ZTE Axon 7 review: The brightest sound

26 October 2016
ZTE is back in the cheap and cheerful flagship race with the Axon 7. The company has its aim set up high, and we can't help but see the OnePlus 3 as a locked target. The thing is, the Axon 7 has a potential to aim for the stars of the show - the Galaxy S7 and iPhone 7.

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  • K
  • KMB877
  • Y7c
  • 27 Oct 2016

Mk, 27 Oct 2016This is really surprising for me. I always trust gsmarena r... moreYour comment it is just not fair. FYI - the price for this device in the USA it is $399.
Brexit it is not ZTE's problem (neither the British Pound vs. USD exchange rate), and no one said Axon 7 it is a "cheap" phone.
And, no worries, Samsung N8 will be 3 times more on your market...

    • K
    • KMB877
    • Y7c
    • 27 Oct 2016

    sree, 27 Oct 2016Dear reviewer.. Please review and compare with Lenovo Vibe X3...FYI: one+3 does not have service. Also, US version of one+3 missing a few Europe LTE bands. Axon has service in US and EU and 2 year guarantee...

      • K
      • KMB877
      • Y7c
      • 27 Oct 2016

      Anom, 27 Oct 2016SD820 is perfectly normal. The Axon 7 came out 5 months ago... moreYou don't need any back light for the buttons. I became quick familiar with their location, I'm not even looking were to push/touch them.

        • R
        • RIPs
        • KZ8
        • 27 Oct 2016

        i see lenovo vibe X3 wannabe

          • ?
          • Anonymous
          • SH4
          • 27 Oct 2016

          does anybody knos the policicy of ZTE to upgrade android to 7.0 in this axon 7 ? thanks

            • p
            • pol
            • GFk
            • 27 Oct 2016

            any software bugs you have encountered so far?

            Further, is ZTE known to have frequent updates to address bugs and update its Os?

              • ?
              • Anonymous
              • SH4
              • 27 Oct 2016

              why in the connectivity section there is no review about connectivity?????
              there are many complains about problems with reception distance to wifi
              and disconnection of the signal for phone network.
              Can anybody check? thanks.

                • D
                • AnonD-442781
                • H5W
                • 27 Oct 2016

                Anonymous, 27 Oct 2016I love the way you call £500/$600+ cheap,it's only "c... moreYou're completely wrong about the costs of making a device. And brexit made the pound plummet by 20%. And yet devices like the one plus 3 didn't even go up by 10%.

                  • ?
                  • Anonymous
                  • SH4
                  • 27 Oct 2016

                  techlover1, 27 Oct 2016And i hope that ZTE will read carefully & fully underst... moreso you mean that after all these years, ZTE is just starting to hear their customers??
                  no backlit buttons and no FM radio, oh really?
                  What were their designers thinking?
                  "this is so cheap for the public that we are getting out the light from the buttons and shutting off the FM capability, let's do it next year so they will think we hear customers"

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                    • AnonD-442781
                    • H5W
                    • 27 Oct 2016

                    mir, 27 Oct 2016Why is the headphone performance mediocre here while at poc... moreThey didn't say it was mediocre, just that it wasn't the best. The numbers show it wasn't that far behind anything. Maybe something to do with Dolby.

                      And i hope that ZTE will read carefully & fully understand this/your article/ review, so for next year's Axon 8 (hopefully!?) They will take notes from your review & customers impressions/ needs, and so they will eventually correct all the quite small but absolutely important lacks, such as the general software updates, lack of backlight on the front facing buttons, increase the display brightness nits, improving the cameras mostly in poor lighting environments, etc. More better to include a radio as well, okay its just a small thing, but a segment of people use it on daily basis, & if you use it or not? it is always better to have it than not, right. Then upgrade the RAM to 6GB, one because generally its better & two to stay on equal with the competition trends. Plus the then current specs such as the SD 830 & Android 7..., and obviously keep the price of $400 or so. Then the Axon 8 will be really the flagship killer. It is already almost there, & if ZTE will fully understand the customers (wishes/demands), the market game/strategy, & maintain the price!? They will definitely succeed and so be the true flagship/s killer!

                        • C
                        • Coonakos
                        • fLh
                        • 27 Oct 2016

                        I have the Axon7 since launch, and it's a fantastic device, they nailed most of its good points with this review, but did not do justice to its audio capabilities. Also my device scores 145k in Antutu, higher than OP3 and s7.

                          • A
                          • Anon
                          • g@E
                          • 27 Oct 2016

                          Anonymous, 27 Oct 2016The Axon 7 has two models, A2017U (usa) and A2017G (global)... moreThat looks to be the case. On page 1, the back of the phone, the bottom right has label "A2017G".

                            Thanks & compliments to GSMArena for this extensive article,etc. In this case regarding the ZTE Axon 7 (probably there was just a little mistake about the Honor's 8 material? But its fine ). Well i almost agree with everything you said, because okay obviously the Axon 7 is not perfect, it needs some general software updates,etc. Furthermore the thing about the display brightness nits & the lack of backlight in the front facing buttons, etc. But having said that and including everything, i mean a holistic view to the ZTE Axon 7 & always keep in mind that you get all that flagship like hardware, specs for the cost of just $399. Well i think that no one can complain about it!!!? The ZTE Axon 7 is definitely the most value for money phone/ phablet of 2016 (so far). And so ZTE absolutely are on the right track, hopefully they will keep it up!? Well done to ZTE (Axon 7)

                              • D
                              • AnonD-514671
                              • 0@D
                              • 27 Oct 2016

                              htc m9 prime camera will be better or if you need better camera - honor 8

                                • W
                                • Well said
                                • Sf{
                                • 27 Oct 2016

                                Anonymous, 27 Oct 2016I love the way you call £500/$600+ cheap,it's only "c... moreWhat can be said more in addition to you comments. Everybody cries but continue the business. Because the profit is REALLY good! Imagine the total cost of the high end SD820 phone (straight screen) as 200-USD. Even you sell 1M pieces, it is 100M$ profit. After all your operations (what operations by the way; production in Foxconn, software from Google, camera from this, CPU from that. Engineers don't even touch the phone until they appear on the shelfs. If they touched, they would realize the Note7 disaster much earlier), you would left with at least 50M$ in hand which you have no production facilities at all (considering production at Foxconn).

                                  • v
                                  • vlado_st
                                  • 8nd
                                  • 27 Oct 2016

                                  Mk, 27 Oct 2016This is really surprising for me. I always trust gsmarena r... moreI totally agree with you. This phone has two dedicated audio chips...it should have great sound through headphones, all other reviews on the net say so. I think this is the first negative review according to headphones sound. I wanted to buy this phone only for that and if this review is relevant, I definitely would not purchase it. Maybe they didnt turn off dolby atmos as they should or there is a glitch that prevent 3rd party player using dedicated DAC, like someone sad, but this review is very confusing for potential buyers in that audio part of this review.

                                    • M
                                    • Mumbai-Indians
                                    • Hkt
                                    • 27 Oct 2016

                                    Awaiting for review on -
                                    Nubia Z11 MiniS
                                    ZUK PRO2

                                      • ?
                                      • Anonymous
                                      • IWd
                                      • 27 Oct 2016

                                      The Axon 7 has two models, A2017U (usa) and A2017G (global). The global model complies with the EU volume limit, so global models have lower volume output through the headphone jack than full-blasted US ones. Maybe GSM got reviewed the global model?

                                        • ?
                                        • Anonymous
                                        • sUw
                                        • 27 Oct 2016

                                        this or the v20 for audio??