X

Cricket launches budget-friendly ZTE Grand X 3

Cricket's latest Android phone is a midlevel ZTE handset with a spacious display and USB Type-C port.

Scott Webster
Scott Webster has spent the better part of his adult life playing with cell phones and gadgets. When not looking for the latest Android news and rumors, he relaxes with his wife and son. Scott also is the senior editor for AndroidGuys. E-mail Scott.
Scott Webster
zte-grand-x-3-05164.jpg

The ZTE Grand X 3 is big on size but small on cost.

Nate Ralph/CNET

The ZTE Grand X 3 went on sale at Cricket Wireless on Friday.

First introduced at CES earlier this month, the handset is a big screen, budget-friendly affair with a $130 retail price.

On paper, the ZTE Grand X 3 is not all that extraordinary. Indeed, it runs an older version of Android, 5.1 Lollipop, and features run-of-the-mill internal hardware.

But it's the latest in a wave of affordable phones packing decent, if not mind-blowing, specifications targeting consumers not looking to empty their wallet on the latest premium handset. These phones are showing up at prepaid services like Cricket, which is a unit of AT&T and runs on the same wireless network.

The Grand X 3 attempts to punch above its weight with a couple of standout details including front and rear Dolby Audio speakers and a USB Type C port. As the first US model from ZTE to include this reversible charging port, it promises quicker and hassle-free replenishing.

ZTE Grand X 3 features

  • $130 price tag
  • 5.5-inch 1,280 x 720 pixel display
  • 1.3GHz quad-core processor
  • 16GB internal storage
  • 2GB RAM
  • 3,080mAh battery

In addition to the new handset, Cricket is currently offering a $50 bill credit for customers who port their phone number over. Under the promo, the ZTE Grand X 3 would be $80. A separate deal sees Cricket discounting phones as part of a tax-season-themed promotion.