The ZTE Blade GF3, reviews of which are of interest to potential buyers, is a good means of communication. Today we will talk about the features of the device, its positive and negative sides. We will look at the ZTE Blade GF3, reviews of which are presented in this article, from different points of view. Let's take into account both the appearance of the device and its performance. But let's start our review of the ZTE Blade GF3 with its technical indicators. About them - briefly below.
ZTE Blade GF3. Characteristics
The diagonal of the subject of our review today is 4.5 inches. The device has a built-in main camera module with a resolution of eight megapixels. The processor operates at a clock frequency of 1200 megahertz. Performance is provided by four cores. The volume of built-in long-term and RAM is eight and one gigabytes, respectively. The operating system of the ZTE Blade GF3, reviews of which can be found at the end of this article, is installed with the Android OS version 5.0. Two slots for Micro SIM cards are available for use. The battery has a capacity of 1850 milliamps per hour and can provide up to nine hours of continuous talk time. The weight of the device is 155 grams.
Review. Equipment
The ZTE Blade GF3 is being sold, instructions for which are included in the package, in ordinary packaging, so typical for other devices of the Chinese company. We can say that everything looks quite nice from the outside. However, inside you can find the minimum package for a smartphone, which consists of a power supply and a MicroUSB cable, as well as a user manual and a warranty card. We won't find anything else here. You shouldn't dream about a bumper. There is no film or anything else here. The Chinese even saved money on headphones. Although, what can you expect from such a budget employee as the model we are considering today?
Appearance Features
ZTE Blade GF3, the price of which is about six thousand rubles, is not very different from its counterparts. It is similar to similar models, most likely of the latest releases. For example, you can detect the same touch buttons. The design, of course, is not only copied in their regard. However, what looks strange and a little illogical is the absence of a bluish rim around the camera. There are no logical explanations for why the Chinese suddenly abandoned such a move when creating a new device.
Arrangement of elements
ZTE Blade GF3, the price of which is quite budgetary, reaches 9.4 millimeters in thickness. Below the screen you can find three touch buttons. One of them, which has a round shape, is called “Home”. There are two points on either side of it. They respectively stand for “Menu” and “Back”. System navigation is provided precisely by these simple controls. Above the screen you can find the speaker output hole, as well as the front camera of the device.
Rear surface and practicality of solutions
On the back of the ZTE Blade GF3, which is reviewed in this article, there is a protruding main camera lens. It is equipped with a single-section LED flash. The sound speaker hole was also located nearby. On this side you can see the signature engraving and logo of the Chinese company. If we look closely, we can see that the lid is matte. It is logical to assume that this practical solution will add safety in terms of operation, since the device will not slip in your hands, and it will not collect fingerprints. At least not that active.
Interfaces
Having turned the ZTE Blade GF3, the review of which we are now continuing, in our hands, we come across a microphone located at the bottom. On the opposite side there is a connector to which wired headphones are connected. On the right we will notice a double button, which is intended for adjusting the sound and changing the sound mode to which the phone is switched. There is also a button to lock the screen and turn off the device. You can pick up the cover using the corresponding small hole. On the left is a connector for connecting a charger or a cable for synchronizing with a computer/laptop.
Display: how technologies of the last century are saving the reputation of the Chinese public sector employee
The ZTE Blade GF3, the specifications of which should be studied before purchasing, does not have a very bright screen. Its diagonal is, as we have already said, 4.5 inches. The picture is displayed on the screen in FWVGA quality at a resolution of 854 by 480 inches. The display matrix is made using TFT technology. This means that in sunlight it will be difficult to see the picture, and the text is generally very difficult to read. Sometimes this problem is solved by a large reserve of brightness, but the subject of our today’s review cannot boast of it.
