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ZTE Blade V7 and V7 Lite announced
The LG G5 and Samsung Galaxy S7 series might be the most anticipated phones shown off at MWC 2016, but let’s not forget about the other OEMs out there. ZTE isn’t bringing us a flagship class product at MWC this year, but it is hoping to further up its game in the mid-range with the introduction of the Blade V7 and V7 Lite, two mass-market handsets that blend beautiful aesthetics with affordable pricing.
Although the Blade V7 and V7 Lite are part of the same family, they are aimed at different types of users and will initially debut in different regions, though both are primarily targeted at Europe and Asia Pacific markets. While both phones sport metallic designs, the Blade V7 has a much sleeker, slimmer profile and the added benefit of slightly more upscale specs. That said, the V7 Lite is still more than capable of providing a great Android experience, and actually has one trump over the V7: the Lite includes a fingerprint scanner.
| ZTE Blade V7 | ZTE Blade V7 Lite | |
|---|---|---|
Display | ZTE Blade V7 5.2-inch, Full HD, 2.5D | ZTE Blade V7 Lite 5-inch, HD 2.5D |
Processor | ZTE Blade V7 1.3GHz MediaTek MT6753 octa-core CPU | ZTE Blade V7 Lite MediaTek MTK6735P quad-core CPU |
RAM | ZTE Blade V7 2GB | ZTE Blade V7 Lite 2GB |
Storage | ZTE Blade V7 16GB storage | ZTE Blade V7 Lite 16GB storage, with microSD |
Battery | ZTE Blade V7 2500 mAh | ZTE Blade V7 Lite 2500 mAh |
Cameras | ZTE Blade V7 Rear Camera: 13MP, PDAF, 0.3s focusing, double color flash Front camera: 5MP, screen flash | ZTE Blade V7 Lite 8M AF+8M FF, front and back flash |
Networks | ZTE Blade V7 LTE B2/4/7/12(28) or B1/B3/7/8/20 GSM 850/900/1800/1900 UMTS 850/1900(2100) or 900/1900/2100 | ZTE Blade V7 Lite LTE: B1/B3/B5/B7/B8/B20(28)/B40(38) UMTS: B1/B5/B8 GSM: B2/3/5/8 |
Connectivity & Extras | ZTE Blade V7 Smart Sense gesture control, GPS, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 4.0, accelerometer/proximity/light, Hall effect sensor, FM radio, VoLTE, ARKAMYS sound, firmware-over-the-air, USB OTG | ZTE Blade V7 Lite Finger print scanner, GPS, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, compass, FM radio, Hall effect sensor, accelerometer/proximity/light |
OS | ZTE Blade V7 Android 6.0 Marshmallow | ZTE Blade V7 Lite Android 6.0 Marshmallow |
Dimensions | ZTE Blade V7 146x72.5x7.5mm | ZTE Blade V7 Lite 143.8x70.2x7.9mm |
Turning to the key specs, the V7 is powered by an octa-core MediaTek processor with 2GB RAM, as well as 16GB storage with microSD for expansion. Other specs for the V7 include a 5.2-inch FULL HD display with 2.5D glass, a 13MP main cam, a 5MP front cam, and a 2500 mAh battery. ZTE also boasts that this phone is designed with one-handed use in mind, helped along by its screen to body ratio of about 70%.
The V7 Lite opts for a smaller 5-inch 720p display (2.5D glass) and a quad-core MediaTek SOC, though it also offers 2GB RAM, 16GB storage, and microSD for expansion. Some of the other key differences include the aforementioned fingerprint scanner, a 2500 mAh battery, and 8MP front and back cams. Both phones include Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box with a few ZTE-specific additions.
ZTE has yet to reveal pricing for either the V7 or V7 Lite, though they did provide a few details on release timeframes. The V7 Lite will be first to the market, hitting Russia just before becoming available in Mexico, Spain, Germany, and Thailand by spring. The V7 comes a little bit later and is expected to arrive in the summer of 2016 in Germany, Spain, South Africa, Ethiopia, and Mexico.
What do you think of ZTE’s latest Blade family members? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.