[Real Users] My BLU Win HD LTE Review

[RumoredNow]

Who has a Blu Win HD LTE?

What's the good, the bad and the ugly? How long have you had it and what do you think?

Put your User Review here to help others. The more detail the better, we really appreciate hearing how it performs in the field.

Here is a quick spec sheet.:

• Dual Sim
• LTE enabled
• 5" IPS LCD display 720x1280 pixels, 294 ppi density
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 SoC, quad 1.2GHz A53, with Adreno 306 CPU
• 1GB RAM
• microSD slot stated at up to 32GB
• rear camera 8MP, autofocus, LED flash, video 1080p @30fps
• front camera 2MP
• accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
• WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, FM Radio, microUSB 2.0
• non-removable 2500 mAh battery

 

[Cortimi]

I just got one today, and after twenty minutes, I have completed my return label to return it ASAP to Microsoft. This phone is GARBAGE, from top to bottom. It is slower than a Lumia 635, and has more "Resuming......" than a Lumia 520. The screen has locked threes time while off and would not come back on via any button combo, resulting in a hard reset (imagine the fun in an emergency). This POS cannot run a single game I installed on it. Castle Clash, Clash of Lords 2, and Halo all instantly crash as soon as launched. The Spotify app causes the phone to completely lock up after a couple minutes use. The wifi signal (if you can get one) is absolutely laughable and doesn't last more than 30 seconds before it has to reconnect.

I was really hoping this phone might be something decent, but alas I should have known that a phone consisting of a new and untested CPU cobbled together with a bunch of cheap chips with no driver support, designed by an ODM for a white label "manufacturer" would produce some pretty **** poor results. This thing is a driver disaster, and I can pretty much rest assure than it will never improve as neither party is ever going to admit responsibility and try to improve matters. The phone is nothing but a show pony. It has "good" specs for a "good" price and looks decent in the Windows Phone portfolio, but in terms of real world use this thing is worthless.

In terms of performance: here is a real scenario, not kidding, this seriously just happened: Turned the phone off and on for the tenth time, waited for it to completely load up. Launched the Store app, and it sat "Loading...." until the screen timed out. Such speed, wow.

 

[werner6769]

Sounds like a defective unit, really.

 

[Bryce Kemo]

I recently picked up the blu hd lte. I have been using it for about a week now so I decided to write a review on it since there isn't too on the web about these phones.

Now my other phones is an apple and I am also running a note 3 as my daily driver. And I must say I am very happy with the blu. The dual sim support works well. It is very fast and responsive. I had to pick up a few paid apps to get my experience to where I want it to me. Gps I am running both gps copilot and also gmaps pro. Sonos connect was needed as well. Gps locks quick and works well when using copilot.

Overall I am impressed. Last time I touched a Windows phone was windows mobile 5 maybe 10+ years ago. The interface is intuitive. More so then I thought it would be. Voice recognition is fantastic. I downloaded microsoft insider and currently downloading what I think is gdr2 before the update to windows10. I may hold off on the windows 10 until a couple more builds come out.

Camera pictures are great! I've managed to get all the apps I need working. I haven't tried gaming yet but all my core apps and banking apps are available. Shazam also! Tunein works flawless. I haven't had any connection issues and voice calling quality seems to be better then my note 3 (but I am running a custom rom on my note).

8.1 seems to be rock solid. Not a single reboot or app crash has happened. Battery life is ok. Under daily use. Calling people. Texting. Playing maybe 30 minutes of video. Surfing the web. I have to charge my phone every night. It can get a good 20 hours on battery with moderate use. But my note 3 with a custom rom can get nearly 2 days with heavy use...

Bang for buck this phone can't be beat. It has lte support and dual sim support which is a big one for me so now I don't have to carry a work phone and a personal phone. Both sims are active at the same time but only one can have data at once.

For a entry level phone I recommend this phone to people. It doesn't beat a high end Samsung or an iPhone 6 but under 200$ shipped to my door for a brand new phone with warranty without a contract is amazing.

It really seems like windows phone os is maturing and this phone will have the ability to upgrade to Windows 10.

 

[smchambers56]

Got mine today (white) First it is one nice looking phone. I will run it though it's paces and compare speed with my 1520 in the next few day's. But I must say so far I am impressed (look, feel, speed) with this phone so far....

 

[luokui]

So I returned the first copy of this phone (got at the online MS store; it was defective) to the local windows store, and they exchanged it no problem! I'm still getting familiar with the phone, but it is very quick. Compared with the Moto G (2014, similar specs) the interface seems generally much faster. I like windows 8.1, the interface itself seems much more intuitive to navigate then Android.

