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This $129 phone has dual cameras and a fingerprint reader

The $129 Blade Z Max is a dual-camera phone with a huge screen and a fingerprint reader.

Lynn La Senior Editor / Reviews - Phones
Lynn La covers mobile reviews and news. She previously wrote for The Sacramento Bee, Macworld and The Global Post.
Lynn La
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Josh Miller/CNET

Today, ZTE is launching the Blade Z Max on MetroPCS -- a prepaid phone that features a big display, a dual-camera setup and a fingerprint reader on the back. It will be available in stores starting August 28.

For a budget phone to pack that kind of hardware, you'd expect the price to be around the $200-$300 range, like the $230 Motorola Moto G5 Plus or the $280 Alcatel Idol 5S. But the new Blade Z Max lowers the price range even more at $129.

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ZTE's Blade Z Max goes big for cheap

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Compared to the other two phones , it features a bigger 6-inch display and a capacious 4,080mAh battery that promises 31 hours of usage time. Its two cameras on the back shoots dramatic "bokeh" photos and monocolor images that highlight one color. However, its bigger screen comes at a slightly lower resolution and its 1.4GHz processor isn't as powerful as the other two. (For a full comparison, check out the chart below).

Still, for a 6-inch phone with dual cameras and a big battery, $129 is very cheap. We'll update this piece when we test the phone's battery life in our labs, but if you're a prepaid user and you're in the market for an inexpensive device, consider the Blade Z Max.

ZTE Blade Z Max spec comparison


ZTE Blade Z MaxMotorola Moto G5 PlusAlcatel Idol 5S
Display size, resolution 6-inch; 1,920x1,080 pixels5.2-inch; 1,920x1,080 pixels5.2-inch; 1,920x1,080 pixels
Pixel density 367ppi424ppi424ppi
Dimensions (Inches) 6.54x3.33x 0.335.9x2.9x0.3 inches5.85x2.79x0.29 inches
Dimensions (Millimeters) 166.12x84.58x8.32 mm150.2x74x7.7 mm148.6x70.8x7.4 mm
Weight (Ounces, Grams) 6.17 oz, 175g5.5 oz, 155g5.25 oz; 149g
Mobile software Android 7.1.1 NougatAndroid 7.0 NougatAndroid 7.1 Nougat
Camera 16-megapixel; 2-megapixel12-megapixel12-megapixel
Front-facing camera 8-megapixel5-megapixel8-megapixel
Video capture 1080p1080p1,080p
Processor 1.4GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM89402GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 6252GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625
Storage 32GB32GB (UK & US), 64GB (US only)32GB
RAM 2GB2GB on 32 GB (US model), 3GB on 32GB (UK model) or 4GB on 64GB (US model)3GB
Expandable storage 128GB128GBUp to 512GB
Battery 4,080mAh3,000mAh2,620mAh
Fingerprint sensor Back coverBelow screenBack cover
Connector USB-CMicro-USBUSB-C
Special features N/ADual-SIM, splash-proofDual 3.6-watt speakers
Price off-contract (USD) $139$229 (32GB); $299 (64GB)$280