The Lenovo VIBE S1 Lite seems to deliver a ton of camera for your $199

Lenovo wastes no time throwing itself in the 2016 smartphone races, for it just announced the new VIBE S1 Lite, which is supposed to put together affordability, performance, and entertainment. At a glance, the $199 handset seems like a bargain indeed, with its 5-inch 1080p-resolution display, octa-core CPU, and high megapixel camera setup. The latter is of particular interest, mind you, as it comprises two surprisingly elaborate units. The 8MP front camera comes complete with a Sony imaging sensor, a 5-piece lens, and a built-in selfie flash. It also stands out with its "panorama selfies" feature, which Lenovo touts as ideal for taking group shots.

There's more where that came from, though, as the S1 Lite also features a 13MP rear camera with phase-detection auto-focus and dual-LED Colour Correlated Temperature (CCT) two-tone flash — this one may be familiar to some of you from Lenovo-owned Motorola's last year Moto X and Moto Play handsets. It's a high-quality flash for sure, and we certainly aren't used to finding this kind of camera hardware mojo in sub-$200 smartphones. Then again, what sounds great on paper doesn't necessarily translate to excellence in practice, especially if the camera algorithms aren't up to snuff! So we'll have to see about this crucial part of the equation before we consider any judgement.

Moving further down the list of things supposed to pique your interest in Lenovo's latest, we reach a metallic frame and an ergonomic curved back which contribute to a sophisticated appearance. Speaking of design, the smartphone will be available in Matte White and Matte Blue. You will also find a 2700mAh battery & LTE connectivity in all models, along with 16GB of expandable storage in the base model.

The Lenovo VIBE S1 Lite will be available in all countries where the brand's smartphones are sold, except the United States. Hopefully, dear ol'Len will change its mind, for the S1 Lite sure seems competitive at its $199 price point.