What's good
- Display offers good viewing angles and color reproduction
- Excellent battery life
What's bad
- Sluggish 4G
- Middling processor performance
- Long battery charge time
ZTE has entered phablet territory with the release of its ZTE Max smartphone. The IPS display measures a whopping 5.7 inches, offering resolution of 720 x 1280. Although this translates to a relatively low pixel density of 257ppi, most reviewers were generally pleased with color reproduction, viewing angles and overall sharpness of the screen. They did notice, however, that whites on the screen were very clearly off-white.
As a mid-range product, the Max might not have high end specs; however it does offer a 1.2GHz dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM. With this, experts found that the phone generally operated smoothly, albeit slowly, when performing small and necessary tasks. According to CNET, even processor intensive games still ran without noticeable lag though they did suffer from lower frame-rate and choppy rendering.
One of the biggest disappointments for critics was the 4G speed. Although the actual connection is reliable, Android Central states that the performance itself was hit-or-miss and often very slow when scrolling through more complicated sites. During battery tests, experts were able to get around 12 hours from the device. Unfortunately, they mentioned that the phone takes a very long time to reach full charge, coming in at around 8 hours.
Like all smartphones, the ZTE Max comes equipped with a rear-facing camera. While basic, the 8 megapixel camera did produce acceptable pictures for reviewers in decent lighting for the most part. Critics did notice that some images would come out slightly blurry and low light pictures often had a notable amount of digital noise.
Reviewers generally have mixed opinions on the device. Laptop Mag states, "the Boost Max is still a very good value." Android Guys, one the other hand, says, "The Boost Max tries to offers as much as its competitors, but ultimately falls short in some important areas."
What the Critics Are Saying...
- Brooks Barnard, Android and MeI hope you aren’t deterred by the average to below average number score I gave to the Boost Max. The Boost Max is not a bad Android device. It’s a budget phablet, and I think ZTE cut corners in the appropriate places to make the Boost Max a phablet you can buy for $299. This phone isn&rs...
- Jimmy Westenberg, Android GuysThe Boost Max tries to offer as much as it’s competitors, but ultimately falls short in some important areas. Most of our experiences can be summed up with a, “This feature is nice, but…”.ZTE’s Smart Viewer is a great addition, adding functionality and innovation to th...
- Taylor Martin, PocketnowWe’re more hopeful for the future of this device than anything else. If it weren’t for the lag and performance hangs throughout our entire review period, we probably would have come away from this review a little more jazzed about the phone.No, the display isn’t mind-boggling like...
- Robert Nelson, Android CommunityThe Boost MAX is a solid performer and should be a device considered by any Boost Mobile customer looking for a bigger screen. In fact, given the size, this handset could serve as a large phone, and also a small tablet for some users. The display, overall performance, battery life, and camera all pr...
- Cherlynn Low, Laptop MagWhile it's not the fastest smartphone in its class, the $299 Boost Max is still a very good value. This 5.7-inch device offers a quality 720p screen, good audio quality and very long battery life. We also like the split-screen multitasking feature. If faster 4G speeds are important to you, you might...
Prices (Where to Buy)
Common Questions
We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the ZTE Max user manual here.
ZTE backs up the Max with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.
If your Max has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact ZTE support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find ZTE's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.
Resources
Manuals / User Guides
- ZTE Max Quick Start Guide (PDF)
- ZTE Max Manual (PDF)
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