Blade X1 5G review on a reliable phone with impressive mid-range specs such as the quad-camera, Full HD screen, and 6GB RAM. It also supports 5G.
ZTE Blade X1 5G smartphone was released in January 2021. It’s the first ZTE phone with 5G, available for Visible and Yahoo Mobile. This is a mid-range phone with mouthwatering features.
Before, we were captivated at first sight due to its beautiful design. There’s surely more on its specs. True to our initial guess, this phone does pack lots of the latest techs. We got a quad camera, with the main lens having an eye-popping 48MP resolution.
Furthermore, because this device is a 5G smartphone, it is ready to be the next-gen communication device. Having 5G unlocks users to much faster internet access.
We haven’t yet dug deep into other areas. For example, the battery comes with a large capacity. This ZTE Blade X1 5G review will explain everything you need to know about the phone.
Page Contents:
Key Specs
ZTE Blade X1 5G specifications:
| Weight | 190g |
| Dimensions | 164 x 76 x 9.2mm |
| OS | Android 10 |
| Screen size | 6.5-inch |
| Resolution | 2340 x 1080 |
| CPU | 2.4GHz Quad-core, Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G |
| RAM | 6GB |
| Storage | 128GB |
| Battery | 4,000mAh, Non-removable |
| Rear camera | 48MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP |
| Front camera | 16MP |
Design
ZTE Blade X1 5G stole our attention with its glamorous design. This phone measures 164 x 76 x 9.2mm so it’s tall and slim. The weight is also not too light so it gives a cheap vibe. At 190g, Blade X1 5G gives the right amount of heaviness that exudes quality.
This device comes in a black-navy color with a wavy gradient on the back cover. It’s a bespoke choice of color. There’s a slight awkwardness with the placement of the quad camera. It is on the corner than in the middle, therefore feels like it betrays the symmetry.
The back cover is curved on the right and left. That makes it easy to hold despite it’s a big phone. The glossy back also houses the fingerprint reader and the logo. Everything is quite minimalist.
The front part is equally nice to look at. ZTE Blade X1 5G features a full-screen display with very little space on the frame. There’s only the bottom bezel. The camera is punch-holes on the far left corner of the display.
All in all, ZTE Blade X1 5G is a beautifully designed phone that’d make you proud to carry it. It represents its class (mid-range) with extra flashiness. In our opinion, it’s a value-for-money kind of design.
Display
ZTE Blade X1 5G comes with a 6.5-inch display with 2340 x 1080 resolution. This is not just a high definition screen, but another level above that. You’d get a Full HD display. More specifically, also with an aspect ratio of 13:6 and pixel density of 396 ppi.
With this kind of display quality, the screen packs more pixels per square inch. It translates into sharper images and more vibrant colors. You don’t have to deal with blurred texts or rough-shaped icons. Watching something on full screen is an immersive experience with a Full HD screen.
Additionally, the display will have a better brightness. Especially when it has to battle a bright environment (i.e a sunny day.) It comes with a sensor that adjusts the brightness accordingly. This phone also has a better viewing angle too.
At 6.5-inch, the display provides ample space to do activities with the phone. ZTE Blade X1 5G is longer than average phones with an 18:9 aspect ratio, therefore stacking two apps is more comfortable. We like how the front camera is placed on the furthest corner. Sometimes you can forget that it’s there when watching a movie.
Camera
The quad-camera on ZTE Blade X1 5G is another impressive feature this phone offers. It starts with the main lens, which sports 48MP in resolution and ultra-narrow aperture size (f/1.79). The phone also comes with a PDAF autofocus technology.
So, aside from the big resolution, the main lens excels in other areas too. It can capture fast-moving objects with less blur. The small aperture also means the lens will fare better in low light. Combined with the resolution, you can get a near-pro result, sharp and detailed image.
For video recording, you can shoot a 4K UHD video with ZTE Blade X1 5G. Videos taken with the camera can play on big screens without dropping in quality. Even better, the shooter also comes with a stabilizer and slow-mo feature.
The second camera is an 8MP wide-angle lens. ZTE Blade X1 5G also has a 2MP macro lens and a 2MP depth lens. Don’t worry about being confused using all these lenses. The Camera app comes with ready-to-use settings such as Portrait, Super Night, Refocus, and Panorama. It’s fun to try every one of them.
