The $130 ZTE Grand X3, with its curved glass and big screen, proves cheap no longer has to mean nasty. It’s now possible to buy flagship spec smartphones for less than $400, so it makes sense that the price of mid-range smartphones is also dropping; but the cheaper mobiles get, the worse they usually become. That rule of thumb doesn’t apply to the new ZTE Grand X3, which somehow manages to cost just $130 without a contract on the Cricket network, but comes with a solid spec list wrapped up in an attractive and solid body. We had the chance to try it out at CES 2016. A slim, simple phone The body may not be aluminum, but it’s slim at just over 9mm, and relatively light at 170 grams. Around the back is a textured plastic panel that feels way better than it looks in the pictures — think of it like a less course version of the sandpaper-like OnePlus 2’s rear panel, and you’re almost there. However, it’s around the front things take a very cool turn. The screen is covered in a 2.5D piece of glass, neatly curving around the edges and making the phone very comfortable to hold. Related:- ZTE Axon review This is important. Cheap things are usually uncomfortable. Buy a pair of $10 sneakers and compare them to a $70 pair after a month’s worth of wear, and see which feels better. The Grand X3 isn’t expensive, but it doesn’t feel or look cheap when it’s in the palm of your hand, and that’s a huge step forward for low-cost smartphones, especially those bred exclusively for carriers. It’s not the first time we’ve seen ZTE have a go at covering both these bases. The old ZTE Blade S6 almost managed bring everything together, but ruined everything with a nasty, creaky plastic back. The Grand X3 does it right. Respectable mid-range specs There’s a big 5.5-inch, 720p screen under the glass, and it’s bright and clear. Any pixelation wasn’t obvious when we checked the phone out, but obviously it won’t display pictures in the same way a phone with a 1080p or beyond screen will. That said, it displayed the Android 5.1.1 operating system well, and we’re happy to report ZTE has left it almost completely standard, aside from a few carrier apps and slight visual tweaks. Plus, the big 5.5-inch screen is just about as fashionable as phone screens get. So if you’re envious of a friend’s LG G4 but can’t justify the cost, the Grand X3 will at least match it in size if not in resolution. A Snapdragon 210 quad-core processor with 2GB of RAM powers the device, which certainly handled the OS without a problem, but we haven’t been able to play any challenging games or run any power-intensive tasks yet. That’s the same situation with the cameras — it has an 8 megapixel on the rear, and a 2 megapixel above the screen — but the rear cam does have autofocus, and the app seemed responsive in our brief test. Related:- ZTE wants your ideas to help shape future phones While those specs don’t make the Grand X3 standout, the USB Type-C connector and fast-charging 3,080mAh battery are very welcome, as is a MicroSD card slot. Remember, this is a $130 phone, and there are devices costing a lot more than that with smaller batteries and the old Micro USB charging ports still on sale. There’s no fingerprint sensor, NFC, or anything really flashy; but for the price, we wouldn’t expect there to be. What we expect is what the Grand X3 seems to offer: great build quality, a strong design, and specs that won’t embarrass anyone. It sounds easy, but it’s not, and rarely does the result come in at such a competitive price. Yes, you’ll need to go to Cricket to get one, but if that’s not a problem, the Grand X3 appears to be another low-cost winner from ZTE. Go and hold one to see for yourself, and prepare to be surprised by how much smartphone $130 can buy you in 2016. Highs Strong build 2.5D glass Big, bright display Almost stock Android Fast-charging USB Type-C connector Low cost Lows Only for the Cricket network Performance is an unknown



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