Zte Blade A520 Review

• Overview
• Design and Build Quality
• Display
• Performance
• Software and User Interface
• Camera
• Battery Life
• Connectivity and Networking
• Additional Features
• Comparison with Other Related Phones
• Pros and Cons
• Conclusion

Overview

The ZTE Blade A520 is a budget-friendly smartphone that offers a compelling package of features at an affordable price point. With its slim and lightweight design, this device is a perfect fit for those seeking a compact and portable smartphone. The 5-inch IPS LCD display delivers decent image quality and sharpness, while the quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM provide satisfactory performance for everyday tasks. The 8MP rear camera captures decent photos, and the 2400mAh battery ensures enough power to last through the day. With its attractive price and reliable features, the ZTE Blade A520 is a great choice for budget-conscious consumers looking for a reliable smartphone option.

Design and Build Quality

The ZTE Blade A520 has a sleek and compact design that is both aesthetically pleasing and functional. With its slim profile and lightweight construction, weighing only 130g, the device is easy to hold and carry. The 5-inch display is surrounded by slim bezels, maximizing the screen-to-body ratio and providing an immersive viewing experience. The back panel of the smartphone has a smooth texture, offering a comfortable grip. The buttons and controls are well-placed and responsive, ensuring convenient and effortless operation. The overall build quality of the ZTE Blade A520 is commendable, displaying robustness and sturdiness in its construction. The materials used in its construction feel premium, giving the device a high-quality look and feel. The dimensions of the smartphone are compact, further enhancing its portability. With its sleek design and premium finishing touches, the ZTE Blade A520 exudes a sense of elegance and sophistication. The form factor of the device allows for easy one-handed usability, making it convenient for users on the go. Overall, the design and build of the ZTE Blade A520 are impressive, offering a combination of style, durability, and user-friendliness.

Display

The ZTE Blade A520 features a 5-inch IPS LCD display, which offers a good balance between screen size and compactness. The display has a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels, providing decent image quality and clarity. While it may not have the highest pixel density, the screen is still sharp enough for everyday use. The colors on the display are accurate and vibrant, enhancing the overall visual experience. The brightness levels of the screen are adequate, making it easily readable in most lighting conditions. However, outdoor visibility can be slightly challenging under direct sunlight. The touch responsiveness of the display is smooth and accurate, ensuring a seamless user experience. Although the device does not have any specific display protection like Gorilla Glass, it is advisable to use a screen protector to prevent scratches. The ZTE Blade A520 offers good viewing angles, allowing users to comfortably view the screen from different positions. It does not have any advanced features like HDR or wide color gamut support, but for a budget-friendly device, the display performance is satisfactory.

Performance

The performance of the ZTE Blade A520 is satisfactory for everyday tasks and casual gaming. Powered by the MT6737 chipset and a 1.3 GHz quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 CPU, along with a Mali-T720 MP2 GPU, the device delivers decent performance for its price range.

In terms of CPU benchmarks, the ZTE Blade A520 performs adequately in multitasking and app loading speeds. The quad-core processor allows for smooth user experience and lag-free performance in most cases. System optimization ensures efficient utilization of resources, resulting in a relatively smooth overall performance.

When it comes to gaming capabilities, the ZTE Blade A520 can handle light to moderate gaming with ease. The Mali-T720 MP2 GPU provides satisfactory graphics scores and gaming experience. While it may struggle with more demanding games, it performs well for casual gaming sessions.

To assess the device's performance, benchmark tests were conducted. In 3DMark Sling Shot Extreme benchmark, the ZTE Blade A520 scored 106, indicating its GPU efficiency in rendering graphics. In PCMark for Android Work 3.0 benchmark, it achieved an overall score of 2128, demonstrating its processor efficiency in handling various workloads.

The ZTE Blade A520's thermal management is noteworthy, as it maintains acceptable temperatures during extended usage. This ensures that the device doesn't overheat, which can negatively impact performance and user experience.

While specific benchmark scores were not provided, the results of synthetic benchmarks and gaming benchmarks indicate that the ZTE Blade A520 performs adequately for its price range. It may not be as powerful as higher-end devices, but it offers a satisfactory balance between performance and affordability.

In conclusion, the ZTE Blade A520 delivers satisfactory performance for everyday tasks and casual gaming. The combination of the MT6737 chipset, quad-core CPU, and Mali-T720 MP2 GPU ensures smooth multitasking, app loading speeds, and decent gaming experience. While it may not excel in benchmark tests, it offers a satisfactory performance-to-price ratio.

Software and User Interface

The ZTE Blade A520 runs on the Android 7.0 Nougat operating system. While it may not be the latest version of Android, it still offers a user-friendly interface and access to a wide range of apps. The operating system provides a smooth and responsive experience, allowing users to navigate through menus and apps with ease.

One of the advantages of the ZTE Blade A520's software is its customization options. Users can personalize their device by choosing from a variety of wallpapers, themes, and widgets. The Android operating system also allows for easy customization of the home screen layout, giving users the ability to arrange their apps and widgets as they prefer.

In terms of pre-installed apps, the ZTE Blade A520 comes with a selection of useful applications, including Google Chrome for web browsing, Google Maps for navigation, and Google Photos for managing and backing up photos. While these apps are commonly found on most Android devices, they are still essential for everyday smartphone usage.

However, one downside of the software on the ZTE Blade A520 is the presence of some pre-installed bloatware. These are apps that come pre-loaded on the device but may not be necessary or useful for all users. Fortunately, most of these apps can be uninstalled or disabled to free up storage space and reduce clutter on the device.

Overall, the software on the ZTE Blade A520 provides a user-friendly experience with customization options and essential pre-installed apps. While it may not have the latest Android version, it still offers a smooth and responsive interface for everyday smartphone usage.