Lastly, we got a 16MP shooter on the front. It’s more than decent to take selfies although sometimes it’s better to use the back camera’s portrait mode. This camera can record FHD videos as well.
Read also: LG X Power 3 Review: Big Battery and Fingerprint Sensor
Storage
ZTE Blade X1 5G has 128GB internal storage. Typically, a phone with a large camera resolution comes with large storage space too. So we aren’t surprised to see this number on Blade X1 5G. For an active photographer, this site is amazing. The capacity also caters to streaming lovers as it lets you store many movies and music offline.
When you need backup storage, the expandable option on this phone proves to be useful. You can add an additional 2TB storage to the available SD card slot. If anything, we have nothing to complain about ZTE Blade X1 5G’s storage situation. It is very satisfactory.
Performance
ZTE Blade X1 5G operates on a 2.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor. The phone also has a large RAM capacity at 6GB. This setup exceeded our expectation for the Blade X1 5G review on performance. We can see how this phone can be fast on various kinds of tasks.
With this configuration, hardcore mobile gamers can rely on this phone for lag-less gaming. You can try to squeeze out the performance by installing big games. Blade X1 5G will hold the performance well without sacrificing quality.
Even if you are not a gamer, Blade X1 5G is a dependable device for everyday activities. Whether it’s light or intense, you can edit documents, write emails, watch movies, and browse the internet with ease.
The 6GB RAM allows for intense multitasking. Open many apps at the same time and this phone handles it well. The RAM saves the apps’ state well. So, the phone doesn’t need to reload an app again when you switch the screen. This kind of fluidity is something you’d want for a phone priced as mid-range.
ZTE Blade X1 5G runs on Android 10. Unlike many big brands, this device doesn’t modify the software a lot. As a result, resources like the RAM and the storage can be allocated to things that matter more for users.
On the other hand, the user interface of ZTE Blade X1 5G looks typical. There’s no special interface or icon design that makes it different from other phones. It’s more of a taste, though. Some people would like simplicity. Besides, this is an issue easily solvable by installing a theme app.
This phone comes with a fingerprint reader, ensuring the security of Blade X1 5G. It has sensors like Barometer, and there’s DTS:X Virtual Surround for audiophiles. In short, Blade X1 5G is an all-around device supporting your everyday needs really well.
Connectivity
ZTE Blade X1 5G supports 5G, as its name already has indicated. The 5G provides blazing-fast data transfer be it downloading or uploading. Although 5G coverage is limited in urban areas so far, you can still switch to 4G or older bands when you need to.
This feature gives Blade X1 5G users a guarantee for the future. You can keep this phone two years from now and it won’t be obsolete.
Apart from the 5G, Blade X1 5G also enjoys other useful network features. It has the typical Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS combo, but there’s more. This phone supports NFC too. Also worth mentioning, Bluetooth on this phone supports as many as 10 profiles. Blade X1 5G uses the latest type of USB connector as well (USB Type-C.)
Battery
The 4,000mAh battery of ZTE Blade X1 5G will get you through the day and more. Having quite a demanding specification in many areas, Blade X1 5G would need a solid battery. This non-removable cell doesn’t disappoint with its performance.
Furthermore, Blade X1 5G also comes with a quick charge feature. You can easily recharge the battery quickly during a busy day. The charging mechanism uses Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 3.0, a tech that comes as a package with the chipset this phone uses.
Is the ZTE Blade X1 5G a good phone?
ZTE Blade X1 5G is a perfect phone for pro users, but don’t want to pay a huge amount for a flagship model. Key features on this phone include the quad-camera, great performance, and a Full HD display. Furthermore, it’s a 5G device, which keeps you updated with the network technology for years to come.
The phone is selling at $360. It’s by no means cheap because this phone clearly isn’t a budget one. However, our ZTE Blade X1 5G review concludes that this phone offers great value for such a price. It’s worth considering if you want to upgrade from an entry-level phone.
Blade X1 5G Pros
- 5G support
- Full HD display
- Quad-camera
- Large storage
- Great performance
- Big battery with fast charging
Blade X1 5G Cons
- The price can be too expensive for some