10.or E review: E for Essentials

These days, there’s little to no difference between smartphones in the budget segment. Most have octa core processors with 3GB or 4GB of RAM and a decent camera. But it all depends on what kind of UI experience does one want. 10.or (pronounced as ‘Tenor’) is a new Chinese firm is a new kid on the block with first smartphone ‘E’ starting at `7,999. Available in two RAM and storage variants, the E sports a basic stock Android Nougat and certainly looks good with its clean, simple and curvy smartphone design.

The E is dominated by a 2.5D Gorilla Glass 3 protected 5.5-inch full HD LCD display that produces good contrasts and colours. It is powered by a 1.4GHz octa-core SD430 hipset, and does not slouch in the performance department. With stock Android, the smartphone shows no signs of lag or stutter on a day-to-day basis. Whether you are flicking through apps or multi-window mode, the 10.or E accepts all abuses you throw at it.

The E along with a stock Android and negligible bloatware can easily rub shoulders with its rivals in the UI experience arena. 10.or has a good battery life too, a 4000mAh battery won’t let you see your charger for at least two days if you stick to casual usage. The camera does deserve a special mention. The 13MP primary sensor is a joy to use for casual photography. Whether shooting macros or landscapes, you will always get photos with accurate colours. The 10.or E ticks all the right boxes for a budget smartphone — good day-to-day performance, fluid software and a decent build. If you want a good budget smartphone with stock Android, then the 10.or E should be high up on your consideration list.