Returning to the topic of the long-suffering matrix that the ZTE Blade GF3 smartphone is equipped with, it can be noted that now TFT-type matrices are no longer relevant, and many manufacturers are trying to install IPS even in their public sector phones. If we take a device a thousand rubles more expensive (let it be a device from the same company, only a model with the unusual name NH), then we can find just such a screen matrix there. It is not clear why the Chinese decided on such a desperate move and such a stupid economy, as it seems. Unjustified, one might say. The only logical argument that comes to mind is an attempt to implement the principle of energy efficiency. Still, our device is not equipped with the most capacious battery, and a lot depends on the screen in this area. By the way, the multi-touch of our device is designed for only two simultaneous touches.
Communications
The ZTE Blade GF3 smartphone supports two Micro SIM cards. They are installed by prematurely removing the battery. That is, there is no way to change SIM cards while the phone is working. You don’t even know whether to be happy that the connection is stable, or whether this is how it should be. Be that as it may, the device works well in the third generation cellular network, and each user should evaluate whether this is the norm or an advantage, comparing the smartphone with the previous one.
At the first launch, ZTE Blade GF3 Black will prompt the user to choose which SIM card he will use as the main one in the future. That is, it is immediately assigned a mode of operation in the third generation cellular network. You can change priorities a little later in the device settings. But why do this if everything can be done at once? We can also immediately specify which card will be used to make voice calls and packet data. If desired, one slot can be disabled.
We warn readers that the ZTE Blade GF3 Black allows you to assign 3G mode to only one SIM card. Separately, settings such as the cellular network operator and access points for receiving and transmitting Internet traffic are specified. And although users do not complain about the quality of communication, but only praise it, the level is quite low. For the surface it will still work, but in basements, shops, subways, underground parking lots and other similar rooms the signal will disappear.
ZTE Blade GF3, a case for which can be purchased at your nearest mobile phone store, is additionally equipped with proximity and light sensors. A nice bonus, although not so expensive. By the way, there is also an accelerometer. Sensors will simplify handling of the device: when the corresponding function is activated, the brightness will be adjusted automatically depending on the level of lighting around. But the proximity sensor will allow you not to manipulate the screen backlight during a conversation. So, when it approaches your ear, it will turn off. When moving away, turn on. The satellites are being searched for by the device for a very, very long time. The first launch may take as long as twenty minutes, or even half an hour. Otherwise, it’s a shame to complain about communications; Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are available, but you shouldn’t expect 4G LTE at this price.
Operating system and software
Blade GF3 is supplied to mobile phone stores with pre-installed Android OS version 5.0. You can view the device name in the corresponding settings menu. A check may show that an update file has been released since the operating system was installed. In it, some system functions were optimized, and some identified shortcomings were corrected. There is now less chance of encountering unreadable messages and incorrect display of characters in text documents. After installing the update, the software version will change from 5.0 to 5.1.
The ZTE Blade GF3 8 GB has the ability to quickly access basic settings. They can be activated or deactivated by swiping the curtain from the top. The set includes features such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and geographic location. The list, of course, does not end there. But the meaning is probably clear. There are some pre-installed applications and useful utilities. This is the same. The list includes a branded mobile office, a Chinese browser, standard solutions from Google, and social networks. I was pleased that there was some kind of antivirus. The list could go on, but it shouldn't.
The settings menu is absolutely similar to similar elements on other smartphones running the Android operating system version 5.0. The left touch button, according to the factory settings, is responsible for going back. The right key opens the menu. These settings can be changed at the user's discretion using built-in software.
ZTE Blade GF3. Reviews about the device
What do users who purchased this device say? In fact, the Chinese company has come out with a pretty good device, which at least matches the price. Thanks to the “Family” mode, it can also be considered a device for older people. The only weakness was the slow interaction with satellites. This phone is far from the best option if you need to navigate frequently. It also doesn’t shine with any particular performance, but within the segment it offers good competition to other creations.
Equipment
The Blade GF3 is sold in typical packaging for the series. Looks nice.
The equipment of the device is minimal:
- Power supply with cable.
- Warranty card.
There is nothing else. No headphones, no bumper, not even a film for the screen.
