)
Umidigi A1 Pro
108 Points
Sony Xperia L1
184 Points +70%
Honor 6X
385 Points +256%
Xiaomi Mi A1
473 Points +338%
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus
99 Points -8%
Average Mediatek MT6739 (80 - 221, n=17)
104.9 Points -3%
Average of class Smartphone (286 - 7890, n=102, last 2 years)
2665 Points +2368%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics (sort by value)
Umidigi A1 Pro
88 Points
Sony Xperia L1
149 Points +69%
Honor 6X
318 Points +261%
Xiaomi Mi A1
388 Points +341%
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus
79 Points -10%
Average Mediatek MT6739 (65 - 185, n=17)
85.4 Points -3%
Average of class Smartphone (240 - 9814, n=102, last 2 years)
2655 Points +2917%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics (sort by value)
Umidigi A1 Pro
531 Points
Sony Xperia L1
968 Points +82%
Honor 6X
1440 Points +171%
Xiaomi Mi A1
2070 Points +290%
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus
783 Points +47%
Average Mediatek MT6739 (486 - 690, n=17)
567 Points +7%
Average of class Smartphone (858 - 4679, n=102, last 2 years)
3119 Points +487%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
Umidigi A1 Pro
9.7 fps
Sony Xperia L1
19 fps +96%
Honor 6X
19 fps +96%
Xiaomi Mi A1
22 fps +127%
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus
11 fps +13%
Average Mediatek MT6739 (8.2 - 15, n=17)
10.1 fps +4%
Average of class Smartphone (22 - 165, n=178, last 2 years)
83 fps +756%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value)
Umidigi A1 Pro
6 fps
Sony Xperia L1
11 fps +83%
Honor 6X
18 fps +200%
Xiaomi Mi A1
23 fps +283%
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus
6 fps 0%
Average Mediatek MT6739 (4.9 - 6.1, n=17)
5.64 fps -6%
Average of class Smartphone (19 - 791, n=178, last 2 years)
244 fps +3967%
GFXBench 3.0
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value)
Umidigi A1 Pro
5.4 fps
Sony Xperia L1
8.8 fps +63%
Honor 6X
8.5 fps +57%
Xiaomi Mi A1
9.5 fps +76%
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus
4.8 fps -11%
Average Mediatek MT6739 (4.4 - 10, n=16)
5.61 fps +4%
Average of class Smartphone (6.8 - 165, n=179, last 2 years)
71 fps +1215%
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value)
Umidigi A1 Pro
2.7 fps
Sony Xperia L1
4.1 fps +52%
Honor 6X
4.6 fps +70%
Xiaomi Mi A1
9.8 fps +263%
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus
2.2 fps -19%
Average Mediatek MT6739 (2.2 - 2.8, n=14)
2.56 fps -5%
Average of class Smartphone (9.2 - 363, n=179, last 2 years)
138 fps +5011%
GFXBench 3.1
on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen (sort by value)
Umidigi A1 Pro
3.3 fps
Sony Xperia L1
6.3 fps +91%
Honor 6X
4.9 fps +48%
Xiaomi Mi A1
6.3 fps +91%
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus
3.4 fps +3%
Average Mediatek MT6739 (2.6 - 6.7, n=16)
3.51 fps +6%
Average of class Smartphone (3.7 - 158, n=179, last 2 years)
59.9 fps +1715%
1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen (sort by value)
Umidigi A1 Pro
1.6 fps
Sony Xperia L1
2.6 fps +63%
Honor 6X
2.5 fps +56%
Xiaomi Mi A1
6.4 fps +300%
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus
1.4 fps -12%
Average Mediatek MT6739 (1.3 - 1.7, n=16)
1.494 fps -7%
Average of class Smartphone (6.2 - 279, n=179, last 2 years)
96.7 fps +5944%
GFXBench
on screen Car Chase Onscreen (sort by value)
Umidigi A1 Pro
1.4 fps
Honor 6X
3 fps +114%
Xiaomi Mi A1
3.5 fps +150%
Average Mediatek MT6739 (1.1 - 2.6, n=15)
1.553 fps +11%
Average of class Smartphone (5 - 117, n=179, last 2 years)
42.9 fps +2964%
1920x1080 Car Chase Offscreen (sort by value)
Umidigi A1 Pro
0.9 fps
Honor 6X
2.8 fps +211%
Xiaomi Mi A1
3.6 fps +300%
Average Mediatek MT6739 (0.6 - 0.91, n=14)
0.826 fps -8%
Average of class Smartphone (2.9 - 166, n=179, last 2 years)
58.6 fps +6411%

