ZTE has big ambitions to join the
likes of HTC and Samsung at the top of the Android pile, and the ZTE Grand X is
the company’s biggest statement of intent yet. With stock Android 4.0 Ice Cream
Sandwich and a dual-core Tegra 2 processor, the Grand X sets out to give you a
lot of bangs for not a lot of bucks. If the ZTE Grand X heralds anything,
though, it’s the emergence of an Android middle class.
Price: $299
Website: www.virginmobile.com
Ratings: 3/5
ZTE
Grand X
That’s apparent from the first time you hold
the Grand X in your hand. The words solid and functional come to mind, but
definitely not premium or even attractive. It’s a well-built, chunky phone in a
way that reminds us of a previous- generation HTC handset such as the
Incredible S - but without that device’s classy unibody design.
Indeed, because of its smaller dimensions
and thicker 9.9mm chassis, the ZTE Grand X actually feels heavier than the
likes of the massive HTC One X, even though, at 110g, it’s lighter by 20g.
The fact that you can access the memory
expansion slot without removing the battery isn’t just a matter of convenience
- the Grand X lets you hot swap microSD memory. That means you can remove and
replace memory without turning the handset off, much like you would on a
computer.
It’s a good job, too, because left to its
own devices the ZTE Grand X’s 4GB of internal storage will soon fill up once
you start taking pictures, installing apps and putting your music on to it.
But then, the key selling point of the ZTE
Grand X is its near-top-end performance at a sub $00 price. Something had to
give, and that appears to be in the design department. Boot the Grand X up and
you’ll see the first of its upper-mid-level components in action: a 4.3-inch
qHD LCD display.
Screen test
It was only around a year ago that this
kind of screen was considered to be top-of-the-range in handsets such as the
HTC Sensation, so it’s good to see something similar in such an affordable
phone. Of course, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus has since moved the Android display game
on to the tune of 4.7 inches and 720p, but that’s evidently not the fight the
Grand X is looking to pick.
This
kind of screen was considered to be top-of-the-range in handsets.
We have to say that the display lacks
something alongside the same-sized Samsung Galaxy S2, even though at 960 x 540
pixels it’s a fair bit sharper. That’s mainly down to a relative lack of
brightness and vibrancy even at the top setting - there’s a slightly washed-out
feel evident in pictures and videos that had us hankering for the AMOLED
alternative. The screen’s responsiveness also isn’t quite up to scratch, with
the odd command requiring a second or even third firm stab of the screen to
initiate.
Bargain
basement: For the money, the ZTE Grand X is hard to beat
While its style and specifications may
belong to 2011, the ZTE Grand X’s dual-core processor and Android 4.0 OS make
other sub-$300 Android devices look under-equipped. It’s not quite as
impressive in the hand as it is on paper, with an unresponsive screen and a mediocre
camera, but you can’t argue with the overall value.
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Pros
·
Great value
·
Dual-core processor
·
Convenient expansion slot
Cons
·
Washed-out and slightly unresponsive screen
·
Under-specced camera
Dimensions
·
Height: 127mm
·
Width: 65mm
·
Depth: 9.9mm
·
Screen size: 4.3-inch
·
Weight: 110g
Specification
·
Supplier: www.virginmobile.com
·
OS: Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
·
Processor: Nvidia
Tegra 2.1GHz
·
RAM: 512MB
·
Storage: 4GB
·
Expansion: microSD
·
Rear camera: 5MP
·
Front camera: VGA
·
Screen type: qHD LCD
·
Screen resolution: 960x540
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