This phone has a really nice screen, colors are vibrant and seem accurate. The phone itself is slightly taller than the Moto G, but feels thinner. They feel roughly the same in my pocket for what it's worth.

I've spent some time testing the camera. It's OK, but not great. The biggest issue is the dynamic range. The phone needs to have an HDR option built into it. I've had the best results with setting the exposure compensation at -2, but in daylight scenes, I'm still getting some over exposed highlights. I'll need to practice with it some more. The detail seems fine, at least in well lit scenes.

I haven't used video much. In decent light the videos looks fine. In low(ish) light it's fairly grainy. When I say low light, that's relative. It was still somewhat bright out, but the sun was setting, and it was under some tree cover -- I'm not sure what the iso was on that video segment.

Connectivity wise the cell connection seems good. Wifi signal isn't that great. Bluetooth works well, but I haven't been able to get this to work with my fitbit, so I suspect that it's LE was not implemented in this phone (kind of bummed about that).

 

[WoodenMind]

Just picked up a BLU WinHD LTE (grey) at the Microsoft Store for $179. After my 635 was fatally injured on a concrete floor a couple of weeks ago, I began looking for a replacement. I was hoping AT&T would be getting the 640 but alas that doesn't seem to be happening any time soon and I found the 640 XL to be too large. The 830 is beautiful but expensive and I found the squared-off edges uncomfortable for prolonged one-handed use (plus knowing the AT&T version still doesn't have full Denim). I could have grabbed another 635 for $50 but wanted something larger and with 1GB RAM which appears to be the minimum for a good Windows 10 experience.

Compared to the 635, the screen is wonderful and I like having capacitive keys, despite the lack of haptic feedback. It certainly "seems faster", whether that's due to the 1GB RAM or Snapdragon 410 chipset. I've not really tried out the camera yet so can't comment on that.

After moving my SIM over I was only getting HSPA+, but a quick call to AT&T to give them my IMEI and I'm now getting LTE speeds.

Negatives: WiFi reception is weak, the lack of Gorilla Glass is noticeable when using WordFlow (the finger doesn't quite flow as easily) and the call speaker volume is low even when turned up to maximum. Not having used Glance before it's not something I miss but might be if you're used to it.

Overall, I'm very happy with the decision and hopefully BLU's record of timely upgrades will continue with Windows 10.

 

[SharkyNY]

In so far as the screen's responsiveness, did you keep the pre-installed screen protector on there. I've heard that many Blu phones suffer from responsiveness issues and that once that screen protector is removed response improves.

 

[RumoredNow]

In so far as the screen's responsiveness, did you keep the pre-installed screen protector on there. I've heard that many Blu phones suffer from responsiveness issues and that once that screen protector is removed response improves.

Or match it with a more upscale protector... I know sizing is hard. When I had my 1st gen Win HD I used a trim to fit off the shelf at Walmart and the touch was fine.

 

[WoodenMind]

No issues with screen responsiveness that I can see (either mine or the store models). I usually type swype-style but I can't reproduce the missing characters issue that others have reported when tapping quickly. The LTE version doesn't come with a screen protector installed, just one in the box. I haven't installed that.

 

[RumoredNow]

Blu Win HD LTE Review

Out of curiosity, I had gotten a 1st gen Win HD. I liked it well enough having scaled my expectations to match the price. I selected it as a backup device and I drove it daily for about a month. Then fate intervened and I sold it off as I quickly moved through a 928 and then an 830 as a backup. Meanwhile, The Blu Win HD LTE had come out and I actually began to miss my 1st gen Win HD.

The 830 is now gone and I'm back to Blu for a backup, baby.

My Blu Win HD LTE arrived just over two weeks ago and I have been using it daily since then. Once more, I'm satisfied with what I got for the price. Time for a review. I'm semi plagerizing from the 1st gen review I did, but there are a lot of differences and upgrades to the HD LTE…

What it doesn’t do or doesn’t have:
No Glance
No Double-Tap to Wake
No Lumia Firmware and all that comes with that; Lumia Camera, Gestures Beta, etc.
No Sensor Core goodies

Now that the above is out of the way, let’s talk about the actual phone.

After a couple of weeks I’m convinced this is a phone I can use on an extended basis. Battery life is good with the 2500 mAh battery and the efficient Snapdragon 410 SOC. A big increase in SoC over the 1st gen's SD 200 and better, even, than a bunch of current Lumias running SD 400. Battery is important to most users. I’m a light to moderate user, so I’m getting sometimes 2 days out of my Win HD between charges and always more than enough for a full day. I'm also fiddling with it a lot (don't we always with new phones?), keep the screen on high and I am running Bluetooth 24/7. More on the Bluetooth later...

