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  • ChefJeff789 - Saturday, September 3, 2016 - link

    Looks great, except... make the damn camera flush with the phone already. Sick of protruting lumps on these hi-tech devices
  • mindless1 - Sunday, September 4, 2016 - link

    So it has inferior focus, or did you mean make the entire phone thicker to accommodate it?
  • TheinsanegamerN - Tuesday, September 6, 2016 - link

    make the phone thicker and put a bigger battery in it, since OEMS are allergic to replaceable batteries for some reason.
  • Mavendependency - Monday, September 5, 2016 - link

    This phone has a curved back, will wobble on table anyway, flush camera or otherwise. Only phones with camera module in the bezel have managed to have flush camera without making the phone uncomfortable.
  • djayjp - Saturday, September 3, 2016 - link

    "Flagship killer" with just A53... ha!
  • serendip - Saturday, September 3, 2016 - link

    They should have used a 650 or 652 in there instead of having a higher clocked A53 cluster. Even two A72 cores is enough to boost performance to near-flagship levels.
  • amdwilliam1985 - Sunday, September 4, 2016 - link

    yeah, 650 or 652 will totally suffice. That A53 is definitely no flagship killer. These company throws around these words to dilute their meanings.
  • Shadow7037932 - Tuesday, September 6, 2016 - link

    Hahaha it's so funny because the 652 beat the 820 in multithreaded benches: https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/50fhry/g...
  • Cliff34 - Saturday, September 3, 2016 - link

    I am not sure why they don't use a better SoC for the mini. I thought they use a slower SoC bc the compact design of a smaller phone but the mini is not so mini (still have a 5 inch screen).
  • sprockkets - Saturday, September 3, 2016 - link

    Mini means we took .3 inch off the size of the screen. Sheesh.

    Hey, I like big phones but if you want to call it a mini, try 4", or 4.5".
  • Flunk - Tuesday, September 6, 2016 - link

    It's mini in price and specs more than anything else. €299.
  • Tams80 - Saturday, September 3, 2016 - link

    I'm going with the others here; mini my arse.
  • p1esk - Saturday, September 3, 2016 - link

    I remember getting the very first Galaxy Note 5 years ago (5.3 inch), and returning it because it was just too damn large, it simply didn't fit in my hand. Now they call a 5.2 inch phone "mini"???
  • vision33r - Sunday, September 4, 2016 - link

    The Note series has always featured atleast 5.5" display the Note 5 has a 5.7" not 5.3"
  • TheinsanegamerN - Sunday, September 4, 2016 - link

    Try reading his comment again. He said the original note from 5 years ago, not the note 5. The OG note had a 5.3 inch screen. Try googling it next time.

    http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_note_n7000-...
  • peterfares - Sunday, September 4, 2016 - link

    Don't forget that the original Note was 16:10 1280x800, making it wider than a 16:9 5.3" screen.
  • FlyBri - Sunday, September 4, 2016 - link

    @TheinsanegamerN -- Yes, based on @p1esk's comment it can be inferred he meant an older Galaxy Note, but actually the way he wrote it is incorrect and can be a bit confusing at first, because if you're going to use numbers 1-10, you're actually supposed to write it out. So, it should have been written "five", which would have made it clearer. Using the actual number itself implies the actual model.
  • p1esk - Monday, September 5, 2016 - link

    @FlyBri: yes, you're right.
  • Death666Angel - Tuesday, September 6, 2016 - link

    But context is king, as in, how could he get a Galaxy Note 5 "years ago", when it was released only a year ago. Yes, his wording is confusing, but you have to be half asleep to make the "model 5 vs 5 years ago" mistake in the context as well.
  • Tams80 - Monday, September 5, 2016 - link

    I misread it the same way at first too. Still, always best to check.

    The first Note was 16:10, but that didn't really make it that much different to handle.
  • vision33r - Sunday, September 4, 2016 - link

    It's more like Axon 7 Lite. It's got weaker specs.
  • shabby - Sunday, September 4, 2016 - link

    min·i·a·ture(mini)

    adjective
    1. (especially of a replica of something) of a much smaller size than normal; very small.
    "children dressed as miniature adults"
    synonyms: small-scale, mini; More

    noun
    1. a thing that is much smaller than normal, especially a small replica or model.

    verbrare
    1. represent on a smaller scale; reduce to miniature dimensions.
  • close - Monday, September 5, 2016 - link

    This is the *name* of the phone. It's the "Axon 7 mini" not the mini-"Axon 7". Usually it goes to show it's smaller than the normal version. By how much isn't really the point.

    Otherwise "lite" phone models would be measured by their alcohol or sugar content.

    lite
    adjective
    1. denoting a low-fat or low-sugar version of a manufactured food or drink product.
    "lite beer"

    nountrademark
    1. light beer with relatively few calories.
  • yannigr2 - Sunday, September 4, 2016 - link

    Ohhhhhhhh... a new Android smartphone....

