ZTE Blade Q Comprehensive Review of Specs Pricing Pros & Cons

Introduction to ZTE Blade Q

The ZTE Blade Q is a budget-friendly smartphone that was first announced in October 2013 and released in January 2014. Though it has been discontinued, it remains an interesting option for users who appreciate simplicity and reliability, especially considering the value it offered at its release.

Build and Design

The ZTE Blade Q measures 135.5 x 67.8 x 9.8 mm and weighs 140 grams, making it a compact and lightweight device. It features a Mini-SIM slot, aligning with the standards of its release period. The phone was available in Black and White color options, providing a classic and modest design for its time. Despite its budget status, the design was quite respectable, balancing ergonomics and aesthetics adequately.

Display

Featuring a 4.5-inch IPS LCD screen, the ZTE Blade Q offers a resolution of 480 x 854 pixels. This results in a pixel density of approximately 218 ppi, which was adequate for standard browsing and media consumption during its time. The display accounts for around 60.7% of the body-to-screen ratio, which was relatively standard for devices from that year.

Performance and Hardware

The device is powered by a Mediatek MT6572 chipset built on the 28 nm process. It features a dual-core 1.3 GHz Cortex-A7 CPU coupled with a Mali-400 GPU. While not equipped to handle demanding applications or games, this configuration provides sufficient processing power for basic tasks such as calling, texting, browsing, and running light applications.

Memory

In terms of memory, the ZTE Blade Q includes 1GB of RAM, which helps in multitasking but limits the number of applications that can run smoothly in the background. It comes with 4GB of internal storage, which can be expanded using a microSDHC card. This expansion slot allows for more storage flexibility, which is essential given the limited built-in storage.

Camera

The ZTE Blade Q is equipped with a single 5 MP rear camera featuring autofocus and an LED flash. This setup is quite basic, catering to occasional photography rather than detailed captures. The device supports video recording but lacks advanced video functionalities. On the front, it sports a VGA camera, suitable for video calls, although not favorable for high-quality selfies or video content creation.

Battery Life

The phone is powered by a removable 1800 mAh Li-Ion battery. While this capacity may seem modest by today's standards, it was quite common for devices released in early 2014. The battery allows for a standby time of up to 300 hours on both 2G and 3G networks, with a talk time of up to 16 hours on 2G, and 12 hours on 3G. Such performance made the device reliable for users without frequent access to charging facilities.

Connectivity and Other Features

The connectivity features of the ZTE Blade Q comply with GSM and HSPA network technologies, supporting 2G and 3G bands including GSM 850/900/1800/1900 and HSDPA 850/900/1900/2100 bands. Though lacking 4G support, the phone was still capable of handling data speeds of up to 21.1/5.76 Mbps via HSPA network.

The device supports Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n and functions as a hotspot. Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP, FM radio, and microUSB 2.0 round out its connectivity options. Additionally, it includes sensors such as an accelerometer and proximity sensor. However, it lacks more advanced features like NFC.

Software

Operating on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, the ZTE Blade Q provides a straightforward user experience without the complex customizations found in later Android iterations. This version offers a familiar interface and access to Google's app ecosystem, though users may find limitations in app compatibility over time due to the lack of updates beyond Jelly Bean.

Conclusion

The ZTE Blade Q, with its budget-friendly design and basic set of features, was an attractive option for users seeking an affordable and reliable smartphone in 2014. Though technology has significantly evolved since the phone's release, leading to its discontinuation, the Blade Q remains a testament to ZTE's endeavor to deliver accessible technology to the masses. For those looking to explore mobile technology from a different era or for collectors of classic budget phones, the ZTE Blade Q serves as a modest yet noteworthy specimen.