The display is nice for the money. It looks very sharp at 294 ppi. It’s 720p with 720 x 1280 pixels on the 5” diagonal display. I will say also that I am biased toward IPS LCD such as is included on the Win HD LTE. I just favor it over AMOLED. Other users will disagree and that’s fine too. I like the more natural tones of LCD. There are no Brightness or Color Profile settings, but the firmware seems to have dialed in the display to a nice point that is at once lively and usable. One thing to note: the automatic brightness adjustment doesn’t seem to want to compensate for bright, direct sunlight. I don’t know why. I just keep Brightness set to high manually. A quirk that disappoints on an otherwise very nice display. Note that the front of the phone isn't Gorilla Glass...

Blu does include a screen protector that is an exact fit from the top of the panel all the way down to the bottom of the capacitive button tray. Great news!!! There are Tempered Glass protectors available for Win HD LTE. I just ordered one and it should be in next week. Blu also gives you a free case. It's a simple TPU case, but the color match to your phone is excellent and it provides a good grip with adequate bump protection. Also in the box is a pair of earbuds and a 1 amp charger and data cable. All in all, it's a nice unboxing for a budget phone.

Buttons. The buttons on the 1st gen HD were awkward. Constant unwanted Screen Shots from the volume and power buttons being on the opposite sides of the phone. Blu has solved this as the Win HD LTE mimics Lumia button placement. The navigation bar is capacitive, not on screen. The Back/Start/Search buttons light up very softly and only for a moment after one of the buttons is tapped. There is no haptic feedback. Some might complain, but I pretty much just know where these buttons are by instinct after so long on Windows Phone. I appreciate the soft glow as well.

I chose Neon Yellow for my phone’s color. The Orange seems impossible to get for some reason. I like the Yellow a lot. It’s much more vibrant that the lumia yellow on my 1520.3. I really think I'm done with black phones if it can be helped and I never liked white on a phone.Overall I find the phone very attractive. It is slim and easily pocketable. It is very reminiscent of the HTC One series. There is a bit of heft to it that belies the plastic construction.

There is a removable back, two micro SIM slots and a micro SD card slot. All very nice and easy to access. The battery is sealed, but it is behind a piece of stick on film. I imagine if needed, a user could peel back the film and replace the battery fairly easily. I’ve inserted a class 10 SanDisk 32GB card I have that is already loaded with media and where I store my pictures and videos taken. No issues with read or write and it plays music and video quite nicely off the card. I’m the type to only put disposable media on card so don’t ask about App speed. The 8GB internal storage does get cramped rather quickly. If this were to be my daily driver I guess I would have to move some Apps to SD card.

I started by using a Straight Talk AT&T compatible SIM, I quickly moved over to Cricket, another ATT mvno. I have a nano SIM because of my 1520. I have an adapter with a tough plastic sheet for a backing. A bit of double sided sticky tape and the nano stays put in the adapter. No issues with insertion or removal in the HD LTE’s slot. I’m only using one SIM, but can say the Blu is set up as a dual standby where you can decide what each SIM is for and can use both simultaneously for voice. Data use above GSM (2G) is limited to one slot at a time. The phone did not read my SIM for data and I had to manually set up my APN and MMS. No biggie. Any user should always be prepared to do so. Removing the SIM and reinserting it is fine. The Win HD LTE remembers the SIM and goes back to your settings.

Calling. Calls on the Blu are clear and clean sounding. On the handset, on the speakerphone, on the Bluetooth headset – the sound quality is there. Volume is much better than on the 1st gen HD where it was only adequate at max volume. I like to have reserve volume for when things get noisy on my end. The HD LTE has volume left in reserve on the earpiece and the speaker which was a shortcoming with the previous model. I've confirmed the Blu sounds nice on the other end of the call when I dial out.

Data. The Blu Win HD LTE gets the fastest H+ available (up to 42.2 mbps) and cat 4 LTE (up to 150mbps) and my phone has shown no issues keeping and maintaining a data connection with my new carrier, Cricket. The antenna and radio in the Blu is as capable as any I’ve used and my signal lock is outstanding for voice and data.