    Who cares?..........
  • close - Monday, September 5, 2016 - link

    Apparently you. Enough to even comment.
  • Psyside - Sunday, September 4, 2016 - link

    AHAHAh S617, gl....
  • mortimerr - Sunday, September 4, 2016 - link

    Is there any logistical reason why a smaller form factor always has weaker specs now? Can smaller devices not dissipate heat well enough? Why is it that every device with a smaller form factor also has significantly worse internal hardware? 617? What are people supposed to do with that who want a easy to hold device with good performance?
  • close - Monday, September 5, 2016 - link

    Probably also because many people associate size with performance and if you show them a small (by today's standards) screen they won't consider it a flagship and won't be willing to pay the price.

    Then again, this is a 300E ($300?) phone. If it's 75% flagship for 40% of the price I call it a win.
  • TheinsanegamerN - Tuesday, September 6, 2016 - link

    It is certianly possible. The iphone SE proves that.

    Android OEMs are falling into the same trap as game devs. They are all chasing the same "mainstream" market that samsung is chasing, and ignoring that there are size-able niche markets in existence. Rather then adapt to the niche markets, they are instead choosing to go belly up by loosing money quarter after quarter.
  • close - Wednesday, September 7, 2016 - link

    I didn't say it's not possible. But for it to be possible you need a different kind of consumers. Ones that are either very conscious about what they actually need or ones that will buy anything big or small if it has a specific logo.
    The iPhone SE isn't the most relevant example given the fact that Apple products historically have been bought regardless of their objective qualities and their customers were always willing to pay more than average. And I'm not talking just about phones, I'm looking at their whole product lineup, some of which offered nothing over the competition except the logo. So Apple is a special case that cannot be generalized.

    Most consumers are definitely not in the first group and they buy whatever society tells them is great. Either spec-wise (5-6", octo-core but wouldn't say no to an icosa-core SoC, 4-6Gb RAM, aluminium unibody, 20+MP camera, etc.) or brand-wise (it has to be Apple or Samsung).
  • johnsonx - Sunday, September 4, 2016 - link

    spec-wise this seems a lot more like an ZMax Pro "Mini"... or perhaps a "ZMini Pro"... if we can indeed call a 5.2" phone "mini". Same SoC, same screen resolution, same 32GB storage. It clearly does have some more upscale features though, including the 3GB ram, AMOLED screen, curved glass, a bit better camera. Either way, what it clearly is not is an Axon 7 in a smaller body.
  • FlyBri - Sunday, September 4, 2016 - link

    For people who are complaining and saying the Axon 7 Mini is not be "mini", I understand that point of view if you're just making a general observation, but compared to the Axon 7 it is smaller, so the name makes perfect sense and is exactly the reason why they called it the Axon 7 Mini. May not make general sense, but in the way ZTE is using it, it's the best choice.

    Also, to the author Ian, you need to make some edits to your specs tables. For one, the rear camera specs are where the front camera specs should be, and vice versa. Also, for the front camera specs of the Axon 7 mini, it should be "f/2.2" not "g/2.2"
  • Lolimaster - Monday, September 5, 2016 - link

    When the main version is a doberman and the "mini" a chihuahua. At least put the 652 @14nm.
  • BrokenCrayons - Tuesday, September 6, 2016 - link

    ZTE makes a 5.2 inch phone. Calls it a Mini. Laughs at stupid customers all the way to the bank.

    Seriously, phones are turning into the next American arms race now that the idea of driving progressively more and more gigantic SUVs and trucks are becoming old hat for people that fell like they need to compensate for their physical shortcomings.
  • serendip - Tuesday, September 6, 2016 - link

    For most people, a 5.5"-5.7" phone will be the largest that they can fit into pants pockets. I'm a big fan of big phones because everything looks big on the screen, a good thing when my eyesight isn't as good as before. I'd rather carry a phablet around than squint at a small screen.

    That said, 6"+ screens aren't popular because they're too big. Maybe a phone with a tiny front camera and no hardware buttons could squeeze a 6.5" screen into a typical 5" chassis. I hope someone comes up with this soon.
  • BrokenCrayons - Tuesday, September 6, 2016 - link

    As someone else with poor eyesight due to age, I can't agree with you more that small screens are a pain to use. Then again, I use my phone for making phone calls. If I want to do anything else, there are computers with internet access all over the place and I know my way around without a phone telling me where to go (a rare thing these days apparently). There's nothing important enough on the Internet that I can't wait to look at a 15+ inch screen on a computer later.

    Doing that lets me use a cheap flip phone for a lot less money per month. The additional money I gain from doing so go towards other things like strippers and booze. Priorities, good sir. You need to take a long, hard look at them if you feel you need a big phone over drunken debauchery.
  • rocky12345 - Tuesday, September 6, 2016 - link

    Was looking at these phones with slight interest until I noticed the odd camera setup. 20MP front 8MP rear and the mini with just as stupid setup WTF. Not everyone's a selfie King/Queen these are off the list and files in the C file labeled as crap.
  • blzd - Friday, September 9, 2016 - link

    They kind of gimped this one using the Snapdragon 617 at this point. At least give it the 625 for the 14nm power savings and Adreno 506.
  • a1exh - Monday, September 12, 2016 - link

    Why would anyone buy one when you can get the Motorola G4 Plus 32/3 (pretty much the same spec and a bigger screen) for 50 Euro less?

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