Review of the ZTE Axon Mini smartphone - oh, these “mini”

Technical characteristics of Axon 7 mini:

• Display: AMOLED, 5.2”, 1920×1080, AMOLED, 424 ppi, Corning Gorilla 4 glass, 2.5D, screen occupies 71% of the front panel area
• Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 MSM8952, 8 cores (4 Cortex-A53 1.2 GHz cores + 4 Cortex-A53 1.5 GHz cores), Adreno 405 video accelerator
• RAM: 3 GB
• Built-in memory: 32 GB, microSD slot
• Cameras: main - 16 MP, F/1.9 aperture, phase detection autofocus, HDR, FHD 30 fps shooting. Front - 8 MP, F/2.2
• Communications: 4G, 3G, Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11 b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, GLONASS, NFC
• Connectors and Sensors: 3.5mm, USB-Type-C 2.0, Fingerprint Sensor, G-Sensor, Gyroscope, Compass, Ambient Light Sensor, Proximity Sensor
• Battery: 2705 mAh
• Housing material: aluminum
• Colors: Grey, gold
• Operating system: Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow with MiFavor UI 4.0 shell
• Dimensions: 147.5 x 71 x 7.8 mm with a weight of 153 grams
• Protection: no

Axon 7 Mini delivery set for Russia:

• box
• charging cube with Quick Charge 2.0 support
• USB Type-C flat cable
• transparent silicone case
• headset
• clip

Review of the ZTE Axon Mini Android smartphone: a new mini standard?

Table of contents

• Introduction
• Specifications
• Packaging and equipment
• Appearance and design
• Display
• Hardware platform and performance
• Firmware and software
• Multimedia
• Memory and file system
• Communications and wireless capabilities
• Battery life
• Camera
• Comparison with competitors
• Conclusion

Introduction

ZTE smartphones are not the most frequent guests of our laboratory.
Everything here roughly corresponds to the situation in Russian retail – their share there is also small. However, as practice shows, some devices from a well-known Chinese manufacturer are more than worthy of the attention of every lover of modern gadgets. For example, the Nubia series. True, the manufacturer is in no hurry to introduce them to the Russian market. And another smartphone is again appointed as the next flagship of the ZTE model line - Axon Mini.

As you can easily guess from the name, this is a smaller version (yes, by today’s standards, a device with a 5.2″ screen is already mini) of the older device – ZTE Axon. But the latter is not officially sold here, but a big bet is being made on the Axon Mini at the end of 2020. Next, we will find out what it is and start with the technical characteristics of the new product.

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Specifications ZTE Axon Mini

What a surprise! ZTE smartphone with a retail price of 30 thousand rubles. For the money it should offer something truly outstanding.

And in general, the device corresponds to its status: it has an excellent screen (and the lack of excessive QHD resolution is even a plus) and other characteristics are quite adequate. And the premium case made of golden metal puts the hero of the review on a par with the best flagships of our time. The only thing that is a little confusing is that the hardware platform is not the most powerful - after all, I would like to see an 800 series SoC in an expensive smartphone.

Well, now we’ll find out how it all works together.

Packaging and equipment ZTE Axon Mini

ZTE Axon Mini came into our hands without a box or components. Judging by the currently known information, the smartphone will be delivered in a small white cardboard box complete with a charger, USB cable, stereo headset and a key to remove the nanoSIM/microSD tray.

Appearance and design of ZTE Axon Mini

The ZTE smartphone is made in the usual form factor - in the form of a candy bar with a touch screen.

Externally, the new product looks quite unusual, although not entirely new - the back of the case is very similar to that of the Huawei G7 Plus, and the design of the front panel is reminiscent of HTC models.

The dimensions of the smartphone are 70.0 x 145.3 x 7.9 mm, weight – 132 g. The device is lightweight, feels good in the hand, the side frames are very thin.

