X

Lenovo S860: Big smartphone wth a big battery (pictures)

The Lenovo S860 is a bulky handset with an expansive display and a long-lasting battery, but it falls short with other specs. CNET's hands-on analysis tells you more.

Kent German
Kent was a senior managing editor at CNET News. A veteran of CNET since 2003, he reviewed the first iPhone and worked in both the London and San Francisco offices. When not working, he's planning his next vacation, walking his dog or watching planes land at the airport (yes, really).
Kent German
lenovo-s860-mwc.jpg
1 of 10 Andrew Hoyle/CNET
For a handset that should retail at just $349 unlocked, the Lenovo S860's IPS 5.3-inch screen has a solid 1,280x720-pixel HD resolution. It was just hi-res enough to make text easy to read.
lenovo-s860-mwc-4.jpg
2 of 10 Andrew Hoyle/CNET
To get the full experience of the display, you can choose from one of several themes.
lenovo-s860-mwc-5.jpg
3 of 10 Andrew Hoyle/CNET
We don't love the S860 has a fairly old version of Android (4.2 Jelly Bean). Lenovo says it will get an update to 4.4 KitKat at some point, but we have no idea as to when that will be. Also disappointing is the lack of support for LTE.
lenovo-s860-mwc-2.jpg
4 of 10 Andrew Hoyle/CNET
As with any Android phone, there are three touch controls just below the display for maneuvering through the menus. The icons are a bit small, but that's a nitpick.
lenovo-s860-mwc-3.jpg
5 of 10 Andrew Hoyle/CNET
You can take a selfie with the 1.6-megapixel front-facing camera above the display.
lenovo-s860-mwc-11.jpg
6 of 10 Andrew Hoyle/CNET
Of course, the 8-megapixel camera and a small flash are around back.
lenovo-s860-mwc-10.jpg
7 of 10 Andrew Hoyle/CNET
The battery cover has a smooth and shiny brushed metal design. Remove the cover to see the massive 4,000mAh battery, which promises a whopping 24 hours of 3G talk time, or 43 hours on 2G.
lenovo-s860-mwc-6.jpg
8 of 10 Andrew Hoyle/CNET
Flip the S860 on its side to see a volume rocker and the power control.
lenovo-s860-mwc-8.jpg
9 of 10 Andrew Hoyle/CNET
On the S860's bottom end are a speaker and a Micro-USB port.
lenovo-s860-mwc-9.jpg
10 of 10 Andrew Hoyle/CNET
The speaker sits off to the side of the charger port.

More Galleries

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
A houseplant

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera

20 Photos
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
magic-v2-2024-foldable-1383

Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra

10 Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
Samsung Galaxy S24

The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum

23 Photos
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
The Galaxy S24 Ultra in multiple colors

Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design

23 Photos
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
img-0368.jpg

I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites

34 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
Invitation for the Apple September iPhone 15 event

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About

18 Photos
AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?
img-1599-2.jpg

AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?

17 Photos