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MagyarUmidigi Z2 Smartphone Review
In our recent test, the Umidigi Z2 Pro did not have to face too many complaints. Now we examine the slightly more affordable Umidigi Z2 to evaluate whether the built-in mid-range hardware with Mediatek's Helio P23-MT6763V SoC, the ARM Mali G71-MP2 graphics unit, 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB internal storage also delivers a good performance.
In the price-range of affordable smartphones costing around 250 Euros (~$283; $256 in the US), numerous competitors are also represented, and the Umidigi Z2 has to face devices with a similar price-performance ratio in our test. We select the LG Q Stylus, the Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus (2018), the Honor Play, and the Wiko View 2 Pro for our comparison.
Case - Multiple colors
In the Z2, Umidigi uses a rounded design with color gradations that appear metallic on the back. This "gradient color" effect is available in the variants called "Twilight" and "Phantom," with the first offering a color gradation from violet to green and the latter a darker, black design. The transitions between the various case sections are cleanly done and all of them are rounded, so that there are no edges or corners. This makes the Umidigi smartphone very comfortable to hold in the hand.
With a weight of 165 g, the Z2 is one of the lightest devices in our comparison list, and the dimensions of the 6.2-inch device are also moderate compared to the competitors, which can be traced back to the very small bezel around the display.
Equipment - An affordable Chinese smartphone with good equipment
The Umidigi Z2 offers solid mid-range equipment, bringing a Helio P23-MT6763V SoC from Mediatek, ARM's Mali G71-MP2 graphics unit, 6 GB of RAM, and 64 GB of internal storage. You can expand the storage by up to 256 GB via the internal microSD card reader. However, if you do that, the dual-SIM function will not be available anymore. To charge the device and for wired data transfer, there is also a USB Type-C connection, but this is only connected internally via the 2.0 standard.
Software - Pure Android without third-party apps
The Umidigi Z2 brings Android Oreo version 8.1 with the security updates on the level of May 5, 2018. The manufacturer uses a pure Android system and also refrains from installing its own apps. Therefore users do not have to struggle with preinstalled apps but can freely decide about the apps on their own system. If several users need to access the Android smartphone, you can setup different accounts in the Settings menu.
Communication and GPS - Good reception with the Umidigi Z2
The Umidigi Z2 is able to connect to the GSM, 3G, and LTE networks. The latter is possible with LTE category 7, allowing download rates of up to 300 Mb/s and upload rates of up to 100 Mb/s. In addition, the Android smartphone supports worldwide network standards, making all the important frequency bands in central Europe available.
For close-range communications, the Chinese smartphone offers Bluetooth 4.2 and WLAN according to a/b/g/n standards, enabling WLAN connections to the 2.4 as well as the 5-GHz networks. The Umidigi Z2 achieves data transfer rates that place it in the middle of the field of comparable devices.
| Networking | |
| iperf3 transmit AX12 | |
| Honor Play | |
| Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018 | |
| Umidigi Z2 | |
| Wiko View 2 Pro | |
| LG Q Stylus | |
| iperf3 receive AX12 | |
| Average of class Smartphone (last 2 years) | |
| Honor Play | |
| Umidigi Z2 | |
| Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018 | |
| LG Q Stylus | |
| Wiko View 2 Pro | |
With the GPS Test app, we evaluate how accurately the Umidigi Z2 is able to determine its own location. It shows that the location can be determined outdoors with an accuracy of up to four meters. However, the Android smartphone is unable to create a satellite connection indoors.
In our mandatory bike tour, we compare the Umidigi Z2 to our Garmin Edge 520 reference device. Particularly during long, straight stretches, the recorded route is good. Depending on the speed, the Android smartphone records the route of tight curves better or worse. In parts, even larger curves are not recorded correctly over a large distance. This makes the GPS in the Umidigi Z2 more suited for simpler, everyday navigation tasks.