Appearance
Externally, the phone is no different from its counterparts from the latest ZTE Blade series: it has the same touch buttons and a similar design. Strange, but there is no blue rim on the main camera.
The thickness of the smartphone is 9.4 mm.
The screen of the smartphone is 4.5 inches in size and has a resolution of 854x480, made using TFT technology. These were “in fashion” a couple of years ago and are not relevant now (we are not talking about the screen size, but the technology and characteristics), but the undoubted advantage of this type of screen is that it will not drain the battery much.
Below the screen there are three touch buttons: a central circle-shaped one - “home” and two dots - “back” and “menu”. Above the screen there is a speaker and a front camera.
At the back, in addition to the protruding camera with flash, there is a hole for the speaker and an engraving with a logo. The cover is matte and does not collect fingerprints; the smartphone will not slip in your hands.
Bottom: microphone. Top: headphone jack.
On the right: a volume rocker, a lock button and a hook for opening the lid. Left: microUSB connector.
The display is not bright; in sunny weather it will be difficult to see anything on it.
Multi-touch with just two touches.
Connection
ZTE Blade GF3 supports two micro SIM cards. They can only be installed by removing the battery.
The connection is stable. There is 3G support.
When you first start, you must select the main SIM card that will work in 3G mode. Then you can change this in the settings. It is also possible to select a SIM card for data transfer and calls. If desired, you can turn off one slot.
After launching the smartphone, “Public Alerts” messages with unreadable text (displayed in hieroglyphs) immediately began to arrive. The interval between messages ranged from two to five minutes. Even disabling all types of notifications did not help.
I tried to disable the “Public Alert” application of the same name, but it did not help. The problem was resolved by the update, so this is unlikely to happen in the future.
In the communication settings, you can select the operating mode of the main SIM card - 3G/2G or only 2G. Access points and network operators are set for both SIM cards in the device settings. The communication level is -75dBm, quite low. This means that in a basement, underground parking lot, and similar places, the phone will not receive a signal from a cellular operator.
The ZTE Blade GF3 phone has a proximity sensor, light sensor and an accelerometer. No electronic compass. It takes a long time to find GPS satellites; the first launch took about 20 minutes.
operating system
The smartphone runs on the new Android 5.0. In the settings you can see that the model is called ZTE T320.
Upon checking, it turned out that there is new software (size 20 MB), which optimizes some system functions and fixes some bugs. The bug with notifying the population during the update corrected itself, unreadable broadcast messages stopped coming. Build number after update ZTE_T320_RUV1.0.0B04. Android has been updated to version 5.0.1.
Access to quick settings is via a pull-down curtain on top, where you can enable or disable Wifi, GPS, Bluetooth and some others.
Minimum applications installed:
You can add Facebook, Google, Shazam, Twitter and email accounts.
Use the Google keyboard or TouchPal to enter text.
The settings menu is no different from other Android 5 smartphones.
By default, the left touch button is “back” and the right touch button is “menu”, but you can change this in the settings.
If you hold down the "menu" button, a list of recent applications will open. And when you hold down the home button - Google Now.
The smartphone has a “Family” mode, when launched, the application requires permission to read contacts, SMS, and communication settings. Advantages of the mode: large Super Clear font, an easy way to send SMS or make calls, there is an SOS mode. There are 8 button tiles on the screen. This could be Contacts, Messages, or other apps.
In short, in this mode the smartphone turns into something like a “grandmother’s phone” - large buttons and simplified controls.
Performance
The processor is quad-core, Spreadtrum SC7731 with a frequency of 1.3 GHz with a Mali-400MP graphics accelerator.
The result of AnTuTu Benchmark 5.7.1 is 17,625 points.
Vellamo Mobile Benchmark in the browser test gives a result of 1,611. In the Metal test, 616, and multicore - 842. Performance is approximately at the level of Samsung Nexus 10.
In NemaMark2 v2.4 the performance is 59.7fps.
Quadrant Standard Edition produces results at the level of HTC One X - 4,362.
