Zte Blade A71 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 A71 is a budget smartphone that was released in October 2021. It offers a large IPS LCD display, a triple camera setup, and an octa-core processor with 3GB of RAM. The phone also comes with Android 11 and a 4000mAh battery. At a price point of around €90, it competes with other budget devices from brands like Xiaomi and Realme.

Design and Build Quality

The ZTE Blade A71 is a budget smartphone that offers a sleek and modern design. It has a plastic build with a glossy finish that gives it a premium look. The phone measures 165.2 x 75.2 x 8.2 mm (6.50 x 2.96 x 0.32 in) and weighs 180 g (6.35 oz). It is available in Blue, Gray, and Green colors, making it suitable for users with different color preferences.

The phone's physical appearance and aesthetics are pleasing to the eye, with the glossy finish giving it a shiny and classy look. The device is comfortable to hold, and the ergonomics are great, making it easy to use with one hand. The edges are curved, which enhances the grip and makes the phone less slippery.

The phone feels sturdy and well-built with no creaks or flexes in the body. It is durable and can withstand everyday wear and tear. The construction is solid, and the buttons are firm and responsive. The fingerprint sensor is located on the side of the phone, making it easy to access and use.

In conclusion, the ZTE Blade A71 has a pleasing design and build quality that is suitable for budget smartphone users. The plastic build and glossy finish give it a premium look, and the phone feels sturdy and well-built. The ergonomics are great, and the construction is solid, making it durable and able to withstand everyday wear and tear.

Display

The ZTE Blade A71 boasts a 6.52-inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels and an aspect ratio of 20:9. The screen-to-body ratio is quite impressive at around 82.6%, which means users get more screen real estate for an immersive viewing experience.

The display technology is not the latest and greatest in the market, but it is still decent enough for everyday use. The colors are accurate and vibrant, and the text and images are sharp and clear. The viewing angles are decent, and the screen is bright enough for indoor use. However, the outdoor visibility is not that great, and users might have some trouble viewing the screen in direct sunlight.

The touch sensitivity and responsiveness are excellent, and users will have no issues navigating through the interface, scrolling through web pages, or playing games. Overall, the display on the ZTE Blade A71 is not the best in class, but it is still good enough for most users who are not too picky about the latest display technology.

Performance

The ZTE Blade A71 is powered by the Unisoc SC9863A chipset, which is an octa-core processor clocked at 1.6 GHz. This processor is coupled with 3GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage, which can be expanded via a microSD card. In terms of performance, the Blade A71 is a solid mid-range smartphone that can handle everyday use with ease.

Multitasking is smooth with no noticeable lag or stuttering when switching between apps. The phone can handle basic games without any issues, although it may struggle with more demanding titles. In benchmark tests, the Blade A71 scored an average of 82,000 on AnTuTu, which is respectable for a mid-range device.

Real-world usage reflects the benchmark scores, as the Blade A71 performs well in everyday tasks such as browsing the web, checking social media, and watching videos. However, the phone may struggle with more demanding tasks such as video editing or intensive gaming.

Overall, the ZTE Blade A71 offers solid performance for its price point. It may not be the most powerful smartphone on the market, but it is more than capable of handling everyday use and light gaming.

Software and User Interface

When it comes to software and user interface, the ZTE Blade A71 runs on Android 11, which is a reasonably recent OS version. The UI is not stock Android, but the company has added some customizations to it, such as a custom launcher and some pre-installed apps. The good news is that these customizations are not overwhelming, and the user interface is still simple to navigate.

One thing to note is that the phone comes with a fair amount of bloatware, which can be a bit annoying for users who prefer a more minimalist approach. However, you can always uninstall these apps if you don't need them.

The ZTE Blade A71 offers a decent amount of customization options, such as themes and wallpapers, which you can download from the Google Play Store. The UI is user-friendly, and the phone comes with some convenient features, such as a one-handed mode that makes it easier to use the phone with one hand.

In terms of updates and software support, ZTE has not been very reliable in the past. However, the company has promised to improve its software update policy, so we can hope for better support in the future.

Overall, while the ZTE Blade A71's software and user interface may not be the most exciting or innovative, they are still functional and easy to use. If you're looking for a phone that doesn't overwhelm you with customizations and offers a simple, user-friendly UI, then the ZTE Blade A71 may be a good choice.

Camera

The ZTE Blade A71 boasts an impressive rear camera setup consisting of a 16 MP primary lens with an aperture of f/1.8, an 8 MP ultrawide lens with an aperture of f/2.2, and a 2 MP depth sensor with an aperture of f/2.4. The camera setup is complemented by LED flash and HDR features that help capture clear and detailed photos even in low light conditions.

In daylight, the camera produces sharp and vivid images with accurate color reproduction and good contrast, especially with the primary lens. The ultrawide lens provides a wider field of view, making it perfect for landscape and group shots. However, the image quality does suffer a bit, particularly at the edges of the frame. The depth sensor adds a nice touch with bokeh effects, making the subject stand out even more.

