In the last couple of years, the Chinese smartphone makers are all racing to achieve the same goal: Launch a premium, flagship phone at a fraction of the price of an iPhone or a Samsung Galaxy.
ZTE is no exception. On paper, its new flagship Axon 7 passes the specs test with flying colors -- even surpassing most rivals in certain areas. In fact, its performance is high enough to be one of the first phones to claim support for Google Daydream -- the mobile VR platform Google just launched at its I/O developer conference.
SEE ALSO:Android N gets enhanced VR functions with DaydreamThe 5.5-inch device is powered by a Snapdragon 820 processor; it has a 2,560 x 1,440 AMOLED screen, a 20-megapixel rear camera (coupled with an 8-megapixel camera), a 3,250 mAh (milliamp-hour) battery, and either 64GB or 128GB of storage, expandable via microSD card.
Credit: ZTEThe Axon 7's biggest claim to fame, however is RAM: The phone comes in two configurations, either with 4GB or a whopping 6GB of RAM, which is 2GB more than the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, or 4GB more than an iPhone 6S Plus.
Of course, it's not just how much RAM the phone has -- how the memory is handledmakes far more difference in real-world performance. Still, more RAM probably can't hurt, and even the cheapest ZTE Axon 7 variant has plenty.
Other specs of note are a fingerprint scanner, dual stereo speakers (coupled with what ZTE calls a dual Hi-Fi chipset) and Force Touch tech (similar to Apple's 3D Touch display), which is only available in the most expensive variant.
This leaves us with the question of price. The Axon 7 is available in two versions: The Basic edition goes for 2,899 RMB (yuan) or $442. The Standard edition costs 3,299 RMB or $503, while the Force Touch-equipped Premium edition costs 4,099 RMB or $625.
The combination of extremely powerful specs and the pricing makes ZTE Axon 7 a pretty attractive option for anyone looking to buy an Android phone. Yes, it costs more than the Xiaomi Mi 5, or the OnePlus 2 but its specs are better. And it's cheaper than most other flagships, including the Huawei P9, the iPhone 6S Plus and the Samsung Galaxy S7, even though it beats all of them in terms of specifications.
Credit: ZTEOn Thursday, ZTE has also launched the ZTE VR, a virtual reality headset with a 96-degree field of vision, and a built-in 9-axis gyro sensor. It's priced at 518 RMB or $79.
The prices are for China; there's no word on when the ZTE Axon 7 or its VR counterpart might reach U.S. shores.
Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.
TopicsAndroid
(责任编辑：娛樂)
Carlos Beltran made a very interesting hair choiceHere's how you can work with Maisie Williams on her new short filmNetflix canceled 'Santa Clarita Diet' and the fans are so madOppo F11 Pro hands
Hiddleswift finally followed each other on Instagram after 3 excruciating daysSingapore gets world's first driverless taxis
SINGAPORE -- The world's first self-driving taxis started picking up passengers in Singapore on Thur
...[详细]Apple says Spotify wants to 'make more money off others' work'
Well, it's on now. Yesterday, Spotify publicly filed a complaint against Apple to the European Commi
...[详细]Devil May Cry 5 review: This game absolutely rules
Sometimes when I’m thinking about video games with my Video Game Writer hat on, I forget that
...[详细]Twitter takes down Trump campaign video after Warner Bros. copyright claim
Twitter has taken down a video posted by Donald Trump following a copyright complaint.The apparent 2
...[详细]Plane makes emergency landing after engine rips apart during flight
A Southwest Airlines flight bound for Orlando, Florida, made an emergency landing Saturday morning d
...[详细]Trump admin considers using social media to deny you benefits
As if you needed another reason to stop posting on Facebook. The Trump administration is reportedly
...[详细]Paul Rudd is 50 years old and the internet doesn't believe him
Some people age well, and then there's Paul Rudd. The Avengers: Endgameactor turned 50 years old on
...[详细]The explosive expansion of dockless e-scooters from startups like Lime and Bird in cities all around
...[详细]One of the most controversial power struggles in media comes to a close
One of the world's biggest media companies has been embroiled in a complex personal and professional
...[详细]Twitter secretly verified Jack Dorsey's mom and thousands of others despite 'pause'
Jack Dorsey's mother and father, the '80s band Whitesnake, a "war room" associated with Donald Trump
...[详细]Researchers create temporary tattoos you can use to control your devices
Spending 20 minutes in nature reduces your stress level, study says