Multimedia
The Blade GF3 smartphone plays and quietly plays video in FullHD format. AnTuTu Video Test gives 394 points.
Memory
Memory capacity - 8 GB. 4.8 GB is available to the user, the rest is used by the system (1.08 GB), pre-installed applications (0.93 GB) and other files.
The amount of RAM is 1 GB. Half is free. The system uses 286 MB. After installing updates and additional applications, the RAM may not be enough.
When connecting to a computer, you can select several options for how your smartphone behaves: USB storage (connects an SD card as a flash drive), USB modem, MTP or PTP device, charging only, USB virtual device (for installing drivers).
The ZTE Blade GF3 has two cameras: a front camera and an 8 MP main camera. There are minimal settings for photography: timer, HDR mode and turning on the flash.
Battery
The Blade GF3 uses a battery with a capacity of 1850 mAh. With moderate use (calls, internet, geolocation, SMS), the battery lasts for a day and a half. Charges in one and a half to two hours.
Before the software update, there were some problems with the battery level - it reported that it was running low, but when connecting the charger, the smartphone wrote that the charge level was 50%. After the update, the level began to display correctly.
To conclude the review
ZTE has made a good smartphone with good hardware and a pleasant price tag. In addition, it can be considered as a sensory device for older people, thanks to the Family mode. On the other hand, you can use Necta Launcher for these purposes by downloading it from the Google Market (it makes the interface convenient for older and visually impaired people). The disadvantage of the phone is poor satellite signal reception. This is not the best option for frequent navigation. Otherwise, at a minimum, this is a device that matches its price.
Chinese smartphones have long turned into a category of mobile phones that can offer users wide functionality, excellent features, good technical characteristics at an affordable, and very often even tasty, price.
Today, in our review, we will talk about the ZTE Blade GF3 - a smartphone that was created by the Chinese brand ZTE and introduced it back in 2015. Even today it can hardly be called outdated. Yes, its characteristics may not be called sky-high, but it will quite easily cope with all the tasks assigned to it by an unpretentious user.
The Chinese company ZTE was created 22 years ago, in 1985. Its headquarters is located in Shenzhen. Today it is the second largest manufacturer of mobile phones and telecommunications equipment in China.
It has 13 research centers at its disposal, which are located not only in China, but also abroad - in particular, Korea, the USA and Sweden. The company donates more than 10 percent of its annual revenue to various research in the fields of science and technology. Its partners are such large companies as Intel, Alcatel, IBM, and others.
Currently, ZTE owns about two thousand international patents. Also, the company produces various equipment, namely:
- mobile phones;
- smart networks;
- optical networks;
- mobile networks, etc.
Its enterprises employ about 100 thousand employees. Almost 52 percent of the shares are owned by the government of the People's Republic of China.
Equipment and appearance of the phone
If we talk about things that come with the smartphone, it should be said that they are few: a warranty card, as well as a power supply with a cable and a USB-OTG cable. Why the manufacturer didn’t even put headphones in the box is unclear.
If we talk about appearance, then it is standard for the line of phones of this company. However, it should be noted that the bottom panel is unusually designed with a touch ring located in the middle.
The company made the back cover from matte smooth plastic, which, although it collects fingerprints, also simply allows you to remove them. There is also a protruding camera with a flash, as well as a hole for the speaker and the logo of the manufacturer. On the front panel of the smartphone everything is standard - there is a screen above which there is a speaker, as well as a front camera lens and an LED. At the bottom there are three control keys - “Home”, “Menu”, “Back”. In addition, there is a conversational microphone at the bottom end, and a headphone jack at the top.
On the right side of the ZTE Blade GF3 smartphone The manufacturer decided to place an on/off key for the phone, as well as a sound volume rocker. And on the left I decided to place a Micro-Usb connector.
In order to insert two SIM cards or a memory card, The user will need to remove the back cover and also remove the battery.
