Panasonic ELUGA Z1 Pro

Eluga Z1 Pro is powered by sizeable storage and a snazzy design. But even it’s smooth performance fails to impress. Simply because its predecessors and competitors offer more value for money.

Z1 Pro feels like the discounted version of its more expensive predecessor X1 pro, literally. It takes many design cues from X1 Pro such as its metal design, dual camera and a fingerprint scanner at the back. The only difference is that Z1 pro features a 3.5MM headphone jack which the X1 pro let go of. Z1 Pro sports a dual SIM system with no dedicated MicroSD card slot. The phone is comfortable to hold and feels premium. The phone comes in black, blue and gold colours. 

The screen is a 6.19 inch IPS display with an aspect ratio of 19:9. The colours are vibrant, and the screen produces high brightness and contrast. The chin of the phone is slightly thicker than other phones in this price segment. However, the elephant of the room is its 720p resolution screen and may prove to be a deal-breaker for many because HD display resolution is commonplace for any modern phone nowadays. It’s nothing extraordinary anymore. People expect more if they have to pay more.

Sporting an Helio P22 processor coupled with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage, the decision to employ such an entry-level processor may be a letdown to many. An Helio P22 processor is available in phones almost half the price of Eluga Z1 Pro. While the phone doesn’t suffer whilst multitasking, it acts sluggish while rendering high definition graphics of games. However, it does employ a near-stock android (8.1) interface along with the company’s own skin, which feels a little cartoonish. It’s low audio output and lack of L1 DRM support for HD streaming is a disappointment. 

The Z1 Pro sports a 13MP and 2MP dual camera setup. The colour reproduction is beautiful and photographs are crisp with minimal noise. There are many built-in features like Bokeh mode, Portrait mode etc which work decently. The camera suffers when it comes to low light photography where the photographs are soft, lack detail and excessively noisy. The 8MP selfie camera acts similarly. It works well when generally but struggles in less light. Another letdown is that the phone lacks the feature of 4K video recording. Panasonic lets you repurpose the front LED flash as a notification indicator however, the colour can only be white. 

The battery performs as well as you would expect a 4000mAh battery to do. It easily lasts 12 of continuous medium to heavy usage. 

Panasonic’s Eluga Z1 Pro is a good phone. It has a long-lasting battery life, expensive aesthetic, smooth performance and offers a lag-free experience. This phone is for you, only if, its entry-level processor, low audio and no dedicated MicroSD slot don’t sound like a deal-breaker to you. And of course, its lack of support for HD streaming means you won’t be able to stream your Netflix or Amazon Prime shows in high definition. The Z1 Pro is a hit or miss depending on what your requirements are. Its cost might discourage customers from buying it because there are a variety of other phones with similar or the same features at the same price point available in the market.