The Aquaris X and the Aquaris X Pro form the new spearhead of the Spanish manufacturer BQ. The new top models are now officially presented and the inside-digital.de editorial team has already been able to try them out. It becomes clear that the Spaniards want to catch up with the top class on the market, but are not prepared to pay any price. In hands-on and video, the editorial team shows what first impression the two make.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 BQ Aquaris X – technical data
2 BQ Aquaris X Pro – technical data
3 Update policy for the Aquaris X and the Aquaris X Pro
4th BQ Aquaris X (Pro) – Price and availability
5 Hands-on of the new flagships from BQ
BQ Aquaris X in hands-on
BQ Aquaris X Pro in hands-on
Conclusion of the hands-on of the new BQ-Aquaris-X family
BQ AQUARIS X – TECHNICAL DATA
Based on Android 7.1.1 Nougat, the BQ Aquaris X will be equipped with an eight-core processor from Qualcomm (Snapdragon 626) that clocks at a maximum of 2.2 GHz – supported by 3 GB of RAM. According to Ravin Dhalani, CTO of BQs, the choice fell on the Snapdragon 626 because it represents a better compromise between performance and energy consumption than higher-positioned processors of the 600 series. The menu is navigated through a 5.2-inch display with full HD resolution. For the camera on the back, BQ relies on a Sony sensor with a maximum resolution of 16 megapixels including an f / 2.0 aperture. The front camera from Samsung has a resolution of up to 8 megapixels, has an f / 2.0 aperture and its own LED flash.
The frame of the 32 GB smartphone is made of metal, while the battery cover will be made of polycarbonate. The 3,100 mAh battery, including USB 3.0 fast charging technology, can be supplied with fresh energy via a USB Type-C interface. In addition to dual WLAN (2.4 & 5 GHz), there is also an NFC chip on board. Fans of Bluetooth headphones can also look forward to the AptX codec. According to Dhalani, it brings more quality and shorter latency times when transmitting music to the corresponding end devices.
BQ AQUARIS X PRO – TECHNICAL DATA
The equipment of the BQ Aquaris X Pro is a bit more generous. This model uses 4 GB of RAM and the main camera on the back with a Samsung sensor has a resolution of up to 12 megapixels when using an f / 1.8 aperture. What nominally sounds like less should, among other things, lead to faster autofocus thanks to dual-pixel autofocus. The sensor comes from the Galaxy S7 from Samsung – there is no official confirmation from BQ . From a technical point of view, BQ officially dispensed with an optical image stabilizer. “An OIS can deteriorate in performance over time, and software stabilizers are now very close to the performance of mechanical stabilizers,” says Dhalani.
BQ Aquaris X Pro: press photos
UPDATE POLICY FOR THE AQUARIS X AND THE AQUARIS X PRO
When asked about possible future updates of their smartphones, most manufacturers quickly become tight-lipped. In the industry, people do not want to lean too far out of the window and incur the anger of users if an update does not arrive on the devices on time. BQ talked Tacheles here during the presentation. “The two new flagships will receive at least two major Android updates,” said Dhalani, when asked. There will be a security update based on Google’s security patches every two to three months.
BQ AQUARIS X (PRO) – PRICE AND AVAILABILITY
If you opt for the LTE-capable BQ Aquaris X , you have to put just under 300 euros on the table for the smartphone. The sales start took place in the first week of May, the cell phone is offered in black and white. The BQ Aquaris X Pro , on the other hand, costs 379.90 euros. The mobile phone is now available for pre-order in the BQ online shop and should be delivered on June 8th. If you buy the BQ Aquaris X Pro between May 18 and June 7, you will also receive a protective cover worth just under 15 euros. The smartphone is available in black and white. The BQ Aquaris X Pro with its glass back is available in Germany as a 64 GB storage version.