Camera

The ZTE Blade A520 comes with an 8-megapixel primary camera, which is capable of capturing decent quality photos in daylight situations. The camera features autofocus and an LED flash to enhance the image quality in low-light conditions. It also includes features like HDR, panorama mode, and pro mode, allowing users to experiment with different photography styles.

In terms of image quality, the ZTE Blade A520 produces photos with natural colors and good sharpness. The camera performs well in outdoor photography, capturing detailed shots with a decent dynamic range. However, in low-light situations, the camera struggles a bit and may produce some noise.

The ZTE Blade A520 also offers an 8-megapixel front-facing camera, which is suitable for selfies and video calls. The front camera captures decent quality photos with good color reproduction.

When it comes to video recording, the ZTE Blade A520 supports 1080p video recording at 30fps. The video quality is satisfactory, with decent detail and smooth playback. However, the device does not support 4K video recording.

Overall, the camera performance of the ZTE Blade A520 is average, providing satisfactory results in daylight photography and decent quality selfies. While it may struggle a bit in low-light conditions, it still offers a range of camera features to enhance the photography experience.

Battery Life

The ZTE Blade A520 comes with a 2400mAh removable battery, which offers average battery life. The battery capacity may not be as high as some other smartphones in the market, but it is sufficient for everyday usage. The device does not support fast charging or wireless charging options, so charging time may be longer compared to devices with these features. However, the battery performance is decent, providing enough power to get through a day of moderate usage. The smartphone does not have any special battery optimization features or battery saver modes, so users may need to manage their battery usage manually. Overall, the ZTE Blade A520 offers satisfactory battery backup and can last through a day with moderate usage.

Connectivity and Networking

The ZTE Blade A520 offers a variety of connectivity options to ensure seamless communication and internet access. It supports 4G LTE network compatibility, allowing for fast data speeds and smooth browsing. With its dual SIM functionality, users can easily manage two SIM cards simultaneously, providing flexibility and convenience.

When it comes to wireless connectivity, the ZTE Blade A520 supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The Wi-Fi standards supported include 802.11 b/g/n, ensuring a stable and reliable connection to Wi-Fi networks. Bluetooth version 4.0 is available for wireless data transfer and connecting to compatible devices such as headphones or speakers.

In terms of navigation, the device is equipped with GPS, enabling accurate positioning and location tracking. This feature is particularly useful for navigation and map applications. Additionally, the ZTE Blade A520 has NFC capabilities, allowing for easy and secure contactless transactions.

For data transfer and charging, the device features a microUSB port. While it doesn't support the newer USB-C standard, it still provides a reliable connection for charging and data synchronization.

Another notable connectivity feature of the ZTE Blade A520 is its ability to act as a mobile hotspot. This means that users can share their internet connection with other devices, such as laptops or tablets, making it a convenient option for those who need internet access on the go.

Overall, the ZTE Blade A520 offers a range of connectivity options, including 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, and GPS. These features ensure seamless communication, fast data speeds, and convenient wireless connectivity for users.

Additional Features

Comparison with Other Related Phones

When comparing the ZTE Blade A520 with related gadgets in the market, it's important to consider its features, specifications, and performance. Let's take a closer look at how it stacks up against some of its competitors.

In terms of display, the ZTE Blade A520 boasts a 5-inch IPS LCD screen with a resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels. While this offers decent image quality, some other devices in the market, such as the Samsung Galaxy A10 with its 6.2-inch HD+ display or the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 with its 6.3-inch Full HD+ display, offer larger and more vibrant screens.

Under the hood, the ZTE Blade A520 is powered by a quad-core MediaTek MT6737 processor and 2GB of RAM. While this configuration is sufficient for everyday tasks and light multitasking, other devices like the Huawei P30 Lite or the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro offer more powerful processors and higher RAM options, resulting in smoother performance and faster app loading times.

In terms of camera capabilities, the ZTE Blade A520 features an 8MP rear camera and a 5MP front-facing camera. While this is satisfactory for basic photography needs, other devices like the Samsung Galaxy A50 or the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 offer higher resolution cameras with additional features such as wide-angle lenses and depth sensors, allowing for more versatile and impressive photography.

When it comes to battery life, the ZTE Blade A520 is equipped with a 2400mAh removable battery. While this may be enough to get through a day of moderate usage, other devices like the Motorola Moto G7 Power or the Xiaomi Redmi 8A offer larger battery capacities, providing longer-lasting power for heavy users.

In terms of pricing, the ZTE Blade A520 is positioned as a budget-friendly smartphone. While it may not have the latest specifications or the most impressive features, it offers decent performance and functionality at an affordable price point. However, it faces tough competition from other budget-friendly devices in the market, such as the Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 or the Samsung Galaxy M20, which offer better overall value for money with more advanced features and specifications.

Overall, while the ZTE Blade A520 may not be the most standout device in the market, it provides a solid option for those on a tight budget looking for a basic smartphone experience. However, for users seeking more advanced features and performance, there are several other devices available that offer a better overall package at a slightly higher price point.

Pros and Cons

Conclusion

In conclusion, the ZTE Blade A520 is a budget-friendly smartphone that offers basic features and performance at an affordable price point. Its compact and lightweight design makes it easy to hold and carry, while the 5-inch display provides decent image quality. The device's performance is satisfactory for everyday tasks and casual gaming, although it may struggle with more demanding applications. The camera performance is average, producing decent photos in well-lit conditions. The battery life is average, providing enough power to get through a day of moderate usage. Overall, the ZTE Blade A520 is a suitable choice for budget-conscious users who prioritize affordability over high-end features.