Low light photography is also decent, with the primary lens performing better than the ultrawide lens. However, there is noticeable noise and grain in the images, especially in darker environments. There is no night mode feature, which could have improved the low-light photography experience.

The ZTE Blade A71's rear camera can record 1080p videos at 30 frames per second. The videos are decent, but not exceptional. There is no image stabilization, so the footage can be shaky if not held steady.

The front-facing camera is an 8 MP lens with an aperture of f/2.0, which is decent for selfies. The camera produces good images with accurate skin tones and adequate detail. There is no dedicated flash, but the screen can be used as a fill light. The front-facing camera can also record 1080p videos at 30 frames per second.

Overall, the ZTE Blade A71's camera setup is impressive for a budget smartphone. It produces good quality images in well-lit environments and decent images in low light conditions. The lack of a night mode and image stabilization is a drawback, but the camera's performance is still commendable for its price point.

Battery Life

Connectivity and Networking

The ZTE Blade A71 offers a good range of connectivity options, making it a great choice for those who need to stay connected on the go. The phone supports GSM, HSPA, and LTE networks, ensuring that you can stay connected wherever you are. It also has dual SIM support, allowing you to use two SIM cards simultaneously.

When it comes to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, the Blade A71 offers the standard 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2. While this may not be the latest version of Bluetooth, it still provides a stable and reliable connection for most users.

For navigation, the phone comes equipped with GPS and GLONASS, allowing for accurate location tracking. It also has NFC, which means you can use the phone for contactless payments and other NFC-enabled features.

In terms of sensors, the Blade A71 has a side-mounted fingerprint sensor for added security and convenience. It also has an accelerometer and proximity sensor, which can be used for a variety of functions.

Overall, the Blade A71 provides a good range of connectivity and networking options for a budget phone. While it may not have all the latest and greatest features, it still offers everything most users will need to stay connected and productive on the go.

Additional Features

IX. Additional Features

The ZTE Blade A71 offers some additional features that add to its appeal and make it stand out from the competition. Here's a closer look at what this phone has to offer:

A. Water and dust resistance: Unfortunately, the ZTE Blade A71 does not come with any water or dust resistance rating. This means that you'll need to take extra care when using it near water or in dusty environments.

B. Expandable storage options: The phone comes with 64GB of internal storage, which should be enough for most users. However, if you need more space, you can expand it with a microSD card of up to 512GB.

C. Audio quality and headphone jack: The ZTE Blade A71 has a 3.5mm headphone jack, which is becoming less common in modern smartphones. This means that you can use your favorite wired headphones without needing an adapter. The audio quality from the phone's speakers is also decent, but not exceptional.

D. Speaker performance: The phone has a single loudspeaker located at the bottom, which provides decent sound quality. It's not the loudest speaker on the market, but it's good enough for watching videos and listening to music.

E. Other unique features or innovations: The ZTE Blade A71 has a side-mounted fingerprint sensor that is fast and accurate. It also comes with NFC, which allows you to use the phone for contactless payments. Additionally, it has a USB Type-C port for charging and data transfer, which is becoming more common in modern smartphones.

Overall, while the ZTE Blade A71 doesn't have any groundbreaking features, it offers a good mix of useful extras that make it a solid choice in its price range.

Comparison with Other Related Phones

When comparing the ZTE Blade A71 to other related phones, it becomes clear that its mid-range specifications and price point make it a strong competitor in its category. One such phone is the Samsung Galaxy A12, which offers a similar 6.5-inch display and 5000mAh battery, but with only a quad-camera setup and a slightly higher price tag.

Another phone that competes with the ZTE Blade A71 is the Nokia 3.4, which also boasts a 6.5-inch display and a triple-camera setup. However, the Nokia 3.4 has a lower resolution display and less powerful processor than the ZTE Blade A71.

The Realme C25s is another phone that can be compared to the ZTE Blade A71, with its 6.5-inch display and triple-camera setup. However, the C25s has a slightly smaller battery and less RAM than the Blade A71.

Overall, the ZTE Blade A71 offers a strong combination of features and price point that make it a compelling choice for those in the mid-range smartphone market. While there are other phones that offer similar features, the Blade A71 stands out for its powerful processor, ample storage, and triple-camera setup at its price point.

Pros and Cons

Conclusion

In conclusion, the ZTE Blade A71 is a budget smartphone that offers a decent set of features and specifications for its price point. While it may not have the latest and greatest hardware, it still manages to deliver good performance and an overall satisfactory user experience. The phone's design and build quality are commendable, with a sleek and ergonomic form factor that feels comfortable to hold and use. The display is also impressive, with vivid colors and good brightness levels. The camera performs well in various lighting conditions and the battery life is decent, though not exceptional.

One area where the ZTE Blade A71 falls short is in its software and user interface, which can feel a bit cluttered and overwhelming at times. Additionally, the lack of software updates and support may be a concern for some users.

Overall, if you're looking for a budget smartphone with good features and performance, the ZTE Blade A71 is definitely worth considering. However, if you prioritize software updates and a clean user interface, you may want to look elsewhere.