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After the announcement that the ZTE Blade A711 (internationally known as Blade X9) will be available in the Philippines, we managed to get our busy hands on a demo unit from Lazada. It has attracted some serious attention from potential buyers due to its set of nice features like a fingerprint sensor and an all-metal body for a good asking price. How well do all these features perform? Read our full review of the device.
Design and Construction
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The Blade A711 sports a 5.5-inch IPS display with some noticeable bezels around the panel. As a usual setup for smartphones, we have the speaker for calls up top and they are flanked by sensors and the 5-megapixel front-facing camera for selfies and video chats. The device has rounded corners which is dictated by a thin plate-like frame surrounding the screen.
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It employs three capacitive buttons namely Options, Home, and Back. The Home button has an LED light that helps when you’re using the phone in the dark. It also adds a nice aesthetic touch with its glowing blue hue that glows when the phone is charging or when someone messages you.
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The upper right side of the handset is where all the physical buttons are grouped together. Here we have the volume rocker just above the power/lock screen button. Additionally, the Blade A711 has an average thickness of 8.6mm.
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At the back, we have the eye-catching 13-megapixel shooter outlined by another blue accent. We noticed that this part protrudes and is a bit off-putting and distracts from the elegant build it’s got going on. The rear shooter is accompanied by a single LED flash for capturing photos in low-lit areas. Also prevalent on the rear is the built-in fingerprint sensor which has a chrome trimming and hints a classy touch.
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Down below, we see the lonesome speaker grill situated under the company’s branding. We commend the logo having been engraved instead of simply being printed. This results in a more premium look in general.
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At the top left is where the dual SIM tray resides. Just like the other smartphones today, the SIM 2 slot also acts as the expansion for memory thru a microSD card.
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At 160 grams, the smartphone isn’t that lightweight but handles just right when you use it. The smooth metal back feels good to the touch, but makes the device a bit slippery. Its overall form factor and ergonomics aren’t something new, so users who have previously handled a 5.5-inch phablet will feel familiar with the Blade A711.
Next page: Display and Multimedia, Camera, and OS, UI, and Apps
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