Legend

 
Umidigi A1 Pro Mediatek MT6739, PowerVR GE8100, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Sony Xperia L1 Mediatek MT6737T, ARM Mali-T720 MP2, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Honor 6X HiSilicon Kirin 655, ARM Mali-T830 MP2, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Xiaomi Mi A1 Qualcomm Snapdragon 625, Qualcomm Adreno 506, 64 GB eMMC Flash
 
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus Mediatek MT6737, ARM Mali-T720 MP2, 16 GB eMMC Flash

Browsing the Internet on the A1 Pro is a slow experience and something which is typical of a budget device. Websites are slow to load, with pictures eventually appearing after some time. The A1 Pro is faster than the Sony Xperia L1, the Moto E4 Plus and the average for MT6739-powered devices though, but the overall browsing experience is a slow one nonetheless.

JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Average of class Smartphone (66.1 - 414, n=3, last 2 years)
194.9 Points +991%
Honor 6X (Chrome 56.0.2924.87)
26.46 Points +48%
Xiaomi Mi A1
26.08 Points +46%
Umidigi A1 Pro (Chrome 66)
17.86 Points
Sony Xperia L1 (Chrome 59)
17.37 Points -3%
Average Mediatek MT6739 (13.4 - 18.5, n=14)
16.7 Points -6%
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus (Chrome 60)
14.55 Points -19%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Average of class Smartphone (4633 - 89112, n=202, last 2 years)
33525 Points +951%
Xiaomi Mi A1
4756 Points +49%
Honor 6X (Chrome 56.0.2924.87)
4199 Points +32%
Umidigi A1 Pro (Chrome 66)
3191 Points
Average Mediatek MT6739 (2093 - 3386, n=15)
2945 Points -8%
Sony Xperia L1 (Chrome 59)
2684 Points -16%
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus (Chrome 60)
2273 Points -29%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus (Chrome 60)
17405 ms * -11%
Average Mediatek MT6739 (13599 - 18154, n=16)
16427 ms * -5%
Umidigi A1 Pro (Chrome 66)
15718 ms *
Sony Xperia L1 (Chrome 59)
12507 ms * +20%
Xiaomi Mi A1
9868 ms * +37%
Honor 6X (Chrome 56.0.2924.87)
9373 ms * +40%
Average of class Smartphone (388 - 9999, n=165, last 2 years)
1653 ms * +89%

* ... smaller is better

Our test device performed well in our microSD card tests with our Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 reference card. The A1 Pro is on par with the Xiaomi Mi A1 in this regard, which puts it above all our other comparison devices. While the A1 Pro has faster internal storage access speeds than the Xperia L1 or the Moto E4 Plus, it is significantly slower than our more expensive comparison devices.

Umidigi A1 ProSony Xperia L1Honor 6XXiaomi Mi A1Lenovo Moto E4 PlusAverage 16 GB eMMC FlashAverage of class Smartphone
AndroBench 3-5
-41%
62%
82%
14%
-25%
1496%
Sequential Read 256KB
269.2
181.9
-32%
283.4
5%
277.4
3%
194.4
-28%
164.5 ?(9.66 - 294, n=256)
-39%
1467 ?(215 - 4512, n=210, last 2 years)
445%
Sequential Write 256KB
44.4
40.2
-9%
73.8
66%
202.4
356%
42
-5%
43 ?(8.74 - 106.3, n=256)
-3%
1077 ?(57.5 - 3678, n=210, last 2 years)
2326%
Random Read 4KB
29.6
13.6
-54%
39.55
34%
78.1
164%
19.15
-35%
21.7 ?(2.49 - 62.1, n=256)
-27%
241 ?(22.2 - 543, n=210, last 2 years)
714%
Random Write 4KB
10.2
5.9
-42%
45.05
342%
7.19
-30%
29.4
188%
8.08 ?(0.49 - 44.9, n=256)
-21%
265 ?(13 - 709, n=210, last 2 years)
2498%
Sequential Read 256KB SDCard
81 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
37.81 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
-53%
52 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
-36%
83.6
3%
66.3
-18%
59.1 ?(8.1 - 87.7, n=137)
-27%
Sequential Write 256KB SDCard
58.8 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
26.25 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
-55%
34.53 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M401)
-41%
57.9
-2%
46.6
-21%
39.8 ?(6.38 - 65.8, n=137)
-32%

Games

The A1 Pro is sufficient for simple games like Angry Birds 2. Dead Trigger 2 ran smoothly too. The A1 Pro struggles with more complex games though. You will need a more expensive device if you plan to play graphically demanding games.

