ZTE Skate Acqua Full Specs Pricing & ProsCons

Overview of ZTE Skate Acqua

The ZTE Skate Acqua was announced in February 2012 and released in the fourth quarter of the same year. It is a device that catered to the lower-mid range segment of the smartphone market at the time. While it has been discontinued, it still holds significance for its balanced specifications during its release period.

Design and Build

The ZTE Skate Acqua features a minimalist design typical of smartphones released in the early 2010s. It came in two color options: black and white, allowing users a simple choice. The body of the phone includes a mini-SIM slot, and although the exact dimensions and weight are not specified, it was designed to be a compact and portable device fitting well in hand.

Display

The device sports a 4.0-inch TFT display capable of showing 65K colors. With a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels and approximately 233 pixels per inch density, the visuals are reasonably clear and suitable for basic tasks such as browsing, calling, and messaging. However, compared to modern standards, the display might be considered quite limited.

Performance

Powered by the Qualcomm MSM7227A Snapdragon S1 chipset and a 1.0 GHz Cortex-A5 CPU, the ZTE Skate Acqua was designed for basic smartphone activities. The inclusion of the Adreno 200 GPU allowed for light gaming and basic multimedia consumption. Despite being considered modest by today’s standards, these specifications were serviceable when the device was initially launched.

Operating System

The device runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, which was one of the popular versions of Android at the time. This version provided a more refined user interface and introduced features such as resizable widgets and improved multitasking capabilities.

Memory and Storage

With 512MB RAM and 4GB of internal storage, the ZTE Skate Acqua supported essential applications and moderate usage. However, the limited RAM meant that multitasking was somewhat restricted. The presence of a microSDHC card slot allowed users to expand the storage, potentially increasing the device’s usability.

Camera

Equipped with a 5 MP autofocus rear camera with LED flash, the Skate Acqua could handle basic photography. It supported video recording at a resolution of 720p, which was satisfactory for typical sharing and social media usage at the time. Unfortunately, the device lacks a front-facing camera, limiting its appeal for video calls and selfies.

Connectivity

The ZTE Skate Acqua provided standard connectivity options, such as Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n with Wi-Fi Direct and hotspot capabilities, Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP and EDR, GPS with A-GPS for location tracking, and a stereo FM radio with RDS for entertainment. The availability of a microUSB 2.0 port allowed for charging and data transfer.

Battery Life

It features a removable Li-Ion 1600 mAh battery, which for its performance level, offered decent battery life, supporting the phone through a typical day's usage, depending on activity intensity.

Sensor and Additional Features

The device comes equipped with basic sensors like an accelerometer, proximity sensor, and compass, which allowed it to cater to various basic applications requiring motion detection and orientation awareness.

Conclusion

In summary, the ZTE Skate Acqua was a balanced entry-level smartphone during its time. Its combination of hardware was suitable for users with basic needs and served well in its target market segment. While its features might seem dated now, they represent an important stepping stone in the evolution of affordable smartphones.