ZTE Axon Phone now available to pre-order in the US: Quad HD screen and other high-end specs for under $450

ZTE, which prides itself in being the fourth largest smartphone maker in the US, today started taking pre-orders for the Axon Phone, a brand new handset that was first presented in June.

The Axon Phone is a high-end device that's sold unlocked, costing less than most other high-end smartphones out there: $449.98. It can currently be pre-ordered in the US from ZTE's website, Amazon, Newegg, and eBay, with shipping expected to start at the end of July.

Made out of materials like metal and glass, the Axon Phone measures 154 x 75 x 9.3 mm and weighs 175 grams, so it's not the thinnest, nor the lightest high-end smartphone on the market. Anyway, ZTE says that the Axon was "designed in the US for the US."

The new handset sports a 5.5-inch Sharp-made TFT Quad HD (1440 x 2560 pixels) display, and runs a near-stock version of Android 5.1.1 Lollipop. Powered by an octa-core Snapdragon 810 processor, the Axon Phone further offers LTE connectivity, 4 GB of RAM, 32 GB of storage space (apparently not expandable), and a 3000 mAh non-removable battery. The rear camera of the Axon is a dual-lens one (13 MP + 2 MP, suitable for bokeh effects) with 4K video recording and f/1.8 aperture, while the front-facing camera is an 8 MP one.

A highlight of the Axon Phone - at least according to ZTE - is that it features an AKM 4961 Hi-Fi (high fidelity) audio chipset that should deliver "excellent sound quality." The smartphone also comes with "advanced sound recording" thanks to dual microphones. Reportedly, "long-distance voice pickup will capture the slightest of sounds from up to 20 feet away" (of course, we'll have to test this to see if it really works).

The Axon Phone is fully compatible with the GSM/LTE networks of AT&T and T-Mobile, but does not work on Verizon and Sprint. For a closer look at the new smartphone, check back soon to read our Axon Phone hands-on post.


sources: Axon Phone, ZTE, Press release