Ten years ago, the ZTE Axon M would’ve been a pretty cool phone. Now, though, it’s more of a novelty device.
Recently, AT&T loaned me one of its exclusive ZTE Axon M phones for a couple weeks. And while I was ready to be surprised by the handset, I was really just kind of bored with it. Sure, the idea of a foldable dual-screen phone is interesting … but that’s about it.
Instead of my normal review format, I’m breaking tradition on this one. Here are five reasons you’re better off spending $700 dollars or more on another phone.
Size
Generally, smartphones are getting generally thinner. The ZTE Axon M, on the other hand, is large and cumbersome. It has two 5.2-inch displays that fold together. The result is a brick-like shape that doesn’t fit into most pockets. Also, the thick device isn’t comfortable to hold — good thing the phone’s second screen doubles as a kickstand.
Durability
The ZTE Axon M’s secondary screen folds along the phone’s backside — both screens face out — making the back slicker than your average handset. In my short time trying out the smartphone, it fell often. Many times it fell, it was placed on a seemingly flat surface, only to slide slowly off that spot several seconds — and sometimes minutes — later.
Slickness aside, the phone’s front and back are still both LCD screens. Don’t know about you, but I’ve seen many cracked phone screens in my life. Not even the fact that the displays were made with Gorilla Glass 5 is a comfort — it seems like they’ll still crack eventually.
Design
It’s a neat idea; having two screens combine to create a mega-sized screen. Maybe ZTE should’ve left it at that, though, an idea. In everyday scenarios, the second screen isn’t that helpful. Even while watching videos on the screens, the black bar dividing the picture is annoying and takes away from the viewing experience.
As a result of the ZTE Axon M’s design, the phone’s camera is also a hassle to use. You see, the camera for the phone is located on the primary display in the top left corner. Tapping into the camera app is normally all you have to do to start shooting. But with the Axon M, you have to flip the phone over to use the secondary screen as your viewfinder for shooting.
Unlocking
The Axon M’s fingerprint sensor is on the smartphone’s power button, which is located along the left side of the phone. That ended up being a very difficult area to hit for me (I’m right-handed). Often times, the sensor didn’t let me in at all. Normally, Android devices go the swipe to unlock route. For some reason, this phone makes you press and hold. Thanks to muscle memory, getting to the pin pad took some time to master.
Camera
One of the most important aspects of any new smartphone is the camera. The Axon M sports a mediocre 20-megapixel camera that lacks optical image stabilization. In the daylight it does a decent job shooting. Without the help of great lighting, though, this camera is no competition to other phones in the same price range ($700+).
For me, the ZTE Axon M is a hard pass. But if you’re in the market for an Android phone at this same price point, you should check out the Samsung Galaxy S8 instead.
