Out of thin air came the Coolpad Note 3 and swept us away with its fingerprint scanner and a rocking performance. Close to the heels of the Coolpad Note 3, Coolpad launched the Coolpad Note 3 Lite. The Note 3 Lite is a mini Note 3. It has almost all the specifications similar to the Note 3, but all that packed into a smaller chassis.

In the Box

Design

The design is identical to the Note 3, but the Lite is a 5 inch device which packs in a lot of features for just Rs 6999. For the price you get a whole bunch of features neatly executed and integrated into this mobile. It may not be qualified to be called a Note, because of its 5 inch size, but then it has to be identified with its big brother and hence the name Coolpad Note 3 lite. The Note 3 lite is very comfortable to hold in the hand and easy for single hand operations.

It is available in White and Black color variants. The back is removable but that is just to reveal the dual SIM card slots and the microSD card slot. The 2500 mAh battery is sealed and is not removable or replaceable by the user. The front is pleasing with it’s stylish metal rim running all around the bezels. The back panel has a texture which enhances the grip. The fingerprint sensor at the back, is slightly deeper than Note 3, but its performance is blazing fast just like the Note 3. If you have a large finger, you may find it difficult to touch, but then the scanner is very sensitive and even the slightest touch of a valid fingerprint does the magic.

The menu keys are not backlit, sadly. The top of the display has the usual sensors, 5 MP camera and a bright notification LED.

The power button and volume keys are placed on either sides of the mobile and it has good mechanical feedback. The keys are easy to reach and operate. The mic and microUSB port are at the bottom while the 3.5 mm audio jack is on the top.

The 13 Mp camera with a single LED flash is at the back and below the camera is the star of this mobile, the finger print sensor. The Note 3 lite takes over the title and now it is the cheapest mobile with finger print sensor and yet the sensor performance beats most flagship devices. This is fast and accurate fingerprint sensor just like in the Note 3. It unlocks the mobile instantly from lock / sleep screen. It can be configured with up to 5 fingerprints and each finger print can be configured to perform different action. But the most natural and useful action is the unlocking and I have set my 2 index fingers to unlock this mobile which was very convenient. The location of the sensor is very convenient for the index finger to reach but it is deeper than in Note 3. Applications can also be encrypted and locked with fingerprints so that the selected application can be accessed only if the fingerprint matches.

Display

The Coolpad Note 3 Lite has a 5 inch IPS LCD display which supports 720p HD resolution which results in the screen packing a mere 320 ppi of pixel density. While on the papers, it may appear to be a weak specification, in reality the display is brilliant. The screen is bright but the white balance is on the colder side while the saturation and contrast levels are just ok. It has good sunlight readability and decent viewing angles. The UI and text are crisp to read and overall, the display is just too good for the money you have spent on this mobile.

Hardware and Performance

Coolpad Note 3 is powered by a 64 bit octacore MediaTek MT6735 processor which is clocked at 1.3 Ghz. It has  3 GB of RAM along with 16 GB of onboard storage. The memory can be expanded with microSD card and it also supports USB OTG. The mobile supports dual 4G SIM cards which works across multiple bands. Thankfully it’s not the hybrid SIM slot, so on this device you can actually use 2 SIM cards and a microSD card at the same time. Call quality was good and the mobile latched on to the network pretty good. The loudspeakers are loud and the voice quality on ear piece is also natural.

Available
Add to Compare

The performance of the Coolpad Note 3 Lite is impressive, but just falls short of its big brother the Note 3. The UI is snappy and never lags on any micro interaction animations. The applications open up fast and run smoothly. It also handles games with ease. When it comes to high-end games, the device started showing signs of stuttering and frame drops. It does get warm on prolonged gaming, but it is totally within the acceptable levels. It is not justifiable to ask a 7k mobile to have the best performance. The Note 3 Lite has got a decent set of hardware. The minor glitches can be forgiven for the fact that its a budget device.

Camera

The Coolpad Note 3 Lite has 13 MP camera at the back and 5 MP camera on the front. The camera UI is minimal and straight forward. The primary functions are easily accessible on the first layer of the camera UI. The UI offers pro mode but the pro mode lets you tinker with ISO, exposure and focus distance only. It gives no control over the shutter speed. The camera also supports touch to focus. Like the Note 3, the Lite camera also support focus tracking. You long press on any subject and the focus latches on to it while its moving. It works perfectly and it was a charm using it just like the Note 3 Lite.

The images from the camera were average. The images appear to be washed out and lacks sharpness or detailing. The exposure levels are high and the images don’t have the right contrast ratio and that is me being over picky. The front camera also gives similar result. The device is capable of recording 1080p videos and no bells and whistles there as well. The images are good for sharing over social media and I would end it there. The camera performance is not impressive, but then its as entry level mobile costing just Rs 6999. It is a basic smartphone and it behaves like one.

Check out the camera samples

Software

Coolpad Note 3 Lite runs on Android 5.1 with the custom skin CoolUI on top. I have mixed feeling on the UI here. It is the most ambitious UI, I have seen in recent times. It has a whole bunch of features but it lacks the finesse when it comes to visual design language. The icons are laid out on the app desk like iPhone or MIUI and most other Chinese UI skins. But there is an option to switch to the traditional android style app drawer. But on either modes, finding an app is a challenge. App search is an app and the app list doesn’t have filter or sorting capability. I am not sure on what order they are arranged. I resorted to grouping and still finding apps was a pain. So I switched to another launcher.

The CoolUI has a few interesting features and here is a curated list

• The secure zone protects your app and data privacy, but the implementation is not robust. Getting to the secure mode needs you to master a gesture. Every-time I scroll down the notification tray, the mobile tries to enter the secure zone.
• The c button feature, when enabled from the notification tray, open a pie control menu with a few useful menu items.
• The long standby mode extends your battery life with a black skin and icons for just the essential functions.
• It has a bunch of gestures which are customizable, but the mobile is sort of slow to recognize and respond to the gestures.

Though the CoolUI has loads of features, it is not mature and not stable. It hangs at times and apps to crash. I don’t say it unusable, but rather unstable. But these issues can be fixed with an update, if Coolpad decides to address them. When it is working, the UI is very fast and snappy and hence the mixed feeling.

There has been regular updates through the OTA. I have been using the mobile for over a month now and the stability of the UI has improved a lot. However, the user experience is still a bit immature.

Battery

The device is powered by a 2500 mAh battery. Under normal usage, the device lasted for approximately 20 hours. Under heavy usage, it ran out of juice in 12-13 hours. It all depends on your usage. But for most of the use cases, this mobile will last for a day.

Verdict

Coolpad Note 3 Lite sells for Rs 6999 exclusively on Amazon India. It has a few ups and downs. The camera is average, the UI is immature and the design is not a head turner. If you are tight on budget go for the Coolpad Note 3 Lite for its lightning fast fingerprint scanner, decent display, ergonomic design and build quality. If you are not worried about spending a couple of thousands extra and willing to handle a 5.5 inch mobile, then you must definitely get the Coolpad Note 3. The Note 3 is a highly recommended device from gadgetdetail and you can check its review here. The Note 3 Lite is also a great device, but I prefer larger screen and hence my choice would be the Note 3.