The ZTE Blade L is the second most powerful phone from the lineup of 6 smartphones launched by ZTE recently . The phone comes with a price tag of 12,599 INR, second only (in terms of price as well as specifications) to the flagship, the Grand X Quad Lite. The phone, like other devices in it’s category, offers mediocre specs and aims to catch the attention of buyers looking for devices with a high value for money quotient.
Is the device worth paying the sum of 12,599 INR, or should you go the domestic manufacturer way? Is it worth the risk going for a Chinese manufacturer in it’s first wings of operation in the country with regards to smartphones? Read on to know more!
Camera And Internal Storage
Just like it’s elder sibling, i.e., the Grand X Quad Lite, the Blade L also comes with a set of 5MP and 0.3MP cameras. This makes the Blade L slightly more worth of the price it asks for, because the Grand X Quad Lite with the same set costs about 2,500 INR more than this device (of course, there’s a huge difference in the processing department). The performance from these cameras should be about the same what you expect from the likes of Micromax and Karbonn, with the devices featuring in the same category.
The Blade L again disappoints with the internal storage; like the Grand X Quad Lite, this device from ZTE also features the same 4GB. It is high time now, manufacturers should look into providing better internal storage features. Indian manufacturers already seem to have learnt this, while the Chinese seem to be slow at that.
However, the phone comes with a microSD slot which can be used to expand memory up to 32GB via means of a memory card.
Processor And Battery
Again, ZTE did not reveal the make of the 1.2GHz dual core processor featured in the Blade L. However, given the clock frequency and the price range it features in, it isn’t very difficult to guess where the chipset comes from. Yes, you’re right; even we believe the chipset comes from the Taiwanese giant Mediatek, but since there’s no official word, you’ll have to take that with a pinch of salt. However, a 1.2 GHz dual core processor does sound like an outdated setup, and is also let down by the lack of sufficient RAM. The Blade L comes with 512MB of RAM, while quite a few other manufacturers have been including 1GB of RAM since quite a while.
The Grand X Quad Lite impressed one and all with the inclusion of a 2,500mAh battery, however, the battery specs of the Blade L are yet to be specified by the company. At this moment we can only wish that the phone has a similar battery, or else a dual core phone at 12,000 INR + seems like a no-brainer to us.
Display And Features
The phone comes with a 4.7 inch screen, a screen size which we are fond of, because it is easy to use with one hand, big enough for multimedia, and fits in your pocket with ease. The 4.7 inch display panel comes with a WVGA resolution of 800×480 pixels which again is pretty outdated. At this point of time, buyers (potential or otherwise) expect 1. A powerful processor and 2. A decent screen, both requirements the phone fails to meet. A 720p screen was the need of the hour, and with a price tag of 12,599 INR, ZTE is definitely going to have a tough time trying to sell this device.
Unlike the Grand X Quad Lite, the Blade L does not come with any extra goodies like wireless charging, etc.
Comparison
The phone doesn’t have as many competitors as the Grand X Quad Lite simply for the fact that the Blade L carries hardware that is outdated. Most manufacturers have moved on to quad core processor based devices, and prices of dual core phones have come down to almost half of what ZTE is asking for the Blade L. However, a few dual core based phones from domestic manufacturers are – Micromax Canvas 2, Celkon Signature One A107, etc.
Key Specs
| Model | ZTE Blade L |
| Display | 4.7 inches 800×480 pixels |
| Processor | 1.2GHz dual core |
| RAM, ROM | 512MB RAM, 4GB ROM expandable up to 32GB |
| OS | Android v4.0 |
| Cameras | 5MP rear, 0.3MP front |
| Battery | To be declared |
| Price | 12,599 INR |
Conclusion
As the post made it pretty clear by now, the phone is going to have a tough time getting buyers. Phones like the XOLO Q800 are being sold for a lesser price, and carry far better specifications and are readily available as well. Even the prices of the Micromax Canvas HD are falling; the phone comes with a quad core processor as well and a better set of cameras. If you do want to go for a ZTE phone, it might be a good idea to go for the Grand X Quad Lite instead, but you’ll have to pay a premium of about 2,500 INR for the same.
