Blackview Wave 8, 4GB/256GB - Upcoming @Price in Kenya

Design and Display

The phone sports a 6.56 inch HD+ IPS display with a 90Hz refresh rate. The 90Hz refresh rate makes scrolling and animations feel smoother, though the 720p resolution and 269 ppi density mean it’s not the sharpest screen out there. Still, for everyday use like browsing, watching videos, or scrolling through social media, it gets the job done. The peak brightness of 450 nits is decent for indoor use, but you might struggle a bit in direct sunlight.

Performance and Software

Under the hood, the Wave 8 is powered by a Unisoc T606 chipset paired with 4GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. The 1.6 GHz octa-core processor handles basic tasks like messaging, light gaming, and multitasking fairly well, though it might stutter with more demanding apps. The inclusion of Android 14 with DokeOS 4.0 is a pleasant surprise, offering a clean and user friendly interface. Plus, the support for up to 2TB of external storage via a microSD card is a huge bonus for those who need extra space for photos, videos, or apps.

Camera Capabilities

For photography, the Wave 8 features a 13MP main camera with PDAF, which helps capture sharper images. It also supports features like panorama, portrait mode, HDR, and LED flash, giving you some flexibility for different shooting scenarios. The 8MP front camera is decent for selfies and supports face unlock, which works reasonably well in good lighting. While the cameras won’t blow you away, they’re perfectly fine for casual snapshots and video calls.

Battery Life

The 5000mAh battery easily lasts a full day with moderate use, and you can get up to 28 hours of music playback or 7.5 hours of video playback on a single charge. The 10W charging is a bit slow by today’s standards, but given the large battery capacity, it’s a trade-off you might be willing to accept.

Connectivity and Extras

The phone supports 4G network connectivity, ensuring fast internet speeds for browsing and streaming. It also comes with Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi hotspot, and GPS support for navigation. The USB Type-C port and USB OTG functionality are handy for connecting peripherals or transferring files. Overall, the connectivity options are solid for a phone in this price range.

Conclusion

The Blackview Wave 8 is a solid budget smartphone that offers good value for its price. It’s not perfect—the display could be sharper, and the charging speed is a bit slow—but for KSh 12,000, it’s hard to complain too much.