The thickness of the ZTE Blade GF3 phone is only 9.4 millimeters. Its weight is 161 grams. All this allows you to hold it comfortably in your hand, and thanks to the materials used, it does not slip out of your hand.
The blade is supplied to the market in three colors:
- black;
- white;
- golden.
About the screen
If we talk about the display, there is a 4.5-inch screen made using a TFT matrix with a resolution of 854 by 480 pixels. This display is capacitive. There is also multi-touch support, although only for two simultaneous touches. Therefore, it becomes generally unclear why such multi-touch is necessary.
It should also be added that the display is quite faded. If you use it outside in sunny weather, then even with maximum brightness turned on, it will not be easy to read the information on it.
Specifications
If we talk about technical characteristics, we should start with the processor. A Spreadtrum SC7731G processor with a frequency of 1.2 GHz is installed here. It is quad-core and works in conjunction with the Mali-400 MP2 graphics accelerator. All this allows the model to easily play video files in FullHD format.
If we talk about memory, then only 1 gigabyte of RAM is installed here. The system uses an average of just under 300 megabytes. Naturally, the more applications there are, the less free memory there is. Also, there is a built-in storage capacity of 8 gigabytes. In addition, if the user wants to expand it, he can install a Micro SD or Micro SDHC memory card with a capacity of up to 32 gigabytes. When connected to a computer, the smartphone can operate in several modes:
- MTP type device;
- USB modem;
- as a charger;
- USB virtual device;
- USB drive.
If we talk about the characteristics of the software, then it should be noted that it controls the smartphone version 5.0.1 Lollipop. It’s not clear, but for some reason in the system settings the phone is called ZTET320. When you connect your smartphone to the Internet, you should immediately check for software updates, since the manufacturer fixed some bugs after the phone was released.
You can make quick settings available using a curtain, lowered from above. Here you can enable or disable various services, in particular GPS, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Also, the ZTE Blade GF3 phone can please the user with the presence of pre-installed services, such as Shazam, AccuWeather, WPSOffice, UCBrowser, CleanMaster, Facebook, Touchpal and so on.
By default, the left touch key has the function of the back button, and the right one is “Menu”. But this can be changed if desired. Long-pressing the Home key will open GoogleNow.
It should be said that the phone has a “Family” mode, which allows you to significantly simplify the management of your smartphone and is intended primarily for older people. Its distinctive features will be:
- simplified control in the form of 8 keys;
- a large font called SuperClear;
- presence of SOS mode;
- ease of use while sending SMS or making calls.
Communication and sound
In the settings you can choose which will be considered the main one and work in 3G mode. After all, we remember that this phone belongs to the line of dual-sim models. Also, it is possible to choose a SIM card for the Internet, and another specifically for calls. If there is no need for the second slot, then you can simply turn it off.
If we talk about the sound, it is quite clear, although at maximum volume settings, the speaker begins to wheeze as expected. At the same time, it produces sound of fairly good quality. If we talk about the internal dynamics, then its volume is more than enough for conversations and communications. The connection level will be somewhere around -75dBm, which is quite low. That is, in the basement, somewhere in the parking lot, or somewhere else in similar objects, the connection will be interrupted or there will be no connection at all.
It should be said that the model from ZTE received both proximity and lighting sensors. The manufacturer also announced the presence of an accelerometer. True, there is no electric compass here. In addition, although there is support for GPS and, they work, to put it mildly, averagely. For example, the first launch of GPS and searching for satellites took a total of about 20 minutes. There is also an 802.11 Wi-Fi module with b/g/n standards. A Bluetooth module of model 2.1 is also installed here, which, frankly speaking, can already be called outdated.
About the camera
If we talk about the description of the camera, then the ZTE Blade GF3 has two of them: front and main. The main one received an 8 megapixel matrix. If we talk about the interface for photography, it is minimalistic and very simple. At the same time, the quality of the images here can be called quite mediocre. Although there is an LED flash as well as auto focus, this does not improve the situation much. And if we talk about the front camera, it has only 2 megapixels and is only suitable for video communication.
