ZTE Blade A520 Comprehensive Specs Pricing Pros & Cons

Design and Build Quality

The ZTE Blade A520 boasts a sleek and modern design, characterized by its lightweight construction and compact dimensions. Measuring 144 x 71 x 8.4 mm and weighing only 130 grams, this smartphone is incredibly portable and comfortable to use one-handed. It is housed in a plastic body with a glossy finish, which, while attractive, might be susceptible to fingerprints. The phone features a hybrid dual SIM slot, allowing users to either use two Nano-SIM cards or one Nano-SIM and a microSD card for additional storage flexibility.

Display Characteristics

The device is equipped with a 5.0-inch IPS LCD screen that offers a resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels, translating to a density of approximately 294 pixels per inch. This configuration results in vibrant colors and decent viewing angles, making it suitable for watching videos and browsing the internet. Although not Full HD, the screen quality is commendable for a phone in this price range. The screen-to-body ratio stands at about 67.4%, providing a reasonable display area without making the phone too bulky.

Performance and Hardware

Under the hood, the ZTE Blade A520 runs on a Mediatek MT6737 chipset, coupled with a quad-core 1.25 GHz Cortex-A53 CPU, and a Mali-T720MP2 GPU. This combination delivers a modest performance, capable of handling day-to-day tasks such as social media usage, web browsing, and basic gaming. However, users might experience some lag when running intensive applications or multitasking heavily. The phone comes with two variants of RAM and storage: 1GB/8GB and 2GB/16GB; both can be expanded via a microSD card (using the shared SIM slot). The additional storage option is essential, given the limited internal storage.

Operating System and Software

The smartphone operates on Android 7.0 Nougat, providing a user-friendly and intuitive interface. While it might lack some of the features found in more recent Android versions, Nougat offers a decent range of functionalities and enhances the overall user experience. Given the hardware limitations, the software is optimized to ensure a smooth operation with minimal lag.

Camera Capabilities

The ZTE Blade A520 is equipped with an 8 MP rear camera featuring autofocus, LED flash, HDR, and panorama mode, capable of capturing 1080p video at 30fps. The quality of the photos is decent in good lighting conditions, but it struggles in low-light environments, a common drawback in budget phones. For selfies, users have the choice between an 8 MP and a 2 MP front camera option. The front camera also suffices in well-lit environments for basic video calls and selfies but doesn't offer high dynamic range imagery.

Battery Life and Connectivity

With a removable 2400 mAh Li-Ion battery, the Blade A520 can last a full day on moderate usage, including basic browsing, calls, and media consumption. However, heavy or extended use such as gaming or prolonged navigation might necessitate recharging before the day's end. In terms of connectivity, the device supports GSM, HSPA, and LTE networks, and offers Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, and an FM radio. It lacks NFC and uses a standard microUSB 2.0 for charging and data transfer.

Price and Availability

Initially announced in March 2017 and released in May 2017, the ZTE Blade A520 continues to be an accessible option in several markets due to its affordable price point, starting at around 80 EUR. Given its balance of features and cost, it remains a viable option for users seeking a basic smartphone without breaking the bank.

Conclusion

The ZTE Blade A520 is a budget-friendly smartphone that caters to users seeking basic functionalities and decent performance for everyday tasks. While it may not support high-end gaming or advanced photography, it provides satisfactory value with its design, build, and core features. Perfect as a secondary phone or for users who require a simple yet efficient communication device, the Blade A520 brings practicality to budget-conscious consumers.