Telephone Functions and Voice Quality - Android smartphone with good calling quality
Users of the Umidigi Z2 can make phone calls with Google's standard app, allowing them to quickly and easily enter phone numbers manually. The calls and contact lists are displayed on two additional tabs. During phone calls, the earpiece of the Android smartphone offers a medium volume with the conversation partners being clearly understandable. While the sound spectrum offers fairly emphasized mids, this does not lead to distorted voices or any problems during the conversation.
Cameras - A smartphone for good snapshots
Umidigi has equipped the Z2 with a 16+8 MP main dual camera system with an f/1.7 aperture and a 16+8 MP front camera with an f/2.0 aperture. The latter allows you to take good selfie pictures that shine with clearly delimited colors and objects even in weaker light conditions.
While the main camera of the Umidigi Z2 succeeds in taking good snapshots, shady image areas are reproduced slightly too dark. Also in panorama pictures, the colors are too pale and objects do not appear clearly separated from each other. While the details are still recognizable, they become blurry with increasing distance. In close-up range, the camera of the Android smartphone is able to take detailed pictures with saturated colors. But shady areas also turn out too dark here, causing the details to be lost. On the other hand, bright areas are sharp and well delineated, as long as they are within the focal range. The relatively low aperture allows the Umidigi Z2 to reproduce recognizable objects even in bad light conditions. While our test image is far from being a sharp picture, at least the selected object and its colors can be recognized. The camera app merely offers some color filters, a panorama, and a bokeh mode. Separate settings such as white balance, ISO values, and exposure cannot be adjusted.
The video function allows you to take recordings with a similarly good quality as our test pictures. An image stabilizer prevents too much blurriness. However, there is nothing here like a professional mode allowing the user to influence the quality.
Using the ColorChecker Passport, we evaluate the color reproduction of the Umidigi Z2 camera. It shows that the colors are reproduced slightly too dark. Green color tones are matched most accurately, but gray and also black tones are darker than they should be.
Under controlled light conditions, the Umidigi Z2 is able to reproduce our test chart well. Colors appear saturated, and details and fine structures can be easily recognized. The bottom corners turn out slightly pale.
Accessories and Warranty - Umidigi smartphone with a 3.5-mm adapter
The Umidigi Z2 includes a USB charger plug with the corresponding USB Type-C cable, a SIM tool, a protective cover, and an adapter from USB Type-C to 3.5 mm audio. Umidigi does not offer any specific accessories.
Umidigi offers a 12-month warranty to users. The Z2 is also available from European vendors, but buyers who still want to import it can rely on the vendor warranty requirements (in Germany). Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.
Input Devices and Operation - Chinese smartphone with a good touchscreen
Umidigi enables input on the Z2 using Google's GBoard keyboard app, allowing you to input text quickly and without any complications. The touchscreen quickly and reliably transfers any touch to the system, responding to every input with a slight vibration. Drag-and-drop movements can be performed on the smooth display surface without any problems. The position sensor also responds quickly and adjusts the display content according to the smartphone position without any delay.
There is a fingerprint sensor on the back of the smartphone. This responds quickly to any stored fingerprints and unlocks the Android smartphone reliably.
