Benco V91 Plus Review: TechLekh Verdict
The Benco V91 Plus provides a typical budget phone experience. It has an attractive, clean, and modern design, but the camera experience is not good.
The phone performs decently within its price range, and the display is adequate, though the colors can seem somewhat muted, which might not be ideal for all users.
The Benco V91 Plus is a stylish smartphone with average performance in all department.”
Tecno Spark 30C and Redmi 14C are better alternatives, providing a much better experience for a similar price tag.
Pros
- Attractive design
- 90Hz display
- Good battery life
- Bloatware free lightweight OS
Cons
- Android 13
- Average camera
- Average performance
- Dull display
- Lack of customization options
Expanding its lineup of entry-level smartphones, Benco has launched the Benco V91 Plus, an upgrade of the Benco V91.
Benco V91 Plus price in Nepal is Rs. 14,999 for the single 6GB/128GB variant. It comes in two colorways: Sunrise White and Volcanic Grey.
The Benco V91 Plus builds on the foundation of the Benco V91 and V91C. Although it shares a similar appearance with the V91C, the hardware upgrades are subtle.
Can the Benco V91 Plus truly stand out in the competitive budget segment? Let’s dive in. I’m Anmol Shrestha, and here’s my take on the Benco V91 Plus.
Benco V91 Plus Specifications
- Body: 162.94 x 74.69 x 8.99 mm, 193 g
- SIM: Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by)
- Display: 6.56-inch, IPS LCD, 720 x 1612 pixels, 90Hz, 500nits (peak)
- Chipset: UNISOC T606 (12 nm)
- CPU: Octa-core (2x 1.6 GHz Cortex-A75 and 6x 1.6 GHz Cortex-A55)
- GPU: Mail-G57
- Memory: 128GB 6GB RAM, microSD card support
- OS: Android 13
- Rear Camera: 50MP, f/1.8, AF
- 2MP (macro)
- Video: Yes
- Front Camera: 8MP, f/2.0
- Video: Yes
- Battery: Non-removable 5000mAh Li-po battery, 18W charging
- USB: USB Type-C
- Sensors: Fingerprint (side-mounted), gyro, accelerometer, proximity, compass
- 3.5mm Headphone Jack: Yes
- Colors: Sunrise White, Volcanic Grey
Benco V91 Plus Price in Nepal: Rs. 14,999 (6/128GB)
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Benco V91 Plus Review
Good Design
- 162.94 x 74.69 x 8.99 mm
- 193 g
The Benco V91 Plus shares an identical design with the Benco V91C. However, the marble texture on the rear panel sets it apart, giving it a unique aesthetic. Additionally, the smooth finish of the back panel subtly shifts colors when light hits it from different angles.
For a budget smartphone, the Benco V91 Plus manages to feel premium. The sturdy plastic body offers both durability and comfort, while its polished look gives it a premium vibe.
On the right side of the Benco V91 Plus, you’ll find the power and volume buttons. The integrated fingerprint sensor within the power button offers convenient and dependable unlocking.
The design of the Benco V91 Plus is both sleek and stylish, making it an eye-catching choice.
The Benco V91 Plus places a dual SIM slot and a dedicated microSD card slot on the left side for convenient storage expansion. At the bottom, there’s a USB Type-C port, speaker, and primary microphone, while the top has a 3.5mm headphone jack and a secondary microphone to boost call audio.
At Rs. 14,999, the Benco V91 Plus stands out with its modern hole-punch design and minimal front bezels, making it an attractive choice in the budget smartphone market.
Decent Display
- 6.56 inches IPS LCD
- 720 x 1612 pixels
- 90Hz refresh rate
- 500 nits (peak)
The Benco V91 Plus comes equipped with the same 6.56-inch IPS LCD panel as the Benco V91 Plus, featuring a 90Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 500 nits.
The panel is adequate, offering good colors, though the color reproduction is a bit subdued as expected from an entry-level phone. The 720p resolution is typical for this category, and the display is sharp enough for social media and YouTube content.
The display panel is sharp, but the colors lack vibrancy.
While the Benco V91 Plus offers a peak brightness of 500 nits, it’s not quite sufficient for comfortable viewing under direct sunlight. It’s not as problematic as it might seem, but users will still face challenges when using the phone outdoors in bright conditions.
The Benco V91 Plus’s ability to maintain a consistent 90Hz refresh rate across most apps when set to 90Hz is particularly noteworthy. This feature is often lacking in smartphones within this price range, even from top brands like Redmi, making the V91 Plus’s optimization stand out. However, Redmi 14C is way better than Benco V91c interms of pure picture quality.
