ZTE Axon 7 mini - $149 at PCMobile (Loblaws store Lindsay)

ssfc72 · January 06, 2018, 09:06:18 AM

This is quite a nice phone and the price is exceptionally good. Anywhere else, I think it sells for around $250 or more.
This phone is sold at Loblaws, as a pre paid phone, for their pre-paid PCMobile service.

The phone Specs are better then my Moto G 3rd gen phone. OLED screen, higher res than my Moto G, USB 2 Type 3 connector (very nice), 5.2 inch screen, The SIM card carrier holds a nano SIM card and a Micro SD memory card.

The phones are a little scarce, at Loblaws, right now. The quy had to bring my phone in from another Loblaws. There were not too many phones available, in his district.

https://www.gsmarena.com/zte_axon_7_mini-8232.php

Correction Jan 14- I removed the mention of dual SIM capability, after reading the user manual and finding the phone only has a place for one SIM card (the second recess in the SIM carrier will take a micro SD memory card and this second recess will also accept a second SIM, but this Canada ZTE phone won't recognize the second SIM).

Bill

Forgot to mention, if you collect President Choice points, the quy gave me 1000 pts (worth $1 of groceries) just for talking to him, plus I believe I got a whack of PC pts, from buying the phone.

fox · January 06, 2018, 10:34:13 AM

This looks potentially interesting as a 2nd phone, given its price and the dual SIM. I read a few reviews which praised the display and audio, but panned its application loading performance and battery life. But there was some suggestion that one or both would be fixed by a Nougat update. What is your impression of its performance and battery life? Do you have it running Nougat?

Jason · January 06, 2018, 11:10:16 AM

Nice! They don't even mention it on the PCMobile website. Perhaps it's a discontinued model, hence the special? The processor might be a bit on the slow side (1.5 Ghz) but it's octa-core. Looks like a great phone especially because of that price!

It amuses me that today mini in a phone means 5.2"! Not that long ago, that would have considered gigantic for a screen.

ssfc72 · January 06, 2018, 12:23:58 PM

I wouldn't put too much reliance on the reviews. These guys are used to using high end phones, so anything like a mid level phone, then they would not be impressed with.
For someone like me, who uses a cell phone just for basic needs, this phone should be very good. As I said, it's specs beat my current phone, a Moto G 3rd gen, and the Moto G has worked well for me.

I have 15 days to return the phone, as long as I don't activate it. So I can't comment about the battery life. It has a larger capactity battery than my Moto G, but the processor is more pwerfull. I expect for my uses, the battery life will be fine. I don't use the phone for streaming media/movies etc, very much.

I just got it late yesterday afternoon, so I don't yet, have much testing done. The OLED screen has a very nice screen and the 5.2" size is larger than the Moto G and it is very nice.

My make or break factor, on keeping the phone, will be if the usb Type C port can work as an On The Go port (Host port). The online manual says the port is an OTG. This would allow a standard usb flash drive to be operated from the phone port, as well as a usb mouse or usb keyboard.
I do have an Android app (Amateur Radio, I believe) that needs an OTG phone port, to pass Data.

Quote from: fox on January 06, 2018, 10:34:13 AM
This looks potentially interesting as a 2nd phone, given its price and the dual SIM. I read a few reviews which praised the display and audio, but panned its application loading performance and battery life. But there was some suggestion that one or both would be fixed by a Nougat update. What is your impression of its performance and battery life? Do you have it running Nougat?

ssfc72 · January 06, 2018, 12:32:33 PM

GSM Arena, says it was announced in Sept 2016.

The "Mini", I gather, refers to the reduced specs of this model, compared to the ZTE Axon 7 model. Otherwise it is the same physical size and screen size. The display resolution is lower, on the Mini. One of the reviews, mentions this same observation that you made, Jason, about the use of the term, "Mini"

I am very impressed with the sound volume, of this phone. It is enough to wake the dead, when the phone is turned on. :-)

Quote from: Jason Wallwork on January 06, 2018, 11:10:16 AM
Nice! They don't even mention it on the PCMobile website. Perhaps it's a discontinued model, hence the special? The processor might be a bit on the slow side (1.5 Ghz) but it's octa-core. Looks like a great phone especially because of that price!