Out of the box my phone had Windows Phone 8.1 Update and immediately went to 8.1 Update 2. I believe the Blu phones got Update 2 near the head of the pack of Windows Phones, even beating out most of the Lumias that are receiveing Update 2. Blu seems to be fully behind supporting the platform and have pledged that Windows 10 Mobile is coming to this device. I’ve poked around on this phone pretty comprehensively. Blu did not add anything to the OS. There is no “skin;” no Blu Apps, add-ons or oddities. Think “AOSP” and you’ll see where the Blu is coming from. They didn’t add any value to the OS, but they also didn’t mess it up by tinkering around…

Snapdragon 410 SOC, 8GB internal memory (but you can expand that via microSD slot) and 1 GB RAM. The phone runs pretty smooth. For every day chores the phone zings along just fine. I don't see any lag in my Hungry Shark Evolution. The scrolling is smooth with tilt control, it looks very nice on the 5" 720p screen and the screams of the swimmers when I crunch them up is very clear, loud and satisfying on the speaker. I’ve not seen any lag on the phone inside of Apps – even somewhat high bitrate videos in MoliPlayer Pro. I’ve not done any intense gaming, but I don’t really do that on my high end phones either. Maybe another user will address that area more fully. I wouldn’t expect the world out of the quad core 1.2 GHz CPU and Adreno 306 GPU combo. Great for every day – maybe not so much for power play. Let’s remember this is a value device. It is serving me well so far. A couple of very brief "Resuming" screens but nothing ongoing and annoying. It happens on almost every Windows Phone.

While we are talking about hardware… The Blue Win HD LTE has an accelerometer, proximity sensor, gyro, compass and an ambient light sensor. Not all of these are present on every budget device so take that into consideration when checking specs. No issues with Bluetooth, also no weird WiFi problems. GPS seems to work without issue and at acceptable speeds (seems about the same as my 1520), USB works as expected and there is an FM radio on board (which, of course, needs a wired headset for an antenna).

Just like the 1st gen HD, I have not once felt this device build up heat. Kudos to Blu on that...

Let’s talk about the cameras… They don’t have that Lumia firmware tweak to them. They are serviceable QCAM-AA models (front and rear) that are rather generic. I’ve found them to be adequate. Don’t expect too much from them and be ready to work a bit is all. I think their shortcoming is in direct sunlight. There you may have to play with the white balance or exposure via manual settings. Microsoft Camera is the default camera App. Do yourself a favor and get some other camera Apps to help beef up what the 8MP rear and 2MP front cameras are capable of and to expand your editing options. I've found Camera360 Sight to be a great point and shoot App on this phone.

Here are a couple of sample pics:
(Camera 360 Sight, auto settings)


(Camera360 Sight, slight adjustment to increase exposure)


(Camera360 Sight, HDR mode)



For the Blu Win HD LTE, they moved the rear camera from in the center near the top to the very top left (when looking at the phone from the rear). It takes a bit of training to not get your finger in the way of the lens, I'm sure this is a compromise based on how much they jam in on the top of the phone... But it is a bit awkward.

Here's a screen shot of my Start Screen so you can see how cleanly detailed the screen looks:



About the Bluetooth being on 24/7 that I mentioned at the top. I paired the HD LTE with a wearable. I took a chance on Pebble and managed to get notifications pushing out to it with some help from a very knowledgable member on this site. It more than makes up for no Glance. I mean the notifications are fast and detailed and very tuneable. I'm also looking to get some fitness functions sideloaded onto the Pebble to make up for the lack of Motion Core integration in the Firmware.


In conclusion: I think the Blu Win HD LTE is a worthy all around for budget shoppers and a good buy for those flagship users who want a decent backup without breaking the bank. I’m very pleased with my purchase and glad I picked up another Blu. I'm really looking forward to seeing what Win 10 Mo will bring to this class of device. I also think I'm done shuffling back up phones for a bit. I'll stand pat with the Win HD LTE - I’d buy it again or recommend it to another. This is an especially nice bargain if you can catch it on sale. Pair this device with a wearable to get the most use out of it and you won't miss the Lumia firmware nearly so much.


Pros:
The screen looks very vivid and clear
The styling is nice and Neon Colors are great if you like that sort of thing - Also comes in dark gray or Wwhite for classicists
Good all-around handling of the no-frills OS
Blu has a good updates record
1GB RAM
Wide array of sensors included
SD Slot
Battery life is good
Zero heat issues
Dual SIM (active)
Value for the money
Extras in the box

Cons:
The firmware is a bit less than Lumia users expect
Sensor Core not leveraged
Camera needs manual love to coax the best out of it
Camera placement is a bit awkward

 

[Philip Hamm]

Thanks for the detailed review! I'm loving my Win HD LTE personally. Coming from a 635 I missed SensorCore at first, but I got a FitBit so I don't miss that feature any more.

