Most major China-based smartphone manufacturers derive a big chunk of their sales from Asian markets while largely staying away from countries like the US, but ZTE is one of the greatest exceptions to that rule, eclipsing the Q1 2020 shipment numbers of some pretty huge names stateside, including Motorola and Google.
While the company sells a very reasonably priced unlocked high-ender, we can safely assume its most popular US handsets are available on carriers like Visible, Yahoo Mobile, and Cricket Wireless with low to mid-end specifications in tow.
The latest such device is called the ZTE Blade A3 Prime and can already be purchased from Visible at a measly $99 before eventually expanding to Yahoo Mobile as well. In case you're wondering what the two prepaid carriers have in common, the answer is pretty simple - Verizon. The nation's largest wireless service provider owns both these brands, which means you have absolutely nothing to worry about in terms of coverage or 4G LTE speeds.
But while ZTE boldly proclaims the Blade A3 Prime "delivers the best in its price class", we're not exactly convinced that's the case. Granted, $99 is an insanely low price point, and you can't expect the world from such an ultra-affordable mobile device, but the brand-new Moto E is just 50 bucks costlier with infinitely better specs and a much more modern design.
To its credit, the ZTE Blade A3 Prime does get a couple of things right, running Android 10 out the box and packing a removable battery that brings back sweet memories of a different time for the mobile industry. Unfortunately, everything else is... bad, at least on paper, from the chunky screen bezels to the 5.45-inch HD screen itself, as well as the quad-core MediaTek Helio A22 processor, 2GB RAM count, 32 gigs of internal storage space, 2,660mAh battery capacity, single 8MP rear-facing camera, and 5MP selfie shooter.
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Visible itself sells the ZTE Blade A7 Prime at $89 right now with a sleeker design, larger display, bigger battery, and a 16MP rear shooter, so as cheap as the A3 Prime is, it really doesn't feel cheap enough.
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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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