Average Performance
- UNISOC T606 (12nm)
- Octa-core (2×1.6 GHz Cortex-A75 & 6×1.6 GHz Cortex-A55)
- Mali-G57
- 128GB 6GB RAM
The Benco V91 Plus utilizes the same chipset as the Benco V91C, the Unisoc T606. It’s a reliable chipset for entry-level smartphones, having already been tested in devices like the Tecno Spark Go 2024.
V91 Plus performance is only average for the price.
While the Benco V91C felt a bit sluggish in daily performance, the V91 Plus delivers a noticeably faster experience. UI navigation and app loading times are significantly improved, feeling much smoother and less laggy. This is likely due to the inclusion of a larger 6GB of RAM.
In benchmark tests like ANTUTU 10, GeekBench 6, and 3DMark WildLife, the Benco V91c performs decent, just underperforming the Unisoc T615 found in the Teco Spark Go 1. Similarly, it does fine in gaming performance but it is not the best bang for the buck option.
Gaming
In my testing, I played PUBG Mobile with the “Smooth” graphics and “High” fps setting. I achieved an average FPS of 24.6 over 30 minutes of gameplay. For a budget-friendly phone, that’s not a bad performance.
In comparison, Tecno Spark 30C performs much better with significantly higher average fps. Furthermore, it is cheaper than the Beno V91 Plus, making it a better gaming option.
In conclusion, while the Benco V91 Plus offers solid performance for its price, it doesn’t quite match up to the level of its competitors. Other devices in the entry-level segment provide better overall performance.
Average Main Camera
-
- Rear Camera: 50MP (main), f/2.0
- 2MP (macro)
- Rear Camera: 50MP (main), f/2.0
- Front Camera: 8MP
The camera experience on the Benco V91 Plus is less than satisfactory. It features a 50MP main sensor, a 2MP macro camera, and an auxiliary AI lens. On the front, there’s an 8MP selfie camera.
Average Main Camera
Benco seems to have resolved the noticeable focusing issue in the Benco V91C. The V91 Plus now offers a decent shutter speed, keeping subjects in focus almost all the time. However, the detail and dynamic range remain average at best. The background can often be washed out in high dynamic range (HDR) situations.
I compared the V91 Plus with the Redmi 14C, and while the Redmi 14C is a clear winner, the V91 Plus still captured better photos in some scenarios.
Portrait Mode
Portrait mode photos on budget phones rarely stand out, and the Benco V91 Plus is no exception. Yet, its portraits are better than those captured by the Redmi 14C. The Redmi 14C excels in background blur, but the V91 Plus shines with more vibrant colors. Subject separation is slightly better on the V91 Plus as well.
Front Camera
The selfie camera takes less than average photos. The color reproduction is fine but the lack of sharpness and detail on the subject make the selfies less than ideal. Also, the dynamic range is on the lower side.
Videos
- 1080@30fps
The Benco V91 Plus records video at 1080p at 30fps with its main camera. However, the video quality is subpar, characterized by low detail and sharpness. The footage tends to appear flat, with excessive noise and crushed shadows. Color reproduction is also lacking, and the videos suffer from noticeable shakiness.
Overall, the camera of the V91 Plus feels average for the price.
Battery and Speaker
- 5000mAh
- 18W wired charging
Benco V91 Plus rocks a 5000mAh battery and 18W fast charging. Unlike the V91c, the 18W charger charger is included in the box.
At its price point, the Benco V91 Plus delivers a satisfactory battery life.
With a 5000mAh battery and a low power consumption chipset, the Benco V91 Plus easily provides two days of battery life under moderate usage. During mixed-use, including an hour of gaming, I was getting about 6 hours of screen time. As for charging, it takes 2.5 hours for a full charge, which is not particularly fast.
The single speaker is decent—loud enough, but the sound quality remains average.
Software
- Android 13
- INONE UI
The V91 Plus runs on Android 13 along with INONE UI, the same as the Benco V91c.
Benco V91 Plus doesn’t offer Android 14 out of the box.
The INONE UI on the Benco V91 Plus remains relatively unchanged, providing a minimalistic interface with limited customization options. It’s worth noting that the phone is almost entirely free of bloatware, making it feel fast and clean.
Although the overall software experience doesn’t vary much from previous Benco phones, a new feature called Smart Window has been introduced. This feature adds animations for face unlock, charging, and background phone calls within the hole-punch region—a nice touch, but the UI itself remains fairly basic.
In summary, while the software experience is not bad, Benco could do more to improve customization options for those who want a more personalized interface.
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So, this is my Benco V91 Plus review. What do you think about the phone? If you have any questions, please let me know in the comments!