The positional sensor and touchscreen worked well during our gaming tests.

Angry Birds
Angry Birds
Dead Trigger 2
Dead Trigger 2

Emissions

Temperature

Our test device gets hottest next to its earpiece; the area around it reached 39.7 °C under maximum load. The back of the device gets practically as warm, with both sides getting progressively warmer from the higher up the device you go. Surface temperatures under load are noticeable and may feel slightly unpleasant in your pocket, but they are not a cause for concern. Our test device is only a few degrees cooler at idle, with both sides averaging 29.9 °C. This is hardly noticeable in daily use though.

Max. Load
 39.7 °C
103 F
34.7 °C
94 F
33 °C
91 F
 
 38.9 °C
102 F
34.5 °C
94 F
33.6 °C
92 F
 
 37.9 °C
100 F
34.1 °C
93 F
33.5 °C
92 F
 
Maximum: 39.7 °C = 103 F
Average: 35.5 °C = 96 F
31.2 °C
88 F
34.5 °C
94 F
39.6 °C
103 F
31.6 °C
89 F
34.5 °C
94 F
39.1 °C
102 F
32.2 °C
90 F
33.9 °C
93 F
36.2 °C
97 F
Maximum: 39.6 °C = 103 F
Average: 34.8 °C = 95 F
Power Supply (max.)  50.1 °C = 122 F | Room Temperature 21.8 °C = 71 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 35.5 °C / 96 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 39.7 °C / 103 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 39.6 °C / 103 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 29.1 °C / 84 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.
Heat-map of the rear of the device under maximum load
Heat-map of the rear of the device under maximum load
Heat-map of the front of the device under maximum load
Heat-map of the front of the device under maximum load

Speakers

Pink noise speaker test
Pink noise speaker test

The A1 Pro has a relatively quiet mono speaker, which is on the underside of the device. We measured its maximum volume at 75.4 dB(A), which is 14 dB(A) quieter than the Sony Xperia L1. The sound is thin, with no deep mid tones or bass. The speaker is sufficient for watching the occasional YouTube video, but this speaker quality is expected for a device in this price range.

The A1 Pro has a 3.5 mm jack that outputs audio cleanly. The same goes for the audio quality over Bluetooth. Our test device paired noticeably quickly with Bluetooth speakers too.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2042.642.52538.438.53134.237.94037.332.7503029.36326.626.88023.222.210021.220.81252122.816016.31820016.624.625015.827.831513.534.340012.242.45001244.663011.750.180010.556.110009.660.512509.5631600963.620008.562.925008.563.331508.364.340008.266.150008.16963008.162.880008.157.9100008.259.9125008.346.2160008.229.7SPL21.959.975.4N0.31231.8median 9.5median 56.1median 53.6Delta2.81621.831.632.925.43325.333.532.932.933.635.331.638.328.428.5272820.833.42228.421.330.820.842.521.248.219.456.819.563.417.768.717.974.617.876.617.376.817.474.616.776.117.273.918.27417.979.617.682.317.784.217.877.417.973.518.172.218.2693089.41.379.4median 17.9median 73.91.411.8hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseUmidigi A1 ProSony Xperia L1
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Umidigi A1 Pro audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (75.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 31.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (8.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | reduced mids - on average 7.1% lower than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (8.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 7.3% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (5.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (32.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 79% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 18% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 90% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 8% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Sony Xperia L1 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (89.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 38.7% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | reduced mids - on average 5.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (7.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (23.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 47% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 45% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 66% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 27% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Battery Life

Power Consumption

The A1 Pro is a relatively power-inefficient device. While the 6 W maximum and 4.7 W average power consumption under load are acceptable, idle power consumption is high. Our test device consumes a minimum of 1.8 W and an average of 2.3 W at idle, both of which are considerably higher than our comparison devices and other MT6739-powered devices. Only the Xiaomi Mi A1 consumes more power overall than the A1 Pro.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.5 / 1.6 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 1.8 / 2.3 / 3.2 Watt
Load midlight 4.7 / 6 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.
Umidigi A1 Pro
3150 mAh
Sony Xperia L1
2620 mAh
Honor 6X
3340 mAh
Xiaomi Mi A1
3080 mAh
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus
5000 mAh
Average Mediatek MT6739
 