Display - 6.2-inch display rich in contrast
The display of the Umidigi Z2 is a 6.2-inch IPS panel that offers a resolution of 2246x1080 pixels in the 18.7:9 format. At 472 cd/m², the offered brightness remains slightly below the level of our comparison devices, and the brightness distribution is also below average at only 76%. However, these values are hardly conspicuous in everyday usage.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 76 %
Center on Battery: 472 cd/m²
Contrast: 1073:1 (Black: 0.44 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 7.91 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 10.6 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
99.4% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.417
| Umidigi Z2 IPS, 2246x1080, 6.20 | Wiko View 2 Pro IPS, 1528x720, 6.00 | Honor Play IPS, 2340x1080, 6.30 | Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018 Super AMOLED, 2220x1080, 6.00 | LG Q Stylus IPS, 2160x1080, 6.20 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | 2% | 25% | 47% | 16% | |
| Brightness middle | 472 | 562 19% | 435 -8% | 519 10% | 458 -3% |
| Brightness | 466 | 541 16% | 426 -9% | 513 10% | 441 -5% |
| Brightness Distribution | 76 | 92 21% | 89 17% | 93 22% | 94 24% |
| Black Level * | 0.44 | 0.56 -27% | 0.39 11% | 0.51 -16% | |
| Contrast | 1073 | 1004 -6% | 1115 4% | 898 -16% | |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 7.91 | 7.9 -0% | 2.89 63% | 1.8 77% | 4.5 43% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 14.85 | 15.7 -6% | 6.03 59% | 3.6 76% | 7.1 52% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 10.6 | 10.4 2% | 4.1 61% | 1.5 86% | 5.1 52% |
| Gamma | 2.417 91% | 2.02 109% | 2.251 98% | 2.06 107% | 2.33 94% |
| CCT | 9374 69% | 8834 74% | 7408 88% | 6462 101% | 7381 88% |
* ... smaller is better
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| 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 17903 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured. | |||
Our measurements attest the Umidigi Z2 with a good contrast ratio of 1073:1, which places it in the middle of the field of comparison devices. While the black value is slightly elevated at 0.44 cd/m², this also corresponds to the average of the competitors. Furthermore, the manufacturer does not use PWM to control brightness, which should benefit sensitive eyes. The CalMAN analysis shows a clear blue tint. The smartphone does not offer an option to manually adjust the color temperature.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 42 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 21 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 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 98 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.5 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 42 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 19 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 23 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. » 63 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.7 ms). | ||
The Umidigi Z2 can be used easily outdoors. In direct sunlight, the brightness is just barely sufficient for reading the display content. There is also a limited amount of reflections of surrounding objects that hinders the view of the display.
The IPS panel of the Umidigi Z2 has very stable viewing angles. The display content can be seen from almost any viewing angle, without the colors or forms becoming distorted. As long as there are no reflections hindering the view of the display, the Umidigi Z2 can be used also from unusual positions.
Performance - A mid-range smartphone with good performance
Umidigi has equipped the Z2 with Mediatek's Helio P23-MT6763V SoC and ARM's Mali G71 MP2 graphics unit. In addition, there are 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal eMMC flash storage. With this, the smartphone offers solid mid-range equipment that enables smooth system operation with the pure Android.
In our benchmarks, the smartphone shows a performance in the mid-range of our comparison list. During graphics-intensive tests, the performance turns out slightly lower. However, in everyday operation, the Umidigi Z2 allows you to run all applications smoothly and even offers some small reserves for casual games, for example.
| PCMark for Android - Work performance score (sort by value) | |
| Umidigi Z2 | |
| Wiko View 2 Pro | |
| Honor Play | |
| Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018 | |
| LG Q Stylus | |
| Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763V (5840 - 6771, n=6) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (10884 - 19297, n=2, last 2 years) | |
| GFXBench 3.1 | |
| on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen (sort by value) | |
| Umidigi Z2 | |
| Wiko View 2 Pro | |
| Honor Play | |
| Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018 | |
| LG Q Stylus | |
| Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763V (6.1 - 14, n=7) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (3.7 - 158, n=185, last 2 years) | |
| 1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen (sort by value) | |
| Umidigi Z2 | |
| Wiko View 2 Pro | |
| Honor Play | |
| Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018 | |
| LG Q Stylus | |
| Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763V (6.6 - 7.2, n=7) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (6.2 - 279, n=185, last 2 years) | |
| AnTuTu v7 - Total Score (sort by value) | |
| Umidigi Z2 | |
| Wiko View 2 Pro | |
| Honor Play | |
| Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018 | |
| LG Q Stylus | |
| Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763V (83745 - 94789, n=5) | |
| VRMark - Amber Room (sort by value) | |
| Umidigi Z2 | |
| Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763V () | |
| Average of class Smartphone (2523 - 10071, n=12, last 2 years) | |
| Basemark ES 3.1 / Metal - offscreen Overall Score (sort by value) | |
| Umidigi Z2 | |
| Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763V () | |
| Average of class Smartphone (177 - 6114, n=58, last 2 years) | |
In the browser benchmarks, the results of the Umidigi Z2 also remain slightly below the average of the devices on our comparison list. However, everyday browsing of Internet pages should be smooth on the Android smartphone, and media content is also loaded within a short time.
