Compare ZTE mobile phones

ZTE sells a variety of affordable feature and smartphone devices, although typically not under its own branding.

Posted Sep 30, 2020

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Compare ZTE phone models
What to consider
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Key facts about ZTE mobile phones

ZTE was originally founded as Zhongxing Semiconductor Co in 1985.
Most ZTE phones sold in Australia are rebranded as carrier phones, particularly as Telstra or Optus models.

ZTE phone models

Name	Product	Display	Display	Rear camera	Battery size	Overall rating	More info	More info
ZTE Blitz		5 inches 720 x 1280	Display 5 inches 720 x 1280 Rear camera 8MP Battery size 2,500 mAh	8MP	2,500 mAh	Not yet rated	Buy at eBay View details	Buy at eBay View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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What to consider when choosing a ZTE phone

ZTE is quite a big brand internationally, and especially in its home Chinese market, but it's a brand you may never have heard of before – despite the fact that many ZTE phones have been sold in Australia over many years. ZTE itself has operated in Australia since 2004, so it's not a "new" brand in Australia to speak of. So why haven't you heard of it?

It's because the vast majority of ZTE handsets sold in Australia over the years have been rebadged and resold as carrier devices, typically as either Telstra- or Optus-branded phones. ZTE does sell some of its handsets with its own branding in the open market these days as well, but if you've owned a lower cost prepaid Telstra or Optus smartphone in the past, the odds are pretty decent that it was actually a ZTE handset.

Here's what you need to consider when choosing a ZTE phone:

While there's been a prevailing trend towards larger screen sizes on smartphones, ZTE's phones as sold in Australia have tended to be smaller, with most sitting between 5 and 6.2 inches or so, although there are outliers both for its flip phones and some of its larger handsets. You won't see super-sharp AMOLEDs in play either, with most of ZTE's phones topping out at HD resolutions at best. That fits well with their budget ethos of course because you're paying a distinctly lower amount.
ZTE is yet to offer up a 5G capable device in Australia, but that's more likely when significantly larger quantities of low-cost 5G chipsets become more broadly available. Its phones do operate on Australia's 3G and 4G networks, although typically not at terribly high speed rates. Some of ZTE's phones sold with Telstra branding do qualify for its "Blue Tick" certification, meaning they're capable of better reception characteristics in more remote and regional areas.
ZTE's phones are inexpensive, and one of the ways that ZTE keeps the costs down is with relatively cheap processors and small allotments of RAM as well. As very basic phones, they're generally functional, but rarely fast. It's also well worth checking the precise feature set of a given phone model for tasks such as NFC contactless banking because there can be a lot of variance across models.

Looking for a ZTE phone on a plan?

For the most part, ZTE's phones are sold outright, although many of the models sold with carrier branding may be locked to that carrier. The current exception to this is the more mid-range priced Telstra Tough Max 3, which is available on contract terms through Telstra:

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Alex Kidman

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A multi-award winning journalist, Alex has written about consumer technology for over 20 years. He has written and edited for virtually every Australian tech publication including Gizmodo, CNET, PC Magazine, Kotaku and more. He has also been the Editor of Gizmodo Australia, PC Mag Australia, CNET.com.au and the Tech and Telco section at Finder. Alex has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of New England and a serious passion for retro gaming.

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Compare ZTE mobile phones

ZTE sells a variety of affordable feature and smartphone devices, although typically not under its own branding.

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