It amuses me that today mini in a phone means 5.2"! Not that long ago, that would have considered gigantic for a screen.

fox · January 06, 2018, 03:47:22 PM

What do you mean by "as long as I don't activate it". You mean you have to keep it at the welcome screen? You can't really test it that way. Or do you mean as long as you don't put a SIM in it?

ssfc72 · January 06, 2018, 04:43:56 PM

As long as I don't put the Sim in and sign up for an account, I can return the phone within 15 days.
I can test the phone and apps out, by running WiFi.

ssfc72 · January 12, 2018, 05:07:37 PM

OK, so I have had a few days to test out the ZTE Axon phone. I am very pleased with the phone and will be keeping it.

It seems to be quick to operate the various apps. It seems to be quicker than the Moto G 3rd Gen.
The battery seems to last a long time, for the use I put it to.
The usb Type C port supplies a higher amperage charge and the battery charges up very very fast.

I bought a usb "on the go" cable that has the usb Type C connector, to fit the Type C connector on the ZTE Axon. The cable worked great, so now I can hook up a usb flash drive stick and read and write to it. I can also use a usb keyboard or usb mouse. One of my Amateur Radio apps that needs a "on the go" usb port, to pass Data back and forth, should work fine with the ZTE Axon.

The ZTE Axon does require a nano SIM. So I had to take my PC Mobile micro SIM and trim it down to a nano size.
It was a bit like doing brain surgery, to get the trimmed nano SIM to fit in the frame of the SIM holder, but I did manage it and now I am connected to my PC Mobile service . :-)

Bill

fox · January 13, 2018, 07:38:05 AM

Are you coming to PLUG MUG this week? I'd love to see your new phone.

ssfc72 · January 13, 2018, 09:12:53 AM

The weather forecast is showing snow for Monday evening, so I probably won't be making the drive from Lindsay. If the forecast changes to clear weather, I would make the drive.

Bill

fox · January 13, 2018, 01:09:08 PM

Did you check whether they have the phone at Loblaw's in Peterborough?

ssfc72 · January 13, 2018, 03:38:06 PM

I don't know if the ptbo Loblaws store has the ZTE phone, on display.
If you are interested in the phone, the person at the phone kiosk, might be able to locate one and bring it in for you.

You should be able to get 1000 PC points, for just talking to the person, if you ask for the points.

fox · January 14, 2018, 04:45:50 PM

Yes, Peterborough Loblaws has them and I bought one and got the 1000 PC points. I don't know if I'll keep it or not, but the very low price, Bill's positive review and the dual SIM feature make it worth considering. I'll bring it to PLUG MUG tomorrow night if anyone is potentially interested in one of these. I had the impression that Peterborough Loblaw's has plenty of them.

ssfc72 · January 14, 2018, 05:40:16 PM

Ok, just downloaded the User Manual and it is saying there is only 1 SIM slot. The second slot in the SIM holder is only for use for a micro SD memory card. :-( So this phone does not have dual SIM capability.

The GSMarena web site, identified the slot as a SIM 2 slot, which led me to believe that the second slot could take either a SD memory card or a second SIM card.
The Axon 7 (the mini's Big Brother), does have dual SIM capability.

This is a bit of a let down for me, but it probably will be a deal breaker for Mike!

Bill

fox · January 14, 2018, 08:52:41 PM

Unfortunately, I think you're right, Bill. I took my Koodo SIM and tried it in both slots. It actually fits in the micro SD slot when put in the right way, making it look like the holder is intended for either SIM/SD or dual SIM. But it doesn't register on the phone in this slot. (It does in the other slot.) This will likely have me taking the phone back, as without the dual SIM it has no advantage over my iPhone 6.