| JetStream 1.1 - Total Score | |
| Average of class Smartphone (last 2 years) | |
| Honor Play (Chrome 68) | |
| Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763V (22 - 25.9, n=5) | |
| Wiko View 2 Pro (Chrome 67) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018 (Chrome 67) | |
| Umidigi Z2 (Chrome 70) | |
| LG Q Stylus (hrome 69) | |
| Octane V2 - Total Score | |
| Average of class Smartphone (2228 - 89112, n=214, last 2 years) | |
| Honor Play (Chrome 68) | |
| Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763V (3998 - 4862, n=5) | |
| Umidigi Z2 (Chrome 70) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018 (Chrome 67) | |
| Wiko View 2 Pro (Chrome 67) | |
| LG Q Stylus (hrome 69) | |
| Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total | |
| LG Q Stylus (hrome 69) | |
| Umidigi Z2 (Chrome 70) | |
| Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763V (11309 - 13077, n=5) | |
| Wiko View 2 Pro (Chrome 67) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018 (Chrome 67) | |
| Honor Play (Chrome 68) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (388 - 9999, n=173, last 2 years) | |
* ... smaller is better
The internal storage of the Umidigi Z2 shines with good read and write rates that are slightly above the average of comparable devices and ensure that the data storage can be accessed without any delay.
The internal storage can be expanded by up to 256 GB via the microSD-card slot. The Android smartphone also achieves good read and write rates here with our Toshiba Exceria M501 reference storage card. However, if you use a storage card, you will lose the dual-SIM function, and apps cannot be moved onto the card.
| Umidigi Z2 | Wiko View 2 Pro | Honor Play | Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018 | LG Q Stylus | Average 64 GB eMMC Flash | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AndroBench 3-5 | -13% | 191% | -5% | -24% | 7% | 662% | |
| Sequential Read 256KB | 291.2 | 265.4 -9% | 895 207% | 298.8 3% | 241.7 -17% | 273 ? -6% | 1508 ? 418% |
| Sequential Write 256KB | 214.7 | 194.3 -10% | 188.3 -12% | 88.5 -59% | 121.4 -43% | 176.8 ? -18% | 1118 ? 421% |
| Random Read 4KB | 53.3 | 65.6 23% | 142.4 167% | 72.9 37% | 31.45 -41% | 59.1 ? 11% | 247 ? 363% |
| Random Write 4KB | 17.61 | 6.72 -62% | 155.5 783% | 16.1 -9% | 12.07 -31% | 31.7 ? 80% | 272 ? 1445% |
| Sequential Read 256KB SDCard | 81.4 ? | 82.3 ? 1% | 82.8 ? 2% | 83.4 ? 2% | 83.1 ? 2% | 77.4 ? -5% | |
| Sequential Write 256KB SDCard | 71.2 ? | 57.8 ? -19% | 71.9 ? 1% | 67.8 ? -5% | 63.5 ? -11% | 58.3 ? -18% |
Games - Demanding games only with longer load times
An ARM Mali G71 MP2 handles the display of the image content in the Umidigi Z2. This graphics unit offers sufficient performance for simple games and applications with low demands on the graphics performance. During more-demanding games, you have to expect longer load times and the graphics quality may need to be adjusted lower. The Asphalt 9: Legends and Arena of Valor games we tested ran without any problems, but higher graphics settings caused some slight stuttering. The operation of the touchscreen did not present any weaknesses, and the position sensor also transferred any movement directly to the game.
Emissions - Android smartphone with a mediocre speaker
Temperature
During idle operation, the surface temperatures of the Umidigi Z2 always remain at around 25 °C (77 °F). Under load, they increase by slightly more than 10 °C (18 °F). The phone merely feels hand warm but never hot. The demanding GFXBench Manhattan 3.1 test also shows that the temperatures inside do not impede the system performance even after longer loads.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 36.1 °C / 97 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 326 °C / 619 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 24.8 °C / 77 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.