The earbuds that come with this phone sound horrible. Some of the worst earbuds I've ever encountered.

 

[RumoredNow]

Thanks for the detailed review! I'm loving my Win HD LTE personally. Coming from a 635 I missed SensorCore at first, but I got a FitBit so I don't miss that feature any more.

The earbuds that come with this phone sound horrible. Some of the worst earbuds I've ever encountered.

Glad to hear I'm not the only one rounding the HD LTE out with a wearable. Didja see FitBit launched their Universal App?

I never even unpackage earbuds anymore. I have so many pairs... Does remind me I should get the pair out of my 1520 box. They are supposed to be fantastic sounding.

 

[Philip Hamm]

Yeah I just wish the FitBit would work with notifications. From what I've read it's in the works.

 

[beman39]

well I just wanted to add my 2 cents or even pesos maybe, but I just received my phone today and I'm actually very happy with it, the size is a little small cuzz I'm used to my Lumia 1520 and I don't think I will ever like going down in size... BUT the size is actually really good though. the phone is smooth and snappy and the color of the screen is better than I thought it would be. BTW I have read other posts of people complaining that the capacitive buttons don't light up, and I can tell you that mine do light, albeit very dimly... the phone feels incredibly light and thin (guess so after using the beast) but cheaply made... I slapped in my 128GB MicroSD card and was pleasantly glad it worked! I am in the process of updating my phone which allows me to write this little review :excited: what I really like and a little impressed is at least BLU gives you a screen protector and phone protector with your purchase, cuzz not even the heavy hitters do that! I think all these should be mandatory with such expensive phones! so I will give this phone a test run for a week or two and see if I still like it... if anyone else is thinking about getting one I got 2 words for you... DO IT! lol

 

[fatclue_98]

My turn. Just picked up a Win HD LTE for peanuts and I'm quite impressed. The most logical device to compare it to would be the 640, which I also have. As far as general fit & finish, Blu has come a long way since the Dash and Studio series of Androids from a couple of years ago. They've paid some attention to fine details by putting some texture on the physical button faces to quickly identify them without a glance. Speaking of, I don't miss Glance one bit because it's the first thing I deactivate so no comment. But then they go and leave out haptic feedback on the capacitive buttons. Huh?

On the hardware side, the 410 SoC makes a noticeable difference over the 640's silicon. It's that much better. As some others have mentioned, Wi-Fi range is very limited but it does hang on well. Bluetooth fares a lot better and doesn't drop any connections. The 640 has a good GSM radio but this thing is a reception champ. When other phones drop into 4G, the Blu still shows 2 bars of LTE. I'm on T-Mobile and we all know how strong their signal is indoors. OK, it sucks.

As for software, I was pleasantly surprised to see 8.1 Update 2 onboard. No 10 yet but at least Blu hasn't forsaken the updates. Very promising. I can stop here and easily recommend this device over the 640 but that wouldn't be ethical.

The camera on this thing is probably worse than the Dell Venue Pro. Anybody who's been here a while knows how much I despised the shooter on that otherwise gorgeous phone. Outdoor shots with plenty of natural light are passable for sharing on Facebook and that type of thing. Once the flash gets involved, it's over. I mean stick a fork in it, it's done. I tried Camera 365 and it didn't help with the low-light shots, the flash is the culprit.

This is a really good phone with nice styling, a peppy CPU and an unbelievable GSM radio. But that camera.....

 

[rich4A1]

Seems I'm with the minority, but I do have touch response problem. It's not fatal, but it often confuses two separate taps with one long tap. Could there be some settings to mitigate this?

 

[RumoredNow]

Seems I'm with the minority, but I do have touch response problem. It's not fatal, but it often confuses two separate taps with one long tap. Could there be some settings to mitigate this?

What do you have on your screen?

Naked?

Included screen protector?

Aftermarket protector?

FWIW I think naked makes these units jumpy and the included protector is blah. I've got an aftermarket Tempered Glass on mine. Feels great responds well, if sometime requiring a firm touch.

 

[john24ssj]

I bugged up the screen protector that come with the phone and bough a cheap one which gave me touch issues, so then later I bough slightly more expensive one and haven't had an issue since

RumoredNow what screen protector are you using?

 

[RumoredNow]

RumoredNow what screen protector are you using?

This is the one I got: Supershieldz Ballistic Tempered Glass Screen Protector Film for Blu Win HD LTE | eBay

IMHO, it adds a more "normal" feel to the screen.