Average of class Smartphone
 
Power Consumption
10%
30%
-20%
35%
6%
16%
Idle Minimum *
1.8
0.89
51%
0.82
54%
2.2
-22%
0.89
51%
1.522 ?(0.87 - 2.8, n=16)
15%
0.891 ?(0.42 - 2.37, n=157, last 2 years)
50%
Idle Average *
2.3
2.05
11%
2
13%
2.8
-22%
1.87
19%
2.17 ?(1.6 - 3.5, n=16)
6%
1.448 ?(0.69 - 4.26, n=157, last 2 years)
37%
Idle Maximum *
3.2
2.18
32%
2.03
37%
3.4
-6%
1.98
38%
2.86 ?(1.68 - 6.3, n=16)
11%
1.63 ?(0.79 - 4.45, n=157, last 2 years)
49%
Load Average *
4.7
6.02
-28%
3.34
29%
6.2
-32%
3.04
35%
4.73 ?(2.8 - 7, n=16)
-1%
5.57 ?(2.4 - 16.5, n=157, last 2 years)
-19%
Load Maximum *
6
6.94
-16%
4.92
18%
7.2
-20%
4.01
33%
5.99 ?(3.5 - 11.9, n=16)
-0%
8.27 ?(4.32 - 20.8, n=157, last 2 years)
-38%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

The A1 Pro has a 3,150 mAh battery that lasted 10 h 8 m in our Wi-Fi battery life test, during which we run a script that simulates the load required to render websites. This runtime is unspectacular and is roundly beaten by the Moto E4 Plus and the Honor 6X. Despite this average performance, the A1 Pro should last two to three days with light use.

The A1 Pro supports Quick Charge, which is relatively rare for devices at this price. The included charger fully recharges our test device in less than 90 minutes.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
10h 08min
Umidigi A1 Pro
3150 mAh
Sony Xperia L1
2620 mAh
Honor 6X
3340 mAh
Xiaomi Mi A1
3080 mAh
Lenovo Moto E4 Plus
5000 mAh
Battery Runtime
-7%
57%
4%
30%
WiFi v1.3
608
567
-7%
957
57%
633
4%
788
30%
Reader / Idle
1398
2250
H.264
656
885
Load
223
375

Pros

+ stylish and stable case
+ 5 GHz Wi-Fi
+ many LTE frequencies
+ Quick Charge
+ current version of Android
+ accurate GPS
+ good call quality
+ dedicated microSD card slot
+ dual-SIM
+ bright display with a good contrast ratio

Cons

- relatively high power consumption
- strong blue tint to the display
- poor camera
- the brightness sensor occasionally sets display brightness too low

Verdict

The UMIDIGI A1 Pro in review.
The UMIDIGI A1 Pro in review.

The UMIDIGI A1 Pro is a smartphone with plenty of surprises. Beyond the smart looking and sturdy case, the A1 Pro sports a bright display, Quick Charge, and it supports both 5 GHz Wi-Fi and 14 LTE bands. These features are complemented by a modern 2:1 aspect ratio, decent call quality and acceptable battery life. We did not expect all this in a 120-Euro (~$138) smartphone.

The UMIDIGI A1 Pro is a strong smartphone at an affordable price. While the performance and camera are only at the class level, the A1 Pro goes far beyond expectations with its fast charging and bright display.

The A1 Pro is a real bargain. There are compromises over camera quality and display color accuracy, but you will struggle to find a better smartphone than the UMIDIGI A1 Pro that offers so much for so little.

Umidigi A1 Pro - 06/22/2018 v6(old)
Florian Wimmer

Chassis
88%
Keyboard
65 / 75 → 87%
Pointing Device
88%
Connectivity
41 / 60 → 69%
Weight
90%
Battery
93%
Display
83%
Games Performance
7 / 63 → 11%
Application Performance
35 / 70 → 50%
Temperature
90%
Noise
100%
Audio
56 / 91 → 62%
Camera
62%
Average
69%
80%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

Pricecompare

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Florian Wimmer, 2018-06-24 (Update: 2019-03- 9)