Speaker
The speaker of the Umidigi Z2 offers mediocre volume. The sound spectrum is dominated by high mids and hardly offers any lower tones. The sound is therefore imbalanced and only suited for the occasional reproduction of media content. You can connect a wired headset or external speakers to the smartphone using the included USB-C-to-3.5-mm adapter, which accepts the corresponding plugs tightly and does not negatively influence the audio quality.
Umidigi Z2 audio analysis
(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (81.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 62.8% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(-) | nearly no mids - on average 62.8% lower than median
(+) | mids are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(-) | nearly no highs - on average 62.8% lower than median
(+) | highs are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (117.3% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 85% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 7% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 95% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 2% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Wiko View 2 Pro audio analysis
(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (81.5 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 26.9% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (7.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.8% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (2.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (23.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 45% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 47% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 64% of all tested devices were better, 6% similar, 30% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Battery Life - Umidigi smartphone with long battery life
Power Consumption
The Umidigi Z2 is an energy-efficient device. While some of the competing smartphones do slightly better in our measurements, with a minimum of 0.9 watts during idle and a maximum of 5 watts under load, the Chinese smartphone is not a power guzzler.
The included 18-watt charger is sufficiently sized to provide the Umidigi Z2 reliably with power at all times.
| Off / Standby |   0.05 / 0.3 Watt |
| Idle |  0.9 / 2 / 2.6 Watt |
| Load |
3.6 / 5 Watt |
    
| |
| Umidigi Z2 3850 mAh | Wiko View 2 Pro 3000 mAh | Honor Play 3750 mAh | Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018 3500 mAh | LG Q Stylus 3300 mAh | Average Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763V | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Consumption | 16% | -59% | 47% | 15% | 3% | -11% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 0.9 | 0.64 29% | 1.4 -56% | 0.62 31% | 0.69 23% | 0.851 ? 5% | 0.897 ? -0% |
| Idle Average * | 2 | 2.07 -4% | 2.6 -30% | 0.96 52% | 1.7 15% | 2.01 ? -1% | 1.452 ? 27% |
| Idle Maximum * | 2.6 | 2.13 18% | 4.3 -65% | 0.99 62% | 1.73 33% | 2.26 ? 13% | 1.629 ? 37% |
| Load Average * | 3.6 | 2.69 25% | 6.5 -81% | 1.85 49% | 3.21 11% | 3.74 ? -4% | 5.55 ? -54% |
| Load Maximum * | 5 | 4.46 11% | 8.2 -64% | 3.04 39% | 5.31 -6% | 4.9 ? 2% | 8.31 ? -66% |
* ... smaller is better
Battery Life
The Umidigi Z2 lasts for more than 12 hours in our realistic WLAN test, before it needs to be recharged. With this, the battery life is at a similar level as comparable devices and conforms to our expectations in terms of the capacity.
Using the included quick-charger, the 3850-mAh battery can be completely recharged within slightly more than two hours.
| Umidigi Z2 3850 mAh | Wiko View 2 Pro 3000 mAh | Honor Play 3750 mAh | Samsung Galaxy A6 Plus 2018 3500 mAh | LG Q Stylus 3300 mAh | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | |||||
| WiFi v1.3 | 740 | 857 16% | 710 -4% | 848 15% | 419 -43% |
Pros
Cons
Verdict - Pure smartphone experience with good performance
In our test, the Umidigi Z2 reveals itself as a good mid-range smartphone. The large amount of working memory in combination with a pure Android system ensures smooth system operation, and the lack of preinstalled apps offers users complete freedom to decide which apps to install on their smartphone.
The Umidigi Z2 offers a good all-round package with a suitable price and performance.
For a relatively affordable price, users receive a solid smartphone that keeps its promises. The camera offers sufficient quality for occasional snapshots, and the fingerprint sensor unlocks the smartphone reliably. The design and colors turn it into a real looker, but users can also hide this inside the included protective cover.
Umidigi Z2
-
11/03/2018 v6(old)
Mike Wobker
Pricecompare