If we talk about the battery, then there is a battery with a capacity of 1850 mAh. If the smartphone is used moderately in general, then it can work for about a day and a half. You can fully charge your smartphone in about a couple of hours.
By the way, at first the smartphone incorrectly displayed the battery charge. It informed that the charge was running out, and when connecting the charger, it reported that more than half of the battery charge remained. But already in the next system update, the situation was corrected.
Another model from the ZTE brand from the budget category of smartphones -
As a conclusion
Generally speaking, the Chinese company ZTE has produced a pretty good device with average characteristics. It is perfect for older people, thanks to the special “Family” mode. This phone is fully worth its price and will be an excellent solution for those who are looking for an inexpensive smartphone and are unpretentious to its technical characteristics. The advantages of this model include:
- affordable price;
- availability of “Family” mode;
- ability to play FullHD files.
Flaws:
- low battery capacity;
- 1 gigabyte of RAM;
- unsatisfactory quality of work, both main and front cameras;
- unsatisfactory connection quality when working underground or in hard-to-reach areas;
- presence of bugs, which are corrected only in subsequent software updates.
We present to your attention a worthy and inexpensive means of communication, a smartphone from ZTE – Blade GF3.
The device will please consumers who are inclined to minimalism, conciseness and simple lines in the design of gadgets. At the same time, this model lies quite comfortably in the hand due to the diagonal size, which is 4.5 inches.
A visual overview makes it clear that the buttons are located as usual for users of modern smartphones: below the screen there are three touch keys, above it there is a microphone and a front camera. The main camera is located on the back side, and the surface of the cover is made in a matte style, which will certainly please users who do not really like to see their fingerprints all over the device.
In order to achieve the cheapest possible price, the manufacturer supplied the package with only a standard power supply with a Mini-USB cable, as well as classic instructions and a warranty card form. Music lovers and users who often use a headset for communication will have to purchase headphones separately.
Characteristics that ensure reliable operation of the device: quad-core processor with a frequency of 1200 megahertz. The result in AnTuTu 5.7.1 is 17,625 points. The screen with a resolution of 854x480 on the smartphone is made using proven TFT technology, which can significantly reduce the load on the battery and maintain a long time of use without recharging - the battery capacity will last up to 9 hours of talk time.
An important advantage of the ZTE Blade GF3 is the ability to install 2 SIM cards at once, and each can be assigned its own functions, for example, one will be responsible for calls and SMS, and the other for 3G support. Thus, you can significantly reduce the total bill for your cellular communications.
The smartphone will be pleasant to use even if you give it to a child, because it weighs only 155 grams.
Photos and videos from the 8 megapixel camera are standard, and it is possible to control the flash.
By default, the Android OS version 5.0 is installed, but for more correct operation, we recommend that you immediately update the firmware to the current version, because it is in it that the smartphone will work as efficiently as possible and you will not have any questions. Of course, it is recommended to install all these updates while connected to a Wi-Fi network. The model also includes Bluetooth.
The mobile phone is equipped with a built-in memory of 8 GB and if there is a need to store a large amount of data, users can store information on cloud drives.
A very important function that is preinstalled in the device and, perhaps, will persuade you to buy a ZTE Blade GF3 for an elderly person is the “Family” mode. When you simply switch to this mode, all icons and fonts become as large as possible. Thus, this device will be convenient to use for people with poor vision.
In conclusion, we can conclude that this model is another successful original combination of performance and price from ZTE. Judging byAccording to user reviews, if you do not make excessive demands on a budget device at an affordable price, then it will serve the owner faithfully for many years. It is also worth noting that this device receives a cellular signal stably and without “failures”. And this is one of the main criteria when choosing a future means of communication for the majority. Well, the consultants of our store will be happy to help the future owner buy a ZTE Blade GF3 smartphone in Moscow, compare it with analogues in stock and choose the best one at the best price for the future owner.