It is worth mentioning one significant nuance - while in most devices the side frames protrude slightly above the screen in order to protect it in case of a fall, in the ZTE Axon Mini the opposite is true, the display protrudes slightly relative to the frames. Needless to say, if it falls, this will reduce the already very low chances of the screen remaining unharmed.

The gadget is currently available for purchase in silver and gold colors. The release date for the rose-gold model has not been announced.

The back cover of the ZTE Axon Mini is made of aluminum that is pleasant to the touch.

The manufacturer does not provide any information about the protective properties of the glass covering the front panel.

There is a good quality oleophobic coating.

On the front side at the top there is a front camera, next to it there are light and proximity sensors and a small LED indicator that flashes every ~2 seconds when a new notification is received. Standard devices do not provide the ability to customize the operation of the indicator. The earpiece is hidden behind the top mesh.

And behind the mesh at the bottom of the front panel there is a microphone and an external speaker.

The device does not have separate control keys; they are replaced by an on-screen navigation panel.

The navigation bar is not subject to any special settings; you can only choose one of two options for the location of the keys. But what I would like to thank the ZTE engineers for is the “Hide Navigation Panel” button, which allows you to remove the panel in any application without resorting to the help of special programs.

On the back of the device at the top there is a main camera (13.0 megapixels) and a dual LED flash, and just below there is a fingerprint scanner.

Using the scanner is very convenient; perhaps the ZTE Axon Mini is one of the few phones where using a fingerprint scanner is even more comfortable than unlocking the screen with a swipe - all this thanks to the excellent recognition accuracy and convenient location of the scanner.

In addition to the scanner, ZTE Axon Mini can protect data using a retinal fingerprint (via the SkyEye function) and a voice password. However, these two methods are quite capricious, and it is inconvenient to use them in everyday use.

There is nothing at the bottom of the back cover.

On the right side of the ZTE Axon Mini there is a power/lock key and a tray connector with one slot for a nanoSIM SIM card and one combined MicroSD/nanoSIM slot, which can be removed using the included key. On the left side there is a single volume key.

There is a 3.5 mm jack at the top end of the device, and a MicroUSB port at the bottom.

This is not to say that the design of the ZTE Axon Mini will appeal to everyone. But what the manufacturer should be praised for is the excellent quality of the materials from which the phone is assembled and the excellent build quality.

Design. Recognizable

ZTE Axon 7 mini is the first Chinese smartphone in my memory that is not trying to copy one of the A-brands.

On the contrary, the Axon 7 mini diligently tries to be itself. Even though this doesn't always work out.

Axon 7 mini is a Chinese smartphone with an American design.

The design of the Axon 7 and 7 mini was carried out by the American studio Designworks, known for its collaboration with BMW. The inscription “Designed in the USA” on the back of the smartphone reminds us of this.

These guys managed to give the Axon 7 and 7 mini such an appearance that it is almost impossible to confuse them with other phones.

The front panel of the Axon 7 mini is different from the vast majority of solutions on the market. Large inserts with decorative holes at the bottom and top, and in the middle there is a black rectangle of 2.5D glass.

I like this move, considering how skillfully ZTE engineers played with the large frames around the screen. The AMOLED screen blends perfectly with the black frames, and when the screen is on, you won’t immediately understand where it ends, especially if there are dark wallpapers.

I'm glad that ZTE didn't put their logo on the front panel. I hope this cheeky manner of manufacturers reminding you which smartphone you use will soon fall into oblivion.

But the back panel no longer causes much excitement. The fingerprint sensor was played well, but the shiny camera bezel looks alien in this composition.

But overall, I liked the design of the ZTE Axon 7 mini. Yes, there are flaws, but for a Chinese company this is a giant step forward.

Gallery of photos from all sides (buttons, connectors):

Ergonomics

With ease of use, the Axon 7 mini is completely fine. Due to the sloping ends and lack of edges, it is pleasant to hold the phone. The control keys are on the right side.

The aluminum body can be slippery in wet hands, but the comfortable grip eliminates this problem.

Axon 7 mini can be used even with one hand, which is a stretch, but still.