Review: LeEco LePro3
The LeEco Pro3 is a fine phone, especially for $400. The company put together a simple, but high-quality piece of hardware that keeps pace with rivals in the most important aspects of performance, while the software often left me cringing.
The Pro3's metal-and-glass chassis is top-notch. I like the display a lot, even if it isn't quad HD, and found the device to be an excellent tool for making calls and browsing the web. Battery life is spectacular, but it's a bummer the phone doesn't support expandable memory. Other highlights include great stereo sound and a fast/accurate fingerprint sensor.
LeEco's user interface skin is another story. I'm glad the phone runs Android 6 and yet LeEco marred usability with an overwrought series of changes to the core UI, such as the changed Quick Settings panel and absent app drawer. The camera app is decent, but lacks a couple of key tools. Thank goodness the phone takes good pictures. The LeEco-branded video apps are a bit of a disaster, which is curious given the company's thrust on providing video.
There are many high-quality phones playing in the $400 space. There are solid options from Alcatel, Asus, Huawei, OnePlus, and ZTE. The Pro3 from LeEco competes well with all of them in terms of hardware and yet it trails a bit with the software.
For the moment, I'd only recommend the LeEco Pro3 to people who plan to invest in LeEco's wider ecosystem of products, such as TVs, STBs, and more due to the benefits of the LeEco Pass / account. If you're looking for a more well-rounded $400 phone, the OnePlus 3 or ZTE Axon 7 might be a better choice.
Our Ratings
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LeEco Le Pro3
