Review: Ulefone Note 17 Pro
In this review, we’ll take a closer look at one of the latest smartphones from the Chinese manufacturer Ulefone. We’re talking about the Ulefone Note 17 Pro, and it’s also the first device from the company to reach us.
The phone is an interesting addition to the mid-range, and it has some distinctive features. Among them are the refined design and large screen. It also uses a good chipset for this class and has a large amount of memory.
Design
The Ulefone Note 17 Pro has a rather refined design with dual curves on the back and screen. The main camera section is in the form of two rings in an elliptical compartment. The coating is matte, glare-free and fingerprint-proof.
The hardware buttons are on the right of the casing, and there’s a USB Type-C port, speaker hole, and card slot at the bottom. At the top, there’s an IR transmitter. In this case, the unit I had was orange, but there are more options in white and black. Water splash protection is available. A fast charger and carrying case come with the model.
Overall I have good impressions of the build quality and design. The model is quite large and not the lightest, but it fits well in the hand and has a large screen area.
Key Features:
Display: 6.78″ AMOLED (2400 x 1080), 120Hz, Gorilla Glass 5
Chipset: MediaTek Helio G99
Memory: 12GB LPDDR4X RAM, 256GB UFS 2.2 storage
Main camera: 108MP f/1.89 aperture; 5MP macro
Front camera: 32MP
Connectivity: 4G LTE, Wi-Fi n, Bluetooth 5.2, USB Type-C, NFC, IR
OS: Android 13
Battery: 5050 mAh, 33W
Dimensions: 163.8 x 74.2 x 9 mm, 197.8 g.
The screen is curved with thin bezels on the bottom and top. It’s a 6.78″ AMOLED with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, Full HD+ resolution and brightness of up to 500 nits, with a Gorilla Glass 5 protective coating. There’s a fingerprint scanner built under the screen, and the selfie camera is in a hole at the top.
The display is quite large, but also of good quality considering the price positioning. It’s bright enough for almost any conditions, and the picture is crisp with saturated colors. A night light mode has been added, limiting blue light levels and therefore eye fatigue. Due to the presence of an AMOLED panel, Always-On Display functionality is also available.
The phone uses the relatively modest MediaTek Helio G99 chipset, which is manufactured using a 6-nanometer process. There’s plenty of system memory at stake, 12GB of LPDDR4X RAM, and an adequate amount of storage, 256GB of UFS 2.2, with no memory card slot. Performance is as expected for its positioning, with the phone handling everything of daily life well without any interruptions.
Adding to this is the battery, as it has a capacity of 5050 mAh and provides a charge for over a day’s work, with everything here varying depending on usage. According to the company, on a single charge, the phone offers up to 9 hours of video playback. There is also fast charging technology up to a maximum power of 33 watts with the included adapter. According to Ulefone, the battery will retain a capacity of 80% even after 800 charge cycles.
This model doesn’t have 5G connectivity, which probably isn’t necessary for most users either. There is a slot for two Nano SIM cards, 4G, Wi-Fi n, NFC wireless connectivity, an infrared transmitter for remote control and a speakerphone. Software-wise, an almost pure version of Android 13 has been used, which helps the interface run smoothly.
Cameras
Here the solution is a dual main camera, and to the pleasant surprise of the company they have decided not to add a sensor with an ultra-wide-angle lens, which are usually in this class with low resolution and are practically superfluous.
At stake is a 108MP Samsung ISOCELL HM2 sensor with f/1.89 aperture and 6-element lens. By default it uses 9 pixel to 1 pixel fusion technology for 12MP footage, but there is also an option to shoot in full resolution. There’s also a 5MP macro camera, which is more specialized for detailed shots of objects captured at close range.
Under optimal ambient conditions, it produces acceptable quality though the results are not impressive. Lack of detail as well as loss of detail are noticeable, and the situation worsens as the light decreases. There is also a night mode, and here too some acceptable shots are obtained under some conditions.
Video capture is in resolutions up to 2K as expected there is no stabilization technology. For selfies, there’s a 32MP sensor that does well, and there’s also a bokeh and beautification option. This camera is also used for unlocking via facial recognition.
Conclusion
The Ulefone Note 17 Pro is available to order through the company’s international website as with shipping included it comes at a price of around $350. This positions the device in the relatively high end of the mid-range segment.
Among its strong features are the sophisticated design, large screen, and decent preformance. The camera can sometimes achieve acceptable footage, but mainly under optimal conditions. There is also a large amount of memory, and the battery is standard for the class, as well as fast charging up to 33 watts.
