If you are not a fan of flashy and conspicuous-looking phones but you still want to take advantage of the latest in mobile technology, then midrange phones are a great compromise.
The Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) and the ZTE Blade V8 Pro are both great alternatives if you don't want to spring for the flagship phones just yet. Here's how they compare side-by-side:
Design
The Samsung Galaxy A7 looks ridiculously good with its all-metal body, while the ZTE Blade V8 Pro is supported by a metal frame and a diamond-styled texturized plastic on its back that offers a firm grip.
Display
Both phones' display screen offer a Full HD resolution but use a different display technology. The Samsung phone makes use of a Super AMOLED FHD display that has 1,920 x 1,080 pixels with 386 pixels-per-inch (PPI) resolution. On the other, the ZTE phone makes use of an IPS LCD Full HD display that has a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels with 401 PPI.
Although Samsung sports the larger display at 5.7 inch, it has a lower pixel density compared to the 5.5 inch ZTE handset.
Processor And Storage
Under the hood, the Galaxy A7 is powered using Samsung's 1.9GHz Exynos 7880 octa-core processor and a Mali-T830MP2 for its graphics. In this aspect, the Blade V8 Pro has the slightest edge with its 2.0Ghz 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 octa-core processor and an Adreno 506 GPU for its graphics.
Both the the Galaxy A7 and the Blade V8 Pro contains 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal memory, which can be expanded to 256 GB using a microSD card.
Camera
The primary camera on the Galaxy A7 uses a 16 MP lens with an aperture of f/1.9. The phone's selfie camera also has the same specs as the rear one, making it the perfect accessory for low-light selfies and video chatting. Samsung's camera also comes with autofocus and an LED flash.
The Blade V8 Pro has a dual 13 MP primary camera, allowing you to take pictures using bokeh, monochrome, and monocolor modes. It also comes with an 8MP front-facing camera for selfies and video chatting.
If you are fond of taking selfies, the Samsung Galaxy A7 would be the better deal for you.
Battery
Both phones have a non-removable battery and both come with rapid charging capabilities. Samsung has the edge on this aspect with its 3,600 mAh battery while the ZTE phone has a 3,140 mAh battery.
Other Features
Both phones come with Android Marshmallow and a fingerprint sensor that can be used to unlock the device and authorize online payment systems such as Android Pay. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and Type-C port are also available on both phones.
The Samsung Galaxy A7 is a great midrange device, but it comes with an expensive price tag of $530. Aside from the AMOLED 'always-on' display and the IP68 certification against dust and water, the Galaxy A7 is not much different from the ZTE Blade V8 specs-wise, which is why it is hard to justify its price considering that the ZTE is being offered for only $230.