“The two new flagships are being sold by MediaMarkt, Saturn, Notebooksbilliger.de and Co.”, says Xavier Gastaminza, Manager BQs. However, one is also in talks with the Telefónica brand O2. In Spain, BQ has been selling its devices via mobile phone providers for a long time and no longer relies solely on the free market. They want to achieve this in Germany in the future, but also offer dual SIM devices. This is considered difficult in Germany because mobile operators in this country are reluctant to include cell phones with two SIM card slots in their portfolio.
HANDS-ON OF THE NEW FLAGSHIPS FROM BQ
The inside-digital.de editorial team was able to get a first impression of the Aquaris X and the Aquaris X Pro during the product presentation in Munich. BQ pursues a path in its product policy that seems to be quite unusual. Flagships in the traditional sense have not yet been seen in the Spanish portfolio. Rather, the focus is fully on the price-performance level in the various product families. The new top models do not present themselves with exuberant technological highlights such as a QHD screen, edge displays or a processor of the 800 series from Qualcomm. On the other hand, the prices of the new models are also moderate in comparison.
BQ Aquaris X in hands-on
The “smaller” of the two new top models is reminiscent of the Aquaris X5 when you look at it for the first time. The big but becomes clear at the first touch. The larger screen, which now measures 5.2 instead of 5 inches diagonally, is immediately noticeable because the Aquaris X is wider and longer than the Aquaris X5. But that’s not the main difference between the two devices. The design of the Aquaris X is noticeably higher on the market and, in addition to a rounder and more symmetrical frame, offers a 2.5D glass on the front. The back is made of polycarbonate again, but the edges are also rounded here. The frame design and the rounded back mean that the Aquaris X lies very comfortably in the hand without appearing too soapy-round. Nevertheless, there is also criticism here: The back cover is not quite as handy as you would expect and therefore concentration is required when using it.
BQ Aquaris X: hands-on
The overall feel can be lower for a price of less than 300 euros and does not have to hide behind the mid-range smartphones of the Galaxy A series from Samsung or the Huawei P-Lite series. It should be noted that the fiercest competition will arise from the ambitious mid-range segment of the established manufacturers and the Aquaris X also seems to be equipped for this with a view to the data sheet.
BQ Aquaris X Pro in hands-on
With the Aquaris X Pro, it quickly becomes clear that BQ wants to step out of the niche and arm itself for a wider audience: The glass back is integrated into the frame at the edges with a swing and shows itself in the style of Korean competitors. But the design has more to offer than just a curved back: the front glass is also rounded at the edges, which makes it much more tactile than previous Aquaris X smartphones. This is also why it becomes clear: BQ is serious about its attack in the top class. The fact that it lacks the high-end processor, double-camera booby or a price tag in the four-digit range, is not missed at first impression. Nevertheless, BQ uses high-end: For example, the sensor of the camera of the Aquaris X Pro is the same as itSamsung Galaxy S7 in itself. In addition, there is an aperture of 1: 1.8 and image processing that also has a delicacy to offer. When the user releases the shutter, she selects the six best pictures from ten that she took before and after the shutter release and adds them to a final picture. This paves the way to excellent camera performance, which, however, could not be tested on the first contact, as BQ deactivated this option. Reason: The software is not yet final. So you have to wait for the first test devices until a final judgment can be made.
BQ Aquaris X Pro: hands-on
The first haptic impressions are quite positive: The materials feel high-quality, the operating speed is pleasing and the handling is convincing. The buttons on the right flank and the fingerprint sensor are very easy to reach, even with small hands – not a matter of course with a 5.2-inch display diagonal. Thus, the Aquaris X Pro shows its supple side and it becomes exciting when it is first on the autopsy table of the inside- digital.de test laboratory, whether it can deliver what the good first impression promises.
Conclusion of the hands-on of the new BQ-Aquaris-X family
All in all, the first impression can be said that the two new smartphones from BQ have a decent premium over the Aquaris X5 models in terms of haptics and optics. The price could be justified if they keep what they promise. BQ has definitely opened the door to the upper class with the Aquaris X Pro. However, it has not yet reached the high-end sector.
BQ Aquaris X and X Pro in comparison
